Seattle bound - how's the riding?

Coaster · 01-16-2006, 08:34 AM

I am on the east coast but expect a job to take me to Seattle. What kind of off-road and dual sport opportunities should I expect to find? I currently own a KTM 300 which I use for enduros and dual sport rides. However, I am leaning towards adding a more street legal dual sport bike as well once I move.

ssbnveteran · 01-16-2006, 09:18 AM

I don't know what you're looking for, but we have some great rides & scenery for dual-sporting. There are countless miles of logging & Forest Service roads in both the Cascade & Olympic Mountains. We’re close to many picturesque rides through WA, OR & BC, mountain rides, coastal rides, etc. There is the Puget Sound Enduro Riders club & several ORV riding areas. Hope you’re not a fair weather rider; it does rain about 3/4 of the year here.

Check out: http://www.soundrider.com/

GSguy · 01-16-2006, 10:54 AM

Here is another place that has a local feel.

http://www.trailpilgrim.com/forums/f...splay.php?f=25

gentry · 01-16-2006, 12:32 PM

It never ends out here

we ride. a lot.

Road Rash · 01-16-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coaster

What kind of off-road and dual sport opportunities should I expect to find? I currently own a KTM 300 which I use for enduros and dual sport rides. However, I am leaning towards adding a more street legal dual sport bike as well once I move.

Lot's of dual sport roads around the PNW, ya like mud? in about 5 months I'll be complaining about the dust

markjenn · 01-16-2006, 12:55 PM

It's good for some types of riding, not for others. Of course, it's all what you're used to - compared to most east coast locations, there's a LOT more space to play with out here.

Dual-sport explorations are great. There's lots of forest and logging roads, although gates are often a problem. And rain/snow limit things, depending on how hard-core you are. But there are quite a few options and lots of nice roads.

Hard-core dirt riding (non street-legal bikes) and single-track... not so good. The seattle area has three decent designated ORV areas not too far away, but they all take 1-2 hours of slogging in heavy traffic or a ferry ride to get to. Seattle has sprawled out to huge dimensions and is bounded by water and traffic, so getting around is no picnic. Western WA is really pretty hemmed in by mountains and water, so there are none of the truly wide-open spaces like you have throughout much of the W. It's a fairly urban area. But if you're willing to make a long day of it (or better yet camp) you can get into some incredible areas, particularly around Adams, St. Helens, and E. WA.

Backroads street riding has gone into the toilet with urban sprawl. Everybody has their horse-acre lots and the cops are dranconian. St. Helens is nice, but is only open four or five months a year and the cops are cracking down there too. Lots of traffic. Western WA is a pretty crappy sportbiking area, at least by western standards. I generally head down to E. Oregon (or even CA) for serious sportbiking.

My advice: sell the KTM300, get a DRZ400S, and explore.

- Mark

Rubber Cow · 01-16-2006, 02:08 PM

It's awful, stay away.....oh and the rain never, ever stops.
Look up threads by Advriders Mr. Cob, Saddletramp. They suck and their reports are shit.

This will give you some idea of what's in store for you....

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here....or something like that...
PS Invest in Gore Tex...did I mention that it rains here?

Cheers,
Jorge

phlat65 · 01-16-2006, 09:45 PM

well, you do have to drive a bit to get to the great riding, there are MANY great places to ride for day trips. spring to fall riding in eastern WA is the best in the country IMHO. we do 100+ mile loops in the Mad River area, Tanum/ Teanaway, ect. the wet weather riding in Belfair and Shelton is also excelent. just east of Gold Bar WA is the Reiter riding area, possibly the most technical riding around. couple H.S. there and a 24 hr team race (recomend doing once in your life, can't duplicate the feeling at 4 AM)

we have a 5 race Enduro Series, and a 10+ race Hare Scrambles series. there is a full poker run series, and some other events, my fave being the Scottish Trials at Walker Valley.

check out www.nmaoffroad.org for info on riding areas and upcoming events, or contact me when you get here, and I will hook you up with local rides. I will be contesting the whole Enduro series, and some H.S this year, with some hard core and dual sport riding in the summer.

Coaster · 01-17-2006, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by phlat65

well, you do have to drive a bit to get to the great riding, there are MANY great places to ride for day trips. spring to fall riding in eastern WA is the best in the country IMHO. we do 100+ mile loops in the Mad River area, Tanum/ Teanaway, ect. the wet weather riding in Belfair and Shelton is also excelent. just east of Gold Bar WA is the Reiter riding area, possibly the most technical riding around. couple H.S. there and a 24 hr team race (recomend doing once in your life, can't duplicate the feeling at 4 AM)

we have a 5 race Enduro Series, and a 10+ race Hare Scrambles series. there is a full poker run series, and some other events, my fave being the Scottish Trials at Walker Valley.

check out www.nmaoffroad.org for info on riding areas and upcoming events, or contact me when you get here, and I will hook you up with local rides. I will be contesting the whole Enduro series, and some H.S this year, with some hard core and dual sport riding in the summer.

