Yamaha Street Legal Dirt Bike: Dual Sport Guide

Deciding whether to get the Yamaha dual sport or enduro model can be a big deal. Both models look great and have their strengths. Unlike their other dirt bikes, Yamaha dual sport is a factory-built street legal dirt bike for adults. It has all the necessary legal parts installed, including mirrors, a side stand, and a tail light. 

But, motocross and most enduro models are not factory-built street legal. It is also illegal in some states. They don’t have mirrors, turn signals, and other legal requirements. However, some dealers can easily install them to make it street legal. So a few enduro models that have a speedometer, battery, headlight and taillight are almost street legal.

Whether enduro or dual sport, Yamaha street legal dirt bikes are great. But at the end of the day, you may still wonder which is best for you. Don’t sweat about it. This article reviews both models and breaks down their strengths and features. Let’s get right into it!

Comparison Table

Yamaha Dual Sport

Dual sport motorcycles Yamaha are street-legal bikes fit for off-road and street use. You can ride them in the woods one day and downtown streets  the next day. These bikes are versatile, and they're street-legal from the factory.

The XT250

You can ride on or off-road with Yamaha XT250. This model has more suspension travel and a larger displacement engine. It has an engine type of 249cc air-cooled SOHC 4-stroke single with a TCI. The TCI is the Transistor Controlled Ignition. So, it handles well. 

Here are some of the specs of the Yamaha 250 dual sport:

• Features

Yamaha dual sport 250 has many great features. Its top features include the advanced long travel suspension, which is 31.9 inches from the ground. The modern fuel injection of the XT250 enables throttle response and smooth starting. 

Also, it has an electric start, which makes firing up the engine smooth and easy. The 245mm front disc and 203mm rear disc make stopping power on paved and unpaved roads great. Another great thing this bike offers is comfort. It has a comfortable thick seat that keeps you balanced when riding. The spacious seat and passenger footpegs enable a two-up riding capacity. 

The lighting of this dual sport bike is great. The multifunctional digital LCD panel has great background lighting. Also, the lighting has excellent visibility during the day and at night. The light is also backed with a modern battery which is durable and low-maintenance.

Its protective fenders prevent the bike from collecting dirt. They keep dirt and mud away while you ride in the dirt off-road. The bike features fork boots that prevent debris and rock from damaging the fork sliders.

• Engine

  The XT250 has a reliable four-stroke motor. With 9:5:1 compression and a 29cc air-conditioned four-stroke, it performs well on and off the road. The engine also has an advanced cylinder design that dissipates heat well. Thereby increasing durability and performance.

  Yamaha XT250's engine functions better due to its wide-ratio five-speed transmission. This boosts the bike's power and performance. This enables it to function well, irrespective of the terrain or condition. The bike has an automatic cam chain tensioner. This enables minimal maintenance and durable engine life.

• Chassis

  The chassis has a strong compact semi-double-cradle steel frame. This gives off a lightweight nimbler feel. As a result, this helps with the bike's stable handling. Also, the 11.2 inches of ground clearance boosts its effective use off-road. 

  The front fork takes the hit of the rough stuff on rough and paved roads. With the equipped nimble steering, the XT250 has a maximum turning angle of 51 degrees. It also has a super tight turning radius that enables easy maneuverability on the road.

The TW200

The TW200 street-legal dirt bike is one of the long-standing models of Yamaha. It passes the mechanical and aesthetic check that you need from a dirt bike. This bike is trail-worthy on and off the road with satisfactory performance. The dual purpose TW200 is adaptable and comfortable and promises a smooth ride on or off-road. But there's more to it.

Here's a Yamaha TW200 review of its specs:

• Features

  One of the top features of the TW200 dual sport dirt bike is its tires. The bike has big fat terrain-conquering tires with great traction on different terrains. These tires contribute to riders' comfort even when riding on rough terrains. Speaking of comfort, the TW200 low seat is user-friendly. This boosts the rider's confidence on and off-road. 

