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Kyle, TX
I just thought I'd drop a little post here to say hello to everyone. I just got on TWT the past week, and made it to a meet up this weekend in Gatesville.

I've been riding for about a year and a half, and ride quite a bit. I think I've probably put about 10-12k miles on three different bikes in that time, and plan to do my first big trip up to Sturgis and back in August. I plan to take my time on the way back and camp out in Colorado a good bit. I'm new to bike camping, so any helpful tips and suggestions are more than welcome.

My current main ride is a '16 1290 Super Adventure, and it's my first adventure style bike... so anything dirt is new to me and I'm taking it pretty slow.

I live around Austin, and ride frequently, so anyone looking to ride on weekends or even after work... let me know! Have a great week, and stay safe out there!

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Welcome to the site. Sorry I couldn't make the Meet and Eat. I would have liked to have talked to you.
 
Welcome to the site! :wave:

Couple of things come to mind...

1. Invest in good gear if you plan to take the big KTM off the pavement (especially boots).

2. Get more aggressive tires if you plan to take the big KTM off the pavement.

3. Consider taking one of the adventure training classes if you plan to take the big KTM off the pavement.​

I guarantee all three of those will pay HUGE dividends for you!

I started my dirt riding career on an 1150 GS, an even bigger bike than your KTM. I learned a LOT from the school of hard knocks... and falls. You might even consider, if financially feasible, getting a smaller dirt bike to learn on. It is MUCH easier to learn on a small bike. Damage from a mistake is usually MUCH less expensive on the small bike, for fixing the bike or you ;-) Skills learned on the small bike transfer directly to the big bike! In the end, it will enable you to have a LOT more fun and confidence on the big bike.

That is an awesome bike! Enjoy it! :thumb:
 



Awesome! I'll look at both of those! I'm not really sure where yet. My plan is to pretty much just not plan. Haha. I'll have at least 3-4 days of camping and riding short distances on the way back, so I'm going to be looking at the more scenic routes... or really fun on a bike this fun to ride. Mostly pavement as I'll be solo, and not very good on dirt yet.


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Welcome to the site. Sorry I couldn't make the Meet and Eat. I would have liked to have talked to you.



Thanks! It was a good meet, but I'll be making others I'm sure, and I plan to be at the October ADV rally.


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Welcome to the site! :wave:



Couple of things come to mind...



1. Invest in good gear if you plan to take the big KTM off the pavement (especially boots).



2. Get more aggressive tires if you plan to take the big KTM off the pavement.



3. Consider taking one of the adventure training classes if you plan to take the big KTM off the pavement.​



I guarantee all three of those will pay HUGE dividends for you!



I started my dirt riding career on an 1150 GS, an even bigger bike than your KTM. I learned a LOT from the school of hard knocks... and falls. You might even consider, if financially feasible, getting a smaller dirt bike to learn on. It is MUCH easier to learn on a small bike. Damage from a mistake is usually MUCH less expensive on the small bike, for fixing the bike or you ;-) Skills learned on the small bike transfer directly to the big bike! In the end, it will enable you to have a LOT more fun and confidence on the big bike.



That is an awesome bike! Enjoy it! :thumb:



Thanks so much!

I've actually just ordered the forma adv boots, so I'll be wearing those on my trip, and I've been considering a dirt bike as you say to make learning a bit easier. I don't think I'll really ever do more than easy dirt roads on this bike, I just wanted a bike that I knew could handle it if I do need to go through some dirt. I had to take my K1300S through about 5 miles of gravel and mud from road construction one time, and it was so miserable I decided that I needed something a bit more dirt friendly for traveling on. Also something that didn't beg me to do 120+ mph every time I got on it... haha.

I really appreciate the advice and forum post tips guys!


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Awesome! I'll look at both of those! I'm not really sure where yet. My plan is to pretty much just not plan. Haha. I'll have at least 3-4 days of camping and riding short distances on the way back, so I'm going to be looking at the more scenic routes... or really fun on a bike this fun to ride. Mostly pavement as I'll be solo, and not very good on dirt yet.


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If you need assistance with camp areas,food or roads/routes I can help as well as many others even more knowledgeable than me.:deal:
 
Good to meet you Sunday. Sorry but I may have left some drool on that bike. And I know for a fact the KamLeeR touched it! Lol
 
Good to meet you Sunday. Sorry but I may have left some drool on that bike. And I know for a fact the KamLeeR touched it! Lol



Haha, drool is perfectly fine, it wipes off! It was great to meet you guys! And we'll definitely have to go ride soon!


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, I just wanted a bike that I knew could handle it if I do need to go through some dirt. I had to take my K1300S through about 5 miles of gravel and mud from road construction one time, and it was so miserable I decided that I needed something a bit more dirt friendly for traveling on. Also something that didn't beg me to do 120+ mph every time I got on it... haha.

Same here. I have a '15. HATED leaving the pavement on my 06 VFR800. I take dirt roads all the time on the SA.

And it may not beg for 120 mph but I'm pretty sure my rear wheel has more miles than the front from accelerating with the front barely skimming the pavement! lol
 
Was good to meet you on Sunday... I'm Rob, the fellow on the VStrom 1000 that was late getting to lunch and was chatting with Aaron on Sunday. Going on a big camping excursion is a matter of planning, and being adaptable. I recently did a trip to Canada and have to say I planned it for about 2 months and then even at the end mostly tossed half what I originally planned, instead taking bare essentials. If you have a good idea of where your rest stops will be and how far you can ride in a day it will change your plan accordingly but it sounds like you are doing plenty of riding in advance so the best advice I can offer is get yourself well hydrated before hand. Going from one climate to another (which you should be) can sap into your hydration level. If you are forced to choose and want to pack light, I would say pick one set of boots that is 100 % waterproof and test them well before you leave and make sure they are really water proof. Same with your gloves. I can not tell you how miserable it gets after a while when your boots turn into buckets... (even happened to me on the way back from the M&G&E on Sunday but that was just because I was being lazy and it was warm out.
 
