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DAKAR '25 -- Time to get our love of crazy going! - SPOILER ALERT-

The Mojave is a blast and isn't that far away. Ridgecrest is a great place to stay overnight unless you'd rather camp. Spangler is a fun place to ride. Wagon Wheel is a good place to stage. There's also Trona, Ballarat, Jawbone/Dove Springs, and Red Rock Canyon among other places in the general vicinity.
 
Then there's the Baja Barf group if you really want a good adventure.
 
I know well. We have hosted the private forum for them since the beginning and I have been waaaaay in on every thread.

Realistically I am too old for that kind of adventure.
Metal bits and lack of a disc has me staying on smooth roads.
 
budman said:
I know well. We have hosted the private forum for them since the beginning and I have been waaaaay in on every thread.

Realistically I am too old for that kind of adventure.
Metal bits and lack of a disc has me staying on smooth roads.
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Yeah, I remember your visit to Lanesplitters during one of the meetings.

For me, my two trips to Baja were more about overcoming my anxiety. (I was so worried about something going wrong and being stranded - it never happened.) With the exception of some of the deep sandy, whooped out parts, it was an easy ride. The terrain, scenery, food, drink, and people make for an unforgettable trip. I hope to do it again and again if I can ever get my shtuff together.
 
CDONA said:
I would like to try this desert, just one day, just to see how hard it would be for my TW.
I think I would need a few more ponies, to get it on plane, , ,
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I've taken my TW to the desert. (Black Rock and Mojave/Spangler/Wagon Wheel
It does fine, although that meager 12HP does have it's limits. Deep sand is tough but deep and steep sand is a show stopper.
In fact, rode it from Panamint Springs Resort to Saline Hot Springs, spent the night and rode back (Death Valley Newbie weekend a few years back). It did fine out there!

budman said:
Realistically I am too old for that kind of adventure.
Metal bits and lack of a disc has me staying on smooth roads.
Click to expand...
Ah man... don't even talk about age related issues.
You can enjoy desert riding w/o the DAKAR or BAJA 1000 speeds. It may even be smoother riding than dirt in, say, Mendocino National Park.
I don't pack metal bit's (except in my tool kit) but my degraded disc does cause some pain, occasionally. Won't talk about the knee's... save that for another post, or around the campfire! But this is NOT enough to get me to stop enjoying what I love to do! Ride off road.

SFMCjohn said:
I love to camp overnight at Wagon Wheel on my way to Death Valley … hope to do that this March. :ride
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(y)
For the last couple years we've been group camping at Wagon Wheel from Christmas Day to a day or two after New Years. It's been a blast.
I've taken the Honda CT125 but got to ride others bigger bikes as well as rides in some cool side-by-sides.
I'm getting fond of Wagon Wheel, with off road trips to Randsburg and Trona Pinnacles this year.
The little CT125 does OK in the desert but at only about 9HP and with 3" tires it really hates deep soft sand.
 
One thing we didn't have in the Sonoran Desert out of Hope Az. was dune hills.
Dry washes, that flowed out to a sink, sand getting powdery, to dust, sharp rocks with steep climbs & cactus to bash.
This is where my TW spent the last 15 years, now I got a mountain, and red rocks.
She would get so hot churning thru the sand, she would rattle with preignition when bogging.

I'm due a new front tire, not looking for the stock one, but better grip in dirt.
Was thinking about a trials tire, wondering about the flat profile on pavement.
Something like a 21" knobby dirt tire, in a 450/500 18 ?
 
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CDONA said:
One thing we didn't have in the Sonoran Desert out of Hope Az. was dune hills.
Dry washes, that flowed out to a sink, sand getting powdery, to dust, sharp rocks with steep climbs & cactus to bash.
This is where my TW spent the last 15 years, now I got a mountain, and red rocks.
She would get so hot churning thru the sand, she would rattle with preignition when bogging.

I'm due a new front tire, not looking for the stock one, but better grip in dirt.
Was thinking about a trials tire, wondering about the flat profile on pavement.
Something like a 21" knobby dirt tire, in a 450/500 18 ?
Click to expand...
I run the Shinko SR244 (5.10x18) on the front of mine.
Big, heavy, good grip. Bomber on rocks.
It also comes in a 4.10x18 if you don't want as much weight.
Both get good ref's from the TW forum.
Here's a LINK to the Shinko website.
They can be ordered by most moto shops and even thru Amazon.

The SR241 is more of a "early Trials" type tread pattern. Also liked by many on the TW forum.
Link to the Shinko SR241 page.
 
Riding in deep sand is kinda like driving a boat. You need to keep your weight back and get going fast enough so that the front wheel planes above the sand. When I was in Baja on the roads that were deep sand, this was around 45-60 mph. This is fun and okay until the road gets whooped out.

I used to be good at riding through whoops until this pesky spinal stenosis developed in my lower lumbar region. Now I have to avoid them or ride slowly through them which really sucks.

Steep sandy hills require lots of power too. That's why we need 500cc two strokes.
 
My time in desert has deteriorated due to washboard, before the bigger whoops appear.
Solid axle side by sides have been chewing up dry washes, over the past DRY years.
No rain to smooth them any more. The fat tires on a TW lower that top speed needed for planing on sand.
Going slower, I can get really far out of shape, in the washes, when that front tire slows its' roll, and pushes.
Now I have real soil and a mountain, too.
Used to be a good rain would pack the sand almost like pavement, water flow, smooths out washboard,
Wet sage and greasewood the aroma, no buggies anywhere, fast n' easy
 
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WFO said:
Riding in deep sand is kinda like driving a boat. You need to keep your weight back and get going fast enough so that the front wheel planes above the sand. When I was in Baja on the roads that were deep sand, this was around 45-60 mph. This is fun and okay until the road gets whooped out.

I used to be good at riding through whoops until this pesky spinal stenosis developed in my lower lumbar region. Now I have to avoid them or ride slowly through them which really sucks.

Steep sandy hills require lots of power too. That's why we need 500cc two strokes.
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I found my 250 RM did great at Pismo. I love love love the sand. Instant berm when needed and to your point @WFO got to keep the momentum going.

Not sure it is still there but worm valley was amazing with huge deep berms. So damn fun railing around a 8’ tall berm!!!
 
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I really enjoyed riding in wet sand, leaning the bike over, nearly dragging the bar end into the sand under full throttle, and making your own berms.
 
WFO said:
I really enjoyed riding in wet sand, leaning the bike over, nearly dragging the bar end into the sand under full throttle, and making your own berms.
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You sir are a Manimal!
 
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