Off road on a street bike

A couple of weeks ago I took my 2015 R1200R up a dirt road to a cabaña in the Sierra Madre. The route into the rancho was about 5 km of cobbled road followed by a 100 m or so of level gravel to the gate. From there it was a track road to the base of a hill, then loose rutted dirt up the hill with a couple of switchbacks. For the last 200 m, including one turn, the track was covered with an inch or so of pine needles. It was maybe 1 km from the main road to the cabaña.

The combination of: 1) a road bike with street tires, 2) the weight of the bike, and 2) my inexperience off road on any kind of bike, made it a challenging few minutes. Going up was easier than coming down. In the steepest section on the pine needles, it was difficult to control the speed. The back tire would slide with any braking at all. And using the front brake at slow speed with the front wheel turned is never a good idea on a 200+ kg bike. My only other experience off road was on a friend's dirt bike on an off-road course. That was much easier, but I didn't spend enough time on it to practice the skills that might have helped last week.

I didn't drop the bike and gained a little experience that will probably be useful sometime in the future. But I don't think I am going to intentionally spend a lot of time off road on this bike. It was a little too exciting.

Edit: I don't know if this belongs in GS, Wethead or Trip Reports but I put it here.

It all starts out innocent enough. Next year we'll be reading about you and your GS crossing the Darien Gap in a dugout canoe!

Glad you kept it upright!

Pat

It all starts out innocent enough. Next year we'll be reading about you and your GS crossing the Darien Gap in a dugout canoe!

 

Glad you kept it upright!

 

Pat

Thanks. Funny you should mention the Darien Gap. Walking it is on my bucket list. I have been a little hesitant to start planning it because the last person I heard about that tried it disappeared in 2013. His remains were found in 2015. But I am hopeful that now that the FARC and Columbian authorities have settled their dispute, it might get safer.

It all starts out innocent enough. Next year we'll be reading about you and your GS crossing the Darien Gap in a dugout canoe!

 

Glad you kept it upright!

 

Pat

 

Thanks. Funny you should mention the Darien Gap. Walking it is on my bucket list. I have been a little hesitant to start planning it because the last person I heard about that tried it disappeared in 2013. His remains were found in 2015. But I am hopeful that now that the FARC and Columbian authorities have settled their dispute, it might get safer.

Sorry, don't get the allure of the Gap, but then I'm really not very fond of snakes, especially the ones that can eat me whole. Doing the Alaska trip again or even New Zealand sounds so much more appealing. Took my RT on a couple of iffy roads but a phobia about tupperware rash made the transition to a GSA so much more enjoyable.

Chasing my own thoughts on the Darien, I came across this. Pretty interesting!

http://www.motivation-tools.com/photos/darien_gap.htm

http://www.motivation-tools.com/adventures/darien_gap.htm

Pat

It all starts out innocent enough. Next year we'll be reading about you and your GS crossing the Darien Gap in a dugout canoe!

 

Glad you kept it upright!

 

Pat

 

Thanks. Funny you should mention the Darien Gap. Walking it is on my bucket list. I have been a little hesitant to start planning it because the last person I heard about that tried it disappeared in 2013. His remains were found in 2015. But I am hopeful that now that the FARC and Columbian authorities have settled their dispute, it might get safer.

Please advise us when you return!

Please advise us when you return!

Will do. It won't happen this year but maybe it is time to start looking into it seriously.