  The seat is pegged as one of the most user-friendly in the market. With a long, two-tone, motocross-style, the seats enable balance. It further enables comfort and optimal movement on rough and good terrains. The spacious seat and footpegs allow you to carry a passenger on the bike with you.

  Also, this dirt bike has an electric start, making it ready to ride on the street or on trails. Also known as the do-it-all dual sport, the TW200 has impressive illumination. The 60/55-watt halogen headlights can go from high to low beams. Turn indicators are flex-mounted, contributing to durability and lowering the risk of breakage. 

  TW200 is equipped with an odometer, speedometer, and indicator lights. It also has turn signals, a resettable trip meter, and a dependable battery. This dirt bike comes street-legal from the factory, saving you time and money. With the double fork protection feature, rock and debris can't get through to damage the fork sliders. Rock and debris can't get through due to the double fork protection feature.

• Engine

  The TW200 engine is impressive. It has a torquey powerplant with a 196cc air-cooled, four-stroke single that delivers mid-range power. The engine has a five-speed transmission and manual clutch. This boosts on and off-road performance. With its digital CDI ignition system, the engine performs at peak at any rpm.

  The engine has a counterbalancer. This lowers vibrations when the bike is running, boosting comfort. Equipped with an automatic cam chain tensioner, the bike only needs minimal maintenance.

• Chassis

  The bike's chassis has a 33mm telescopic front fork, which soaks up the bumps on the road, enabling a smooth ride. Its hydraulic front disc brake allows you to stop power with little effort. Also, it has a lightweight swingarm that boosts handling and comfort when riding.

Yamaha Enduro

Yamaha enduro bikes are built for sport and for off-road use. They are for trail riding, cross-country competition, rally racing, and similar activities. Enduro bikes can function well under extreme conditions. This is because they are equipped for long-distance racing.

You will notice that they don’t have features like mirrors, turn signals, and other parts. But they come with kickstands, batteries, and speedometers. Also, they come with headlights, tail lights, and EPA-compliant emissions. Although they may not be street-legal in certain states, these features make them a good option. By adding just a few features that may be required in your state you can have an enduro type street-legal dirt bike.

Of course, you or your Yamaha dealer can convert the enduro dirt bikes to street-legal bikes based on your state laws. But wouldn’t you like to know how special they are before deciding what to do?

The enduro motorcycle Yamaha has impressive features like the dual sport models. Check them out these 2 selected models:

The WR450F

Yamaha WR450F is tagged as the born-to-ride bike. It has a user-friendly engine and offers high performance on the trails. Since it is designed for ruggedness, you can expect a lot of action from this enduro bike. Check out its features, engine, and chassis specs below:

• Features

  This Yamaha enduro motorcycle has many top features you want in a dirt bike. Starting with suspension tuning, this dirt bike features top industry KYB suspension. This is to enable excellent cornering performance, bump absorption, and traction. Combined with the chassis movement, you can maximize the bike's power and confidence.

  This bike has a multifunction enduro meter in race and standard modes. The race mode features a timer, speed, and trip functionality. It also has low fuel and engine warning lights. The standard mode displays clock functions, two trip meters, and a speedometer. 

  The bilateral beam frame enables precise cornering, bump absorption, and traction. WR450F also uses industry-leading KYB spring-type forks. This enables maximum functionality and easy tunability on different terrains and conditions.

• Engine

  The WR450F is built for off-road purposes, and the engine matches that. This dirt bike has an enduro engine tuning with specific ignition. So, it boosts its riding and racing capacity. It also enables controllable midrange and extended pulling power when in use. Like the rest, WR450F has an electric starter system for convenience and easy use anytime. 

  Also, it has unique intake and exhaust systems. It also has a high-capacity radiator, fan, and robust transmission for maximum functionality. The engine allows the bike maximum performance irrespective of the terrain.

