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The biggest mistake I made as a new ADV rider was getting hung up on dropping the bike. I still see this a lot with other riders and they can really get in their own heads if they're in difficult terrain and dropping their bike. I see it with other youtubers and not being willing to show drops on camera because of all the hate and "advice" they get afterwards. If you're off road, drops will happen. Some will be stupid, some will be because the terrain was hard, some will be because you got unlucky. They aren't a big deal, ride on.
Absolutely true! After years of street riding, I started trail riding (difficult single track) with an engineering buddy of mine that had been a nationally ranked enduro rider (before he quit riding professionally to pursue an engineering degree). He taught me many valuable lessons - but his first two pieces of advice were pure gold: 1. If you're not crashing on a regular basis, you're not trying hard enough 2. You're less likely to crash if you're going faster, rather than slower The corollary to these two rules is wear protective gear (motocross boots, knee pads, elbow pads, neck brace and gloves).
100% correct. Great advice. I would also like to point out that you do not need a big bike for that trip of a lifetime. Plenty of people have travelled the world on dual sports. I have clocked up almost 40,000 kms on a 2014 CRF250L in eight months travelling around Australia. Yes a bigger bike would have been better on the long boring sections. But it was perfect for all of the places that you do the trip for like remote beaches, desert riding and that little single track that gets you to the waterfall. Ride what you want, but don’t avoid that trip because you don’t have the big adventure bike yet. Just get out there on what you can.
Hell yeah! I've been coast to coast in canada and the north western usa on my klr. It took a couple trips over the years. Once with a buddy and the rest solo. When you travel solo it really teaches you to be self reliant. Made me calm down in traffic, but frosty, as we will get there eventually. Had a few close calls with critters and cagers. Don't over think it, just take deep breaths and ride it off. And don't be afraid of the dark. Led bulbs are cheap, bright and very reliable. Riding until 3 am only to find out the KOA is closed was worth it, waking up to a lake you've seen before.😌
I completely agree here however I will say that I’ve begun to appreciate how well a really big bike can be handled when you know how to ride it. And it can be a lot more fun if you do it right. I just had to be okay with dumping it and had to try and learn the advantages of that big ass motor and the extra weight. There are many IMO.
250,000 km around Argentina here in over 7-8 years. I can confirm you don't need that big ADV bike of your dreams. Rode 75% of it in a 150 cc street bike and the rest in a 150cc dualsport. In the long stretches of the plain regions you long for having a big bike capable of doing 160 km/h. But when you finally get to places with breathtaking sceneries and fun offroad tracks, you simply forget about that big bike and become fully inmersed on the moment, realizing the best motorbike is the one you have with you
The #8 TOP mistake is people blaming their tires, tire pressure, handle bars, grips, foot pegs, clutch lever, brake lever, not enough HP, too much HP, tire compound, tire thread pattern, etc instead of looking inward and admitting their lack of skills. Had to Bite my tongue when someone says "If I had these tires at this pressure I could have easily have....". My friend told me a story where he was at a BMW ADV training course and one challenge/lesson was to go over a pile of boulders. Everyone was stumbling/falling and as they came off the pile were blaming the tires and/or tire pressures. Even though the last guy or the next guy had the tires they were saying would have saved their fall. One of the last guys, who was super quiet throughout the day, just rode over the boulders with no hesitation like a pro with almost a street tire at street tire pressures. My friend said he learned right there what his problems were. Skill and confidence.
Biggest mistake I made was not getting my Adv bike earlier. :D That said, I definitely went too big with the Norden for a first Adv. I've had experience on dirt before, but mostly 20-30 years ago. Since then it had been street bikes. It's taken some getting used too to have a bike this tall. I would probably have been more comfortable on an old KLR learning to ride again off-road. Thankfully my bike blew over in the parking lot the first day I rode it, so I kind of got that out of the way quick.
Ha, same - I started out on a Yamaha DT125R back in about 2001, but haven't ridden at all for 15 years. Got me an Africa Twin DCT. Dropped it trying to get off the driveway! Mostly down to DCT being weird to control - lack of clutch, so how do you feather the clutch, kinda thing. Trying to just make it through the winter before I really try again in earnest. It's bitterly cold right now, ice everywhere, so just playing about with it, getting used to the height, seeing how far I can lean it before it tries to drop, starting it up, letting the battery charge & the engine warm up, paddling it up the drive if the neighbour hasn't blocked me in with his BMW car.
Yeah I went from riding 450 MXrs to an 890 ADV R. It was a harder transition than it should have been because I rarely was forced to use good finesse techniques when riding my 450s on trails. I could be lazy with the clutch, muscle it when I needed to. Then I got a 500 lb bike and realized that ain’t gonna work. Real fast. 😂 It’s been a fun adventure though. And I had to be okay dropping an $18k bike. They’re made for it. They’ll be okay.
My advice to myself would be to fix my own bike as much as possible as early as possible. I kinda hate wrenching, but I'm so glad I've forced myself to learn - it is very confidence inspiring, since I am often exploring alone. Thanks to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for helping me think it was possible and important
Nearly every motorcycle out there has a complete manual that shows exactly how everything goes together, torque specs, and sometimes even part numbers. Best investment ever.
@@LouisStreet There are better aftermarket manuals anyway. If I was near my garage I could tell you which one I bought for my 2021 R1250GSA. It has step by step with pictures how to tear everything down.
I'm 6'2" 240ish and started both biking and ADV biking on a T-7. Initially, I wanted the T-7 but they were sold out across the nation. I grew interested in the AT and was seriously about to pull the trigger but I thought better of it lol... I realized I needed something light to start on and started looking at the 450L but just as I did so, I found a T-7 in a small town in TX... I caved and bought it the same day... So here I am. Green as hell. It's not the best starter bike but it's not the worst either.
Buyt a cheap dirt bike. Go to local areas, learn how to slow, balance ride, shift gears, clutch control. Up/down off camber hills/elevation train. Then get back on you Yami, and won't believe how quick these skills transition to your adv bike. You've got a beautiful bike, just need a little confidence to champion it. Nice! Cheers T-Jack, from Canada.
I'm on my first motorcycle (2012 Super Tenere) and I get your point. Part of me wishes I had started smaller but I do love my bike. Most of my riding is getting to camp and around town so I don't think I'm too bad off with a 600 lb bike. I do ride full gear. That's a great point to make, I'm aware I'm a novice and I don't want to get injured. UA-cam has tons of great resources on riding and I've essentially taught myself to ride this last year via UA-cam. Up next is the MSF class and I'd love to find some ADV training but I'm a bit limited in central Ohio. Keep up the videos!
Awesome man - I'm picking up a 2015 S10 this weekend - driving down to Austin (200 miles) to pick it up and ride it back roads home to north DFW. Can't go wrong with the Yamaha Super Tens!!
Adventure rider radio has Clinton Smout on giving training advice. His school is not too far from you, just north of Toronto. I’m planning a trip there this year, im west of Detroit a bit.
Really good advice about getting some training. I was a MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) Rider coach for years on street bikes but off road is completely different. You actually gave me the idea to look for some off road training, thanks!
Dualsport all the way. I love riding my lillte slow bike fast versus a big fast bike slow but like you said if you are planning long rides of highway and a little off road than bigger faster bike all they way.
There was a reason during LWR & LWD they had the camera man on another bike, because it took 3 adult males to lift the BMW GSA. If you go to any off road training, the first thing they get you to do is pick up the bike. If you struggle, a lot they suggest you may have an unsuitable bike for off rod riding. Then they have you push your bike 1.5 km (yep, because if you run out of petrol that's a real thing) How to fall off, change a tyre, do first aid. Lots of cool things to consider in this amazing sport that challenges you to be better, fit, and look after your mates. Maybe you should have a Honda CRF 300 Rally - Rally and a T-Shirt with Dork with a fork in the road Rally Ramblers (Like the Led Zeppelin song Ramble on but not)
Don't forget the Trail hand signals when you pass oncoming riders. A closed fist tells them there is no one behind you in your party, 1 finger tells them there is 1 behind you, 2 for 2, etc. Really helps people be aware while out on the trails and/or logging roads.
I have owned many different brands and bikes. Mostly road cruisers, but I much prefer a small 300-400 for adventure rides. Weight and affordable. If you can’t pick up your bike or push it by yourself then you might have the wrong bike. Insurance and registration fees as well as service charges need to be taken into account. If you spend all your money on this and can’t afford petrol then you may have the wrong bike. Frank the BMW GS guy I am looking at you. My x300 Versys is not perfect but I can do almost everything and not have to sacrifice a leg to make bike payments service costs and I don’t have to explain expensive speeding ticket to my girlfriend. It does what it says on the tin and has out lasted far more expensive bikes including my friends KTM 790 which is still having major problems and has spent more than half of this month in the dealership fixing faults.
This video is so spot on! Starting with a dual sport prior to getting a large ADV bike is huge! Also, overloading an ADV bike is quite common. For Moto Camping, I look at it as "backpacking on 2 wheels". Small, lightweight gear is the key to success. You laid out some great points in this video! Cheers!
I almost feel lucky that I learned on dirt bikes and had three or four years experience in the dirt and on trails before even touching a street bike. Having said that I feel modern ADV bikes have gotten way to big, way to heavy and way to complex/expensive to consider taking them off road. Yeah I take my Africa Twin off road but I have WAY more fun on the KLX300R, KX250 or even the 500exc. Modern day ADV bikes are NOT dirt bikes and I think that fits into your mistake list some where. LOL
I think you should consider the term "riding dirt" as opposed to "off-road" there really is a difference, and since you were a teacher you should at least somewhat understand that words have meanings that matter. I'm not knocking riding dirt roads or first roads, and often that's much of what I ride and even prefer to ride frequently.
Gotta say weight is less of a issue then how tall a bike is in comparison to ur leg length. My xr650l (first dualsport/adv bike) was kinda heavy but the height was the bigger issue for me even at 6ft. A shorter bike where u can plant ur feet/foot easily will allow u to keep the bike from falling down a lot less often (it’s going to happen eventually 😂)
100% agree. Seriously, I was looking at a CB500X, but when I finally went to a dealership, it felt like a toy being 6’2” and a 34” inseam. They had a used xr650l, and it felt natural. They looked into available bikes, and apparently someone backed out of wanting to buy one, so I only had to wait a few weeks instead of a few months. That is why I’m not the biggest fan of “best motorcycle” videos … really the best one is the one you feel comfortable with when you try it out.
@@ljmiller3987 love my xr650l ive it had for 4 years and 22k miles on original motor, its a tall bike and took a few rides to get used to. mostly watching my lines and making sure i dont stop near any ruts lol. if so im going down. i have a vstar 1100 and a 1200 goldingwing stripped down, do alot of dirt road riding on them actually. mostly when i got to camp or visit some friends that live down mile long dirt roads lol. those are 600+ lbs bikes but being able to EASILY touch the ground on both makes them very easy to drive on the dirt surprisingly. i agree with u as well on the best motorcycle videos. best and only way to find the right bike is to either test a buddies or try a demo bike at a dealer and find something that fits and has enough power for what u want or can handle.
I kinda found it the opposite - I started out on a DT125R, which is *tall*, taller than the Africa Twin I currently own, but so light you could pick it up, both wheels off the ground. The AT is like twice my weight & I can just about pick it back up onto 2 wheels when I drop it, because of leverage & all that. No way I'd be able to fully lift it off the ground. I never once dropped the DT, but the AT, dropped on day 1, due to grabbing the front brake in a panic. Maybe it's both - like, I daresay a Rebel 1100 I could plant my feet & save it, but tall and heavy will go down faster than tall and light.
Yes, ergonomically fitting well with the bike is everything. I couldn’t ride my 890 worth a damn until I made the ergos work for me and invest in some adjustments.
