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Dealing with muddy trails when you're riding alone.

By greg11,
in DRZ400/E/S/SM

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greg11

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I moved to a new town where I don't know anyone. I've tried meeting people but its tough. Seems like all the guys around here have KTM's and the few folks I've met up with didn't seem interested in having me tag along. 

So, anyway. I ride alone a lot. 

After getting myself into several jams in the past (and gotten myself out only after grueling blood/sweat/tears), I'm VERY reluctant to go down any sort of trail that looks the least bit muddy. I just want to have a good time, I don't really want to spend 3 hours on a Sunday digging my bike out of holes over and over and over.

Do yall have strategies for figuring out which muddy trails are okay to ride on vs. those which are likely to get you stuck?

 

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Dmouse

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 KTM guys can be pretty snobby, it's too bad, riding shouldn't be like that. Off-road riding alone is very risky, weather it's muddy or not. Until you meet up with some rational people to ride with, I'd avoid the mud and try and find some dry trails to run

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BushPig

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7 hours ago, greg11 said:

I moved to a new town where I don't know anyone. I've tried meeting people but its tough. Seems like all the guys around here have KTM's and the few folks I've met up with didn't seem interested in having me tag along. 

So, anyway. I ride alone a lot. 

After getting myself into several jams in the past (and gotten myself out only after grueling blood/sweat/tears), I'm VERY reluctant to go down any sort of trail that looks the least bit muddy. I just want to have a good time, I don't really want to spend 3 hours on a Sunday digging my bike out of holes over and over and over.

Do yall have strategies for figuring out which muddy trails are okay to ride on vs. those which are likely to get you stuck?

 

On your own I would choose the avoid option to be honest. We have a lot of mud here in the wet season and digging them out on your own is shithouse and a waste of time compared to actually riding the bike. You dont get better at riding digging.

If you do get stuck, turn off the fuel and lean the bike horizontally and drag it sideways out of the rut.

A friend mine went out several times last year just to ride the mud (and to literally practice pulling the bike out for a mud race)

Insanity and not my version of fun.

To summarise, either ride the highground as you are now, or ride with the orange brigade.

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BushPig

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3 hours ago, Dmouse said:

 KTM guys can be pretty snobby, it's too bad, riding shouldn't be like that. Off-road riding alone is very risky, weather it's muddy or not. Until you meet up with some rational people to ride with, I'd avoid the mud and try and find some dry trails to run

I agree, and I have 2 KTMs.

42 minutes ago, Clogan2 said:

I also ride alone a good bit...never had any serious problems, but maybe I'm lucky. If the route looks too "iffy", I just skip it.

Same.

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Bandit0

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I ride alone a lot. I just skip parts that look sketchy. If you can't, walk it first and try to find the best line. It's not as fun and can be slow, but it's worth it. I am not sure what the terrain is like where you are, but I imagine it is similar to what I ride in New England. Most times you can spot the dangerous spots ahead of time. Sometimes you just can't.

 

 

bikestuck.jpg

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biglake

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Is your drz set up for muddy trail riding?

If you have stock or 50/50 tires you will want to avoid the muddy trails, if the guys on ktm's noticed you have crappy tires they wont want you to ride with them as you will really hold them up. Its not a brand of bike thing its a how capable is your bike thing.

I do two types of rides from my place, nasty difficult muddy trails and easy open dual sport trails, some of the guys that come for rides can only handle the easy stuff.

I always look for tire tracks coming out the other end of mud holes before going into them if I'm don't know the trail, chances are if some one else made it through you will too.

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oldfuddy

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I moved to a new town where I don't know anyone. I've tried meeting people but its tough. Seems like all the guys around here have KTM's and the few folks I've met up with didn't seem interested in having me tag along. 

So, anyway. I ride alone a lot. 

After getting myself into several jams in the past (and gotten myself out only after grueling blood/sweat/tears), I'm VERY reluctant to go down any sort of trail that looks the least bit muddy. I just want to have a good time, I don't really want to spend 3 hours on a Sunday digging my bike out of holes over and over and over.

Do yall have strategies for figuring out which muddy trails are okay to ride on vs. those which are likely to get you stuck?

 


Ride the area when it's dry if possible to get a good feel of how deep the ruts are and where the better lines are.

The snobby-ness of the KTM guys you met are just snobs (it's not their bikes), all KTM riders are not snobs, that's dumb.

If you do ride alone I'd recommend a DeLorme inReach in case you need help or are out of cell phone coverage.

Check out the regional threads and post up your looking to ride or look for local clubs.

If you get out here to Tucson all I have are KTMs and I'll ride with ya. My friends will too.

Cheers.
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