10 All-Rounder Dual-Sports Built For Commuters Who Crave Adventure

There is a deep appeal in owning a one bike garage. Of course, the right number of motorcycles to have will always be ‘one more’, but when you’re restrained by finances and garage space, you need a single motorcycle that can do it all. Dual sport motorcycles are what you need to look at if you’re the kind of person on the lookout for a motorcycle that will do it all. These motorcycles will do everything you ask of them, and they’re tough enough to take a beating without blinking.

With this in mind, we’ve drawn up a list of ten all-rounder dual sports built for commuters who crave adventure. We’ve not cherry-picked the most expensive ones; we’ve spread the choices among price brackets, and have even found a few electric options!

To give you the most up-to-date and accurate information possible, the data used to compile this article was sourced from authoritative sources, such as Kawasaki Motorcycles, KTM USA, and Honda Powersports. They have been arranged in increasing power to give the list some order.

10

Kawasaki KLX230

Price: $5,199

The KLX230 has a tiny engine and is incredibly light. That makes it great for riding off-road, and to find your way through the rush hour. The engine is air-cooled and fuel injected, and runs its power through a six-speed gearbox. So you can technically do highway runs as well, although you would do well to keep those short. You can even spec it with ABS, and the ABS is switchable – the larger KLX300 doesn’t even offer ABS as an option.

9

KTM 390 Enduro R

Price: $5,499

The 390 Enduro R is one of the new breed of dual sport bikes, that does pretty much everything really well. It uses the chassis and driveline from the 390 Adventure, and a version of the fully adjustable long travel suspension with different spring and damper rates. It differentiates itself with spoke rims shod with tube tires that are quite aggressive for off-road use. It also gets different electronics: the TFT color display is smaller (but still has Bluetooth and even navigation), and the ABS can be disabled at both ends. Given all this, the 44 horsepower, six-speed gearbox, and optional two-way quickshifter will make short work of any ride on tarmac.

8

Honda CRF300LS

Price: $5,749

The CRF300L is a docile starter dual sport that is quite unbreakable. The LS is the lowered version that makes it more accessible to a much wider range of people. The lower seat also offers much more confidence, and is a worthy trade-off for the reduced ground clearance. Its engine is refined, calm, and torquey – all things that help calm things down whether in traffic or on a trail. Recent updates include all-LED lighting, a USB-C charging socket, and switchable ABS.

7

Suzuki DR-Z4S

Price: $8,999

The DR-Z4S is a significant jump in price compared to the Honda CRF300L while being just around a 100 cc jump in displacement, but that’s only half the story with this Suzuki. Sure, it might make only 38 horsepower and still stick to a 5-speed gearbox, but it is a thoroughly modern bike with a steel perimeter frame holding everything together. The engine has been updated and runs fuel injection, and has a by-wire throttle so you get ride modes and four-level traction control. The engine has titanium intake valves and hollow sodium-filled exhaust valves for better high-rev performance. Like the 390 Enduro R, the ABS is switchable.

6

Honda CRF450RL

Price: $10,099

The CRF450RL doesn’t fit any conventional definition of a 450 cc dual sport. It isn’t a fire-breathing dragon that chews through riders that don’t know how to handle it; it is a friendly but powerful dual sport with a bunch of tech. Its fuel tank is made of titanium and the twin spar frame is an aluminum one. All-LED lighting, Showa suspension, and urethane injected in the swingarm are other features of the CRF450RL. Its combination of everyday usability, small size, and strong performance mean that it is a one of a kind product today.

5

Zero FX

Price: $12,495

The Zero FX is the original American electric dual sport. It now has competition from other brands (that you will encounter later in this list) but they will take some time to earn the reputation for reliability that the Zero FX has earned over the years. It doesn’t have very good stats when it comes to either range or charge time, a function of being an older model, but 79 pound-feet of torque in a product this light is bound to be fun! If that isn’t enough, this is one of the few bikes that allows you to choose either belt or chain final drive, and has fully adjustable Showa suspension and J.Juan brakes.

4

Stark Varg EX

Price: $12,990

The Zero FX is part of the old guard; the Stark Varg EX is the first in a new wave of electric dual sport bikes. It offers things like a water-cooled motor with carbon fiber sleeves, OTA updates, and IP69K waterproof and shock resistance ratings. If you’re more interested in the mechanical bits, then you get 80 horsepower and a humongous 764 pound-feet along with fully adjustable KYB suspension, and Brembo brakes. Its maximum range hasn’t been revealed, but it can run on a single charge for a maximum of 6 hours.

3

2026 KTM 690 Enduro R

Price: $13,399

The KTM 690 Enduro R just got updated, and it is a refresh rather than the introduction of a whole new model. You get the same quirky chassis design with the fuel tank that doubles up at the subframe, and this also means it is a single-person bike. The mechanicals remain the same, and the engine has the same displacement as well.

However, the internals have been updated comprehensively to help it generate 78 horsepower, making it the most powerful single cylinder engine in production right now. The electronics have got a comprehensive update, too – a by-wire throttle and six-axis IMU mean that you get ride modes, cornering ABS and traction control, a USB-C charging socket, and the same TFT color display from the 390 Enduro R, equipped with Bluetooth and navigation.

2

Husqvarna 701 Enduro

Price: $13,399

KTM’s 690 Enduro R has two sister models from sister brands, and the Husqvarna 701 Enduro is one of them. With the update to the 690 Enduro R, an update to the 701 Enduro was inevitable. So here it is, this time with a price that is identical to the KTM as well. What you get is the identical product but in Husqvarna colors, which might appeal to some more than others. Like the KTM, it also benefits from a comprehensive update to the electronics, making it a much more usable bike on a daily basis.

1

Can-Am Origin

Price: $14,499

The Origin is a product that competes directly with the Zero FX and Stark Varg EX, but marches to the sound of its own drummer. It looks more like a small ADV rather than a dual sport, and it opts for a tire-hugging front fender rather than a high one. That doesn’t mean that it is tarmac-bound – it has the hardware to let it explore as much as any brand, including KYB suspension, a single-sided swingarm at the rear, a compartment where you can store your phone and charge it, and a massive 10.25-inch TFT color touchscreen with Apple CarPlay.