Yamaha Dirt Bikes Forum

TTR230 Winter Project - Dual Sport Conversion



Hi guys.







Ok, I had a thought. Winter will be coming up in a few months, I'll be putting my bike away when the snow comes, but I thought of a small project do to from time to time over the winter weekends!





....... so here it is......... Turn my TTR230 trail bike into a Dual Sport bike with a Dual sport kit so I can ride on the roads (street legal) to the trails !!!





It seems like a great idea, it will keep me busy and working on my good old TTR230 over the winter every other weekend or so. It seems to be much much cheaper then getting a Yamaha 250 already made trail bike. It would be another cool way to enjoy my first motorcycle, I could then ride it to/from work at a much cheaper cost then the operation of my car (with the prices of gas these days)





So, can the TTR230 be turned into a streel legal dual sport bike ( for NON-highway use )?









The Pros I see:

- cheaper to convert my TTR230 with a dual sport kit then to purchase another 'good' bike (ie: yamaha 250 dual sport, second hand or new or on a trade in)



- The TTR230 is not a major power house, but hey, it's got some good power and does great on the trails. And I've had it on a stretch of pavement also... I think it's got good power for street use ( non highway/freeway use ).



- Cheaper to take my TTR230 to the office, to/from work then my car next year, especially given the price of gas these days.



- Another way to enjoy my first bike, my good old TTR230 !



- Installing a street legal dual sport kit over the winter months gets me closer to the bike, figuring out how it works (I'm new to motorbikes), and it would be enjoyable to install and wire everything myself.











The Cons I see:



- It's not a powerhouse bike so highway and freeway use would be limited, as the top speed is likely the top speed limit for the highways around here, being 100km/hr.



- ????

















Have you, or do you know of anyone who has done the Dual Sport conversion on the TTR230???

Thoughts/Comments?





What are you're thoughts and comments and this idea, to turn my TTR230 into a dual sport street legal bike for non-highway use?





Thank you in advance for your time. I'm looking into the possibilities here, and if things work out I plan to get a dual sport kit for xmas and install the kit over the winter months, getting it ready for next season.







Cheers.  

also you will have to get enduro tires that dont grip too good on dirt but if you keep your dirt tires on the bike and run highway they will wear out really quick i personally think that enduros dont do to good of road and dont do that good on street either
if i was you i would get a street bike and keep the ttr the way it is, it dosnt have enough power to be a good street bike but thats just my oppinion plus you will eventually get bored of the ttr and want to get a 450f or 250 2 stroke just keep that in mind before you spend allot of money on the ttr  
=====================i eat the desert and the dessert

quazymoto: thanks for the input.

I've thought about it, but realize that a bigger bike would be more money and I'd like to avoid that.

I think from what I've been riding my TTR230 thus far, I like the amount of power (not too much, not too little). I've had it on some pavement and I think it's totally fast enough for around town (non-highway) and for the trails of course.

I've thought about a trade in, but again, additional cost well above the cost of the dual sport kits I've seen around (Baja Designs, Dakar and Trick Sport).


I don't want to have two bikes (one for road, one for dirt) as again, alot more cost and more maintenance costs. For the trails I'll be on I think the TTR230 may very well do the trick for me.


Thanks again for your reply and comments.


Anyone else, guys? Has anyone out there done this before?


thank you in advance.  

never done this ground. but i like the idea. i dont think the ttr would be a bad bike to have some semi street tires for road riding. it would be easy to convert to street as well. just need some new tires. and some brake lights, you dont even need turn signals i dont believe. atleast in the states. just gotta know your turn signals and have a motorcycles license. if your just bomming down to work 10 miles down the way it sounds like a good diea. ~pat  
PEACE GUYS ITS BEEN A BLAST!!!!! ~patrick

Ground I think your from Canada cause you said km/h. Anyway the MTO will no longer let anyone convert a motorcycle that was originaly registered as an ORV to be street legal. I was planning on doing this with my CRF230 but my dad said exactly what I told you. I don't know why they're doing this but they are. It might only be for Ontario. So if you live outside of Ontario look into it unless your bike was registered as a road bike when you bought it.  
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It takes a real man to say a 230 is a nice bike - Will12546

Hi Atkkid: thanks for your input also!

Yep, you have the idea, just back and forth to work, from my house to the trail and some local in-town driving. There is also a country road I could take to get to my folks house. The speed limits are low on that road. I think it would be a nice ride and fun time. There are also trails out that way to.



Yeah, I talked with the dealer today about my options and I think the lower cost up front and over time would be the dual sport kit on my TTR230.

I still like the idea, but would love to have more input from you guys to.


Again, highway speeds and highway driving are out, and that's ok.


oh, for around here I'd need signal lights, which are usually in the kits. I'd have to get a full dual sport kit (mirror, 4 signal lights, hi/low head light, horn... and of course dual tires).


Thanks again, anyone else, please feel free to post.

thanks in advance.
cheers.  

zack: Thanks for your input. I'm in Newfoundland. I have a meeting with the Motor Vehicle Registration guys next week and I'll have those questions for them, specific to my TTR230.

thanks.  

wow i know its sidetracked but what is the riding like in newfoundland? DB  
=====================i eat the desert and the dessert

Quazymoto: Well, I like the trails here. most are a combination of some dirt, fairly big rocks some bogs and ever so often there are some pastures. The TTR230 has a very low (high rev) first gear, which is just great for the rough stuff.


There are a few pictures of some Newfoundland trails and my TTR230 in this main forum.






Any other thoughts on the TTR230 as a dual sport bike. Somebody must have done this before???


thanks.  

sounds like fun riding something different would be nice all i ride is singletrack desert  
=====================i eat the desert and the dessert

hello im nate i just bought a 2008 ttr230 i was going to buy the wr250 because i wanted a street legal dirtbike buti i really liked the 230f so if you have any advice on how to convert it to a dual i would appreciate it thanks  
N. Carter
2008 TTR 230

check this rig out! lol quite the beast. i wouldnt mind driving it. its an 08 ttr230 like your right ground. ? yessah
~pat  
PEACE GUYS ITS BEEN A BLAST!!!!! ~patrick

big tires!!  
=====================i eat the desert and the dessert

atkkid250:
check this rig out! lol quite the beast. i wouldnt mind driving it. its an 08 ttr230 like your right ground. ? yessah
~pat

Thats not a tt-r 230  
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It takes a real man to say a 230 is a nice bike - Will12546

i guess it is zack. its got a custom alminum tank. thos weird funky tires. im sure theres been some for and swing arm mods. but if you look right next to the tank it says ttr. ~pat  
PEACE GUYS ITS BEEN A BLAST!!!!! ~patrick