New to Dual Sport

[BeemerlessBob]

'Bout to change my handle from Biker Bob to Beemer Bob. Just sold my Harley and will getting a BMW 1200GS soon.

I am looking for some advice as to some nice back roads to do for someone new to the world of dual sport. I have no desire to climb a mountain on a bike but would like to try some roads and trails that would have been inpractical for a Harley.

I know that Big Bend would be a good area but I have been there twice in the past few months and would like to try somewhere else. I'm wondering about Palo Duro Canyon. Would that be a good place with some back road trails to try my new dual-sport wings without killing myself?

Any routes anyone would suggest around the central texas area? (San Antonio, Austin, Waco)

[Jbay]

Lake Buchanan :rofl: just a few locked gates

just kidding

there is some gravel around Waco, id like to try behind Meridian State Park

congrats on the new ride

[BeemerlessBob]

Lake Buchanan :rofl: just a few locked gate

And meet up with Rambo??? Yikes!

No new ride yet. I just know what I am in the market for. I just sold my Harley today, so my current name is Bikerless Bob. I got no wheels!

Will find a beemer next week and then you can show be some back roads.

[james.cain]

You are gonna love the GS:sun: Good luck shopping.

[Tourmeister]

:tab Do you have any dirt experience on other bikes? The GS can be a handful to learn on if not. I speak from experience of learning dirt skills on an 1150 GS. For the inexperienced, even a simple flat gravel road can present a challenge. However, in the hands of an experienced rider, it is pretty amazing what the GS's (1150 and 1200) can do. Having a KLR now and no longer owning the GS, I wish I had both. The GS is great for paved riding and the occasional short bit of unpaved roads, but the KLR is much easier to ride once things start getting more technical or rough.

[BeemerlessBob]

My experience is street. Worse than that I am comming from a low HD Road King, so I have to get used to a tall bike on top of that.
I'm going out to the Hill Country this weekend (Leakey). Any backroads in the area you would recommend for a newbie?

[M38A1]

A few years back a good friend and I rode from Austin to North of Fairbanks. SHE was on her NEW HD Fatboy that really suprised me in it's 'offroad capability' department. That bike did really well on gravel and dirt roads.

Good luck with the GS. They are a handful off the pavement. :trust:

[Eric2Tex]

I think you'll love the GS, I rode street exclusively before purchasing my 12gs in sep 04. Dunno where you're coming from, but I was just in leakey this past weekend. Saw a rider getting life flighted out in vanderpool after dropping his hurricane east of leakey.

I didn't have any issues going from a k1200rs to the GS, it does turn-in quicker so I was constantly apexing early until I adjusted, but a 500 lb bike does have limts off road.

The largest concentration of dirt roads in the local area are between llano and johnson city. maps.google.com and mapsco's roads of tx will be your best sources. By Leakey, there is a fun dirt road that runs between 336 and 335 which could be a challenge since they've been getting some rain lately. Another fun paved road is called centerpoint road; starts a few miles west of luchenbach and runs south all the way to comfort. Tell us where you're coming from and I'm sure there will be a few suggestions.

[BeemerlessBob]

I will be coming from Waco area but I'm camping at Garner State Park so I'm just tooting around the hill country area this weekend trying to learn how to not fall off this tall bike at stops. Going is great, it's the stopping that presents challenge.

[The Bruce]

Sand more than an inch deep is the mortal enemy of heavy bikes off road. I went from an xl600r to a Tiger885 and learned the hard way about heavy bike in sand. It was fine for most other conditions but sand was it's Achilles heal. Unless you have room to open it up to 40 it will have a tendency to plow and follow ruts. YMMV That's why I now have the DRZ400. I ride more off road than on with the dual sport.

Down by Leakey check out Bull Head Rd. and Hackberry Rd. Makes a nice loop and doable on a GS. Google Link (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=Camp+Wood,+TX&daddr=29.720259,-100.037384+to:Bullhead+Rd+to:Bullhead+Rd+to:Ranch+ Rd+336+to:TX-41+to:Unknown+road+to:County+Rd-18&hl=en&geocode=%3B%3BFeJ0xwEd-pgL-g%3BFdk6yAEdGAkM-g%3BFZBXyQEdwaQM-g%3BFYxcygEdLysM-g%3BFYE6ygEd8dgK-g%3BFSK-yAEdyOMJ-g&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=1&sz=10&via=1&sll=29.860892,-99.95842&sspn=0.645503,1.675415&ie=UTF8&ll=29.827242,-99.962196&spn=0.161431,0.418854&z=12) Stay away from Kent Creek Rd while your getting used to how she handles. That creek bed section would be pretty tough.

[BeemerlessBob]

Thanks for the info. I anyone is in the area Monday please take the above route and help pick me up (or what ever parts remain).

[Kit_McConnico]

Congrats on the new bike Bob! I'm sure you'll love it.
Before you get into anything too technical I'd spring for some Hepco Becker crash bars. No sense tearing up your valve covers.

[Tourmeister]

You wanting to change your username? If so, shoot me a PM.

[Mer]

Congrats on your new ride! Have fun cutting us some dirt!

[BeemerlessBob]

Congrats on the new bike Bob! I'm sure you'll love it.
Before you get into anything too technical I'd spring for some Hepco Becker crash bars. No sense tearing up your valve covers.


Hepco Bars were backordered. Check out alternative protection

[Desert Skies]

Congrats Bob.

I bet some more of those unguessable low water crossing shots will be showing up in the Where Am I thread now. :lol2:

[jsb223]

Any routes anyone would suggest around the central texas area? (San Antonio, Austin, Waco)

Bosque county has some great roads to get some experience on...

No you are not going to find a 60 mile stretch of Class 2 but the area is close enough (for me) to ride several times a month...

Good roads, decent scenery, a few water crossings, great practice roads with a few pucker sections thrown in for good measure.