10 Dual-Sport Motorcycles For All Budgets

Until last decade, dual-sport and adventure motorcycles belonged to a rather niche segment. Today, they have both grown in popularity, but the dual-sports are still not as popular as the latter. The simple reason being that adventure motorcycles are primarily used on the road but can venture off-road if you want to. Dual-sports, on the other hand, are designed to take on dirt trails with enough road-going capability to comfortably ride from your house to the off-road trail outside the city. The point is that dual-sport bikes appeal to a very specific kind of buyer, for whom off-roading is generally a hobby or someone who is looking to get into competitive motocross racing.

Thankfully, there is no dearth of options if you are that person, regardless of your budget. America is more of a cruiser or touring motorcycle country, hence most of the popular dual-sports come from Japan or Europe. Having said that, there is an American and a Canadian-origin motorcycle on the list, both of which, ironically, use an electric powertrain. Let’s dive right in!

Can-Am Origin

Starting Price: $14,499

Can-Am

Can-Am, a Canadian company, returned to making bikes after 50 years, with the Origin being one of the first two offerings. It belongs to a very niche electric dual-sport motorcycle segment. Coming to the important bits, the Origin is powered by a 35kW motor paired with an 8.9kWh battery pack, which is claimed to be good enough to supply 100 miles of city-range. The suspension setup is sourced from KYB and consists of 43 mm inverted forks up top and a monoshock at the rear. Both offer impressive 10-inches of travel. Combined with a healthy 10.8 inches of ground clearance, the Origin, at least on paper, is more than capable of traversing tough terrains. What is not so impressive is the price.

Specifications

2026 KTM 690 Enduro R

Starting Price: TBA

KTM via Dobler T

The 690 Enduro R (and the 690 SMC R) were long due for an update and KTM has finally brought one out. Like before, the highlight of the package is its 693 cc single-cylinder engine. With the latest update, it now makes 77.5 horsepower and 54 pound-feet. KTM has also made minor changes to the suspension setup, but it largely remains the same with the beefy WP XPLOR forks and a WP XPLOR monoshock offering 10.4 and 9.8-inches of travel at the front and rear. The motorcycle now comes with modern tech like its younger sibling. Standout features include a sleek TFT, ride modes, cornering ABS, and cornering traction control. The 690 Enduro R is set to hit the showroom floors in September 2025. Expect it to cost above $13,000.

Specifications

Zero FX

Starting Price: $12,495

Zero Motorcycles

Zero is one of the few electric two-wheeler manufacturers that has managed to stand the test of time. The FX started life as an MX bike until it was revised to make it a proper dual-sport motorcycle. It uses a familiar Z-Force motor which churns out 46 horspower and 79 pound-feet of torque right from the get do, making it effortless to ride in the city and on dirt tracks. The FX also boasts impressive off-road capability with its long-travel suspension setup sourced from Showa and 21/18-inch wheel setup. Like any other electric motorcycle, its limited range (~102 miles for city) and price are two of the big limiting factors for the Zero FX.

Specifications

Honda CRF450RL

Starting Price: $10,099

Honda

The CRF450RL is one of those motorcycles which will take you anywhere you want as long as you possess the right skills. And being a Honda, you can count on it not breaking down on its own. Additionally, when you do eventually manage to damage it, repairing it won’t cost a bomb. Hence, the relatively hefty price tag. Speaking of the motorcycle, it is powered by a 450cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that puts out 53 horsepower and 35.4 pound-feet of torque.

The chassis has been derived from racing knowledge and consists of an aluminum twin-spar frame for weight-saving. Furthermore, it uses Showa suspension which offers an impressive 12-inches and 11.8-inches of travel at the front and rear. In a bid to make the motorcycle slimmer, Honda has equipped the CRF450L with a small 2.0-gallon fuel tank, so make sure you keep an eye on the same.

