How Many of You Guys Use the Bike "Off Road?"

Gimpdiggity · 04-05-2008, 12:46 AM

Hey everyone.

Just curious as to how many of you guys and girls actually use the bike off road?? Like, for trail riding or something like that?

I know the bike isn't a purpose built off road machine, but how does it fair off the pavement??

I probably won't really be doing much off road riding...but I would probably hit quite a few dirt roads...and sometimes riding ON road in Michigan is just like riding OFF road in other places...damn pot holes!!

mrhyak · 04-05-2008, 01:05 AM

Mine, about 75% off road in the Cascade Mtns. Logging roads and trails and it works great.

Gimpdiggity · 04-05-2008, 01:07 AM

Cool. That's the kind of off roading I'd be doing.

Trails and fire roads.

TeamCheap · 04-05-2008, 05:53 AM

I ride mine mostly offroad but the one weakness was the stock engine mount bolts that would have left our bikes disabled if we had not taken care of them.
Even with very light road riding the stock engine bolts broke but after fixing our bikes I can actually ride mine pretty hard offroad and it has been just fine.

My wife cant ride hers offroad because of all the sand (ST.helens, west branch, hale , rose city area's, bull gap is fun) but mine is fine after modding it a bit and is fun/easy to run in the sand now.
Hers will be better soon after do some work to it but I doubt she will be able to ride hers offoad even still but then she doesnt care because she has her 350 raptor.

PorterzCustomz · 04-05-2008, 10:37 AM

I ride mine mostly offroad. I have owned many 125 and 250 2 stroke race bikes and a couple other 4 stroke bikes. This is my first enduro and the first thing that becomes a problem is the tires are TERRIBLE offroad compared to normal dirtbike tires!!! I bring this bike on the same trails and its completely nite and day difference, the bike is all over the place! The front end slides out, the back end goes out, I ride with my feet down most of the time. The bike actually starts to get stuck in slick mud. I have never had a dirtbike actually get stuck in mud in my whole life with new tires on it.

The stock tires are basically dirtbike tires with 50% less tread depth and a harder compound that grips terrible offroad.

Loose rocks - Terrible
Loose deep sand - completely unrideable
Slick mud - Awefull
Road - Good
Hardpack dry dirt - Good

I know alot of people may disagree but they do not have the experience I have riding real dirt bikes on the same trials in the same conditions I do and comparing them to this bike or they do not do any real offroading.

I started off with the tires at 35 psi like the tire said and I had to stop and walk the bike back out of the trail. I then deflated to 25 PSI and it did better but it was still pretty bad.

I am getting real dirtbike tires, I will have to deal with the road wear I guess..

TeamCheap · 04-05-2008, 10:58 AM

I found the biggest problem for me was the lack of power our bikes had in stock form of course me weighing in at around 255lbs doesnt do the bike any favors.
In the deep sand it couldnt hardly get going but after waking it up a bit I can now ride in the deep sand just fine (I like it)

I do agree though that the stock tires are pretty much useless and I have been thinking of changing the tires on my wifes bike in hopes of her being able to ride it off road.

katoranger · 04-05-2008, 02:02 PM

The tires stock are not the best for mud or wet, but do okay on dry and gravel.

I take mine on the trails and fire roads, but I ride mostly street.

They will do fine on the fire roads.

Allen

Gimpdiggity · 04-05-2008, 02:14 PM

Porterz,

When you say they aren't good for loose rocks, do you mean like a whole pile of loose rocks??

Or do you mean like a dirt road that has loose stones all over it but is MOSTLY packed down dirt/sand??

katoranger · 04-05-2008, 02:29 PM

Gimp, I noticed alot of wandering with the stock tires on the loose gravel roads. If you kept the speed down to about 25mph it was fine. I was also loaded with gear too so the front was light.

If you plan to ride mostly off-road with just some street upgrade to a better tire for dirt. If you want to ride more street the stay with the stockers until they were out.

It you want to ride hard off-road like porterz was more doing with more challenging terrain they the stock tires need to go. I managed some pretty difficult trails on the stockers, but at low speed.
Climbing about 2000ft on rocky trails in first gear.

Allen

PorterzCustomz · 04-05-2008, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katoranger

The tires stock are not the best for mud or wet, but do okay on dry and gravel.

I take mine on the trails and fire roads, but I ride mostly street.

They will do fine on the fire roads.

