ST on dirt roads

ST1100Y · Apr 17, 2014

Clutch Cargo said:
How about gravel and dirt:

Done rather well...
The only drawbacks on those "Kodak places" is where to place the darn kickstand so it won't sink in... ;-)

That's the nice, versatile steering geo of the ST1100, with its wide handlebar quite a lot in common with a dual-sport, giving you enough control and steering force to just 'plow' through there...
Wet mud is not so ideal though, the thread pattern of the old Bridgestone Exedras are a bit more 'competent' (also in snow, last measure is to lower the inflation a little), but those new style BT-something patterns really suck in traction there...

Clutch Cargo · Apr 18, 2014

More gravel roads.

[video=youtube;PnF8eFvBDzE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnF8eFvBDzE[/video]

Clutch

cldiver · Apr 18, 2014

I'm a bit of a wimp I guess, I would've walked up the last bit to the view point

ST1100Y · Apr 19, 2014

Probably also depending on your stature, @ 6'1" I#ve no problem in firmly flat-footing the deck while sitting on the bike.

ChucksKLRST · Apr 19, 2014

WEESTROM 650 Correct tool for the job.

superdiver · Apr 19, 2014

Anyone put something other then good street tires on these when they are planning longer rides in the rough stuff? I am thinking like on the haul road up north in the great AK

VFR · Apr 19, 2014

970mike said:
I have ridden my ST on good dirt roads which are not to bad on that heavy bike, but I have ridden my ST where it would have been sketchy on my DR650. We made it through with no major problems.

So what would you consider a major problem??? Probably nothing as minor as two dents in a rim & 4 flat tires..... Meh, piece of cake...

flyfisher · Apr 19, 2014

WE've all been in places we shouldn't have been...........that's what adventure is all about.....I took a full dress Gl1000 up a "road" in '75 that turned into a creek bed with rocks....scratches on the engine bottom.....you can do it......but should you?............Had the ST in grease'mud innumerable times.........but that's just my stupidity.............wouldn't wanna run the St1300 very far in that kind of crap on a regular basis..............but it's all fun if it don't kill ya................ff

970mike · Apr 19, 2014

VFR said:
So what would you consider a major problem??? Probably nothing as minor as two dents in a rim & 4 flat tires..... Meh, piece of cake...

Hey my wheels were good after that road off that "SPECIAL MAP" of yours!! :well1:

STreaker · Apr 20, 2014

ST1100Y said:
IMHO must you go at least 20mph (or more) on unpaved roads to get proper stability... thus you need space and plan your track ahead well... and if its getting required, plan well where to stop to a) make the stop safely and b) be able to take off there again... so maybe better if you don't need to stop... ;-)

I completely agree. I am annoyed with ads showing large bore heavy "Adv" bikes charging on dirt paths. They would never dare show the same bikes trying that on wet dirt or muddy paths. Also, what is your plan to pick up your bike when it does go down?

ST1100Y · Apr 20, 2014

STreaker said:
They would never dare show the same bikes trying that on wet dirt or muddy paths.

Wet soil/mud is a completely different issue... IMHO worse then ice with fresh snow on top...
Had to go through soft soil/grass being dug by heavy plants since named had blocked the paved road... plan how to enter as there is not much steering avail and long legs do come handy, but never lift your arse out the seat... one of the few cases I had the pillion get off though...
Or the 3~400 yards of road covered after a mudslide, fortunately already levelled by a grader, check your path and exit well ahead, hope that no BD cager will come around the corner and just let it roll...
Friend of mine got "panic", stopped in the middle and stomped his feet down... he had a hard time getting off again since the rear wheel kept digging in and the mud-splash ornaments reaching just everywhere (even the instrument cluster got some) earned him wide grins from us awaiting him on safe ground...

Also, what is your plan to pick up your bike when it does go down?

Good point, you have to get the mental state of 'acceptance' and that you just 'let it go' over the risk of strain or worse, when it really comes to this...
Nothing worse then having pulled your back or knee somewhere on a mountaintop or deep in the woods over the stupid attempt to hold that 700lbs bike...

bmcdonau · Apr 21, 2014

Gerhard said:
I know that I don't ride a ST1300 but the RT is not that different. Last summer on our trip out west we went down a 30 km hard packed gravel road according the lodge we went to, I agree with the 30 km part. Here is a video I took while riding in, two up with luggage for a month long trip.

[video=youtube_share;diU_aTqWD_U]http://youtu.be/diU_aTqWD_U[/video]

Gerhard

Good ridin'. There was one part near 4:21 where you could see your shadow and it looked like you were by yourself--did you make her walk?

bmcdonau · Apr 21, 2014

flyfisher said:
WE've all been in places we shouldn't have been...........that's what adventure is all about.....I took a full dress Gl1000 up a "road" in '75 that turned into a creek bed with rocks....scratches on the engine bottom.....you can do it......but should you?............Had the ST in grease'mud innumerable times.........but that's just my stupidity.............wouldn't wanna run the St1300 very far in that kind of crap on a regular basis..............but it's all fun if it don't kill ya................ff

I got my GL1800 stuck in a field. It was sunk up to the tailpipe and didn't even fall over when I got off. Luckily two guys on some type of four wheeler came by and were able to help me out.

bmcdonau · Apr 21, 2014

No video, but we came a couple miles down that dirt road in the background. It was a little slippery at times, but as long as you kept on the throttle you ended up tracking pretty straight.

Britman · Apr 22, 2014

Full length of Kebler Pass, CO was interesting.

I always tell myself if it starts to get rough TURN AROUND.

Sometimes I'm not a good listener

RaYzerman · Apr 22, 2014

Nothing wrong with hard packed gravel or dry dirt. But the TransLab? They grade that very regularly and it can be 2" thick loose gravel, and you're out in the middle of nowhere. Like Chuck says, take the WeeStrom for that trip.

Gerhard · Apr 22, 2014

bmcdonau said:
Good ridin'. There was one part near 4:21 where you could see your shadow and it looked like you were by yourself--did you make her walk?

You have a keen eye! She got picked up by an old Ford Taurus and thought that they may have lost the transmission when they hit a rock on one of those wash outs.

Gerhard

bmcdonau · Apr 22, 2014

Gerhard said:
You have a keen eye! She got picked up by an old Ford Taurus and thought that they may have lost the transmission when they hit a rock on one of those wash outs.

Gerhard

I just wondered because I've been down some roads where I made Kathy get off and walk. She wasn't amused since she voted to not ride down that particular road in the first place!

deej · May 2, 2014

I just realized that I spelled road...rode. LOL DOH!!!

ST1100Y said:
LOL! Been there... lead a group in/through Slovenia, maps and GPS insisted that those are regular, yet major roadways...
Well, most of them turned out being unpaved, something we would call "forest roads"...
The ST did well with pillion aboard... but the ~10 sport-bike riders following... uuuh, they moaned, I never heard the end of it... :crackup
(yep, that's what 'squids' get for ranting about my rig being a "rolling living-room"... )
Only one guy joining with his KTM LC8 had a broad grin on his face... ;-)

flyfisher · May 2, 2014

Found out something interesting today......had the front at 43 psi and the back at 45....much better on gravel and mud.....anyone else have this experience? ff

ST on dirt roads

ST1100Y

Clutch Cargo

cldiver

ST1100Y

ChucksKLRST

Team Colorado

superdiver

VFR

"Uncle Larry"

flyfisher

970mike

Mike Brown

STreaker

ST1100Y

bmcdonau

bmcdonau

bmcdonau

Britman

RaYzerman

Gerhard

bmcdonau

deej

flyfisher