Dual sport (ish)

[Jewcati]

So, I own a Multistrada, not because I ride dual sport at all, but because it is a comfy bike that handles well with a kick ass engine. I would like to try riding it off road a little, nothing's crazy, maybe some hard pack dirt or gravel roads. You know, something it can actually handle.

Does anyone have any recommendations for spots in mass or NH?

I live in metro west Boston, doubt there is anything around here, but maybe?




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[e30addict]

Are you on ADVRIDER? If so, check out the northeast forum and look for the hamster route. It is supposed to be big bike friendly.

Otherwise there are a lot of those type of roads in the Greenfield NH area. You can wander around and have a good time up there.

[Spooler]

Sorry for the tangent, but have you seen the multistrada enduro? Looks pretty cool.

[Jewcati]

Sorry for the tangent, but have you seen the multistrada enduro? Looks pretty cool.

Yeah, it is pretty sweet, but I ride street exclusively but would like to try branching out.

[Stromper]

Berkshire riders has a nice weekend ride for adv enture bikes mostly just dirt roads but fun

[nhbubba]

Go to Clough. Follow the signs for River Loop. No worries.

No, don't do that.

Google around. Somewhere on this internets there is a list of all the class 6 roads in NH. Those'll getcha some redneck racing stripes on that thing!

[SRTie4k]

My guess is that a C6 road is going to be way more than what he's looking for. Most of the C6 roads in NH are pretty gnarly.

[nhbubba]

I guess I don't understand "off-road" then. Are we looking for well graded gravel roads traversed by moms in mini-vans? Those are quite nearly everywhere. You can do those on a gold wing or dresser harley though.

[Garandman]

So, I own a Multistrada, not because I ride dual sport at all, but because it is a comfy bike that handles well with a kick ass engine. I would like to try riding it off road a little, nothing's crazy, maybe some hard pack dirt or gravel roads. You know, something it can actually handle.

Does anyone have any recommendations for spots in mass or NH?

I live in metro west Boston, doubt there is anything around here, but maybe?

I have no idea where "Metro West Boston" is. Ahh, here we go:

The MetroWest Economic Research Center at Framingham State University defines MetroWest as the nine towns of Ashland, Framingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Natick, Sherborn, Southborough, Sudbury, and Wayland. The MetroWest Chamber of Commerce includes these nine towns plus Westborough.

22 other municipalities in Middlesex, Norfolk and Worcester counties are included in the 495/MetroWest Corridor as defined by the 495/MetroWest Corridor Partnership:

Acton, Bellingham, Berlin, Bolton, Boxborough, Foxborough, Franklin, Harvard, Hopedale, Hudson, Littleton, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Medway, Milford, Millis, Norfolk, Norton, Northborough, Plainville, Shrewsbury, Stow, Westborough, and Wrentham.

Glad that's pinned down. There are plenty of fairly easy dirt roads around Mount Wachusett. Like this. Don't worry, V-Stroms get sleepy sometimes....

[Jewcati]

Sweet! Where is that?


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[South of Heaven]

You could have lots of fun in Pachaug, CT. It's about 30 minutes from Providence. All of the "roads" that connect the trails are dirt roads. Fun for a bike like yours. Lots of miles of that easy stuff. Just don't try the actual trails with your bike...

[Jewcati]

I guess I don't understand "off-road" then. Are we looking for well graded gravel roads traversed by moms in mini-vans? Those are quite nearly everywhere. You can do those on a gold wing or dresser harley though.

Something along the lines of

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pylf0cGSRRo

[nhbubba]

If you find dirt switchbacks like that in New England, tell me where!
NH class 6's are like that until they aren't. Then they aren't they are much worse. The ruts tend to be much deeper and the water holes much deeper as well.

I have a local loop that runs some maintained dirt roads. None that knarly though. All are well graded, well traveled dirt roads you could traverse in a Rolls Royce. Just enough to get dirt on the bike and give me a few chances to let the rear slide. DL650 is no superbike mill, so having that tail slide is a dirt only novelty for me.

If willing to travel; head up 93 to Woodstock NH. Take Tripoli road east to Waterville Valley. Take 49 south to Sandwich Notch road. Take that to 113. At 113 go right to get back to 93 or left to Tamworth. Stay on 113 to Madison. Take a right on Mooney Hill. Stay straight on Glines Hill. IIRC this is class 6 and a bit badass in spots (for a big bike on street rubber) but dry. It drops into 153 next to Crystal lake. 153 south to Farmington and 16 south to home.

I've run that in reverse. Solid day in the saddle.

[SRTie4k]

The best direction I can give you is to go to Vermont. Doesn't matter which way you head, you're going to end up on a dirt road rather quickly.

[Garandman]

There are plenty of roads like that in Central and W MA. But as Colin says, they can go from this:



To this:


in the space of a couple hundred yards. Those pics are on Tunnel Road in Rowe, which a Garmin GPS shows as being a "normal" road. It's actually downhill to a bridge that doesn't exist. I reconnoitered on foot and turned around. Wrestling a 500+ lb bike, with tires that suck in mud, by yourself, with no cell service, ceases to be recreation at some point..... Whereas I'd take the WR250R there in a heartbeat, and I'm old.

[gregp]

Of possible interest: DirtDaze Adventure Bike Rally, Lake George, NY June 7-11

[Dmitry]

I'm going there Friday ( LINKY -> akarob's 216 Pachaug Dualspork 4/2 season kick-off Camp-n-Ride | Adventure Rider )
Been part of that group for 5 years now

Some people show up on street bikes, some full on dirt setup, you can find something that suits you and stick with it, most likely someone will have a GPS files to share.
Good people, good fun, some drinking and eating involved...