Allen

Correct.. they are not for real offroad trail riding. They are nothing at all like stock dirtbike tires. If you have ridden a normal dirtbike and think this bike will do the same thing you will fall very fast!

PorterzCustomz · 04-05-2008, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gimpdiggity

Porterz,

When you say they aren't good for loose rocks, do you mean like a whole pile of loose rocks??

Or do you mean like a dirt road that has loose stones all over it but is MOSTLY packed down dirt/sand??

I mean like the large rocks that they sometimes lay down in driveways like 2.5- 3 inch square. Like the ones they put in some drain ditches the grey ones. Or if your riding on a eroded trail with many small-medium sized loose rocks.

TeamCheap · 04-05-2008, 03:32 PM

I dont think these bikes will ever come close to a REAL dirtbike they are heavy sluggish dualsports but they are a lot of fun offroad and can still do some decent trail riding.

I have had mine wide in open 4th-5th gear on a road of sand and it was a blast, still stock tires going 50-55mph.
Of course it was a long straight wide hilly road but the sand was loose and deep.

Yeah the stock tires stink but they roll.

they are a little bit better than hard plastic.

Mountainwolf · 04-05-2008, 03:34 PM

I took one look at the stock tires on my Shineray and knew they where going away. I put about 15 miles in the loose dirt and sandy areas around my house and they are useless. Don't even ask about the irrigation ditch, the bottom is covered in 3" to 10" rock, wasn't fun at all. Ride great on the street though. As for the original question, I willbe riding mine 95% off road.

Wolf

katoranger · 04-05-2008, 03:48 PM

I got street tires now. The DR250 I bought has the knobbies.

Allen

silverman1 · 04-05-2008, 09:02 PM

Im partial to the full knobbies, I love maximum traction. Gotta get the bike first though. Gimpdiggity, thanks pointing out the coparosion of the lifan 200 and the hi-bird 250 that another guy posted earlier. I agree that the lifan is prettier, but i would rather have the extra 50 ccs to haul my 250 lb ass around. Now if money were no object it would be a drz 400 hands down, a full blown motocross bike would not work either Im to old to be outrunning the cops like the good old days

04-05-2008, 12:46 AM	#1
Gimpdiggity Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jackson/Lansing, Michigan Posts: 74	How Many of You Guys Use the Bike "Off Road?" Hey everyone. Just curious as to how many of you guys and girls actually use the bike off road?? Like, for trail riding or something like that? I know the bike isn't a purpose built off road machine, but how does it fair off the pavement?? I probably won't really be doing much off road riding...but I would probably hit quite a few dirt roads...and sometimes riding ON road in Michigan is just like riding OFF road in other places...damn pot holes!!
	0

04-05-2008, 01:05 AM	#2
mrhyak Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hyak, WA Posts: 448	Mine, about 75% off road in the Cascade Mtns. Logging roads and trails and it works great. __________________ 1985 Kawasaki Tecate-3 1997 Ural Sportsman 2WD 1980 Yamaha XS1100 2005 TANK Trail 200 2009 Lifan LY110GY-3 (2)
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04-05-2008, 01:07 AM	#3
Gimpdiggity Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jackson/Lansing, Michigan Posts: 74	Cool. That's the kind of off roading I'd be doing. Trails and fire roads. __________________ 02 Kawasaki Ninja 250--everything you can possibly do to mod it has been done. Coming Soon-Hi-Bird 250 in Big Bird Yellow!!
	0

04-05-2008, 02:02 PM	#7
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	The tires stock are not the best for mud or wet, but do okay on dry and gravel. I take mine on the trails and fire roads, but I ride mostly street. They will do fine on the fire roads. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

04-05-2008, 02:14 PM	#8
Gimpdiggity Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Jackson/Lansing, Michigan Posts: 74	Porterz, When you say they aren't good for loose rocks, do you mean like a whole pile of loose rocks?? Or do you mean like a dirt road that has loose stones all over it but is MOSTLY packed down dirt/sand?? __________________ 02 Kawasaki Ninja 250--everything you can possibly do to mod it has been done. Coming Soon-Hi-Bird 250 in Big Bird Yellow!!
	0