Very good points that cover the range of ADV riding my friend. All geared to keep riders safe through practiced riding and correct gear. Thank you for the great content. As we say on the BDRs, even the "easier" ones is that you will/are going to drop your bike especially to let new ADV riders and cross over riders know that it just part of the experience. No matter how good you are it IS going to happen sometime/somewhere and with mud/sand you can easily double that. I always say if I dropped my bike. In over 50 yrs of riding I can not count how many times I did. So what. Pick it up and keep rolling. Again, we stress the need for protective equipment. Sometimes it gets HOT so riders peel down a bit and get bruises/scars unnecessarily. The same with bikes, riders should find one that they are comfortable on and get good coaching and PRACTICE on that machine- including the different way to pick it up depending on terrain. Making gear stored on the bike easy to remove helps in picking it up. The stuff carried for a long ADV ride can get to be a pretty stout load- practice with a kitted out bike so you know how it handles. Always have a safety plan in place where someone knows you last stop and destination and approximate arrival and route you are taking with updates for detours. Stay safe and well. See you out there!. Craig/BDR Ambassador
Don’t be scared or anxious about riding in the rain!! Eventually you will get caught in a heavy downpour so practice riding in the rain whenever you can to build your confidence so you won’t be so surprised when it does actually rain when you are out riding.
Weight is the killer. I've ridden hundreds of motocross races and tens of thousands of miles carving canyons on Ducatis over the last fifty years. And riding a street bike in the dirt terrifies me. I have a Multistrada 950 and no way does it work in the dirt. Gravel roads maybe but you're going to thrash the bike. I believe that nothing heavier than a 690/701 is an appropriate dirt bike. Nothing with more than one cylinder unless you really know what you're doing. On anything at all technical the weight becomes unmanageable. It will steer you into ruts and all kinds of hazards just because of physics, it goes to the lowest point. Excessive weight makes it a struggle rather than a fun time. A test of survival. And eventually it's going to land on you. And I've watched a ton of videos on here and nobody ever complains that their bike was too light for a trail or trip. It's always the opposite. I'd suggest Honda or Kawasaki 300 for any new guys wanting to ride street and dirt. And if you can ever get on a motocross track on any bike it's a great way to learn to ride dirt. It's a controlled environment without trees!
BOOTS!!!....do not cheap out on boots. i dont know how many times my Gaerne 12 boots saved me from injury. also, theres a line between confidence and stupidity. learn where yours is.
Was there a ttr225 and ttr250 some had purple rims that looked cool. I had a 1997 xr250r kick-start and then a 1996 import one with an electric start. Bit envious of the ttr250.
@@chrishart8548 Both. Different lights and gear sets. TTRs were trail bikes through and through. Lighter, no passenger pegs, limited lights, etc. Same bones though.
This is a great video and SO true. I watched one too many F9/Bret video and for my first ever off road experiences bought a 1290 Super Adventure R because the T7 wasn't available at the time to me. I ended up scaring myself and almost abandoned the sport. I was thankfully able to get it traded in for an 890 adventure (non-r) and it was way better. But then still scary when I dropped it a few times and got flung. I ended up catching a monster deal on a 500 EXC and am now using that to build my skills. It's definitely the way to go and I wish I would have not been so overconfident in the first place. I'd be a way better rider.
If you are overweight and unfit, the bike is irrelevant. You will struggle to advance skills and confidence. Even more so for stamina and technical demands when riding off-road.
You are so knowledgeable you know what anyone needs and you even know how good bikes are that are not even on the road yet! The almighty Dork! All hail Dork!
Klr650 is a good learner. It's heavy, underpowered, simple and tough. Dropped it plenty of times, did a lot of things it wasn't meant for too. Now have a ktm1290, but the klr was a good foundation builder.
I started with an Africa Twin as well and it felt way too heavy. So I sold it and bought a Yamaha T7. This bike is still too heavy but the best compromise I can do as I have to travel hundreds of kilometers to get to some legal unpaved sections. I also did some trainings wich I learned a lot from. But due to the distances I have to bear to get off road, I still miss a lot of practice. This summer we will do a 1 week GUIDED off road tour in Bosnia and we will have 2 more weeks to practice on our own in addition. This sounds very promising to me, at least in my dreams... 😉. We will see how it will work out.
Biggest misconception is that the KLR is a dual sport bike. That is more a 90 % road/10% gravel roads. Those little adventure bikes like the Versys 300x and KTM 390 adventure are far better dirt road and ATV trails but even those are 70/30 bikes.
Make no mistake, big ADV bikes are STREET bikes. Some versatility yes and the more talent you have then the more versatile they are especially with the right tires. The bikes with 19" inch front mag wheel and lower suspension travel makes great touring bikes when the roads get rough, but still a road none the less. There's a lot of rough roads out there which makes the more street oriented adventure bikes a sensible option. It's nice to just hop a curb if you want, soak up bumps like magic and still hit the turns without a steep fork dive and a bouncy clumsy turn in.
My first “mistake” was taking my 2003 SV650 with less than prime sport touring tires off road with my buddy on his KLR650. I didn’t crash and it was actually kind of fun (but remarkably dumb). Thankfully I’m used to low traction from mountain biking😅
Great advice. You're also most likely to drop the bike on them in the beginning so might as well start with something you aren't as sad if you mess up.
I bought big bags right away, because I bought my big ADV bike for 1month long touring in mind, which I also started after few weeks of buying the bike. Sure I spent most of the time on tarmec roads first, but gradually picked smaller and smaller roads too. The small bags would have been useless to my purposes as I needed my tents and cooking eqquipment with me. And everything went fine. I dropped my bike only once during the month, and no scratches anywhere.
Good advice, I recently purchased the Nelson Rigg hurricane bags on amazon $212.00. Not the most expensive and not the cheapest, it seemed like a good deal for what they are. Haven't used them yet, although they do have a lifetime warranty.
Thank you for this advice which makes me ask: So which bike is a good first bike? You mention the weight. What is a lightweight bike? Do you consider a CRF300 a lightweight bike? What about the 690? What about Himalayan 450? Or CFMoto 450MT? Thanks!
As a new adventure rider, it's clearly a bad idea to jump to a larger bike when you lack the skills to handle it. But as a heavier guy, I've read that the CRF300L (and Rally) and other good beginner adventure bikes in the "this is street legal dirt bike" mold are horrendously undersprung for even your average weight American rider, much less me at 250 pounds before gear and even lightweight camping gear. Is there no solution but to get a good beginner bike like the CRF300L Rally and immediately do something with the suspension?
I’ve recently purchased a 2023 Tiger Rally Explorer. Also own a Ducati Fasthouse Desert Sled.. I’ve ridden bikes for over 50 years, and my advice is a big ADV bike like my Tiger, the 1200GS I used to own, the big KTMs, etc.. are an absolute waste of money if you think you’re going to ride it like a dual sport. They’re expensive to purchase, expensive to maintain, and expensive to fix should you fall. And you will fall! If you intend to ride mostly highway, with an occasional dirt road or 2 track, then they’re fine. If I intended to ride the highway from trail to trail, it certainly won’t kill me to ride a 250-450cc enduro. People have circumnavigated the globe on smaller bikes than those! Then again, you don’t necessarily need your off-road bike to be built for the purpose.. Nick Sanders road a Yamaha R1 around the world, hardly ever on pavement! Ben is right, don’t start with one of these behemoths.. start small and work up to what you’re comfortable on. You’ll be a much better rider for it!
Completely agree. Keep it light, keep it nimble, keep it simple. Spend that extra $$ sleeping in hotels with nice beds and hot showers rather than attempting to bring expedition level gear on your bike. Open freeways are completely boring and far more dangerous than gravel roads so stay off them. Once you choose to do that you never really need to go faster than 65mph. Cheers!
I’d like to second the encouragement to get training. I highly recommend Chris Birch, “Say no to slow” ADV bike video training series which is very inexpensive. I was fortunate to train with Chris when he came to the US last fall. I’ve been riding dirt bikes for 50 years and ADV bikes for 10 years and I learned at least 10 new tips and tricks to be a better and safer rider.
My first adventure bike was back in 1968. This of course was long before there was something called an adventure bike. A Honda 150 dream. My buddies and I would get on the rail road tracks and buz, over to the abandoned gravel quarries. Then after the police became involved we trailerd out to the Mojave desert. My friend had another adventure bike.A Honda SL 100. His actuality was a dual sport back then, but don't ever remember them called that. I would pull off my mufflers and away we went. I think after all the drops off road that the worst mistake a person can make, is buying something heavy. Especially top heavy like a T7 Afruca twin. Heck even my old KLR650 became too much after torn rotator cuff,, back surgery. I tell people have help, lay it on the ground at the dealer. Preferably if the bars and tank were pointed downhill. Now you're all alone. Pick it up. Several times. Now get a dual sport. My current bike a vstrom 650 A , will never again see off road. 475 pounds is just too much for my 70 year old beat up body. Now looking for a 250 or 300 dual sport.
I'm the guy who watched all the Long Way's and is now pretty sure he's going to buy an Africa Twin as a first bike, lol. I was like, "is this MFer listening to me?"
thanks for this video. Been riding street bikes for 33 years and planning on swapping my z900 for the new KLR. I'll be looking at the S model as it is shorter and I only have a 30" inseam. safety has been huge for me for decades. your tips on street riding and off the pavement riding taught me something new as I've never been in the dirt. For me it'll be slow and steady as I gain experience. thank you my friend.
99% OF RIDERS RIDE THE SO CALLED DREAM Seen it a thousnd times Look at me I have travelled the world my bike tells you that !!!!! In a few simple words and not a vid its not the case Itchy boots a young lady travels the world on the smalest bike possible she does not have a film crew like the other two possers north south top to bottom etc etc etc So to all concerned take the shit out of bikeing and you will have fun take all this marketing crap into the issue and you will be very sad and out of pocket trust me Thats it in a few words is it not ??
As someone who only has room for one motorcycle in my townhouse garage, the 2022 Honda CB500X is my "do it all" bike. Off-roading is definitely a work in progress, as I'm finding that learning this new skill at 52 years old isn't as easy as it would have been 30 years ago! As Frank Herbert said: ""I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear." Yeah, still workin' on that fear thing too :-)
I have ridden BMW's on road for years but for ADV went with a Honda ATAS. Added 9K in aftermarket stuff but the bike was just too top heavy for me in my 60's so let it go and got a new CB500X (2021). What a dream to ride and to move around the garage. Yes it is lacking in power and not the best for long highway miles but for where I am in life it is a great fit for me. I have not done any ADV riding yet but have invested in gearing it and myself up. And, just ordered the Rally Raid level 1 suspension kit too which should make it as capable an ADV bike as I will need. I did also add a Rebel 1100 DCT for road cruising with a bit more power.
@@salorjim1000 For what it's worth, I found the stock seat a bit uncomfortable so I considered buying a Seat Concepts tall seat. I instead bought an AirHawk DS Seat Pad and I was pretty skeptical when it first arrived, but it has made those longer trips much more comfortable.
@@alozborne I see a lot of people with the AirHawk seat pad. Also on the Rebel 1100. I am a big Corbin fan and got a Corbin for the Rebel, but to be honest I have found the CB500 stock seat pretty good. May change my mind after some long mileage days but for now I am ok with it.
I wish I bought a klx 300 or crf 300l to start on. I spent all this time and money on a T7 only to sell it. I got lucky and basically got all my money back because of very limited supply, but in hindsight I would have been so much better off buying a dual sport.
You did a good job, you covered a lot of very common mistakes. I totally agree, with the protection and starting on a dual sport before buying a big ADV bike. Good job
You hit all the boxes, Ben. I watched LWR and Chris Birch (Say No to Slow) and thought: I can do that! Learned the hard way. Dropped down to a KLX 300 and learned how to do figure 8's at idle and full lock on grassy field then gravel. Still need to practice as a reminder and muscle memory but valuable and rewarding. Drops are baked into the cake of ADV. Get over it.
