How you use your GS

[Polarbear]

The famed "farm road" along the Rio Grande. So many folks talk about this byway and its a true story told, amazing ride. A long way down there off Interstate 10, but you won't regret time spent. GS/GSA owners, go explore this "Polarbear"

[PGlaves]

That's all our "back yard". We took a few visitors up FM170 just the other day. Lajitas, at the southeast end is 42 miles from our door.

[dancogan]

We traded in an F659GS (twin) for our GSA. The smaller bike was not cutting it for two-up riding on dirt roads. The GSA is great from the standpoint of comfort and pure torque moving along at slow speeds with both of us aboard. My hope is to spend some time in CO this summer, following some of the routes in Steve Farson's book: The Complete Guide to Motorcycling Colorado.

I don't have pretenses of wanting to take the GSA on single track through the woods, and didn't enjoy playing in the mud even when I was young. But there are plenty of dirt roads in Michigan that offer secluded riding, beautiful scenery and low traffic volume. That's the kind of riding we enjoy. Especially when my better half points down some road and says, "I wonder where that goes?" It's time to explore.

[sfarson]

Dan... In the early 80's while living in Grand Rapids, my wife and I explored Michigan 2 up on 2 wheels. Stunningly quiet and beautiful places, with the added attraction of big water nearby. You're right, there is much to see that a R12GSADV can deliver perfectly... and the same is for Colorado. And many other places for that matter.

[ericthebald]

My 1200GS sees a lot of FS roads and gravel whenever the option exists. I've been known to be places I ought not take that big beast .
Mine came with BattleWings - those were just scary off pavement! Currently running K60 front with the last few miles to be gotten out of the rear Tourance (cheapskate that I am). Much of Colorado gravel & FS roads ice up & stay that way from now until spring, so I won't get off the hard surface a lot in the next few months unless I go visit # 1 son in Tucson...

Just Ride The Thing!

[JOHNR100RS]

Eric,
you missed a good day out a couple of weeks ago .We went down the Shelf road and through the park north of Canon, over to High Park ,then over LaSalle pass ,through the Haymen burn ,and finally down Rampart . I brought home a good sized dent in the skid plate as a trophy .

[Polarbear]

My BS Battle Wings work great, everywhere. Of course not knobbies and what the extra knobs do, but as DS tires, they are very good. Letting AIR OUT, is a must do if you wish for anything "resembling handling good" on gravel. I ride it all the time on soft stuff at 20lbs in front/rears(fully loaded touring rig), no issues at all. Gets real soft, I even go less air. Standing the pegs is another no brainer tip, one MUST manage well. You SIT, you will wiggle all over the place, out of control "much" of the time...Randy

[kbroderick]

I picked up a second rear wheel so I could leave an Anakee/Tourance-type tire on one and a knobby on the other....then Irene hit, and I didn't bother putting the street wheel back on before I put the bike away for the winter last week.

I've also found that the Mitas E-09 Dakar wears much better than the TKC80 I tried previously...or I'm managing to spend more time on gravel and dirt.

I'd also distinguish between maintained gravel roads (i.e. passable in any normal passenger car, at least outside of mud season) and dirt (i.e. high-clearance or 4x4 strongly recommended...unless it's a rental and you got the damage waiver ).

I like the former as a way to get from place to place and the latter (and the occasional trail) when I'm looking to play...but I also have a strong preference to avoid them when riding alone. 500 pounds tipped over the wrong way and be a serious physics problem.

Oh, and I'm in Vermont....so what the GPS says is a road may or may not be. There's a reason or two my girlfriend has threatened to toss it in the nearest body of water on more than one occasion (oh, she has Tourances on her F650GS....for some reason, she doesn't want to put knobbies on it.)

[Rob Nye]

I picked up a second rear wheel so I could leave an Anakee/Tourance-type tire on one and a knobby on the other....then Irene hit, and I didn't bother putting the street wheel back on before I put the bike away for the winter last week.

I've also found that the Mitas E-09 Dakar wears much better than the TKC80 I tried previously...or I'm managing to spend more time on gravel and dirt.

I'd also distinguish between maintained gravel roads (i.e. passable in any normal passenger car, at least outside of mud season) and dirt (i.e. high-clearance or 4x4 strongly recommended...unless it's a rental and you got the damage waiver ).

I like the former as a way to get from place to place and the latter (and the occasional trail) when I'm looking to play...but I also have a strong preference to avoid them when riding alone. 500 pounds tipped over the wrong way and be a serious physics problem.

Oh, and I'm in Vermont....so what the GPS says is a road may or may not be. There's a reason or two my girlfriend has threatened to toss it in the nearest body of water on more than one occasion (oh, she has Tourances on her F650GS....for some reason, she doesn't want to put knobbies on it.)

Too funny!!

I couldn't agree with your post more. My father lives in Ludlow so I get up to Vermont often and do the same kind of riding. I love the class IV's!

What is it with SO's and knobbies? Mine rides an R12GS with tourances. She finally let me throw a set of TKC's on it but wouldn't take off the luggage so it was no net gain and she still had a cranky day. Oh well.

New England is great GS country. I've lived here all my life and there's nothing better than following the GPS without worrying about road surface. It's like tripling your riding area as opposed to a sport bike.

[Polarbear]

Leave it behind, have even more fun. Maybe NE, it makes more sense, but West it can stay OFF, as we or I just follow dirt and my nose. Randy

[henzilla]

Leave it behind, have even more fun. Maybe NE, it makes more sense, but West it can stay OFF, as we or I just follow dirt and my nose. Randy

I did that the other day in central TX ( wasn't using it,had it)...met a really unhappy young rancher asking where I was headed as the 4X4 needed gravel road became almost singletrack and had a locked gate in the middle of it. I had scoped this route out on a map and was sure I was a few miles from a paved road. I smiled and told him I was "lost"

He eased up his stern look and sent me back the other way...I said OK and zoomed back thru the loose stuff Scratch that road from the list..or send one of my least fav buddies to try it out again

[jaxthedog]

I bought the GSA because it has the over the road capabilities of my (former) RT and a good percentage of the dirt road capabilities of my (former) KLR. I am thrilled with the purchase! In two and a half years, I've found that most of my riding is on pavement, but I no longer feel inhibitions about taking the road that's turned to gravel or dirt.

That said, the environmentalist whacko in me prompts me to get off the bike and hike across the meadow to the trout stream or to the top of that nearby view point. Partly this is because I don't like picking the big boy up once it has fallen down, but mainly it is because I don't feel that every place the bike could go is a place the bike should go. Just my little hang up.

[Visian]

...because I don't feel that every place the bike could go is a place the bike should go. Just my little hang up.

tread lightly.

[mcmxcivrs]

I don't feel that every place the bike could go is a place the bike should go. Just my little hang up.

I share that perspective and wish more people did. We'd see less backlash against motorized backcountry access if so, I think.

[Visian]

We'd see less backlash against motorized backcountry access if so, I think.

have you ever gone to a BLM or other governmental agency's public hearing meetings? i don't think that many of the "evironmentalist" people would change their minds no matter what we did.

the interesting thing is that *most* people in these meetings actually do have legitimate concerns for "wilderness" access and none of them have much of an issue with motorized recreation. the ones that do are usually people who live in urban areas and have a rather unrealistic picture in their minds.

that said, there are sure no shortage of idiot ATV and motorcycle riders who disrespect the land.