The Best Dual Sport Motorcycles
Off-roading is addictive. It takes you to places seldom reached by regular vehicles, and it’s an activity that challenges you both physically and mentally. And with the right kind of riding buddies, it can be hilarious fun, too. However, dirt bikes are not only expensive but limited in their scope: they can only be ridden on trails and are not road-legal. That’s where dual sports come in.
What is a dual sport motorcycle? It’s essentially a dirt bike dialed down (though not always) to be versatile on the road, and it features lights and license plates, which make it road-legal. Unless you plan on competing, dual sports are more than good enough for most riders wanting to explore off-roading. If you’re one of those, here are the ten best dual sports you can buy in 2026.
Honda XR150L
Starting Price: $3,399
What’s an entry-level dual sport motorcycle doing here? Well, don’t let the XR150L’s size fool you; it is one of the most bulletproof and capable bikes on this list. The bike’s a certified workhorse that has been tried and tested on the worst terrain across Asia and Africa, where it serves as everything from a commuter to a dirt bike to a delivery bike.
The bike features a humble single-cylinder engine that makes 12 horsepower; combine that with the bike’s light weight and long-travel suspension, and you have a dual sport that can be fun to throw around on trails. Because it’s so cheap, you won’t mind dropping it multiple times, too, making it an excellent beginner dual sport. And since it’s among the most reliable bikes out there, it should also offer a hassle-free ownership experience.
Kawasaki KLX 300
Starting Price: $5,649
While the XR150L shines as a workhorse, the KLX 300 is perhaps the best beginner-class dual sport that does not sacrifice performance or tech. It features a modern liquid-cooled DOHC engine that produces more torque than the KLX 230, and it’s straddled by a semi-double-cradle frame. That combination, along with its over 11-inch ground clearance, gives the bike excellent off-road capabilities.
The same features also make the KLX a great city bike, one that is light and easy to maneuver in traffic. The tall stance will also give you a good view of the traffic, though shorter riders may find the tall seat a little intimidating at first. Another thing that makes the KLX 300 so great is that it combines its approachable off-road capability and versatility with reliability that you’d expect from Kawasaki.
Honda CRF300L
Starting Price: $5,749
Like the KLX 300, the CRF300L is another excellent dual sport for beginners, as it’s light, unintimidating, and simple. The bike features a 286cc liquid-cooled engine mounted in a semi-double-cradle frame, which makes the CRF300L quite a capable dual sport. Compared to the KLX 300, however, the CRF300L is softer sprung, which should also make it a better urban commuter.
With the CRF300L, you also get to enjoy Honda’s bulletproof reliability and excellent fuel economy, which should translate to low ownership costs over the years. Honda also offers the CRF300L in two more flavors, starting with the CRF300LS, which features a lower seat height, making it ideal for beginners. The second flavor is the CRF300L Rally, with a larger fuel tank and an ADV-like fairing, which should make it more comfortable for long-distance riding.
KTM 390 Enduro R
Starting Price: $6,049
The KTM 390 Enduro R is the new kid on the block, giving tough competition to Japanese dual sport rivals. It’s essentially a stripped-down 390 Adventure, and coming from the Austrian off-road specialist, you can bet it offers an aggressive off-road character. It features KTM’s signature trellis frame, a chirpy single-cylinder engine, and adjustable suspension.
As a KTM, it will not please everyone, and ownership costs may be higher than those of its Japanese rivals, but for the right kind of rider, there’s hardly a better dual-sport motorcycle in the beginner-to-intermediate class. Thanks to its adjustable suspension and a bunch of features, including ride modes and off-road ABS, the 390 Enduro R is also among the best-bang-for-your-buck models in the segment.
Honda XR650L
Starting Price: $6,999
Old-school 650cc thumpers still have a place in the dual sport segment, and the XR650L is the perfect example of it. The XR650L is also as bare-bones as a bike can get today, powered by an old-school thumper engine with a carburetor and a five-speed gearbox. Outright performance isn’t the focus here. Instead, the engine focuses on a torquey mid-range that can get you out of the trickiest situations.
The bike also features a one-of-a-kind frame whose spine holds the engine oil, acting as an oil cooler while giving the bike 13 inches of ground clearance, the highest in the 650 dual sport class. It also features adjustable Showa suspension with over 11 inches of wheel travel. As a result, the XR650L stands out as the best off-roader among the three 650cc dual-sport models from Japan. In the right hands, this age-old dual sport can make any dual sport on this list sweat.
