Our vintage club is going to do a dual sport ride for those with vintage dual sport bikes. My dual sport bike is a modern KLX250s, but I'm wondering if I put good dirt worthy tires on my '76 R90/6 if it would handle what will mostly be just dirt roads but with probably some water crossings and maybe some ruts and rocks. It won't be a race. So, my question is, have any of you used your non-GS airheads this way, and how well did it go?
I rode pillion on an R65 twin shock on a 1600 km on / off road trip. Gravel, mud, sand, rocks, beach, water crossings, hills & highways. Before the trip I though BMW were 'old man's touring bikes'. After the trip I took delivery of an R80G/S R90/6 should do good
Thanks Rucksta, I wonder if the R65 is much lighter than the R90? I'd be interested in finding a good R80GS, but they have gone up pretty good in price, and now that I'm over 80 I think I probably should quit buying more bikes. Norm
I know that Blaine Hale has run his R90 through it's paces and it did just fine. I am postive he posted a few pics of him going through a few water crossings on it.
I have ridden my LS on rides like that more than a couple of times with street tires and did just fine. One time me and a guy on a KTM dual sport led the whole pack. That is after everybody finally got out of our way. I don't think the guys with knobbied G/S's and F650's cared for it. I think the main thing to remember is that you have rubber foot pegs. Don't put too much weight on your pegs during/after water crossings until the water drys off! Mud? Too much and your cooked but that can be said to a lesser degree about a lot of 400+ pound "dual sports". Good luck! Yes, R65's are just enough lighter to make a big difference. Same thing with G/S's versus GS's IMO.
I never found any of Blaine's pictures in the dirt but did find his thread on rebuilding his R90. Anyway, I'm thinking of putting TKC80s on for the ride. I'd also like to change the bars as it currently has Euro bars which could be a problem in dirt. Problem, of course, is knowing what bars to get, and if the cables and stuff will work okay. I really don't want to get too deep into modification just for this ride. Norm
From my own experience, I would worry about some cleated footpegs before I would worry about the handlebars but that is just me trying to help.
Supershaft, thanks for the input. I doubt I'll mess with the pegs though as my legs are so weak I seldom stand on the pegs. Most of my dirt riding until just recently has been on vintage British bikes with rubber covered pegs so I'm used to them. BTW, I see you're from the bay area. I was born and raised in Richmond and was a member of the Richmond Ramblers back in the '50s. Norm
I rode round Australia in the 80s on a R90, at that time lots of the roads in the north were gravel, the old BMWs work very well in the dirt except deep sand when it all gets a bit of a handfull, I was with pillion and full traveling kit! I used to use either Goodyear DT or Dunlop K70 tyres. Much better choices now I would reckon.
I have ridden (abused) my R90S in all kinds of nasty weather, and on dirt and gravel roads. I have slogged through muddy roads for miles. There is a reason why dirt bikes have an elevated front fender. On our old R90's, mud will pack up under the front fender and stop the front tire from turning; it's like trying to ride with the front brake locked up. On several occasions I have had to get off the bike, get out the tool bag, and REMOVE the front fender! I proceeded onward as if I were on a dirt bike.
Norm, you are my hero. I had to highlight the above. Maybe quit buying, but never quit riding while you can get a leg over the seat. I have ridden my R100T places it was never designed to go, and loved it (pics toward the last few pages in the link in my signature). Ride the R90, and don't worry about the bars or pegs. A set of TKCs wouldn't hurt if you hit mud, but the street tires will be adequate for gravel and such if you keep your speeds "reasonable". Let us know how the ride goes. Include pictures, of course . . .
You should be fine. This guy did the Paris Dakar rally on a pretty much stock R65, so as long as you aim a little lower, I'd say you've got nothing to worry about.
Hi Norm, For most things the R90 will do just fine. Even better if you put some reasonable dual purpose tyres on it. I've done a lot of dirt on mine and all on road tyres so far, occasionally bald ones at that. It is no single tracker or anything, although I have taken mine many places I really shouldn't have, but to me it is a queen of unsealed roads in their many and various forms. Unless you are actually looking for trouble, I think it (and most other airheads at that) is a 'go anywhere' bike Even loaded down with a lot of luggage my R90 has surprised quite a few 'dirt bikes'. Depending on how serious the dirt gets (thinking rocks and ruts here) you might appreciate some slightly wider bars to get a bit more leverage on the front end? Really though, I'd just stick with what bars are comfortable for you (assuming your current bars are) and just cruise at your natural pace. You'll be fine. With my tyres, deep sand and slippery mud are the weak points of course but most combinations of dirt, gravel and rock are lovely and fun. TKC80's would make for a very mean R90 For me, sections of bad corrugations or potholes require a lot of speed or a lot of slow, and the first option is often not so smart- but often the one I suddenly find myself in. I've started cracking metal in a few places from going too fast over potholes and corrugations with too much gear strapped on. I don't find the rubber footpegs to be a problem at all, but then I'm a bit too tall to actually stand on the 90's pegs- the most I can manage without actually making things worse is to momentarily half rise on the pegs when going over or down and up really rough stuff. I don't have a lot of photos in the dirt- I find it hard to make myself stop to take a photo most of the time. Tootling along little unpopulated roads like this, picking the best line (for my unsuitable tyres) is like meditation for me, Flying over open dirt/gravel like this is just heaven. (there is also another R90 glinting in the sun off in the distance) Good luck, have fun and report back please!
My only issue would be the weight of the bike. If you are on roads be they gravel or dirt not really an issue, but anything off road could be a real chore. 500 lb bikes in mud/sand are a handfull.
You folks are overwhelming me with encouragment. Jim K, nice thread on your rebuild and rides. The conditions on your last ride is about as bad as anything I want to do anymore even on a modern dual sport. I've only had the R90 less than two years and have only riden it on pavement so far. I bought it as a stop-gap vintage bike when I got rid of my British bikes because I could no longer kick them over, and while waiting on my son to rebuild an electric start 1974 Harley Aermacchi single I picked up. I've come to really like the R90 and it has become my beater, being riden more than my other bikes. This is a photo from about 5 years ago just as I finished a two hour, ten mile ride on muddy, rocky, tree truck loaded single track. I was completely exhausted as you might be able to tell. My son is going to determine the route for the clubs ride so we don't know yet how bad it will be, but I know he won't plan on any really bad stuff. But, he did this last year and after several necessary detours our 90 mile route turned into a 170 mile grind. I rode my modern dual sport on that ride but that doesn't feel right with the others on vintage bikes. The ride isn't until late June, but I will post pictures if it happens. Norm
This is from a couple of years ago on my modern dual sport. It's in the same general area where the vintage club ride will be. (I hate ruts.) This is about where we got stopped by snow.
It's a motorcycle and will do just fine. Leverage is your friend on dirt and "S" bars suck for that. But if it's what you have then just ride it within your limits.
If you`re planning on keeping the bags on for the ride, you`d be well advised to strap them on or you`ll be back tracking the route looking for them. The bike looks good with the R100RS tank and seat. In the pic they look a close match with the original maroon colour of the /6.
