Advice please!

[Crisis management]

Ok guys, I'm looking for places I can take my DR650 off road and learn some more skills, closeish to Auckland is helpful, as I will want to ride the bike there and back (assuming I survive this).

Now, I know the DR is to big, too heavy and I don't have many off road skills but I'm keen to give it a shot as it's the bike I've got.

I've been to woodhill recently (look at the thread in adventure bike forum "the drongo does woodhill") and proved I can almost get around the easy trails without killing myself.

So, what i need, is somewhere with better traction than woodhill (so I don't dig a huge ditch everywhere) and reasonably learner friendly terrain.

Anyone got any suggestions? I was wondering about the friday rides at Riverhead, the Mr Motorcycle rides in Pukekohe area........how tricky are these likely to be?

Any advice is welcome......:pinch:

[Danger]

I would not advise Riverhead for you and your bike. The MR Motorcycle rides would be a good option in my opinion. Good luck!

[chris]

I was wondering about the friday rides at Riverhead
Err no, not on a DR! At the last Riverhead twilight ride it wasn't too bad as it was fairly dry. Was still 'fun' a Husaberg 550 though...

Stick to Woodhill on the DR and you'll have some fun. What tyres are fitted?

knobs (http://lard.smugmug.com/photos/162643653-L.jpg)

[Crisis management]

Stick to Woodhill on the DR and you'll have some fun. What tyres are fitted?

knobs (http://lard.smugmug.com/photos/162643653-L.jpg)

TKC's but the rear is about 80% worn at present, due for replacement with a Pirelli Scorpion of similar knobbiness. My concern with Woodhill was that the dry sand made life somewhat difficult....I was just diging a ditch everywhere!

[chris]

TKC's but the rear is about 80% worn at present, due for replacement with a Pirelli Scorpion of similar knobbiness. My concern with Woodhill was that the dry sand made life somewhat difficult....I was just diging a ditch everywhere!
Fit some cheap knobs. That pic is the rear wheel of my DR fitted with a Vee Rubber MX tyre. Admittedly not road legal but excellent on the gravel or in the bush. They won't last too long on the seal though. Try a Vee Rubber VRM147.

[scott411]

I would not advise Riverhead for you and your bike. The MR Motorcycle rides would be a good option in my opinion. Good luck!

if i have to push a DR650 up a big slippary clay hill i am coming looking for you danger, lol


but he has a point, if you come to a dry ride it would be good, but i would not recomend a wet ride, you could also try thundercross valley if its dry, stay to the b loops tho,

[Crisis management]

if i have to push a DR650 up a big slippary clay hill i am coming looking for you danger, lol



You provide this service? I'm in!!

So, dry is ok, are any of the upcoming rides better / worse than others for fat bikes with incompetent riders?

[cheese]

Yeah thunder park if it is dry would be ideal. Its a nice easy ride there and if you feel up to it you can have a crack at the A loop.

I had a mate that got two sets of rims to use his one off road. He would only really bother with the rear wheel as it was the one that chewed out the worst.

[Ktmboy]

Woodhill is great after the rain if you can time it (like now... see ya I'm off). Otherwise you will have to deflate you tyres somewhat to get proper traction.

Give you a medal though for trying:first:

[Danger]

Woodhill is great after the rain if you can time it (like now... see ya I'm off). Otherwise you will have to deflate you tyres somewhat to get proper traction.

Give you a medal though for trying:first:

But your closed today!:doh:

[scott411]

You provide this service? I'm in!!

So, dry is ok, are any of the upcoming rides better / worse than others for fat bikes with incompetent riders?

well we won;t leave you thier to starve and walk out thats for sure,

the next ride is probebly not ideal for your first attempt as it has one big loop and not many exits out,

the ride on teh 9th of march in naike would be ideal, more inforamtion on www.mrmotorcycles.co.nz

[Buddy L]

My old Neighbour up in Dargaville has an old XR600 that he does alot of trail rides on and uses it for transport to work. Catch up with him when ever their is a ride up that way.
Good tyres are essential with any off road motorcycle.
He gets around just fine, (bike in full road trim...lights..etc..etc)
But hes no learner.
Just have to remember that every time you pick up the bike, your picking up and moving around an extra 30 kilos or so. and that will tire you out real fast.
just don't stop or fall off... and you should be fine.
How far would you tend to travel for a ride off road??

[Rupe]

[QUOTE=cheese;1391448]Yeah thunder park if it is dry would be ideal. Its a nice easy ride there and if you feel up to it you can have a crack at the A loop.QUOTE]

I'd agree with cheese, thunder x is nice and easy to have a go on in the dry.

[Danger]

Times have changed for sure. Back in the early and mid 80's we used to ride around on our TT600's and find all these places to ride, tracks where everyone used to show up and race one another. Then we used to take all the road kit off and race an MX in the weekend or an enduro. But there were plenty of places to ride, not like now. Its a shame, but I think I grew up at just the right time for bike riding. The bikes were good enough and there were plenty of places to ride for free.

[warewolf]

TKC's but the rear is about 80% worn at present, due for replacement with a Pirelli Scorpion of similar knobbiness.Which Scorpion would that be? I can't think of one, and I'd be interested in buying such a thing. The Pirelli MT21 is slightly more open than a TKC80 and better value.


Try a Vee Rubber VRM147.Direct copy of the Pirelli MT21, supposedly with a 25% harder rubber compound. I expect it to grip less on the tar, but I got the usual "not imported in that size" when I tried to buy one.

[Crisis management]

just don't stop or fall off... and you should be fine.
How far would you tend to travel for a ride off road??

I'll train the bike to not fall over then? :bleh:
I don't particularly want to travel too far, an hour or so is ok but I don't want to go to the central plateau for a trail ride!
I"ll have to give it a go and see how it works out really....


Which Scorpion would that be? I can't think of one, and I'd be interested in buying such a thing. The Pirelli MT21 is slightly more open than a TKC80 and better value.


Grumpy Colin?
I meant the MT21 type, I had understood that was the Scorpion range but I now suspect I"m wrong......

Thanks for all the advice guys, saves me making more of a fool of myself than I usually do in public! :niceone:
Hopefully I will see some of you in the near future...

Iain