Question for you experienced trail riders

[bryanchurch06]

I've been thinking alot about riding the 125. I had a fairly adventurous ride a few months ago and the big question in my mind during the ride and looking at going back to ride sections I missed due to rain and mud in Colorado is this, the little 125 can go almost anywhere a full size adventure bike can go. That is well documented in videos by much better and more advanced riders than myself, in my limited experience it's just a matter of slowing down to a crawl and saving your suspension, clutch and motor in the really bad areas but you can certainly make it thru almost any trail that way. So my question is just because the bike is technically capable of doing the hard, bust your ass sections, should you? At what point should commen sense override the desire to do stupid shit? When does fun become to dangerous to continue? I realize these are hard questions and change day to day but how hard is to hard to push for extended periods on this bike and still have a rideable bike when your done, 70%, 80% of capabilities? What do you guys think?

 

[Tchap]

Cool question, but super difficult to answer. There’s lots of variables, and most of the answers kind of come down to personal style. The donkey does seem like a very capable bike. A recent ride on a boulder-filled track was too technical for me when I had to reduce speed to 5mph and I worried about bending the forks. So far I find that I’m having the most fun cruising little twisty roads at about 35-40 mph, or traveling same route under adverse winter weather conditions at about 15mph. Just a matter of style, I guess. I don’t think that I answered your question, though.

 

[SneakyDingo]

1. You'll have rules you personally define to determine these answers.
2. You'll break #1 of this list regularly and frequently depending on the situation.

There's no answer here. It's a gut call in the moment.

The shortcomings of "lack of fuel range", "lack of suspension" and "lack of tire options" might make those decisions for you too. You can't change the laws of physics - if the detour is too long and you don't have the fuel, you're doing the thing you don't want to do. Even if you're worried it'll break the forks. At least you can always carry more fuel though.

 

[Tchap]

1. You'll have rules you personally define to determine these answers.
2. You'll break #1 of this list regularly and frequently depending on the situation.

There's no answer here. It's a gut call in the moment.

The shortcomings of "lack of fuel range", "lack of suspension" and "lack of tire options" might make those decisions for you too. You can't change the laws of physics - if the detour is too long and you don't have the fuel, you're doing the thing you don't want to do. Even if you're worried it'll break the forks. At least you can always carry more fuel though.

I like your style, dingo, but dang…now I have to carry extra forks. That’s going to be inconvenient!

 

[mcmd]

I've been thinking alot about riding the 125. I had a fairly adventurous ride a few months ago and the big question in my mind during the ride and looking at going back to ride sections I missed due to rain and mud in Colorado is this, the little 125 can go almost anywhere a full size adventure bike can go. That is well documented in videos by much better and more advanced riders than myself, in my limited experience it's just a matter of slowing down to a crawl and saving your suspension, clutch and motor in the really bad areas but you can certainly make it thru almost any trail that way. So my question is just because the bike is technically capable of doing the hard, bust your ass sections, should you? At what point should commen sense override the desire to do stupid shit? When does fun become to dangerous to continue? I realize these are hard questions and change day to day but how hard is to hard to push for extended periods on this bike and still have a rideable bike when your done, 70%, 80% of capabilities? What do you guys think?

When I got this bike I thought I'd be okay on just about any trail. After viewing many "Some Guy Rides" videos, I've decided that it's not a matter of what the bike can do, but more what I can do! So Bryan, this is really not much of an answer to your question. I'd just say this, think about your safety first, the bike second.

 

[Kev250R]

This is a really hard question to answer as a talented/experienced rider will be able to go pretty far on a fairly limited bike like the Trail. I equate it to the 2wd Vs 4wd truck debate. Some people think if you're going to venture down anything more technical then a gravel parking lot, you need a fully-equipped 4wd. On some trails yes, 4wd is necessary but in other cases a 2wd truck driven by an experienced/careful driver can make it many places a 4wd can go. Been there, done that in my younger years before I owned a 4wd and still regularly venture off-road in a specially-equipped 2wd VW-based 'Buggy.

Does that mean that no one ever needs a 4wd or any other bike other then a Trail? Of course not. Personally I have three off-road capable trucks, but only one of them is 4wd. The other two have both been on some hard trails, but I find that I don't have to work as hard when I'm in my 4wd truck plus I like knowing that I have options (low-range, rear locking diff, aggressive tires) which will likely get me out of trouble if (/when) I get in over my head.

