Took my Street Triple R OFFROADING IN THE MUD!

[rsw81]

Yes, you read that right. Was meeting a friend at his lake house in Northern NH that I had never been to, was getting dark, and was just following my GPS. Now he told me there would be a dirt road, but that it would be well packed and easy for me on my bike. As it would have it, my GPS took me on a well-packed dirt road, so I assumed all was well as it was getting dark. Rounded a corner, the road got narrow in a hurry, started going up hill, and turned to mud 6" deep with ruts of water running down it (eg a stream). Obviously, I would have loved to turn around at this point, but the road was literally too narrow to turn around on. So I pressed on, which was a mistake as I got stuck about half a mile into this. Ended up dismounting while balancing the bike (couldn't put the kickstand down) and literally pushing it in the mud into a 40 point turn to get the bike turned around and head back down the hill, now covered in the rooster tail of mud I created on my up and now on the way down as well.

See the attached pics of the aftermath the morning after. Took 3 separate washes to get it all off and ended up tearing apart the entire rear end and front end to clean and re-lube the axles/bearings/chain/swing arm bushings.

Before I get totally flamed for taking the bike into the mud, I already know this and wouldn't have if it were predictable or had I known before hand.

Rob

[e30addict]

Time for a Tiger

[rsw81]

Haha thanks Mark! In all honesty, your Tiger wouldn't have made it up this road either. It was ugly. Like, a dirt bike would have struggled a bit.

[e30addict]

Haha thanks Mark! In all honesty, your Tiger wouldn't have made it up this road either. It was ugly. Like, a dirt bike would have struggled a bit.

But if you had a Tiger no one would care if you didn't clean the bike after. Tigers like to play dirty

[rsw81]

But if you had a Tiger no one would care if you didn't clean the bike after. Tigers like to play dirty

True true... but I do like a clean bike.

[e30addict]

You'll get over it eventually.

[sveesix]

You'll get over it eventually.

I know I did.

[e30addict]

btw, holy mud! Even got it on to top of the transmission!

[rsw81]

Yes sir! It literally was everywhere!

[nhbubba]

Been there, recently in fact. Had to wipe an inch of mud off the top of the pannier to get to the key slot.



To make matters extra sooper dooper special I was rockin' the jeans that day. And the TCX boots featured here are anything but water (or mud) proof.



Personally I think dismantling and re-lubing everything is a little bit overkill. It's a fookin' motorcycle. Even Triumphs aren't made of glass... I think.

[csmutty]

Personally I think dismantling and re-lubing everything is a little bit overkill. It's a fookin' motorcycle. Even Triumphs aren't made of glass... I think.

I spray with simple green and let sit for 5 minutes. And then rinse off with water. Repeat as necessary.

[mell0]

And?

[Evadd]

I wouldn't flame for that. I think it's cool.

Instead of the 40-point turn, was it too slippery to just pick up the back end?

[duganc1717]

[Chippertheripper]

Nothing a ride in the rain won't fix!

[rsw81]

Personally I think dismantling and re-lubing everything is a little bit overkill. It's a fookin' motorcycle. Even Triumphs aren't made of glass... I think.

I spray with simple green and let sit for 5 minutes. And then rinse off with water. Repeat as necessary.

I tried this at first, hence the multiple washing before tearing it apart. It kept making this awful metal grinding sound when I'd spin the wheels, so I figured next step was to start taking things apart and cleaning. Was kind of therapeutic anyway!

I wouldn't flame for that. I think it's cool.

Instead of the 40-point turn, was it too slippery to just pick up the back end?

Yeah, it was so muddy and slippery, I wouldn't have the leverage to lift it.

[gumby]

Didn't our bikes look like this after our ride to Curtis' ... correction, "Top of the Hill Grill" last month?

[RandyO]

I was on this road http://goo.gl/maps/4Ft8o riding with a fellow V-strommer about 4/5 thru when we met 4 bikes coming our way at the bottom of a very very steep about 20% hill we had just ridden down surface was loose rock ,(2 bagger Harleys, I BMW touring K bike and a Speed Triple), they were from Ontario, following their GPS, we tried convincing them they ought to turn around, but nope, they were going to go whereever their GPS told them

off they went, K bike zipped up the hill spittin rocks obviously an experienced rider, then the Speed Triple, same thing, and the first Harley, the other Harley was an inexperienced rider, in about 20 feet, he had it burried up to the axle in loose rock, they guys that had made it to the top walked back down, the experienced Harley guy got on the bike, we all pushed and got him going only to get stuck in another 20 feet, push again, he made it to the top

we tried as hard as we could to convince them to turn around, that hill was not the worse section of road, they thought they were most of the way thru as well but in reality had only come a couple miles and still had 10 more to go

[Rossco]

Dirt roads are certainly doable on a Bandit.



However when you bring your friend along, who has a proper ADV bike, with TKC80's, you quickly realize you brought the wrong machine for the job.

[Kenn157]

True true... but I do like a clean bike.

Of course you do... Any same person would!

You'll get over it eventually.

Example of insane person!

I know I did.

Was taught by e30!

[e30addict]

Dirt roads are certainly doable on a Bandit.



However when you bring your friend along, who has a proper ADV bike, with TKC80's, you quickly realize you brought the wrong machine for the job.

That's about as fast I'm comfortable with on dirt too. I'm sure the real ADV types are laughing right now, but whatever.

Example of insane person!

Was taught by e30!

[nhbubba]

Dirt roads are certainly doable on a Bandit.

Mine was skered of water! Think it was channelling a cat?

[hot karl]

I frequently take my Ninja off roading. I don't see the big deal really. It's just like a dirt bike. Well, not exactly, but it isn't as big a deal as most of you seem to be making it.

I'm guessing a lot of you didn't learn on MX bikes?

[e30addict]

I'm guessing a lot of you didn't learn on MX bikes?

Never even ridden a dirt bike; so big heavy street bike moving around gets scary pretty quick for me. No concept of what is good, bad or even normal when it comes to dirt.

[rsw81]

I frequently take my Ninja off roading. I don't see the big deal really. It's just like a dirt bike. Well, not exactly, but it isn't as big a deal as most of you seem to be making it.

I'm guessing a lot of you didn't learn on MX bikes?

I'm perfectly comfortable on a dirt bike with nobby tires in dirt/mud/sand/whatever. I'm perfectly comfortable on a street bike with street tires on relatively mild well-packed dirt road. Big difference between those things and the stuff I got stuck in last week.