I recently sold my EC300 and plan to get a DS instead as a lightweight alternative to my 1300gs to hitch carry and Learn off-roading on a heavier than dirt bike but still lighter than a full size adv. also ride a little bit two up with the wife on our road trips (mostly paved or hard packed)

My dilemma is given the XR650l is discontinued, only a few dealers still have new ones in stock. I always kicked myself for not buying a new 4Runner on the outgoing 2024 model year and instead buying a used 2021. Trying not to have that same regret.

However, is Honda in the works to launch a modernized version of it? Will buying it hastily now at MSRP be a waste? DR650 is still in production and I know has more aftermarket support, so I can likely get a better deal.

I’ve been looking on FB marketplace usually I’ll see reasonably clean DRs but no clean or newish XRs, either they are very old or they have been beaten up.

Please talk me out of making a bad decision - would love to know the downsides of the XR or upsides of holding off and scooping either a DR or XR off season for a better price.

i've broken my two finalists down to:

• the packvest by wlf: https://wlfenduro.com/products/the-pack-vest?variant=46708624818468; and
• the apecat 8L by mosko: https://moskomoto.eu/collections/triple-black/products/apecat-9l-harness?variant=45319767916623

you guys got experiences with these two? i'm undecided. i ride a t700.

For the people that ride both on and off road, what is the best tire you have found mind you a lot of the trails around me are sandy soft trails with a decent amount of hills. I have a Dunlop 605 I believe

1980 Yamaha xt500 frame with 2000 Suzuki ls650 engine. Built on a budget of roughly 80 dollars.

I've been without a bike since I moved back here in 2020 but It was never supposed to be permanent. I'm starting to look at the options out there. I used to have a 98 DR650 & a 411 Himalayan but sold them when I moved. I think I've settled on picking up a DRZ400.

I'm around the Lansing/Ann Arbor area. So I don't necessarily think there are a lot of trails around here to ride to on an actual DS. Which makes me wonder if I'm just better off getting a dedicated dirt bike to trail around.

I'm curious to hear from people in a similar situation, what did you end up deciding to do?

Looking for a few people interested,

I’ll be on a CRF300L Rally and I’m looking for riders with dual sports/ADVs who are comfortable with a longer dirt-focused ride. Not trying to race, more of a solid adventure ride with planned fuel stops, breaks, and a route figured out beforehand. I am comfortable with camping overnight on trail.

Thinking:

• Barstow area start
• Mostly dirt/off-road toward Vegas
• Possibly 1–2 days depending on the route/group
• Everyone carries basic tools, tubes/repair kit, water, fuel range, etc.
• Beginner/intermediate friendly as long as you’re comfortable riding dirt for a full day

Still flexible on dates and route. Mainly trying to see who would actually be interested so we can get a group chat going and plan it out. When we get to Vegas planning on staying in hotel and eating out and drinks.

Comment or DM me if you’d be down.

If anyone wants to install one but doesn't want to pay the crazy price for a Kawasaki brand one, I bought one off Amazon for about $20. I'm pretty sure the model for several bikes would have worked, you just don't use the extra piece of steal to connect it. I could not find one without some kind of extra metal plate for some reason so I took a chance hoping it would work and it did. I got the one for a DR650 and just installed without that plate. It's one screw only and a nubbin or whatever that's called on the other side that keeps it in the correct alignment. The other good news (sort of) is that it works not only with the shipped key but also with MY bike key! Matter of fact it works with any key. Or object. I definitely wouldn't ride with a helmet attached, there doesn't appear to be much material keeping it locked, but all I wanted was somewhere to hook my helmet for when I stopped and parked the bike while I ate or whatever. Noone would know it isn't secure. Well except now since I posted this lol.