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Dirt bikes

Discussion in 'General' started by Wheel Bearing, Oct 27, 2015.

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  1. t500racer

    t500racer Never Fails To Fail

    For those wearing a brace, which do you wear, and would you recommend it? I'm finally looking at getting one. I race hare scrambles and enduro. Just recently retired my knee guards for a set of real braces from Leatt and wonder why I waited so long to do so.
     
  2. Resident Plarp

    Resident Plarp drittsekkmanufacturing.com

    It really depends on what kind of upper armor you’re wearing if you expect to get the most comfort out of a particular neck brace. Alpinestars has a scheme in their gear to accomodate their braces. Don’t know if that’s the case with Leatt, but for me, that’s what pushed me in the direction of Alpinestar’s piece.
     
  3. duggram

    duggram Sunrise Bahia de LA

    The biggest problem I've had is finding a jacket that fits right. I got the Leatt jacket which was a mistake. It has no armor and the opening in the back for your dromedary hose doesn't open in the front. I have an old First Gear jacket that works good and I also wear the collar with one of the armor mesh jerseys when it's warmer.
     
  4. renegade17

    renegade17 Well-Known Member

    Im an atgatt kind of guy but those sample sizes certainly help their argument.
     
  5. Knotcher

    Knotcher Well-Known Member

    I use the 5.5 and I only noticed it when I wore my VFX-W helmet as it has a protrusion in the back that would make it hard to look up when approaching a steep climb at an abrupt angle. I went to the Leatt 6.5 carbon helmet which worked well with it, then I smashed my head in it during a race and am on to the Aplinestars SM10 helmet. It seems fine as well. Anything that doesn't stick out too far will be fine.

    I lawn darted in an enduro when I bounced off a tree and swore in midair that I was about to have a really bad day. Finished the race with a sore shoulder. Rode the next weekend without any issue.
     
  6. Mechdziner714

    Mechdziner714 More Gas Less Brakes

    Is that SM10 helmet worth the money? It sure looks really nice.
    I got the A-10 chest protector from Riders Discount for a great price, its works very well so far.
     
    Riders Discount likes this.
  7. Knotcher

    Knotcher Well-Known Member

    I'm about to ride in it for 3 days with Destry Abbott :D so I'm sure I'll use it, hahaha.

    I'll report back.
     
  8. fastfreddie

    fastfreddie Midnight Oil Garage

    It seems the party is a no starter. <shrug>
     
  9. Mran556

    Mran556 Well-Known Member

    Looking for a little help. Still looking for a dirt bike so many different options out there. Narrowed it down a little i know i wamt something with a street title and dead nutz reliability. Want to do some supermoto, some dirt would like to try a small mx track eventually too.

    Thinking a drz400sm fits the bill. Is it rly as powerless as people say what do you guys think for a novice trying to get into the sport? Is the supermoto model ok for dirt the 17 inch rims and the shorter suspension travel
     
    duggram likes this.
  10. duggram

    duggram Sunrise Bahia de LA

    The jap bikes are very reliable but the orange bikes and blue/white bikes will let you ride faster, give you more of a thrill. Of course there are exceptions.
     
  11. Used2Bfast 2

    Used2Bfast 2 Still in the saddle

    DA152851-8691-4AE6-BE73-EFD2FD50D5F6.jpeg i have a drz sm. Even have 21-18 dirt wheels, skid plate, 39 carb, steel line, SC seat, etc. But compared to a proper dirt bike, it’s way too heavy, slow, terrible stock suspension, and the front end feels hopelessly vague and disconnected imo.

    Great for a poke around dual sport bike for gravel and easier trails (or slooow going in bigger stuff). But I’d hate it on anything technical.
     
  12. tdelegram

    tdelegram Well-Known Member

    I wouldn’t try to get a do it all bike, you’ll be frustrated as it does little well. Forget the plate unless you’re talking about a true dirt bike that lights were put on like an Xc-w or just a plain SM for the pavement only. trail bikes make poor mx bikes and mx bikes suck on technical trails this is magnified for novices. I don’t know what makes a good SM but I am guessing the suspension wouldn’t lend itself to good trail or mx riding. Figure out where you’ll spend the most time and start there.
     
  13. pscook

    pscook Well-Known Member

    After being "that guy" trying the one bike for everything route, I now have one bike for each specific task. I have XR100 mini bikes for flat track, Husqvarna WR125/WB165 big bore with Rekluse for a real dirt bike, a WR426 for open desert stuff (I have 17's for street duty, but not SM race - yet), a GSXR600 street bike, a Honda CB125 twin (the MSF bike) for local errands, an RM125 for MX/arena cross, and a Derbi 50 SM for local annoyance.

    I tried really really hard to repurpose a YZ426 for trails, street, and supermoto racing, but it did literally nothing as well as a single purpose bike. It was too heavy for my local technical trails (plus I'm slow), and it was too slow and heavy compared to even the 250 supermoto bikes. And then it was just awkward on the street, even with the wide ratio transmission that I put in (during the third or fourth engine rebuild).