Back to the question at-hand, I have ridden my Trail off-road (less then 50 miles so far) and it does graded Fire Roads and light trail use very well (I'm thinking some better tires will make a big difference) however I still keep my TW200 around for more aggressive trail riding. I've literally ridden that TW on trails I couldn't walk on and it just handles it! Does that mean that a Honda Trail couldn't have done those same trails? No, it probably could but it would require a lot more work and the risk for damage would be a lot higher.

Long-story short, keep the Trail for easy-moderate routes, then get another, more capable bike for the the times you want to ride harder, more technical trails. That's the great thing about MC's, you're kind of expected to own more then one!

 

[SneakyDingo]

I like your style, dingo, but dang…now I have to carry extra forks. That’s going to be inconvenient!

It was reassuring to check the price of the part of the fork I thought would break (the fork pipe) and find they were only $50 each to replace. Inconvenient in the moment, but much more affordable than the OEM exhaust ($780). Bash plates are worth it.

 

[bryanchurch06]

Lots of great feedback so far, why do I ask this you say? In looking back at the CDT trail I'm pretty happy with my ride from Antelope Wells to Chama NM, I rode 90% of the official trail, the only detours I took are the short dirt section to silver city because of night time riding, it's not worth the time and cost to return for that short section, the other section I skipped around Pie Town I've been on several times in 4x4s so I don't feel like I'm missing those and the scenery isn't great either. However at Chama because of heavy rainfall and flooding I skipped all the off-road sections except 1 in Colorado and Wyoming. Roads that other than videos I'm completely ignorant of the conditions, but it looks like some really difficult riding in places and almost impossible in others. So I really want to be able to say I rode the CDT I spent a lot of time, pain and money on my 1st attempt so to finish it I need to return to Chama and ride the off road sections to Montana, then ride the off-road sections from Helena to Glacier NP. Without detours if humanly possible. I need to keep the weight on the bike as low as possible to protect the frame and suspension which puts my fat ass on a diet along with my gear something I should have done the 1st time. Secondly I need to map routes that can be ridden in a reasonable time frame especially if I'm using a chase vehicle so a day per section seems fair. So I'm mapping now and this time I don't want any excuse at the end so some sections are just going to be unridable possibly in my time frame, certainly no red sections. This will be my last attempt I'm sure so I need to do my best to finish it with results I can live with. So I'm trying to define my limits and the bikes limits with the time limits and come up with a route from Chama to Glacier that gives me at least 85% of the official trail, that seems to be what most people do 10 to 15% detours. Some places like fleecer ridge for example most people skip that one. So thanks for the input any info is appreciated.

 

[Kev250R]

Lots of great feedback so far, why do I ask this you say? In looking back at the CDT trail I'm pretty happy with my ride from Antelope Wells to Chama NM, I rode 90% of the official trail, the only detours I took are the short dirt section to silver city because of night time riding, it's not worth the time and cost to return for that short section, the other section I skipped around Pie Town I've been on several times in 4x4s so I don't feel like I'm missing those and the scenery isn't great either. However at Chama because of heavy rainfall and flooding I skipped all the off-road sections except 1 in Colorado and Wyoming. Roads that other than videos I'm completely ignorant of the conditions, but it looks like some really difficult riding in places and almost impossible in others. So I really want to be able to say I rode the CDT I spent a lot of time, pain and money on my 1st attempt so to finish it I need to return to Chama and ride the off road sections to Montana, then ride the off-road sections from Helena to Glacier NP. Without detours if humanly possible. I need to keep the weight on the bike as low as possible to protect the frame and suspension which puts my fat ass on a diet along with my gear something I should have done the 1st time. Secondly I need to map routes that can be ridden in a reasonable time frame especially if I'm using a chase vehicle so a day per section seems fair. So I'm mapping now and this time I don't want any excuse at the end so some sections are just going to be unridable possibly in my time frame, certainly no red sections. This will be my last attempt I'm sure so I need to do my best to finish it with results I can live with. So I'm trying to define my limits and the bikes limits with the time limits and come up with a route from Chama to Glacier that gives me at least 85% of the official trail, that seems to be what most people do 10 to 15% detours. Some places like fleecer ridge for example most people skip that one. So thanks for the input any info is appreciated.

I respect and understand what you're trying to do but have you considered doing the sections of the trail which you've missed on a more capable bike? Yes, I know we all love our Trails but they do have their shortcomings. You might have a higher rate of success and a safer journey on a bike which is more trail-oriented. Just a thought

 

[bryanchurch06]

I respect and understand what you're trying to do but have you considered doing the sections of the trail which you've missed on a more capable bike? Yes, I know we all love our Trails but they do have their shortcomings. You might have a higher rate of success and a safer journey on a bike which is more trail-oriented. Just a thought

Your 100 percent correct, but the idea was to do it on the trail, if I use a big ADV bike then it's just not the same. Stupid idea I know but I started it one way I'd like to finish it the same way.