Haha, all true bro. If a new rider is not past midlife crisis and to frail. Get a dirtbike to ride short bits in all conditions, mud, rain, rocks, sand, everything. So many skills can be learned that directly translate to riding the bigger girls.
In regards to the too much bike part. Read long way round. You get a really good idea how frustrated Ewan was from the videos. But, I swear you can feel it when you read the book.
Thank you for this video and all your content. I like how you help us newer riders with really good tips. I'm the kind of person that needs the rules and tips to follow, like in this video - "on the road you lean with bike - on dirt you stay perpendicular". This will be my second full year riding my Honda CRF300L on dirt & trails as well as cross-country on highways. Starting with smaller dual-sport like you said is exactly what I needed to build confidence riding generally - but also then confidence on trails - especially those single-track bumpy ones. Thanks so much. I would love if you did one on a single track trail in the woods where you -real time- talked about how you are handling the ride (between trees, over rocks, sand, water etc).
DIR, your advice about ADV selection and riding dual sport motorcycles is spot on. Training, skill and practice that your recommending to improve new rider capabilities and to experience the breathe of ADV bikes is critical in developing much confidence. Excellent advice.
I would take your advice to start out with a smaller dual sport one step further, and recommend spending time on a mountain bike, so you learn how to handle a two wheeled vehicle out in the dirt, ruts, sand, rocks and hills. Much easier, and less dangerous, to pick up a 25 pound bicycle than a much heavier motorcycle, and you’ll get some good experience on how to handle these two wheeled vehicles out in the dirt.
Great and simple advices, as usual. Thank you. I’m 64 and made my adv experiences 40 years ago. Three years ago I bought a big and wonderful GS1200 ADV but due to the size, weight and my very little pff road skills I used it mainly on highways. I’m know going to sell it to buy the new Transalp to re-start adv experiences. 200kg, 92hp and very few electronic helps. I feel good watching your videos. 😎
I'm transitioning from a road bike (6 years experience) to an Adventure bike. My body needs a bit more of a relaxed position and I want to be able to explore my surroundings out of the asphalt and city/highway limits. I'v ever ridden off-road (on, a couple of occasions some 35 years ago - don't thinnk it counts anymore) and will not likely want to jump into the real tough stuff. I'd be going from a GSX-S 750 to a Transalp 750 that I'm hoping will last me a good 3-4 years before I go into something a of more higher-spec machine. I do intend to follow some Adventure riding classes. Do you feel that the Transalp is suitable be begin with?
I found that coming from a heavier cruiser to an ADV, I feel I don't or didn't have the control issues with the weight that I hear so many people complain about. I was also never afraid to hit a gravel road with my Virago and street tires though. Definitely watching instructional videos and listening to advice is a must. I second the part about boots and proper safety gear. Thank you for all the information you relay to us.
Yep I was the guy who went from a Harley to a GS and used it the same way, then set off for Morocco caring more kit than I do in my camper van…. I now have a 14 year old f800 Gs That I don’t mind if I drop its still a massive bike but I can’t afford a two bikes and 250 just would cope with my day to day riding Great channel
I wanted a T7 reaaaaaal bad, but its videos like this that made me 2nd guess myself and realize i wouldn’t want to drive my versys 650 off road (ever!) so maybe i need to start smaller… ended up getting a klx300 and can’t wait for winter to pass. Im gonna be such a n00b and I CANT WAIT!!!! 🤣
Probably the best call if your new to off road. I have got a t7. I had a KLR before this, but I wouldn't really call that a light weight duel sport either. The T7 is surprisingly capable, but also intimidating off road for someone without a lot of experience. I am thinking about picking up a duel sport to compliment the T7 and get better off road. Don't know if I could get away with only owning a duel sport though as many of my rides include a lot of highway, and I would miss the power. I think owning 2 bikes is the best solution. One for more technical rides close to home, and one for longer rides where you won't be riding really difficult terrain anyways.
I have been thinking about jumping into the ADV space for a while. I have 25 years of mountain biking experience and this video assuaged some of my fears about the complexity of it. Yes I understand that the “motor” has changed for this kind of pursuit, but a lot of the skills translate to what I’ve learned over the years. It makes me feel a little bit more comfortable in jumping into this at the age of 50 then I would have before. Thank you much and keep up the great videos.
It’s different. You will have some advantage, yes, but so did I. I’ve operated manual transmission vehicles since I was a wee lad. Sure, I could immediately run through the gears, but coordinating shifting and handling a big, heavy bike nearly overwhelmed my senses in traffic, and I’ve driven literally millions of miles. Also, with your bicycle experience, you are at huge risk of overestimating your skills. Without specific training, you will not be able to exploit how nimble the handling of your bike actually is. You will dread the times you are exploring and end up on a dead end road because you will need a 60 foot circle to turn around with confidence. Your beginning MSF course will be eye opening for you. Go take yours at a Harley dealer, and you will be riding their bloated, weak, boat anchor of a bike. That’s kind of like riding an adventure bike except you will be able to touch the ground with your feet on the Harley. 😂
WOW, glad I found you!!! Great tips. I backed out of getting a starter bike KLX650, TOO Big!!! 5’6”. So, I’m 54 retired US Navy/Ironworker, 2 spinal fusions. Bought a used KLX300SM, has slicks now, will change. Not going to do any hard rut off-road but would like to venture, fire roads and such. I’ve ridden MX, but definitely this will be different, I’ll take it easy, at first, LOL, Colorado Springs GO NAVY!!!
All valid points. I'm about to step into a big adventure bike, and embark on a trip, that will see me hitting roads either washed out wit recent flooding, or simply areas with lots of dirt.. I'm 65, and haven't ridden in dirt, for about 50yrs. While it scares me a little bit, i believe you cant live your life in fear. That being said, i plan to spend up to a month, "playing in the dirt", closer to home. I'm lucky enough to have one or two mates, with a lot more experience, so wish me luck🤠
That's why I'm looking at 300 class dual sport machines...and trying to gain some proficiency (after watching Jocelyn Snow) before I jump into big bike.
My advice is sort of a corollary to your point about starting on a smaller bike. If you can - and I know it's tough - swallow your pride and don't feel like you're "the pussy" in the group by not having a monster bike like all the trail heroes. You will have just as much fun, I guarantee you. Probably more, because you won't be scared shitless all the time lol. Furthermore, chances are somebody will tell you they wished they had a small bike like yours if things get tough.
What you have to consider is what type of adventure riding you want or can do . In Eastern area we do not have actress to great off road you do in the NW . For me adventure riding is often riding few hundred Mile to area to ride the back roads to a see and experience new thing . I like some of the BDRs and most of those all can be done on 12:10 a larger bike . If I had some the riding avalable you do a small dual sport would a lot of sense. Keep up the good work with interesting topics.
I have already broken rule 1 and possibly (95% sure) rule 3, with to big of a bike. I rode as a kid on little 125cc and worked my way up over 15 years to large Harley's (Fatboy's, Street Glides, Road Glides, Ultra). Then at 46 decided to trade all that for the new Pan America bike. I have been riding it for the last 2 weeks here in Seattle, and have been watching how to off road videos by first learning in parking lots (standing, leaning, the very basics). I can tell you that I very much want to ride some log cabin roads but still am very apprehensive. But I guess at some point you have to start trying in small batches. Any advice would be appreciative, so you out on the dirt!
This guy is one heck of a nice guy that presents the information in such a relaxed nice way! The information is invaluable. I road Harleys for years while also having pre 2008 KlR650s. Even with the KLRs, i was intimidated off road. I took a break from riding due to health issues but then bought an R1200GS Rallye and looked forward to off road. It did not take me long, while riding pavement, to know that there was no way I could handle that bike on gravel and be relaxed and having fun. Recently I bought a KTM 390 Adventure and what a game changer. I got used to the bike riding a few hundred miles on pavement. Off road, for me now, on this KTM 390, is everything I always hoped it would be. So much fun, in fact, that I have no plans or need to take the R1200GS off road. It is a wonderful experience riding the R1200GS on pavement, freeways, twisties, but off road i will be on the KTM.
As the other guy said, 100% correct. These bikes are expensive and top-heavy and not made to learn dirt riding skills for a first timer. New riders are better off slowing down a little and starting out with a DualSport, whatever size suits you.There are so many of them out there that can be picked up for 1/3 the price of that big adventure bike. Ride that dual sport for a year, get confident, and then reevaluate your needs.
I started 3 years ago with cheap 600cc... Honda Transalp 600... Zero regrets. DO IT ALL motorcycle... I cant imagine selling it, just adding something else.
Well, I've learned how to ride on a 2001 Super Glide and am still going strong . If you are used to those boulders on wheels, you will do ok . But Dork is correct . You use your lower body mostly . Yes, if you're one of those sit-down guys, you'll probably get arm pump ! That's when the fun real starts !!! The hardest thing for me to learn is let the bike dance underneath you instead of trying to man handle every little detail of the ground underneath you . And I'm still learning to this day . T7, I'm looking at you 👀 ..... Well, it's time to listen to some Simon and Garfunkel. Slip slidding away 🎶 🎵 ..... ..
You kind of opened up pandoras box here. I ask now why even get a so called heavy ADV bike at all. I agree that for any type of off road, lighter is better. I am guilty as well, got a V85, let the marketing get to me and ended up selling it and now have a KLX 230 / Talaria Sting for 99% of my off road needs. I personal think for most of us mortals with average skills, anything beyond 500 cc is overkill. My personal favorite is a Tuareg 660 for gravel and fire roads but would not want to take it into BDR type stuff due to its heft, that is where the KLX or the likes would be my choice.
Excellent advice, and I agree with it all. Planning on getting back into off-road riding for the first time since I was a kid, and this helps. I'm going to hold off for a year or two before I get a larger adv bike and get my riding skills back on a smaller bike. Maybe a KTM 390 Adventure when the new model drops in 2025.
1) did that 2) ATGATT, spent > 1K on riding gear 3) 890 Adv R. Rode dirt bikes growing up, but that was 40+ years ago. 4) No mods, just can't seem to get the gear weight down. I'm the guy you want around if your bike breaks down. just sayin' 5) Won't do that. My last bike was a Kawasaki KZ 1000, 30 years ago, scared myself.... 6) Skipping the "expert" sections on the BDR's. 7) Offroad as much as I can. BDR's with my riding buddy is why I bought it. We did long mtb rides together. Now we're too old for that.
I hear you!!! I've been riding street for 45 years and about 4 years on trails Yamaha 2 strokes!!! I have 2 Harleys but want a 2023 KTM 390 adventure bike!!! ABOUT 7300 $$!!! To use around town and on F,M, paved roads through the country areas between small RURAL towns!!! ( Like Mayberry on the Andy Griffith show!!! HaHa!!! Probably won't do any trails but some gravel or dirt roads!!!! The reviews are good on the bike and I'm 63 years old!!! The KTM 390 has a lot of electronics I don't need and after years of use this could be trouble?????
Take it from someone who bought a Triumph Scrambler and wishes that he had gotten a Suzuki DR650. I have a friend who has an Africa Twin and rides with guys on BMW f800's. All I knew is they ride around Vermont and do the dirt roads and occasional trail. I thought I would be fine but I was WAY OFF the mark lol. So now im trying to decide between a DR650 or a Tenere 700. Im pretty sure ill be going with the combination of low weight and price :-)
Hello, I have been wathing your videos for the last 3 weeks. I'm 56 yrs old and plan to get a adventure bike. I drive dirt bikes then street bikes "when younger" but stop for 20 years now. So Since I'm planning to get a bike to do adventure and wait is my concern "what you will recomen to start" because as you say we all going to fall sooner or later". I went out and see 3 bikes 1-KLR650 (good price wise), 2-KTM390 (also good price), and 3-Yamaha 650 Vstrom (MOre pricy but is the one I like the most) What you suggest start there or go for 300CC My concer is that a 300cc is underpower for the street, and I wait 240 pound now. As most of the people "the driving will be 80% to 90% street and the rest off road; ones I get more training and confidence . "By the way great videos"
I see more people F themselves by buying the big adventure bike. ADVENTURE RIDING doesnt require an Adventure Bike. LOL it is a gimmick. Couldnt agree more. Buy a SMALL dual sport.
