Dirt Bikes

[jjbbrewer]

Last time we were out there, I visited the forest service office and loaded up on maps, but I haven’t poured over them yet.

Just a heads up, USFS maps (known as MVUMs) are primarily for regulation, not navigation. There are much better trip planning aids available.

It’s now just a question of what I end up with, bolstered by so many “old guys” on here still riding. That surprised me.

A friend of mine says, "We don't stop riding because we get old, we get old because we stop riding."

My wife is good with a new dirt bike, but says “no wheelies anymore”. But now with many guys on here with more than one bike, I have several I can point to and say “he has X number, I only want three!”

The correct number of motorcycles to have is N+1, where N is the number you currently own.

‘87 CR500R……whoa. The era of two strokes!

I have mine for sale right now. I think a friend in Billings wants to make it into a hillclimber.
https://cr500.bigstickracing.com

That two stroke era was a blast.

"was"? is!

Pretty much any trail bike to consider these days is a two stroke. In the past decade or so there have been counterbalancers, fuel injection, power valves, electric starters, hydraulic clutches, and oiling systems that have (in my view) completely revolutionized two stroke dirt bikes. My CR is all I had up until 2021 and when I got my 250 XC-W, I had to re-learn how to ride a two stroke. Basically, you ride it like a thumper and just ignore the different sound (at least that method worked for my old brain).

I know of a brand new 1972 Kawasaki H2 triple that a dealer has in his museum, that the engine has NEVER been started, plastic still on the seat with the owner's manual laying on it. It has about 10 miles on it from pushing it around at the dealership, but zero hrs on the engine. I can't imagine what that thing is worth right now.

You should go find out! Tell them that you're sure the motor & suspension need to be gone through since everything in there is either seized or rotted. Maybe that'll get them down a little (unlikely, but maybe worth a try?).

 

[triplethreat]

Just a heads up, USFS maps (known as MVUMs) are primarily for regulation, not navigation. There are much better trip planning aids available.

A friend of mine says, "We don't stop riding because we get old, we get old because we stop riding."

The correct number of motorcycles to have is N+1, where N is the number you currently own.

I have mine for sale right now. I think a friend in Billings wants to make it into a hillclimber.
https://cr500.bigstickracing.com

"was"? is!

Pretty much any trail bike to consider these days is a two stroke. In the past decade or so there have been counterbalancers, fuel injection, power valves, electric starters, hydraulic clutches, and oiling systems that have (in my view) completely revolutionized two stroke dirt bikes. My CR is all I had up until 2021 and when I got my 250 XC-W, I had to re-learn how to ride a two stroke. Basically, you ride it like a thumper and just ignore the different sound (at least that method worked for my old brain).


You should go find out! Tell them that you're sure the motor & suspension need to be gone through since everything in there is either seized or rotted. Maybe that'll get them down a little (unlikely, but maybe worth a try?).

Oh, make no mistake about it.......it's NOT FOR SALE. He told me, for what it's worth, it was one of only 5 known to exist with the motor never having been started. He owns a Suzuki/Kawasaki/Yamaha dealership and has a collection of old bike on display in his museum at the dealership. The H2 is in a "case" that is enclosed behind glass for display in there. The instant I saw it, old memories came flooding back to me and my time with mine in 1974.

 

[jjbbrewer]

The H2 is in a "case" that is enclosed behind glass for display in there.

Ah, maybe like this one (which might be one of the other 5)? This is in the Barber museum in Alabama.
(sorry for the topic drift ... )

 

[triplethreat]

Ah, maybe like this one (which might be one of the other 5)? This is in the Barber museum in Alabama.
(sorry for the topic drift ... )

View attachment 111006

That one is not a 1972 model.....they were Blue only. That one looks like a 1975 model, if I'm remembering them correctly.....and I'm guessing that it's been restored at their restoration facility on site. The one I'm talking about is completely OEM stock and never had a restoration or any kind on it....it's definitely rare!

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Ah, maybe like this one (which might be one of the other 5)? This is in the Barber museum in Alabama.
(sorry for the topic drift ... )

View attachment 111006

It's motorcycle related, doesn't count as drift.

 

[RV2600RB]

Thanks all! I should have added more info in my post. I’ve had dirt bikes, dual sport models, and one street bike over the years, starting with a Kawasaki KM100 at the age of 13. That all went by the wayside not long after kids started showing up, so it’s been a long dry spell. I still have an old Suzuki DRZ400 at the moment that I dusted off and got running last spring after many years of just looking at it in the garage. The replacement will be mostly for trail riding in southern Utah with the (now grown) kids.

What’s wrong with riding the Suzi 400? It’s a capable trail bike.
Rich

 

[RV2600RB]

Last time we were out there, I visited the forest service office and loaded up on maps, but I haven’t poured over them yet. Planning to go out there in November, so as long as there isn’t a snow storm that closes I-70, we’ll be going thru Colorado! It’s quite a bit shorter than the souther route (I-40).

