ADV riders should also own dirt bikes. It’s a way more forgiving way to learn to ride difficult terrain than on a 600lb behemoth. Also, fun.
Here’s mine: a 2010 KTM 530 XC-W Six Days. I bought one of these new in 2010 and absolutely loved it. Then I broke my leg and gave up riding for some time (I had a new business and a young family to support). A couple of years ago, I found this one. It was low hours but rough. It was as if I’d taken my old bike and leaned it against a barn instead of selling it. I took it home, stripped it down and went over everything. For me it’s pretty perfect. I love big bore four strokes. I’ve ridden modern 500’s and 450’s, neither left me wanting.
2018 WR250R. Love this little bike. It’s definitely a dual sport- not a proper dirt beast but once I changed the sprockets and got the suspension dialed in, it’s a blast to ride.
Never take pics so this one is about 5yrs old. I have a different graphics kit on the bike now.
'17 500exc, ~11,500mi, valves haven’t moved. Absolutely bombproof bike. Last year me @Arrivo and Aaron Nichols did Sect 7-8 of the WYBDR on small bikes…and wondered why we even owned big bikes. Small bikes are soooooo nice on BDR rides, aside from admin pavement. Very relaxed and zero concerns about being to able to through anything.
I’m a HUGE proponent of either learning to ride on small bikes, or having a small bike in the stable in addition to an ADV bike. Such a better platform for learning dirt skills and those skills and reflexes scale up to bigger bikes.
2019 Beta 300RR is my current on. It has seen its fair share of beatings, cartwheeled off cliffs, dropped off rock faces and still is a blast to ride.
Dropped a tooth on the front sprocket, mousse front, Tubliss rear with the venerable single track tire set up of the M81 and the IRC Gekkota gummy. Guards everywhere
I’m going to throw out an unpopular opinion. I’ve seen a ton of suggestions that BDR’s are best on smaller bikes and I disagree. If you watch the videos they’re clearly made by and for giant bikes with too much luggage. My friend refers to them as Boring Dirt Roads and while I enjoy the riding I don’t think he’s far off. Sure there a spicy section here and there but there’s no way I could sit on a sawhorse that long just for a few minutes of a week long ride.
I put a big bore kit in it during one of the top end rebuilds and she has plenty of low end torture perfect in the woods. I raced the CORCS series hare scrambles mostly in the springs area.
Regarding small bikes, I think Adam Riemann does the best job in the world explaining why learning how to ride a dirt bike/small bike is the best course before trying to ride a big ol’ ADV bike. I wish someone would’ve told me this in 1999.
For 10+ years I had a 2006 525 exc that I loved but wore the counter shaft out and sold it. After the 525 I bought a 2012 KTM 500 xcw with EFI which I did not like at all - clutch was too grabby and the throttle was an on off switch so after 4+ years of trying to like it I sold it last April. I bought this carbureted 2006 KTM 450 exc last November with only 1200 miles on it for $2500 and proceeded to dump $215 for a new stator, $160 for a kickstand, $350 for a seat, $200 for a fan, $120 for a 13 liter tank, another $50 for brake light and horn, $120 for a skid plate, another $50 for bar switches and $400 for a set of ClearWater Darlas. So I have about $4200 in the thing now. All the other stuff I had on hand (bark busters, hand covers, tail rack, mirrors). I also bought a extra large clear Acerbis tank for Baja new for $300 cheap in hopes of doing Baja again one day. The above 450 runs very well and is not so twitchy like the EFI 500 I had. I would still like to buy a Leo Vince quieter muffler but they do not make them for this bike anymore which means I will have to modify a DR650 Leo Vince to fit - just another $400 if I buy it new plus the cost of the mods . Good thing I am getting closer to the day when money will no longer be needed. I kind of regret selling my 525 exc as it would have been a lot cheaper to tear it down and replace the counter shaft. My hope is to find some folks here who like longer more difficult (not killer) DS rides and who enjoy night riding home after dinner too. Even if just in the Rampart and Divide areas but further is OK too. Esteban
It’s true - 2006 CRF250X for under $3k. Sweet bike for playing around and I’d take it on a BDR in a minute. Doing BoCoBDR on my 701 but would enjoy the 250 if needed. My WR250R would have been a great BDR bike if I had the brains to keep it
I think we see giant bikes with too much luggage on these routes because that’s just what $$$$$ of marketing dollars, across the industry, have conditioned us to ride. In the end, it’s about compromises:
Small bike: zero concerns on any technical sections of a BDR, completely enjoyable on easy dirt roads, but certainly a chore on any long admin or reallllyyyy long easy stuff. I sincerely enjoy riding a county road, paved or dirt, at 55-60mph on my 500. Not for hours and hours, but the simplicity is enjoyable.
Bike bike: depending on skill, technical sections can be either terrifying or a challenge. But the upcoming tech is always in your head, to some degree. Long easy sections, admin or otherwise, still enjoyable.
When you factor in the demographics of the sport (typically older and therefore likely less fit, and because older = $$$ to burn on a bike), you often get over biked, over loaded, underskilled riders on these routes. Likely because, in their minds and experience, BDR = ADV = Big Bike + Tons of Shit on the Bike = increased risk.
These guys would be much better served riding a <600cc, <400lb bike with an ultralight backpacking setup and lightweight, simple luggage.
I saw that a well-known YT influencer recently led a COBDR ride. He had a video of him and his crew spotting each other on the north entrance of Hagerman. All on big, heavy bikes, overloaded. It’s a little rocky, sure, but doesn’t warrant the whole crew going into spotting mode to get everyone through it. IMO, an good example of too much bike, too much gear, and not enough skill.
To further this small bike point… … my wife and I rode a chunk of the NEBDR last fall in Vermont, and did a bunch of other dirt road touring on rented bikes from MotoVermont. She had a Yamaha XT250, and I a Kawasaki KLX 300. The XT250 I wouldn’t recommend unless you’re a sub-5’4” brand new rider. But, the KLX 300, one could ride to Kazakhstan. Dead simple, dead reliable, enough torque for the off-pavement job, and just enough top end for back roads. IMO, better torque and suspension than the CRF300L competitor.
. Good thing I am getting closer to the day when money will no longer be needed. I kind of regret selling my 525 exc as it would have been a lot cheaper to tear it down and replace the counter shaft. My hope is to find some folks here who like longer more difficult (not killer) DS rides and who enjoy night riding home after dinner too. Even if just in the Rampart and Divide areas but further is OK too. Esteban
… my wife and I rode a chunk of the NEBDR last fall in Vermont, and did a bunch of other dirt road touring on rented bikes from MotoVermont. She had a Yamaha XT250, and I a Kawasaki KLX 300. The XT250 I wouldn’t recommend unless you’re a sub-5’4” brand new rider. But, the KLX 300, one could ride to Kazakhstan. Dead simple, dead reliable, enough torque for the off-pavement job, and just enough top end for back roads. IMO, better torque and suspension than the CRF300L competitor.