Phlat65 Thanks for the offer. I'll give you a holler when I get out there. I'm used to driving 100-200 miles to do my rides so I don't mind. Especially if there is good camping involved. What are the enduros like, real tight, rocky? I'm a senior C to B level enduro rider and rode some of the very tight New jersey and rocky pennsylvania enduros. Mostly for the challenge and comraderie, I started riding dirt to late in life.

phlat65 · 01-17-2006, 07:49 PM

the enduros are very tame these days, long gone are the days of 30% finishers. they do run a short and long course, long course wold be AA, A (open 200, VET) B (open, 200). C classes, Senior, youth, ect run short course. the woods here are tight, with a long enduro being 80 ground miles, but I have done 100 mile enduros here. I am out of shape these days, and struggled to push hard at the end of the 80 milers last year, but that is the fun part to me.... lots of guys like the 300's out here, I think that is the largest bike that goes really well in the woods. I personally run the 125, and can't imagine needing much more HP, except at 5,000 feet and up

I did finish 2nd OA at the Black Bear Enduro in 2000 on a 125, so they do work pretty good.

there are also some private motocross clubs around if you are into that.

TongueLady · 01-17-2006, 08:02 PM

And then there's the RAIN...did anybody mention the RAIN???

Lots of great camping...in the RAIN...

Lotsa good beers, too!

HighwayChile · 01-23-2006, 10:15 PM

its sad if you knew what it used to be. used to be wide open. E. Wa still has some great areas. enough tight stuff at reiter/walker to make you hate roots.
only thing I can add, is get up to BC, shit loads still up there. but they have their problems too. less sound=more ground

does your KTM have a plate? can you get it tagged? its worth gold here if you can, or if you cant if your driving out, stop off in montana/colorado . claim your a resident, get it tagged.

Foto Veloce · 03-09-2006, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gentry

It never ends out here

we ride. a lot.

You mean we ride EVERY day...

Road Rash · 03-09-2006, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Foto Veloce

You mean we ride EVERY day...

Just about, didn't ride in the snow today, yeah I know...............I'm a puss

Foto Veloce · 03-13-2006, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Road Rash

Just about, didn't ride in the snow today, yeah I know...............I'm a puss

You should try it some time.. it's lots of fun!!!

01-16-2006, 08:34 AM	#1
Coaster ^OP Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Feb 2005 Location: Bainbridge Island, WA Oddometer: 150	Seattle bound - how's the riding? I am on the east coast but expect a job to take me to Seattle. What kind of off-road and dual sport opportunities should I expect to find? I currently own a KTM 300 which I use for enduros and dual sport rides. However, I am leaning towards adding a more street legal dual sport bike as well once I move.

01-16-2006, 09:18 AM	#2
ssbnveteran Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2005 Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA. Oddometer: 120	Great rides year round, IF you DON't mind the RAIN! I don't know what you're looking for, but we have some great rides & scenery for dual-sporting. There are countless miles of logging & Forest Service roads in both the Cascade & Olympic Mountains. We’re close to many picturesque rides through WA, OR & BC, mountain rides, coastal rides, etc. There is the Puget Sound Enduro Riders club & several ORV riding areas. Hope you’re not a fair weather rider; it does rain about 3/4 of the year here. Check out: http://www.soundrider.com/

01-16-2006, 10:54 AM	#3
GSguy Here's a quarter. Joined: Aug 2003 Location: In the Kings County Oddometer: 3,006	Here is another place that has a local feel. http://www.trailpilgrim.com/forums/f...splay.php?f=25 __________________ Team Drips, bring the rain. Off and finding my Mojo

01-16-2006, 12:32 PM	#4
gentry For Reasons Unknown... Joined: Mar 2005 Location: Houston, TX Oddometer: 3,251	It never ends out here we ride. a lot. __________________

01-16-2006, 02:08 PM	#7
Rubber Cow GS Dork Joined: Jul 2001 Location: Aloha... yes, Aloha, Oregon Oddometer: 5,299	It's awful, stay away.....oh and the rain never, ever stops. Look up threads by Advriders Mr. Cob, Saddletramp. They suck and their reports are shit. This will give you some idea of what's in store for you.... Abandon all hope, ye who enter here....or something like that... PS Invest in Gore Tex...did I mention that it rains here? Cheers, Jorge __________________ "He had that rare weird electricity about him--that extremely wild and heavy presence that you only see in a person who has abandoned all hope of ever behaving"normally"." HST-RIP "Woof, woof woof woof ...woof woof!!!!!!!!!" Cricket the Dog-RIP

