How do dirt bikes and street bikes differ to handle the different riding and terrain types? Of course, there are the obvious things, like suspension height and ground clearance, but also subtle things, like rider position and how you steer. Of course, then there are the bikes that muddy the waters by offering different degrees of both on- and off-road capabilities, like adventure touring bikes, which are some of the most popular recent models.

On the road, you are bound to run across any number of road surfaces, from smooth to rough, but nearly all of them will be paved. Road bike suspensions are tuned to soak up the minor imperfections of the pavement, and can absorb an impact, like a pothole, but suspension travel can be as little as a few inches.… Read the rest