FJR on gravel and fire roads

[cota95]

Took the wife on a gravel road last September, me on my FJR, her on her Vstar 1100. Four broken ribs later, she has told me that she has no interest in riding gra :angry: vel again! :evil2: :no: :nono:

 

[evil_henchman]

The typical gravel road out west is not maintained to any degree and would be difficult for any road bike. You will spend all of your time going slow and looking at the road ahead and not much else until you stop for a break or fall over whichever comes first. I would suggest that if you are taking the FJR do not plan on taking any non-paved road. If you have your heart set on those roads take a different bike, an enduro would be the appropiate choice. I don't believe that a V-Strom would be a good choice either. It is still too heavy to handle rough roads. The pictures in this thread so far are not representative of what you will find in Colorado from my experience. I can't speak for the other areas mentioned.

If I were to buy a dual sport touring bike it would be the KTM 950

I already know that all big displacement dual sports don't like loose sandy stuff and forget about anything technical but for pretty much any road the KTM will out perform any other dual sport IMHO

 

[Cal24Master]

I've always thought the FJR was like the world's biggest dirt bike. I have rode mine through mud, gravel, dirt, sand and about anything else. Always with the bags, and usually with the fuel cell. During the White Stag rally a couple years ago I passed to BMW GS's and two KTM 950 Adventures in the mud on Bad Water road in Death Valley. It's not a dirt bike, has poor ground clearance and I wouldn't want to have to pick it up alone, but for what it is, I doubt your going to find a better handling bike in this class in the dirt.

Just keep your weight on the pegs and lean as far back as you can. You have to stay on the gas and keep it moving.

Tom

 

[PerfectBlueride]

Well,

I have been on some gravel and it has been okay, however when i first got this bike, i remember wanting to get a 1200gs, so that said I decided to go through some grass behind an elem school.

It must have rained and i thought nothing of it, there I was tolling around on my shining new ride, off into the grass 20 yards later bike started to slip and slid, felt like I was going to drop it.

So I stopped, big mistake, bike sunk rims in mud, would not budge, It seemed to add another 400lbs to my bikes weight.

needless to say I was in such a hurry to go for the ride, I forgot to bring my cell phone. stock, bike in mudd, wedging sticks under trying to get some traction, no way to get the bike to move to accept the added traction.

wound up walking, getting lucky that a passer by had a cell phone I could use to make that call!

You know the call, hey hun bring the truck I need to pull my brand new bike out of the mud :blink:

that was fun!

So although this bike may handel some things well, turning around in a tight spot, backing it up to turn around unless you remove the seat to gain some extra reach I would hate to be out in bum F*&*^*& with out a paddle.

If you are able to make it let us know, i have gotten better since i have had this, I just do not want to have to pay for new shinning parts

so far so good.

 

[mindtrip]

BTW - I grew up in SE Iowa on a gravel road.

Hey, me too! Where're you from?

 

[evil_henchman]

I've always thought the FJR was like the world's biggest dirt bike. I have rode mine through mud, gravel, dirt, sand and about anything else. Always with the bags, and usually with the fuel cell. During the White Stag rally a couple years ago I passed to BMW GS's and two KTM 950 Adventures in the mud on Bad Water road in Death Valley. It's not a dirt bike, has poor ground clearance and I wouldn't want to have to pick it up alone, but for what it is, I doubt your going to find a better handling bike in this class in the dirt.
Just keep your weight on the pegs and lean as far back as you can. You have to stay on the gas and keep it moving.

Tom

If that's true it's got nothing to do with the FJR being a dirt bike. You're just a better rider than most :good:

 

[kmkirlin]

Thanks for the prompt replies and good advice.

 

[FJRMGM]

Mindtrip - a little Iowa town called Milton.

On HW 2 about 15 miles east of Bloomfield.

 

[twowheelnut]

Washboarding with an FJR is no fun. 25 miles worth proved it to me.

 

[sparky3008]

Washboarding with an FJR is no fun. 25 miles worth proved it to me.

My friends house in W Virginia is off of a gravel road up the side of a mountain. Washboard describes it perfectly, even in my truck it feels like it is going to knock your teeth out.

When I had my 1100 Vstar I went to see him, all the way there perfect road conditions until his mountain. Guess what, snow. I went half way up on the 1100 until momentum stopped me. I sat there for a few yelling to the house, knowing darn well no one would ever hear me. I then worked up the nerve to start trying to give it some go. A little wheel spin here, a little going to the side there with both feet out and eventually got it up.

Coming down, well we spent a good bit of the rest of the day shovelling a path down. Even used gasoline and tried to burn a path down the road. Finally got down after a long day and not much hanging out.