Good advice. I transitioned from sport bikes for 14 yrs to off road about 8 years ago in Colorado because I kept running into chewed up dirt roads I couldn't ride. Picked up a 1190 adv r and went to it. Great bike for what it was (minus KTM nonsense). Great for the highway, fire roads, and 2 up. But after about 1.5 years I wanted to try my hand at single track. Mountain bike trails with an engine, how is that not amazing? Well the 1190 did it, but it took a way too much energy to control (not to mention the bike is super tall and I am 6'4"). So I picked up a 701e, which is another great bike. Good on the highway, Good on the fire roads, not so good for 2up, and much better at single track than the 1190. But as I road single track more, I wanted more single track. Now personally I like flowy, fast single track over technical enduro. Flash forward to now, I have a 350s, CRF250F (wife's bike), 701e, sold the 1190. Honestly I probably have the most fun on the 250F. It's a slow pig, but it's real nimble and is great fun in tight single. The 350 is great on fire roads, great on single track, sucks at 2up and sucks on the highway. Just know what your riding objectives are and know what your capabilities are. All these bikes have trade-offs. The majority of us are neither sponsored or Chris Birch. Better to start small and get bigger. If I could only have one, it would probably be a 500.
IMO, the bike should never be more than 400 lbs for off road/On road combination. Anything bigger is just to much to handle off road. Again, my opinion. In fact a 350 lb bike is more ideal...
Damn, I brought a Pan Am in March 2023, it is big heavy and massive fun! Luckily I have been riding 45 years, spent quite some time doing Motocross and Enduro in the 1980's and 1990's on a vintage 1974 Yamaha 400cc two stoke, and a lot of dirt road riding before that on the farm and in the bush in the years before that. Seriously I agree with you on the good gear, I'm 60, reasonably fit, but I don't want to injure my legs more than they have been in the past. Treat the bike and trail with respect, and you are not riding a small trail bike, or no longer in your 30's.
I respectfully disagree, I say get what bike you want and learn it like you a baby learning to walk. I rode dirt bikes when i was young, and 25 years later with zero riding in between, I had to have a GSA. It was love at first sight! I didn't even have a BRC. I went and passed the class and headed right to the BMW dealer and bought the 23 GSA. The dealer asked me if I wanted to test ride it first and I said to him "Hell No"! I am not going to lie, it was a little scary at first. I started to ride in circles around my immediate neighborhood, then ventured out into local traffic, and finally ventured onto the highway. Now 6000 miles in I couldn't be more confident and comfortable. On top of this I continually practice emergency procedures and watch many videos on what to do and what not to do. I mostly ride the bike on the street but occasionally take it off road at a place close by where there are washouts, small inclines, and loose dirt with rocks. I start off very slow to get a feel for it, then gradually add speed. The bottom line is start off slow and work your way up. I didn't feel as if I needed to buy a bike I didn't really want and then go through the hassle of trading or selling it for the one I always wanted in the first place. But to each his own! I don't really plan on doing much technical single track offroad trails anyway. I can totally see your point if you have never even rode a motorcycle let alone a dual sport. But hey, love your videos and am subscribing right after I hit the send button on this!
Ah ha! I told you DitR. Get a smaller, lighter less expensive bike that can go on the highway and be comfortable for hours and still do great on the trails. One that weighs about 350#, can go 100 mph and costs under $7k. Oh yeah, that's the KTM 390 Adventure. That's what I suggested. A-hem :) S
Everyone on an bike should try to understand the physics in turning. The # 1 fear most are gonna have is losing the front end in loose stuff. Once you learn of unloading your front end in turns, you can actively work on it and think bout it all the time. If you walk around with a pedal bike and lean it and push (walk thru turn to understand). You'll notice when you start skidding the rear tire you automatically counter steer with the front tire. That motion leaves your front vertical and rolling straight forward ( basically impossible you slid out). Start using your heads to think about what you should be doing and thinking about to improve your skills. If you know what you have to do and are actively thinking about it you will slowly start to implement it. Your confidence will go up 10 fold over night. Just remember its a skill and takes time to build, falls at slower speeds in softer terrain hurt less. Now go ride!!!
My wife wants to go for little rides, but isn’t comfortable riding her own bike. She likes Sportsters. I’m comfortable riding bikes, but haven’t owned one in almost 20 years. I’ve ridden Harley baggers, cafe racers, a dirt bike or two, mopeds, mountain bikes, BMX freestyle…I’m very comfortable on all forms of two wheels, but not cocky or arrogant about it. I have a ton of respect for anything I’m riding. I’m also a very defensive rider, not a lot of ego in me. I will be taking generic classes. I want the option to ride gravel roads (probably solo), which as you know includes occasional light off-roading, but I’m not interested in a full off-road bike. I’d also like to ride long distances on-road on rare occasions, including comfortable highway riding. I can camp off my bicycle or a backpack, so I’m good with camping out of a pair of side bags. Low maintenance is good. Good aftermarket support is a plus. What are some good options? Pan America seems like a good option for two up riding, and is the direction I’m strongly leaning. How about a Yamaha ST? I know they’re big bikes, but I’m trying to thread the needle between taking my wife around town (priority #1) and getting down when things get rutty and rocky (priority #2). Two bikes isn’t an option now, but maybe in the future. In that case I’d run a T7 and a Harley bagger and call it a day. Finally, if it matters, I’m in Idaho and moving back to central Oregon in the fall. The places I enjoy going are very similar to Dork’s riding places, maybe just a little more tame. I’m a strong 6’1”, so height isn’t such a critical factor other than going too low. I’m comfortable picking up a heavy bike and the proper technique. Honestly, I’ve never even considered other manufacturers. What else should I be looking at? Are there any specific specs I should be considering and thinking about? If you’re in a similar situation with your wife, what do you ride, and what are some of the pros and cons of what you ride? Thanks!
I own a 2022 Africa Twin and rip off road with it. No one needs that much power off road. No one needs a big bike. It's often less fun than a DR-650 and other things in that class. It's really not that much better. The only reason I got it was for 2000 mile journeys across country taking two weeks worth of clothing, gear, tools, camping gear etc. Even at that - a properly modded 650 class bike can do the same thing. I adore my bike, but it's way fuckin' harder. Big bikes don't make it easier at all to off-road unless you're fully ripping up a 70 degree mountain for some dumb reason, and even then it's worse because you drop it you'll trash your bike, body and everything you brought. Don't get me wrong. I adore my AT and bought a massive bike FOR the challenge. I've ridden 30/70 for 15 years. When you spend most of the time off road, you lose the challenge. It took me years to NEED the challenge of giant bike. Granted, I love having a big ol display and heated grips. Get a 750 at the absolute most, and you'll probably take 10 years to get bored of that class.
me, I am 70yrs old and been riding motorcycles since I was 14yr...Enduro's when they first came out in the 70s, oh we hooned up many a new subdivision or bush track..then I went road bikes Triumph Trident and Rocket 3..speed machine, and I nearly broke the world speed record one quite sunday morning on the highway back of my parents house, with no helmut and flip flops,,I gave a Thruxton, Harley, and Cb1300 all heavy as hell bikes that go like the clappers..however, its time to do the Silk Road. Bangkok to UK and back again..there and back..I wont be on no ADV, thats for new age poses and their smarty clothes..I will be on a 125cc or a modifed Royal enfield interceptor..and wearing my Reggies,( two pair of jeans sewn together as one ) old leather jacket and leather work gloves..thats all we had back in the days of yore, so thats how it will be now,,just an open faced helmut and work boots..I dont want to be a tourist. I want to be a biker..I have no problem with ADV guys and gals, I seen them all the time, but somehow I think they miss most of the trip because they are going so fast and doing 400km a day..this will be my last ride, so no need to rush it hmmmmm
To big to heavy usually above most riders skill set much prefer my CRF 300l few upgrades and that’s a great bike. YSS rear shock and fork spring upgrade and Renthal bars and fitted led lights and luggage love my little Honda and with my bad knee and back I can pick it up. Had a F850 GS and a T7 both to much bike for me love my little Honda. Go off-road on a big GS without training and you will crash. Damage yourself and your bike.
Great video! Im in the PNW and want to start adv / off road riding but am hung up on bike selection. Im currently torn between KTM 390 adv and the 300l. Anyone have advice for a beginner?
My biggest mistake just getting into motorcycling/ADV/off-road riding is being hyper focused on choosing the right bike for me and that I’ll never be able to get another bike. At 6’3” with long arms and legs I feel like all bikes are meant for people around 5’10”… After finding a killer deal on a super low mileage CB500X with the full rally raid suspension kit (minus the wheels which are a nightmare to obtain from Rally Raid) and putting hundreds of dollars of stuff on it I felt like It really wasn’t remotely capable of true trail riding. Which is dumb because I hadn’t even tested it out. Watching too many UA-cam reviews and spec sheets really starts to get into your head in a negative way for sure. Oh and I hate riding on the freeway that’s also something I learned lmao
I did some off road riding years ago on a rm 250. I've since riden large CC sport bikes! I have a 87 gsxr 1100h,had her 22 years. I find the riding position a strain as I get older! I'm thinking of getting a 2020 African twin 1100. Even with the experience I have, would u recommend a smaller adv bike? I intent to join a club and mainly use it for wkend fun!
Good stuff. I'm a cyclist with aspirations to be a motorcyclist. Either way, give me 'soft' waterproof storage any day, be it backpack or pannier bags or whatever. All those BMW etc boxes do look fantastic but, you know, meh. I live in London, it's hard enough to filter on a bicycle. Just my thoughts. Cheers.
Biggest mistake I made was my boots. I bought adventure boots thinking that's what they are for so they must be good. Couldn't have been more wrong, they just don't have the ankle protection (lateral support). I was practicing slow turns on gravel after going through some muddy puddles. Well, during one of the very slow right turns, my right foot slipped off the peg, causing me to fall sideways, trapping my ankle under the peg. I was only trapped for 30-40 seconds until I got my foot out, but it was long enough to get a large (and painful) hematoma on my ankle. Had I been wearing my Tech 7 boots that I now own, this would not have happened.
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Hey you called out some youtube adv channels. For offroad stuff I suggest: IRC Tire USA Moto and MX Factory for skill learning. Super helpful.
The biggest mistake I made as a new ADV rider was getting hung up on dropping the bike. I still see this a lot with other riders and they can really get in their own heads if they're in difficult terrain and dropping their bike. I see it with other youtubers and not being willing to show drops on camera because of all the hate and "advice" they get afterwards. If you're off road, drops will happen. Some will be stupid, some will be because the terrain was hard, some will be because you got unlucky. They aren't a big deal, ride on.
Very true.
Biggest mistake I made was thinking I need as much gear as in the thumbnail.
Eternal Truth: You will drop it.
Absolutely true!
After years of street riding, I started trail riding (difficult single track) with an engineering buddy of mine that had been a nationally ranked enduro rider (before he quit riding professionally to pursue an engineering degree). He taught me many valuable lessons - but his first two pieces of advice were pure gold:
1. If you're not crashing on a regular basis, you're not trying hard enough
2. You're less likely to crash if you're going faster, rather than slower
The corollary to these two rules is wear protective gear (motocross boots, knee pads, elbow pads, neck brace and gloves).
💯 - literally cannot count the number of times I’ve dropped Lorraine. It’s just how it is.
100% correct. Great advice. I would also like to point out that you do not need a big bike for that trip of a lifetime. Plenty of people have travelled the world on dual sports. I have clocked up almost 40,000 kms on a 2014 CRF250L in eight months travelling around Australia. Yes a bigger bike would have been better on the long boring sections. But it was perfect for all of the places that you do the trip for like remote beaches, desert riding and that little single track that gets you to the waterfall. Ride what you want, but don’t avoid that trip because you don’t have the big adventure bike yet. Just get out there on what you can.
