Total Motorcycle Community Forums

What's the official difference between the two.

I assume both are terms determined by moto journalism.

Adventure Touring bikes tend to have larger displacement engines and more creature comforts. Emphasis on the 'Touring' aspect.

BMW R1150GS
BMW R1200GS
Ducati Multistrada 1000DS
Buell XB12X Ulysses
KTM 950 Adventure
Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
Triumph Tiger 955/1050

Dual Sport bikes tend to be smaller and lighter and less suited to touring, but they can manage. They also tend to be more off-pavement friendly than the larger bikes, due in most part to their lighter weight.

Suzuki DR650
Honda XR650
Kawasaki KLR650
BMW F650GS
Suzuki DRZ400
KTM 640

Some of the lighter Dual Sport bikes, like the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom (Wee-Strom), while fall into the 'Dual Sport' classification due to their size, I would consider to be more 'Adventure Touring' instead, as they are biased more towards pavement riding than off-pavement conditions.

Good points, though I wonder why Motorcycle.com failed to include the Ulysses in their Adventure Tourers test.

Gadjet wrote: Some of the lighter Dual Sport bikes, like the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom (Wee-Strom), while fall into the 'Dual Sport' classification due to their size, I would consider to be more 'Adventure Touring' instead, as they are biased more towards pavement riding than off-pavement conditions.

tell that to this guy...
http://www.alcan5000.com/05NwB/PaulB/De ... Hazard.JPG

it looks well suited off-pavement.

Just because you can do that with the bike, doesn't mean it's the best suited tool for the job. Afterall, you posted a pic a while back of a guy doing a river crossing on a gixxer. Most any bike can be taken off road, some are just better than others. The Weestrom, while being an adventure-esqe bike is definitely more road oriented.

If you are intro dual sports or adventure beasts, check out www.totalmotorcycle.com. It is one of my favourite sites.

PostHuman wrote:Good points, though I wonder why Motorcycle.com failed to include the Ulysses in their Adventure Tourers test.

That is strange, because it is deff. in that category. Perhaps because it is a newer bike and they have not updated?

badfish89 wrote:

PostHuman wrote:Good points, though I wonder why Motorcycle.com failed to include the Ulysses in their Adventure Tourers test.

That is strange, because it is deff. in that category. Perhaps because it is a newer bike and they have not updated?

Or they may just not have had access to one when they did the test.

The Crimson Rider® wrote:

Gadjet wrote: Some of the lighter Dual Sport bikes, like the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom (Wee-Strom), while fall into the 'Dual Sport' classification due to their size, I would consider to be more 'Adventure Touring' instead, as they are biased more towards pavement riding than off-pavement conditions.

tell that to this guy...
http://www.alcan5000.com/05NwB/PaulB/De ... Hazard.JPG

it looks well suited off-pavement.

I'd rather have a Dakar for that.

Gadjet wrote:Adventure Touring bikes tend to have larger displacement engines and more creature comforts. Emphasis on the 'Touring' aspect.

BMW R1150GS
BMW R1200GS
Ducati Multistrada 1000DS
Buell XB12X Ulysses
KTM 950 Adventure
Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
Triumph Tiger 955/1050

Dual Sport bikes tend to be smaller and lighter and less suited to touring, but they can manage. They also tend to be more off-pavement friendly than the larger bikes, due in most part to their lighter weight.

Suzuki DR650
Honda XR650
Kawasaki KLR650
BMW F650GS
Suzuki DRZ400
KTM 640

Some of the lighter Dual Sport bikes, like the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom (Wee-Strom), while fall into the 'Dual Sport' classification due to their size, I would consider to be more 'Adventure Touring' instead, as they are biased more towards pavement riding than off-pavement conditions.

Not having actually ridden one, but from what I've read and what a friend who owns one has said, the BMW F650GS really belongs in the top list. It is an excellent on pavement machine, great for touring, but its suspension really is not up to the equal of a regular dual purpose machine, not even close. It can handle a decent fire road, but that is the extent of it.

paul246 wrote:

Gadjet wrote:Adventure Touring bikes tend to have larger displacement engines and more creature comforts. Emphasis on the 'Touring' aspect.

BMW R1150GS
BMW R1200GS
Ducati Multistrada 1000DS
Buell XB12X Ulysses
KTM 950 Adventure
Suzuki DL1000 V-Strom
Triumph Tiger 955/1050

Dual Sport bikes tend to be smaller and lighter and less suited to touring, but they can manage. They also tend to be more off-pavement friendly than the larger bikes, due in most part to their lighter weight.

Suzuki DR650
Honda XR650
Kawasaki KLR650
BMW F650GS
Suzuki DRZ400
KTM 640

Some of the lighter Dual Sport bikes, like the Suzuki DL650 V-Strom (Wee-Strom), while fall into the 'Dual Sport' classification due to their size, I would consider to be more 'Adventure Touring' instead, as they are biased more towards pavement riding than off-pavement conditions.

Not having actually ridden one, but from what I've read and what a friend who owns one has said, the BMW F650GS really belongs in the top list. It is an excellent on pavement machine, great for touring, but its suspension really is not up to the equal of a regular dual purpose machine, not even close. It can handle a decent fire road, but that is the extent of it.

That's why you get the Dakar. It's like the difference between the R1200GS and the R1200GS Adventure.