Dual-sport
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A dual-sport, colloquially known as "dualie" or an "on-off road bike" is a type of street-legal motorcycle that is designed for both on and off-road use. Popular dual-sport models include the BMW GS series, KTM Adventure series, Kawasaki KLR, Suzuki DRZ and V-Strom, Honda XL, Yamaha XT and many more.
[edit] Design
A dual-sport motorcycle compromises the light weight and off-road capabilities of the typical dirt bike in order to offer a safer, more comfortable ride on the road and comply with regulations that affect street motor vehicles. Thus Dual-sports have all necessary components for street homologation such as turn signals, speedometer, mirrors, as well as safety, comfort and convenience components which may include a anti-lock braking system, luggage, more comfortable seats, auxiliary lighting, and other optional items.
A dual-sport is often conceptualized as a street-evolved dirt machine, although recently several manufacturers, especially those who usually do not compete in the dirt-bike market (for example Buell with the Ulysses XB12X and Ducati with the Multistrada), have followed an opposite trend. The offroad heritage of these bikes is reflected most prominently in its suspension, which offers more travel than a street bike. Other features common to off-road bikes, such as Handguards and wheel covers (mudcovers) usually appear in these models.
The tires fitted in dual-sports are also a compromise, offering deeper treads than a street bike, while lacking the knobbed surface of dirt tires. This compromise offers a fairly good road performance as well as superior dirt handling over normal road tires, although other tire trade-offs are available.
[edit] Other types of Dual-Sports
When a dual-sport bike is fitted for long distance travel, with accessories such as oversized tanks, luggage compartments, and other distance-oriented gear they are often referred to as "adventure" bikes, offering limited touring capabilities, superior to that of the average motorcycle, but less than a full fledged tourer such as the Honda Goldwing series.
Enduro motorcycles can also be dual-sports, if they are street legal. These motorbikes are generally speaking between the average dual-sport and a true off-road motorcycle.
A supermoto (also known as a supermotard or motard) is typically a converted motocross bike with less suspension travel, smaller front and rear wheel wheel (typically 17" at both ends), road tires and an oversized front brake designed to be primarily run on asphalt. When made street legal, these bikes may also be considered to be a type of dual sport. In this case, these motorbikes could be seen as somewhere between a sport bike and a "true" dual-sport.
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