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drago52
Thu Aug 16th, 2012, 09:12 PM
I'm picking up a klr tomorrow (hopefully). I know, it's not sexy, it's heavy, slow, etc. I'm looking to do some trail riding. I have been motorcycling for many, many years, but never dirt bikes. I used to race mountain bikes, so I have decent dirt cycling skills.

I live in north Boulder and am looking to explore. Anyone want to meet up and do some trail riding? Like I mentioned, I'll be going slow and learning, but I'd be psyched to explore some trails with others. The first trails I'm looking to hit up is the trail network up lefthand canyon. I've done switzerland several times on my Uly.

bodhizafa
Thu Aug 16th, 2012, 10:12 PM
KLR 650 or the smaller one. Lefthand will be tough on a KLR 650. On a 250 it would be fun :)

I'm up for some riding, if its a big bike I'll ride my GS with you, small bike and I'll ride the Husky 510 with ya. (Husky is currently out of commsion until I fix the fuel line and radiator :|)

I'm in Louisville.

maktastik_jr.
Thu Aug 16th, 2012, 10:31 PM
i would be down but i like to ride nasty ass single track. alot of stuff a klr couldnt make it through lol

drago52
Thu Aug 16th, 2012, 10:55 PM
Sweet! I'll PM you guys and post up here when I'm thinking of heading out (assuming everything goes through with the bike sale tomorrow). I'll be looking for tamer trails to start off on, but I'll definitely enjoy trying the harder trails when I'm ready.

Sean
Fri Aug 17th, 2012, 09:47 AM
LH trails- not on a KLR! Jay (Bodhizafa) helped me pick up my KLR a bunch of times on that trail!


Ryan- Also check out traildamage.com for some other options. Go back to Switz, now you can go faster and run shit over easier!

bodhizafa
Fri Aug 17th, 2012, 10:38 AM
Lefthand was tough on my Husky, KLR would be pure torture!

Bueller
Fri Aug 17th, 2012, 10:43 AM
I would recommend you reconsider the KLR if you want to trail ride :lol:

drago52
Fri Aug 17th, 2012, 01:45 PM
I looked at the lefthand canyon map and there are different grades for different trails there ranging from easy to extreme. Seems like there should be something I can ride. Even if there isn't, there are tons of trails to explore out here. The lefthand canyon trails are just the ones I can see from my house.

bodhizafa
Fri Aug 17th, 2012, 01:51 PM
You could do the main trail up to 4 points, then maybe most of fireman, it gets pretty beat up though, very rocky with some steep stuff. Not sure how old that map is but the 4x4 have really beat up Lefthand in the past year or two.

I've gotten the GS up most of fireman, but that heavy bike coming downhill with the switch backs was a butt pucker!

Sean
Fri Aug 17th, 2012, 02:10 PM
I don't know these guys, but here are some KLR's going riding in Boulder on Sat.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=817608


FYI- LH is the only legal single track in Boulder county. So just be a little careful exploring.


If you want a taste of some of the "trails" on LH, check out these pics that Rob (a good buddy of mine and Bodhizafa) took last week. :lol:
http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19287073&postcount=100

drago52
Fri Aug 17th, 2012, 02:19 PM
If you want a taste of some of the "trails" on LH, check out these pics that Rob (a good buddy of mine and Bodhizafa) took last week. :lol:
http://advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=19287073&postcount=100

Looks pretty fun. Did he only take pictures of the easy sections?

drago52
Sun Aug 19th, 2012, 07:41 AM
Thanks for the links Sean. Had a blast yesterday and met some new friends. Rode the north and south sections of Caribou along with Switzerland. Caribou was pretty torn up compared to the past so I was told. I'm definitely hooked. Can't wait to head out again.

duelist13
Sun Aug 19th, 2012, 11:32 AM
i'm there if you bastids will actually invite me for some of this stuff :P
Caribou up to the creek was doable, but the mud was just killing me on the slick tires.
How'd the KLR handle the rock garden?

Sean
Mon Aug 20th, 2012, 08:54 AM
Since that was easy for you Ryan, you should take the KLR up Pennsylvania Gulch. A bit more challenging for the area. It's one of DirkTerrell's favorite rides. :up:

dirkterrell
Mon Aug 20th, 2012, 09:09 AM
Since that was easy for you Ryan, you should take the KLR up Pennsylvania Gulch. A bit more challenging for the area. It's one of DirkTerrell's favorite rides. :up:

:doublefinger:

I did enjoy it in a masochistic sort of way. If you're in any decent sort of shape, you can take one of the big pigs up it, but it's a workout. Sean was in shape. I wasn't. I'll probably try it again on the XR200 at some point. Another one to try is Bunce School Road going south to north. It's rocky and steep at the beginning through the switchbacks right above Camp Dick, but then it mellows out and is a nice ride. Watch out for quads though.

drago52
Mon Aug 20th, 2012, 09:19 PM
How'd the KLR handle the rock garden?

