I had a great time recently at Hot Springs BMWGSBYOB II. The off-road ride with DIrtDog was fun and challenging. Dragoon & I recently talked about the old days of airhead GS Rallies located at High Country Cycle Camp. At BMWGSBYOB II, there where only two airhead GS's going off-road, mine and Wildman's "slightly" modified R80G/s. Why doesn't anybody ride their airhead GS's anymore off-road?
Hi Moman! I still ride mine off road. Probably not as much as I used to but given the opportunity I'm in. The old Turkey Tom (High :stoned Country Cycle Camp) was an orginized GS Poker Run which in it's day was the best I've thought about trying to do a GS Poker run around here but it wouldn't have the intesity of NC. Still thinkin' about it though. good to see that some of the old Turkey Tom crowd is still doing it. Rock on Moman and I hope to see you around again
I ride mine off road. I ride with a bunch of guys with KLRs sometimes, and the Airhead hangs just fine A little fun in the dirt Lunch break - the two guys on the KLRs are brothers, and actually much better dirt riders than I am, but it was still a blast. Don't let anyone tell you the GSs don't really handle that well off road. I LOVE MY GSs
In my own experiences with organized dual sport rides, (Georgia Mtn. Rally) it seems fewer and fewer airhead GS's participate. More than a few times, mine was the only GS Airhead exchanging rooster tails with the other dual-sport bikes. For me, I have one bike which does double duty as my street/slab tourer and my adventure/off-road traveller. Perhaps other Airhead GS owners have multiple bikes to choose from for their off-road travels.
I ride mine offroad, and quite a bit, too. Here's MotorMike last year: Me last year at the Sierra Rally (MotorMike holding on, just in case): And here's me in a sandbar in a very-low Trinity Lake:
I was on the DRZ for that ride, because my 100GSPD was without a back wheel back at the barn. I was wishing I was riding it every time you or Wildman applied the torque button and roosted my ass.
... sorry jakar. Guess I was just having too much fun. I'm definitely up for some more offroad NC mountain fun with any of the local Advriders who know some good areas. My dad has a house with some cabins on 226A just down from Little Switzerland so it would be easy for me to crash there, and head out on different jaunts. I really want to take the R80G/S to Ouray to play in the numerous mountain passes (Alpine loop, etc), but my ass would never make it out there with that seat. Right now the big plan is to ride the GS Adventure to Spokane (for work meetings and then BMW MOA rally), then to Colorado Springs (for some errands), then to Ouray (for Advrider rally), then back to NC as quick as possible. Haven't fine tuned the route, but I'm committed to pull it off. The GS Adventure will be fine in Ouray, even offroad, I just won't get stupid with it since I need it to get home. ALERT: Another slight thread hijack- Hey Moman, I'll be giving you a call tomorrow as I'm riding to Alabama for some meetings next week and will need a new rear tire before I can get all the way home. I plan on coming through Atlanta on Thursday (24th) and need to see if there's any chance I can get a Tourance slapped on the Adventure for a safer ride home. :: End hijack :: Moral of this story- If there's anybody around NC that wants to go get some bikes dirty, I'm up for the deal... airhead GS's or not! (However it's more fun, and challenging sometimes with the big pigs IMHO)
I SO much enjoy riding Helga with knobby tires. It turns the GS into a happy (and somewhat heavy) off-road fun machine. I am currently running elCheapo Chen-Shin? tires that cost all of $40 a piece. I've used the same set for dual sport rides in Ocala, FL, the Ozarks Fall Color Tour http://dualsportmagazine.com/ and a bunch of local BMW Rallys. They have awesome hook-up in sand or rock but really suck on the slab. Both tires have never lost a knob and still have decent tread. I'm impressed Sorry about roosting you, but I don't look in the mirrors often when off-roading with a grin on my face
Ride 'em off road, race 'em off road. Airheads kick ass! Out here you see more airheads ridden hard offroad than oilheads. <img src="http://www.setthemfree.com/pictures/elsinore_gp/images/DSC_0074.jpg"> <img src="http://setthemfree.com/pictures/jimmy_lewis/images/IMG_3237.jpg"> <img src="http://www.setthemfree.com/pictures/bike_porn/anton_meredith.jpg">