Hell yeah! I've been coast to coast in canada and the north western usa on my klr. It took a couple trips over the years. Once with a buddy and the rest solo. When you travel solo it really teaches you to be self reliant. Made me calm down in traffic, but frosty, as we will get there eventually. Had a few close calls with critters and cagers. Don't over think it, just take deep breaths and ride it off. And don't be afraid of the dark. Led bulbs are cheap, bright and very reliable. Riding until 3 am only to find out the KOA is closed was worth it, waking up to a lake you've seen before.😌
I completely agree here however I will say that I’ve begun to appreciate how well a really big bike can be handled when you know how to ride it. And it can be a lot more fun if you do it right. I just had to be okay with dumping it and had to try and learn the advantages of that big ass motor and the extra weight. There are many IMO.
250,000 km around Argentina here in over 7-8 years. I can confirm you don't need that big ADV bike of your dreams. Rode 75% of it in a 150 cc street bike and the rest in a 150cc dualsport. In the long stretches of the plain regions you long for having a big bike capable of doing 160 km/h. But when you finally get to places with breathtaking sceneries and fun offroad tracks, you simply forget about that big bike and become fully inmersed on the moment, realizing the best motorbike is the one you have with you
Couldn’t agree more. I have no interest in a behemoth status symbol that absolutely sucks off road
The #8 TOP mistake is people blaming their tires, tire pressure, handle bars, grips, foot pegs, clutch lever, brake lever, not enough HP, too much HP, tire compound, tire thread pattern, etc instead of looking inward and admitting their lack of skills. Had to Bite my tongue when someone says "If I had these tires at this pressure I could have easily have....".
My friend told me a story where he was at a BMW ADV training course and one challenge/lesson was to go over a pile of boulders. Everyone was stumbling/falling and as they came off the pile were blaming the tires and/or tire pressures. Even though the last guy or the next guy had the tires they were saying would have saved their fall. One of the last guys, who was super quiet throughout the day, just rode over the boulders with no hesitation like a pro with almost a street tire at street tire pressures. My friend said he learned right there what his problems were. Skill and confidence.
Biggest mistake I made was not getting my Adv bike earlier. :D
That said, I definitely went too big with the Norden for a first Adv. I've had experience on dirt before, but mostly 20-30 years ago. Since then it had been street bikes. It's taken some getting used too to have a bike this tall. I would probably have been more comfortable on an old KLR learning to ride again off-road. Thankfully my bike blew over in the parking lot the first day I rode it, so I kind of got that out of the way quick.
Ha, same - I started out on a Yamaha DT125R back in about 2001, but haven't ridden at all for 15 years. Got me an Africa Twin DCT. Dropped it trying to get off the driveway! Mostly down to DCT being weird to control - lack of clutch, so how do you feather the clutch, kinda thing. Trying to just make it through the winter before I really try again in earnest. It's bitterly cold right now, ice everywhere, so just playing about with it, getting used to the height, seeing how far I can lean it before it tries to drop, starting it up, letting the battery charge & the engine warm up, paddling it up the drive if the neighbour hasn't blocked me in with his BMW car.
Yeah I went from riding 450 MXrs to an 890 ADV R. It was a harder transition than it should have been because I rarely was forced to use good finesse techniques when riding my 450s on trails. I could be lazy with the clutch, muscle it when I needed to. Then I got a 500 lb bike and realized that ain’t gonna work. Real fast. 😂 It’s been a fun adventure though. And I had to be okay dropping an $18k bike. They’re made for it. They’ll be okay.
After not being on a bike for decades, I started with ... an Africa Twin.
But I don't go off road much.
My advice to myself would be to fix my own bike as much as possible as early as possible. I kinda hate wrenching, but I'm so glad I've forced myself to learn - it is very confidence inspiring, since I am often exploring alone. Thanks to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for helping me think it was possible and important
Nearly every motorcycle out there has a complete manual that shows exactly how everything goes together, torque specs, and sometimes even part numbers. Best investment ever.
good book, even if you are not a motorcyclist.
Agree totally. Unfortunately BMW doesn't get it and has discontinued the provision of service manuals for all motorcycles.
@@PetrolJunkie no longer BMW. BMW killed all service manuals.
@@LouisStreet There are better aftermarket manuals anyway. If I was near my garage I could tell you which one I bought for my 2021 R1250GSA. It has step by step with pictures how to tear everything down.
I'm 6'2" 240ish and started both biking and ADV biking on a T-7. Initially, I wanted the T-7 but they were sold out across the nation. I grew interested in the AT and was seriously about to pull the trigger but I thought better of it lol... I realized I needed something light to start on and started looking at the 450L but just as I did so, I found a T-7 in a small town in TX... I caved and bought it the same day... So here I am. Green as hell. It's not the best starter bike but it's not the worst either.
Buyt a cheap dirt bike. Go to local areas, learn how to slow, balance ride, shift gears, clutch control. Up/down off camber hills/elevation train. Then get back on you Yami, and won't believe how quick these skills transition to your adv bike. You've got a beautiful bike, just need a little confidence to champion it. Nice! Cheers T-Jack, from Canada.
I'm on my first motorcycle (2012 Super Tenere) and I get your point. Part of me wishes I had started smaller but I do love my bike. Most of my riding is getting to camp and around town so I don't think I'm too bad off with a 600 lb bike. I do ride full gear. That's a great point to make, I'm aware I'm a novice and I don't want to get injured. UA-cam has tons of great resources on riding and I've essentially taught myself to ride this last year via UA-cam. Up next is the MSF class and I'd love to find some ADV training but I'm a bit limited in central Ohio. Keep up the videos!
Awesome man - I'm picking up a 2015 S10 this weekend - driving down to Austin (200 miles) to pick it up and ride it back roads home to north DFW. Can't go wrong with the Yamaha Super Tens!!
Adventure rider radio has Clinton Smout on giving training advice. His school is not too far from you, just north of Toronto. I’m planning a trip there this year, im west of Detroit a bit.
Really good advice about getting some training. I was a MSF (Motorcycle Safety Foundation) Rider coach for years on street bikes but off road is completely different. You actually gave me the idea to look for some off road training, thanks!
Yeah I’ve been riding MXrs for decades but realized quick I had to humble myself and get some education. Made all the difference.
Dualsport all the way. I love riding my lillte slow bike fast versus a big fast bike slow but like you said if you are planning long rides of highway and a little off road than bigger faster bike all they way.
Heck yeah👍
I enjoyed riding my big slow and my slow bike fast. Not sure which one was more fun.
If I had to start over I would start on a trials bike and learn balance and clutch control first!
There was a reason during LWR & LWD they had the camera man on another bike, because it took 3 adult males to lift the BMW GSA. If you go to any off road training, the first thing they get you to do is pick up the bike. If you struggle, a lot they suggest you may have an unsuitable bike for off rod riding. Then they have you push your bike 1.5 km (yep, because if you run out of petrol that's a real thing) How to fall off, change a tyre, do first aid. Lots of cool things to consider in this amazing sport that challenges you to be better, fit, and look after your mates. Maybe you should have a Honda CRF 300 Rally - Rally and a T-Shirt with Dork with a fork in the road Rally Ramblers (Like the Led Zeppelin song Ramble on but not)
Don't forget the Trail hand signals when you pass oncoming riders. A closed fist tells them there is no one behind you in your party, 1 finger tells them there is 1 behind you, 2 for 2, etc. Really helps people be aware while out on the trails and/or logging roads.
I have owned many different brands and bikes. Mostly road cruisers, but I much prefer a small 300-400 for adventure rides. Weight and affordable. If you can’t pick up your bike or push it by yourself then you might have the wrong bike. Insurance and registration fees as well as service charges need to be taken into account. If you spend all your money on this and can’t afford petrol then you may have the wrong bike. Frank the BMW GS guy I am looking at you. My x300 Versys is not perfect but I can do almost everything and not have to sacrifice a leg to make bike payments service costs and I don’t have to explain expensive speeding ticket to my girlfriend. It does what it says on the tin and has out lasted far more expensive bikes including my friends KTM 790 which is still having major problems and has spent more than half of this month in the dealership fixing faults.
This video is so spot on! Starting with a dual sport prior to getting a large ADV bike is huge! Also, overloading an ADV bike is quite common. For Moto Camping, I look at it as "backpacking on 2 wheels". Small, lightweight gear is the key to success. You laid out some great points in this video!
Cheers!
I almost feel lucky that I learned on dirt bikes and had three or four years experience in the dirt and on trails before even touching a street bike. Having said that I feel modern ADV bikes have gotten way to big, way to heavy and way to complex/expensive to consider taking them off road. Yeah I take my Africa Twin off road but I have WAY more fun on the KLX300R, KX250 or even the 500exc. Modern day ADV bikes are NOT dirt bikes and I think that fits into your mistake list some where. LOL
I think you should consider the term "riding dirt" as opposed to "off-road" there really is a difference, and since you were a teacher you should at least somewhat understand that words have meanings that matter. I'm not knocking riding dirt roads or first roads, and often that's much of what I ride and even prefer to ride frequently.
Gotta say weight is less of a issue then how tall a bike is in comparison to ur leg length. My xr650l (first dualsport/adv bike) was kinda heavy but the height was the bigger issue for me even at 6ft. A shorter bike where u can plant ur feet/foot easily will allow u to keep the bike from falling down a lot less often (it’s going to happen eventually 😂)
That's very true
100% agree. Seriously, I was looking at a CB500X, but when I finally went to a dealership, it felt like a toy being 6’2” and a 34” inseam. They had a used xr650l, and it felt natural. They looked into available bikes, and apparently someone backed out of wanting to buy one, so I only had to wait a few weeks instead of a few months. That is why I’m not the biggest fan of “best motorcycle” videos … really the best one is the one you feel comfortable with when you try it out.
@@ljmiller3987 love my xr650l ive it had for 4 years and 22k miles on original motor, its a tall bike and took a few rides to get used to. mostly watching my lines and making sure i dont stop near any ruts lol. if so im going down.
i have a vstar 1100 and a 1200 goldingwing stripped down, do alot of dirt road riding on them actually. mostly when i got to camp or visit some friends that live down mile long dirt roads lol. those are 600+ lbs bikes but being able to EASILY touch the ground on both makes them very easy to drive on the dirt surprisingly.
i agree with u as well on the best motorcycle videos. best and only way to find the right bike is to either test a buddies or try a demo bike at a dealer and find something that fits and has enough power for what u want or can handle.
I kinda found it the opposite - I started out on a DT125R, which is *tall*, taller than the Africa Twin I currently own, but so light you could pick it up, both wheels off the ground. The AT is like twice my weight & I can just about pick it back up onto 2 wheels when I drop it, because of leverage & all that. No way I'd be able to fully lift it off the ground. I never once dropped the DT, but the AT, dropped on day 1, due to grabbing the front brake in a panic. Maybe it's both - like, I daresay a Rebel 1100 I could plant my feet & save it, but tall and heavy will go down faster than tall and light.
Yes, ergonomically fitting well with the bike is everything. I couldn’t ride my 890 worth a damn until I made the ergos work for me and invest in some adjustments.
Very good points that cover the range of ADV riding my friend. All geared to keep riders safe through practiced riding and correct gear. Thank you for the great content.
