Any motorcyclists on this forum?

[JRowland]

I brought my adv bike in spring 22 and found the gravel roads there much more challenging than the mostly flat straight stuff around my area. I'd appreciate any tracks you might have as a local. I might be going in another week or two.

I help folks with vacations (routes) all the time. I'll need some help, first what kind of routes? Best curves, most scenic, purely dirt focused, purely street focused, little bit of a mix? Next will you want food accessible or fuel during the ride (I mostly pack lunch because I like remote areas but some folks like a lunch stop)? Give me a rough start place so I can start and end all the custom GPS tracks there (most folks just give me the hotel but I don't really care, wherever you want to start and end is fine). Pace, what's yours when you visit areas like this with tight curves (example 150 miles a day, 200, 300)? Also split that for me (dirt pace and road pace), your comments about the dirt make me think you'll be pretty slow if dirt is what you want. Also I'd like not to hurt anyone so if dirt is on your agenda what's the bike and what's your skill level so I don't send you on some things you might not make it out of?

 

[pablolie]

Lucky here, not much more needed than 38hp to get a heck of a ride on most all roads

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More is hard to use in spots

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Completely agree. I never got into the quest for 200hp+. In my opinion it (a) makes bikes unbalanced, since you have to engineer everything for unpractical extremes; (b) makes all sorts of electronics controls absolutely mandatory.

For a while I owned a KTM Superduke, and while it was fun with its safe wheelie mode... the electronics were constantly kicking in and in the end it got old... plus once the electronics had a kickup in the rain and the bike launched me up in the air awkwardly and came down hard on the tank with the family jewels taking all the impact. I sold it to pay for the MP3 500.

 

[JRowland]

Completely agree. I never got into the quest for 200hp+. In my opinion it (a) makes bikes unbalanced, since you have to engineer everything for unpractical extremes; (b) makes all sorts of electronics controls absolutely mandatory.

For a while I owned a KTM Superduke, and while it was fun with its safe wheelie mode... the electronics were constantly kicking in and in the end it got old... plus once the electronics had a kickup in the rain and the bike launched me up in the air awkwardly and came down hard on the tank with the family jewels taking all the impact. I sold it to pay for the MP3 500.

My KTM 890 is similar in weight wet (475#) and is to me stupid quick with (only) 105hp Those Super Dukes weigh a touch less wet but base hp is 180-190, that's close to top dog territory not just nakeds. I've gotten to ride with some groups of similar machines and curves or not when things open up a little bit they walk away from me. I'd rather spend 8 hours going 20 miles myself

 

[Sal1950]

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Damn bro, just get a horse !

 

[EJ3]

Summer is interesting with the schedule. Broncos and GTI's https://www.wookiesinthewoods.com/ were just here this weekend. Miatas several times a year, Porsche clubs, BMW club was just here too. They usually fill the whole area up including my way. I'm a Harley rider too but I agree with you, most have no conception of using a pull of or letting someone else have a good time. Very frustrating! Dirt is usually mostly empty if you're up for strapping on some non street tires, that's the place to be during the season.

My idea of a great off road Harley Davidson ride (Appalachia, too, I live in the Low Country of South Carolina but have relatives in Franklin, Tri-City & in between, so get up that way sometimes (this is NOT me but wishful thinking):

 

[Raiju]

bikes and music are same thing to me

 

[JRowland]

My idea of a great off road Harley Davidson ride (Appalachia, too, I live in the Low Country of South Carolina but have relatives in Franklin, Tri-City & in between, so get up that way sometimes (this is NOT me but wishful thinking):

I've followed several builds, I like them! This was a good build thread IIRC https://www.advrider.com/f/threads/desert-potato-dirt-glide-yet-another-adv-sportster.1562989/

 

[EJ3]

bikes and music are same thing to me

and some subcategories of cars/trucks (no, they do not have to be loud: but they do have to be fun!)

 

[Sal1950]

bikes and music are same thing to me

Don't forget Women !

My idea of a great off road Harley Davidson ride

Ice bikes are "Off Road" too right? My buddy Tim Farrell who was National Champion icer back in the 1980s owns a Harley XR750 setup for ice to act the fool on Illinois and Wisconsin frozen lakes.
He's certifiably crazy. LOL

Now some chick is doin it, insanity . LOL

 

[EJ3]

Don't forget Women !


