Adventure bikes are for wimps! (FZ6 dirt and gravel thread)

[Grainbelt]

I ride with a number of people who have 'adventure' bikes, be they VStroms, BMW GSes, KLR650s, or any others of that ilk.

On the way to meet some of them for a rally in WI, I took a detour to the Porcupine Mountains and camped in one of their 'extension' sites. Read: no services. It hailed Friday morning and the road out was a little greasy, so I just took it easy.

I took a day trip with some of the rugged adventurers, one old GS and two Wee Stroms. 'Are you sure? It'll be a few hours, we are trying to find some Rustic Roads, some might be gravel.' No big deal. Gravel is fun. :rockon:

I wish I had time that morning to change tire pressure and preload. Running luggage all weekend I had preload maxed and the tires at 36/40, not the best for gravel. That being said, the FZ6 does just fine on gravel. Keep it around 30 on the loose marbly stuff, and as fast as you want on the good hardpack.

On a few sections of relatively smooth and hardpacked gravel I was able to experiment with sliding the bike around the corners a bit, and it was massively fun. Get thru the apex, give it some gas to get the big 180 rear loose, and hunt for traction with the front. I really wasn't sliding much, but a little feels like a lot when you realize how expensive a drop will be.

Next time you wonder what is at the end of a gravel road, just ride it. The bike will handle it well and you just might like it. :steve:

 

[mrphotoman]

i run mine on gravel/dirt all the time but that is far far from being off road like I take my "adventure bike", there is NO WAY the fz6 could go the places I take my dr350s. That being said, some of those adventure guys do think riding their bmw's on a gravel road is off roading lol but then some of them ride their bikes literally around the world which is bad@ss.

Nice pics, sounds like you had fun.

 

[lonesoldier84]

Love the adventurous spirit! Kudos.

But it is worth mentioning that very soon you will find that if you want to explore any further, you're going to be faced with things like sand, tons of dead wood, relatively steep climbs of rutted backroads, and other things the street tires will just spin in place on even with your feet on the ground. I'm not "crazy hardcore" or anything but I have made use of my knobby tires, suspension travel and engine guard. The FZ in those situations would have been having a super tough time.

BUT it is possible to mount supermoto tires on the FZ haha. Have at it man. The best way to experience an area is getting off the roads most travelled. Good to see more people turning off the highways.

But it will be safer and more enjoyable on a purpose built machine.

 

[Grainbelt]

I did a lot of gravel and logging roads on my Ninja 650R and some trails on my DR650. There are many places the FZ6 can't go, but the average gravel road is fair game. Just some less-than-subtle encouragement for everyone to go wander around once in a while, these bikes can do a lot more than attack corners. :thumbup:

Also, outside of typically soft supermoto compounds, the Pirelli Scorpion Trails come in the right sizes as well.

 

[Caladin]

The best adventure bike is the one in your garage.

Just know its limitations when it comes to ground clearance! I've bottomed out on the exhaust more then once. Expect your suspension to take a beating as well.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzfedHmIoWc]YouTube - Dempster highway on an FZ6 - 01[/ame]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDUhWopMbTs]YouTube - Dempster highway on an FZ6 - 02[/ame]

 

[Grainbelt]

The best adventure bike is the one in your garage.

Absolutely true. :thumbup:

 

[Se7enLC]

I really wasn't sliding much, but a little feels like a lot when you realize how expensive a drop will be.

You'd be surprised! The FZ6 is remarkably resiliant to damage in low-speed drops, so long as you have frame sliders. No low plastic fairings at all, the gas tank is pretty safe, and if the engine cover gets scraped, you can rattle-can it with BBQ paint. Turn signals and mirrors will bend right out of the way without any notable damage.

 

[Nelly]

I ride with a number of people who have 'adventure' bikes, be they VStroms, BMW GSes, KLR650s, or any others of that ilk.

On the way to meet some of them for a rally in WI, I took a detour to the Porcupine Mountains and camped in one of their 'extension' sites. Read: no services. It hailed Friday morning and the road out was a little greasy, so I just took it easy.

I took a day trip with some of the rugged adventurers, one old GS and two Wee Stroms. 'Are you sure? It'll be a few hours, we are trying to find some Rustic Roads, some might be gravel.' No big deal. Gravel is fun. :rockon:

I wish I had time that morning to change tire pressure and preload. Running luggage all weekend I had preload maxed and the tires at 36/40, not the best for gravel. That being said, the FZ6 does just fine on gravel. Keep it around 30 on the loose marbly stuff, and as fast as you want on the good hardpack.

