Everyone here brings up good points, but i would just like to say that there is no other place in the world more fun, more majestic, and more scenic than driving a motorcycle here in the DR. I have motorcycles in Norway and drive everywhere--and although the scenery is amazing up in the mountains and in the countryside, over all, in comparison to the DR, it is sterile!! In Norway, it's cold when its overcast, freezing when its raining, and it sucks whenever the weather is not conducive to being outdoors. Not so in the Caribbean. Here you can drive 12 months out of the year and enjoy the fantastic weather and enjoy 50 to 80 miles to the galloon--depending what kind of bike you have. This comes in handy when a galloon of gas approaches $6.
The DR offers the adventure motorcyclists a plethora of intoxicating sights and smells--everything from amazing wild blooming flowers that line the mountain sides to the dead animals that sit alongside the road cooking and baking in the midday sun. the mountains are nothing short of breathtaking--yes, breathtaking!! And this goes for the valleys as well--all of the valleys are majestic and full of amazing fauna and draping flowers and intoxicating colors, which, when sitting in the confines of a car--you miss it all becuase they go by in an air-conditioned blur.
You can enjoy these stimuli on just about any motorcycle out there, but something like Robert's "Dual-sport" bikes are the best for the job. and the reason is simple--the roads here go from pavement to dirt to craters so large that many people have fallen into them and not come out for three days. For this reason and more you want a bike that offers "lots" of suspension and "lots" of forgiveness on the rear end. Harleys and other sports bikes don't offer this kind of plush ride that not only can save your rear end from looking like road rash but also absorb the pot holes and small children that you will inevitably drive over. I kid, i kid.
Back to economics and practicality. you can explore so much more on a motorcycle that a car cannot get to here on this island---everything from Las Galeras to playa Fronton to playa Rincon--and many more hard to get to beaches--instantly become accessible on a motorcycle. this is also true for all the mountain roads throughout the Cibao Valley, the south east corner outside of Barahona, the northwest corner--near the Haitian border, and many other places that will tear out the bottom of your car. Yes, a jeep would do fine in these areas, but, this is taking half the fun out of exploring remote villages and places--including crossing small rivers and streams.
The DR is the Mother-of-all motorcyclist adventure dreams! It would behove anyone here to put aside your fears and grab some basic gear protection, and get out there and explore and enjoy the amazing scenery this beautiful island offers. Motorcyclists around the world would give their left nut to be able to come down here and explore this island on a motorcycle--enjoying the twisting and curvy mountain roads we have throughout the island. Instead, 99% of the world's motorcyclist are trapped in their countries tied-down by a mountain of rules and regulations and laws that prevent them from enjoying anything but a sterile riding experience where any deviation off the norm will get your license revoked and your insurance esculated into the upper ends of the hemisphere.
For those of you living here, and having previously owned motorcycles in your host country, it's nothing short of a crime that you are not taking advantage of the unique opportunity to get out and explore this island. there are beautiful girls everywhere on this island, but none are more beautiful than in the small mountain villages scattered throughout the island. take my advice--i'm a doctor--and leave your wife and girlfriend at home with the gardner or pool cleaner, and get out there and meet the cream of the crop of the female species. forget the city girls that have been spoiled by western ways, get out there and explore the island. Otherwise, what's the point of being here?
It would behove anyone here to take Cobraboy's advice and go up to Jarabacoa and take a ride with him; he's got 20 "dual-sport" bikes--all of them made for the crazy conditions of this island.
Now get out there and ride. Chicks dig scars!
Love Frank