You Bought the Wrong Bike! 7 Mistakes New ADV Motorcycle Riders Make
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 มิ.ย. 2024
- Getting started as a new ADV motorcycle rider is an amazing time filled with cool discoveries, but also a ton of mistakes. I made a ton of new ADV rider mistakes when I first started riding adventure motorcycles, and my goal as a content creator is to help you avoid some of the pitfalls and outright dangers that come with being a new off road motorcycle rider.
In this video, I'll share my top 7 mistakes I see new ADV motorcycle riders make. Avoiding these new off road motorcycle rider mistakes can go a long way toward ensuring that you are safer and learning much quicker, enabling you to have the maximum amount of fun on your new adventure motorcycle.
The seven mistakes New ADV Motorcycle Riders Make:
1. Buying an ADV bike in the first place.
2. Not buying protective motorcycle gear (or the right gear).
3. Buying too much adventure bike or an ADV motorcycle that is too big.
4. Buying too much bike AND loading it up with ADV motorcycle mod or accessory possible.
5. Trying to ride your new ADV motorcycle like a street bike.
6. Just jumping into the hard stuff without getting any Adventure motorcycle riding training.
7. Never taking your ADV bike off road (to the degree you're comfortable)
Follow my new ADV rider tips and avoid these mistakes and you'll have a huge head start into enjoying the world of off road motorcycle riding!
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:18 Starting With an ADV Bike
02:36 Not Buying the Right ADV Riding Gear
04:29 Buying WAY Too Much Adventure Motorcycle
05:34 Adding Too Much ADV Luggage/Gear
06:53 Trying to Ride an ADV Bike Like a Street Bike
08:17 Not Getting ADV Riding Training
09:47 Never Taking an ADV Bike Off Road
11:11 Outro
Adventure Riding Gear:
Klim Krios Helmet: bit.ly/2U8kYmn
Klim Traverse Jacket: bit.ly/3v6Cju1
Klim Traverse Pants: bit.ly/2X5CIjP
Klim Marrakesh Jacket: imp.i104546.net/jWa1jM
Klim Marrakesh Pants: imp.i104546.net/kjAR10
Klim Inferno Jacket: bit.ly/3Ax4PWN
Klim Inferno Pants: bit.ly/3lweKYy
Klim PowerXross Gloves: imp.i104546.net/9WqejE
Rev-it Sand 3 Gloves: imp.i104546.net/dorRqW
Camelbak M.U.L.E.: amzn.to/3iXdewN
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Alpinestars Corozal Boots: bit.ly/3mNXEEY
Giant Loop Neck Buff: www.giantloopmoto.com/product...
Trail Riding Gear:
Fox Racing Raptor Vest CE: bit.ly/3BDUgmn
Alpinestars Tech 7 MX Boots: bit.ly/3v6bFkU
Klim Dakar Gloves: bit.ly/3BHkqEw
Klim Dakar In The Boot Pants: bit.ly/2YOSWPf
Klim XC Lite Jersey: bit.ly/3vgeYX2
Klim Viper Goggles: bit.ly/3lEe2so
Fox Titan Race Elbow Pads: bit.ly/3FLOocU
Filming Gear:
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Battery Pack for Helmet Cam: amzn.to/2YJFfRc
GoPro Hero 9 Media Mod: amzn.to/3awIj5J
DJI Osmo Action: amzn.to/3ADixaK
DJI Osmo Action Mic Adapter: amzn.to/3BDsTIR
Mini Tripod w/Ring Light: bit.ly/3FLrVg8
Helmet Mic: amzn.to/3mRPE5S - ยานยนต์และพาหนะ
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Dork in the Road’s Adventure Bike Mods on RMATV/MC: bit.ly/3zGFHxg
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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. TH-cam has tons of great resources on riding and I've essentially taught myself to ride this last year via TH-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.
If I had to start over I would start on a trials bike and learn balance and clutch control first!
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
Best Top 7 list for new folks getting into this - made all those mistakes and now backing into more dirt/terrain training to up my skills and adding "soon" a dual or dirt bike to gain back confidence after learning even if no snow in June, them there mountains leave frozen surprises around a shady corner every night until July!
