On vs Off road...

[Wolf]

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the XT225 and what I want to do with it.

I know I'm not a good off-road rider - my experience being limited to mucking about on fairly tame areas with hard dry dirt or a little gravel on my old TS125.

While I like the idea of hitting rugged trails with mud, large rocks, river crossings and such and seeing parts of New Zealand that few vehicles can get to, I know that I personally lack the experience and technical skills to do it.

I could learn off-road riding, but I have no illusions that I alone of all the people on the planet will learn how to become an excellent off-road rider without once falling off and therein lies the rub.

The XT is my only means of transport aside from the family cage. I've only just got the bike after being bikeless (and nearly going up the wall because of that) for about two years. If I fall off and damage the bike - even as trivial as breaking indicators, lights or control levers or ripping the exhaust pipe off - I cannot afford the insurance excess or repair costs to fix it and I would be bikeless again until such time as I could get it fixed.

No weekend rides, no Toy Run, no Cold Kiwi, no ability to just say "fuck it, I'm going out for a ride". I endured two years of that because of my own carelessness and I don't want to do so again.

So I tend to play it safe and stick to that with which I am most comfortable - road riding.

For this purpose, the XT is the best bike I've owned. It's lighter and more agile than any of my road bikes and it has a better top speed than the old TS125. It is an absolute weapon in town when dealing with sharp corners and unpredictable traffic, it reaches and maintains the open road limit with ease and it deals to twisting hilly roads with no problems at all. In addition, it copes with uneven terrain, ruts, potholes and roadworks far better than any pure street machine I've ever owned or ridden. Smooth or rugged roads, straight and flat or twisty and hilly, the XT copes with it all - great for adventure touring on any road.

One thing I discovered is that I can have loads of fun out on the road on the XT, exploring back roads and fairly off-the-beaten-track areas.

So I've decided that the XT is going to be almost totally a road bike. There will be occasional mucking about off-road on fairly tame uneven terrain but I won't be taking it off-road in a serious manner.

No doubt I will find sufficient challenges on some of the more rugged roads to test my abilities - like learning how to ride over Otorohaea Trig road without continuously pestering every deity in my preferred pantheon...

At some stage I'll save up a couple of hundred bucks and get a crappy off-roader that still runs that I can trailer out somewhere and learn how to ride off-road without the worry that I'm going to break my only mode of independant transport. At some future time I may well be at the point of taking the XT on a mixed on- and off-road ride out round Whangamomona or similar without the worry that I'll be bikeless for the next six months.

In the meantime, for my XT I'm going to focus on repairs and tidying the bike up (derust and repaint the tank) and look at load carrying options so I can make longer journeys and explore more areas. I'll also look at making the seat more comfortable for longer hauls since I'll be sitting down more than I'll be standing on the pegs. Replacing the missing bashplate would be neat for the sake of completeness but not as urgent now I'm not planning on skidding its belly across large rocks.

Now that I've decided which way I want to go, I have a better idea of what I'll be doing in the way of mods (when I can afford them) and what tyres I'll be using (the Pirelli MT90 A/Ts I have at the moment seem quite well suited for mainly road use, I may go as far as 50/50 road/trail tyres but nothing more trail oriented than that).

It also helps with me deciding what sort of riding gear to buy as I gradually replace worn-out gear.

[Ixion]

Thta's exactly my logic in getting the XT600.

I've done trail riding, but I don't really anticipate doing much in the future. If for no other reason than that trail riding alone is a Bad Idea. Not good to get stuck in the bush with a broken bike (or leg) alone.

But I do want a bike that can handle crap roads, gravel roads, roads that turn into not much more than trails, can go explore interesting stuff just off the road, can get down onto the beach etc etc.

A lot of back country roads in NZ are sufficently rough that off-roader type suspension is justified.

In my case I also want it to be a bike that can ride longish distances (200-300km) easily.

