Adventure Rider Training

There is more Adventure/Dual Sport 'presence' in the manufacturers sector than the media/user sector. There are a number of Dirt/Moto mags covering the segment and thats great, but for those looking to get into Adventure riding and are looking for advice on basic stuff like what bike, what safety gear etc, there is not that much available. Particularly if your not involved 'socialy' with those in the know. Sure you could go and chat to your local bike retailer and if your really lucky you might find an unbiased opinion. That would be great but in my experience that would be rare. You will just get 'sold' a product that may or may not be right for you.

On the other hand the detailed 'Rides' and "Reviews' that you will find in the mags are probably too far in the opposite direction. In the Dirt mags' you'll get some hard core Enduro or MX rider telling you what the bike(s) will or won't do in relation to a purpose built machine with a narrow focus on life. A similar story from the Sport/Street/Tourer guys in the other mags. "Yeah it's good on the dirt (read well maintained trafficked dirt road) but is lacking the Suspension/ Power/ Luggage options of a bitumen beast. Now I don't want to sound scathing of the journos, I know a few, are an avid fan of many and have great respect for their abilities in their chosen niche and with a word processor. However, the Adventure segment is really in its infancy as was the 4WD segment until the 'Grey Nomads' came along and started the whole thing off. Sure "Ruthy' and the 4WD Action type guys were telling the converts what articulation kit was great for rock hopping and rut crossing and what recovery gear to use in the Simpson but the Nomads were in the middle ground. Not on the extreme ends. Well I see the potential owners of Tigers, GS's, VStroms etc in the same place as the 'Greys' of 15 years ago.

So to make what could be a long story short(er), how do you choose the right basic 'kit' for doing some Adventure (not trail) riding. Well like anything you have to set a "realistic' expectation of what you are going to do with the thing, then measure that against what you are capable of, since almost any decent Dualy will go places that you won't be able to make it go. For example a good rider can make a BMW GS go anywhere you can take a KLR or a DR as long as she will physically fit through the hole you aim at. So first things first, stick a pin in the riding skills map, truthfully where you think you can be in the short term. By 'Short Term' I mean 12 months or so, which is important since most people will find two things are true of their early exploits into anything.

1. If you're realistic and honest with your self appraisal  (IN THE SHORT TERM) you will underestimate the level of ability you can develop in that time....and...
2. Pursuant to point 1, if you choose the right kit for that ability, you will enjoy, and eventually out grow it and be looking to upgrade.

Those are in my opinion both good things by the way. You get better and you don't waste money on kit you can't get value out of. So what I'm trying to say here is this. Don't think long term in the beginning. You don't know what your long term situation might be. You may initially just want to cruise the 2WD-able roads in the national parks going in, and a year later, find yourself contemplating a crossing of the Simpson or at least leaning with your elbows on the seat of your bike, enjoying a cold beer with a group of mates in Birdsville. You just 'don't know what you don't know'. Think about that last statement for a minute, it's one of my favourites and is always true. You don't know what you don't know. Accept that and life gets a bit more understandable. Ironically...

So now that we've 'aligned' our ambitions and capabilities. There's another of my favourite sayings, 'Don't get your ambitions mixed up with your capabilities'. It could end up with an unexpected helicopter ride Anyway I digress. If your going to take up photography, don't go out and buy $10,000 worth of kit and expect to see your 'work' published any time soon, know what I'm saying? Buy a cheap little unit made buy a good company and DO A COURSE. See where that takes ya'. OK enough said........

Having done all the requisite naval gazing, the next thing then is simple. The right bike is basically a combination specifications relating to:

• Engine
• Suspension/Chassis
• Brakes
• Wheels
• Accessories

What you need to do is take your realistic, short term, ambitions and capability assessment and massage that into a requirements list:

• Is it going to be your daily ride or just a tool for a job. 
• What terrain are you going to ride on (realistically in the short term).
• How big you are, weight and height.
• How far you think you might want to travel in a day and for how many days at a time.

