Dual Use Dirt bike

[Jesse Jaymes]

Southern Idaho guys-

Motor Vehicle Use in Idaho during the season. It would seem the regs explain it pretty well. But can any of you give me a very blue collar explanation?

Because I see every imaginable UTV, ATV and dirt bike zipping EVERYWHERE during general deer/elk. Central Idaho areas.

I read it as you can/should: use a dirt bike (ONLY) on the BLM single track trails. But that is only to ride in and set up a camp, then ride out. You are to walk back in...no bikes.

Is that correct?

 

[idahodave]

It’s complicated Jesse. There are the federal land management/travel rules,….then IDFG has another set of rules called the “motorized hunting rule” that adds another layer of regulation…depending on the unit you’re hunting.

feel free to PM me with your phone number if you want additional details off line.

dave

 

[idahodave]

Legal motorcycle trails outnumber legal ATV trails about 4:1 in Idaho. Motorcycles open a LOT more opportunities. The downside is the learning curve can be much steeper (more painful) with a bike.

dave

 

[TheGDog]

I'm 6' 210 and know my much bigger brothers KX500 was not fun for me. I definitely want a lighter bike. As far as joy rides, I doubt I'd be doing much on the highway, guess I meant just ripping around on dirt road around here, where as scouting would be much slower going.

Yup! Yup! The KX500 is a very serious bike, where you gotta focus fully on what you're doin'!

 

[TheGDog]

At your size, I think to be happy with the bike, in terms of performance for the fun side of things, you'd really want like a CRF450L. The DRZ400S is a good choice. A lil heavy, but not bad. You'll wish it had a 6th gear though when you have to take jaunts on a fwy. If you're okay with settling down now, in terms of how aggressive you'd ride,, then maybe the KLX300 DualSport or CRF300L.

But like you're my weight... so if you think at all you're gonna want to enjoy some more spirited dirt-riding... I'd say CRF450L or.. for more performance and lighter weight... depending on budget you could go for the Husqvarna FE350 DualSport. The also have a 450 and either a 500/530 for biggest size. the only thing with going a Husky or KTM route is you're going to have shorter maintenance intervals, in terms of oil changes and routine maintenance for valve adjusts, etc.

 

[squid-freshprints]

I have been very pleased with the klx 230. I weigh 190 but my pack regularly goes north of 70 lbs. w antlers, and the little 230 never lets me down. steep climbs, snow, and single digits . Keep the weight you pack on you where you can use it, just make sure your pack is loaded tight or shifting weight will unbalance you. 230 is air cooled and simple, but a dog on the highway.

 

[robtattoo]

I love my little TW for this. Cheaper & easier to store/haul than a 4-wheeler, road legal & it'll drag my 230lb ass up hills I can't walk up.
It's not fast, but I'm hunting, not racing.
I've made a lot of modifications to make it more hunting friendly, without sacrificing any of its road rideability.

 

[Fullfan]

In the pack is usually most stable. I've thrown an elk quarter in my pack and strapped a quarter to the back rack before. It got sketchy going down some steep terrain. Wish i had a picture of that loaded down but was too nervous to think of taking a picture. Ill throw some lighter stuff on the back rack but hard to stay stable in more technical terrain with a heavy load. One of my buddies will strap his entire pack to the rack and ride that way.

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

Fella where did you get the rack for the Honda??

 

[idahomuleys]

Fella where did you get the rack for the Honda??

CycleRacks

CycleRacks

cycleracks.com

Sent from my SM-G981V using Tapatalk

 

[Arctic Hunter]

Man, I wish I hadn’t looked at this. I’ve been looking for a bike and thought I knew what I wanted. Now this thread has taken me down a rabbit hole doing research on other bikes. Lol.

TW 200 seems like an great option for what I’d need. But I’m pretty novice.

 

[TheGDog]

Man, I wish I hadn’t looked at this. I’ve been looking for a bike and thought I knew what I wanted. Now this thread has taken me down a rabbit hole doing research on other bikes. Lol.

TW 200 seems like an great option for what I’d need. But I’m pretty novice.

Hrmm... if You at least BMX'd/MTB'd as a kid?... (Pushed yourself to try Jumps, Downhill Jumps, Drop-offs, Drop-Ins, Railing Berms, Weaving thru single track "Goat-Trails" a bit, as they call 'em.) then I'd recommend instead looking at a decent level daulspot moto with regular dirt tire sizes. 21" F 18" Rear if you're Desert/Offroading most of the time... or sometimes MX'r models even go down to 20" F 19"R setups for tighter, like SuperCross kinda tracks. So they're more "flickable" for that kinda indoor track stuff.