I never tried it in the snow on the FJR but lets say it bounced around good and the speed was slow but it was a heck of a lot more comfortable than going up that hill on the GSXR 1000

Plus with all the gravel and dirt I have to go home and wash the chrome wheels :angry2:

 

[Derek]

last fall buddy said to meet him at his campsite 30km up a gravel road in the canadian rockies. he said it was well packed and should be no problem on the bike. well, the front was plowing through this 5-6 inch deep loose gravel. i almost dumped it at least 4 times. getting into his wilderness campside from the gravel road could only be described as off road. when i arrived he couldn't believe it. he had trouble with his 4X4.

i most certainly shall exact my revenge on this man in this life or the next!

and yes, it was another 30km to get out.

never again.

derek

 

[FlyingLow]

3 miles of washboard, to Bodie State Park, then back again, was enough for me. Don't wanna risk all that expensive plastic, etc.

But then again, you only live once, no guts no glory, all that crap, so whatever floats yer boat.

 

[Mtn]

Do yourself a favour and buy a V-Strom if off highway riding is your thing.The V-Strom is made for that kinda riding .

Regards Mtn

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I was on some hardpack clay in rural Minnesota, when I turned onto a freshly graveled road. Nightmare, top speed 5mph with both feet out for 1/4 mile before I could turn off it. Couldn't even risk doing a turn around to go back the way I had come, it was that bad. Hardpack is fine, but if it changes, you're SOL.

+1 Rad. Hardpacked 3/4- gravel was ok last weekend for a few hundred feet, but any loose stuff would make me queasy. Maybe buy a KTM Adventure to sit beside the Feejer in the garage? Oh no, I need one!

 

[rickcorwn]

There are sooooo many good paved roads in Colorado why bother with the gravel :blink:

I ended up on a 10 mile strech of gravel in a construction zone in MT a few weeks ago. I got through it OK but it wasn't any fun.

 

[panthercity]

Washboarding with an FJR is no fun. 25 miles worth proved it to me.

Yes, butt your forearms looked fabulous!

 

[jestal]

Even used gasoline and tried to burn a path down the road.

I have just GOT to try this next winter when it snows.....LOL......

 

[sparky3008]

Even used gasoline and tried to burn a path down the road.

I have just GOT to try this next winter when it snows.....LOL......

Yea, pretty redneck. The snow wasn't very deep but under it was ice. It was what we were really trying to eliminate...

 

[Cal24Master]

Washboarding with an FJR is no fun. 25 miles worth proved it to me.

The thing about riding on a washboard road is you have to go fast enough to float over the tops of them. Usually 45-50mph is enough. It smooths right out is not too hard. If you ride slow, it hammers the crap out of you.

Dirt riding is different than street riding. If you ride any bike in the dirt like you do on the street you are likely to have problems. Major difference is that on the street you weight the inside peg, in the dirt you weight the outside peg. In the dirt you lean back to weight the back wheel, on the street you lean more forward to weight the front. On the street you can sit and leave the bulk of your weight on the seat, in the dirt you have to put most of your weight on the pegs. Standing on the pegs works best for most situations. Next time your in soft sand, dirt, mud etc. try standing on the pegs, pulling back on the bars and smoothly accelerate through it. You will be amazed at how well a 660lb monster will go through it.

Tom

 

[sparky3008]

Washboarding with an FJR is no fun. 25 miles worth proved it to me.

The thing about riding on a washboard road is you have to go fast enough to float over the tops of them. Usually 45-50mph is enough. It smooths right out is not too hard. If you ride slow, it hammers the crap out of you.

Dirt riding is different than street riding. If you ride any bike in the dirt like you do on the street you are likely to have problems. Major difference is that on the street you weight the inside peg, in the dirt you weight the outside peg. In the dirt you lean back to weight the back wheel, on the street you lean more forward to weight the front. On the street you can sit and leave the bulk of your weight on the seat, in the dirt you have to put most of your weight on the pegs. Standing on the pegs works best for most situations. Next time your in soft sand, dirt, mud etc. try standing on the pegs, pulling back on the bars and smoothly accelerate through it. You will be amazed at how well a 660lb monster will go through it.

Tom

I would disagree with a few things.

Actually I use to think this also but reading a lot about what racers do in corners is they lean to the inside (unlike dirt bikes) but they still weight the outside peg. Yep, sounds weird and is hard to get use to but that is what they do...

In the dirt you are up on the tank putting weight on the front, watch any dirt bike race and they are all up on the tank. That is why the seats are the way they are.