Heavy bike technique question

[Phreaky Phil]

[QUOTE=marks;1846418]Help o wise ones.

I generally stand up when riding in the rough and if I do something that unexpectedly diverts the front wheel like drop into a rut or hit an unseen rock in a stream or mud puddle I can normally drop into the seat and plant a leg out and keep myself upright - this works fine on the WR and DT.

The same technique works on the klr but puts a hell of a load on my legs and particularly my knees. The only alternative I can see is to sit in the knarly bits so I can get a leg out before the bike goes too far off vertical and hopefully reduce the shock on the leg.

This seems a bit of an ugly solution - what do you guys do?

polite answers appreciated [/QUOTE
My 10 cents worth
You hit the nail on the head with your comment about the bike getting to far off vertical. All of the big ADV bikes are to heavy to hold up if the get to far off vertical, so balance is the key. Momentum can be your friend, but is kind of a double edged sword depending on traction avaliable. Tyres are the key to getting a big bike through difficut places, especially the front. If the bikes all over the place its gunna be hard work. For the record, on a dirt bike i stand up most of the time. On the GS I have my pillion on board so I have to sit down.

[warewolf]

Whilst the aim with a pillion is to be gentle, it is better to stand up to keep control of the bike, than crash in an effort to be polite or summat.

I pillioned a dirt rider on the Maungatapu; he kept one hand on my shoulder and his weight was neutral on the bike even in the rough. It felt to me like he always had his torso lined up with mine. I'm not sure if it was because he was an accomplished dirt rider (dunno if he is), or whether the hand on my shoulder gave him a point of reference for where he should be. A bit like on the road where if your pillion holds you with her knees/thighs, your weight-shifts via hips/legs are telegraphed automatically so she can feel you setting up the bike for the turns etc.

Also similar to the reason you should hold the bike with your knees: instinctively your brain knows where the bike is, because the knee bone's connected to the thigh bone, the thigh bone's connected to the hip bone, and that's what it's all about!

[NordieBoy]

Heavy bike technique?
Go fast!

[Padmei]

Yep shows to go ya don't it

[marks]

Tyres are the key to getting a big bike through difficut places, especially the front. If the bikes all over the place its gunna be hard work.

Yes this is a tuffy - I've got a TKC on the front which doesn't like mud or greasy clay much - where something like a Dunlop D606 would be much better - BUT the the KLR is so much fun on twisty tar - largely due to that TKC's excellent road grip.

It seems that the bike can handle a wider range of conditions than the tires can. It really comes down to choosing where you have your ass clenching moments - road or trail.

Rossi said "Choose a tire you really trust for the front and something round and black for the back"