Topic: The Motorcycling Thread

[rrocket]

I somehow ended up at the motorcycle dealer friday after work. Had to check out the tenere 700.

Saw a shiny one yesterday at the lights. I think he was disgusted at my stained 500     Yamaha looked purdy.

Very nice bike but didn't had time to look closely. With the social distance thing your stuck with an employee next to you.. a bit too rushed.   The bike is definitely big.   

That Tenere 700 with a few add-ons is probably a lot of people's perfect bike. It will be super capable AND very reliable. You could easily do a RTW trip on that.

I like it too.

But the sound of that parallel twin (as with the Honda CB500X) leaves me cold.

[dirtyjeffer]

But the sound of that parallel twin (as with the Honda CB500X) leaves me cold.

how does it compare to the Duke 890R parallel twin?

[rrocket]

But the sound of that parallel twin (as with the Honda CB500X) leaves me cold.

how does it compare to the Duke 890R parallel twin?

The 790/890R sounds like a V-Twin due to the offset crank/odd firing order. Its unique in motorcycling for a parallel twin.

The best way is to have a listen in a video and see for yourself.

[dirtyjeffer]

But the sound of that parallel twin (as with the Honda CB500X) leaves me cold.

how does it compare to the Duke 890R parallel twin?

The 790/890R sounds like a V-Twin due to the offset crank/odd firing order. Its unique in motorcycling for a parallel twin.

The best way is to have a listen in a video and see for yourself.

i've heard them in videos...i basically meant how does it compare for you...have you put a deposit on an 890R yet? 

[rrocket]

But the sound of that parallel twin (as with the Honda CB500X) leaves me cold.

how does it compare to the Duke 890R parallel twin?

The 790/890R sounds like a V-Twin due to the offset crank/odd firing order. Its unique in motorcycling for a parallel twin.

The best way is to have a listen in a video and see for yourself.

i've heard them in videos...i basically meant how does it compare for you...have you put a deposit on an 890R yet? 

Oh sorry I misunderstood!

Might not be any coming this year....

[ktm525]

Hit the mountains yesterday and put in a hard days riding (about 80km in 6 hours with breaks  ). Lots of single track which a 500 with desert tank can do but it takes a ton out of the old rider. Riding buddy coming up the mellow aproach after cresting the steep part. This climb is at the edge of my ability, it took me three runs to make it and failure means going most of the way back down (about a km) in order to get another proper run at it. Feeling very old this morning.

[Triple Bob]

That looks awesome! One day I'll get out there...

[PJungnitsch]

That's one steep hill if a dirt bike has trouble climbing it. Or too loose, rough?

[bridgecity]

Hit the mountains yesterday and put in a hard days riding (about 80km in 6 hours with breaks  ). Lots of single track which a 500 with desert tank can do but it takes a ton out of the old rider. Riding buddy coming up the mellow aproach after cresting the steep part. This climb is at the edge of my ability, it took me three runs to make it and failure means going most of the way back down (about a km) in order to get another proper run at it. Feeling very old this morning.

Looks like an awesome day.  McLean?  Spent a weekend out there.  Didn't have anyone with us that knew the area and it rained one out of two days so trip could have been better.  But we had some great riding and the views were incredible.

[ktm525]

That's one steep hill if a dirt bike has trouble climbing it. Or too loose, rough?

Combo of rough in areas and too steep in areas. You need to carry momentum and back the throttle off in places or else you will loop the bike out and it will go for an end over end trip.

[PJungnitsch]

Heh, like a quad in uh, anything.

[HeliDriver]

Hit the mountains yesterday and put in a hard days riding (about 80km in 6 hours with breaks  ). Lots of single track which a 500 with desert tank can do but it takes a ton out of the old rider. Riding buddy coming up the mellow aproach after cresting the steep part. This climb is at the edge of my ability, it took me three runs to make it and failure means going most of the way back down (about a km) in order to get another proper run at it. Feeling very old this morning.

Nice!