As we say on the BDRs, even the "easier" ones is that you will/are going to drop your bike especially to let new ADV riders and cross over riders know that it just part of the experience. No matter how good you are it IS going to happen sometime/somewhere and with mud/sand you can easily double that. I always say if I dropped my bike. In over 50 yrs of riding I can not count how many times I did. So what. Pick it up and keep rolling. Again, we stress the need for protective equipment. Sometimes it gets HOT so riders peel down a bit and get bruises/scars unnecessarily. The same with bikes, riders should find one that they are comfortable on and get good coaching and PRACTICE on that machine- including the different way to pick it up depending on terrain. Making gear stored on the bike easy to remove helps in picking it up. The stuff carried for a long ADV ride can get to be a pretty stout load- practice with a kitted out bike so you know how it handles. Always have a safety plan in place where someone knows you last stop and destination and approximate arrival and route you are taking with updates for detours. Stay safe and well. See you out there!. Craig/BDR Ambassador
Don’t be scared or anxious about riding in the rain!! Eventually you will get caught in a heavy downpour so practice riding in the rain whenever you can to build your confidence so you won’t be so surprised when it does actually rain when you are out riding.
Weight is the killer. I've ridden hundreds of motocross races and tens of thousands of miles carving canyons on Ducatis over the last fifty years. And riding a street bike in the dirt terrifies me. I have a Multistrada 950 and no way does it work in the dirt. Gravel roads maybe but you're going to thrash the bike.
I believe that nothing heavier than a 690/701 is an appropriate dirt bike. Nothing with more than one cylinder unless you really know what you're doing. On anything at all technical the weight becomes unmanageable. It will steer you into ruts and all kinds of hazards just because of physics, it goes to the lowest point. Excessive weight makes it a struggle rather than a fun time. A test of survival. And eventually it's going to land on you.
And I've watched a ton of videos on here and nobody ever complains that their bike was too light for a trail or trip. It's always the opposite. I'd suggest Honda or Kawasaki 300 for any new guys wanting to ride street and dirt. And if you can ever get on a motocross track on any bike it's a great way to learn to ride dirt. It's a controlled environment without trees!
BOOTS!!!....do not cheap out on boots. i dont know how many times my Gaerne 12 boots saved me from injury. also, theres a line between confidence and stupidity. learn where yours is.
XT225/XT250 are maybe the best/most confidence inspiring bikes I've seen ridden. 🙂
And they're just a joy to ride. 😃
Was there a ttr225 and ttr250 some had purple rims that looked cool. I had a 1997 xr250r kick-start and then a 1996 import one with an electric start. Bit envious of the ttr250.
@@chrishart8548 Both. Different lights and gear sets. TTRs were trail bikes through and through. Lighter, no passenger pegs, limited lights, etc. Same bones though.
@@dstubby82 bit like my first xr then. That had no battery , no indicators, no passenger foot pegs, no chain guard, didn't even come with a key !
This is a great video and SO true. I watched one too many F9/Bret video and for my first ever off road experiences bought a 1290 Super Adventure R because the T7 wasn't available at the time to me. I ended up scaring myself and almost abandoned the sport. I was thankfully able to get it traded in for an 890 adventure (non-r) and it was way better. But then still scary when I dropped it a few times and got flung. I ended up catching a monster deal on a 500 EXC and am now using that to build my skills. It's definitely the way to go and I wish I would have not been so overconfident in the first place. I'd be a way better rider.
If you are overweight and unfit, the bike is irrelevant.
You will struggle to advance skills and confidence. Even more so for stamina and technical demands when riding off-road.
You are so knowledgeable you know what anyone needs and you even know how good bikes are that are not even on the road yet! The almighty Dork! All hail Dork!
Klr650 is a good learner. It's heavy, underpowered, simple and tough. Dropped it plenty of times, did a lot of things it wasn't meant for too. Now have a ktm1290, but the klr was a good foundation builder.
My new ADV rider mistake: I bought a KLR!!! ;-)
I'll Second THAT! I started on a KTM 1090 Adventure R...kinda redonk to start with that beast.
Yep, the Africa Twin was not the right bike for me to start riding off-road on either...
I started with an Africa Twin as well and it felt way too heavy. So I sold it and bought a Yamaha T7. This bike is still too heavy but the best compromise I can do as I have to travel hundreds of kilometers to get to some legal unpaved sections. I also did some trainings wich I learned a lot from. But due to the distances I have to bear to get off road, I still miss a lot of practice. This summer we will do a 1 week GUIDED off road tour in Bosnia and we will have 2 more weeks to practice on our own in addition. This sounds very promising to me, at least in my dreams... 😉. We will see how it will work out.
Can you share any more info of that Bosnia tour? Who's organizing it?
@@TheHelac search for Enduro Spirit Bosnia
Great video, I went from a WR250R to a T7. I wish I would have kept the WR to switch between the two.
Same here, but I kept the WR250R 😁
Yes.
I agree 👍🏻
Biggest misconception is that the KLR is a dual sport bike. That is more a 90 % road/10% gravel roads. Those little adventure bikes like the Versys 300x and KTM 390 adventure are far better dirt road and ATV trails but even those are 70/30 bikes.
Make no mistake, big ADV bikes are STREET bikes. Some versatility yes and the more talent you have then the more versatile they are especially with the right tires.
The bikes with 19" inch front mag wheel and lower suspension travel makes great touring bikes when the roads get rough, but still a road none the less. There's a lot of rough roads out there which makes the more street oriented adventure bikes a sensible option. It's nice to just hop a curb if you want, soak up bumps like magic and still hit the turns without a steep fork dive and a bouncy clumsy turn in.
My first “mistake” was taking my 2003 SV650 with less than prime sport touring tires off road with my buddy on his KLR650. I didn’t crash and it was actually kind of fun (but remarkably dumb). Thankfully I’m used to low traction from mountain biking😅
Getting started? Buy a set of $150 soft bags. Great to start with, cheap, and you can learn what features you *actually* want in luggage.
Great advice. You're also most likely to drop the bike on them in the beginning so might as well start with something you aren't as sad if you mess up.
I bought big bags right away, because I bought my big ADV bike for 1month long touring in mind, which I also started after few weeks of buying the bike.
Sure I spent most of the time on tarmec roads first, but gradually picked smaller and smaller roads too. The small bags would have been useless to my purposes as I needed my tents and cooking eqquipment with me.
And everything went fine. I dropped my bike only once during the month, and no scratches anywhere.
Good advice, I recently purchased the Nelson Rigg hurricane bags on amazon $212.00. Not the most expensive and not the cheapest, it seemed like a good deal for what they are. Haven't used them yet, although they do have a lifetime warranty.
Thank you for this advice which makes me ask: So which bike is a good first bike? You mention the weight. What is a lightweight bike? Do you consider a CRF300 a lightweight bike? What about the 690? What about Himalayan 450? Or CFMoto 450MT? Thanks!
As a new adventure rider, it's clearly a bad idea to jump to a larger bike when you lack the skills to handle it. But as a heavier guy, I've read that the CRF300L (and Rally) and other good beginner adventure bikes in the "this is street legal dirt bike" mold are horrendously undersprung for even your average weight American rider, much less me at 250 pounds before gear and even lightweight camping gear. Is there no solution but to get a good beginner bike like the CRF300L Rally and immediately do something with the suspension?
I’ve recently purchased a 2023 Tiger Rally Explorer. Also own a Ducati Fasthouse Desert Sled..
I’ve ridden bikes for over 50 years, and my advice is a big ADV bike like my Tiger, the 1200GS I used to own, the big KTMs, etc.. are an absolute waste of money if you think you’re going to ride it like a dual sport. They’re expensive to purchase, expensive to maintain, and expensive to fix should you fall. And you will fall! If you intend to ride mostly highway, with an occasional dirt road or 2 track, then they’re fine.
If I intended to ride the highway from trail to trail, it certainly won’t kill me to ride a 250-450cc enduro. People have circumnavigated the globe on smaller bikes than those!
Then again, you don’t necessarily need your off-road bike to be built for the purpose.. Nick Sanders road a Yamaha R1 around the world, hardly ever on pavement!
Ben is right, don’t start with one of these behemoths.. start small and work up to what you’re comfortable on. You’ll be a much better rider for it!
Great advice to start small. Also - if you use
that small bike like an adventure bike - than it's an adventure bike.
Completely agree. Keep it light, keep it nimble, keep it simple. Spend that extra $$ sleeping in hotels with nice beds and hot showers rather than attempting to bring expedition level gear on your bike. Open freeways are completely boring and far more dangerous than gravel roads so stay off them. Once you choose to do that you never really need to go faster than 65mph.
Cheers!
I’d like to second the encouragement to get training. I highly recommend Chris Birch, “Say no to slow” ADV bike video training series which is very inexpensive. I was fortunate to train with Chris when he came to the US last fall. I’ve been riding dirt bikes for 50 years and ADV bikes for 10 years and I learned at least 10 new tips and tricks to be a better and safer rider.
My first adventure bike was back in 1968. This of course was long before there was something called an adventure bike. A Honda 150 dream. My buddies and I would get on the rail road tracks and buz, over to the abandoned gravel quarries. Then after the police became involved we trailerd out to the Mojave desert. My friend had another adventure bike.A Honda SL 100. His actuality was a dual sport back then, but don't ever remember them called that. I would pull off my mufflers and away we went.
I think after all the drops off road that the worst mistake a person can make, is buying something heavy. Especially top heavy like a T7 Afruca twin. Heck even my old KLR650 became too much after torn rotator cuff,, back surgery. I tell people have help, lay it on the ground at the dealer. Preferably if the bars and tank were pointed downhill. Now you're all alone. Pick it up. Several times. Now get a dual sport. My current bike a vstrom 650 A , will never again see off road. 475 pounds is just too much for my 70 year old beat up body. Now looking for a 250 or 300 dual sport.
I'm the guy who watched all the Long Way's and is now pretty sure he's going to buy an Africa Twin as a first bike, lol. I was like, "is this MFer listening to me?"
thanks for this video. Been riding street bikes for 33 years and planning on swapping my z900 for the new KLR. I'll be looking at the S model as it is shorter and I only have a 30" inseam. safety has been huge for me for decades. your tips on street riding and off the pavement riding taught me something new as I've never been in the dirt. For me it'll be slow and steady as I gain experience. thank you my friend.
Thank you for making this! You probably saved me some regret. I really want a Tuareg 660, but that's still bigger than my skill level.
99% OF RIDERS RIDE THE SO CALLED DREAM Seen it a thousnd times Look at me I have travelled the world my bike tells you that !!!!!
In a few simple words and not a vid its not the case Itchy boots a young lady travels the world on the smalest bike possible she does not have a film crew like the other two possers north south top to bottom etc etc etc So to all concerned take the shit out of bikeing and you will have fun take all this marketing crap into the issue and you will be very sad and out of pocket trust me Thats it in a few words is it not ??
As someone who only has room for one motorcycle in my townhouse garage, the 2022 Honda CB500X is my "do it all" bike. Off-roading is definitely a work in progress, as I'm finding that learning this new skill at 52 years old isn't as easy as it would have been 30 years ago! As Frank Herbert said:
""I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear."
Yeah, still workin' on that fear thing too :-)
That’s a solid all rounder and unless you get caught up in the hype for newer bikes, it can easily be your last bike
I have ridden BMW's on road for years but for ADV went with a Honda ATAS. Added 9K in aftermarket stuff but the bike was just too top heavy for me in my 60's so let it go and got a new CB500X (2021). What a dream to ride and to move around the garage. Yes it is lacking in power and not the best for long highway miles but for where I am in life it is a great fit for me. I have not done any ADV riding yet but have invested in gearing it and myself up. And, just ordered the Rally Raid level 1 suspension kit too which should make it as capable an ADV bike as I will need. I did also add a Rebel 1100 DCT for road cruising with a bit more power.
@@salorjim1000 For what it's worth, I found the stock seat a bit uncomfortable so I considered buying a Seat Concepts tall seat. I instead bought an AirHawk DS Seat Pad and I was pretty skeptical when it first arrived, but it has made those longer trips much more comfortable.
@@alozborne I see a lot of people with the AirHawk seat pad. Also on the Rebel 1100. I am a big Corbin fan and got a Corbin for the Rebel, but to be honest I have found the CB500 stock seat pretty good. May change my mind after some long mileage days but for now I am ok with it.