Suzuki DR-Z4S+
Starting Price: $8,999
The Suzuki DR-Z4S+ is an important dual sport bike for the Japanese manufacturer, as it recently received its first extensive update in over 23 years. The update brought the legendary Suzuki motorcycle into the modern world, now packing a new single-cylinder engine with titanium intake valves, ride-by-wire throttle, and fuel injection. The engine is tuned for off-road action while being easy to ride in the city.
It also gets a brand-new steel perimeter frame sitting on fully adjustable KYB suspension with over 11 inches of travel on either end. Tipping the scales at under 350 pounds, the DR-Z4S+ should also be easy to maneuver on trails and in traffic. However, it’s not perfect: it lacks a sixth gear, the seat is quite tall, and the pricing is steep. The last of which can be a deal-breaker for many looking for a capable, durable dual-sport.
Honda CRF450RL
Starting Price: $10,199
Spend over $10,000, and you get into the serious territory of dual sports that sacrifice a bit of their practicality for off-road capabilities. Think of these as dirt bikes with plates and lights, and the first example is the CRF450RL, Honda’s finest example of a dual sport. The bike shares much of its DNA with the CRF450X trail bike, which is itself derived from the CRF450RX racer. That should tell you that the CRF450RL is not kidding.
The bike features a 450cc thumper engine that’s been around for two decades, and it’s paired with a tough-as-nails chassis and beefy suspension from Showa. This setup allows the CRF to go anywhere, regardless of the terrain. Owners claim the CRF450RL is almost as capable as a 450-class enduro bike, only toned down to be street legal. If you’re looking for a highly capable road-legal dirt bike that’s also reliable, there’s hardly a better option than the CRF450RL.
Ducati Desmo450 EDS
Starting Price: $12,995
The next dirt bike with lights and plates comes from the Italian giant known for making cutting-edge sports bikes, the Ducati Desmo450 EDS. Ducati started with the Desmo450 MX’s technical base, modifying it to create a dual sport that can tackle longer distances and more complex terrain while remaining street-legal. The result: the Desmo450 EDS, with EDS standing for Enduro Street Legal.
Ducati has designed this dual-sport motorcycle with one purpose: off-road endurance, control, and ability to adapt to any situation. As such, the bike features a powerful engine with desmodromic valves that can be tuned to 54 horsepower with the racing kit. Then there’s the aluminum perimeter frame sitting on Showa suspension, along with the usual tech-fest you’d expect from Ducati.
KTM 690 Enduro R
Starting Price: $13,399
If you want to experience the 650-class dual sport in a modern package, look at the KTM 690 Enduro R, one of the best dual sport motorcycles ever made. This KTM motorcycle pushes the limit of what a thumper engine can deliver, and in its current iteration, KTM has managed to squeeze out almost 78 horsepower, making it one of the most powerful single-cylinder motorcycles currently on sale.
As a thoroughbred KTM motorcycle, the bike comes into its own on trails, thanks to its trellis frame, WP Xplor fully-adjustable suspension, and other components that are designed to tackle dirt unlike anything else. As long as you know what you’re doing, the 690 Enduro R will keep up with proper enduro dirt bikes even on the most technical terrain. Buy this bike, and you’ll never have a reason to upgrade to anything else.
KTM 500 EXC-F 6Days
Starting Price: $14,699
Rivaling the CRF450RL and the Desmo450 EDS is KTM’s 500 EXC-F 6Days, one of the finest examples of a road-legal dirt bike. This bike represents the epitome of road-legal off-road KTM motorcycles, starting with its modern four-stroke engine that is said to deliver massive torque and controllable power across a wide rev range. It’s paired with a race-proven chassis and high-end WP Xact suspension with CNC triple clamps, offering precise control.
The EXC-F makes no compromises either, as it also gets semi-floating high-performance brakes, an off-road control unit that replaces traditional fuses and relays, and, in its 6Days trim, giant alloys and a high-grip seat. KTM says the 500 EXC-F offers unmatched control, power, and durability suitable for extreme enduro conditions, so this bike should fit right in with other dirt bikes, even on the most technical trails.
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