Dual-Sport (Dual-Purpose) Motorcycle

A dual-sport or dual-purpose motorcycle is registered for road use, with lights, mirrors, indicators and a number plate, but designed to handle gravel, forest tracks and trails too. Typical features are long-travel suspension, a high seat, wire-spoked wheels (often 21-inch front) and dual-purpose tyres.

The category ranges from light single-cylinder bikes, close to a road-legal enduro, to heavy adventure tourers. The lighter the bike, the better off-road; the heavier, the more comfortable on long road stages.

Choose tyres for where you ride most: road-biased tyres last longer on tarmac, knobbly tyres grip far better in mud and sand. Crash bars and a bash plate are worth fitting before the first off-road trip.