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Big Bend: Can't get enough! (lots of pics/videos)

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iphorde said:
Larger bikes should not have any problems.. for any bike... just stay on the throttle, sit back and use your butt for balance and your feet to steer.

There is only one spot in the entire area that I would consider it deep sand, and its not really sand, its more like deep silt with rocks under it... that is in Terlingua Ranch.. and a 2005 Tiger handled it just fine.
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Not my experience; YMMV. The year I was there with the Tiger I didn't have a problem through Terlingua Ranch but River Road was a mess. It had not been maintained in a long while. The washouts were deep and the fine gravel, aka sand, was deep in many spots. The trouble spots where corners where you could not "stay on the throttle". The front end would plow no matter how far back my butt was. Also washed out stream beds with ledges on both sides. Maybe only a foot tall but the front heavy bike would not just pop up. Maybe it was just the rider as I make no claim to being an expert Rally rider. But a lighter bike (DRZ 400) solved all the problems for me.
 
CBAT said:
Not my experience; YMMV. The year I was there with the Tiger I didn't have a problem through Terlingua Ranch but River Road was a mess. It had not been maintained in a long while. The washouts were deep and the fine gravel, aka sand, was deep in many spots. The trouble spots where corners where you could not "stay on the throttle". The front end would plow no matter how far back my butt was. Also washed out stream beds with ledges on both sides. Maybe only a foot tall but the front heavy bike would not just pop up. Maybe it was just the rider as I make no claim to being an expert Rally rider. But a lighter bike (DRZ 400) solved all the problems for me.
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Bigger dual sport bikes are really only limited in Big Bend National Park by how their riders are able to operate them. Plus, some big dual sport bikes are much more suited to more typical off road conditions, like deep sand , rocks, ledges, etc. The Triumph Tiger you had was probably a big part of your problem, not trying to diss the big Tiger.

If you are comfortable riding your big dual sport bike like a real dirt bike, and are an experienced dirt rider, the Big Bend area is a great place for the big trailies. Look for the orange and blue 950 in the area the weekend of Feb 20th, and stop and say hi.
 
Johnf3 said:
Bigger dual sport bikes are really only limited in Big Bend National Park by how their riders are able to operate them. Plus, some big dual sport bikes are much more suited to more typical off road conditions, like deep sand , rocks, ledges, etc. The Triumph Tiger you had was probably a big part of your problem, not trying to diss the big Tiger.

If you are comfortable riding your big dual sport bike like a real dirt bike, and are an experienced dirt rider, the Big Bend area is a great place for the big trailies. Look for the orange and blue 950 in the area the weekend of Feb 20th, and stop and say hi.
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I agree with your assessment completely.
 
Different riders, different skills... it's not the bike.. it's the rider.

:flip:
 
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iphorde said:
Different riders, different skills... it's not the bike.. it's the rider.

:flip:
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I can't agree with this. Different bikes are more suited to different conditions. The best riders can make a bike do things they weren't intended to do but they can do so much more on the right bike. ;-)
 
Having been on all the rodes in the park as well as some outside on my GS, I can say, aside from slick mud, deep sand is the most challenging on a big bike. In order to float it, you have to be going crazy fast and then all it takes is one wrong twitch and you are meeting up with the ground with uncomfortable force in a big cloud of dust. :giveup:

You can hoss a big-ole bike around in the rough stuff but a smaller and lighter bike sure is a lot more fun... until, you want want to ride from the park up 170 to Pinto Canyon to Marfa then back down co169 then back back to the park. Then that big-ole bike gets to feeling pretty sweet. :trust:

I'm headed that way mid Feb with a couple buds to do just that. :rider:
 
Big is relative too. I am not a big guy, nor a fast guy. As I get more comfortable tossing a 400 pound bike around the rough stuff it gets easier. I am learning how to use its weight and torque to my advantage. Some of the rougher downhill sections are actually easier on the KLR than on the XR-250 simply because the bike is not bounced off of my intended line as easily.
 
Wow!
Excellent read.
Thanks for posting this thread!
I'm stoked for making this trip.
 
Just read first to last. enjoyed the pics and the write-up. we are so looking forward to our first trip in april. looking at some of your pics and roads, i may have to make a day plan of roads that we will have to take in the truck as we will be on our v-maxes.
again great writing
Michael
 
Thanks. It is beautiful out there. Unless you are super dirt biker guy the only road I would even think about on the VMax is Old Maverick on the west side of BBNP. It is real smooth and well maintained even though it is not paved. The others all have sections that would each your lunch on most street bikes. Have a great trip.
 
Just read this write up. Looks like an awesome way to spend a few days, or even a week. I enjoyed all the pics. Thinking after i heal up a DS might be in my future.
 
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