Now just match the requirements above with the right specs from earlier. Firstly, the engine. The terrain referred to above refers to the combination or % of tarmac and dirt AND how long at a stretch on each. If your doing mainly 4WD-able dirt say 50% and tarmac sections (including some nice twisty stuff) the other 50%, then you need to look at a multi cylinder bike. You WILL NOT enjoy riding a single for hours on end on the tarmac AND you won't get a single bigger than 650 cc, which has implication addressed next. On the other hand if your doing 70-80% dirt and some single track stuff included, then a thumper (single) is your best choice. The right amount and delivery of torque, simple and reliable.

The other side of the coin to GO (engine) is the STOP (brakes). The choice of mount must take into consideration the brakes. As mentioned before the 650 thumper is not a good choice for a high % of tarmac, not just because of the power limitations but because they usually have a single disk front brake. Which is great on the trail as it has more than enough stopping power, is gradual, manageable and keeps the unsprung weight down. However if you wanting to tour outback and like to sit on a 'productive' speed AND have a bit of gear, you will not be able to pull up a bike with a single disk front end (as a rule!!) You will even make the brakes fade on the tarmac if you get too carried away in the hills. Upgrading these single disc units to get good power and fade resistance is not cheap. Just sayin...

Now for the Suspension and chassis. If your going to go serious off-rod, you need to be at least 60-70% the weight of your bike as a rule. I'm 110Kg and my bikes 220Kg so it's enjoyable in the bush but its hard work and all day is a little too long. A DR hits the scales at around 160 dry, say 180 on the trail a KLR about 15-20Kg more. So if your 70-80Kg then that would be like me on the GS. Do-able and capable but a full day will be hard yakka. Finally you need to be able to touch the ground but the engine should not!! So the right seat height, ground clearance for your leg length is important. So make sure that the seat is not too far from the ground, and this  can be modified in many ways (suspension and frame mods) BUT you need good ground clearance so let that be a priority. Anything less than 250mm is probably to low as this is not the loaded measurement. You should be able to ride up onto a square curb without considering the clearance. Try it when your looking at some prospects.

 Lastly but not least, the wheels. In this day of "adapt an existing road bike for dirt and call it a Dual Sport" marketing, the single biggest gripe I have with what is offered up as off-roadable is the size of the rims. You CAN NOT (and I can't stress this toooooo much) ride a bike off road with a 120 section and/or a 17" hoop!! It will not work and please don't find this out the hard way because when you finish paying the medical bills you won't have the money left to "modify' it. If that is possible. I am talking about the likes of the the Buell Ulysses, the Yamaha TDM, the new KLE from Kawasaki the Versys (yuuuuk), the new Tiger from Triumph (WTF guys) and don't get me started on the Ducati Multistrada, etc etc. Now I know what your thinking, but I'm not going to ride in sand or . You know what, YES YOU WILL. If you ride off the tarmac and want to go to wherever, you will get sick of the skid mark making, white knuckle action that will be your life if you don't want to turn back. Adventure riding is addictive and you will enjoy challenges. You will not enjoy turning tale and hearing about the great ride/view/excitement from your mates the next day. If your considering a bike with anything less than a 19" hoop, be careful. Some of the 18" hoops can be made more friendly with the choice of alternative (narrower) tire selection, some don't behave on the tarmac with these selections. best not to go there.

In the final analysis, it's nice to know exactly what you want and you do need to know this but in the real world the market has adapted to the demands of the buying public and as a result there are three groups of bikes to choose the basic bike from. After that you need to modify, accessorise, customise to get the exact fit. The three groups are:

1. The big girls, the likes of which are the R series GS from BMW, the Adventure from KTM and the DL 1000 from Suzuki and early TDM's and Tigers to a lesser degree.
2. The Middle weight twins like the KLE from Kawasaki (until the 08' year anyway) or the 650 Vstrom from Suzuki. Going back in time the XLV and XRV Hondas (a little obscure for parts here in OZ) and a gem and also obscure the XTZ From Yamaha.
3. The group that some would say are the "real" Dual Sports, the Singles. Like the legendary DR650 and KLR650 from Suzuki and Kawasaki respectively. Also the XT's from Yamaha and of course the Eurotrash, KTM, Husky's (one in the same now) etc. All the big sellers in this category are well sorted machines.