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!
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.
Perfect. Every point you make is on the mark. I am an “old” rider and had to learn these lessons through experience.
Another great video dork..I myself was fortunate enough to grow riding off road and was able to keep my wr250 and purchase a tenere so now I have both
Now that was a great video brother 👊 seriously we've all been there so it's great that you can share these on such a good platform
Thank you! I appreciate that.
We were lucky enough to be able to move out here to Montana and I can't wait to get done building our house and get out and enjoy this beautiful place. I really want to expand my off road riding skills and be able to enjoy some of these wonderful trails the west has to offer. Thanks for all the great advice Dork 👍
All great advice! I'd take the first tip even a step further for some people. Buy an old barely running, dual sport. It built my confidence so much both for riding, and for working on a broken bike in the woods.
Great advice. I did the lean with the bike error. After decades of road riding I have to focus on changing my riding style when I transition from tar to dirt. One day after a series of great sealed twisties, with a distracted mind I crashed and broke foot and finger on the third easy dirt corner. I got a DRZ first before getting a large adventure tourer but loved the light bike so much kept both. Now have an awesome 701. The other mistake I made early on was not staying focused on the track ahead and where the front wheel was going. I slowed up on what looked like a smooth straight track and decided to look at the view. A rock or a root must have deflected my front wheel and I went over the top and broke my collar bone. I live and I learn 😅
I was totally new to motorcycling riding as of last spring. But loved ATV riding (in Mich.. lots of sandy trails). It was suggested by a ADV rider friend to get a Honda CRF 300L Rally to learn on, So I did. The duel spot choice is definitely the way to go for me and my learning curve. I ended up putting 80/20 tires on to deal with the sandy trails. Wish i would have gotten motocross boots on the 1st buy. Adventure boots don’t help much when your ankle is under your bike….lesson learned. Your advice is so spot on! Keep it coming! I’ve only been trail riding too date and still struggle standing as a 6’5” person who isn’t tiny
I agree with all of the points made on the video and to include ride height. I hear ppl all the time say they regret getting such a tall bike when the spent 90 percent of the time touring or riding 2 up. I got the r1250gsa standard height and got the lowered seat to be perfect because with the regular seat being 2 up with all of our stuff and on tippy toes was sketchy 😅
YES, what a great video. Dork in the Road, I love your channel. I learn so much from you. I used to ride years ago and now in my 60s I'm riding again and I have a great passion for it again. I'm loving it.
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.
I agree with everything you said. Unfortunately, on the East Coast of Canada, a 12 year old, smaller dual-sport is three times the price of the old KLR 650. Off roading is not common out here, so the used market is pretty thin. Still loved the advice and hope to find something for my tiny frame, soon.
This may be your most valuable video! Great job. Love the video showing you repeatedly trying to lift your bike. THAT is solo adventure riding!!!
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.
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.
Another awesome video!👍👍👍
Great video! Can absolutely confirm the training part. I have done several thousand km of TET, then I took a 2 day training course and realized how much I still sucked. :) I learned so many valuable things in those 2 days. I can't stress enough how important proper training really is! I can now ride stuff I could never have imagined before...
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.
That Norden footage…great stuff. Very tempting. You are a force for good in the Adv motorcycling world man. Thanks for doing what you do.
Great video my friend. All the points are bang on. I'm new to motorcycling, coming from a scooter for years, and I realized how important it is to learn properly, street or off-road, learning from experienced riders is the most valuable. + 100% about buying the right bike. I see people getting all about gears and specs, and they don't end up doing much... Going light and with what's necessary is the most important. Good protective gear, a bike you can afford to drop and lift back up is all you need.
Great suggestions! Bike, gear, training! Only other thing ( not sure if you mentioned ) practice picking up a fallen bike from different ground conditions, muddy, sandy, side hill , downhill , etc.