:tab Good rain gear or GoreTex gear is a must. It can literally mean the difference between enjoying a ride and potentially getting killed because you start getting cold when wet and lose fine muscle control. If you think you might be riding in cold weather, wet or dry, a heated electric vest can make a massive difference. If you keep your core temp up, your body will allow more blood flow to the hands and feet. This can make more difference for your hands than having heated hand grips (which I also like :-P). I rode for years without a vest. Once I got one, I couldn't believe I waited so long! :doh: Mine doesn't even have sleeves. The best part is the fleece lined neck collar that comes right up to the top of the neck and is also heated!

:tab I used rain suits for years. A few years back I finally popped for a GoreTex suit and boots. Like the vest, I should have done it sooner. I always hated having to pack rain gear, stop and put it on, stop and take it off, ride, rinse, repeat... Also, the GoreTex (or similar material) is just so much more comfortable because of its ability to breathe. Now I just stop, close a few zippers, and keep going. Unless it is raining pretty good, I often leave the vents open and don't get wet. I did the boots full of water too many times, even when wearing rain gear that covered the boots. I don't have that issue any longer. However, the suit and boots aren't cheap, which is a big reason why I waited so long. There are GoreTex socks though that come up to the top of the calf. So if your boots aren't water proof, that is an option.

:tab Hydration is also a big factor in rider endurance, even when it is not hot. A Camel-Bak or similar pack is great for drinking small amounts frequently while riding, which does a much better job of keeping the body hydrated compared to gulping large amounts at stops. You might be amazed at how much moisture your body loses even in cool temps when you are riding in dry climates.

:tab If it is going to be hot, a good under layer can make you MUCH more comfortable. I use LD Comfort pants and shirts. They wick the moisture away from the skin. If you have decent venting in your gear, this will actually help cool you as the sweat evaporates. The pants REALLY help prevent the dreaded Monkey Butt... The synthetic materials work much better than cotton.
 
If you are going to be heading through Colorado, check out RawHyde adventures/training.

http://www.rawhyde-offroad.com/colorado/

It would be awesome if you could work that into your trip. I've been wanting to do one of their classes for years but never seem to be able to manage it.
 
Good to meet you on Sunday! I don't have much adventure riding experience, but a dirt bike is a good place to start. You could get one for $1500 on Craigslist, hone your off-road skills, and easily sell it for what you have in it. All of my off-road experience is tight single track and MX, and I have no clue how to ride in Colorado mountain terrain, lol. Especially on that beast.

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Welcome to TWT. Lots of good folks with a passion for all types of riding here. You can spend weeks going through some of the threads. So many Ride Reports I've lost count. Friendship that span time, counties and states. Planned and unplanned rides galore. Riders from all walks of life, and experience levels from beginner to seasoned. You are in the right place!


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I didn't get to go to the meet either but I'll be at the next one. Welcome to the site, we'll have to meet up and ride soon. I'm in Elgin and now can ride just about any time.

Bryan
 
Same here. I have a '15. HATED leaving the pavement on my 06 VFR800. I take dirt roads all the time on the SA.



And it may not beg for 120 mph but I'm pretty sure my rear wheel has more miles than the front from accelerating with the front barely skimming the pavement! lol



Oh it definitely has plenty of power! I couldn't go from that k1300s to a slow bike, but that one just didn't feel like you were moving until you were doing over 80-90mph.


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Thanks everyone for the welcomes and the advice. I definitely can understand the need for quality gear. I just ordered the Forma Adventure boots, based on ratings and reviews, and should have them in next week so I can break them in before the trip. I have the ICON RAIDEN DKR adventure riding gear, top and bottom, so I'm good on waterproof gear. I'm going to bring a waterproof insulated set of gloves and my sand 3's with glove liners, so pretty much anything that gets thrown at me I should be good. I'm pretty proficient in traveling( I've done a lot of cross country road trips) but am just sort of New to packing this light. I'm going to try to use a camping hammock on this upcoming trip to Sturgis and Colorado and see how that goes. I may go back to tents, but I like the idea of packable, light, and super quick set up that a hammock and rain fly affords. It shouldn't be too cold either, and I have a good compact low temp sleeping bag to use in the hammock.


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I didn't get to go to the meet either but I'll be at the next one. Welcome to the site, we'll have to meet up and ride soon. I'm in Elgin and now can ride just about any time.

Bryan



Sounds great! I'm down whenever, but I do work during the week, so weekends are easier. Shoot me a message on here if you want to plan something. I look forward to it.


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Welcome aboard. I live in SW austin, between me and my roommate we have usually anywhere from 8-10 bikes at any given time.

I ride a Scout (formerly, a Z1000 that like you said didn't even feel like it was moving until about 100 and I drove it way too fast everywhere), but I certainly like to open it up it now and then also. Roommate has a concours14, also not exactly a slouch. If you want to go for a rip after work some time, let me know.
 
Welcome! There are some really great TWT members in the central Texas area. Hope you meet you at some point!
 
Welcome aboard. I live in SW austin, between me and my roommate we have usually anywhere from 8-10 bikes at any given time.



I ride a Scout (formerly, a Z1000 that like you said didn't even feel like it was moving until about 100 and I drove it way too fast everywhere), but I certainly like to open it up it now and then also. Roommate has a concours14, also not exactly a slouch. If you want to go for a rip after work some time, let me know.



Awesome! Sounds great!


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