I wish I bought a klx 300 or crf 300l to start on. I spent all this time and money on a T7 only to sell it. I got lucky and basically got all my money back because of very limited supply, but in hindsight I would have been so much better off buying a dual sport.
You did a good job, you covered a lot of very common mistakes. I totally agree, with the protection and starting on a dual sport before buying a big ADV bike. Good job
You hit all the boxes, Ben. I watched LWR and Chris Birch (Say No to Slow) and thought: I can do that! Learned the hard way. Dropped down to a KLX 300 and learned how to do figure 8's at idle and full lock on grassy field then gravel. Still need to practice as a reminder and muscle memory but valuable and rewarding. Drops are baked into the cake of ADV. Get over it.
Haha, all true bro. If a new rider is not past midlife crisis and to frail. Get a dirtbike to ride short bits in all conditions, mud, rain, rocks, sand, everything. So many skills can be learned that directly translate to riding the bigger girls.
In regards to the too much bike part. Read long way round. You get a really good idea how frustrated Ewan was from the videos. But, I swear you can feel it when you read the book.
Yes I thought they chose the worst bikes for that. They should have been riding 650s
Hey, just wanted to say that I have crashed recently and only reason I did not end up in ICU is riding gear, so keep pressing that point.
Glad you're okay.
Thank you for this video and all your content. I like how you help us newer riders with really good tips. I'm the kind of person that needs the rules and tips to follow, like in this video - "on the road you lean with bike - on dirt you stay perpendicular". This will be my second full year riding my Honda CRF300L on dirt & trails as well as cross-country on highways. Starting with smaller dual-sport like you said is exactly what I needed to build confidence riding generally - but also then confidence on trails - especially those single-track bumpy ones. Thanks so much. I would love if you did one on a single track trail in the woods where you -real time- talked about how you are handling the ride (between trees, over rocks, sand, water etc).
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DIR, your advice about ADV selection and riding dual sport motorcycles is spot on. Training, skill and practice that your recommending to improve new rider capabilities and to experience the breathe of ADV bikes is critical in developing much confidence. Excellent advice.
Excellent video for beginners.
👍 spot on
OUCH ! MY KNEE HURTS ! WHY DID YOU TELL ME TO DO THAT ?
I would take your advice to start out with a smaller dual sport one step further, and recommend spending time on a mountain bike, so you learn how to handle a two wheeled vehicle out in the dirt, ruts, sand, rocks and hills. Much easier, and less dangerous, to pick up a 25 pound bicycle than a much heavier motorcycle, and you’ll get some good experience on how to handle these two wheeled vehicles out in the dirt.
Great and simple advices, as usual. Thank you. I’m 64 and made my adv experiences 40 years ago. Three years ago I bought a big and wonderful GS1200 ADV but due to the size, weight and my very little pff road skills I used it mainly on highways. I’m know going to sell it to buy the new Transalp to re-start adv experiences. 200kg, 92hp and very few electronic helps. I feel good watching your videos. 😎
I'm transitioning from a road bike (6 years experience) to an Adventure bike. My body needs a bit more of a relaxed position and I want to be able to explore my surroundings out of the asphalt and city/highway limits. I'v ever ridden off-road (on, a couple of occasions some 35 years ago - don't thinnk it counts anymore) and will not likely want to jump into the real tough stuff. I'd be going from a GSX-S 750 to a Transalp 750 that I'm hoping will last me a good 3-4 years before I go into something a of more higher-spec machine. I do intend to follow some Adventure riding classes. Do you feel that the Transalp is suitable be begin with?
I found that coming from a heavier cruiser to an ADV, I feel I don't or didn't have the control issues with the weight that I hear so many people complain about. I was also never afraid to hit a gravel road with my Virago and street tires though. Definitely watching instructional videos and listening to advice is a must. I second the part about boots and proper safety gear. Thank you for all the information you relay to us.
Yep I was the guy who went from a Harley to a GS and used it the same way, then set off for Morocco caring more kit than I do in my camper van….
I now have a 14 year old f800 Gs That I don’t mind if I drop its still a massive bike but I can’t afford a two bikes and 250 just would cope with my day to day riding
Great channel
I wanted a T7 reaaaaaal bad, but its videos like this that made me 2nd guess myself and realize i wouldn’t want to drive my versys 650 off road (ever!) so maybe i need to start smaller… ended up getting a klx300 and can’t wait for winter to pass. Im gonna be such a n00b and I CANT WAIT!!!! 🤣
Probably the best call if your new to off road. I have got a t7. I had a KLR before this, but I wouldn't really call that a light weight duel sport either. The T7 is surprisingly capable, but also intimidating off road for someone without a lot of experience. I am thinking about picking up a duel sport to compliment the T7 and get better off road. Don't know if I could get away with only owning a duel sport though as many of my rides include a lot of highway, and I would miss the power. I think owning 2 bikes is the best solution. One for more technical rides close to home, and one for longer rides where you won't be riding really difficult terrain anyways.
I have been thinking about jumping into the ADV space for a while. I have 25 years of mountain biking experience and this video assuaged some of my fears about the complexity of it. Yes I understand that the “motor” has changed for this kind of pursuit, but a lot of the skills translate to what I’ve learned over the years. It makes me feel a little bit more comfortable in jumping into this at the age of 50 then I would have before. Thank you much and keep up the great videos.
It’s different. You will have some advantage, yes, but so did I. I’ve operated manual transmission vehicles since I was a wee lad. Sure, I could immediately run through the gears, but coordinating shifting and handling a big, heavy bike nearly overwhelmed my senses in traffic, and I’ve driven literally millions of miles. Also, with your bicycle experience, you are at huge risk of overestimating your skills. Without specific training, you will not be able to exploit how nimble the handling of your bike actually is. You will dread the times you are exploring and end up on a dead end road because you will need a 60 foot circle to turn around with confidence. Your beginning MSF course will be eye opening for you. Go take yours at a Harley dealer, and you will be riding their bloated, weak, boat anchor of a bike. That’s kind of like riding an adventure bike except you will be able to touch the ground with your feet on the Harley. 😂
WOW, glad I found you!!! Great tips. I backed out of getting a starter bike KLX650, TOO Big!!! 5’6”. So, I’m 54 retired US Navy/Ironworker, 2 spinal fusions. Bought a used KLX300SM, has slicks now, will change. Not going to do any hard rut off-road but would like to venture, fire roads and such. I’ve ridden MX, but definitely this will be different, I’ll take it easy, at first, LOL,
Colorado Springs
GO NAVY!!!
All valid points. I'm about to step into a big adventure bike, and embark on a trip, that will see me hitting roads either washed out wit recent flooding, or simply areas with lots of dirt.. I'm 65, and haven't ridden in dirt, for about 50yrs. While it scares me a little bit, i believe you cant live your life in fear. That being said, i plan to spend up to a month, "playing in the dirt", closer to home. I'm lucky enough to have one or two mates, with a lot more experience, so wish me luck🤠
That's why I'm looking at 300 class dual sport machines...and trying to gain some proficiency (after watching Jocelyn Snow) before I jump into big bike.
Great advice for sure.
My advice is sort of a corollary to your point about starting on a smaller bike. If you can - and I know it's tough - swallow your pride and don't feel like you're "the pussy" in the group by not having a monster bike like all the trail heroes. You will have just as much fun, I guarantee you. Probably more, because you won't be scared shitless all the time lol. Furthermore, chances are somebody will tell you they wished they had a small bike like yours if things get tough.
What you have to consider is what type of adventure riding you want or can do . In Eastern area we do not have actress to great off road you do in the NW . For me adventure riding is often riding few hundred Mile to area to ride the back roads to a see and experience new thing . I like some of the BDRs and most of those all can be done on 12:10 a larger bike . If I had some the riding avalable you do a small dual sport would a lot of sense. Keep up the good work with interesting topics.
I have already broken rule 1 and possibly (95% sure) rule 3, with to big of a bike. I rode as a kid on little 125cc and worked my way up over 15 years to large Harley's (Fatboy's, Street Glides, Road Glides, Ultra). Then at 46 decided to trade all that for the new Pan America bike. I have been riding it for the last 2 weeks here in Seattle, and have been watching how to off road videos by first learning in parking lots (standing, leaning, the very basics). I can tell you that I very much want to ride some log cabin roads but still am very apprehensive. But I guess at some point you have to start trying in small batches. Any advice would be appreciative, so you out on the dirt!
This guy is one heck of a nice guy that presents the information in such a relaxed nice way! The information is invaluable. I road Harleys for years while also having pre 2008 KlR650s. Even with the KLRs, i was intimidated off road. I took a break from riding due to health issues but then bought an R1200GS Rallye and looked forward to off road. It did not take me long, while riding pavement, to know that there was no way I could handle that bike on gravel and be relaxed and having fun. Recently I bought a KTM 390 Adventure and what a game changer. I got used to the bike riding a few hundred miles on pavement. Off road, for me now, on this KTM 390, is everything I always hoped it would be. So much fun, in fact, that I have no plans or need to take the R1200GS off road. It is a wonderful experience riding the R1200GS on pavement, freeways, twisties, but off road i will be on the KTM.
As the other guy said, 100% correct. These bikes are expensive and top-heavy and not made to learn dirt riding skills for a first timer. New riders are better off slowing down a little and starting out with a DualSport, whatever size suits you.There are so many of them out there that can be picked up for 1/3 the price of that big adventure bike. Ride that dual sport for a year, get confident, and then reevaluate your needs.
I started 3 years ago with cheap 600cc... Honda Transalp 600... Zero regrets. DO IT ALL motorcycle... I cant imagine selling it, just adding something else.
Well, I've learned how to ride on a 2001 Super Glide and am still going strong . If you are used to those boulders on wheels, you will do ok . But Dork is correct . You use your lower body mostly . Yes, if you're one of those sit-down guys, you'll probably get arm pump ! That's when the fun real starts !!! The hardest thing for me to learn is let the bike dance underneath you instead of trying to man handle every little detail of the ground underneath you . And I'm still learning to this day . T7, I'm looking at you 👀 ..... Well, it's time to listen to some Simon and Garfunkel. Slip slidding away 🎶 🎵 ..... ..
You kind of opened up pandoras box here. I ask now why even get a so called heavy ADV bike at all. I agree that for any type of off road, lighter is better. I am guilty as well, got a V85, let the marketing get to me and ended up selling it and now have a KLX 230 / Talaria Sting for 99% of my off road needs. I personal think for most of us mortals with average skills, anything beyond 500 cc is overkill. My personal favorite is a Tuareg 660 for gravel and fire roads but would not want to take it into BDR type stuff due to its heft, that is where the KLX or the likes would be my choice.
Excellent advice, and I agree with it all. Planning on getting back into off-road riding for the first time since I was a kid, and this helps. I'm going to hold off for a year or two before I get a larger adv bike and get my riding skills back on a smaller bike. Maybe a KTM 390 Adventure when the new model drops in 2025.
1) did that
2) ATGATT, spent > 1K on riding gear
3) 890 Adv R. Rode dirt bikes growing up, but that was 40+ years ago.
4) No mods, just can't seem to get the gear weight down. I'm the guy you want around if your bike breaks down. just sayin'
5) Won't do that. My last bike was a Kawasaki KZ 1000, 30 years ago, scared myself....
6) Skipping the "expert" sections on the BDR's.
7) Offroad as much as I can. BDR's with my riding buddy is why I bought it. We did long mtb rides together. Now we're too old for that.
I hear you!!! I've been riding street for 45 years and about 4 years on trails Yamaha 2 strokes!!! I have 2 Harleys but want a 2023 KTM 390 adventure bike!!! ABOUT 7300 $$!!! To use around town and on F,M, paved roads through the country areas between small RURAL towns!!! ( Like Mayberry on the Andy Griffith show!!! HaHa!!! Probably won't do any trails but some gravel or dirt roads!!!! The reviews are good on the bike and I'm 63 years old!!! The KTM 390 has a lot of electronics I don't need and after years of use this could be trouble?????
