sports bikes offroad

[pyrocam]

what happens when I take my penny thick road tires onto sand? and more importantly, up and around grassy hills.

can I do it or should I buy a motard.... :oi-grr:

I was thinking it would be fun to ride around off road a bit, over some country hillside and forest etc.

Ive heard it might be ok on sand if its hard enough but I dont think it would go over dunes or anything :nono:

[Motoracer]

Ha ha, at least it's only a RGV.

My rude insults aside. If you really want to do it. Get a pair of knobllies for your bike. If you want to go over bumps, be prepared to replace the forkseals. Ultimately a dirt bike would be a HELL of a lot more fun than trying to do the same thing on your road bike.

[Toast]

I thought it would be cool to spin my tyre up and spray sand in my mate's face at Piha one day...on a CBR250...

well I looked like a right dick when absolutely nothing happened....no bite on the soft sand at all....and I had to push the bastard away from the sand...

so yeah, knobblies would be a must then

[avgas]

back in the day i couldnt afford a 'road legal' offroad bike (Those RMX's so sexy), so i bought my old RGonefiddy.
Make sure u have good chunky tyres (like Shinko's or some other crap tyre), as it gives u that little bit more grip.
And try keep off the seat.
Knobblys are good - but if ya want ta save money, just keep ya balance real good and dont slam the breaks on.

[Ixion]

what happens when I take my penny thick road tires onto sand? and more importantly, up and around grassy hills.

can I do it or should I buy a motard.... :oi-grr:

I was thinking it would be fun to ride around off road a bit, over some country hillside and forest etc.

Ive heard it might be ok on sand if its hard enough but I dont think it would go over dunes or anything :nono:

You will be fine on grassy hills so long as it is dry. I used to ride all sorts of road bikes off road. Sand depends on whether it is wet or not and what's under it. Wet sand like on a beach is fine , just like a road. Keep on the bit that's just above the waterline - watch out for waves.

Dunes are sometimes easier than you'd think. Especially if there's been a bit of rain. Ride across the face of the dune on an angle , and be very careful at the top.

Lower tyre pressures help too, but remember to have a way to reinflate them before going home, and be careful not to go too low unless you have the tyres clamped cos the valve stems may pull out.

Tis a very good way to push your slow riding skllls and practicing falling off.

Remember that salt does really shitty things to alloy.

Obviously you're not going to be able to compete with proper dirt bikes. But for a bit of afternoon fun, you should be fine.

Also, remember that riding in dunes is frowned on by people. You upset the dotterals or something. But then riding motorbikes anywhere is frowned on by people, cos you upset the dodderers

[Motu]

Smooth tyres are ok for sand - knobs just dig holes,bigger knobs dig bigger holes.... a trials tyre is one of the best sand tyres run at very low pressures.Hard pack on the beach is the most fun surfaces you'll ever ride on,if you like to get sideways.....soft dune sand is one of the most frustrating and tireing.To get anywhere off road with your tyres speed and momentium is necessary,and some skill.....but crashing is fun....

[pyrocam]

I thought it would be cool to spin my tyre up and spray sand in my mate's face at Piha one day...on a CBR250...

well I looked like a right dick when absolutely nothing happened....no bite on the soft sand at all....and I had to push the bastard away from the sand...

so yeah, knobblies would be a must then

hehe.
I got some mad wheel spin when I did it at muriwai. only did it once and didnt look at my rear. I might have just been digging a hole :(

I might look at some quickly detachable mirrors if im going duning. good way to get the paint off I guess :)

[pyrocam]

anyone want to go have a play at muriwai this weekend?

[NhuanH]

Ground control to Mr $kid, ground control to Mr $kid: Your new disciple has arrived, please proceed to "Wide Eyed Newbie Fans Of Equally Foolish Behaviour" counter to collect.....

[unhingedlizard]

saw a proper sand trye once. was completely smooth but had funny scoops all around the tyre.

[Ixion]

Ground control to Mr $kid, ground control to Mr $kid: Your new disciple has arrived, please proceed to "Wide Eyed Newbie Fans Of Equally Foolish Behaviour" counter to collect.....

Heh heh you're just jealous.

For someone restricted to 250cc dual purpose has to be MUCH more fun than sports bikes. And less expensive and less painful. And you'll learn more about real riding in one afternoon on a beach or bush track than in a month of squidding .

Go for it Mr Pyrocam, you'll have fun.

[R6_kid]

talk to mr skid... he had a CBR250 moto-cross spec and now has an XT600, not particularly sure of his reasons but he did ride on the beach when we stopped on the kaiaua ride :weird:

[Firefight]

saw a proper sand trye once. was completely smooth but had funny scoops all around the tyre.

yeah called a "Sand paddle"

F/F :ride:

[sAsLEX]

I took my cbr on a few gravel roads was fine but hard to keep weight off the front, and the rear would just spin up, especially going up hills

[pyrocam]

man looks like im going to have fun next weekend.

no-one else wants to join me?

might need a car for when I break my bike lol

[parsley]

what happens when I take my penny thick road tires onto sand? and more importantly, up and around grassy hills.
It must be possible, because I saw it in that excellent and completely accurate movie "Torque".

[skidMark]

....**imagines big knobbly offroad tires on a road bike errrr**

[Waylander]

....**imagines big knobbly offroad tires on a road bike errrr**
Have you not seen Mission Impossible 2? Somehow those bikes magically go from knobblies to streets in mere seconds without stopping lol.

