BS Rally, dual sport ride.

[Tom S]

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[HawkGTRider]

20 years ago one of our local MSF instructors showed up one day riding a Yamaha XT500. He had a funky big windshield on it, very street oriented tires, and it was definitely not set up for dual sport riding...it was purely for street riding. As we chatted, he explained he'd been looking for a big street single, and this bike was about as close as he could come. He REALLY liked singles.

I'd been riding about 10 years then, but I had started off with a Suzuki in-line 4 GS550T and then a Honda V4 Sabre. I did't understand what characteristics would make a single an attractive mount.

Now my garage boasts more then one thumper and I'm appreciating them more each ride. I seriously doubt any of them have the stump pulling power Tom writes about in his above story, but they're still pretty fine to me.

[Tom S]

Well, there you go!  I proved that dual sport set up for the dirt could compete on the street, and you and he proved that a dual sport set up for the street could compete on the dirt.

I eventually blew up the 620 riding it on the street, so I guess there are limitations to taking things too far out of their intended purposes.

[fartymarty]

Thanks Tom, that was enjoyable!

Some of us are trying to encourage more forum participation (over here and here) but participation needs content to sustain any increased levels.
This little story certainly adds to content.
Thanks again, and if you've got more at hand, feel free to share!


Along the lines of your story, I recently was riding with a friend in the Texas hill country with a buddy where he was on a Concours14 and I was on a DR650. I usually ride faster than he does when I'm on my Concours14 but I expected him to be all over me on this trip. Well I pulled away in the corners and he'd certainly catch me in the straights.  We had just completed some twisties and I was out ahead and came over a hill with a long downward straight and sure enough the county Sheriff was sitting under a shade tree on the left at the bottom of the hill. I went by doing 67(GPS mph) in a 65 zone. I tried to warn my friend but he was still on the other side of the hill and our Sena units just don't penetrate hills very well. I finally saw his lights in my mirror and immediately said "cop on the left cop on the left!". He replied "OH Great!". Too late, the deputy got him doing 84 in a 65. I didn't miss my other 3 cylinders on that particular afternoon. 

[Tom S]

Thanks! 

Okay, I'll dig around and see what I can come up with.

Yes, your story is similar to riding a 125 MX bike in the woods, sometimes less is enough.