Adventure bikes like the incredible R1300GS are marketed as the do-everything bike, the sacred unicorn. With their powerful engines, durable wheels, and upright frames, they appeal to our sense of overcoming any obstacle. But really, their best use is for long journeys. They might be able to get you out of many slippery situations, but for those more off-road-oriented, leave your tricks to your Katoom – this isn’t the unicorn you’ve been looking for. Like many of us, ADVs over the years have been getting slightly bulkier. I love the GS, but one tumble in the sticky mud, and you might need a tow truck to get the beast back up again. Trust me, it’s humbling. Still, with its tank-like low gears and high top speeds, any far-flung uncharted destination never feels out of reach.
Point is – the utility of your machine for your terrain is paramount. Enduros and Dual Sports have been modded for years, (Definitions of bike classes) A factory-set KTM is already perfect for a two-day outback wander. But at a weekend riding mostly on motorways you’ll soon complain about your street-legal dirtbike’s crappy (probably) headlights, the many fuel stops filling its tiny tank, and your backside turned to jelly thanks to a hard, unforgiving seat. Not to mention the bugs on your visor and all over your outfit. I know some of this is just part of the fun but It’s certainly not fun when a heavy crosswind knocks you and your lightweight bike off the road, only to watch an ADV go by in cruise control.
Really if you’ve already got a bike to satisfy your dirtbike needs, you might want to consider hiring a cruiser to go camping in. As on the roads, 8 or more hours a day, comfort is really your main priority. Alternatively, there are plenty of people who treat Dual Sports as lightweight ADVs: Youtuber Itchy Boots beautifully explains why she travels the world on a modded CRF 500 Rally. So If the beaten track’s not your bag and you’ve planned the ultimate off-grid adventure with Scenic, then keep reading. There’s nothing more rewarding than modding your bike to improve your ride. With all the readily available Street Legal Dirtbike and Dual Sport mods out there, you can have a lot of fun with it too.
7 Adventure Bike Mods for a Dirt and Road Motorcycle
- I’d advise getting an Enduro windshield and rally fairings so when you do make a pit stop for lunch, the owner of the caf will let you sit down without stripping first.
- If possible, choose a bike with at least a 1.5-oil capacity. High-revving engines like to burn more oil, and you don’t want to be running low all the time. You can increase capacity with an oil cooler and larger clutch cover.
- Employ a throttle retainer; dirt bikes are built to be snappy, but we riders can also be a bit erratic, smoothing out some of that response time could genuinely save your life, particularly when riding on the roads.
- Cush Drive hubs are sensible for longer journeys. If you don’t already have them, these ‘hubs’ create a cushion that mitigates some of the shock that the throttle continually has on the chain and the drive system more generally. Once you have them, they last forever. It’s super easy to install. Don’t leave home without them.
- Aftermarket seats are expensive; sometimes, you can get away with a block of foam with a vinyl cover on. Ultimately, you’re already investing heavily in this project, so any corners that are safe to cut might not be such a bad idea.
- If you don’t already have a wide gear ratio, you’ll want to adapt your transmission with a kit. Google it based on your bike and install it yourself. This will optimise performance: controlled low off-road speeds / smoother high motorway speeds.
- The last thing but certainly not least is the tyres. A puncture on a dirt bike could frustratingly cut your adventure short. There’s a tubeless system you can fit. I have fitted them myself with minimal cursing!
Appropriate Conditions For Your Dual Sport/Lightweight Adventure Bike
- Route focused on rough terrain with occasional (20% or less) main roads.
- Engine powerful enough for motorway. (BHP 30+ usually 600cc+ motorbikes)
- A big enough fuel tank to let you focus on the journey.
- A good oil capacity for the same reason.
- Still lightweight enough so you can get the full off-road experience.
- A wide gear ratio.
- Good lights, to see but even so as to be seen.
- Low maintenance. Should be a standard. If only. Bring tools.
SO WHAT BIKE THEN?!
I can’t give you a specific bike, as we all know finding this perfect unicorn takes time and is somewhat oriented to what its rider wants to get out of it. Hence why ADVs are successful and well-deserved as arguably it’s only in truly off-road scenarios the weight is limiting. She is out there though friends. It might take a few attempts to get it right, learn what works best for you, learn from your adventures, and develop the practical know-how to tweak things. We’re all continually improving. If you think you’ve found her, by all means, get in touch to tell us about your unicorn. To the rest of you, I wish you happy hunting.