New subscriber here! I like your style. I almost exclusively ride on the street, but also caught the ADV bug some years back like so many others. Since you asked: I rode a KLR 650 from Fairbanks, AK to Olympia, WA. Mostly pavement, but maybe 60-70 miles of gravel road construction. Not the perfect bike for that trip, but not bad. I took my Ducati Multistrada on some pretty remote forest roads in Oregon, alone, and just about got in deeper than was safe. Two summers ago I took my Ducati SuperSport over a well-known rugged pass in Montana; I made it, but needed to have the fork seals replaced soon after. I’ve never owned more than one bike at a time … so it could be said I’m really good at picking the wrong activity for the bike I own at any given moment. Thanks for these thoughts and tips!
Great vid. I'm new. Only been off road a handful of times now. Attacking tracks very cautiously. But definitely need boots. Things just come out of nowhere and hit your feet and shins. Been lucky. No injuries or drops yet. Love the 4x4 tracks with obstacles and mud puddles. So coming off and or lower limb injuries are around the corner if I don't suit up properly. Although I'm managing my bike I do wish I bought a drz or crf. I got myself a 2018 klr. So not the most nimble of bikes to learn on. On the open unsealed roads I'm very happy with my purchase. But when i get into the tricky stuff I think it's dumb luck I haven't come of yet. Or got myself bogged.
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. 😎
100% agree with this!
I've personally made ALL of these mistakes and I'm trying to dig my way out of them.
Loving riding all the same
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.
Great tips and advice, yep I jumped from a Vespa to a GSA and learned the hard way. Now with 110,000 under my belt. Lots of crashes lots of fun about to set off for 6 months on the road. With my second hand Gs. Not loaded to the max but with enough comforts to keep my going.
I'm by no means an amazing rider but I've been riding for 20ish years and still learned a lot from watching Chris Birch's training videos.
What personally helped my riding was getting a mountain bike because we don't have a lot of single track for motorcycles here, but we do have single track for bicycles.
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).
OMG Thank you for the donation. You may enjoy this video: th-cam.com/video/J1v504Cm5ys/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for this. I’m an older ex-street guy new to the NW and looking into ADV as an option to get out and meet people while experiencing the NW’s outdoors.
I’ll continue to watch your stuff & may DM with questions if that’s ok.
Great video.
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!
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
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.
Great advice, kindly given. Thanks man.
Excellent video for beginners.
👍 spot on
really great advice. light is more fun in the dirt and thats what you have it for. 50+++ years off road rider here, Dork has great advice , one thing I'd add, avoid hard panniers off road, they cause lower leg injuries
Excellent video. I rode dirt bike from ages 21-32 and then I took a long break but wanted to buy an adventure bike at age 60 (big break huh) and I bought the Norden 901. In my 30 year absence I have gained 100lbs and I'm very out of shape so my aim is to ride easy trails while I work on losing weight and getting healthier but you are spot on about buying too much "stuff" and things that are not necessary and my advice to myself and others who are starting out is to watch lots of TH-cam tutorial videos and start slow and just practice lots. You mentioned Brett T in your video and he is great for getting expert advice.
PS: Did anyone notice how expensive this sport/hobby is?? Bike, riding gear, helmet, boots, panniers, camping gear and so on....I think my wife is going to ban me from Amazon lol!!
Great video! Every suggestion you stated was was perfect!
Good video Dork, I understand the new direction but don’t forget updates on your Home camp and quad!
Totally Agree on #1! ..#2 and #3 all boild down to weight, #5 was my biggest problem,
I would agree with all of those. start with a smaller bike, and if you're going off road, get soft panniers. at least for the sides. I learned that the hard way by busting the mounting pin off the hard case one my F800GS.
about training, if you're in the northeast and looking for ADV training, I highly recommend Moto Vermont. they do a weekend training course, one day of exercises and one of practical riding. I took it last year and thought it was great, learned a lot of skills and gained a lot of confidence.
Favorite quote... "Run out of talent" 😂 Great advice Ben and thanks for the RIDE Adventures Training Expedition shout out.
Thank You, it was super helpful for me, a first time off road rider here!
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 !
Love your Chanel brother!! Keep it up!!! Much love from Puerto Rico 🇵🇷 ❤
My first ADV bike was...the AT! At 67 yrs old! Crazy! I can no longer pick it up, and am going to buy either a Transalp or CB500X tomorrow! Thank you for your help here and on the Transalp videos. Love your channel.