04-05-2008, 05:53 AM	#4
TeamCheap Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: directly under the earths sun............NOW Posts: 2,302	I ride mine mostly offroad but the one weakness was the stock engine mount bolts that would have left our bikes disabled if we had not taken care of them. Even with very light road riding the stock engine bolts broke but after fixing our bikes I can actually ride mine pretty hard offroad and it has been just fine. My wife cant ride hers offroad because of all the sand (ST.helens, west branch, hale , rose city area's, bull gap is fun) but mine is fine after modding it a bit and is fun/easy to run in the sand now. Hers will be better soon after do some work to it but I doubt she will be able to ride hers offoad even still but then she doesnt care because she has her 350 raptor.
	0

04-05-2008, 10:37 AM	#5
PorterzCustomz Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 303	I ride mine mostly offroad. I have owned many 125 and 250 2 stroke race bikes and a couple other 4 stroke bikes. This is my first enduro and the first thing that becomes a problem is the tires are TERRIBLE offroad compared to normal dirtbike tires!!! I bring this bike on the same trails and its completely nite and day difference, the bike is all over the place! The front end slides out, the back end goes out, I ride with my feet down most of the time. The bike actually starts to get stuck in slick mud. I have never had a dirtbike actually get stuck in mud in my whole life with new tires on it. The stock tires are basically dirtbike tires with 50% less tread depth and a harder compound that grips terrible offroad. Loose rocks - Terrible Loose deep sand - completely unrideable Slick mud - Awefull Road - Good Hardpack dry dirt - Good I know alot of people may disagree but they do not have the experience I have riding real dirt bikes on the same trials in the same conditions I do and comparing them to this bike or they do not do any real offroading. I started off with the tires at 35 psi like the tire said and I had to stop and walk the bike back out of the trail. I then deflated to 25 PSI and it did better but it was still pretty bad. I am getting real dirtbike tires, I will have to deal with the road wear I guess..
	0

04-05-2008, 10:58 AM	#6
TeamCheap Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: directly under the earths sun............NOW Posts: 2,302	I found the biggest problem for me was the lack of power our bikes had in stock form of course me weighing in at around 255lbs doesnt do the bike any favors. In the deep sand it couldnt hardly get going but after waking it up a bit I can now ride in the deep sand just fine (I like it) I do agree though that the stock tires are pretty much useless and I have been thinking of changing the tires on my wifes bike in hopes of her being able to ride it off road.
	0

04-05-2008, 02:29 PM	#9
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	Gimp, I noticed alot of wandering with the stock tires on the loose gravel roads. If you kept the speed down to about 25mph it was fine. I was also loaded with gear too so the front was light. If you plan to ride mostly off-road with just some street upgrade to a better tire for dirt. If you want to ride more street the stay with the stockers until they were out. It you want to ride hard off-road like porterz was more doing with more challenging terrain they the stock tires need to go. I managed some pretty difficult trails on the stockers, but at low speed. Climbing about 2000ft on rocky trails in first gear. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

04-05-2008, 03:32 PM	#12
TeamCheap Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: directly under the earths sun............NOW Posts: 2,302	I dont think these bikes will ever come close to a REAL dirtbike they are heavy sluggish dualsports but they are a lot of fun offroad and can still do some decent trail riding. I have had mine wide in open 4th-5th gear on a road of sand and it was a blast, still stock tires going 50-55mph. Of course it was a long straight wide hilly road but the sand was loose and deep. Yeah the stock tires stink but they roll. they are a little bit better than hard plastic.
	0

04-05-2008, 03:34 PM	#13
Mountainwolf Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Idaho Falls ID Posts: 59	I took one look at the stock tires on my Shineray and knew they where going away. I put about 15 miles in the loose dirt and sandy areas around my house and they are useless. Don't even ask about the irrigation ditch, the bottom is covered in 3" to 10" rock, wasn't fun at all. Ride great on the street though. As for the original question, I willbe riding mine 95% off road. Wolf
	0

04-05-2008, 03:48 PM	#14
katoranger Join Date: May 2007 Location: Altamont, Kansas Posts: 15,103	I got street tires now. The DR250 I bought has the knobbies. Allen __________________ You meet the nicest people on a Honda Clone.
	0

04-05-2008, 09:02 PM	#15
silverman1 Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 42	tires Im partial to the full knobbies, I love maximum traction. Gotta get the bike first though. Gimpdiggity, thanks pointing out the coparosion of the lifan 200 and the hi-bird 250 that another guy posted earlier. I agree that the lifan is prettier, but i would rather have the extra 50 ccs to haul my 250 lb ass around. Now if money were no object it would be a drz 400 hands down, a full blown motocross bike would not work either Im to old to be outrunning the cops like the good old days
	0