Dual Sport vs Adventure Bike: What's the Difference Between Dual Sport and Adventure Motorcycles?

What's the difference between a dual sport and adventure motorcycle? These two types of off road bike have many similarities, but just as many differences. To an outsider or someone new to the world of motorcycles, it can be hard to see what makes a motorcycle a dual sport vs adventure bike.

In general, dual sports get more of their DNA from dirt bikes, including their ergonomics and overall look. Adventure bikes, however, get more of their DNA from their street bike ancestors, and are generally heavier and perform better on the road than a true dual sport. Adventure motorcycles tend to be bigger with larger engines, while dual sport bikes tend to be narrower and have smaller, single-cylinder engines.

A third question people often ask is what's the difference dual sport vs adventure vs enduro motorcycles? Enduro bikes tend to be almost pure dirt bikes, with just a few concessions/additions like turn signals and tail lights added to make them barely street legal.

Obviously there are exceptions to every rule, but this video covers the general characteristics of dual sport vs adventure bikes, and after watching you should have a far more clear idea of the differences and similarities between dual sport and adventure motorcycles.

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[Randolini]

I'm happy to say that I found the perfect ADV for my 74 y.o. body in the Versys-X 300. It is capable of running 75 on Texas highways, but it is really happy running 55 and 60 on 2 lane country roads. I average 60 mpg and the tank holds 4.5 gal. of gas. What's not to love.

[hankwojo]

Love the last line. "I''d pick the Honda!" Yeah, me too since I now have the 250L and the 1000L.

[vtrack]

As a new rider, I originally intended to buy a dual-sport in the 250cc range and then graduate to an adventure bike. I was thinking just owning one bike at a time. After talking with several dealers they said after a few months I would want to get the adventure bike so why not get it first. At the time that seemed to make sense. After an enjoyable but exhaustive search I picked a V-Strom 1000XT. I really do like it and do not regret my choice; however, I think I missed out on the learning and enjoyment I could have got on gravel/dirt with the dual sport. I think my error was in just thinking one bike - I should have been thinking two all along. So now I’m actively looking for a smaller dual sport. I see the smaller dual sport as complimenting the adventure bike, and hope that riding the dual sport makes me a better adventure bike rider. Of all the YouTube channels I have watched your rides on gravel/dirt and a few trails most closely matches what I want to do. No super hard stuff. I’m a heavier rider and turn 57 this year. Now that you have the AT are you going to pursue Adventure Touring or treat it as a very large dual sport?

[eljuano]

Just an interesting history note: Adventure bikes originated out of "street registerable" versions of factory Paris/Dakar rally bikes which are truly off-road bikes, but over the years they've gone soft and gained more street bias. Dual sports began out of scramblers which, as you mentioned last night, were, for the most part, street bikes with dirt tires and gradually became more dirt worthy. Now days, you're assessment is pretty spot on.

[RonaiHenrik]

I totally agree with you on "get both, if you can". I'm just buying a CRF300L next to my TDM900A (which is more like a sport-tourer than an adventure bike but I've seen some people using TDM's for heavier off-road stuff).

[Crittermoto]

Great vid! My wife just doesn’t get it. She thinks I already have one too many bikes. I say I have one too few 😜👍🏻
Blooper reel 🤣🤣🤣

[dancier]

Good comparison, I went middle ground with the KLR, but my two would be the DL650 and KLX250. It's pretty easy to get caught up in the marketing hype and buy expensive bikes that do much the same as the cheapies, maybe with a bit more style.

[frankstith]

So, I had a 1973 Yamaha 250cc single cyl Enduro, that I bought almost new. Put a lot of miles on it, wish I still had it. Thought it was too top heavy for the trail, but too light for the street. Although, I rode it both places. I took off the metal front fender and added a fork brace with a plastic fender about 10” above the front wheel. I also changed the straight stock exhaust pipe for one that was more upswept to keep the creek water out of it. It had lights with turn signals to make it street legal. It was a two stroke, but had an oil tank, so you didn’t have to mix the oil and gas, the bike did it for you; just keep the oil tank above the sight-glass level, and you’re good.

