Project-Zone

Which bike to buy?

The always important question and topic of so many discussions between fellow bikers...

What will you use it for?

This is the all important question that should drive your decision or you will end up buying a bike that is not ideal.
What will you use the bike for?
- Commuting to work?
- Riding on dirt roads?
- Riding on local tarred roads?
- Touring / long distance on highways?
- Touring / long distance on dirt roads?
- Off-road riding?
- Will you ride alone or with a pillion?
Or if you are like me and will use it for a mix of the above try to allocate a percentage of use to each of the above.

What do I look for?

Based on the above questions and assessment you can now look at:
- Power (kW) and torque (Nm).
- Fuel economy.
- Weight.
- Price.
- Fuel tank size.
- Luggage options.
- On-road handling.
- Off-road handling.
- Suspension.
- Ground clearance.
- Seat height.
- Wind protection.
Based on your answers under "What will you use it for?" you can now decide how important are the items listed here. Fuel economy will be more important if you will use the bike for commuting and ground clearance if you will use it off-road. All these factors will be more or less important according to your specific needs.
Some dual-purpose bikes are actually just restyled road bikes and some are just road legal off-road bikes and most are somewhere in between these two extremes.

Comparison:

The following is just a guide and opinion and the figures are from the manufacturer's specifications. Always remember to also double check with the dealer and test the bikes before making your decision.

Click here for bike comparisons...

Brands

The main manufacturers of dual purpose bikes available in South Africa are:
Aprilia
BMW
Buell
Ducati
Honda
Kawasaki
KTM
Suzuki
Triumph
Yamaha