![sport motorbike sport motorbike](https://mcn-images.bauersecure.com/PageFiles/530219/Recursion_FINAL-standard.jpg)
Now, match those facets to the 2017 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled: Check, check, check, check, and check. Back in the day, “Desert Sleds” were motorcycles with 500cc or larger engines with reinforced suspension, engine protection plates, spoked wheels, and knobby tires. The Desert Sled is inspired by off-road bikes from the ’60s and ’70s, which raced in the western desert and mountains of California. The extra weight is due to the reinforced tubular frame, which protects a bike built for endurance races and allows it to take more punishment than most off-road riders will ever give it.
![sport motorbike sport motorbike](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1qocsQlneAM/Tg8b-vIrFoI/AAAAAAAAAgE/kfjMq6Gxfxk/s1600/Sports-Bike-00.jpg)
The Desert Sled, at 456 lbs with fuel, weighs at least 30 lbs more than the other models. If you look at all six Ducati Scramblers, only one has a high mudguard on the front and a headlight rock guard, which are great indicators. After all, Ducati doesn’t call this bike the Scrambler Desert Sled without a good reason.ĭucati makes five other scrambler bikes - four of which use the same 803cc, 75-horsepower, air-cooled engine - and they’re fine for their respective cafe racer, flat track, and more street-ish purposes. How does spending the whole day jumping over hills, gullies, and fallen tree trunks sound? Maybe that’s more than you’d like to sign up for, but it’s nice to know that you could do all that if you wanted to. Maybe after another 36 years, you’ll decide to pass this bike on to someone and buy a new one for yourself.Ģ017 Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled ($11,395)
![sport motorbike sport motorbike](https://luxurylaunches.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Lamborghini-Motorcycles-892x580.jpg)
The Yamaha XT 250 is the perfect bike to learn on if your idea of ultimate biking is noodling around town and riding trails. Don’t think the bike is just for little kids, however: Sylvester Stallone rode one in First Blood. If the wind is right it will probably hit 70 mph, but just as the Yamaha isn’t a powerful dirt digger, it’s not a long-haul cruiser made for the turnpike. You won’t want to take the XT 250 on the interstate - well, certainly not for more than an exit or two. The seat height is just 31.9 in, which is about as low as you’ll find on a dual-sport bike. In addition, today’s XT 250 has a hassle-free electric start, modern fuel injection, and disc brakes at the front and rear. The dual-sport Yamaha’s weight has increased, from 270 pounds to 291, and the compression ratio is now 9.5:1 instead of 9.2:1.
![sport motorbike sport motorbike](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/27/6b/a1/276ba13e1e7573b2fb5089c325e2fde8.jpg)
The little dual-sport hasn’t strayed much from its initial build, but the minor tweaks in the years since have added small improvements without changing the nature of this popular model. Like it did in the ’80s, the XT 250 equips an air-cooled, single-overhead-camshaft, two-valve single-cylinder 249cc engine, and a five-speed transmission. The Yamaha XT 250 has been in continuous production since 1980 when the 1981 model was first introduced. Personal height can be a factor in choosing a dual-sport bike as well because the seat heights are high, so if you’re 5 feet 6 inches tall or less, ensure you can plant both feet firmly on the ground while sitting on the seat.įor our purposes, we divided dual-sport bikes into three levels arbitrarily by engine size: Lightweight (up to 400cc), middleweight (400cc to 800cc), and heavyweight (those larger than 800cc). If you start too large, it can result in a lousy first experience, potentially prompting you to give up - which is a shame because you’ll miss out on some of the most rewarding, exhilarating, and challenging experiences possible on two wheels. If you’re new to motorcycling or have never ridden off-road, we advise starting with a smaller bike to learn the basics, develop your reflexes, and fine-tune your off-road “spider sense.” Controlling a motorcycle off the pavement calls for more strength and finesse than street riding. Heavyweight bikes, aka adventure-tourers.