• Chassis

  The bike has a refined aluminum frame. This boosts performance on different terrains while providing comfort to the rider. Also, the body design is narrow to ensure comfortable knee grip and controls. It further gives the rider room to move freely.

  Moreover, the 18-inch rear wheel provides extra comfort. Also, it prevents pinch flats when riding across rough terrains. Another thing to note is the 270mm front disc brake. This boosts braking performance and machine control.

The WR250F

Regarded as a play-fast dirt bike, the Yamaha WR250F is one of the best enduro bikes. It is the better version of the supercross-dominating YZ250F, improved for enduro riding. This dirt bike is fast and can get through a tight single-track. 

More on its specs below:

• Features

  One of the top leading features of the WR250F is its suspension feature. It uses KYB spring-type forks for tunability for different conditions. Also, the bike is constructed in compliance with EPA-compliant emissions. This makes it road-ready for use whenever you want.  

  More features include unique embedded graphics on the bike. This extends its lifespan, preventing peeling and damage. WR250F also features compact headlight and tail light units. This improves the agile and racy styling of the bike. 

  Also, the bike is equipped with a radiator fan, aluminum kickstand, steel rear sprocket, and sealed O-ring chain. It also has a large 2.15-gallon fuel tank, an 18-inch rear wheel, fuel level, and engine warning lights. All these make it better than the YZ250F.

• Engine

  The WR250F's engine has features of the updated race-focused YZ250F. It has a high-profile compression box bridge piston design, aggressive cam profiles, and a straight intake tract. Also, the bike's fuel injection maps and ignition are equipped for smooth and controllable enduro riding and racing.

  The intake and exhaust system complies with the US Forestry Service-compliant and is mechanical without repacking. Like the others, this enduro bike has an electric starter system powered by a lead-acid battery. This makes restarts easy and boosts convenience.

• Chassis

  With the WR250F's aluminum frame, you can expect high performance and the best possible balance off-road. It also has a compact body design that's narrow and rigid for comfort and to enable the easy movement of the machine. The bike features a KYB spring-type fork and mid-speed valving for a better feel even at slower dork speeds.

Conclusion

It is up to you to make a call on which bike matches your expectations. You can either go for a readymade street-legal dirt bike or have fun transforming the enduro into one. 

Determine what purpose you need it for, the features you want, and your budget. Before anything, you should check whether the dirt bike is street-legal in your state. Then, you can plan whether you need to make it street-legal or not.

FAQs

Are Yamaha dirt bikes street-legal?

Not all Yamaha dirt bikes are street-legal. Some, like the XT250 and TW200, are factory-built street-legal bikes equipped with necessary parts for on-road use. They have headlights, tail lights, turn signals, mirrors, and other parts, making them street-legal in many states. 

On the other hand, Yamaha enduro models are made for off-road and sporting activities and aren’t street-legal in many states. While they may have headlights and tail lamps, you must install the necessary parts per your state’s law.

Is Yamaha WR450F street legal?

Yamaha WR450F isn’t street legal from the factory and is not properly equipped for on-road use. They are more EPA-legal dirt bikes and not DOT-approved dirt bikes. To ride WR450F on-road, you must equip it with mirrors, turn signals, horns, and other parts based on state laws. 

Is a yz450f street legal?

Yz450f is a pro motocross dirt bike, equipped for off-road use, and so isn’t street legal. It doesn’t have the components needed for on-road use, like mirrors and turn signals. After consulting the DOT for requirements, you can convert it into a street-legal bike.

What are street-legal dirt bikes called?

Street-legal dirt bikes are called dual sport bikes, as they have dual use for on and off-road use. They have been equipped with the necessary parts to make them double as street bikes and dirt bikes. While they have been legalized for street use, they can still work on off-road terrains.

Is a WR450F an enduro?

WR450F is an enduro as it is equipped for off-road use. It is a motocrosser with off-road-specific components, making it suitable for trail riding and other off-road use.