[Declan]

Hi all,

Only back into the biking scene for a couple of years now. Bafelled a bit by all these terms... trail, enduro, moto-x, supermoto and others such off road or semi off road terms.... What is the difference between them all? I really only know what a Moto-X is as I had a YZ490 some years ago.

Have 650 Deauville now but want to buy something for my 16 year old son and I to fool around with on the fields and the bogs. But I want to be able to drive it on the road too! Is this what they call "street legal"? Anyway as far as I want is for it to have a light on the front and indicators and all that.

Was thinking about something like a Yamaha DT 125 as there would be a little bit of poke for the young fella. Now what is that, a trail or enduro or what?

Any help on the terminology or recommendations on the bike to get?

Yours in confusion...
Declan

[Raphael]

Declan, on Aug 14 2007, 09:48 PM, said:

Hi all,

Only back into the biking scene for a couple of years now. Bafelled a bit by all these terms... trail, enduro, moto-x, supermoto and others such off road or semi off road terms.... What is the difference between them all? I really only know what a Moto-X is as I had a YZ490 some years ago.

Have 650 Deauville now but want to buy something for my 16 year old son and I to fool around with on the fields and the bogs. But I want to be able to drive it on the road too! Is this what they call "street legal"? Anyway as far as I want is for it to have a light on the front and indicators and all that.

Was thinking about something like a Yamaha DT 125 as there would be a little bit of poke for the young fella. Now what is that, a trail or enduro or what?

Any help on the terminology or recommendations on the bike to get?

Yours in confusion...
Declan

I'll place my

moto-x: Not street legal, they don't have lights, indicators,... They are perfect for fields and bogs but are not legal on the road, you can get them in 50, 80, 125, 250cc or 400cc (but the last one is way too much). I think 125 is grand to start.
enduro: very similar to moto-x but to travel longer distance so they might be a bit more comfortable, biggish tank and they should be street legal to be able to go from stages to stages (but not necessarily) .
Supermoto: started on the track with tarmac and mud. They have a "race track" (small) front wheel and the back is an all terrain one. Example XT660X or Ducati hypermotard. They are not the best for field only...
Trail: Big multipurpose bikes, you can go in a field but it will not be as good as with a moto-x but you can do long distance on the road, they are raod legal.

The DT125 is a good reliable multipurpose bike (lots around) and would be perfect for him to start in and off road.

Hope it helps a bit...

[markbld]

Declan i'll try to help on a few of them

trials more for doing stunts on eg jumping on or over rocks, cars etc ideal for mountains or can go greenlaneing on them there a mix between a enduro and scrambler Motox low bikes due to having really no seat imagine a BMX bike with a engine good brands are GasGas, Sherco, Beta, Bultaco, Montesa, etc

MotoX thats your dirt bike scrambler the DT would fit into this section also to note there are out and out MotoX bikes like the CR honda, RM suzuki, etc

supermoto bikes like the above bikes MotoX usually with road tyres not dirt riding tyres, KTM Suzuki etc do them it can be a motox that's being slightly modified for the road, can be road legal, they usually are and there are races for them to,

Enduro, Paris to Dakar race Goggle this

hope this help's a little

[Raphael]

markbld, on Aug 14 2007, 10:10 PM, said:

trials more for doing stunts on eg jumping on or over rocks, cars etc...

Right... it might be a spelling in his post.

You have trail:


and trial:

[markbld]

Raphael, on Aug 14 2007, 10:21 PM, said:

Right... it might be a spelling in his post.

You have trail:


and trial:

nope declans spelling is grand its my eyes that are the problem sorry man trail and trial get me me glass's

[golly]

As far as I know you do not need indicators, mirrors or rear brake light on the bike for it to be road legal, but you do need a front and rear light, licence plate light, and rear reflector.

[xlr82nil8]

Declan, on Aug 14 2007, 09:48 PM, said:

Hi all,

Only back into the biking scene for a couple of years now. Bafelled a bit by all these terms... trail, enduro, moto-x, supermoto and others such off road or semi off road terms.... What is the difference between them all? ...

Good question Dec.

@Moderator: I'm stickying this thread for now so you can add a link to it in the FAQ of the "Mini Moto's, Off-Road, Scooters, Hybrid & Concept Bikes" forum.

Al

[Declan]

xlr82nil8, on Aug 15 2007, 08:39 AM, said:

Good question Dec.

@Moderator: I'm stickying this thread for now so you can add a link to it in the FAQ of the "Mini Moto's, Off-Road, Scooters, Hybrid & Concept Bikes" forum.

Al

Great Thanks!!
Come to think of it there is actually Trail and Trial as in the pics shown by Raphael. Thanks for the above postings, I'm beginning to learn already!

So how comprehensive a listing of definitions can we come up with for all the various off / semi off roader bikes.

Declan.

[skinner75]

golly, on Aug 14 2007, 10:42 PM, said:

As far as I know you do not need indicators, mirrors or rear brake light on the bike for it to be road legal, but you do need a front and rear light, licence plate light, and rear reflector.

As far as the indicators go - it is only legal to drive a bike without them if the bike comes with no indicators as standard (eg- XR400). You can't just take indicators off a bike that comes with them & still be legal (AFAIK).
I think you may need a brake light aswell as the rear running light & reflector, plus headlight.
If someone knows exactly, maybe they could clarify?

[tripswitch]

skinner75, on Aug 15 2007, 11:22 AM, said:

As far as the indicators go - it is only legal to drive a bike without them if the bike comes with no indicators as standard (eg- XR400). You can't just take indicators off a bike that comes with them & still be legal (AFAIK).
I think you may need a brake light aswell as the rear running light & reflector, plus headlight.
If someone knows exactly, maybe they could clarify?

I was under the impression that - for the test anyway - if the bike has no indicators that's fine, you can use hand-signals. But if it has indicators they have to be working.
i.e. whether that model originally came with them or not isn't the issue, it's whether they're currently there AND working.

Anyone able to shed some light (boom boom) on this?

[Raphael]

tripswitch, on Aug 15 2007, 12:20 PM, said:

I was under the impression that - for the test anyway - if the bike has no indicators that's fine, you can use hand-signals. But if it has indicators they have to be working.
i.e. whether that model originally came with them or not isn't the issue, it's whether they're currently there AND working.

Anyone able to shed some light (boom boom) on this?

From a practical point of view, it would be much simpler to have cheap, rubber mounted indicators... no?
The others road users have already enough trouble seeing us so the hand signal is not the best option... IMHO.