cabot trail dual-sport gathering

[Zappa]

Hello All, I'm new to the list and I'm new to motorcycles. I'm looking into getting my first bike and the KLR 650 seems to be a good choice. I'm looking to do mostly riding on the street, but I have a friend that has an older Honda XL250 that I want to do some trail riding with. I'm not looking to do any fancy moto jumping or to burn up the trails, I'm just looking to get off road and explore at a very slow pace. The pure dirt guys I have talked to tell me that the KLR won't cut it in the dirt, but I think they are thinking that I want to burn up the trails with my hair on fire.... I guess what I'm asking is, can the KLR get me deep into the N. GA mountains without me being a drag on my buddy with his made for dirt bike? So far everything I have read about the KLR seems to make it the bike for me. I'm 6'6" so the tall seating seems ideal, being able to ride on the street out to the trails sounds great, the large gas tank is a plus. Since I'm new to motorcycles a sportbike seems out (that and you can't take it off road), and I'm not really into cruisers. Anyway, thanks in advance for any advice. Mike Stanton Atlanta GA

[Jim Jackson]

Mike, Just my opinion but here goes... I lived in Greenville SC and rode that area as much as possible last year. If you go out by yourself, be very careful. The trails you find can drop off pretty fast and the KLR is monstrous when you are attempting to drag it back up a hill or get it upright when its pointed seat-south. I have a recovered seat and 3 hours of sweat left near Table Rock to prove the above. If you go out with buddies on lighter bikes just stay on the juice when going up hills and you'll be fine. Oh yeah, take off the windshield and keep an extra set of 20.00 Bikemaster GP mirrors handy. Also, a good bet is a second shifter lever for another 20 bones. That was another three hour lesson along the side of the road... Good luck! Jim Jackson II A13 "Gonzo" Baltimore MD ----Original Message Follows---- From: Zappa To: DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com> Subject: [DSN_klr650] List Newbie Date: Sat, 02 Jun 2001 15:28:50 -0400 Hello All, I'm new to the list and I'm new to motorcycles. I'm looking into getting my first bike and the KLR 650 seems to be a good choice. I'm looking to do mostly riding on the street, but I have a friend that has an older Honda XL250 that I want to do some trail riding with. I'm not looking to do any fancy moto jumping or to burn up the trails, I'm just looking to get off road and explore at a very slow pace. The pure dirt guys I have talked to tell me that the KLR won't cut it in the dirt, but I think they are thinking that I want to burn up the trails with my hair on fire.... I guess what I'm asking is, can the KLR get me deep into the N. GA mountains without me being a drag on my buddy with his made for dirt bike? So far everything I have read about the KLR seems to make it the bike for me. I'm 6'6" so the tall seating seems ideal, being able to ride on the street out to the trails sounds great, the large gas tank is a plus. Since I'm new to motorcycles a sportbike seems out (that and you can't take it off road), and I'm not really into cruisers. Anyway, thanks in advance for any advice. Mike Stanton Atlanta GA _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com

[Greg Paul]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Zappa wrote:

> Hello All, > > I'm new to the list and I'm new to motorcycles. I'm looking into

getting

> my first bike and the KLR 650 seems to be a good choice. I'm

looking to do

> mostly riding on the street, but I have a friend that has an older

Honda

> XL250 that I want to do some trail riding with. I'm not looking to

do any

> fancy moto jumping or to burn up the trails, I'm just looking to

get off

> road and explore at a very slow pace. The pure dirt guys I have

talked to

> tell me that the KLR won't cut it in the dirt, but I think they are

thinking

> that I want to burn up the trails with my hair on fire.... > > I guess what I'm asking is, can the KLR get me deep into the N. GA > mountains without me being a drag on my buddy with his made for

dirt bike?

>

***** Depends on how good he is! You'll be smiling when you come to a paved road and he can't ride on it (legally)! Or you're blowing his doors (fenders?) off on a nice long, fast dirt road! :-> After a few months you're gonna have to tell him to get his "own" when he wants to ride your KLR all the time!

> So far everything I have read about the KLR seems to make it the

bike for

> me. I'm 6'6" so the tall seating seems ideal, being able to ride on

the

> street out to the trails sounds great, the large gas tank is a plus.

He'll be whining when he has to go back to his truck/trailer to gas up and you haven't even started riding! )) Of course depending on how smart he is, you may be whining when he figures out he can just get gas from his "forest gas station".... YOUR TANK! )) Regardless, it's a great bike and everyone on here loves theirs; street and/or dirt! Greg in Dallas

>Since I'm new to motorcycles a sportbike seems out (that and you

can't take it off

> road), and I'm not really into cruisers. Anyway, thanks in advance

for any

> advice. > > Mike Stanton > Atlanta GA

[Lance Collier]

Hi Mike. I've been taking some dirt-inexperienced riders out to do some enduro riding. What I've found is that in the dirt there is not much difference between a road rider that hasn't ridden in the dirt much and someone who hasn't been riding much. One of the first and most important things you should do is add Moose bars to your handlebars. This will protect your levers in case of a dump - and it only takes one dump. You can get the Moose bars from Fred at Arrowhead Motorsports in Moab. Don't buy them from Dualstar. You will never get them. The next important note is to practice your balance. Find some slightly bumpy terrain and practice going as slow as you can whilst standing up with your knees slightly bent and thighs near your handlebars. Your arms should be straight and you should be able to look down and see your front wheel. If you can ride comfortably in this position, your balance will be much better because all your weight is down low on the foot pegs. If you are sitting on the seat your weight is applied high on the bike and and the wheels can come out from under you very quickly. You will notice that while you are standing, the bike can move all it wants from side to side underneath you and you will still remain confident and upright. When you get this down really well, you will be able to stop and balance the bike while standing on the pegs for long periods of time. That comes in handy when you bump up against a big rock and want to blip the throttle to hop over it. After awhile this will probably be your normal riding position on the trails. It also gives your glutes a rest. Third: Wear riding boots, elbow and kneepads, and maybe even a chest protector! They will protect you from the times your balance fails you and rocks and limbs sticking out. Fourth: Tires should be DOT approved knobbies so they don't slide out from under you. The stock tires don't cut it. Take em off and save them for a long road trip some day. Fifth: Don't do drugs! The thing I really like about the KLR on the trails is; it has enough weight to give you traction when you need it most (climbing slick hills), and enough power to overcome the weight. All those guys that tell you "it ain't a dirt bike" are full of ..it. It isn't quite as manuevarable as an enduro, but that can be overcome with finesse. Once you get really good on the KLR, you will be able to hop on an XR and ride circles around its owner. Have fun and stay out of trouble. -Lance A14 in Tucson

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., Zappa wrote: > Hello All, > > I'm new to the list and I'm new to motorcycles. I'm looking into getting > my first bike and the KLR 650 seems to be a good choice. I'm looking to do > mostly riding on the street, but I have a friend that has an older Honda > XL250 that I want to do some trail riding with. I'm not looking to do any > fancy moto jumping or to burn up the trails, I'm just looking to get off > road and explore at a very slow pace. The pure dirt guys I have talked to > tell me that the KLR won't cut it in the dirt, but I think they are thinking > that I want to burn up the trails with my hair on fire.... > > I guess what I'm asking is, can the KLR get me deep into the N. GA > mountains without me being a drag on my buddy with his made for dirt bike? > > So far everything I have read about the KLR seems to make it the bike for > me. I'm 6'6" so the tall seating seems ideal, being able to ride on the > street out to the trails sounds great, the large gas tank is a plus. Since > I'm new to motorcycles a sportbike seems out (that and you can't take it off > road), and I'm not really into cruisers. Anyway, thanks in advance for any > advice. > > Mike Stanton > Atlanta GA

[Lance Collier]

...and just in case you don't know, your bike has to be running to give him gas because of the vacuum operated petcock. That one took me awhile to figure out. -Lance

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Greg Paul" wrote: > --- In DSN_klr650@y..., Zappa wrote: > > Hello All, > > > > I'm new to the list and I'm new to motorcycles. I'm looking into > getting > > my first bike and the KLR 650 seems to be a good choice. I'm > looking to do > > mostly riding on the street, but I have a friend that has an older > Honda > > XL250 that I want to do some trail riding with. I'm not looking to > do any > > fancy moto jumping or to burn up the trails, I'm just looking to > get off > > road and explore at a very slow pace. The pure dirt guys I have > talked to > > tell me that the KLR won't cut it in the dirt, but I think they are > thinking > > that I want to burn up the trails with my hair on fire.... > > > > I guess what I'm asking is, can the KLR get me deep into the N. GA > > mountains without me being a drag on my buddy with his made for > dirt bike? > > > > ***** Depends on how good he is! You'll be smiling when you come to a > paved road and he can't ride on it (legally)! Or you're blowing his > doors (fenders?) off on a nice long, fast dirt road! :-> After a few > months you're gonna have to tell him to get his "own" when he wants > to ride your KLR all the time! > > > So far everything I have read about the KLR seems to make it the > bike for > > me. I'm 6'6" so the tall seating seems ideal, being able to ride on > the > > street out to the trails sounds great, the large gas tank is a plus. > > He'll be whining when he has to go back to his truck/trailer to gas > up and you haven't even started riding! )) Of course depending on > how smart he is, you may be whining when he figures out he can just > get gas from his "forest gas station".... YOUR TANK! )) > > Regardless, it's a great bike and everyone on here loves theirs; > street and/or dirt! > > Greg in Dallas > > > >Since I'm new to motorcycles a sportbike seems out (that and you > can't take it off > > road), and I'm not really into cruisers. Anyway, thanks in advance > for any > > advice. > > > > Mike Stanton > > Atlanta GA

[Lance Collier]

Oops I need to retract the statement I made about Dualstar and offer an apology. I was thinking about another dealer when I made that statement and should not have said anything about Dualstar. They have been fair and honest with me and did not take too long to get me the parts I've ordered from them. "...if you can't say anything nice, don't say it at all". They also have some unique stuff. Check it out if you get a chance. http://www.dual-star.com -Lance ;>}

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Lance Collier" wrote: > Hi Mike. > -Snip > dump - and it only takes one dump. You can get the Moose bars from > Fred at Arrowhead Motorsports in Moab. Don't buy them from > Dualstar. You will never get them.

[Steven van Twuyver]

While your buddies and their lightweight dirt-bikes will fare better than a KLR650 offroad, they most likely will have a limited perimeter from home. Mind you a KLR is no slouch offroad. It can literally go anywhere without needing to be Harleyed to get there. When it comes to highways, a 250 just ain't. The KLR650 is a total compromise but it does so in exactly the right proportions and then adds bomb-proof reliability at a reasonable price with great aftermarket support. There is no substitute, every other motorcycle is a bigger compromise. -svt- 98 KLR650

[em905069@hotmail.com]

Anyone interested in attending the first Cabot Trail Dual-Sport Gathering in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia please reply to my hotmail address. The event will take place during the second/third weeks of August. Riders are encouraged to look at their schedules and submit the dates that work best for them. Also include lodging preferences...fixed roof or full service camping, and any other special preferences regarding cooking/eating-out, riding, tourist attractions etc. Photos of C.B and tourism links can be found at www.ClansmanMotel.com . - Everett