2. Any KTM!
So this was supposed to be a top-10 list, but it turns out that there are too many classic Dual Sport bikes to cut ‘em just to 10, and in the case of KTM’s lineage of Dual Sport bikes, there’s no way in hell that you can pick just one. Using all, and we mean all, of its racing experience, the Austrian firm has produced a number of truly awesome models that tip the Dual Sport scales firmly in the dirt, definitely our favorite place to be weighed and measured. And if we’re on a KTM, we know we’ll never be found wanting for serious off-road performance, thanks to their brawny engines, off-road racing-derived chassis and excellent WP suspension. KTM’s own factory folks recommend that 2008 is about as far back as you might want to go if you plan to pick up a KTM Dual Sport, but we know from those same people that there are still plenty of LC4 parts available if you want to look for a real bargain such as a KTM 625 SXC like the one shown here. If you’re after even more heavily dirt-biased performance, look for one of the SOHC 450s or 525s. Hell, even the 350s are great, although they don’t possess the grunt and the more refined road manners of the larger models. But if you’re a true dirtbike guy or gal, and you really want a true off-roader with license plates, KTMs are perennial classics.
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