LIKE A BAAOOOSSSSS!! The only difficulty I had was on the descent on the south side of Caribou and that's mostly because I'm not used to the bike.

drago52
Mon Aug 20th, 2012, 09:30 PM
Since that was easy for you Ryan, you should take the KLR up Pennsylvania Gulch. A bit more challenging for the area. It's one of DirkTerrell's favorite rides. :up:

I will add it to my list. I rode the entire switzerland trail then up rollins pass after work today. It was awesome. I had never been up there before. The road is in great condition and the views... wow. Can't wait to ride some more.

bodhizafa
Mon Aug 20th, 2012, 10:31 PM
Switz is easy.......Penn Gulch sucks!

duelist13
Mon Aug 20th, 2012, 11:17 PM
I will add it to my list. I rode the entire switzerland trail then up rollins pass after work today. It was awesome. I had never been up there before. The road is in great condition and the views... wow. Can't wait to ride some more.

Be sure to ride the whole length down to sugarloaf, or all the way up to sunshine! I've been itching for a bigger dual sport (dr650) but I'm attached to the wr250x in a weird way. I'm on Iris ave. if you ever need tools or a second hand :).

Post up a pic of the new whip!

drago52
Tue Aug 21st, 2012, 08:35 AM
Friday:
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-91Mch_ZXN2Y/UDBQdF3J_zI/AAAAAAAADlE/lxLr7n5eOaU/s720/81812%2520004.JPG

Saturday:
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lUgTfkFUHhs/UDBQxQS5GoI/AAAAAAAADmU/H2z474X2TTs/s912/81812%2520012.JPG

Monday:
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-nAP3L76kMwI/UDObvEZVcmI/AAAAAAAADpo/4NnIUnza_hk/s912/8-21-12%2520040.JPG

Dr. Joe Siphek
Tue Aug 21st, 2012, 08:56 AM
I'd be down to ride w/ you Dragos...but unfortunately with work/kids...i need as much notice as possible. Rode a ton last year, but this year w/ kids getting older...i'm finding it harder and harder to find an excuse to get away from the fam.

Travis
720-317-9805

P.S. I know most of the trails by rollinsville and st.mary's like the back of my hand and hours of fun can be had up there. Parents also own a cabin in Alice, so parking there and riding from there is easy. HMU

drago52
Wed Aug 22nd, 2012, 07:47 PM
Well Sean, I took you up on your challenge. I rode the Pennsylvania gulch trail today on the klr. That was a lot tougher than those other trails. You really have to keep up your momentum and the trail is pretty sustained. I made it about 3/4 of the way through before I got off my line and had to stop. It took me a little bit to get the bike where it will start without just spinning out, but once I got a little section where I could get it going while on the pegs, I finished it off.

I thought the whole thing was super fun. The first half is mostly riding up slippery ditch up a steep ravine. Not too bad going in and out of each side. Not too many obstacles to avoid and as long as you keep your speed up, no problem. The second half started to get tougher as there were a lot bigger rocks, the line was harder to find, and it was pretty steep, so I was fighting with the bike to keep it upright without spinning the rear too much. My arms started to get tired towards the end and I had a little arm pump on my right forarm at the top! haha.

Pretty fun, but definitely at or near my limit. The trail damage website rates it a 3/4 out of 10, but I thought it was a lot harder than the other 3s I have ridden so far. I rode the bunce school road (rated 3 out of 10) and it was way easier. This trail rating system is bizarre.

dirkterrell
Wed Aug 22nd, 2012, 09:45 PM
Pretty fun, but definitely at or near my limit. The trail damage website rates it a 3/4 out of 10, but I thought it was a lot harder than the other 3s I have ridden so far. I rode the bunce school road (rated 3 out of 10) and it was way easier. This trail rating system is bizarre.

They probably rate it for 4WD vehicles. Things easy on a bike might be tough in a Jeep and vice-versa. Next time you're doing Bunce, take the side road off to the airplane crash site and let us know how it compares to PG.