[inea]

watching this vid and saving to my favorites so I can convince my wife as to why I need another bike... when Im ready for Adventure riding! lol. thank you Dork!

[captsam]

Last week I rode my Honda Rally from Brunswick Ga. to Orlando fla via Ocala.. over 500 miles on 2 and 4 lane...lol. my Africa Single...

[patwest]

I've just been brushing up on my motorcycle knowledge after being out of the game for 30 years. I've convinced myself that I want to put together the "Dream" adventure dual sport bike. So I've viewed hundreds of videos and came to almost the same conclusion this guy has. I would split the line on the Suzuki DR650S just over the dual sport line and the KLR650 just over the adventure line. Coming from mainly a dirt bike background I've chosen the Honda XR650L to build off of. Strangely the first bike I ever had was a 1974 XR75 when I was 11, straight of the showroom floor, and was mostly self taught. I'm sure I had more hours if not miles riding the crap out of that bike than any other bike I owned. It cost me 3 levers and gas and the occasional oil top off a chain and tire. My dad finally sold it with just a tune up and new muffler in the late 80's. By then I had a 85 CR250 and a mid 70's Kawasaki 750 twin sport bike. I ended on those notes. Now it's a Jeep and convertible Mustang in the Garage. I've got one last hurrah left in me and am going to see if I can get 5-6 year good riding before I sell the new project.

[Cayoot]

Good video, thanks for doing this. I have to say, I first bought a road bike (Victory Cross Country Tour) because I like taking 5 - 7 day trips, but I missed trail riding like I did in my youth. Still, I didn't want to give up my Victory. So I bought a DR 650 to sit next to my Victory. That DR 650 is great for my kind of trail riding (slow exploring with lots of rubber necking), but at the same time it'll do 65 - 70 mph all day on the highway. So this year I put a windscreen and better seat on it. Now I'm putting luggage on it, and I'm planning to ride it from Northern Michigan (my home) to Moab Utah for a week of off-roading. I think this is might be a middle weight ADV bike, the way I have it set up. It's done great packing a tent and camping gear all around my state, but this will be the big test. If it works out, I think I'll have the perfect ADV/Dual Sport bike. I'll know for sure when this silly quarantine ends, and I can take off on the big trip. Looking forward to your next video!

[livenhappynus]

I'm a wife with that same question 🤔Thank you ! for the analogy (2 bikes fall in love 😃). Now I understand 👍. I'm a very green newbie, your video really helped. Love your video

[edseljaygavino]

How bold, you created a video to justify buying new motorcycle, i need to do this and show my wife

[stephencartwright]

My dual sport, sold here in Indonesia as a VIAR CrossX 150, is my daily commuter. The roads are so bad here, especially in the rainy season that it has become my vehicle of choice. It is another "Chinese" bike assembled here, very similar to your Bross....

[theosager]

Great video. Had to share this with an idiot who says this: "Adventure bikes are just long distance dualsport bikes…how well they do dirt vs. road is immaterial to the definition."

[Canek]

Great video! Dual Sport all the way for me. Thanks.

[JavierPerez-tbzy]

Total y agree. I have a GS1250 and a CRF250L. As you say both are complementary. Let me add that with adventure bikes you could make trips with a second person. One common characteristic that both have in comparison with pure road bikes is that you move your body and you move the bike in a tottaly different way.

[markjacobs]

I've had a KLR, XR650L, WR450, Tiger 800 and 1200 and a Himalayan. I finally found a 2017 KTM 690 Enduro R with only 1000 miles last November. It's the closest thing to a unicorn with a set of TKC's on it. It goes down the freeway easily and can run single track and everything in between. It's not a long distance tourer but I've done plenty of that and am over it. T120 Bonnie is the other bike in my stable.

[wolfdad]

I enjoyed the Dr. DITR course. Keep it up!