What’s The Lightest Street Legal Dirt Bike?

Looking for the lightest street legal dirt bike but not sure where to start? Whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced rider, you’re in the right place!

In this article I’ll show you what dual sport bikes are the lightest, why you may or may not want the lightest one, and how to choose the right bike for your size and experience level.

How much do street legal dirt bikes weigh?

There's a big range of weights when it comes to street legal dirt bikes, and they range from 259-487 pounds curb weight. 

Before you choose the lightest bike possible, you need to figure out what your goals are. More specifically, what type of riding will you be doing most, what is your height, and what is your experience level?

Answering these questions will help you figure out the best street legal dirt bike for you. 

What are the advantages to having a lightweight dirt bike?

Having the lightest street legal dirt bike can be a huge advantage if you're a short or weak rider. Keeping it balanced when you come to a stop or at low speeds will generally be easier than a heavier bike. 

Having a lighter bike is generally better for off-road because it has more capabilities. You can handle a lighter bike much better on the trails since it leans and turns quicker, especially at low speeds. 

Why the lightest dirt bike might not be the best for you

Just going out and buying the lightest street legal dirt bikes isn’t necessarily a good plan - especially if you’re a beginner rider. Some of the lightest dual sport bikes are extremely high-performance, and they will be much harder to ride due to their size and power.

I want to show you the best bike options based on your size, as well as your experience riding off-road.

Why are street legal dirt bikes so heavy?

Street legal dirt bikes are often much heavier than a trail bike for 3 main reasons:

1. They have added equipment to make them legal for riding on the road (lights, horn, mirror, etc.)
2. They aren't race bikes, so lightweight isn't as much of a concern as keeping it lower priced
3. Street legal dirt bikes often have racks or a beefier frame to carry a heavier load, whether it's gear or a passenger

Lightest dual sport motorcycle

Just going by a spec sheet of listed weights, you might not choose the right bike. So, that's why I'd like to go more in depth in just a minute to help you decide. 

In the meantime, here's a simple chart with the most popular street legal dirt bikes and their weights, from lightest to heaviest:

Motorcycle	Weight (wet curb - ready to ride with fluids)
KTM 350 EXC-F	(est.) 243 lbs/229 lbs dry*
Husqvarna FE 350S	(est.) 243 lbs/229 lbs dry*
KTM 500 EXC-F	(est.) 254 lbs/240 lbs dry*
Honda Trail 125	259 lbs
Suzuki DR200S	278 lbs
Yamaha TW200	278 lbs
Honda XR150L	282 lbs
Yamaha XT250	291 lbs
Honda CRF450RL	291 lbs
Kawasaki KLX230 S	297 lbs
Kawasaki KLX300	302 lbs
Honda CRF300L	306 lbs
Suzuki DRZ400	317 lbs
Honda CRF300L Rally	331 lbs
Honda XR650L	346 lbs
Suzuki DR650S	366 lbs
Kawasaki KLR650	456/460 (ABS) lbs

Best lightweight street legal dirt bike for beginners

If you're new to dirt biking or just riding a motorcycle in general, then it's important to pick the right first dirt bike. Choosing a bike that's too big or fast is one of the quickest ways to get in an accident because you can't properly handle the bike as a new rider. 

So, based on your height, these are the best lightweight street legal dirt bikes for beginners:

• Honda Trail 125
• Honda XR150L
• Suzuki DR200S
• Yamaha TW200
• Kawasaki KLX230
• Yamaha XT250
• Honda CRF300L

Honda Trail 125

I only put this motorcycle on here because Honda considers it a dual sport bike, but it's really more of a novelty and town bike. 

It's surprisingly heavy, which I was shocked to see it listed at 259 lbs. For a street bike that's light, but a tiny dual sport bike it's pretty heavy. 

It's not going to be a good dirt bike for trail riding, nor will it be great at cruising down the highway. What's it good at then?

If you're an absolute beginner that wants to ride a motorcycle around town and occasionally get off the pavement on some gravel or easy trails. 

Honda XR150L

Based on the CRF150F trail bike, the new XR150L is Honda's new lightweight street legal dirt bike. It's super easy to ride and is great for learning on, riding around the city, or commuting.

It doesn't have a lot of power, so it's not good for high speed cruising, and the stock tires aren't great for trail riding. However, you can get some better off-road DOT tires from Amazon (19/17" tire sizes), and the low seat height (32.8 inches) is great if you're 5'0"-5'6" tall.

Suzuki DR200S

Tied with the TW200 in weight, it's the lightest "dirt bike" that is street legal from the name brand companies. It has dual sport tires so you can smoothly ride on the road while still getting decent traction off-road. 

With a low seat height (33.3"), the DR200S makes it great if you're short and don't need a lot of power. Perfect for a 16 year old or female rider. 

Yamaha TW200

The TW200 is somewhat of an oddball due to its wider tires, making it handle a little differently. It handles a bit heavier, but it’s still easy to ride and has a nice, low seat height.

It doesn’t do anything great, but it’s one of the cheapest dirt bikes and it works for learning how to ride.

Kawasaki KLX230

Kawasaki added the KLX230 dual sport to their lineup in 2019, and it’s a great beginner bike for trail riding and street riding. It has electric start, fuel injection, and a fairly low seat height.

Yamaha XT250

A simple, effective, and easy-to-ride dual sport bike for beginners. The XT250 has a fairly low seat height as well, even though it has more suspension travel than the smaller displacement bike.

With an air-cooled engine, it’s simple and reliable, but the electric start and fuel injection make it more appealing and cause less frustration when starting your bike - hot or cold.

Honda CRF300L

With more torque in mind, Honda updated their CRF250L to a 300cc engine. It’s more of an adventure bike but is still good enough for beginners because the seat height is fairly low and it’s easy to ride.

It’s the heaviest street legal dirt bike on this list for beginners, but it’s still capable of riding off-road on easy trails if you’re a newer rider.

Best lightweight street legal dirt bike for short riders

Maybe you’re just short (like me) and need a motorcycle with the lowest seat height.

These are the best lightweight street legal dirt bikes for short riders:

• Yamaha TW200 (31.1”)
• Honda Trail 125 (31.5”)
• Yamaha XT250 (31.9”)
• Kawasaki KLX 230 S ( 32.7”)
• Honda XR150L (32.8")
• Suzuki DR200S (33.3”)

Best lightweight street legal dirt bike for experienced riders

Maybe you’re ready for an upgrade to do some rally riding or hardcore dual sport riding. More power is nice to have when you can safely control it, and it helps for riding comfortably on the road.

These are the best lightweight street legal dirt bikes for experienced riders:

• Kawasaki KLX300 (S)
• Honda CRF300L
• Honda CRF300L Rally
• KTM 350 EXC-F
• Husqvarna FE 350S
• KTM 500 EXC-F

How to safely ride off-road

Choosing the right bike for the type of riding you’re doing is a very important step to staying safe off-road, but that’s only the beginning. Many riders make the mistake of learning to ride on their own, and this causes them to make bad habits that lead to riding out of control.
I want to show you the basic techniques so that you ride with more confidence and control so that you don’t get hurt. Click or tap here to get started.