What's the best bike for gravel?

[Motu]

I did a bunch of gravel road riding on was a '95 Triumph Trident 750, it was a real hoot! (Also helped that I didn't own it....)
By the same token a certain magazine publisher that we both know swears by Kawasaki W650's fitted with knobblies.....

Dirt bikes are certainly a good option for gravel, but they have a few disadvantages. They carry the weight too high, and not enough on the front wheel. A ''classic'' set up bike is good in gravel, low CG, more weight on the front wheel, and more trail helps in the thick stuff too, you don't need a 21'' front wheel, they tend to knife in a bit in the thick stuff. And you don't need knobs - the Dunlop K70's gave me more hook up than tyres supposedly better for the job. Big powerslides are fun, but getting hooked up and the power down is faster.....but then the sides of the road need your attention....

[Kaituna]

I manage to crash just as spectacularly on most of the bikes I have tried to ride on gravel. Keep running out of skill.

[mossy1200]

rg250f not so good.

Gearbox didn't like gravel

[Ender EnZed]

The best bike on gravel doesn't need to be light and it doesn't need to have knobblies. It may well be absolute shit on anything more adventurous than actual roads.

You want a reasonably upright seating position, reasonably wide bars, and a not wide front tyre. If you've got these three ingredients right then, as always, just add power until you run out of money. That bike is the best one for gravel.

[buggerit]

CR500 for grin factor

[Motu]

and a not wide front tyre.

It's not the width, it's the profile. A radiused street profile is not good, only 1/3 of the tyre can make contact with the hard pack, the other 2/3 is being held up by stones and rolls all over the place. A squarer section like a K70 or competition trials tyre just goes down to the hard pack and hooks up...they also have good sidewall flex.

[The Pastor]

It's not the width, it's the profile. A radiused street profile is not good, only 1/3 of the tyre can make contact with the hard pack, the other 2/3 is being held up by stones and rolls all over the place. A squarer section like a K70 or competition trials tyre just goes down to the hard pack and hooks up...they also have good sidewall flex.

thank you, i was hoping you'd show up.

[The Pastor]

got my eye on a cb175 so if i get that i'll make sure to test it out on the gravel.


the only bike i've been really at home with on the gravel has been my shitbox gl145.

my dr650 was a POS.

[HenryDorsetCase]

got my eye on a cb175 so if i get that i'll make sure to test it out on the gravel.


the only bike i've been really at home with on the gravel has been my shitbox gl145.

my dr650 was a POS.

Find me a Honda CL350 or 450 and I will love you long time.

[SE950]

A mountain bike if you want to go slow or a Ktm se950 this can pull 170 clicks through the rainbow, so much fun, best with worn out tyres.

[Ender EnZed]

It's not the width, it's the profile. A radiused street profile is not good, only 1/3 of the tyre can make contact with the hard pack, the other 2/3 is being held up by stones and rolls all over the place. A squarer section like a K70 or competition trials tyre just goes down to the hard pack and hooks up...they also have good sidewall flex.

Makes sense. Would it be correct to say a not-wide rim?

Presumably it's a bit difficult finding square section tyres for a typical 3.5" rim.

[george formby]

Teh thread has given me pause for thought. I ride a DT 230 2t with skinny shinko 705's on it. The tires grip better than they have any right to & the bike is hilarious. I also ride my TDM with T30's on it. Thuds along very respectably with no bad habits and very comfortable.

Which got me to thinking about old school trailies. Somewhere in the middle. I had a DT 400 which would look great in my shed now. Or an XT 500.



Oh look, another idea!



Yup, I can see an old trailie in my future.

[NordieBoy]

I ride a DT 230 2t with skinny shinko 705's on it. The tires grip better than they have any right to & the bike is hilarious.

120 rear?

I run the 120's on the 350 and 650.

[bart]

120 rear?

I run the 120's on the 350 and 650.

That wide...I run 110's on the DR650.

I like the DR for gravel. It's relatively heavy and stable and has enough torque to pull from real low in the revs. I'm not a fan of revvy, light bikes on gravel.

I often thought an old twin shocker like an XT500 would be a blast. A bit like the street tracker idea. It makes sense, low, long, and stable.

My 2c

[The Pastor]

some buggar bid on the cb i wanted to get, that bastard.