A dualsport bike like... a KLX300(the dualsport one) or CRF300L. Would be a fine starting point for most people who've at least riden in the dirt before a few times.

Or if that beginner has at least some amount of time in the dirt before... look in the used markets for a cool mid-sized DirtBike setup for Enduro riding perhaps, Like a 200-300cc 2-Stroke, or in FourStroke engines maybe range of 200-350cc? Depending on rider weight/build, experience level. With a Rekkluse Clutch setup. And make sure to get/install BarkBusters if you're going to be on trials weaving thru trees and rocks. Which would be pretty much every ride for most I'd imagine. AND out here in SoCal anyway, make sure she had a nice skid plate and good Front Disc Brake Rotor cover! The BarkBusters also help protect your clutch/brake levers from gettin' snapped off if ya fall. Bad falls can still do it. but the lesser normal falls they work pretty darn good at protecting you and the levers.

Since you'll likely just be wearing Hunting boots.. don't "push it" when you're riding. MX and Enduro Boots have a full shank in the sole to distribute the shock of the pegs upon your boots, your Hunting boots may not have a shank like racing boots do. Don't skimp on upper body plastics. And always try to find gear which offers BioFoam or ClosedCell Foam padding protection down over your TailBone("Butt-Bone"), you'll be glad you did!

Get Gloves with hardshell kuckle cups on them, and a wrist-closure system that feels comfortable to YOU! Some gloves will have a weird or cheaper from of closure/tightening about the wrist and can bug you or irritate/rub your skin raw from certain protruding seams they might have in them. So definitely devote some rides before season working out which protective gear you like that should be sufficient protection for what you'll be riding in, at the speeds you'll be riding thru it, but that's still all-day comfortable. You may find your pack you currently own may hang down a little too low to ride with it on moto... so might be need to acquire a different pack size/style? Things to consider. And remember you'll need some bare minimum tools, and be able to change an inner tube and have another master-link for your chain with ya, and on the frame mount a spark plug holder and have an already gap measure plug stored in it. So plug-wrench / minimalistic socket-set too. Maybe 3-way Allen wrench of sizes you're likely to need for tightening things up on your bike while out there. And you must practice changing an inner tube with the smaller/lighter tire-changing spoons at home.. before you actually need to out in the field. You'll be glad you did. With the smaller spoons you'll have to take smaller bites with the spoons when pushing the bead over the rims edge. It's a lil trickier with smaller spoons. And they have quickfill air-pump fill-up kits that make use of CO2 cartridges, maybe test re-inflating with those to make sure you know how many C02 cartridges you'd need to bring. They keep weight down and make ya not have to pump those small MTB-style air hand-pumps a bazillion times.

Please make sure to come back and let us all know what you ended up picking!

 

[Arctic Hunter]

Hrmm... if You at least BMX'd/MTB'd as a kid?... (Pushed yourself to try Jumps, Downhill Jumps, Drop-offs, Drop-Ins, Railing Berms, Weaving thru single track "Goat-Trails" a bit, as they call 'em.) then I'd recommend instead looking at a decent level daulspot moto with regular dirt tire sizes. 21" F 18" Rear if you're Desert/Offroading most of the time... or sometimes MX'r models even go down to 20" F 19"R setups for tighter, like SuperCross kinda tracks. So they're more "flickable" for that kinda indoor track stuff.

A dualsport bike like... a KLX300(the dualsport one) or CRF300L. Would be a fine starting point for most people who've at least riden in the dirt before a few times.

Or if that beginner has at least some amount of time in the dirt before... look in the used markets for a cool mid-sized DirtBike setup for Enduro riding perhaps, Like a 200-300cc 2-Stroke, or in FourStroke engines maybe range of 200-350cc? Depending on rider weight/build, experience level. With a Rekkluse Clutch setup. And make sure to get/install BarkBusters if you're going to be on trials weaving thru trees and rocks. Which would be pretty much every ride for most I'd imagine. AND out here in SoCal anyway, make sure she had a nice skid plate and good Front Disc Brake Rotor cover! The BarkBusters also help protect your clutch/brake levers from gettin' snapped off if ya fall. Bad falls can still do it. but the lesser normal falls they work pretty darn good at protecting you and the levers.

Since you'll likely just be wearing Hunting boots.. don't "push it" when you're riding. MX and Enduro Boots have a full shank in the sole to distribute the shock of the pegs upon your boots, your Hunting boots may not have a shank like racing boots do. Don't skimp on upper body plastics. And always try to find gear which offers BioFoam or ClosedCell Foam padding protection down over your TailBone("Butt-Bone"), you'll be glad you did!