[Mr Skid]

Ground control to Mr $kid, ground control to Mr $kid: Your new disciple has arrived, please proceed to "Wide Eyed Newbie Fans Of Equally Foolish Behaviour" counter to collect.....Sccrrsssccchhh Mr $kid here, is that next the gixxer replacement plastics counter?, over. Sccrrsssccchhh


For someone restricted to 250cc dual purpose has to be MUCH more fun than sports bikes. And less expensive and less painful. And you'll learn more about real riding in one afternoon on a beach or bush track than in a month of squidding .I'd agree. A JewelSpots is pretty much the perfect bike to learn riding skills on. They are slightly underpowered compared to a 600cc traily, but they make up for their lack of power in being able to go places mine cant.


talk to mr skid... he had a CBR250 moto-cross spec and now has an XT600, not particularly sure of his reasons but he did ride on the beach when we stopped on the kaiaua ride :weird:Very few people are sure of my reasons, least of all myself.


man looks like im going to have fun next weekend.

no-one else wants to join me?

might need a car for when I break my bike lol
You mean this weekend comming? I could probably find the time to do some crashing with you. I'll bring the cable ties and gaffa tape. Can you bring the sticking plasters?

[NhuanH]

Sccrrsssccchhh Mr $kid here, is that next the gixxer replacement plastics counter?, over. Sccrrsssccchhh

I'd agree. A JewelSpots is pretty much the perfect bike to learn riding skills on. They are slightly underpowered compared to a 600cc traily, but they make up for their lack of power in being able to go places mine cant.

Very few people are sure of my reasons, least of all myself.


You mean this weekend comming? I could probably find the time to do some crashing with you. I'll bring the cable ties and gaffa tape. Can you bring the sticking plasters?
:rofl: The Dark Lord reveals himself.... :clap:

Should I arrange for SpeedMedic/Riff to be near Muriwai then? :Pokey:

[pyrocam]

:rofl: The Dark Lord reveals himself.... :clap:

Should I arrange for SpeedMedic/Riff to be near Muriwai then? :Pokey:

hehe

I should be allright. I carry that ullessys (sp) first aid kit we got given lest time I went down 22

[ManDownUnder]

I turned the RF around on some mushy ground the other day...

Front wheel turned into a plow, and the rear simply spun happily where it was...

My two kids (on board at the time) thought it was great. I just wanted to keep any momentum I had so I'd get back onto the damned gravel...

then shot back 2 mins later to apologise to the neighbour who owned the greass is question...

DOH :nono:

[unhingedlizard]

Have you not seen Mission Impossible 2? Somehow those bikes magically go from knobblies to streets in mere seconds without stopping lol.

I worte to MCN ni the UK about this. They sent me a picture of the triupmh speed triple, one with knobblys and one with road tyres. Loved it how Triumph are making bullet proof bikes now.

[vifferman]

what happens when I take my penny thick road tires onto sand? and more importantly, up and around grassy hills.

can I do it or should I buy a motard.... :oi-grr:

I was thinking it would be fun to ride around off road a bit, over some country hillside and forest etc.
Back in the '70s, when Noah was learning to ride the Ark, trailbikes were TheNextBigThing. Unfortunately, unlike most of my mates with trailies, I had a road bike - a CB175. Ah, what the heck - I rode it in the dirt anyway, even attempting Mt Tarawera on one occasion (got most of the way up). Your bike should be a doddle in comparison - for a start, it's much lighter.

Anyway - enough of this talk about dirt riding.:mad: I've already got a hankering for another dirt bike or Adventurator, espeically after Oscar's post, and I've a feeling the vifferbabe won't let me sell our bike.

[Ixion]

Y'might want to fold the mirrors back though. Mirrors are the pigs arse off road, always hitting branches, getting tangled in stuff, and when you go down (as you will), you can guarantee that the mirror will whistle up a rock to fall on.

Like Mr Vifferman - I'm getting nostalgic twinges for off roading. D'you know there's only ONE XT600 on Trademe at present ? And blurdy dear.

Whats a good two smoker off roader trials-like adventurey type bike thesedays, anyway? That doesn't cost a testicle? 250 cc , always like 250's for off road, big enough to cope and light enough not to be a pain.

[Motu]

Whats a good two smoker off roader trials-like adventurey type bike thesedays, anyway? That doesn't cost a testicle? 250 cc , always like 250's for off road, big enough to cope and light enough not to be a pain.

The DT230 of course,built on a 125 platform it's still reasonably light,and has enough power to run with 400cc 4 strokes,enough top end to do the Imperial Ton and electric start for us stiff hip old farts....and an 865mm trail bike seat height. (I got a revue on it now) and as an added bonus - now that I've got mine prices are dropping rapidly :oi-grr:

Sounds like you need a Pampera,go and have a look at Mt Eden's one.But by all accounts the DT230 is the better trail and road bike.

All pretty pricey for a play bike though....if I hadn't of been wanting a road legal bike that needed some poke - there are a lot of really,really good cond DT175s for good prices on the market.Old school,but better than the dumb ER185.

[Mr Skid]

Like Mr Vifferman - I'm getting nostalgic twinges for off roading. D'you know there's only ONE XT600 on Trademe at present ? And blurdy dear.Don't be disheartened. The XT600 is the standard issue bike for rental companies in NZ. They are out there if you keep your eyes open..