So, How were the roads?
One of my rider friends who is rumored to have introduced Harley to Davidson posed the question - would any of the roads you took prohibit a regular street bike with a reasonably skilled rider?
Hmmm.
While I'd like to say that only the most skilled off-road rider on the finest off-road equipment should attempt to follow my trail,
it ain't so.
The BMW R80 G/S is not meant as a stump hopping trials bike. It is meant as a bike that can be good on paved roads and dirt roads or fields. (Glade and Strada). I rode 10+ hours out there on high speed pavement, then took whatever dirt road I fancied from the maps.
On dirt for a 'normal street bike' you have three things working against you - the first is tires. I run Distanzia 80/20 tires (80% street 20% dirt) which allow decent road work and fair dirt. They have some grip in loose stuff and mud but don't vibrate too much on pavement. Second is body-work. The 'normal' bike now has enough fiberglass or plastic fairing on it that if the body work is seriously damaged from a fall (even in a parking lot) it can be a total loss to the insurance company. Not to mention guys like to keep those bikes 'pretty'. The G/S has next to no body work - only enough to keep much out of the rider's eyes and out of the battery area. Finally is confidence. Many experienced street riders will pull up like a cow at a cattle-guard when the pavement turns to gravel or dirt. They've just never done it.
Even with better tires there is still the problem of WHAT IF.
What if you fall over (good possibility) and have to pick up that big ol' bike by yourself?
What if you get past the point of no return on gas or time and come onto a patch that definitely requires more suspension? Now, that can happen to the G/S (or any bike/rider) too - but it takes more. If the distance between two gas stations is 100 miles and you do 99 and come to a stop, guess what? it's 99 back!
What if all the vibration and jolting causes something to disconnect or fall off? Would you be able to diagnose and repair it?
I suspect that given the desire a normal rider on a normal bike with normal tires could take the dirt CR and occasionally NF roads I wandered.
But they wouldn't like it much.
So I think my answer to the question is -
Maybe.
But that's what makes it an adventure, not just a ride.
Hmmm.
While I'd like to say that only the most skilled off-road rider on the finest off-road equipment should attempt to follow my trail,
it ain't so.
The BMW R80 G/S is not meant as a stump hopping trials bike. It is meant as a bike that can be good on paved roads and dirt roads or fields. (Glade and Strada). I rode 10+ hours out there on high speed pavement, then took whatever dirt road I fancied from the maps.
On dirt for a 'normal street bike' you have three things working against you - the first is tires. I run Distanzia 80/20 tires (80% street 20% dirt) which allow decent road work and fair dirt. They have some grip in loose stuff and mud but don't vibrate too much on pavement. Second is body-work. The 'normal' bike now has enough fiberglass or plastic fairing on it that if the body work is seriously damaged from a fall (even in a parking lot) it can be a total loss to the insurance company. Not to mention guys like to keep those bikes 'pretty'. The G/S has next to no body work - only enough to keep much out of the rider's eyes and out of the battery area. Finally is confidence. Many experienced street riders will pull up like a cow at a cattle-guard when the pavement turns to gravel or dirt. They've just never done it.
Even with better tires there is still the problem of WHAT IF.
What if you fall over (good possibility) and have to pick up that big ol' bike by yourself?
What if you get past the point of no return on gas or time and come onto a patch that definitely requires more suspension? Now, that can happen to the G/S (or any bike/rider) too - but it takes more. If the distance between two gas stations is 100 miles and you do 99 and come to a stop, guess what? it's 99 back!
What if all the vibration and jolting causes something to disconnect or fall off? Would you be able to diagnose and repair it?
I suspect that given the desire a normal rider on a normal bike with normal tires could take the dirt CR and occasionally NF roads I wandered.
But they wouldn't like it much.
So I think my answer to the question is -
Maybe.
But that's what makes it an adventure, not just a ride.
posted by Randy Masters at 6:54 AM
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