Take it from someone who bought a Triumph Scrambler and wishes that he had gotten a Suzuki DR650. I have a friend who has an Africa Twin and rides with guys on BMW f800's. All I knew is they ride around Vermont and do the dirt roads and occasional trail. I thought I would be fine but I was WAY OFF the mark lol. So now im trying to decide between a DR650 or a Tenere 700. Im pretty sure ill be going with the combination of low weight and price :-)
Hello,
I have been wathing your videos for the last 3 weeks. I'm 56 yrs old and plan to get a adventure bike. I drive dirt bikes then street bikes "when younger" but stop for 20 years now. So Since I'm planning to get a bike to do adventure and wait is my concern "what you will recomen to start" because as you say we all going to fall sooner or later". I went out and see 3 bikes 1-KLR650 (good price wise), 2-KTM390 (also good price), and 3-Yamaha 650 Vstrom (MOre pricy but is the one I like the most)
What you suggest start there or go for 300CC My concer is that a 300cc is underpower for the street, and I wait 240 pound now. As most of the people "the driving will be 80% to 90% street and the rest off road; ones I get more training and confidence . "By the way great videos"
I see more people F themselves by buying the big adventure bike. ADVENTURE RIDING doesnt require an Adventure Bike. LOL it is a gimmick. Couldnt agree more. Buy a SMALL dual sport.
Good advice. I transitioned from sport bikes for 14 yrs to off road about 8 years ago in Colorado because I kept running into chewed up dirt roads I couldn't ride.
Picked up a 1190 adv r and went to it. Great bike for what it was (minus KTM nonsense). Great for the highway, fire roads, and 2 up. But after about 1.5 years I wanted to try my hand at single track. Mountain bike trails with an engine, how is that not amazing? Well the 1190 did it, but it took a way too much energy to control (not to mention the bike is super tall and I am 6'4").
So I picked up a 701e, which is another great bike. Good on the highway, Good on the fire roads, not so good for 2up, and much better at single track than the 1190. But as I road single track more, I wanted more single track. Now personally I like flowy, fast single track over technical enduro.
Flash forward to now, I have a 350s, CRF250F (wife's bike), 701e, sold the 1190. Honestly I probably have the most fun on the 250F. It's a slow pig, but it's real nimble and is great fun in tight single.
The 350 is great on fire roads, great on single track, sucks at 2up and sucks on the highway.
Just know what your riding objectives are and know what your capabilities are. All these bikes have trade-offs. The majority of us are neither sponsored or Chris Birch. Better to start small and get bigger. If I could only have one, it would probably be a 500.
IMO, the bike should never be more than 400 lbs for off road/On road combination. Anything bigger is just to much to handle off road. Again, my opinion. In fact a 350 lb bike is more ideal...
I’m 10 seconds into the vid and already yelling MEEEEEE!!!!!! Vstrom 1000.
Damn, I brought a Pan Am in March 2023, it is big heavy and massive fun! Luckily I have been riding 45 years, spent quite some time doing Motocross and Enduro in the 1980's and 1990's on a vintage 1974 Yamaha 400cc two stoke, and a lot of dirt road riding before that on the farm and in the bush in the years before that.
Seriously I agree with you on the good gear, I'm 60, reasonably fit, but I don't want to injure my legs more than they have been in the past.
Treat the bike and trail with respect, and you are not riding a small trail bike, or no longer in your 30's.
I respectfully disagree, I say get what bike you want and learn it like you a baby learning to walk. I rode dirt bikes when i was young, and 25 years later with zero riding in between, I had to have a GSA. It was love at first sight! I didn't even have a BRC. I went and passed the class and headed right to the BMW dealer and bought the 23 GSA. The dealer asked me if I wanted to test ride it first and I said to him "Hell No"! I am not going to lie, it was a little scary at first. I started to ride in circles around my immediate neighborhood, then ventured out into local traffic, and finally ventured onto the highway. Now 6000 miles in I couldn't be more confident and comfortable. On top of this I continually practice emergency procedures and watch many videos on what to do and what not to do. I mostly ride the bike on the street but occasionally take it off road at a place close by where there are washouts, small inclines, and loose dirt with rocks. I start off very slow to get a feel for it, then gradually add speed. The bottom line is start off slow and work your way up. I didn't feel as if I needed to buy a bike I didn't really want and then go through the hassle of trading or selling it for the one I always wanted in the first place. But to each his own! I don't really plan on doing much technical single track offroad trails anyway. I can totally see your point if you have never even rode a motorcycle let alone a dual sport. But hey, love your videos and am subscribing right after I hit the send button on this!
Ah ha! I told you DitR. Get a smaller, lighter less expensive bike that can go on the highway and be comfortable for hours and still do great on the trails. One that weighs about 350#, can go 100 mph and costs under $7k. Oh yeah, that's the KTM 390 Adventure. That's what I suggested.
A-hem :)
S
Everyone on an bike should try to understand the physics in turning. The # 1 fear most are gonna have is losing the front end in loose stuff. Once you learn of unloading your front end in turns, you can actively work on it and think bout it all the time. If you walk around with a pedal bike and lean it and push (walk thru turn to understand). You'll notice when you start skidding the rear tire you automatically counter steer with the front tire. That motion leaves your front vertical and rolling straight forward ( basically impossible you slid out). Start using your heads to think about what you should be doing and thinking about to improve your skills. If you know what you have to do and are actively thinking about it you will slowly start to implement it. Your confidence will go up 10 fold over night. Just remember its a skill and takes time to build, falls at slower speeds in softer terrain hurt less. Now go ride!!!
My wife wants to go for little rides, but isn’t comfortable riding her own bike. She likes Sportsters. I’m comfortable riding bikes, but haven’t owned one in almost 20 years. I’ve ridden Harley baggers, cafe racers, a dirt bike or two, mopeds, mountain bikes, BMX freestyle…I’m very comfortable on all forms of two wheels, but not cocky or arrogant about it. I have a ton of respect for anything I’m riding. I’m also a very defensive rider, not a lot of ego in me. I will be taking generic classes.
I want the option to ride gravel roads (probably solo), which as you know includes occasional light off-roading, but I’m not interested in a full off-road bike. I’d also like to ride long distances on-road on rare occasions, including comfortable highway riding. I can camp off my bicycle or a backpack, so I’m good with camping out of a pair of side bags. Low maintenance is good. Good aftermarket support is a plus.
What are some good options? Pan America seems like a good option for two up riding, and is the direction I’m strongly leaning. How about a Yamaha ST? I know they’re big bikes, but I’m trying to thread the needle between taking my wife around town (priority #1) and getting down when things get rutty and rocky (priority #2). Two bikes isn’t an option now, but maybe in the future. In that case I’d run a T7 and a Harley bagger and call it a day.
Finally, if it matters, I’m in Idaho and moving back to central Oregon in the fall. The places I enjoy going are very similar to Dork’s riding places, maybe just a little more tame.
I’m a strong 6’1”, so height isn’t such a critical factor other than going too low. I’m comfortable picking up a heavy bike and the proper technique.
Honestly, I’ve never even considered other manufacturers. What else should I be looking at? Are there any specific specs I should be considering and thinking about? If you’re in a similar situation with your wife, what do you ride, and what are some of the pros and cons of what you ride? Thanks!
I own a 2022 Africa Twin and rip off road with it. No one needs that much power off road. No one needs a big bike. It's often less fun than a DR-650 and other things in that class. It's really not that much better. The only reason I got it was for 2000 mile journeys across country taking two weeks worth of clothing, gear, tools, camping gear etc. Even at that - a properly modded 650 class bike can do the same thing.
I adore my bike, but it's way fuckin' harder. Big bikes don't make it easier at all to off-road unless you're fully ripping up a 70 degree mountain for some dumb reason, and even then it's worse because you drop it you'll trash your bike, body and everything you brought.
Don't get me wrong. I adore my AT and bought a massive bike FOR the challenge. I've ridden 30/70 for 15 years. When you spend most of the time off road, you lose the challenge. It took me years to NEED the challenge of giant bike. Granted, I love having a big ol display and heated grips.
Get a 750 at the absolute most, and you'll probably take 10 years to get bored of that class.
me, I am 70yrs old and been riding motorcycles since I was 14yr...Enduro's when they first came out in the 70s, oh we hooned up many a new subdivision or bush track..then I went road bikes Triumph Trident and Rocket 3..speed machine, and I nearly broke the world speed record one quite sunday morning on the highway back of my parents house, with no helmut and flip flops,,I gave a Thruxton, Harley, and Cb1300 all heavy as hell bikes that go like the clappers..however, its time to do the Silk Road. Bangkok to UK and back again..there and back..I wont be on no ADV, thats for new age poses and their smarty clothes..I will be on a 125cc or a modifed Royal enfield interceptor..and wearing my Reggies,( two pair of jeans sewn together as one ) old leather jacket and leather work gloves..thats all we had back in the days of yore, so thats how it will be now,,just an open faced helmut and work boots..I dont want to be a tourist. I want to be a biker..I have no problem with ADV guys and gals, I seen them all the time, but somehow I think they miss most of the trip because they are going so fast and doing 400km a day..this will be my last ride, so no need to rush it hmmmmm
Hey Dork dork dork and dork disciple's. Husky 701 Enduro? Go! I have a bead on a lightly used low time/miles one. Planet Earth location Colorado.🤙
To big to heavy usually above most riders skill set much prefer my CRF 300l few upgrades and that’s a great bike.
YSS rear shock and fork spring upgrade and Renthal bars and fitted led lights and luggage love my little Honda and with my bad knee and back I can pick it up.
Had a F850 GS and a T7 both to much bike for me love my little Honda.
Go off-road on a big GS without training and you will crash.
Damage yourself and your bike.
Great video! Im in the PNW and want to start adv / off road riding but am hung up on bike selection. Im currently torn between KTM 390 adv and the 300l. Anyone have advice for a beginner?
My biggest mistake just getting into motorcycling/ADV/off-road riding is being hyper focused on choosing the right bike for me and that I’ll never be able to get another bike. At 6’3” with long arms and legs I feel like all bikes are meant for people around 5’10”… After finding a killer deal on a super low mileage CB500X with the full rally raid suspension kit (minus the wheels which are a nightmare to obtain from Rally Raid) and putting hundreds of dollars of stuff on it I felt like It really wasn’t remotely capable of true trail riding. Which is dumb because I hadn’t even tested it out. Watching too many UA-cam reviews and spec sheets really starts to get into your head in a negative way for sure. Oh and I hate riding on the freeway that’s also something I learned lmao
I did some off road riding years ago on a rm 250. I've since riden large CC sport bikes! I have a 87 gsxr 1100h,had her 22 years. I find the riding position a strain as I get older! I'm thinking of getting a 2020 African twin 1100. Even with the experience I have, would u recommend a smaller adv bike? I intent to join a club and mainly use it for wkend fun!
Good stuff. I'm a cyclist with aspirations to be a motorcyclist. Either way, give me 'soft' waterproof storage any day, be it backpack or pannier bags or whatever. All those BMW etc boxes do look fantastic but, you know, meh. I live in London, it's hard enough to filter on a bicycle. Just my thoughts. Cheers.
Biggest mistake I made was my boots. I bought adventure boots thinking that's what they are for so they must be good. Couldn't have been more wrong, they just don't have the ankle protection (lateral support). I was practicing slow turns on gravel after going through some muddy puddles. Well, during one of the very slow right turns, my right foot slipped off the peg, causing me to fall sideways, trapping my ankle under the peg. I was only trapped for 30-40 seconds until I got my foot out, but it was long enough to get a large (and painful) hematoma on my ankle. Had I been wearing my Tech 7 boots that I now own, this would not have happened.