Ice bikes are "Off Road" too right? My buddy Tim Farrell who was National Champion icer back in the 1980s owns a Harley XR750 setup for ice to act the fool on Illinois and Wisconsin frozen lakes.
He's certifiably crazy. LOL

Now some chick is doin it, insanity . LOL

I guess that, to enjoy cold weather, you have to find something to do that keeps your mind off of it. I used to drive and/or fly with groups of friends to places that had snow & go snow skiing (I enjoyed the snow skiing but not enough to keep going into the cold). So, I stopped snow skiing and refuse to intentionally go into weather cold enough for it to snow. Living in the tropics for 17 years cured me of that affliction! You can have enough fun to ignore the cold for a while but when you stop doing the fun things, the cold is what is left.
I'm glad that my wife and I are cured of this desire to play in the cold. Both of us think that where we are ow (Charleston, SC area, USA) is too cold in the winter.

 

[Sal1950]

Both of us think that where we are ow (Charleston, SC area, USA) is too cold in the winter.

We're totally on the same page there. There just ain't no way in hell I'd ever live in the snow belt again.
But even when I was, winter sport was a roaring fire, bear skin rug, and a naked women. I would occasional go to a ski resort with friends, put on the gear, go out and roll in the snow for a few minutes, then go right inside to the lodge and try to pick up some chick with stories of my incredible ski adventures.

 

[steve59]

The larger Chicago area might be the only place a carpenter can earn a pension, but now that I've retired I want out. When I lived in Houston in the early 80's the atmosphere was so chill I never wanted to leave, but since then the city's really lost that wild west atmosphere

 

[JRowland]

Don't forget Women !


Ice bikes are "Off Road" too right? My buddy Tim Farrell who was National Champion icer back in the 1980s owns a Harley XR750 setup for ice to act the fool on Illinois and Wisconsin frozen lakes.
He's certifiably crazy. LOL

Now some chick is doin it, insanity . LOL

This is near where I grew up

This too, just took place - same main group of riders

 

[multichannel_guy]

My vulcan 900 with the vh pipes i put in recently has a very audiophiley sound and huge soundstage. I dont worry about its sinad too much.

P.S it takes courage and skill to ride these things. On the other hand, any boring skill-less dumbo can sit in a car with 4 wheels and hit a pedal like his grandma.

 

[EJ3]

My vulcan 900 with the vh pipes i put in recently has a very audiophiley sound and huge soundstage. I dont worry about its sinad too much.

P.S it takes courage and skill to ride these things. On the other hand, any boring skill-less dumbo can sit in a car with 4 wheels and hit a pedal like his grandma.

But, if more people actually had car skills (instead of the training (or rather: the lack there of), there would be a lot less accidents (both not involving other vehicles and involving other vehicles). Maybe all should be required to become proficient with motorcycles (a week in traffic on a motorcycle, would probably improve their car driving).

 

[JRowland]

Good day at Wheels Through Time yesterday, Kyle Petty brought his charity ride across America by after running the Tail of the Dragon. My wife had been working with Kyle and his wife on this and really enjoyed them as people. All the riders I met were seemingly high character folks, it was really nice. Our local cops that were NASCAR fans got to be involved in the escort and were very excited about getting pics with and meeting The King.

 

[JRowland]

Lovely afternoon in the forest

 

[steve59]

I gotta go back to maggie valley, maybe trailer 3 of my bikes and stay for a month! I just picked up a leftover new 25 350 xcf and considering how well the used ones hold their value I went for it. Now I need a place to ride it and that looks great for either an adv or dirt bike.

 

[JRowland]

I gotta go back to maggie valley, maybe trailer 3 of my bikes and stay for a month! I just picked up a leftover new 25 350 xcf and considering how well the used ones hold their value I went for it. Now I need a place to ride it and that looks great for either an adv or dirt bike.

Congrats on the 350, I almost jumped during the bankruptcy. Engineer friend of mine loves the canbus wiring on the 25+. Last I rode with him we did some of what I did today.

I just picked up one of these, western NC is a great place for all kinds of vehicle shenanigans

 

[Chr1]

Sweet.
Big KTM fan. Had a 2009 Superduke. My BMW F800ST motor is by Rotax. Great engineering outa Austria for sure.

Apologies, I'm several bourbons in and now posting stupid s+**.

Gotta love this dudes enthusiasm. Posted clips of him a few years back off roading a Goldwing.
Now it's a V4 Ducati...
As you do...WTAF.