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FIRST BIKE FOR A 56Y.O./250lb nOOB

Agree with all the above, I wouldn't bother with anything bigger than a 650. Plenty of good options out there. My first offroad bike was a KTM 640 Adventure and the height of it terrified me even with decades of Mtn biking behind me. That being said it's still my favourite bike. Machines like the DR stand up to dirt naps very well, less plastic will be better.
 
CDA 455 III said:
My type of motor bike would be a late model BMW R1250 GS ADVENTURE.
However; never owning a bike or having many miles on one, I know I must start with a 'first bike'.

What's a good beginners on/off road bike for a heavy dude?
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With your age, weight, and lack of any riding experience, I'd start by looking for an off-road riding school.
Start off right before developing bad habits.
Plus, what you learn might save you an injury or two.

At this point, you might think that your type of motor bike would be BMW R1250 GS ADVENTURE.

But as soon as you start doing off-road riding with a smaller bike, you might never think of the big GS again.

Though, ridden well, the big GS is a surprising bike.
 
I’m going to buck the trend here and suggest that if you actually want to get good at riding you start out with something like cornerspin http://www.cornerspin.com/main.html (no affiliation, but I’ve done it twice and thought it was great value both times). It’ll be on a crf100 or ttr125. And you know what? It won’t be too small and will make you a lot better. After that, it really depends on how much money you have and whether you have a vehicle to take a bike to trails. If you have to ride there, get a drz. If you don’t, get a ttr225 and ride it for at least six months while you drool over other bikes.

”But those bikes are all tooooo small, I am big and manly, like Gaston from beauty and the beast.” First off, that’s a cartoon. And second, no shit but that doesn’t change my advice. You want to ride a big bike because it makes you happy then go ahead. Your motorcycle should make you happy so that’s the #1 priority. But riding a smaller bike is going to be a lot more forgiving and fun and make your drops a lot easier and accelerate your learning.
 
Weight can be addressed with suspension and the stature of most off-road motorcycles lends itself to taller riders.

You could buy the GS and "you'll live" if your heart has to have that specific bike, but in my view it becomes more of street bike for trips to starbucks than something you're going to be comfortable with on any kind of loose surface, let alone learning the ins and outs of riding in general. Maybe gravel roads if that's the peak of your aspirations, but you can do that with any motorcycle.

I'll make a shameless plug for the DR650. You can get one without reaching too deep into your wallet and it's a pretty good machine unless you want to do tons of freeway miles. Light weight, friendly power delivery ... ride it for a year and see if, "it's for you." You'll probably be able to sell it for about what you paid for it if you buy an older one and don't go crazy modifying it.
 
Once you get some actual off-road riding experience on a smaller bike and feel you still aspire to a big GS, it might be worth considering enrolling in the BMW U.S. Rider Academy (or other similar off-road schools).

They will have you riding and enjoying the GS in conditions you likely would not have attempted by yourself.

Under supervision, you'll improve at a much faster rate than you would by riding many more off-road miles on your own.
Plus...good technique.

Being that a GS is a heavy bike, the topic of proper footwear needs to be addressed for safer off-road excursions.

Fodder for another thread.....
 
matty said:
The DRZ 400 is a fairly capable little motorcycle, tough if not uncompromising trail bike that has perhaps a slightly and indeed moot weaker point on fast highway runs. But even that criticism is somewhat unfounded if you are of a mindset to just get down the road and stay 60/ 70 MPH, i mean how fast do you want to go?
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The bike would at least be a 2nd mode of transportation and carried by 1ton+ 4X4 truck camper.
I camp in the back country and would like a snoopNpoop and a backup means of travel, hence, the on/off road capability.

I don't see me doing more than 45MPH~.

Depending on how far in the backcountry I am at a given campsite; going into town for stuff or following a trail that's next to said campsite via a maintained/unmaintained fire road would be the INITIAL main purpose.

Three things can happen:
1) I'm satisfied the beginner-motorbike serves it's purpose as described above/not interested in upgrading bike.
2) I'm digging the bike enough to want to upgrade to a more-capable bike.
3) I don't like using a motor bike as described above; will sell bike.
 
CDA 455 III said:
The bike would at least be a 2nd mode of transportation and carried by 1ton+ 4X4 truck camper.
I camp in the back country and would like a snoopNpoop and a backup means of travel, hence, the on/off road capability.

I don't see me doing more than 45MPH~.

