What's a "Dual Sport" ride?

 Two years ago I bought a Suzuki DR200. Needless to say it didn't have
enough of anything for me. So this past spring I bought a 2008 DR650.
Glad I did, as it's a blast to ride. Next year on a few off weekends
when I'm not racing vintage flattrack or MX I want to try a Dual Sport
ride. Here's the problem. What the heck is a Dual Sport ride?

Searching the web doesn't really help much. From what I can find, you
pay a club anywhere from $30 for a one day 100 mile ride, to $100 for a
two day 300 mile ride, and when finished, you go home. What's with that?
I can ride 300 miles a weekend for free. Why pay someone to ride? Are
there trophies? Is there a winner? I guess I get to "keep" all the
scratches / dings / dents I'm sure to put in my nice shinny new bike. Is
that all I get?

 On Nov 10, 8:40 pm, AWR7MM...@webtv.net (Mike Corey) wrote:

I don't know where you live, or what your regular riding opportunities
look like. For me, in the Mid-Atlantic region, riding opportunities
are scarce. A couple of Sundays ago I did a dual sport in NJ and paid
$45 for 98 miles of clearly arrowed trail, dinner, a t-shirt and
immeasurable fun. A bargain to me. The only other way I can get that
kind of bang for the buck (or access to the wonderful south Jersey
trails) is entering an enduro. Those are fun too, but the relaxed pace
of the dual sport was a nice change. Plus, I got to ride with a buddy
who's a little slower than me - something I can't do in an enduro.

Some of them are easier dirt road type stuff for the big-bike crowd,
and others are close to an enduro without the timekeeping. Most have
"hero sections" to keep the better riders entertained. You'll have to
do a little digging (maybe talk to club members) to find out what the
particular one you'd like to enter is like.

If you think the cost is too high, you should take a look at the
effort and expense involved in putting something like this together.
Nobody is getting rich off of these things.

Craig

 Thanks for the reply Craig. I called a guy I know about these Dual Sport
rides, as I know he went one one back in October. He pretty much echoed
what you wrote. He went on the 100 mile run. It was about 10 miles of
gravel road, then dropped off onto a dirt road for a mile or two. Then
across a farmers field threw creeks, dirt roads, etc. He said it dumped
back into a gravel road and he looked at his odometer and realized he
had gone over 60 miles in what seemed like no time at all. Into a small
town that had a Casey's store where everyone took a break. Gas, a snack,
couple bottles of water and back on the bike. They came to a spot that
recommended experienced riders go one way, and novice riders or people
on small sized bikes like a DR200 take another route. He took the
experienced route until he came upon a hill that was "freakin
unbelievable" according to him. He had to stop for a minute and look it
over just to gain the courage, but said he made it up "just barely" and
he rides a DR650. So you're right, there are a few challenging spots to
ride threw. I just might have to give it a try next year. Thanks again.

 
To me, a dualsport ride is a ride that is done on a plated dirt
bike...period.
No entry fees, no crowds, no rules...just a nice ride out in the woods
or the desert or wherever. I've never done an organized dualsport
ride, and I am not against the idea per se, it's just that I don't
feel the need to do one when I have the ways and means (and public
land) to do it on my own.


Tami-

 
Do me a favor and send some of that public land my way, OK?

I can certainly ride my dual sport for free, but there's no where to
legally get that kind of mileage and good trail within several hours
of here.

Craig