I'm thinking something halfway between a motard and a "true" off roader. Sort of like the original American motard idea. Down the motorway, onto a back road, off down a gravel road, through the bush, onto the beach, up a stream, back onto the gravel, back onto seal, back up the motorway, split through the rush hour traffic. And tomorrow, commute into werk on it. I want everything, man, and I want it now.

[Zukin]

I found the best thing to do is to ride off road on mine.

Although it is a pain to change/remove things before a trail ride, it is worth it
I remove all indicators, the brake light (and have a plastic square to go in the hole in the rear mudguard), I remove the baffle, tie the side stand up, remove the number plate and the holder.
That way when I fall off, all I end up is dented pride and a few scratches.
Most of the times I have fallen off have been at slower speeds (across rocks and up steep hills) so no damage as such.

The benefits I think are amazing, as a direct result of trail riding (esp in the winter, wet and muddy) I feel as I am a much better rider.
Power is not always needed, but sometimes it is! I learnt real fast how to brake on a slippery surface, when I should stand (which actually took a bit of practice), it was an uncanny feeling standing on the pegs, but you soon master it.
The first time I felt the rear stepping out was interesting, but soon figured how to control it, a good exercise.
The people you meet are damn good, and really go out of their way to help novices.

And its fun!!

Thinking about steep hills, I often find myself at the back, and on the steeper sections I find myself stopping/stalling or falling off due to other riders down, but I have real trouble starting again, I can get the bike started, but cant get any traction!!
Last time was on a scree slope, all I could do was spin the back wheel, which dug a hole and I was going no where!! How do I get the bike moving forward?

My thoughts anyway

[Wolf]

A lot of back country roads in NZ are sufficently rough that off-roader type suspension is justified.

Yep, so's SH1 between Mercer and the Bombays, according to The Harold

Otorohaea Trig Road is better than some back-country roads I've seen over the years and it was still pretty rugged. I could certainly feel the juddering of the ruts even on the XT at fairly low speed. Would hate to have tried it on something like the LS400 or the CB550, let alone the old RD350 with its downswept handlebars and tank-hugging seating posture (frigging 40mph on Horrells Road out between Morrinsville and Springdale was bad enough on the RD and that road is paved, FFS).

I like the idea that no matter what road I turn down the bike will be able to take it and I won't be cursing the suspension, the handling or the tyres for not being up to the challenge.

I also like the way the wee beastie corners - though I must admit my old CB360 was a beautifully manoeuvrable bike as well and compared with my last bike, the LS400, pretty much anything corners better...

[Wolf]

I remove all indicators, the brake light (and have a plastic square to go in the hole in the rear mudguard), I remove the baffle, tie the side stand up, remove the number plate and the holder.

Hmmmm, hadn't thought of stripping off the breakables. Worth thinking of.

[Ixion]

The trouble with that is that you then have a problem riding it to the off road place. I guess if you knew in advance where you were going off road you could strip it by the roadside, and hide the stuff somewhere (assuming that you were going to end up coming out at the same point, which isn't always the case) Bit iffy though.

And in my case I don't usually have the off road bit planned in advance, more a case of "ohh, looky"

[inlinefour]

Hmmmm, hadn't thought of stripping off the breakables. Worth thinking of.

One of the first things I purchased off a trader was a full set of indercators and a tail light unit off someone who has taken their DRZ off the road for good. I am also of the same thinking, if or when I come off the most likely damage will be those sort of parts. I'm allways looking for cheap spares for my bike and picked up a new complete original exhaust for only $81, I was stoked. Likewise I had a great score on spidi enduro gear and my gains on selling my other classic waterbus has paid for it all so far. All I'm now waiting for is a new set of metziler(sp) barely road legal knobblies and the DRZ will be complete. Its a far cry from my 98 TT350f that was stolen at the beginning of the year, but also a far superior bike IMO. I have not yet got an old dunga like you speak of, but would ideally like to pick up a twin shock VX bike of some sort. The only problem is that I will probably want to restore it back to original in my own time as a project. But for me thats half the fun of it all. I know what your saying about the insurance too. Having the TT stolen not only meant I had to cover the excess, wait for the insurance company to take their sweet time (which was months), but now all my insurance premiums are more. After that experience I not only feel victumised by whoever stole the bike, but also the insurance company who are still happy to take my money away. But really thats just life eh and luckily I have a few more coins to rub together (touch wood!) and life goes on. Maybe we need a list for parts that are needed by KBers? Then we all can keep an eye out for them when we are also looking for the stuff we need ourselves? Just a though...