Specifications

Suzuki DR-Z4S

Starting Price: $8,999

Suzuki

If you wish to have a bit of modern touch, the Suzuki DR-Z4S is one to pick. It is one of the few dual-sports to embrace tech like ride-by-wire throttle, ride modes, switchable traction control and ABS. Even the styling with its projector LED headlamp setup and sharp tank shrouds make its competitors feel old. The DR-Z4S continues to feature a 398cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine which has been heavily reworked to make it Euro-5 compliant.

Suzuki has retained the 5-speed gearbox, though. Coming to the underpinnings, the DR-Z4S uses a twin-spar steel frame now suspended on fully-adjustable KYB inverted forks up top and a rear monoshock. There’s 11-inches and 11.6-inches of wheel travel at the front and rear, respectively.

Specifications

Kawasaki KLR 650

Starting Price: $7,199 (ABS)

Kawasaki

The KLR 650 blurs the line between a dual-sport and an adventure touring motorcycle. This is largely due to its styling, which features a large fairing and windscreen up front with wide seating for the rider and pillion. This makes it friendly to use in urban conditions, as well as short-distance touring. However, this capability comes at the cost of a higher weight. At its heart is the 652cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that churns out 40 horsepower and 39 pound-feet of torque, which might seem less given the engine’s large displacment. However, this also means the mill is understressed and hence will be more reliable to use.

Specifications

Beta Alp 4.0

Starting Price: $6,490

Beta

Beta, an Italian company, is relatively unknown compared to other dual-sport manufacturers. That being said, they sure do know how to build a decent off-road machine. This funky-looking motorcycle is largely built in Italy, except for the engine which is manufactured by the same company that supplies Zontes motorcycles in China. The Alp 4.0 looks funky and modern, but is rather a simple motorcycle. It uses conventional forks and a monoshock with modest travel of 7.3-inches and 7.7-inches at the front and rear. In terms of features, you get a couple of ride modes and switchable ABS, which is mostly on par with what the competition offers.

Specifications

KTM 390 Enduro R

Starting Price: $5,499

KTM via Rudi Schedl

This came out as a surprise package from KTM. Based on the famous 390 platform, the 390 Enduro R produces more power than the KLR 650 while boasting a feature list similar to that of the Suzuki DR-Z4S at just under $5,500. Not just that, it also uses top-quality suspension hardware sourced from WP Apex consisting of fully-adjustable inverted forks up front and a monoshock at the rear.

Both offer 9-inches of travel, and you also get a healthy 10.7-inches of ground clearance. In terms of features, you get a 4.2-inch TFT, ride-by-wire throttle, ride modes and switchable traction control and ABS. At 351 pounds, it isn’t the lightest of dual-sport motorcycles, but the narrow dimensions make it non-intimidating to ride for new riders.

Specifications

Yamaha TW200

Starting Price: $4,999

Yamaha

The TW200 is like the dinosaur of the dual-sport world, only it has managed to survive extinction due to assault from modern competition. For reference, the TW200 was first introduced in 1987 and the only updates it has received over the years have been related to meeting the emission norms. The single-cylinder engine uses simple air-cooling and the instrumentation is all analogue. With 16 horsepower on tap, this one won’t appeal to an experienced rider, but for an 18-year-old trying to get into motorcycling, the TW200 seems like a great option.

Specifications

Honda XR150L

Starting Price: $3,299

Honda

The XR150L was first introduced to the world in 2014 and only reached the American shores on 2023. It may not boast any ground-breaking specs or features, but it is a simple, no-nonsense entry-level dual sport motorcycle. Powering the XR150L is a small 149 cc air-cooled and carbureated engine that makes just over 12 horsepower, and 9.2 pound-feet of torque.

For a motorcycle weighing under 300 pounds, the output figures are just about enough for city commutes and trail riding for beginner riders. The XR150L is underpinned by a single downtube cradle frame suspended on conventional forks and pre-load adjustable monoshock at the rear. Combined with the 19/17-inch wheel setup and 9.6-inches of ground clearance, the dual-sport is decently capable off-roader.

Specifications