    For a single purpose bike, get a WR250R, which is a street bike with dirt clothes. It's lighter than a DRZ400, a little smaller, and more useful. Otherwise, get a Japanese bike of your preferred brand in a 250 size, but look for the "trail" version.
     
    badmoon692008 likes this.
  14. Used2Bfast 2

    Used2Bfast 2 Still in the saddle

    I personally think the WR250R makes a better more capable dirt bike then the DRZ S. Under a great rider of course, I’ve seen it do some tough terrain and look damn good doing it. I’ve yet to see a DRZ do anything close. That’s just me tho fwiw.

    The DRZ has more motor for the road part, if that’s important.

    It’s only about 18lbs lighter, if that tho. So it’s still a pig.
     
  15. gt#179

    gt#179 Dirt Dork

    the DRZ would kinda fit the bill but as everyone else has pointed out, it'll do all of them but none of them well.

    first question I always ask friends when they ask about getting a bike (street or dirt) is what do the people you ride with (or want to ride with) ride? buy what they have unless you have very different needs or budget.

    I have plenty of friends with DRZ's and for a basic dual sport where you have to have street legal it's a decent bike. But it's slow and heavy and needs lots of mods to be "fun" on trails (compared to a KTM or other dedicated trail bikes), if you really are going to ride it SM style it's slow, heavy and doesn't handle all that well unless you throw a ton of money at it. If you idea of SM is just having a dirt bike with 17's for street use then it's fine. But see the "slow, heavy weak suspension" part above again. MX track on a DRZ. Just say no. rolling over all the jumps, it would probably be ok, but again see the "heavy, slow and needs suspension work" above. It does have the reliability part down but just about any main brand bike is good in this regards. The DRZ is fine until you start to modify it (see the above part about slow, heavy and needs suspension work) and then they blow up more than the other bikes, while still not having the performance. Two or three friends have all grenaded DRZ4's (usually 440's at that point) on rides I've been on.

    WR250R is a solid choice and you can find 17" wheels for them without too much problem. Most KTM's are pretty reliable these days but maybe look at an older RFS motor bike (up to 2007 I think). Honda has the new 450 that's street legal and seem to be pretty solid if you are looking at new (or closer to new price wise).

    FYI- electric start. make sure it has it. :)
     
  16. Knotcher

    Knotcher Well-Known Member

    The helmet was great. Good flow, comfortable but snug. Non-adjustable visor is fine. Cheek pads are a bit odd to get on and off but by the third time was nothing to worry about. Works with larger oakley goggles well. Didn't try the hydration hose channels as it wasn't a race.

    The training with Destry Abbott was phenomenal. I can't recommend him enough. We spent 3 days with him and his son Cooper around Scottsdale and Peoria. The first half of day 1 was spent working corner tracks and some light offroad/MXish desert tracks. Then for the last half we worked on drills designed to address our biggest weakspots.

    Day 2 was out to work on more corner tracks and drills. This day we spent a bunch of time on a figure 8 just hammering home body position through different parts of the turn, trail braking and using clutch control to manage corner exit. We also worked on some hill climb techniques.

    Day 3 was singletrack with working on rock ledges in washes. We also worked on whoops. I was pretty tired that day, but the work on Day 2 really helped maintaining pace. The biggest are I focused on was on really, really working the clutch in a lot of areas I wouldn't have before.

    Overall, Destry will tell you a lot of things you already "know", like any good coach. The difference is in the degree of application, the drills and the feedback that prioritizes these things correctly (and let's you know when you do it right). As an example on steep descents I always have my weight to the rear, but I didn't have my legs extended enough, or I was working the clutch on a hill, but I really needed to be a gear taller with way more throttle and slipping the clutch even more, etc.

    Destry is a good instructor and managed to keep each of us challenged but not overworked. I hope to make it down there every other month for a while to train with him.

    p.s. The Rekluse will be relegated to long enduro use only, and only then as a crutch for a tired clutch hand.
     
  17. Inquizid

    Inquizid Member Well-Known

    Took the oldest boy to play in the mud this weekend. E51D044C-1499-4CB6-A099-F1C53E48114C.jpeg
     
    Knotcher, masshole, Phl218 and 2 others like this.
  18. eggfooyoung

    eggfooyoung You no eat more!

    Baby its cold outside! And a few of us are looking for somewhere to ride down south. Some of our posse have been to Durhamtown and KTM world, and said some of it is technical and tight, which is what we want, but they said its also pretty flat. I realize its Georgia, but any other suggestions that may have a little more elevation?
     
    Redrodent1 likes this.
  19. gt#179

    gt#179 Dirt Dork

    Highland Park has a lot more elevation changes compared to durhamtown but neither has a lot. I'd consider MotoMountain if you have a bit more skills (a lot of stuff is more like 4-6 diamond HP stuff) or RockCrusher MX. Both are in north GA so should have a lot more elevation but not as mapped and easy to find your way around.

    also check NATRA that's SE of Nashville. big private riding area, lots of friends ride there and really like it, might be an option. Not sure the terrain but would be a fun place to go for a couple of days and camp from hearing about it from friends.
     
  20. roy826ex

    roy826ex Been around here a while

    All that shit in GA is easy. it’s like all a wheeler trail or a Jeep plowed through at some point. Good Single track on public access there :whoosh:

    Come to MS and get your bell rung by a 8” oak sapling or pine (the big dia ones are there to and so are the roots:D) on tight stuff at speed not old man riding it through either :crackup:

    But if you like rock crawling on two wheels there’s always NGA. Nothing flows it’s just obstacles of the hard kind.
     

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