Difference Between Dual Sport and Street Cruiser Motorcycles

You’re a newbie, and you want to get a motorcycle, but you’re not sure what kind to buy. Some friends say to get a cruiser, others say you should buy a sport bike. You’ve never had a bike before, so you want to know: What’s the difference between Dual Sport and Street Cruiser? Which will suit you best? Let's check below about a quick explanation of them.

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Street Cruisers

Cruisers come in two basic styles: the classic retro look that harks back to nuclear-age Americana, and the muscle cruiser look the Japanese introduced in the 1980s. There’s a lot of variety in cruiser sizes; you can buy anything from a tiny 250 to a massive 2,300 cc behemoth.

The smaller ones are typically cheap entry-level machines, and the bigger ones are heavy and expensive. Many manufacturers build touring bikes on cruiser platforms, and these are probably the best of the breed (Harley-Davidson Road King, for example).

You should buy a street cruiser if:

If the cruiser look is more important to you than performance. If you like cruisers, and don’t care about anyone else’s opinion. If you need the low seat height. If you prefer riding in a slightly leaned back position. If you are not aiming higher speeds for a long period of time while riding.

Dual Sports

A dual-sport is designed to work on the street but still retain decent off-road capability. That means it has to be light and have decent suspension. Dual-sports usually have single-cylinder engines in the 200-650 cc range (which vibrate a lot!), and typically have taller seats than most street bikes, so when you fall off in the woods, it hurts more.

There’s a wide range in capabilities, from sedate 650 thumpers designed with highway capability in mind to the street-legal Euro enduros from KTM and Beta, which are really just race-oriented dirt bikes with lights. Japanese dual-sports are typically less performance-oriented, but generally are known for longevity, toughness, and good pricing.

Although they have large front wheels to handle off-road riding, most dual-sports still handle well, due to their light weight. They’re a particularly good choice for riders in areas with bad pavement, as they can soak up a pothole with ease. Insurance companies often see dual-sports as less of a risk than sport bikes, making them reasonable to insure, but you can still hoon on them if you want.

You should buy a dual-sport if:

If you want a true do-it-all motorcycle. If capability is more important to you than looks. If you want to be able to ride both the street and the dirt. If you want to go on a day-long trip ride or an overnight journey to just about everywhere.

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MOTORCYCLES WE HAVE FOR RENT

Dual Sport

Yamaha TW200

Kawasaki KLX 230

Yamaha WR250R

Honda CRF250L

Honda CRF250 Rally

Kawasaki KLR 650

Street Cruisers

Honda CB500 Adventure

Honda Grom 125