01-16-2006, 12:55 PM	#6
markjenn Beastly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2003 Location: Swellvue, WA Oddometer: 9,698	It's good for some types of riding, not for others. Of course, it's all what you're used to - compared to most east coast locations, there's a LOT more space to play with out here. Dual-sport explorations are great. There's lots of forest and logging roads, although gates are often a problem. And rain/snow limit things, depending on how hard-core you are. But there are quite a few options and lots of nice roads. Hard-core dirt riding (non street-legal bikes) and single-track... not so good. The seattle area has three decent designated ORV areas not too far away, but they all take 1-2 hours of slogging in heavy traffic or a ferry ride to get to. Seattle has sprawled out to huge dimensions and is bounded by water and traffic, so getting around is no picnic. Western WA is really pretty hemmed in by mountains and water, so there are none of the truly wide-open spaces like you have throughout much of the W. It's a fairly urban area. But if you're willing to make a long day of it (or better yet camp) you can get into some incredible areas, particularly around Adams, St. Helens, and E. WA. Backroads street riding has gone into the toilet with urban sprawl. Everybody has their horse-acre lots and the cops are dranconian. St. Helens is nice, but is only open four or five months a year and the cops are cracking down there too. Lots of traffic. Western WA is a pretty crappy sportbiking area, at least by western standards. I generally head down to E. Oregon (or even CA) for serious sportbiking. My advice: sell the KTM300, get a DRZ400S, and explore. - Mark

01-16-2006, 09:45 PM	#8
phlat65 Adventurer Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Seattle! Oddometer: 24	well, you do have to drive a bit to get to the great riding, there are MANY great places to ride for day trips. spring to fall riding in eastern WA is the best in the country IMHO. we do 100+ mile loops in the Mad River area, Tanum/ Teanaway, ect. the wet weather riding in Belfair and Shelton is also excelent. just east of Gold Bar WA is the Reiter riding area, possibly the most technical riding around. couple H.S. there and a 24 hr team race (recomend doing once in your life, can't duplicate the feeling at 4 AM) we have a 5 race Enduro Series, and a 10+ race Hare Scrambles series. there is a full poker run series, and some other events, my fave being the Scottish Trials at Walker Valley. check out www.nmaoffroad.org for info on riding areas and upcoming events, or contact me when you get here, and I will hook you up with local rides. I will be contesting the whole Enduro series, and some H.S this year, with some hard core and dual sport riding in the summer.

01-17-2006, 07:49 PM	#10
phlat65 Adventurer Joined: Jan 2006 Location: Seattle! Oddometer: 24	the enduros are very tame these days, long gone are the days of 30% finishers. they do run a short and long course, long course wold be AA, A (open 200, VET) B (open, 200). C classes, Senior, youth, ect run short course. the woods here are tight, with a long enduro being 80 ground miles, but I have done 100 mile enduros here. I am out of shape these days, and struggled to push hard at the end of the 80 milers last year, but that is the fun part to me.... lots of guys like the 300's out here, I think that is the largest bike that goes really well in the woods. I personally run the 125, and can't imagine needing much more HP, except at 5,000 feet and up I did finish 2nd OA at the Black Bear Enduro in 2000 on a 125, so they do work pretty good. there are also some private motocross clubs around if you are into that.

01-17-2006, 08:02 PM	#11
TongueLady Shine A Light Joined: May 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Oddometer: 356	And then there's the RAIN...did anybody mention the RAIN??? Lots of great camping...in the RAIN... Lotsa good beers, too! __________________ "Ain't no party like a Rolling Stones Party cos a Rolling Stones Party don't stop!" ~TL hob 2002

01-23-2006, 10:15 PM	#12
HighwayChile greetings from Wa state Joined: Aug 2003 Location: Bow, WA USA Oddometer: 4,094	its sad if you knew what it used to be. used to be wide open. E. Wa still has some great areas. enough tight stuff at reiter/walker to make you hate roots. only thing I can add, is get up to BC, shit loads still up there. but they have their problems too. less sound=more ground does your KTM have a plate? can you get it tagged? its worth gold here if you can, or if you cant if your driving out, stop off in montana/colorado . claim your a resident, get it tagged. __________________ “I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth.” .....Steve McQueen

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: .
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode