Dual Sport bug....

[bikepilot]

I've done a huge amount of off road and a fair bit of dual sporting.  I've put 13k miles on a DR250SE, 1500 on a DR350SE and about 3k on a XR650R.  So not huge miles, but a fair bit.  All the miles on the XR are true off road/dual sporting - first time I ever rode it was racing Vegas to Reno, the longest off road event in the US (got 5th overal racing iron man unsupported and 2nd in class), I've ridden it around Baja quite a bit and on most of the trails in the Gunnison area of Colorado (including Gunnison to Aspen and back all via off road). I've also raced MX, HS and SX and done a bunch of trail riding in most areas of the US (except PNW) and bits of Mexico.

If you really want to ride off road I suggest starting with a light, cheap dirt bike - something like a KDX200 or 125cc MX'er - it takes a huge amount of skill to pilot a heavy dual sporter like a GS off road and without that skill  you'll just find yourself posing on dirt roads that are also frequented by honda civics

The XR at Willow Creek Colorado


Ripping down the beach at sunrise


Fooling around on a dry lakebed in Baja


V2R Finish


Dual Sported CR250R at Captian Jack's Colorado


Same bike at IMI

[mitt]

I've done a huge amount of off road and a fair bit of dual sporting.  I've put 13k miles on a DR250SE, 1500 on a DR350SE and about 3k on a XR650R.  So not huge miles, but a fair bit.  All the miles on the XR are true off road/dual sporting - first time I ever rode it was racing Vegas to Reno, the longest off road event in the US (got 5th overal racing iron man unsupported and 2nd in class), I've ridden it around Baja quite a bit and on most of the trails in the Gunnison area of Colorado (including Gunnison to Aspen and back all via off road). I've also raced MX, HS and SX and done a bunch of trail riding in most areas of the US (except PNW) and bits of Mexico.

If you really want to ride off road I suggest starting with a light, cheap dirt bike - something like a KDX200 or 125cc MX'er - it takes a huge amount of skill to pilot a heavy dual sporter like a GS off road and without that skill  you'll just find yourself posing on dirt roads that are also frequented by honda civics

The XR at Willow Creek Colorado


Ripping down the beach at sunrise


Fooling around on a dry lakebed in Baja


V2R Finish


Dual Sported CR250R at Captian Jack's Colorado


Same bike at IMI

very cool     You should post up your racing adventures in our racing forum

<-----

mitt

[the_Journeyman]

Opposite, meaning your brake/rotor is on the rider's right side?

Never mind then, the angle of the pic had me thinking the rotor was on the riders right side in the pic.  If that rotor is on the riders left side, I don't have some weird-ass Monster!

JM

[scoprire]

The WR is entirely too tall for me to comfortably ride, I've barely got a 30" inseam.  I'm wanting  something my wife can ride too, and she's even shorter than I am.  I know the WR is a nice package, but it's just too tall.

JM

The WR is tall, but can be lowered pretty easily.  It's got about 1in adjustment stock, then you can get lowering links for another 1.25-1.5in. 

I know of one woman that also had the suspension lowered since she is only about 5' 1in or so.

If you really think  about the WR, check out the huge thread on ADVrider
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=329337
or the wr250 forum
http://wr250rforum.forumotion.com/

[bikepilot]

Re the height, the WR actually isn't too tall for you at all - dirt bikes are supposed to fit like that. It'll feel weird at first if you are used to short street bikes, but once you get the hang of dirt riding you won't want it any other way.  You need both plenty of room between the seat and pegs and loads of ground clearance, that means a tall seat.  The bikes are ultra narrow and light so its not a problem to hold the bike up when you stop (just shift a cheek off to one side of the seat).  It may be a little tall for your wife depending on how tall she is.  Most dirt bikes work out to be an ideal fit for someone in the 5'7" tall range (maybe the average height of a japanese man, I dunno).  I'm 5'10" and have to fit taller bars and a high seat to most everything to get it to fit me correctly - including my XR650R.

[ungeheuer]

Today... I bought this...

...to attach to the DRZ400e front end I aready own....

[bikepilot]

Cool.  Good going with the DRZ-E front end.  The 00-02 DRZ-S front ends suck and wouldn't be worth the trouble.  The later DRZ-S, DRZ-K and DRZ-E forks are ok though.

Also, what's up with the ginormous sissy-bar on the back?  I think that'd hurt if you go over the bars and the bike follows.

[ollie]

Today... I bought this...

...to attach to the DRZ400e front end I aready own....

Good choice,

What are the plans for it?

[ungeheuer]

Also, what's up with the ginormous sissy-bar on the back?  

  I know - it'll be gone ASAP.

What are the plans for it?

[ollie]

[quote

[/quote]

c'mon give us a hint?

[rockaduc]

Nice find.    Good luck with it and keep us posted on the surgery. 

[marty_il]

i've got a wr and a 31" inseam. i can touch the ground with 1 foot no problem.

right now its sitting in the garage on a stand, forkless and with a rusty kinked chain. 

[ungeheuer]

c'mon give us a hint?

Nothing you haven't seen before mate.  Sort the front end out.....  ditch the stock speedo.  Then something new and better to suspend the other end (and somehow raise the rear to bring back the geometry since the DRZ forks are slightly longer).  A seat that can be sat on for hours without killing your arse. A robust rack & pannier frame combo, some quality soft panniers*.  Clean up the stock header, ceramic coat it, add a slip-on can.  Carb upgrade.  Safari or IMS tank.  

Go for a long ride  .

Any advice on good 50/50 tyres?
* How do you like your Steel Pony panniers?  I'm fighting with myself between these and Andy Strapz.

[bikepilot]

I run Dunlop D606s for 50/50 use (that's 50% bad roads, 50% true off road).  For strictly road use (including bad and dirt roads) Pirelli Scorp. MT90A/T work pretty well and last forever.  I get 500-1000 miles from D606s but I ride hard and the XR650R is pretty hard on tires. Riding casually they'd go about 3k miles I think.

[ollie]

Nothing you haven't seen before mate.  Sort the front end out.....  ditch the stock speedo.  Then something new and better to suspend the other end (and somehow raise the rear to bring back the geometry since the DRZ forks are slightly longer).  A seat that can be sat on for hours without killing your arse. A robust rack & pannier frame combo, some quality soft panniers*.  Clean up the stock header, ceramic coat it, add a slip-on can.  Carb upgrade.  Safari or IMS tank.  

Go for a long ride  .

Any advice on good 50/50 tyres?
* How do you like your Steel Pony panniers?  I'm fighting with myself between these and Andy Strapz.

sounds good ,
-  unless you're planning something with stupidly long legs between fuel stops, the IMS is better than the safari IMO, the safari puts a stack of weight on the front, keeps your legs splayed wide as and slops around a fair bit when half full.
- Corbin seats matches perfectly with the the IMS as well.
- Tyres - Mitas E07 rears are a great 50:50 tyre, struggle a fair bit in mud, the fronts are rubbish though - match with a 606 or a pirelli for good alround grip
            - For a more dirt orientated tyre Mitas E09 dakars are a good, so are dunlop 606's and there is a good michelin also but I can]t remember the exact type

I was really happy with the steel pony panniers, they're fairly similar to the andy strapz but a little better stitched together. Industry compettion is a good thing and I like supporting small business's as well  - steel pony  are just a husband and wife team and were great to deal with.