Photos of your bike on location

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[WoodsChick]

Nah, that shot is perfectly framed!

Your KLR adventure photos had me looked up first gen KLRs (the most iconic and best looking, especially green ones like yours) on CL, but I came to my senses and picked up one of these (from Merced today, a long drive) which I've wanted for like 10 years. Let's see if the DR lives up to my expectations.

Wait...what? Gary856 has a dirty bike now?? OK, I need to change my rating for this thread from "Excellent" to "More Excellenter!" arty



And speaking of more excellenter, my unremarkable photos below cannot hold a candle to anyone else's photos in this thread, but for me personally, this was a huge day. We are back on the bikes again, after a few long hard years, and I am scouting dirt routes from here to Idaho right now! Yay me!

Where am I?

AlmostFeelingLikeWoodsChickAgain

 

[Gary856]

I'm just a casual dirt rider who likes to dabble in local dirt trails, nothing like you multi-day dirt adventurers. I thought a dual sport would lure me into more dirt than I could handle - one doesn't suddenly become a good rider from a bike upgrade, and here's almost an example. I went down the short ramp, found the dirt up ahead too loose, but wasn't confident that I could make it back up the ramp either, so I had to forge ahead. I felt like a mouse that barely escaped from a trap.

 

[Gary856]

The previous owner sprung it for a 250 lbs rider. Me being 180 lbs, it's comfy on pavement, but a little too stiff on rough dirt roads.

Summit Rd

 

[two wheel tramp]

derp

 

[CDONA]

Gearing, Gary, will help along with the suspension softening. I would want a half gear shorter or more, for picking along in low gear in rocks. How much top end do you have now? How much speed do you need?

 

[ScottRNelson]

Gearing, Gary, will help along with the suspension softening. I would want a half gear shorter or more, for picking along in low gear in rocks. How much top end do you have now? How much speed do you need?

Don't lower the gearing unless you actually need it off road in tight stuff. I often switch tires on my XR650L between more dirt-oriented tires and more street-oriented. The dirt wheels have a rear sprocket with three more teeth while the street wheels have stock gearing. Most of the time stock gearing is better even on the dirt roads. Unless you're going to go do all of the "blue" trails at Carnegie, stock gearing is probably a better choice. And a front sprocket swap with one less tooth is a pretty good temporary way to lower the gearing.

As for softer suspension, I've owned three XR650Ls and my current one appears to be softer than stock. And I like it better that way - all except when trying to make a hard stop from high speed, then I get about eight inches of front end dive.

 

[Lonster]

Hoho riders at the top of South Fork Mountain pass.

 

[Gary856]

Alamitos Rd

 

[SFMCjohn]

intersection of Forest Route 1 and FR 3N10, Trinity County, California, on the way home from Weaverville and the 2023 BARF Hoho Midsummer Magic Rally.

 

[Cabrito]

intersection of Forest Route 1 and FR 3N10, Trinity County, California, on the way home from Weaverville and the 2023 BARF Hoho Midsummer Magic Rally.

Hyampon!

 

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Checked out old stomping ground

 

[Gary856]

Metcalf Rd. Wish I got there a couple of minutes earlier when the moon was lower and dissected into 3 parts by the low clouds, positively science friction looking.

On my 690 the off-on throttle transition is pretty abrupt, and I got into the habit of listening to the exhaust notes to tell when the injectors come back on as I crack open the throttle, as a feedback mechanism to my throttle input, before I even feel the power coming back on. On the DR there's decel pops when the throttle is fully closed; cracking the throttle just a tiny bit stops the pops.

 

[ScottRNelson]

On my 690 the off-on throttle transition is pretty abrupt, and I got into the habit of listening to the exhaust notes to tell when the injectors come back on as I crack open the throttle, as a feedback mechanism to my throttle input, before I even feel the power coming back on. On the DR there's decel pops when the throttle is fully closed; cracking the throttle just a tiny bit stops the pops.

When I had the 2008 KTM 990 Adventure, I got in the habit of just feathering the clutch to smooth out the abrupt throttle transition. The newer KTMs haven't had that issue. And I get some great, loud pops on deceleration with my XR650L, but only at higher revs.

 

[Gary856]

I had pretty strong buyer's remorse the first couple of days I rode this DR. Things I didn't like at first - stiff suspension on dirt, loud exhaust, heavy clutch, weak brakes, tall seat height, etc. But the more I ride it, the more I get it and like it.

Uvas Rd

Croy Rd. One of the worst encounters on hilly dirt roads is seeing a big, mean looking dog(s) (a big black German shepherd in this case) charging toward me and not knowing if I had enough room to get away before it gets to me.

Loma Prieta

 

[ScottRNelson]

One of the worst encounters on hilly dirt roads is seeing a big, mean looking dog(s) (a big black German shepherd in this case) charging toward me and not knowing if I had enough room to get away before it gets to me.

I think the only thing that might be worse than that is having a whole pack of hearding dogs headed toward you. I was up in the mountains, saw a herd of sheep, and thought maybe I could get closer for a photo. Then I noticed about eight dogs, probably related to border collies. Then I looked a bit closer and one of them was running toward me at full speed. I like border collies, but no idea if they'll be friendly, especially when there is a full pack of them. I headed up the nearest hill and got out of there. Headed back down later I saw the whole group laying around under a tree. I figured the best course of action was to find the nearest route out of there.

 

[berth]

Ok, what's the secret here. Every time I try to take a moon photo, it's just a little white blob.

 

[Gary856]

Headed back down later I saw the whole group laying around under a tree. I figured the best course of action was to find the nearest route out of there.

It's bad when I had to backtrack and knowing there's a dog (or two) waiting for me, and I had to weigh the risk of going too fast on a steep dirt road against the dogs getting me. Wonder how bite resistant my street boots are.

Ok, what's the secret here. Every time I try to take a moon photo, it's just a little white blob.

I don't know - never seen your ride photos... Post them up.


Uvas Rd

 

[Gary856]

I sort of lost the desire to ride my other bikes - all I want to ride is the DR. When coasting downhill with a light throttle the DR's vibration and exhaust note feels and sounds like a cat purring! Varying the throttle tension slightly to match a cat's breathing rhythm makes the purring feels/sounds even more like a cat, it's hypnotic.

Off Buzzard Lagoon Rd

Coming back up. It was ugly going down. I lost control of speed and nearly ran off the left side of the road, then dropped into the deep left track and still out of control, but I stayed with it and rode it out. I think the 21" front knobby saved the day.

 

[Gary856]

Buzzard Lagoon

Ormsby Cutoff