[dlm]

For all the fellow Multistrada riders here; any tips, discussion, ideas, suggestions on off-road riding? I feel I can push it to the (my) limit on pavement but realized I know nothing about enduro style riding. I have ridden the occasional smooth dirt or gravel road but met my match on some fluffy sand. Lucky it only cost me a broken mirror.

I'd like to get input from experienced off-roaders regarding techniques for getting our moneys worth out of enduro mode. What is the secret of doing this successfully?

 

[bcmonster]

Buy a dirt bike! LOL

Try this to start. Lay your bike carefully on the ground and then, with all your gear on, pick it up. Repeat five to ten times. Tired Huh? The joy of off-roading, and I raced MX for a few years, is the lightness and low end of an honest off road bike. You have reached the reasonable off road capabilities with the smooth dirt and gravel roads that you have experimented with already.

 

[Tomato]

There are some great advice article out there on the web - I would search "dirtbike riding tips." Simply way too many to list. However, do make sure you DTS and ABS completely. You'll need to learn what the bike does without the electronic nannies. If you leave them on, you're asking for trouble.

 

[sonicboom36]

As BC said get yourself a dirt bike and start from there the multi is not designed to bounce like some.


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[Jimmy boy]

I.m.o I would get a "real" dirt bike. That way you could have a lot more fun, without the weight/ expense of damaging the multi! But it would be sick to throw real knobbies on it and try some hill climbs!!!!!


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[Mr Sunshine]

I.m.o I would get a "real" dirt bike. That way you could have a lot more fun, without the weight/ expense of damaging the multi! But it would be sick to throw real knobbies on it and try some hill climbs!!!!!


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Not the hill climbs I did on my real dirt bike. The Multi would be broken quickly!

 

[Chuckracer]

Yep to all above. There are inexpensive used dirt bikes out there for about what it will cost to replace the broken Italian plastic and other parts on your Multi as you experiment.

 

[raebear]

If you really want to 'do it in the dirt', buying a dirt bike and learning how to ride in the dirt is sage advise, that being said I plan on taking the Multi to places most would not, but I have been riding in the dirt for 40+ years, the multi will be well armored and have proper treads on it. I will still try and be gentle with it and will expect to break a few things- goes with the territory.

 

[raebear]

Not the hill climbs I did on my real dirt bike. The Multi would be broken quickly!

Hell- strip it down, extend the swing arm, put a paddle on it and go ala widowmaker!

 

[dadridesagain]

However, do make sure you DTS and ABS completely. You'll need to learn what the bike does without the electronic nannies. If you leave them on, you're asking for trouble.

Ha! I'm all set...
(grumble)

 

[Biker_911]

The only advice I can give you on riding the Multi offroad without a bunch of off road riding experience is....don't. Although I think the Multi is a capable offroad bike, it is way too expensive for me to fix. I just got my 2011 back from a 3 month hiatus because I crashed it in the rain. Nothing horrendous, but it did a tank slapper that threw me off and broke the fork stops on the frame. Final bill? $11,300.00 Thank goodness I had good insurance. Right now, I'm nervous about riding it over a dusty spot on the pavement.

 

[Jetpack]

Whenever I contemplate serious off road time I watch Long Way Round and laugh when two moderately capable riders fall off their bikes again and again and again.

Other than that, stand up when you ride on soft dirt, and keep your speed up.

 

[Hap Hazard]

Although certainly no expert I've attended the BMW Off Road Schools presented by RawHyde and have taken my R1200GS into remote locations. Both the bike and I have the scars to show for it.

Two things come to mind. Standing on the pegs gives you more stability and maneuverability than sitting. Practice it a lot at slow speeds. But most important is vision management. Use "spot light" vision to initially pick your line. Then switch to "flood light" vision, looking way forward at your destination not at your track. Looking at where your front wheel is going is a recipe for disaster.

I'll be taking my new Multi on gravel, dirt and forest park roads. But that is it. Anything more severe is reserved for my 250cc enduro bike.

Hap

 

[MTScott2]

This it Ain't!!!

Stay out of the sand YOU WILL get stuck, stay out of the slippery oozing snot like mud you will slide...
Gravel or logging roads will be just fine , some big pot holes are ok , mud puddles ok .
ruts ok

I tried a clay road after a rain , and turned around...
Have some friends with you and you will quickly find the limitations with the heavy NO TRACTION in sand or MUD..
There I said it.

 

[dlm]

Although certainly no expert I've attended the BMW Off Road Schools presented by RawHyde and have taken my R1200GS into remote locations. Both the bike and I have the scars to show for it.

Two things come to mind. Standing on the pegs gives you more stability and maneuverability than sitting. Practice it a lot at slow speeds. But most important is vision management. Use "spot light" vision to initially pick your line. Then switch to "flood light" vision, looking way forward at your destination not at your track. Looking at where your front wheel is going is a recipe for disaster.

I'll be taking my new Multi on gravel, dirt and forest park roads. But that is it. Anything more severe is reserved for my 250cc enduro bike.

Hap

Finally some advise and not just a "don't do it". I had thought that traction control was good off-road. I now know it is not and probably why I had trouble. Thanks for actually saying something useful.

This it Ain't!!!

Stay out of the sand YOU WILL get stuck, stay out of the slippery oozing snot like mud you will slide...
Gravel or logging roads will be just fine , some big pot holes are ok , mud puddles ok .
ruts ok

I tried a clay road after a rain , and turned around...
Have some friends with you and you will quickly find the limitations with the heavy NO TRACTION in sand or MUD..
There I said it.

Thanks, see my reply above, it applies here too. I learned my lesson on sand. I'm sure the traction control shut down the rear when the front got bogged down in the sand and over I went. Now I know better.

 

[Chuckracer]

I know nothing about enduro style riding.

"Buy an inexpensive dirt bike" wasn't considered helpful advice if you are wanting to learn off road skills?

 

[dlm]

"Buy an inexpensive dirt bike" wasn't considered helpful advice if you are wanting to learn off road skills?

According to Ducati marketing I already own one, or at least something approaching one. A 150 lb., give or take, dirt bike would be a lot of fun but that experience doesn't really translate to taking a 500 lb. electronics laden MS off-road. If nothing else, just learning about the experiences of others and it's limitations is valuable. I won't try sand again as I learned the MS probably won't perform in anyones hands, not just mine. Also tuning off the DTC seemed counterintuitive but now makes sense. All this I got from the latter posters here. Googling "off-road riding" as some suggested showed me a lot of things I could do with a 250 but very little applicable to the MST.

 

[Mr Sunshine]

Riding a 150lb dirt bike translates directly over. Dirt is dirt. It requires a different approach than pavement.

I've said it before. The Multi is not a dirt bike.


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[Jimmy boy]

For all the fellow Multistrada riders here; any tips, discussion, ideas, suggestions on off-road riding? I feel I can push it to the (my) limit on pavement but realized I know nothing about enduro style riding. I have ridden the occasional smooth dirt or gravel road but met my match on some fluffy sand. Lucky it only cost me a broken mirror.

I'd like to get input from experienced off-roaders regarding techniques for getting our moneys worth out of enduro mode. What is the secret of doing this successfully?

Dim,it sounds like what you want hear is to take the bike off road in whoops,single track.The reason most off us said get a dirt bike is simple,the multi may have some suspension travel,but the bike is heavy. My ktm 300 xcw weighs 225 lbs w/ gas! Any bike that weighs 400 lbs plus,is really only good on fire roads,not "real" dirt bike riding.


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[Chuckracer]

Off road motorcycling