On a few sections of relatively smooth and hardpacked gravel I was able to experiment with sliding the bike around the corners a bit, and it was massively fun. Get thru the apex, give it some gas to get the big 180 rear loose, and hunt for traction with the front. I really wasn't sliding much, but a little feels like a lot when you realize how expensive a drop will be.

Next time you wonder what is at the end of a gravel road, just ride it. The bike will handle it well and you just might like it. :steve:

I often go off roading, When your 5' 6" it's sometimes tricky.

Items found in the wild to help leaver bike out of deep ruts

Nelly

 

[motojoe122]

I did something similar the other day on a ride. I turned around in a drive way made out of crushed clam shell, I thought, I wonder if I can...So I stood up on the pegs, turned slightly to the right and gave her a quick blip! Oh yeah, I spun a 180deg. turn.....:rockon::Flip:

 

[tejkowskit]

Did a lot of gravel and dirt riding when I went to N. Carolina.
Took this road to the campsite. Street tires did terrible near the puddles where the ground was just even moist (especially my buddies bike (1982 Virago :rof), everywhere else it was fine.

There was a long gravel road and a ton of these dirt roads that fed off of the gravel one. The gravel was really loose but a lot of fun! Got the rear to slide out a lot.

 

[Guitar Man]

Cool stuff. I have wondered how much it would take to make an FZ into an adventure bike. I know that you would need the tires of course and then there's the issue of beefing up the suspension and increasing the ground clearance. I bet it could be done.

 

[Grainbelt]

Rode some more gravel yesterday, just out wandering around on county roads in the bluffs near the Mississippi River.

 

[lonesoldier84]

Cool stuff. I have wondered how much it would take to make an FZ into an adventure bike. I know that you would need the tires of course and then there's the issue of beefing up the suspension and increasing the ground clearance. I bet it could be done.

Suspension would be too much bother.

I'd just weld on a bash plate for cheap and throw on some supermoto tires and be done with it. That way you can revert it to a sportbike without much trouble. If you're going to go all out it'd be easier to just buy a drz.

 

[OneTrack]

I took my FZ6 "off road" once (onto a soft dirt shoulder) and promptly dropped it on its left side.
I'll leave the off-roading to the adventure bike crowd.
My scuffed stator cover still mocks me.:spank:

 

[Norbert]

Suspension would be too much bother.

I'd just weld on a bash plate for cheap and throw on some supermoto tires and be done with it. That way you can revert it to a sportbike without much trouble. If you're going to go all out it'd be easier to just buy a drz.

excellent idea. people buy a fz6 and optimize it for touring, racing/street, or naked....now i'd like to see it setup for offroad....
the engine needs a lot more torque though....:ban:

 

[lonesoldier84]

excellent idea. people buy a fz6 and optimize it for touring, racing/street, or naked....now i'd like to see it setup for offroad....
the engine needs a lot more torque though....:ban:

Half the touring mods would still be useful for ADV touring. Just use big aluminum boxes for the luggage to complete the look.

And pfft....noob. 95hp can be put to good use off road. We don't need your fancy torques.

:BLAA:

 

[Grainbelt]

i'd like to see it setup for offroad....
the engine needs a lot more torque though....:ban:

If I were to actually do that, it would be for gravel roads only, and I'd just put on engine guards, lower the gearing, pirelli scorpion trails, and perhaps bar risers to make standing on the pegs a bit easier.

But it really handles gravel just fine as it is, once you get used to that loose feeling.

 

[teeter]

Great thread. I love getting my FZ dirty. I've gone down some pretty gnarly roads and trails and crossed a few creeks (link below.) I don't expect it to be a true off-roader. It's just fun to be able to get to a good campsite or take the scenic route between twisty tarmac sections.

http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-general-discussion/34808-creek-crossing-brrr-ride-report-teaser.html

 

[fz adventure]

This is great; I thought I was the only one. I've had mine filling the gap between road bike and dirt bike for years, try powersliding from 80km/h to 160 up a beach. Gets the blood pumping. Dirt bikes are ok in the dirt but suck on the road. Max out the preload on the shock and its even happy getting a little air over errosion lumps.

 

[red_rock_beetle]

We don't need your fancy torques.

:BLAA:

:rof::rof::rof: