Some have express an unfamiliarity with being off the pavement.
If dry the clay type dirt roads give good traction where the tires have scrubbed them smooth. The cars stay 1/2 on their side , the result is usually that the roads have 3 tracks in them. There is usually soft and rocky marbles on both sides and between them. Obviously most of the time you want to be on the smooth compacted tracks.
When you are on the tracks everything is fairly normal except you can't grab the front brake hard as it WILL break traction, skid and down you go. I would say balanced use of both brakes is the best and maybe even more rear than front. If the rear skids a little mostly nothing happens if your off of it quickly.
Gentler inputs and reduced speed and there will be no problem.
The little rock marbles ( marbles because they can roll out of your way). The point here is if the bike merely rolls over this loose surface and there is no other inputs then there will not be a problem. Gently move to one of the smooth surfaces and then do your braking or accelerations.
Always be conscious of target fixing on what you want to do and go. There is likely to be more stuff rocks, bushes, horse poop, etc. on a dirt road and its your job to focus on the way passed.
Dirt road surfaces are NOT all the same. The most common WTF are wash boards on uphills. The cars have wheel hop as they apply power and the road is scooped up into a series of waves ... wash boards ( ancient device for tub washing clothes manually). Your VStrom is in its element and it can negotiate this easily. I usually ride this sort of thing standing on the pegs. By uncoupling you fat as* from the bike she can dance around under you and have better traction. You will have a better ride over the bumps if your off the seat.
Another problem is when they have graded the road. They use a combination of bull dozer and grass hopper that scrapes the road level and smooth. The tracks, marbles, wash boards etc are all erased. What is left is a uniform SOFT surface. This is fine but requires an even gentler application of brakes etc.
DUST !!! Dirt roads are made of well dust. Every vehicle will turn up a plume of dust. Cars coming at you will have a 1/4 mile long cloud behind them. I recommend visor down squinting to the point that you are looking through your eyelashes that will act as natural filters. Other bikes are also kicking up a plume. If your riding with 1 ONE other person then you can be in close staggered formation and the wheel dust from the front rider will not have risen high enough to be in the 2nd riders face. More than 2 riders and some one is eating it and or back a 1/3 of a mile.
Lastly your visor, glasses etc will become coated with abrasive dust. Make sure you carry a method of flushing and softly wiping them
See all the fun
Please add or ridicule at your discretion
If dry the clay type dirt roads give good traction where the tires have scrubbed them smooth. The cars stay 1/2 on their side , the result is usually that the roads have 3 tracks in them. There is usually soft and rocky marbles on both sides and between them. Obviously most of the time you want to be on the smooth compacted tracks.
When you are on the tracks everything is fairly normal except you can't grab the front brake hard as it WILL break traction, skid and down you go. I would say balanced use of both brakes is the best and maybe even more rear than front. If the rear skids a little mostly nothing happens if your off of it quickly.
Gentler inputs and reduced speed and there will be no problem.
The little rock marbles ( marbles because they can roll out of your way). The point here is if the bike merely rolls over this loose surface and there is no other inputs then there will not be a problem. Gently move to one of the smooth surfaces and then do your braking or accelerations.
Always be conscious of target fixing on what you want to do and go. There is likely to be more stuff rocks, bushes, horse poop, etc. on a dirt road and its your job to focus on the way passed.
Dirt road surfaces are NOT all the same. The most common WTF are wash boards on uphills. The cars have wheel hop as they apply power and the road is scooped up into a series of waves ... wash boards ( ancient device for tub washing clothes manually). Your VStrom is in its element and it can negotiate this easily. I usually ride this sort of thing standing on the pegs. By uncoupling you fat as* from the bike she can dance around under you and have better traction. You will have a better ride over the bumps if your off the seat.
Another problem is when they have graded the road. They use a combination of bull dozer and grass hopper that scrapes the road level and smooth. The tracks, marbles, wash boards etc are all erased. What is left is a uniform SOFT surface. This is fine but requires an even gentler application of brakes etc.
DUST !!! Dirt roads are made of well dust. Every vehicle will turn up a plume of dust. Cars coming at you will have a 1/4 mile long cloud behind them. I recommend visor down squinting to the point that you are looking through your eyelashes that will act as natural filters. Other bikes are also kicking up a plume. If your riding with 1 ONE other person then you can be in close staggered formation and the wheel dust from the front rider will not have risen high enough to be in the 2nd riders face. More than 2 riders and some one is eating it and or back a 1/3 of a mile.
Lastly your visor, glasses etc will become coated with abrasive dust. Make sure you carry a method of flushing and softly wiping them
See all the fun
Please add or ridicule at your discretion