Depending on how far in the backcountry I am at a given campsite; going into town for stuff or following a trail that's next to said campsite via a maintained/unmaintained fire road would be the INITIAL main purpose.

Three things can happen:
1) I'm satisfied the beginner-motorbike serves it's purpose as described above/not interested in upgrading bike.
2) I'm digging the bike enough to want to upgrade to a more-capable bike.
3) I don't like using a motor bike as described above; will sell bike.
Click to expand...
TW200, ADV190 or a Grom with knobbies.
 
CDA 455 III said:
The bike would at least be a 2nd mode of transportation and carried by 1ton+ 4X4 truck camper.
I camp in the back country and would like a snoopNpoop and a backup means of travel, hence, the on/off road capability.

I don't see me doing more than 45MPH~.

Depending on how far in the backcountry I am at a given campsite; going into town for stuff or following a trail that's next to said campsite via a maintained/unmaintained fire road would be the INITIAL main purpose.

Three things can happen:
1) I'm satisfied the beginner-motorbike serves it's purpose as described above/not interested in upgrading bike.
2) I'm digging the bike enough to want to upgrade to a more-capable bike.
3) I don't like using a motor bike as described above; will sell bike.
Click to expand...
So, my starting bike:

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Kick start and twin carbs. I bought it with a ripped fork boot and a fresh rear tire. Before this bike, last thing on two wheels I had been on was a bicycle when I was eight.

I rode this thing, EVERYWHERE. All over New England and a few rides into Canada. Incredible life experience. I waltzed over the border with nothing but a flip phone with no service and a spirit to explore. No tools. No map. No plan. It. Was. AWESOME. I didn't know better at the time, but I didn't even fit on the thing. It was way underpowered. And the brakes sucked.

I have about 40,000 miles on about a dozen different bikes. From dual sports, a couple cruisers, an FZ09, ... you know what is near the top of the list for me as the most fun? My cousin had a CRF250 at the time I bought this bike. CRF was pretty much the same thing, but was 30 years newer. After a couple hours riding around, we get onto a main road through a mountain pass. paved and not too curvy. We decide to race to the end of the road. I grip it and rip it. tucked under the windshield, fifth gear, wide open, giving it everything I had, I won. At a blazing 64mph. That was such an amazing experience.

Get a used 250 and start off on that. Bikes are amazingly resilient. Grab a helmet and go.
 
I use my DRZ for a getaround bike with the RV. The plan was originally to haul it on a hitch carrier. Then my wife decided to give a bike a try, so we haul mine and her XT250 on a small trailer.

Considerations for a hitch carrier should be weight first, in my opinion. The lighter the better on anything except highway miles. I don’t think engine size is a big deal—I have a blast on her XT, though I feel wadded up on it a bit. I mean, I gave it its first 8 or 9 dirt naps before she started beating on it—that’s how much I enjoy that little thing. And even though the DRZ is a relatively small and light dual sport—her bike is more grin-inducing around the neighborhood. It’s just so small and light, you feel like an adult on a kids’ bike, which is always fun.

One time I swapped bikes with a random guy in Arkansas for a 15-mile ride around Byrd’s adventure center near Cass, AR. I declared my love for his TW200, and he fell in love with my DRZ. Which leads me to the point about power.

For a beginner at <45 mph, power shouldn’t be a deciding factor, in my opinion. You want fun and approachable. And relatively light. It doesn’t need to be a motocross bike, but it also doesn’t need to weigh 400 lbs. And since it’s going on a hitch carrier, I personally would want the lightest thing you could easily find used and put a tag on. Plus, on a mountain bike, you have what—1/4 horsepower? So, for double the weight, you need 1/2 horsepower!

So the TW should always be in contention, unless you absolutely can’t fit on it.
 
CDA, you're a tall guy and your legs might feel a bit cramped on a TW200 or VanVan. The seat to foot peg distance is shorter, and you may start to feel like you need to stop, stretch, knee pain, etc.

The WR250R could be an option. The Honda CRF250/300L another. These are fuel injected and seem to be pretty bombproof. The WR holds it's value well, you'll notice that when looking for a used one. Some have purchased a WR, rode it for 3 years, then sold it for what they paid. Food for thought.

The KTM 390 and BMW 310 are good options too. Better street manners that the bikes I mentioned above.
 
Yea, WR was top on my list too, but they're not cheap.

I sat on a 2019(?) CRF 250 Rally and it fit me quite well. $5000 OTD with 1100 miles.
 
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