So to create your short list, start with you and what you can physically take advantage of in the beginning:

• If your around the six foot mark and closer to 100kg than 70kg, group 1. should be on your radar, particularly if you are in the  80-20 OR 70-30 Tarmac to dirt mix. Even if your looking at 50-50 but for the money you will shell on a GS or KTM you could get a DR/KLR AND and keep your street bike (or a ute to carry them in) Just depends on if you would consider having 2 bikes (and who wouldn't)
• If your less than 90Kg and 170cm, forget category 1. for now. Once you have your bike control skills, test the water and by then you'll have been offered the opportunity to ride them and will know what your in for. However if your looking for a 70-30 or 80-20 road to trail balance (which most of group 1. get used for) then try the units in group 2. They are capable on the tarmac and are more than up to the task on the fire trails etc.

Hopefully you may be better able to make a choice after reading this. However just one last thing. If you're considering Adventure riding, and I mean ADVENTURE riding. Then I would strongly advise you NOT to buy a NEW bike. Sorry to the Dealers and Salesmen but hey. You are going to drop the thing if your serious about having fun. Probably drop it a lot. Better to spend a few grand less on the bike and kit it up with the right accessories and buy the right safety gear.

(NB when I refer to armour I don't mean solid only plastic OR the foam of your lounge chair. Good CE armour feels more like the sole of a good tennis shoe and about as thick.)

• If its your daily (only) ride, buy a street helmet and don't scrimp. A $200 helmet is not going to last long and probably work as poorly.
• A tight fitting textile jacket with good CE armour on the shoulders, elbow, forearms and back at a minimum. Your gonna shell out at least $300. A full pressure suit and jersey only cost about as much as a cheap jacket and is a better alternative to it and is better for a day in the bush.
• Either MX knee/hip pads under nylons or cargos or a cool breathable set of street pants with the Knee/Hip Armour.
• Gloves have to be breathable. For street use you need good leather palms and fingers but the back have to be textile/mesh 'cos your gonna sweat like crazy. Wet full leather gloves out on the trail are not just uncomfortable, they are dangerous. Get a set just for off road, they are cheap enough and you won't have to live with smelly fingers all the time.
• Boots. If your doing anything remotely involving close proximity to logs, roots or rocks. BUY PROPER MX STYLE BOOTS!! Once you crush your toes or ankle thats it. Your walking with a limp for along time as they take forever to heal if at all.

Which leads me to my final point(s). Always fit the following to your Adventure bike, and I mean good ones not the rubbish that come as standard items (sometimes):

• Bash/Sump plate. Don't leave the tarmac without one or you may have to walk out wheeling a very broken bike. A cracked main case is expensive to fix when the plates only cost a couple of hundred.
• Engine/Crash bars. As above, tanks, radiators and bodywork are expensive. A good set of bars are only $300 odd on most bikes.
• Good Bars. They take the brunt of the hits and are what you'll swing off to pick 'er up. Also, some OEM bars are useless in anything other than the default position and are too narrow. Do yourself a favour.
• Bark Buster (hand guards). Good solid metal reinforced units are a must. Too many reasons to list but if you've ever crushed a finger between a lever and the bars that should be enough of a reason!
• Pegs. You need grip and contrary to the street riders perspective, rubber is useless. Particularly when wet or covered in clay or mud. Fit a good set of steel/alloy wide pegs and you'll thank me. If you've ever spent any time standing on the rungs of a ladder you'll know what I mean. Most of the time when your off road your standing and a large grippy area to stand on is a must.

Well that's it. Hopefully you will have what you need to make a realistic and informed choice. After the first one you'll know exactly what you want/need but for now happy hunting and remember, feeling good beats looking good every time, leave your ego at home.