Get Gloves with hardshell kuckle cups on them, and a wrist-closure system that feels comfortable to YOU! Some gloves will have a weird or cheaper from of closure/tightening about the wrist and can bug you or irritate/rub your skin raw from certain protruding seams they might have in them. So definitely devote some rides before season working out which protective gear you like that should be sufficient protection for what you'll be riding in, at the speeds you'll be riding thru it, but that's still all-day comfortable. You may find your pack you currently own may hang down a little too low to ride with it on moto... so might be need to acquire a different pack size/style? Things to consider. And remember you'll need some bare minimum tools, and be able to change an inner tube and have another master-link for your chain with ya, and on the frame mount a spark plug holder and have an already gap measure plug stored in it. So plug-wrench / minimalistic socket-set too. Maybe 3-way Allen wrench of sizes you're likely to need for tightening things up on your bike while out there. And you must practice changing an inner tube with the smaller/lighter tire-changing spoons at home.. before you actually need to out in the field. You'll be glad you did. With the smaller spoons you'll have to take smaller bites with the spoons when pushing the bead over the rims edge. It's a lil trickier with smaller spoons. And they have quickfill air-pump fill-up kits that make use of CO2 cartridges, maybe test re-inflating with those to make sure you know how many C02 cartridges you'd need to bring. They keep weight down and make ya not have to pump those small MTB-style air hand-pumps a bazillion times.

Please make sure to come back and let us all know what you ended up picking!

Thanks for the info. I spent a lot of time on BMX and mountain bikes as a kid, and I’m not scared of a dirt bike, but for all practical purposes, it’s just a tool for me. I’ve been looking at a CRF 300L. Any thoughts on if it’s good choice for a beginner dual purpose? Cost is about the same as a XT250, and I’ve always been happy with the durability of a honda engine.

 

[Jesse Jaymes]

You may be very disappointed if/when you actually have cash in hand and want to buy a 300L. Pretty hard to find

 

[TheGDog]

Thanks for the info. I spent a lot of time on BMX and mountain bikes as a kid, and I’m not scared of a dirt bike, but for all practical purposes, it’s just a tool for me. I’ve been looking at a CRF 300L. Any thoughts on if it’s good choice for a beginner dual purpose? Cost is about the same as a XT250, and I’ve always been happy with the durability of a honda engine.

If you think that when not Hunting... you won't succumb to that urge to start pushing and going faster and faster... then yeah.. I think the CRF300L would be a decent beginner DualSport. BUT... if you know yourself.. and you feel that later on you'll not like being able to wick it up in some sand whoops or not like that you can't attempt a nice big manicured table-top jump or something like that... Then maybe try to instead buy somebodies Enduro ride that's already been setup a bit. So you'll then have suspension components that CAN be pushed a bit.

Also... be forewarned... if you mount some 95% dirt 5% street tires on it... such as like Dunlop 606's for example or Pirelli MT21's. When you're ridin' on street/asphalt... it wears thru them surprisingly rapidly, especially if you push it like I always did.

Ask around among people you know, they can show you what I'm talking about. Just mentioning this because if your budget is tight.. you might consider looking around for some tires that do a _decent_ job in the dirt like 60/40 or 50/50 type of tire, but that last longer once you're back on the roads.

OR... You can have two sets of tires... and just mount up the more dirt-oriented ones before hunting season begins. Again, talking about ways to save you on tire wear and thus money.

No matter which ride ya end up going with... you'll want to explore ways to ditch weight. So for example on the CRF300L, I'm guessing the stock exhaust can ways a ridiculous amount. So finding something like an FMF Q replacement exhaust can save you some weight and increase performance. You'd just need to update the Fuel Injection mapping, they probably have a mapping you can DL from them, I'm betting. You'll want an ECU Programmer installed on your DaulSport so you can swap it over easily to a more robust "offroad" mapping. Then when you're done, you can elect to go back to the more stringent onroad mapping.

The Fuel Injection is one thing that's definitely a benefit, especially if you'll be riding at higher altitudes. Fuel Injected bikes just auto-detect the atmospheric changes with the sensors and adjust accordingly. With Carbureator'd bikes.. you'd have to fuss with changing out some of the jets in the Carb to adjust for that higher altitude, in order to get best performance up there.

Also lotta times you can elect to remove the "buddy pegs" to shed some more weight. Getting a Lithium version of your battery can save a lot of weight as well.