See also the page of homonymy Trail The Trail , of the English words “way” or “track”, is a type of motor bike able from its design to as well roll in any ground “off road” as on the road “one road”.

A trail, it is a little the missing link between the motor bike of Enduro, and the road . It is by definition the motor bike made for the adventure: to roll far, on roads which have sometimes only the name of it, in a minimum of comfort, without neglecting the practical aspects. The first trails were judicious being as at ease on road as in the ways. This philosophy was lost a little, the current trails have primarily a vocation routière.

It is with this type of vehicle in particular the Yamaha XT 500 that were born the first African rallys (rally dimensions ivory/dimension of azure,…) who gave rise to the Rallye Paris-Dakar under the impulse of Thierry Sabine.
It is also a very widespread category of light motor bikes from 125 to 400 cm ³ two times, which allowed a practice TT supported with a good reliability. (Suzuki TS and RH, Kawasaki KMX, Yamaha DT).

At the origin, the trails were propelled by one-cylinder engines (Yamaha 500 XT), then the Eighties transfer the rise to power of the BMW GS and its twin-cylinder, allowing a big-engined car without the disadvantages related to one-cylinder (vibrations, fast wear so high modes). The idea made its way and all the current trails of big-engined car use an engine Bi, to see tricylindre (Triumph Tiger).

One also sees arriving a new category of trail, definitively turned towards a road use: the supermotards. They are equipped with tires not making it possible to engage in the ways.

Important clearances of suspension of a trail take part in comfort, and make it possible the driver to have a higher vision of circulation. But, other side of the coin, the height of saddle is often crippling.

One distigue several categories of trails:

• small (< the 125 cm ³)
  
• the means (125 to 800 cm ³)
  
• the large (> 800 cm ³)

The trails 125 cm ³ are idéals for urban circulation. Their maintenance is easy, their one-cylinder engine 2 or 4 not very greedy gasoline times. They have especially a utility function.

The trails of rolled average are often equipped with one-cylinder, sometimes of twin-cylinder (Kawasaki 500 KLE). They have a utility function also rather, although approaching more original philosophy.

The trails of big-engined car have the advantage of being able to offer services comparable with road (capacity of loading, comfort on long distance, complete equipment) without the nuisances (expensive with the purchase, with maintenance, to ensure). They are as at ease of daily use as to go on great journeys.

The trail category had its hour of glory in end of the year 80 and beginning of the year 90, but she today is been sulky a little by the public.

Examples

• Aprilia 125 Pegaso, 125 Tuareg, 600 Tuareg Wind, 650 Pegaso and 1000 Caponord
• BMW GS
• Buell Ulysses
• Cagiva 750 Elefant, 900 Elefant, 500 and 600 Canyon, 900 Gran Canyon
• Ducati 620 and 1000 Multistrada
• Honda 125 NX Transcity, 500,600 and 650 XLR, 125 and 1000 Varadero, 400,600 and 650 Transalp, 650 NX Dominator, 650 and 750 Africa Twin
• Kawasaki, 500 KLE and 1000 KLV, (clone of Suzuki 1000 V-Strom), 650 Versys, 650 KLR
• KTM 950 and 990 Adventure
• Motor bike Guzzi 1000 and 1100 Quota
• Suzuki 650 and 1000 V-Strom, 125,250,350,400,600,650,750 and 800 DR.
• Triumph Tiger
• Yamaha 125,240,350, 400, 500, 550, 600 and 660 XT Teneré, 125 DTMX, 750 XTZ Super Ténéré, 850 and 900 TDM