Local fire roads and such?

[Slide Panda]

 - I SUCK! And so does the GS, but not as much as me. The hero section really showed me how much I lack in skill/training and physical condition.

What about the GS sucked? Details... work has been boring, I want stories.

Since my riding might be even more limited next year than this I'm leaning towards tossing this up on the calendar *well* in advance

[ducati culture]

thanks for the info.....

I am so hoping to do this next year.  

FOOTAGE?

[The Mad King Pepe']

What about the GS sucked? Details... work has been boring, I want stories.

Main things are weight (too much) and suspension travel (not enough).

However there's relatively little I can do to fix this, since I've gotten to the point where it would cost silly money to drop any more pounds off the bike and if I raise it any more I would need stilts (or maybe stiltetto boots ) to put a foot down.

I am contemplating swapping out the front forks with a pair from a Yamaha and having the shock properly revalved and setup. This should help cope with some of the crazy stuff I put it through. But the fact is that the hero sections were made for lighter bikes, so my money would be better spent on a WR250 (for example) if I'm really going to get into DS riding.

Other than the hero section, the GS did perfectly well. There's some vibrations from the engine once it passes 5K rpm and these are a little annoying when crusing 66 & 81 at 65 - 70 mph, 6th gear where are thou?!? And if I had skipped the hero section, there would be nothing for me to complain about other than the flat and the weather! The scenic fire roads are beautiful, and I would definitely consider a 2-day ride out there just to enjoy them!

The two things I really need are getting my fat @$$ in shape and doing a good off road training course. I found myself in a vicious cycle of falling, exhausting myself, and falling again... The more I fell the more tired I was, which made it harder to keep the bike up.

thanks for the info.....

I am so hoping to do this next year.   

FOOTAGE?

Do, you'll love it!

Got some video, need to cut & upload to youtube; I'll post when it's done.

[Slide Panda]

Just looked it up.. 423 pounds running weight (dunno if that includes gas)... fat bastard! The 690 is 305 running, sans gas.

[David Lowenstein]

I'm obviously partial to the CRF-250X, which is an outstanding bike for a wide range of off-road purposes including the S500, but the lack of a 6th gear for highway riding (and the fact that it requires work to make it street-legal) makes it less than ideal.

Among my hard-core DS friends, the bike almost everyone has homed in on is the KTM 350 EXC-F.  Street-legal off the showroom floor, and no significant liabilities (other than price).

Dave

[zooom]

the answer for you is here Mass....

http://martinsburg.craigslist.org/mcy/3315592732.html

[The Mad King Pepe']

Just looked it up.. 423 pounds running weight (dunno if that includes gas)... fat bastard! The 690 is 305 running, sans gas.

It's a pig of a bike. But then I could stand to loose a few pounds too... 

Lots of steel parts don't make for a light bike, very durable, just not light. Top heavy too, stock lead-acid battery and external oil reservoir sit up in the faux tank. I've put in a Shorai battery and that drops a good 8 - 10 lbs, but I had the stock exhaust back on and spare HD tubes + tools in the tail bag.

This winter I plan to experiment a bit with some carbon fiber. Don't know what will come out of it, probably $h!t but I might be able to build something useful.

I'm obviously partial to the CRF-250X, which is an outstanding bike for a wide range of off-road purposes including the S500, but the lack of a 6th gear for highway riding (and the fact that it requires work to make it street-legal) makes it less than ideal.

Among my hard-core DS friends, the bike almost everyone has homed in on is the KTM 350 EXC-F.  Street-legal off the showroom floor, and no significant liabilities (other than price).

Dave

Didn't see you there, how about a father + son thing next year? Plenty of kids there!

the answer for you is here Mass....

http://martinsburg.craigslist.org/mcy/3315592732.html

Two bikes are the limit for now, need to focus on a second car first. Not that I haven't been looking at the classifieds on craigslist or ADVRider, just not yet. 

[The Mad King Pepe']

FOOTAGE?

Here you go!

These are most of my falls in the hero section. I forgot to start recording at one point and missed a couple more. I'll upload more videos this weekend. In the meanwhile have a good laugh at my expence! 

[Slide Panda]

ooooh, I heard some naughty words!

If you're serious about a more offroadery bike - KTM makes street legals down to the 3XX displacement range. The current 350 is 109.5 kg (241.4 lb.), ready run w/o fuel.

Or go back a bit
Tagged 2009 KTM 250 XC-W
http://delaware.craigslist.org/mcy/3330363660.html

2006 KTM 400 EXC - Titled and Registered
http://richmond.craigslist.org/mcy/3326028367.html

[Slide Panda]

For next time - would some haul straps be helpful?

http://www.kriega.us/off-road-enduro-motorcycle-haul-loop-rear/
http://www.kriega.us/off-road-enduro-motorcycle-haul-loop-front/

Won't stop the falling, but gives extra grabs when picking up.

[The Mad King Pepe']

ooooh, I heard some naughty words!

Oh yeah, plenty of those! 

If you're serious about a more offroadery bike - KTM makes street legals down to the 3XX displacement range. The current 350 is 109.5 kg (241.4 lb.), ready run w/o fuel.

Or go back a bit
Tagged 2009 KTM 250 XC-W
http://delaware.craigslist.org/mcy/3330363660.html

2006 KTM 400 EXC - Titled and Registered
http://richmond.craigslist.org/mcy/3326028367.html

you and zooom will get me in trouble with my wife! I'm tempted by a smaller and lighter DS bike, but I've got other things lined up first.... here's a little clue:

[Slide Panda]

What...? Polishing and waxing your neighbors hood after that little photo?

[The Mad King Pepe']

Plan on heading up there this weekend (10/20) with some folks from ADVRider. Maybe the next (10/27) if the weather is crap...