Foolds
Wed Aug 22nd, 2012, 10:17 PM
I'm going to have to go play soon with you guys.. The WR needs to be jetted and I'm about 3/4 the way done getting her ready to be plated.

drago52
Thu Aug 23rd, 2012, 08:41 AM
I'm going to have to go play soon with you guys.. The WR needs to be jetted and I'm about 3/4 the way done getting her ready to be plated.

you should! I'm up for riding most every day after work and on the weekends. It's my new obsession.

Sean
Thu Aug 23rd, 2012, 09:26 AM
Ryan- way to go man! :rock: I bet that mtb experience is really paying off. I remember PG being pretty rocky, but if you keep up the speed, it makes it better. You'll get some better grip if you eventually switch out the tires on the KLR. Especially the front.

You should check out some multi-day rides on that beast. It's amazing how much more of Colorado there is, when you're on a dual sport. Think about something like this:
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=814877

TinkerinWstuff
Thu Aug 23rd, 2012, 11:54 AM
you should! I'm up for riding most every day after work and on the weekends. It's my new obsession.

me too

but I got married instead :puppy:

drago52
Thu Aug 23rd, 2012, 01:42 PM
aw. I got married too, but she lets me do what I want so long as I give her at least one day a weekend. She says "I was a bike widow, and now I'm a dirt bike widow". I used to spend all my time riding bikes and now it seems I'm spending it all riding the klr. haha

Sean
Thu Aug 23rd, 2012, 02:18 PM
I got married too, and we go out adventure riding together! It's awesome!!!!

(If you notice, only half or her windscreen is there. Yup, she's hardcore!)
http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j254/mr7string/296034_10150286525027726_580017725_7761221_4906264 _n1.jpg

TinkerinWstuff
Thu Aug 23rd, 2012, 02:21 PM
that's right; it wasn't so much the marriage that impeded riding as the diaper filler that showed up later.

drago52
Thu Aug 23rd, 2012, 03:43 PM
That... I do not have a solution for. Sean, your wife is hardcore. awesome

TinkerinWstuff
Thu Aug 23rd, 2012, 04:08 PM
Eventually he will ride too so we will make up for it later.

OUTLAWD
Sun Aug 26th, 2012, 06:53 AM
Just rode "7 mile" up near Glen Echo off the Poudre yesterday...For not having ridden dirt in ~15 years, and being on a tired, rental XR400 (pig) I didn't do too bad...but I'm back to Detroit the end of the week.... :(

GregsGSXR
Mon Aug 27th, 2012, 05:10 AM
I would recommend you reconsider the KLR if you want to trail ride :lol:

Supermoto maybe??? Hahaha....

bodhizafa
Thu Aug 30th, 2012, 03:21 PM
We should try to get a ride together for this Sunday????

maktastik_jr.
Thu Aug 30th, 2012, 03:31 PM
Just rode "7 mile" up near Glen Echo off the Poudre yesterday...For not having ridden dirt in ~15 years, and being on a tired, rental XR400 (pig) I didn't do too bad...but I'm back to Detroit the end of the week.... :(
xr 400 is the only way to go bro! if you wanna talk about a pig i used to ride a 92 xr 600r on the trail when i was like 13 and 140 pounds!!! hahahahahaha :lol:

drago52
Thu Aug 30th, 2012, 10:07 PM
We should try to get a ride together for this Sunday????

Actually, I'd be psyched for a ride on Saturday. I'm headed up to Loch Lomond on Sunday for some camping.

bodhizafa
Fri Aug 31st, 2012, 07:00 AM
Saturday works, meet up and find some dirt in Boulder County.

drago52
Fri Aug 31st, 2012, 08:21 PM
Ok, I'm planning on meeting some friends at Loch Lomond on Saturday mid-day. I was thinking of heading to rollinsville from Boulder, then taking the kingston peak trail over, then riding up to Loch Lomond. I'm taking my fishing rod and will be fishing up there with some friends. I'm heading back in the evening, so if anyone wants to join me on this trip, you're welcome to come. Fishing 'n all. I'll probably slabbing it back since it may be late.

Kingston peak trail:
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=14

Loch Lomond trail:
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=71

I could also be convinced to ride Cumberland Gulch and Chinns Lake trails:
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=49
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/index.php?id=207

drago52
Sat Sep 1st, 2012, 05:57 PM
Fun times today. Thanks for riding with me, Bodhizafa. Two more trails ticked off my list.
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ROFsJDSi87w/UEKe7WtPsPI/AAAAAAAADq4/X7fPmT68XXw/s640/090112%2520022.JPG
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3JeBTZk2qB4/UEKfR6tBOUI/AAAAAAAADsA/e4GdAUarXdA/s512/090112%2520032.JPG
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-bSo5j8x6Kr4/UEKe7GMei8I/AAAAAAAADq0/TJfUpP5VxZQ/s512/090112%2520024.JPG
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-HXr__Jew04Q/UEKfLAghuoI/AAAAAAAADrw/kLphuOPqtMc/s640/090112%2520030.JPG
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-i7xUbUHqRiQ/UEKfO8BIp_I/AAAAAAAADr4/QlNdaqTo9sI/s512/090112%2520031.JPG

