Off-Road Riding in OK & AR?

[MooreRon]

Where is the best off-road riding in eastern OK and/or western AR? The bike I am interested in using is a KTM 525 EXC that is street legal, but I will haul the bike to the destination. Are the National Forest legal to ride in?

Thanks...

[The Fist]

Originally Posted by bartkim

Where is the best off-road riding in eastern OK and/or western AR? The bike I am interested in using is a KTM 525 EXC that is street legal, but I will haul the bike to the destination. Are the National Forest legal to ride in?

Thanks...

Many National Forests including Mark Twain have plenty of forest/fire roads that are legal to ride, and there are some great singletrack areas but I haven't ridden them....

Here's a decent place to start looking... right here

Also, be sure to go on ThumperTalk and consult their regional forums... there's some good info to be had...

When are you going ? How long ?

[MooreRon]

Originally Posted by The Fist

Many National Forests including Mark Twain have plenty of forest/fire roads that are legal to ride, and there are some great singletrack areas but I haven't ridden them....

Here's a decent place to start looking... right here

Also, be sure to go on ThumperTalk and consult their regional forums... there's some good info to be had...

When are you going ? How long ?

I just PM'd you, but I'll be there the last weekend of this month (along with about 180 others) from Friday-Sunday mid day.

[RL Lemke]

Originally Posted by bartkim

Where is the best off-road riding in eastern OK and/or western AR? The bike I am interested in using is a KTM 525 EXC that is street legal, but I will haul the bike to the destination. Are the National Forest legal to ride in?

Thanks...

Mena, AR is a good central spot to stay for riding the Quashita NF. There are hundreds of miles of dirt roads (NF & County) with some offering plenty of water crossings. There is one popular OHV park (Wolf Pen) and one rocky gnarly multiple use area hidden northeast of Mena.

There are supposed to be a series of trails in eastern Oklahoma that offers single track and technical sections. No details from me though.

There are hundreds of miles of dirt roads all thru the privately held tree farms in eastern Oklahoma. You may need to pay for a permit there.

[MooreRon]

Originally Posted by RL Lemke

Mena, AR is a good central spot to stay for riding the Quashita NF. There are hundreds of miles of dirt roads (NF & County) with some offering plenty of water crossings. There is one popular OHV park (Wolf Pen) and one rocky gnarly multiple use area hidden northeast of Mena.

There are supposed to be a series of trails in eastern Oklahoma that offers single track and technical sections. No details from me though.

There are hundreds of miles of dirt roads all thru the privately held tree farms in eastern Oklahoma. You may need to pay for a permit there.

Hey RL,

I didn't know you were on AdvRider. Anyway, this is Bart - friend of Curtis - and I met with your wife again a couple weeks ago on the 525 EXC. Curtis did a great job getting it ready for your ride...CAN'T WAIT!

[RL Lemke]

Originally Posted by bartkim

Hey RL,

I didn't know you were on AdvRider. Anyway, this is Bart - friend of Curtis - and I met with your wife again a couple weeks ago on the 525 EXC. Curtis did a great job getting it ready for your ride...CAN'T WAIT!

I have a GPS file of my old Mena dual sport ride I can share with you. I was a GPS novice when I created it, but it will give you the idea. Have a look at my 1999 & 2000 ride photos to see what those FS roads look like. The route takes in both Arkansas & Oklahoma.

http://dualsportmagazine.com/NewFile...lColorTour.htm

http://www.dualsportmagazine.com/New...ColorTour.html

The FCT is so full that as riders drop out (mostly due to injuries riding) I am not replacing them. Should be a super ride. Especially if temps stay this high.

[MooreRon]

Originally Posted by RL Lemke

I have a GPS file of my old Mena dual sport ride I can share with you. I was a GPS novice when I created it, but it will give you the idea. Have a look at my 1999 & 2000 ride photos to see what those FS roads look like. The route takes in both Arkansas & Oklahoma.

http://dualsportmagazine.com/NewFile...lColorTour.htm

http://www.dualsportmagazine.com/New...ColorTour.html

The FCT is so full that as riders drop out (mostly due to injuries riding) I am not replacing them. Should be a super ride. Especially if temps stay this high.

Yea, I'd love to take a look at any GPS files you don't mind sharing. I've looked at the pictures on your website many times, but this thread was meant to get ideas IN ADDITION to your ride since I'm sure there's a lot more to see. Since you have a lot of time at both, do you think a return trip in a month or two would be better served back at Clarksville, AR or at Mena?

BTW, are you still going to Moab in March?

[RL Lemke]

Originally Posted by bartkim

Since you have a lot of time at both, do you think a return trip in a month or two would be better served back at Clarksville, AR or at Mena?

BTW, are you still going to Moab in March?

Mena has a lot to offer in the way of terrain that is not too difficult yet lots of creek crossings (if you know where to look). The problem with putting on a ride in Mena are the lack of facilities suitable for the FCT. If I were you I'd go to Mena for something different. Watch to see which hunting season it is before you go. You know what some Arkansas hunters say about dirt bikers don't you.... "Them's good eatin'".

Moab will be the first or second weekend in March. It's an annual thing for us.

[The Fist]

hey bartkim---

how do you like that 525? any maintenance problems ?

what year is it ?

[Skinner]

Hey, stop asking and just go buy one!

Just sign you r name, and they'll give it to you.

[The Fist]

Originally Posted by Skinner

Hey, stop asking and just go buy one!

Just sign you r name, and they'll give it to you.

Im not so sure....My name ain't all that....

Howabout I use your name ??

[chain]

Fisty gettin the fat fightin fever?

What happened to life begins with a DRZ

[bvkamp]

Orange fever!






Wanna buy a *gently* used 625?

[MooreRon]

Originally Posted by The Fist

hey bartkim---

how do you like that 525? any maintenance problems ?

what year is it ?

I've only had it a couple weeks, but so far it's been great - no problems. The bike is an '05 and from what I can tell it's going to be a whole lot more fun than the KTM 950 for pure off-road.