Cat Herders: Shenandoah Valley Inmates

[bwalsh]

Originally Posted by valongbeard

So help me learn. What's the trick? How do you keep 500 top-heavy pounds upright through mush with slick tires?

When in doubt, gas it!

It's either going to work like a charm or you'll have a good story to tell around the camp fire.

Really though, mud and hill climbs don't mix unless you have the knobbiest of knobbies and even then...

[IronheadChicago]

like a sod farmers front loader blade

[valongbeard]

Originally Posted by bwalsh

Really though, mud and hill climbs don't mix unless you have the knobbiest of knobbies and even then...

Well that's what im guessing. I can understand not climbing a steep hill with street tires, but. . .

The difference between my spectacular failure and HBN's spectacular sucess is the slope of terrain. I had a slight cross slope and incline up the trail, while the "bog" looked relatively flat. Not to take away from his feat, because he had a passenger, and I myself weight less then HBN (maybe). His tires look like the same tourance tires I have, but his bike is heavier, right?

Dang it! How do I keep the bike upright through the slop? Practice! Right, but practice doing what?

[valongbeard]

Turn it into the skid and keep the rpm's up? Stuff like that?

Im a greenhorn, and I need the concepts.

[HBN]

I just dug myself a deeper hole and stayed on it. Eventually I put it in second resulting in less wheelspin and it tractored through after a shove from a friend. At 550lb (full tank) + cases and gear, it was really an interesting experience. Can't wait to put my new tires on this week. Those Tourances are shot.

Yes it was relatively flat but I've done some stupid shit on the Vstrom before in the woods

[valongbeard]

Originally Posted by HBN

Yes it was relatively flat but I've done some stupid shit on the Vstrom before in the woods

That's what I am looking for. I love the strom on the street, but still want to push its limits off the pavement.

[ONandOFF]

Originally Posted by valongbeard

..Practice! Right, but practice doing what?

Dave, after 40+ years of motoring around through all kinds of terrain, I can assure you there is no defined formula. If you can keep your balance and keep the bike moving, that will get you through. Sometimes giving it a little more gas gets you better traction, and sometimes it's a little less. You just have to experiment with the ground you're on, and remember, it varies as you go along.

You may not want to hear this, but you have to be willing to go down if you want to push and expand your limits!

[valongbeard]

Originally Posted by ONandOFF

You may not want to hear this, but you have to be willing to go down if you want to push and expand your limits!

I think I've proven that I'm not afraid to "go down". I wouldn't have taken the strom out if I was afraid of laying it down. I don't expect a mathematical equation for success, but there must be some concepts that I haven't grasped yet. I'll keep working at it.

I'm still looking at a knobbie for the front and semi-agressive rear. Any monkey can recognize that a Vstrom is not a trail bike, but I want to know just how far it can go. Right now my experience is the limiting factor, more than the bike. Practice Practice Practice!

First. . . then. . .

[mtnflow]

Originally Posted by valongbeard

First. . . then. . .

You forgot....

[H14]

There's a happy guy riding around on a yellow DR today. Now I've got to get him signed up here and show him the 3,067 page long DR650 thread in thumpers.

[valongbeard]

Originally Posted by mtnflow

You forgot....

I know, but I like the other one better. Hopefully I eventually reduce the to a minimum.

[mtnflow]

Originally Posted by h14xl

There's a happy guy riding around on a yellow DR today. Now I've got to get him signed up here and show him the 3,067 page long DR650 thread in thumpers.

There's an unhappy guy moping around harrisonburg that used to have a yellow dr. He didn't think it would sell this quick, he never even listed it anywhere.

[valongbeard]

Originally Posted by mtnflow

There's an unhappy guy moping around harrisonburg that used to have a yellow dr. He didn't think it would sell this quick, he never even listed it anywhere.

I'm out of the loop. Who sold a yellow DR to whom? Should we expect a new member or is this an existing CH?

[LadyDraco]

[ONandOFF]