bodhizafa
Sat Sep 1st, 2012, 09:22 PM
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn76/bodhizafa99/2012-09-01105211.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn76/bodhizafa99/2012-09-01095305.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn76/bodhizafa99/2012-09-01095318.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn76/bodhizafa99/2012-09-01104911.jpg

http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn76/bodhizafa99/2012-09-01112217.jpg

Few more to add, great ride. Some tough baby-heads were mauled on that route :cheers:

duelist13
Sat Sep 1st, 2012, 09:31 PM
nice pics guys! man what an amazing trail (I did the same route as well)!

That last uphill to the peak almost finished me on the sumo :puppy:. it's always the last climb.

bodhizafa
Sat Sep 1st, 2012, 09:34 PM
The last climb wasn't too bad today, had plenty of power with the GS....it was that damn climb just after the little parking area with all the big loose rocks that killed me.

duelist13
Sat Sep 1st, 2012, 09:40 PM
The last climb wasn't too bad today, had plenty of power with the GS....it was that damn climb just after the little parking area with all the big loose rocks that killed me.

if you're referring to the area after the parking/overlook, i almost lost my soul there as well. the ground was wet with loose sand on top, then the big rocks on top of that and the ruts.. please tell me it is easier on knobbies :puppy:

bodhizafa
Sat Sep 1st, 2012, 09:49 PM
Much easier on knobbies! It's the 400 lbs bike that kills me! Actually I did it on a DRZ with knobbies in June and still had a tough time!

duelist13
Sun Sep 2nd, 2012, 02:41 PM
Much easier on knobbies! It's the 400 lbs bike that kills me! Actually I did it on a DRZ with knobbies in June and still had a tough time!

I'm guessing lighter weight helps with steering/climb speed, and the knobbies help grip the loose dirt between the rocks. Do the 21 fronts help with stability over smaller rocks? How does a skinnier 18" rear compare with a fatter 17" street rear?

Here's how the sumo did it:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--v8fIQOQKvY/UEO-DLSggEI/AAAAAAAABao/1QfvAiwCdM4/s1024/vlcsnap-2012-09-02-14h12m21s41.jpg

Not pretty :fire:

drago52
Sun Sep 2nd, 2012, 04:16 PM
I'm guessing lighter weight helps with steering/climb speed, and the knobbies help grip the loose dirt between the rocks. Do the 21 fronts help with stability over smaller rocks? How does a skinnier 18" rear compare with a fatter 17" street rear?

Here's how the sumo did it:

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/--v8fIQOQKvY/UEO-DLSggEI/AAAAAAAABao/1QfvAiwCdM4/s800/vlcsnap-2012-09-02-14h12m21s41.jpg


Not pretty :fire:

haha. that section didn't seem too bad. There is a section of the trail that is pretty tough. The trail right after the pull-off where you have great views, but not the area where there is a bunch of rocks and a summit log. The trail makes a sharp left and heads up a steep loose section. I made it through the first half ok, but I got off line on the second half and I had to get a boost from Bodizafa to get the bike going. The klr was struggling with is impressive power to weight ratio at 12,000 feet, but I got 'er done.

The last climb, which Bodizafa cruised, was the most nerve-wracking section for me. I don't have the best off-road tires, so the super-steep loose stuff caused me to just spin the tire through a very long section and just hope that I didn't lose enough momentum to stop. I need some better tires (and probably a better bike, but I'm representing against all the KLR haters)!

drago52
Sun Sep 2nd, 2012, 04:21 PM
nice pics guys! man what an amazing trail (I did the same route as well)!

That last uphill to the peak almost finished me on the sumo :puppy:. it's always the last climb.

Post up or PM next time! Group rides are always fun in the dirt, I've found.

Hooligan3
Sat Mar 23rd, 2013, 09:55 PM
Wish I could join you

SSLowAss
Fri Jun 14th, 2013, 10:34 AM
I'll be moving to CO at the end of the month. I ride a YZ250 looking for any OHV trails to ride. GF rides a TTR-125 w a big bore, shes still learning, but we will eventually be looking for a bike with more suspension for her. Excited to ride in CO.

I'm coming from VA.