Howdy all

Ive had my 650 for a couple of years now. It had intermediate tyres on it when I bought it and at the first replacement the mechanic put the same ones on.

I do about 98% of my riding on the road. Just a couple of times have I been off the tar. On good dirt roads I find it ok. But if there is any loose stuff, sandy covering or stones it seems very, very skaty and it always feels like the front is going to go out from under me.

Last week in the mountains west of Canberra, the dirt/rock road felt like riding on marbles. And eventually I had a very big stack - despite going slow and careful.

So my question is this - is the V Strom not really good off road at the best of times, is it the tyres, or am I just a crap rider (if you think I am, you can tell me, I've got the stones).

I so want to be able to hit the mountain roads, but not like I did last week.

Also I'd like to replace the plastic fairings which were damaged in the stack. Anyone know some good websites where I may get them cheaper than the outrageous prices quoted by my dealer?

Thanks.

Fess

People debate the off-road-worthiness of the VStrom. Suffice to say, it'll do gravel roads no problem, and a lot more than that in my opinion and experience.

You'll overcome the skitty skatey feeling by dropping tire pressures to roughly 20psi front and back. Makes a world of difference.

As long as it's dry, and gravel, your street tires should be fine.

Once it's wet, muddy and clay etc, better to have dual-sport or semi-nobby tires but not worth it if 98% of your riding is on sealed roads. Same to be said for a steering damper.

A fork brace though (from Ricks in the USA - google it) will help cornering both on and off road.

Biggest thing though, is let the air out. And that's a free modification. Carry a 12v air-compressor from SuperCheap to reinflate at the other end, or just ride easy, around 80km/hr till you get to a servo with an airpump.

For riding skills, see recent thread for off-road training - courses and DVDs are available and can be v helpful.

Happy trails,

__________________
Steve C
Gold Coast Riders (Rides & events SE QLD, plus stuff about camping etc)
Gravel Riders Club Old farts off-road
Yer ears & yer teef They're the only ones yer got

Fess; first of all welcome to the site. The Strom is perfectly OK on dirt roads mainly because of the 150mm travel on the front and back suspension. Most of the dirt riders on this site have sorted the suspension to best suit their weight by spring adjustment and also tuned the compression and rebound by changing the fork oil,adding gold valves or similar to the front and maybe a new rear shock. The details of how to do this are easy to find on Stromtroopers. A standard bike will be OK on dirt but tuning will make it better.
However....the Strom is top heavy and you must adjust your riding to account for this. You may need to practice your dirt road skills and I recommend that you do, my motto is "travel by gravel and double your map" You will find the back roads will take you to interesting places most people miss and the rewards are many in my opinion. If you practice dirt road skill I believe you will be a better allround rider for it. Most of us here if not all, have come undone on dirt but kept practicing until drops are rare.
If you are new to dirt the tips are many but I will offer just two.
Pick a clear path say for the next 30 meters and keep your main focus there and ride to that point and as that 30 meter point changes keep riding to that point ahead and thus you travel down the road. Once that 30 meter path is clear just let the road pass without watching just in front of your wheel. Keep your focus well ahead just as you do on tar.
Standing on the pegs places your centre of gravity low at peg level and will give better stability.
OK three tips. A two wheeled bike gains stability with speed, so power on when things are loose and slow back down on the good bits, mostly on the back brake which can also give stability. Is that now five? Oh well no extra charge.
Don't replace the plastics yet, wait till you get to be good on dirt. If you fit crash bars you will also need bark busters to keep the plastics safe.
Keep practicing as dirt riding has it's rewards.

Saturn 5

Hey Fester,What suzy said, is good advice . I also think standing on the pegs makes the bike more stable[to that end I would add wider steel -rat trap- footpegs].
But you cannot escape that skatey feeling. That's how they feel.[ That's how my Gasgas enduro bike feels as well]. You just need to get comfortable with that
Maintaining speed is the key, but it is also the key to higher speed crashes[very bad].
If you have the nutz.... the front end bad feeling can be helped by throttle application. This does weight transfer to the rear[can be further helped by leaning back] and will in the right[most] instances make the front end go from tucking to either tracking or sliding. But up goes the speed!!![I call the tucking -front rudder]

The best advice is to get skilled on other lighter purpose made dirt bikes, then transfer the techniques the the big girl.

Get comfortable with the bike skating and sliding, and steer it from the rear[by gentle, controlled, power sliding].

If possible ride with others who are skilled already in this riding, and you will learn from watching/copying.

This is just my opinion, and it works for me.........

Cheers
Scott

Hi, As we know the V-strom is set up for road. To work well on dirt tracks gravel raod and the like it is really all about tyre pressure and soft suspension as mentioned by saturn the only down side is that on a bike we dont have a compressor to pump the tyres up at the end of every gravel road otherwise we would literally have the best of both world

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Black DL650A Individuality

If you have no previous off road experience the Strom will be very much the big pig it is for you off road. The best thing you could do is not fiddle with the Strom settings but go and do an off road training course, something like the one BMW run or even a Trials Experience course. Learn the basics of off road riding THEN apply what you have learnt to your trips on the Strom.

Btw. I have never found the need to drop tyre pressure or fiddle with the suspension. The Strom is a pig in the dirt just accept that and take control of it.

The standard tyres are terrible off road, Anakees, Battlewings or Scorpion trails are still great on the seal and vastly better on dirt.

Yes, it's big and heavy, but on dirt roads, O.K., no worse than a 1200GS at least.

Pete

In the end dirt riding is a mental approach. I know blokes who get anxious on 50 meters of road works. Fair enought too if it's just watered slippery clay, that can tighten the sphincter!
The Strom isn't the classiest girl in the world when it comes to dirt but they have been ridden in the most outrageous places I'd be reluctant on an MXer.
They are fine for dirt roads, take it easy and don't be put off by your little mishap as in the end the rewards are there.

Saturn 5

Well, actually the combined center of gravity of bike & rider rises, 'cuz the rider's body is higher. What standing on the pegs accomplishes is to decouple the bike from the rider and let each move somewhat independently. That is where the added steadiness comes from. Riding looser on the bike while seated is also a help. Let the bike move around somewhat under a stable upper body.

__________________
2007 DL650A Whee! (SV cam transplant)

Manage the unavoidable.
Avoid the unmanageable.

+1 Combined center of gravity rises, but you do getbthe ability to throw your weight around to compensate for the bike.

I have never ridden off-road before and I'm incredibly nervous on the loose stuff. I went to an off road race a few weeks ago and was amazed to see a Vee competing with the quads. That said, the owner was a loony, and even he switched to a KTM for day 2. He had a good laugh because I wouldn't even park off the road in the gravel to watch the start

It's something I need to deal with. There are fantastic places to see here if you venture off the tarmac.

__________________

'10 Vee Adv
Multiple Farkles :
Stebel Horn with Screaming Banshee,Gorilla Alarm, Madstadt Bracket, RichlandRick's fork brace, accessory shelf and mirror extenders, PCV (Get one from b.layton@svracingparts.com) You'll wish you had sooner!, Twin 12v outlets, Twisted Throttle and PC8 Fuse Blocks, Admore Light Bar, GPS and Contour Camera Ram Mount, Bark Busters, 8k HIDS & an Omni-Cruise Throttle Lock.