Having just sold my Kawasaki KLX400SR - an excellent dual sport bike - in exchange for buying a new Honda CRF250X, I have come to appreciate the versatility of dual sport motorcycles. Since my Honda is not dual sported yet, I am very limited in where I can ride it.

Even in my beloved Colorado with millions of acres of pubic lands, I am finding that a motorcycle without license plates is mostly parked - while a plated bike gets ridden all of the time. No more quick and exhilarating rides around the neighborhood, to the store, or to the trail head.

So I am in the process of converting the saucy new CRF250x into a dirt bike that can hop on the road as needed. Fortunately, Colorado is very loose in their requirements.

The First Steps in Converting to a Dual Sport?

Well, first of all, if you have a two stroke, you can pretty much forget it. I have heard that there are states that allow such a thing, but this is not the norm. I love two strokes, but you have admit, they are stinky and sharply noisy little critters.

Secondly, you need to check with the local DMV (yes, it is a requirement) and see what is required to convert your bike to a dual sport. I noticed that I got different answers from different dealers on what was required in the state of Colorado.

The DMV will have a checklist that you must follow to be in compliance - and you have to sign your name saying you have made these changes. That means you could get into deep do-do if you don’t.

The Changes to My Bike to Be in Compliance

The CRF has electric start and a decent headlight. Because Colorado is relaxed on motorcycles, the only changes I have made are adding a rear brake light switch, a clip on rear view mirror, a dual-filament brake light, and a little sqeeky horn. They also require DOT-approved tires…but I will take my chances with stock tires for now.

Don’t toss that factory odometer yet! To my surprise the DMV requires it (or an aftermarket speedo) - although I have no idea why this makes me more street legal. I have an aftermarket speedo/tach sitting the garage waiting to go on the bike.

Other states will require more change for compliance. These may include turn signals, parking lights, hi/lo beam headlights, steel gas tanks, speedometers, etc. If you want to take it to the max on dual sporting, just go down to your motorcycle dealer and look at what is put on dual sport bikes from the factory.

Where You Can Get the Necessary Parts

The defacto standard in dual sport kit manufacturers is Baja Designs. If you mention them around you gear-head moto friends, they will give you a nod of acceptance. They produce complete dual sport kits for most of the dirt bike lines on the market today. The components are made well by people who understand dirt bikes very well.

You can order a Baja Designs kit at a discount price by clicking the banner below (and searching for “baja designs” on their site):

This should get you started in expanding your dirt bike to the rest of the world of possibilities. I can’t wait to finish my dual sport project…just to have my bike to ride around the neighborhood. Happy trails!

CAUTION: ONLY READ THIS POST IF YOUR MARRIAGE IS ON GOOD TERMS!

So, you have been riding motorcycles all of your life (as a single male) and fantasize about your wife riding along side you. You imagine the two of you sharing new frontiers and vistas that are not available to the average car-bound person.

You also see the advantage of getting your wife hooked on the gear…so you have more leverage in buying that new bike next year. Good strategy…but proceed with great care. How you handle the delicate process getting your wife hooked on riding will determine whether you have many years of riding happiness - or a lifetime of disconnection and arguing!

For starters, you are not alone in your fantasy of couples riding. Thousands have gone through this process, and I am currently right in the middle of it! I will share my experiences with you in this post and more to come.

Start with Selling the Vision to your Spouse

Most reasonable women look at a motorcycle and say: “Why would I want to do that? It looks dirty, dangerous, and I have a perfectly good car!” Your job is to share your vision of what it would be like to be out on the trails or the open road with your best friend. Start there.

The first task is to get her (or him) hooked on the idea and the benefits of riding, then the rest will follow easily. If you skip this step, all I can say is good luck with the marriage.

Get Her Interested in a Motorcycle Training Course

This is the point that my wife and I are at currently. I bought her the bike and now she is slightly terrified of riding it. She drives a Audi with a 5-speed manual tranny, but has yet to translate those skills to a motorcycle. Our friends have recommended a training course to get off on the right foot.

At least if she completes the course, she won’t blame me for teaching her bad habits. The other benefit is that she gets her license automatically at the end of the course. I will keep you posted on how this goes.

This is the first post in an ongoing series where we expore the delicate process of getting the wife hooked on riding - whether on the road or in the dirt. Wish me luck!

By the way…the picture is not of us…but I thought it was pretty funny.

Hi Folks. Welcome to the launch of our fantastic PowerSportsAdvisor.com Web site. We are aiming to put together the most comprehensive site dedicated to the love of power sports on the Internet. Give us a little time and your help - and we will do just that.

In our searching of the Internet for good sites about power sports, we have come across many fine sites for motorcycle, ATV, and watercraft enthusiasts. They tend to focus on one area (like street bikes or ATVs). Our aim is to bridge the gaps on those sites to bring you a comprehensive knowledge base on many topics related to your beloved toys. And why not?…we are allowed to have many different power toys in this country (as long as the spouse approves…of course).

You and I are about to embark upon a great exploration adventure into the world of power sports and create many lasting memories along the way.  So, put your helmet on…or not for you rebels!

An Introduction to Your PowerSportsAdvisor.com Team

Our power sports team has always been a  group of power sports enthusiasts. In our journey into the finer points of motorized fun, we will be your guide and the moderator of this site. As long as I can remember as a little munchkin, I always was fascinated by the rumble of engines and the speed and power of motorcycles, ATVs, boats, and watercraft.

In fact, I remember being slapped on my first motorcycle long before I could drive a car in my childhood. Since then, I have been hooked.  As a matter of fact, my brand new CRF250X is sitting in the garage right now begging to be ridden.  The weather is warm and the Colorado trails are drying out.  Soon I will be pushing my new frontiers out in the backcountry with a smile on my face.

Great Family Memories on Motorcycles, Snowmobiles and Boats

As most adults can relate to who grew up with moto-toys, some of the best memories of my childhood were of outings with the family on snowmobiles and motorcycles. Growing up in Northern Wyoming, we always had a trailer full of Yamaha’s, Ski-Doos, and Artic Cats in the winter time. We would disappear into the Big Horn mountains for days at a time gliding through the powder. What’s better than that?

In the summer months, I remember lazy days fishing for wall-eye on the back of our cabin cruiser…getting sun-burnt and just loving the day. I think power sports provides the opportunity to bring the family together, without torturing the poor kids! We will provide some good ideas on this site for doing just that.

Well, it is almost embarrassing how clean my dirt bike is right now…so maybe when I get enough writing done for this site, I can take him out to get dirty. If you are in Colorado…I may see you out on the trails:)

Safe and Happy Riding!
~The Editor