[Hellraiser]

Isn't there a place in Huntly where you can go trail riding? They even give you the bike if i recall correctly. Thats a good way of learning how to ride off road ....... use someone elses bike

[oldrider]

I shared your dilemma about a bike for (almost) all occasions, so I bought my TransAlp.
I am mostly satisfied with it and it can do most of the things that I (and Mrs O/r) want to do on a bike these days.
Rough roads, gravel roads, farm tracks, country lanes, main highways, town, City, touring two up, 300kms between stops.
It is powerful enough even extending the limits but it is not an exciting feeling or looking bike to the casual observer and feels bland.
(until you beat the snot out of it)
You learn to respect the T/A because they don't very often let you down, they are very reliable and durable.
Alas, they will never be a fashion statement in this part of the world as long as BMW are here too.
They would probably be more satisfying with the new version of the engine that has just come out in the Honda Deauville.
They have injected it and increased the capacity to 700cc, I am waiting to see if they update the T/A with that engine too.
Overall I am satisfied with my choice of the TransAlp for a,"one does all," bike but it's fun looking over the fence isn't it. Cheers John.

[far queue]

Mine goes everywhere, and all the road stuff stays on, except the mirrors. If it's going to be a bush bashing ride, then the stock mirrors get swapped for a pushbike mirror that velcros onto to the left hand grip, then that comes off when I get off road. If something gets damaged or the bike suffers a bit more wear and tear, well that's a bit of a bugger, but I bought it to ride everywhere and have fun on everywhere, not to wrap it in cotton wool. Such is the cost of enjoyment, but I reckon I'm getting value for money.

[Motu]

Life....it's a bugger when it messes up all our plans...

I got the DT230 with the intention of it being my off road bike I could put lights on and use on the road - unfortunatly the reverse has happened.I've been trying to get back off road for years,looks like I might get to do it when I have a walking frame.So the DT230 is my road bike,I have no real problem with that,apart from not being able to take in bigger rides.But I'm more focused on gravel,so need a bike I can ride hard on those roads....seal and trail are a compromise to me.I don't really know what the fuck I'm doing...I'll just ride my bike when I can.....dream some.....tell tall stories to young guys...get fat and grow old....

Shit....it was only Monteith's Celtic Red,I didn't know it would have that sort of effect....maybe I'll have another one....

[far queue]

I am mostly satisfied with it and it can do most of the things that I (and Mrs O/r) want to do on a bike these days.
Rough roads, gravel roads, farm tracks, country lanes, main highways, town, City, touring two up, 300kms between stops.

You should take it for that ride over Myers Pass, you'll enjoy it.

but it's fun looking over the fence isn't it.

Oh yes, I've heard about these dirty old men - got any pics

[Wolf]

Shit....it was only Monteith's Celtic Red,I didn't know it would have that sort of effect....maybe I'll have another one....

Gotta watch out for these Celtic things.

[Kickaha]

If for no other reason than that trail riding alone is a Bad Idea. Not good to get stuck in the bush with a broken bike (or leg) alone.

You forgot the bit about about having to walk 13km out of the bush in motocross boots to find some friends to help you come and get your bike out, errrrrrrr not that it has ever happened to me

[Wolf]

You forgot the bit about about having to walk 13km out of the bush in motocross boots to find some friends to help you come and get your bike out, errrrrrrr not that it has ever happened to me

That's a mighty specific distance to mention for someone to whom it has never happened...