What is an Adventure Bike?
The difference between Dual Sport and Adventure Bikes has blurred over time.
What qualifies as an adventure bike has grown greatly over time...rightly so. Above you can see three different choices for this day of adventure riding. Each machine faired well on and off road, even with a considerable amount of water on the jeep trails everyone had a great day.
I don’t subscribe to a strict definition of either type of bike. But it is helpful to know what some folks mean when they say Dual Sport or Adventure Bike.
Adventure motorcycles
Adventure motorcycles are typically larger, more powerful, and more comfortable than dual sport motorcycles. They are designed to be ridden longer distances, across multiple types of terrain, and they offer a better set of features to support this type of riding. Adventure motorcycles typically have larger gas tanks, more comfortable seats, windshields, and more storage for your gear. When it comes to the bigger bikes it’s hard not to enjoy the added comfort and power when you find yourself on a major highway, at or above 70 mph. ADV bikes are feature rich multicylinder comfort machines most happy on the tarmac but willing venture off down a dirt road or two if necessary on the way to your destination.
Dual sport motorcycles
Dual Sport Bikes are generally single cylinder machines with little in the way of creature comforts, relatively light and More nimble and lightweight, making them better suited for off-road riding. They feature more capable off road suspension and dirt biased tires that offer more traction in rough or loose terrain. Dual sport motorcycles also tend to have a more aggressive riding position, with more ground clearance and a taller seat height. Quite happy to venture as far off-road as you are willing to go, a Dual Sport Bike is a joy to ride off road.
Mile High Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway on the 2020 Husqvarna 701 enduro LR, the largest of the Dual Sport Bikes.
Michaux State Forrest on the 2020 BMW 850 GSA, very much an Adventure Motorcycle
Honda CRF300L Rally. Not an ultralight adventure bike, a monicker reserved for high performance off-road bikes. The 300 Rally and 300L are perhaps the very definition of Dual Sport Motorcycle. Comfortable to set a moderate pace on and off the pavement. Needing a dozen or so modifications to realize it’s potential as a very light, very competent long distance traveller.
Both the Husky 701 and the Tenere 700 made the same thousand mile journey to get to this destination, almost half of which was on the dirt. The 701 was less of a handfull in the dirt while the T-7 was a more comfortable perch for the five hundred miles spent on the pavement.
It is often the case that my Husky 701 “Dual Sport Adventure Bike” is among the smallest of the bunch on most adventure rides that I participate in. This one through the Great Smoky Mountains was no different. It’s worth noting that one of these riders dropped their 1250GS at an intersection and had to be helped by two other riders to get the bike up and going again. Good thing he wasn’t alone.
While adventure and dual sport motorcycles are distinct categories, there is some overlap between them. Many adventure motorcycles feature off-road features like spoked wheels and long-travel suspension, while some dual sport motorcycles are designed to handle long-distance touring. When it comes to bigger ADV bikes, there is no doubt you will enjoy the comfort and power on the highway, but when the adventure route turns to technical off-road work, if you’re like me, you will be so much happier on the lighter more “dual-sportish” machines. Ultimately, the choice between an adventure motorcycle and a dual sport motorcycle will depend on the type of riding you plan to do, as well as your personal preferences for comfort, power, and handling.
