2012 Pittsburgh and SW PA, Beer, Coffee and Sandwich group. :)

Hey gang... Lets get together, doesnt have to always be beer, could be a coffee or a burrito, let us know.

greg

Gonna be some RCRs at Berg's tomorrow (Thursday) night at 6:30.

Is this a trick question?

Let's do it.

okay, we went for a great ride last Saturday Grape!

Pics, or it didn't happen.

New member of the forum and having fun learning this new stuff. Is anyone getting together in the area soon?

Welcome aboard Dschilberg. The SWPA ADV threads are generally as you see this one. (Dead)

I post up rides more often on the Eastern BS thread. Your invited to join in there if you don't mind the Tom Foolery. Lots of big miles adventure touring, overniters, long weekend, camping, on all surfaces riding.

If your looking for more small bike off road riding stay tuned. Someone from rufcutriders forum will see this and pull you in if they haven't got to big. Great bunch of guys.

What kinda rideing are you looking to do?

Thanks for the warm welcome. I looked at some of those other links and as others have said, the rufcutriders.com site's registration is down so I can't see any threads on there or register but would be interested in hearing about some things.

As for what's going on with me ... well, here is a short Ride Report that I posted after my return from my first-ever trail rides, http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=843337. I had never ridden a motorcycle before Halloween but a friend of mine is an Instructor with Adventure Riders International, http://www.adventureridersinternational.com. This is mostly DS stuff ... hey, I just realized, those are my initials -- fate perhaps? I ended up flying out to New Mexico, taking a crash course (pardon the pun) in how to ride a motorcycle, and then the next 4 days in a row doing trail rides with him (20 miles on the first trip then 90-, 90-, and 120-mile trips). Forest roads, dry creek beds, a little forest exploration, etc. Man was it awesome.

I started on a Honda XR100R for a day and then moved on to a Suzuki DR-Z400. It was 95% trail rides for several reasons: 1. the bikes that I road had nobby tires, 2. it only took a few miles of road to get to the trails, and 3. I did not have a Motorcycle permit/license so wasn't really supposed to be on the road (plus the bike was not plated). So I don't (yet) own a bike as the Mrs. denied my request to buy a sweet DR650 on here that was totally ready for trail rides and DS stuff so I'll have to keep waiting. I have just 4 days and 300 miles of trail-riding experience but the ride report above has a link to the pics and videos from the trip.

Since I'm new, I don't know what who are seasoned vets think a "hard" trail is or an "easy" trail so that is part of the fun. I don't have a bike so just have to sit by and read the local ride reports. I got my Motorcycle Permit last week so at least now I'm legally covered to ride a bike ... I just don't have one. I'll gladly borrow/rent someone's spare trail bike for a ride if anyone is willing. The 400 was a good size but I would like to try a 650 or similar at some point (to see if it is too big of a bike for me).

Oh, my Instructor friend was on a BMW 1100GS and pretty much did everything that I did but much smoother and one day even had a passenger. It was definitely interesting seeing how one of those bikes can be handled. Unfortunately, they only hold class in Maine or New Mexico while I'm here in PA ... and don't have a bike.

I think it's out-fricken-standing that you committed the time and effort to learn off road riding from your friend.

My recommendation is to now take the PA Motorcycle Safety Course course to complete your Jedi training. It's free. [well your taxes paid for it]

http://www.pamsp.com/


It's nice to have folks to ask questions, so feel free to ask them on the Eastern PA BS thread. Your welcome there any time.


A great book ya have to get is this one.......

Thanks, Jeff B. I forgot to mention that I also did my first Fly Fishing on this trip (and caught about 5 trout in a small stream (Brown and Brook Trout). Definitely an epic trip.

I also think I have an advantage because I have zero-point-zero bad habits from riding street or incorrectly riding trails to undo in order to be trained correctly. Then again, I got to learn from scratch how to threshold brake on dirt and gravel since I had zero experience with that so it was quite a challenge that I handled ... but am happy to report that I'm heading back in mid-Dec to do it again.

As for the PA course ... it is not available until about April. Wimps. Doesn't anybody have a certification before then? Bah. Guess I'm on my Learner's Permit until then (restrictions are no passenger unless an Instructor, no riding at night, must wear a helmet). Permit is fine since I don't even own a motorcycle (yet).

I'll lurk around and check out that book. I'm already in the Moab, UT and Phoenix threads to see the videos and ride reports and Garmin tracks for those routes and trying to plan something in Moab for my trip next month. Egads it is going to be fun.

I saw that in your profile so I wanted to mention it. I didn't upload those pics yet since my main focus were bike and trail pics (also, I've still not been able to add a pic even from an embedded weblink so I didn't bother trying to figure it out -- some day I will).

Not sure if this group is still active but I would be interested if so. Just moved to Pittsburgh this summer and looking for an adventure once the snow melts. Riding a 2008 WR290R Dual Sport, and always looking for a good time to ride.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yqAH-lGMbXo/UNYmQmqcDrI/AAAAAAAAXL0/7ujudqd1nQk/s830/IMG_2242.JPG

be ready in March after the salt is off the roads


Less work = more riding

Dan are you saying that you'll be working less next year? Laconic, Al Tuna, and a couple others from the Asheville crowd are heading to the Central Rally in August. Rick and I already have campsites reserved.

Gentleman,

Has anyone been doing any riding yet?

I finally got my first adventure bike, a blue 2009 KLR. Looking for some SW PA or Pittsburgh riders.

I bought a FZ1 about 6 weeks ago but sold it for the KLR. It wasn't comfortable, too fast to have fun without putting my life at risk, and couldn't go offroad, which is what I really wanted!

I am in the North Hills but would love to meet some of you in the area.

~Jack

We've put in quite a few rides already this year already. Keep your eyes on the Eastern PA BS and PA camping threads. The Eastern PA BS thread is not just eastern, but statewide in PA and NY.

Hey Jack,

A bunch of us meet every Thur at the QS&L in Cranberry for bike night, riding our DS bikes. The dirtier the better, it pisses off all the Pirates.

Stop by sometime, you easily be able to spot us.

Shemp!