Riding on dirt roads and fishing

[ninja250]

So I like to hit the twisties a lot.
I usually head for a twisty that has a nice stop about half way through my ride. Usually a good turn out with a view.

Sometimes I like to go fishing though too in the mountains. I'm thinking of riding my bike up there. There is like a 3 mile section of dirt road at the end of the twisties I have to go through to get to the fishing spot. (creek trouts)

Is it a bad idea to ride my bike the three miles down the dirt road to go fishing?

1) is it going to harm my tires as far as pitting them riding on dirt or something?
2)Should I brush them off really quick before carefully resuming my ride home on the twisties down the hill?
3)Is putting a cable lock through the frame around a tree and a disnk lock through the wheel considered acceptable to leave my bike there for several hours while I fish?
4) does this sounds completely crazy?
5)Not taking any fish home so no cold storage needed. lol. I throw them all back alive.
6) the bike is too heavy to lift by myself if I drop it right? There's no cell reception there. Does this mean I should avoid it all together or just be really careful?

[backinthesaddleagain]

A dual purpose bike would be great for that, however:
1 - no, assuming no sharp rocks
2 - i would
3 - i would think so
4 - no
6 - you can lift i up if it falls, just use the bars to help with leverage

some friends of mine take the occasional dirt road to connect a couple paved roads together, last time they did it on a Honda 919 and a Duc Paso

[Greg_E]

SLOW DOWN on dirt and gravel roads! #1 is that going fast picks up more rocks and causes more chips in the paint. #2 is that gravel roads are slippery on sport bike tires. The disk lock might be overkill unless it is a popular spot for kids to hang out and do things they probably shouldn't be doing. And in that case nothing is safe enough.

Honestly a "cheap" dual sport would make something like that a lot more fun. Ride it right down next to your fishing spot and really crank on the dirt road part. There are a few different 250 sized dual sports, and even the 650's aren't too expensive and seem to run for a long time. Not as fun on the twisty road, but way more fun on the dirt part.

[ninja250]

Yeah I just told the GF I need an enduro now too (think that's what they're called? dirtbike with mirrors?) then I'd be set. lol

There's a few more dirt roads back there that if you go the extra 10 miles, you get some gnarly huge and beautiful fish.

Well hey if I decide to go for it, it will make an interesting ride report one day huh?
We'll see what happens. I'll be extra cautious and take some pics.

[Greg_E]

KLR250? Suzuki DR250? I think both sell new for around $3000 to $4000 so they should be easy to find on the used market.

If I had one of those I'd put knobby tires on it and screw sheet metal screws into those knobs and run it as an ice bike. It was 3 degrees F this morning with no hope of getting my Buell out for a ride any time soon. I bet my brother road his KLR at least once in the snow to see what it was like.

[OldGuy]

Originally Posted by ninja250

6) the bike is too heavy to lift by myself if I drop it right? There's no cell reception there. Does this mean I should avoid it all together or just be really careful?

Check this link out if a 5'3" 118 pounder can lift a 600 lb+ BMW then . . .

[ninja250]

I remember riding my gsxr in sand in Palmdale, Ca. at like 25-30mph behind some buddies while following them on their dirtbikes once. Didn't have much trouble then.

I guess I just remember when I dumped my gsxr because my pants got stuck on the peg that one day at the stop sign that I couldn't pick it back up. Maybe I was just adrenaline rushed in the moment or something. Somebody got out of their car and helped me pick it back up.

I imagine it would be harder to lift in sand or dirt where the tires have less grip as well.

Just some thoughts before I tried it, wanted to see if it was a super bad idea for any reason. I appreciate the input folks. I just remember not being able to pick up my bike for some reason. It was a while ago though, maybe because it was laying on my ankle and somebody helped me get it off of me. I forget.

Thanks for the link. If it ever comes to it (god i hope not!) I will lift my bike as shown.
Frame sliders will be my first mod too, because I tend to think I might do something crazy enough to drop the bike one day.

Also the little 250 has a much higher clearance on the ground than my old gsxr did. I remember the gsxr would scrape plastics getting in my truck and the 250 plastics clears the tail gate edge no problem. A short little board or dirtbike ramp and I can shove this puppy right in my truck myself no problem. lol

[Angel-be-Good]

I got a used Suzuki DR350 for $1,500 with less than 5,000 miles on the clocks.

...But it's 18-years-old.



I see them on Craigslist frequently near the same price.

I plan on riding my 250 down my dad's dirt road on Christmas. I'm sure it'll be fine. At low speed

[Nickds7]

I've ridden with a passenger on a long dirt road. You will be fine. Just go slow. Constantly look for rocks and stuff, this is a time when you do want to look at the road very close to your bike. Some things will come up on you if you are looking too far ahead.

Go slow and you will live . Oh and stay in a high gear, sudden torque=NO!

[Cedilla]

Just remember that the street tires have almost no grip on dirt or gravel. I have yet to take my ninja off road, but I fly through my back yard every time I come home. I always turn into the gravel driveway, stand on the pegs and whack the throttle open in first, I spin the tire all the way up the driveway narrowly missing my car. Then I stop and open the gate to the back yard, and get back on, pick up some speed and then stab the rear brake to get the bike sideways, and slide up next to the back porch. Then I have to go cover up the giant groove of missing gravel in the driveway.

I've probably had more close calls in the driveway than on the street.

I want a dual sport.

[ninja250]

lol
Sounds like you do need a dirt machine. Reminds me of me a few years ago on the 600 following my buddies through the sand to their bike jumping spots.

I dig the street for sure. Just like fishing too and sold off my Honda S2000 to pay it off and not owe any money. Then bought this bike.. so fishing still has to come into the equation somewhere.

Really, two bikes, one street and one dirt, would be my ideal situation.
Screw cages unless they can haul a bike. I think I can get away with no cage in Socal if I have two cheap bikes.

Once you've had a 600 or better, the speed of a car isn't even fun anymore.

[komohana]

i'd take it slow on the dirt...easy on the front brake usage, and if it has rained, or looks like it's gonna???...stay on the pavement!

aloha

[Momaru]

One other note on dirt riding, be ready to clean A LOT of junk out of your chain and if you care about the paint, be extra careful at the next wash so all that dust/dirt doesn't sandpaper your clearcoat. Above all, have fun but be careful!

[demp]

I've done a bit of dirt / gravel roads on the 250, like they said, just go slow and you'll be fine

[rockNroll]

The trick to riding in dirt is to have the bike sideways before entering the turn!


Do fish's lips hurt when they get hooked?

[ninja250]

Yes but if you are good at "Catch and release" and have been doing it for years, you know when to "set the hook" on the fish to prevent "gut hooking" the fish and harming it.

In effect, it's like the fishy got it's lip pierced if you don't "play them out" and hook them right on the lip. You should also handle them with wet hands to prevent removing their "slime coat", which can also provoke later infection.

I pretty much hook the fish, bring it in and stick my hand in the water, then lift the fish an inch out of the water and photograph it. At which point, I set it back in the water, pop out the barbless hook and revive it by moving it back and fourth gently until it swims away on it's own.

Sorry for the long description but there's only one way to do it right and they swim away every single time to fight another day. In Socal, we have such a huge population that there is very little fish for the amount of people here. It's considered conservation to practice "C&R"