How you use your GS

[Rob Nye]

Greetings,

I do a bit of help with setting up rides and routes here in New England.

A conversation on another thread had me thinking about how we discuss terrain and our riding.

For example for me there's a big difference between off road riding and dirt riding. Off road riding is more forest roads; stuff you can ride fully loaded with camping gear on Tourances, whereas dirt riding is stripped down with knobbies.

There there are times when it's all pavement which is a blast too but the more you experiment in dirt the better you'll both on forest roads and pavement.

So.. if you don't mind take a moment to take the poll. How do you use your GS?

[Rob Nye]

Typos, me hatz em.

Trail Riding. not ridingods although ods can be fun to be.

[Visian]

which GS?

ian

[Visian]

For example for me there's a big difference between off road riding and dirt riding. Off road riding is more forest roads; stuff you can ride fully loaded with camping gear on Tourances, whereas dirt riding is stripped down with knobbies.

ok, mr. "GPS coordinates," if we're being technical a "forest road" is an unpaved road, so I'd call that "off pavement."

a single track dirt trail is not a road, nor is it paved, so I'd call that "off road."



when planning a "GS" ride, i will typically lay out an A and a B route... one harder/off-road, the other easier/graded gravel roads. it's been my experience that the vast majority of GS riders prefer the graded gravel roads.

[mcmxcivrs]

I'm assuming that you are defining dualsport tires as the likes of Tourances, Anakees and other such 90/10 tires.

I'm running K60s now, have always run TKCs before though. The original Anakees that came on the bike new were removed very early on and sold to another rider. I don't get off road much, but do venture down some rather ugly, sometimes decommisioned roads from time to time and often with a full load of camping gear too. Rugged enough to benefit from the knobbies, but not truly off road.

[marchyman]

ok, mr. "GPS coordinates," if we're being technical a "forest road" is an unpaved road, so I'd call that "off pavement."

a single track dirt trail is not a road, nor is it paved, so I'd call that "off road."

My definitions, also. I often go off pavement. My skill level is not up to going off road. And I can't answer the poll regarding tires, either. My preferred set up is knobby on the front and dual sport on the back. I can't wait until my front K60 wears out so I can go back to the TKC-80.

[JOHNR100RS]

My riding is is going more and more away from pavement .
I started out with tourances ,10.5" Happy Trails Panniers ,and a Wolfman Rainier tank bag.
Now I have a K-60 on the back ,and a K-60 whem the front wears out .Wolfman Expedition panniers ,and a small Expedition tank bag . And a lot more protection under the bike as well to the sides .

[henzilla]

I don't do the muddy single track on purpose on this latest GSA as it usually has Mich Anakee 2's on it. I get tired of picking that big boy up.

About 60% I am running paved roads with the wanted benefits of a high speed wet road friendly tire. My old back needs a lighter UJM dirt bike for true mudbuggin'.

I do ride a lot of one lane ranch roads that range from loose to hard packed sometimes graded granite gravel ( pink roads) to loose limestone rubble worn down by ranchers trucks. Some roads go to a jeep trail thru creek/river beds. Some sand , some gravel and I often wished for the TKC's.

If the GPS says it's a road, I'll try it out if I am not with my riding partner and she is on her roadster. She has ridden these roads on it, but recently hurt her K12S in Arkansas. She won't follow my dumb a$$ in the future

[AKBEEMER]

For the almost 4 years I've owned my GSPD it has seen pavement only on it's way to dirt roads. I lived in Alaska and there were plenty of dirt roads to ride, but still I still put more pavement miles on it than dirt just getting to the dirt roads I wanted to ride. I live in Montana now and will use the GSPD primarily for when I head back north. Probably means longer rides to get to the dirt roads. I do no "off road" riding.

I ran TKC 80s on it for one season and then switched to Saharas. I'll be putting Tourances or something akin to those on it when next it gets re-shod.

