combustion artist said:
I do mountain biking. How does a dirt bike translate to mountain biking handling. Anyone do both? Sounds like a 400 would be a good place to start. I'm in the Austin area and ride Emma Long with a bike, doubt I would try that on a dirt bike
There is some crossover, but not as much as you might think. As mentioned already, the weight of the dirt bike means you are using the controls along with your body to make it do what you want, a mountain bike is much easier to move around.
In rough stuff, you're also letting a mountain bike move around underneath you a ton vs having your lower legs locked in on a dirt bike and not letting your knees get forward.
I thought I'd be pretty good very quickly when I got a Husky 350. It took 2 years and I contemplated selling it. I came into dirt biking being a pretty good mountain biker (live in Denver, ride black level trails on real mountains no problem) and street biker (solid B group track day guy), but the way you get a dirt bike to perform on trails covered in pea gravel was a long, slow progression. I've ridden dirt bikes (a friend's KTM 350 XCF) in Ohio, and that was much easier due to better grip from their soil.
Japanese dual sports are fine, but they're not the same as a dedicated off road bike. I have 120 miles of 50" and single track trails less than an hour from my house, so I'd rather throw a dedicated off road bike in my Tacoma, but your situation might be different.
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I wonder how that compares to the KTM? I think the KTM has a little more power but also costs a little more.
You live in CO right? Decide what you want to ride. A Honda 300 will be fine if you're into doubletrack and less rocky USFS roads with the occasional jaunt on a real trail, but 18hp, **** suspension, and low ground clearance with heavy weight will SUCK on a rocky singletrack trails at 12k feet.
I've never taken my Husky to the dealer. This winter I'll check valves and adjust if needed and do new seals and fluid in the fork myself. I will have to take the shock to get serviced, but that's true of any IFP rear shock.
Some more gratuitous dirt bike pics: