Motorcycle Forum / General / Sportbikes / March 2006

Well as some of you know I went partially insane last year, sold my
600RR, renounced track and street riding and got a dirt bike.

What I really wanted was a dual-sport bike, to do some offroading and
exploring forest service roads.  But now I've come to find what people
were telling me was true.  Forest service roads are boring.  I'm having
much more fun offroading.

So I've been taking the XR out on every possible terrain to see what I
like.  Trails,  desert, MX & GP courses, and snotty wet rocky slippery
woods.  The XR handles fine but really wears me out.  Again I was
warned of this, by the Prophet Peckhammer who was of course correct on
all counts.  The XR is heavy.  But it makes a decent beginner bike,
since I can put it into 2nd and motor over virutally anything.  It's
like driving a Sherman tank through the woods.  Riding incorrectly is
punishing.  If you fight the bike you're in for a short day and pain.

The GP course was a total blast.  This is a techincal 6-mile course
with lots of mini motocross elements, like whoops, table-tops and tight
corners.  It ties into a real MX course which is by the way incredibly
difficult.  I have total respect for the MX guys, that is some
difficult sh.t. I did some laps around it and then got the hell out of
the way.

Physically, this is a very demanding sport.  For street riding the
machine does most of the work.  On track days I was OK.  To train I
would run and do Pilates, which works great for sport riding since it
keeps you light, flexible and strong.  For dirt biking though, I'm not
nearly strong enough.  You have to be lifting weights to keep it up for
a full day's ride, or else just be spent and sore for a couple days
after.  You work pretty much everything trail riding.

To maximize potential for pain I have also got an RV.  Mostly I got it
for the family, but it's great fun riding all day and camping with the
dudes.  Another good thing about dirt biking is it's family-friendly.
There are kids everywhere on their 50cc bikes!  It's so damn awesome to
see the grin on their faces.  My oldest will be four this summer, so
next year he'll get his first dirt bike.  Me and the riding buddies
took it to the Eddieville GP course last month.  The setup:
http://www.gmon.com/images/eddieville.jpg

The next day the lot was totally full of RVers.  My favorite was the
two guys who slept in their utility trailer with the bikes outside.  It
got down to about 28*(F) at night  These guys are hardcore!

Last week I did a desert ride, which is my favorite so far.
http://www.gmon.com/gallery/2006-mattawa/images/img_0513.jpg
http://www.gmon.com/gallery/2006-mattawa/images/img_0515.jpg

The open prairies are great for WFO throttle.  I found out I really
need to dial in my suspension.  It's just as important, if not moreso,
on the dirt as it is a sport bike.  Yesterday we did a day of tight
single-track in the woods.  It was great until I crashed and broke my
clutch lever.  Getting out of singletrack without a clutch - not
recommended.  Just one more thing to stick into the emergency bag.

Every trip out I get better on this bike.  I find myself wondering why
I spent all those years riding on the street when I could have been
doing this.  In two weeks is my first race.  I'm a little nervous, but
they have beginner classes for a reason.  If I finish I'll consider it
victory.

The weather is getting nice here so anybody who wants to meet up and
ride, I will tag along behind knobbies and all.  The XR does fine on
the street but I'm looking for an extra set of wheels to put super-moto
tires on it.  

Greg Sumner
Seattle, WA
'98 XR400-Dualsport