[Polarbear]

Therefore, I rarely buy the knobbies for my penny pinching ways. Rode dirt now almost 50 years and my GSA at present is no exception. I get stuck, yep! Older now, THIS is a chore on a 750lb., touring/all gear on board, dirt bike!!!. My DS tires have sufficed most everywhere offroad I've been, with a BIG getting stuck factor thrown in, so watching the sand and deep mudholes is a learning curve indeed where the knobs would have been a huge+++. Its hard to carry two set of tires and not enough $$$ to spend at each end swapping out rubber, so I go with what I got. 14000' peaks in CO., deep forests of WVA., Death Valley, Bloomsburg Rally GS Course this year, "Visian" FUN rough!!! I go almost everywhere and probably work harder at it at times with my BS BattleWings. It does get tougher without knobs, ugly tougher! Randy"Polarbear"

[PGlaves]

My "GS" is an F650 Dakar. I am not much of an off road rider. I live in the Chihuahuan desert, 53 miles from town. The road past our house is paved. The nearest intersecting paved road south of us is 25 miles away. The nearest intersecting paved paved road north of us is in Alpine, 53 miles away. Across the mountains east of us is another paved road 30 or so miles away. To the west, the River Road arcs northward to Presidio and then US 67 goes up to Marfa. That is 45 miles away. The rock, sand, and dirt roads, with only one exception, don't go through. They peter out in the desert or quit at an arroyo or at the base of a mountain or mesa. What Voni calls a "ride around the block" is from the house south, then west, then north, then east, then south back to the house on those first available paved roads. It is 232 miles.

There are lots of unpaved and few paved roads in Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park. There is over 2000 miles of graded rock road within the Terlingua Ranch area, now sold off in chunks but once the desert playground of Carroll Shelby and friends.

We do go play (putt around) on the unpaved dirt, sand, and rock roads nearby or in the parks, but when we do I am riding a Kawasaki 250 Super Sherpa and she is riding a Yamaha TW200. Good riders do this on 650s and some do on big GSs, and some of the not quite that good riders keep the Terlingua EMS and Park Rangers busy sometimes.

[DARKCLOUD]

Which GS? Each generation or series has distinct advantages over the others.

My favorite GS was the 97 R1100GS. The best GS I have had is an 1150. If there were dirt roads in Indiana I would say the F650GS I had. If it was the best dual sport I have owned it would be a DL650 (sold it to stay with BMW). JON

[Polarbear]

I rode most of those dirt byways inside BB State Park and beyond on my GSA1200 2 years ago and found it a very lonely place, meaning your ARE alone out there in nowhereville indeed. Once off the roads, I found myself alone for hours and hours. Quite revealing and pleasant too. Some of the sandy creeks and low areas are a workout for my GSA and I was fully loaded, all my camping gear on board. The ranches out there are very remote and I never saw anybody! I probably rode about 200 miles of the offroad areas. Loved it, but wished somebody was there to share the ride. You probably know this pic site, along the Rio Grande where I had come back out on pavement, dirty GSA. Nice ride.

[Polarbear]

This was February and days were pleasant, nights were WAY cold to the teens and I camped? One night to 15 degrees and I was in my tent wondering if I could stay warm enough! I actually kept a hanging REI candle lit for some resemblance of warmth, inside my tent all night. The GSA1200 with 20-50w oil did NOT like the early AM start up and turned very slowly. It was clear out, probably allowing the temps to drop like a rock at night. I think I do this again, I put 10-40 oil in before leaving home. I did stay warm sleeping with really good gear, but those mid night wakeup nature calls for us older folk are a real wakeup and I cursed myself for not carrying my relief bottle. Standing outside in the teen temps, nearly nothing on is a sight, I'll tell ya. Randy PS; Yep folks, the Texas border gets COLD at night! Randy"Polarbear"....Wonder where I get this Avatar?

[Polarbear]

A less traveled N.Park, nobody should miss, even in Winter. 3 times for me now and Winter is my 1st choice there, as Summer is too HOT when I did it anyhow. Just be ready for the nights. Randy