100% agree on the boots. Many small tip-overs that should only hurt your ego, end up hurting your ankles, and, or feet without proper foot protection.
Great video! Completely agree with everything you said
I made a mistake that's connected to #1 -- going all in on an ADV bike before even knowing I'd like offroad riding! I got swept up in how popular they are, how people say they're just as good on the road, and I assumed since I like motorcycles and I like mountain biking, I'd love it! But, I learned I still prefer pedals when it comes to dirt, and sportier street bikes when it comes to the road. Would've been smarter to get a small, used dual sport to learn that lesson!
Still love your videos!
New ADV rider. I pretty much made all of these mistakes haha. I bought a 2014 tiger 800 and then outfitted It for off-road/touring. I have done some fire roads, and loved every minute. I’ve not been down yet, I’m not afraid of it… but I’m also ringing within my limits. I was a sport bike guy for 30+ years and now i want to cross country and camp along the way. i will however, take your advice and take a course, I could really use that confidence booster. love your content man, I’ve learned a lot so far. You ever make it to AZ, look me up. Ive spent an incredible amount of time in the pines with my jeep and I’m happy to share some terrain ideas with you.
I fully protected my 2018 ATAS which was an extremely good call, especially Barkbusters. And your advice on boots? Brilliant. First time the ATAS tipped onto my right leg, I was reeeeally glad of my enduro boots. My advice? Get yourself booked onto an off road training course. And then book another one. Fantastically useful. Especially when switching off all the rider aids and the abs then nailing it hard. Nothing like it in the world.
I love the fact that if financial viable take a course in off road riding
I am leaning to get a small adv bike/scrambler/dual purpose
And that is the first thing I want to do
Take a course is outstanding advice
My buddy has a KLX 230 as well as a CRF 250. The KLX 230 is a blast! So light. So nimble. Didn’t break the bank. It’s like a tall mini bike. The CRF 250 is great as well. Your advice is spot on! Personally I’d find a used CRF 300 and practice allot.
I like your channel, been following a lout of them but yours stands out!
Great video and list that anyone who is looking to get into ADV riding should watch first.
Thanks for sharing, not saying I'm an expert motorcyclist but after so many years of riding on and off road I take for granted the things I do on my motorcycle and every once in a while, I'll ride with some newbies then it's all about keeping clear of them till I see them in action and how they handle the twisties or ruts, whoopties, hill climbs. And usually there's a fast rider, those KTM bros love to go fast.
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🤠
Great video. Very good advice. I am a 50 year old MX guy my entire life. I bought a Africa Twin 3 years ago. It’s a great bike but way too much for off-road especially after I loaded it up like you talked about. Top bag and hard saddlebags.
I rarely use the side bags now except for on a long off-ride where I carry all of my tools, tubes etc.
Having two bikes is the way to go if you can afford it. I started my dual-sport adventures approx 15 years ago on a KLX400s & then a WR250R. I wish I still had one of those. I think it’s time to sell my MX bike and get a CRF300L or 300Rally
then throw some money at a new shock.
If you live in an area where there is training I highly recommend it. I’m looking into being an instructor for it now.
Thanks again for the great videos. I’m sure your content is appreciated by many. I am in Sacramento, CA and it definitely does not look like the PNW.
Dork! Clear, concise, essential. Grazi!
I’ve recently gone big with the GSA, but have spent 4 years on a triumph Bonneville fully loaded up with camping gear and very top heavy following my friend on his GSA for nearly 40k miles - a lot of them through sand and gravel, not dropping it (much) and keeping up (well, only because he slows down for me). I’ll just be adding some off road each weekend to build the skills with the only slightly heavier GSA (520 wet v 591 wet)
Great video!!
good solid advice. touched all bases. thanks.