Looks like Swany’s Ridge, up at the north end? I think I know the climb you’re talking about, but haven’t ridden it in a few years. It was getting rutted and nasty then, so I assume it’s even worse now. Usually I do that loop the other way around, from south to north.

Was out at McLean on Monday and it was surprisingly decent after the rain. Just rode the usual loop from the 5k staging.

[ktm525]

Hit the mountains yesterday and put in a hard days riding (about 80km in 6 hours with breaks  ). Lots of single track which a 500 with desert tank can do but it takes a ton out of the old rider. Riding buddy coming up the mellow aproach after cresting the steep part. This climb is at the edge of my ability, it took me three runs to make it and failure means going most of the way back down (about a km) in order to get another proper run at it. Feeling very old this morning.

Nice!

Looks like Swany’s Ridge, up at the north end? I think I know the climb you’re talking about, but haven’t ridden it in a few years. It was getting rutted and nasty then, so I assume it’s even worse now. Usually I do that loop the other way around, from south to north.


Yes Swany's ridge although this is the climb up from the valley on the west side. Very little traffic on it. Some will go down but few come up. The nasty rutted climb running north to south is another story. We did that too but it was ugly.


Was out at McLean on Monday and it was surprisingly decent after the rain. Just rode the usual loop from the 5k staging.

[HeliDriver]

Ah, ok. Think I know the spot well. Took this back in 2016, before all the clear cutting so looks a little different...




I usually do it as part of a loop from Two-skiddos/pecker poles, then just up the Jeep road to the top. So there’s a gnarly climb straight up the face now? I’ll stick to the Jeep road, thanks.

[HeliDriver]

^^ Yeah, McLean area. That picture would be looking south west along the Elbow River. Lots of tall peaks back that way too, but my pic was on a day with low cloud.

There's a jeep road that goes all the way to the top on the south, maybe south east side, then it's singletrack all along the ridge line to the north. Maybe there's a third way up more to the west / south west?

Google Maps calls it Myosotis peak, though I've never heard any rider call it that. Lots of pics, too: https://www.google.ca/maps/place/Myosotis+Peak/@50.8266666,-114.7779308,13z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x5370fdbf33e2180f:0x2980402deb45226d!2sMyosotis+Peak!3b1!8m2!3d50.8266666!4d-114.7516666!3m4!1s0x5370fdbf33e2180f:0x2980402deb45226d!8m2!3d50.8266666!4d-114.7516666

Same spot on a nicer day back in 2012:

[ktm525]

Yes there is a trail all along the ridge form South to North. There is a Jeep trail on the south part and then it turns into a singletrack bike trail. Coming from the south (heading north) there is a nasty chewed out descent that is very had to climb the other way. In addition to this main ridge trail there is a singletrack that comes up the ridge from the west. The top of this west trail is at the base of the nasty descent main ridge trail.

In other words if coming from the north and you are faced with the impossible chewed out climb you can bail out to the right (west) and descend down a very steep slop (picture of the rider). This will take you down into the valley and you can head south to the base of the jeep trail.

[dirtyjeffer]

The Best Used Motorcycle to buy?

Ryan dropped a new video for us to enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifBNDeMZQkI

Some of his suggestions sound pretty familiar in here.

[ktm525]

I disagree with the first one right of the bat. A used KTM 300 is so much more bike than a XR and nearly as durable.  The XR requires exhaust, a respring, a suspension revalve  and replacing the low rise metal butter bars with something more suitable. This would get you a bike than has perhaps 60% of the power and 100lbs more in weight of a 300.


Entertaining vid though.

[rrocket]

I disagree with the first one right of the bat. A used KTM 300 is so much more bike than a XR and nearly as durable.  The XR requires exhaust, a respring, a suspension revalve  and replacing the low rise metal butter bars with something more suitable. This would get you a bike than has perhaps 60% of the power and 100lbs more in weight of a 300.


Entertaining vid though.

Same here. No brainer.

Hard to believe an alleged biker would overlook that.

[dkaz]

Can you get a KTM 300 for under $3,500 though? Seems to be the theme of the video although the title doesn’t indicate it.