It’s now just a question of what I end up with, bolstered by so many “old guys” on here still riding. That surprised me.

My wife is good with a new dirt bike, but says “no wheelies anymore”. But now with many guys on here with more than one bike, I have several I can point to and say “he has X number, I only want three!”

‘87 CR500R……whoa. The era of two strokes!

I had a KX400 back in the day. It was the fastest in our group. Those were the days.
Rich

 

[RV2600RB]

That two stroke era was a blast. All my dirt bikes back then were two smokers, then I switched to street riding. Two smokers again. Kawasaki 500 triple two smoker, and because it wasn't fast enough for me, then a very lightly used 1972 Kawasaki H2....the 750 three cylinder two smoker. For it's time, that one was a rocket ship....high 11s in the quarter mile and I campaigned one at the local drag strips for an entire summer.....ET class.

I know of a brand new 1972 Kawasaki H2 triple that a dealer has in his museum, that the engine has NEVER been started, plastic still on the seat with the owner's manual laying on it. It has about 10 miles on it from pushing it around at the dealership, but zero hrs on the engine. I can't imagine what that thing is worth right now.

I test rode an H2 in my early twenties. Scary fast but didn’t stop or turn for crap. Decided to pass. Probably saved my life because I would have been racing everyone
Rich

 

[jjbbrewer]

What’s wrong with riding the Suzi 400? It’s a capable trail bike.

True, but you'd better be really strong and have good endurance because it's a lot of weight to throw around.

I had a KX400 back in the day. It was the fastest in our group. Those were the days.

I think you'd be astounded to ride a modern 2 stroke. They don't have nearly the hit that something like your old KX or my CR has. That hit was great for 100 foot triples but is pretty unmanageable on tight trails or loose technical climbs.
Newer 2 stroke enduro bikes are like trials bikes with a seat and a bunch more top end.
For those familiar, I rode 5 Miles of Hell in Utah on my CR500 and it was pretty miserable. I made it and only looped it once, but I was beat.

 

[triplethreat]

I test rode an H2 in my early twenties. Scary fast but didn’t stop or turn for crap. Decided to pass. Probably saved my life because I would have been racing everyone
Rich

I DID race everyone.......but it was on 1/4 mile and 1/8th mile dragstrips. And you are right, it wasn't exactly great on the binders or turning, but in a straight line.......it was a rocketship. I'll share a little incident that happened to me on my H2 one afternoon. I had just left the interstate and was headed home on a 4 lane divided highway that had a long sweeping right hander that I loved. So of course, being young and dumb, I tucked in and ran it up through the gears. I was leaned over going through the sweeper at more than......let's say double the posted 55 mph speed limit. Suddenly, the engine locked up and the bike went slightly airborn and I went from the right lane to the left lane while in the air just slightly. My reaction time back then was lightning quick and I grabbed the clutch and pulled it in and coasted to the side of the road....never crashing or even laying it down. I let it cool off for about 1/2 hour, started it back up and rode it home. The issue was that the center cylinder/piston was directly behind the front tire and didn't get enough air flow because of that, and the engine seized up....temporarily. I pulled the head and cylinder and honed the inside of the cylinder, put it back together (no damage) and continued to ride it until I sold it the next year.

 

[LMagelitz]

What’s wrong with riding the Suzi 400? It’s a capable trail bike.
Rich

Nothing at all, but I think my middle son is going to take it over!

 

[LMagelitz]

I rode 5 Miles of Hell in Utah on my CR500 and it was pretty miserable. I made it and only looped it once, but I was beat.

Just watched a YouTube video on that. I bet you were beat!!

What would be a good trip planning aid on the public land out west? Having so much public land accessible is a wild concept for somebody from the (all private) farm country of IL!

 

[jjbbrewer]

What would be a good trip planning aid on the public land out west? Having so much public land accessible is a wild concept for somebody from the (all private) farm country of IL!

Yeah, almost all of the decent riding public land is west of the Missouri River. In a way, I'm glad since it diminishes my desire to vacation east of Colorado.

There are a ton of trip planning capabilities, a lot are free and some make you to pay. I suggest 2 things:

1. Try the free stuff first because if might just be what you need. My favorite is Avenza. (Aside - there are heated discussions in other OHV forums & groups about navigation apps. It's almost like asking, "what's the best oil". I'm biased since I don't think you should have to pay for something that uses free data from the government.)
2. Get (free) maps and area descriptions from from the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation (Maps - Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation)

For example, there's an OHV map for Washington County (just south of you) put out by the Utah DOR.

https://recreation.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Washington-County-OHV-map-2_16_16-1.pdf

That should get you started looking. If you want to get more detail, I'd suggest getting into some OHV discussion forums like ..
Adventure Rider
KTMTalk.com
Utah Public Lands Alliance