Too many times I have blasted past what I soon realized would have been a terrific opportunity to record some of that breathtaking scenery and was too focused on the trail to take a photo time out. And I certainly didn!t want to turn around and backtrack, especially riding in the middle of a pack of gung-ho dual sport freaks.
You’ve installed new springs to accommodate your weight and riding style, adjusted the preload, and spent three weekends out in the rocks and roots getting the compression and rebound dampening just right, then your buddy says you’ve got the wrong tires.
Helmet Testing has come a long ways since this 1912 football helmet test. The death in 1956 of William “Pete” Snell, a popular amateur auto racer, from head injuries during a race that his helmet failed to prevent led to the formaTon of the Snell Memorial Foundation the following year.
Washing, waxing and polishing the motorcycle might seem like a waste of time since you are putting it away and no one will see it. But applying wax is a very important part of storing a motorcycle. Wax will act as a barrier against rust and moisture.
Tires are where the rubber meets the road in adventure riding. The right set if Tres can be the difference between your adventure coming to fruition, or you being forced to tuck-tail and head home early. I’ve seen the right set of Tres propel heavy bikes up steep, unexpected detours, and I’ve witnessed the wrong set of Tres lead to dropped bikes and cracked ribs during an unexpected downpour.
Off road riders have a limited selection of gear to help keep warm when out on the trails or track. First off, when we ride motocross, we don’t tend to wear anything extra gear-wise when competing because of the abundance of body heat generated.
My second bike was a 1975 HondaCB750. I too was a looker, and for $2,000 it actually ran sometimes. I spent another $100 on a Biltwell open face, $150 on a jacket on Craigslist, and $60 on some Doc
Martens at the flea market. At the time I was still teaching and knew I loved riding around Orange County, but I didn’t have much money and I loved lots of other things too. Unfortunately, its unreliable nature kept me from any long rides or road trips.
Almost without fail, every club member responding mentioned that they routinely use either the website of one or more of our sponsors and then pick up the item in which they are interested at the physical address of the sponsor. Happy Trails Products was number one on this list followed by Carl’s Cycles and Big Twin.
Zippers!? What, you may ask, do zippers have to do with dual-sport riding? Well, think about it. This ubiquitous fastener touches almost every aspect of our dual-sport riding. They are in our riding jackets and pants, and sometimes in our riding boots. Almost universally they form the closure for our tank and tail bags, and sometimes even our saddlebags. They also secure our tents and sleeping bags, plus a number of other bags or devices that we routinely use in the course of our riding season.
If you are new to dual-sport riding, it can be confusing and frustrating to know what equipment you need and how to pack it for a camping ride. Even if you have been dual-sport riding for some time, it is frustrating when you left at home some crucial item that you now desperately need on the trail, but forgot to pack it. Then there are some who pack too much, making their ride unnecessarily difficult and cumbersome.