Really good advice. I started on a gs 1200, went down to a T7, tent down again to a CRF 300 Rally and now a a can't wait to go out again, after doing 5000km of road with this small perfect thing. I still one my T7 and will take it offroad later
I also own a T7 at the moment. Had a klr650 for a while, but found it too underpowered to be much fun on the road coming from riding a ninja 650. The T7 feels like a good compromise of on and off road. If you can only have one bike, I think the midsized ADV bike is hard to beat. IDK if I could get away with only owning a smaller duel sport, as I still enjoy road riding. That being said, I would still like to get a smaller duel sport to practice off road skills that I can transfer back to the longer t7 rides I do further from home.
I've had my Gen 3 KLR for almost a year and have been dabbling in off-road terrain, especially since this is my first bike in general. I run Shinko 705s, so nothing to aggressive. I'm lucky enough to live in an area where the closest dirt road is 30 seconds from my house, but that area isn't a lot to work with so I've been running the same routes in there and learning what I can and can't handle to well. I feel if I threw some more aggressive tires on there I could push the envelope a little more and add more to my skill set and try and improve on it, however I mostly commute on it and hit gravel roads for fun when I can find some in my area. -- Agree 100% with training and think everyone should do it like you said, self taught or class taught, but to do it right and not bite off more than you can chew. I want to tour my state and area around me, but do not have the full gear nor do I have navigation (want a Zumo, but other stuff is more important), so I've spent the last year and will probably spend this next year getting more experience on two wheels before I decide to do any weekend trips or day trips far from home.
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 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. 😂
Don't forget the community. I've taught a few dozen people over the years that couldn't take a course in time or afford it. Most people I ride with if told upfront you need help, are willing to teach basics. More fun for all, and like you said, basics can be picked up quickly.
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.
I bought a bike that was to heavy to pick up, so I went down in weight with the Honda 300L, and now I love it and I can pick it up!
Just found your channel after following Itchy Boots for years. I have ridden cruisers for a while, but only recently purchased a small Yamaha 250XT. Im not very tall, so seat height was very important.. Also, after seeing Noraly travel all over the world on her Honda CRF 300 it was obvious that I don't need a big BMW1250 or similar bike to enjoy the type of riding I will be doing.. You have a new subscriber.
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 to start small. Also - if you use
that small bike like an adventure bike - than it's an adventure bike.
It was great meeting you at Adventure days rawhide thanks for your content again
Great advice!
I started riding on the street years ago. After I'd been riding on the street for years, I purchased a Honda XR250L (as both a cheap commuter bike and a trail bike). After I started riding with some off-road guys (one of the guys in the group had been a nationally ranked Enduro rider), I was amazed how much my on-road skills improved. Even after years of riding a street bike, it would freak me out if my bike broke traction (e.g. hitting a patch of gravel in an intersection, or riding over a painted stripe in the rain); after learning some good off road skills, I became a much better street rider (and would just power-though lost traction on my sport bikes).
Now that I'm older and my knees can't take the extreme bend induced by sport-bikes (I'm 6'2" with a 34" inseam - so I was never a good fit for the sportbikes I owned), I'm thinking of selling the sport bikes and buying a DRZ400 and a Yamaha Tenere 700.
I'm also getting close to retirement, so moto-camping on the BDR routes is something I think I should put on my bucket list...
Mate you are a very smart spot on man I can only hope not only your audience listens but everyone that clicks on your video
Amazing video, well explained and great advice. And what an amazing forest where you ride that bike! You gotta love that country
I agree. My first car when I was 16 was a 40 HP VW Beetle. Lasted 4 mnths and wrecked. What if it was a Porsche Carrera? When your green or fresh you need to start slow and learn how to control. I started on a TTR 230 to learn dirt riding and so thankful I did and finally moved up to a WR 450F. Your video reminds me to slow down, thank you. Blessings
Thanks again for your great content I race Motocross and drove a lot of dirt bikes and when I got my Africa twin I realized I was a little over my head even with my experience
Great video.. very informative
Thank you for the content
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!!!
Tnx for a great video.
Waiting for my Cfr 300l (experienced streetrider) for my first off-road riding..
Best of luck!
Great advice for sure.
Ya, another great vid. My mistake, still making it, is to try and make a street bike into an ADV bike and try to get by. (Versys650). It has cast aluminum parts that break when you drop it and a 17 inch front wheel. It gets me out there, but... You get what you pay for applies here.