 

[bryanchurch06]

I guess it's a moot point now fellas, my trail riding days are over for a while, doctors orders.

 

[quinnsd13]

I guess it's a moot point now fellas, my trail riding days are over for a while, doctors orders.

Doctor's can't tell me what to do if I never go! (I should really go more often...) Hope you get the all-clear asap.

 

[Little_Thumper_Boy]

I guess it's a moot point now fellas, my trail riding days are over for a while, doctors orders.

Whoa what? Injury?
Get another doctor?

 

[bryanchurch06]

Both knees have been shot for a few yrs, been putting off double knee replacement surgery. Apparently the knee joints are now trying to fuse together. Pain is getting harder to deal with and yet I still want to delay the surgery as long as possible so I've got to take it a little easier on the knees as long as I can.

 

[dmonkey]

FWIW, I have a close friend who's had both his knees replaced and is just about the craziest active old guy I know. Rides choppers, mountain bikes, races enduros in Baja most years, and still runs his own auto mechanic shop. There's hope should you get it done.

 

[bryanchurch06]

FWIW, I have a close friend who's had both his knees replaced and is just about the craziest active old guy I know. Rides choppers, mountain bikes, races enduros in Baja most years, and still runs his own auto mechanic shop. There's hope should you get it done.

I appreciate your comment and your right, unfortunately for every successful surgery I've read about you can also find a few horror stories, the problem I have is the finality of it. There's no reversing it, once they cut your legs in half that's it. And there's quite a rehab process as well. Eventually it's inevitable I suppose I'm just waiting as long as possible.

 

[mcmd]

Both knees have been shot for a few yrs, been putting off double knee replacement surgery. Apparently the knee joints are now trying to fuse together. Pain is getting harder to deal with and yet I still want to delay the surgery as long as possible so I've got to take it a little easier on the knees as long as I can.

I can relate. My knees are shot, too. For now, I deal with it. A number of years ago my wife had one knee replacement and it was a breeze. Fast recovery with no issues whatsoever. It may not be as difficult as you think. I have other more serious health issues that I've been dealing with. I've never mentioned them on here. If I could get a clean bill of health with my other issues, I'd definately get my knees fixed. Good luck to you Bryan.

 

[Kev250R]

I used to date a girl who because of a work injury had to have a knee replacement. She put it off for as long as possible but in the end she was glad she did it. In her case she'd be walking along and her right knee would just give-out from underneath her. Scary stuff. Get it taken care of and get back out on the Trail!

 

[Little_Thumper_Boy]

Similar to dmonkey's FWIW -- have two old riding pals, each with both knees replaced. One's an avid skier and off-road rider, a success story for prosthetic knee joints. The other (a bit older) had knee problems since I'd met him in 1994 and opted no surgery for years. Year before last it got so bad he couldn't even sleep. It's now been a year+ since his last surgery (2nd knee), he tells me he doesn't know why he waited so long..
But you're absolutely right Bryan, everyone's different, it's case-by-case with many individual's variables to consider. Both buddy's advice was get the right surgeon, do it off-season (i.e. if you're sports an active person) and be true to the P-T regimens.
Hope things improve for you, meanwhile you got that SBS - not too shabby!

 

[martysgone]

I just saw this older post because I was doing the UTBDR when it was originally posted, so I feel like that gives me some experience in answering this. The limitations that might dissuade you as I see it are comfort, power, and ground clearance.

Comfort can be suffered through by occasionally standing up to get blood back in your ass. Ibu and whiskey are also helpful if you can take the heartburn. The stock seat is torture for me after a couple of hours, but good scenery takes your mind off of it a bit. Power might be an issue for you in Colorado. At altitude they really slow down. I have a 13 tooth counter-sprocket and still found times that I had to be in 1st or 2nd gear to climb dirt roads at 9000 or more feet. The last issue, ground clearance, really depends on what trails you take it on. I've done quite a few technical and rocky sections and had to walk the bike over larger rocks that would hang up the skid plate. I don't think most people will encounter this, but it has happened enough on me that I upgraded the skid plate and riveted a UHMW plastic sheet to it for extra protection and to help it slide on the rocks better.

But should you? Hell yeah, if you are into that sort of thing. I definitely own a more capable and appropriate bike for that adventure, but it's all about the experience you want. Riding with my friend on a 7 day off-road adventure on these little machines makes me feel tougher than the helmetless Harley rider who is too cool to give a nod back. But every big adventure bike we passed gave us acknowledgement and wanted to talk. Respect