# anyone here into dirt bikes?



## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

I just picked up a Honda dirt bike ( CRF 230 ), have done lots of mtn biking but this is new to me. 

have been out once so far, it's a blast

anyone else got a dirt bike? any riding suggestions in southern ontario?

will be taking some lessons, to help get up to speed & work on my technical riding. also make sure I don't kill or maim myself

-->riding purely for recreation, I doubt I'll be racing/jumping or doing any crazy stuff. eventually want to do a trip to Baja or Nevada etc

thx


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

About 40 years ago. Yes, it is a blast!


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Sold my CR250R a few years ago.


Now I ride a Polaris Sportsman 570 quad so I can share the experience with my daughter.


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## Moosehead (Jan 6, 2011)

Used to have dirt bikes, cr125 was my favorite. Quick and light. Sold all of them long ago and got rid of the honda shadow a few years ago.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Closest I've come in a long time is off roading with the 81 Harley. One hell of a dirt bike. Can't help you much with Ontario. B.C. is another matter.


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## bolero (Oct 11, 2006)

heh,...it must be REALLY nice out there 

went out for the first time today....man am I sore all over

this is guaranteed to get my lazy butt into shape

I just watched this "on any sunday" inspiring stuff, for sure:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iDfmhZAiUA

[video=youtube;2iDfmhZAiUA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iDfmhZAiUA[/video]


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

It is really nice out there. Especially hillclimbing. My '77 hardtail frame Harley was good for that but at times a little rough on bumpy roads. It's even nicer when it's more than a Sunday thing.


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## Stonehead (Nov 12, 2013)

I have a Honda CRF450X and ride in Waiparous, Fallen Timber, and Burnt Timber areas. Great trails up there. Welcome to the sport. My first bike was a TT R230. Good trail bike. You can beat the ever living shit out of them and just change the oil every few rides and they just keep going. Have fun with your new Toy!


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

bolero said:


> I just picked up a Honda dirt bike ( CRF 230 ), have done lots of mtn biking but this is new to me.
> 
> have been out once so far, it's a blast
> 
> ...


You do Baja or even places in B.C. you'd better get used to jumping and doing other crazy things.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

Electraglide said:


> You do Baja or even places in B.C. you'd better get used to jumping and doing other crazy things.


And don't forget you'll need paddle tires, and prob some additional gear (sprockets, chains, air filters etc ) due to how hard sand is on bikes.


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Diablo said:


> And don't forget you'll need paddle tires, and prob some additional gear (sprockets, chains, air filters etc ) due to how hard sand is on bikes.


For the Baja you really need a chase truck for parts, gas, oil etc. but paddle tires are not necessary. My son plans to do that next year.....the trip, not the race. I'd go with him but I'd have to take a boat there. My younger Bro is going with him. They'll swap off driving the chase truck and their bikes. Paddle tires work on the dunes but that's about it. This is the bike he'll be taking. http://i1000.photobucket.com/albums/af129/Electraglide49/Kawaii_zpsgo75tmzg.jpg He usually puts on about 30,000 km a year. About half of that is off road.


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)




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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Had one of these that I bought new way back when. Also had a 250 Bultaco which was a real motocross bike. I have numerous memories of the bikes flying through the air without me on them but I never dislocated or broke anything. Lots of open fields and hills where I lived so going somewhere to ride was pretty easy. There was an area with a well laid out motocross track and lots of hills. Watching a Yamaha factory team practice there pretty much convinced me to confine my racing to four wheels. These guys were flying down hills on the power and then sharp turn at the bottom.


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## brucew (Dec 30, 2017)

Steadfastly said:


> About 40 years ago. Yes, it is a blast!


This. Raised on a farm so tossed enough bales to buy a suzuki 90 as a kid. Later had a Yamaha IT250. Power was either off or on. BIL had an mx Husquevarna. What a bike!! Literally 1 through 6 with the front wheel in the air with no effort. Unbelievable. (he also had a norton but that's another story I couldn't afford)

Just fyi once got a chance to ride a trials bike. I'd suggest check it out. Otherwise, if you're in a populated area, I'd suggest motocross.


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## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Still miss my KLR 650 - drove that heavy bastard everywhere


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## cboutilier (Jan 12, 2016)

Wardo said:


> View attachment 345490
> 
> 
> Had one of these that I bought new way back when. Also had a 250 Bultaco which was a real motocross bike. I have numerous memories of the bikes flying through the air without me on them but I never dislocated or broke anything. Lots of open fields and hills where I lived so going somewhere to ride was pretty easy. There was an area with a well laid out motocross track and lots of hills. Watching a Yamaha factory team practice there pretty much convinced me to confine my racing to four wheels. These guys were flying down hills on the power and then sharp turn at the bottom.


I have a '77 Enduro 175 sitting in the yard right now!


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## KapnKrunch (Jul 13, 2016)

These seem to be popular with out-of-shape, over-age males.


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I know a guy who races them. Hard core. Pretty sure he's broken every bone in his body twice. Every time I start thinking I need to buy a dirt bike so I can go riding with him, I go watch a few dirt bike crash videos on YouTube and the notion goes away. 

I haven't been on one in almost 50 years.


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## butterknucket (Feb 5, 2006)

I used to be. My grandmother had a 500 acre farm, and my cousins and I rode all the time. 

The farm is still in the family.


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

I had an RM250 from 77-83. A gruelling sport for sure. Those guys are in super condition to do those 45 min. motos. Definitely feeling the effects of those injuries now...just like all contact sports. I like watching trials now.


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## MarkM (May 23, 2019)

BlueRocker said:


> Still miss my KLR 650 - drove that heavy bastard everywhere


I miss my KLR as well, rode it to Alaska, Montana and the Kootenies several times.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

It’s unfortutunate that unless you own a large piece of rural property, or race at tracks, there are few places to ride legally around Ontario.

I think ganaraska forest used to sell a trail pass to let you ride there legally. Maybe they still do.


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## keithb7 (Dec 28, 2006)

Cool topic!

I started with my first dirt-bike after I left home. My parents would not let me have one. 
I started with a 1981 Kawi KDX-175. 2 stroke. A year later I had 2 broken wrists. (Scaphoids x2)
My wife got a bike, a Yamaha YZ-80. 2 stroke. Next I got a Honda XR350. I progressed up to a dual sport Honda XR650L.
Then a 94 CR250 bored out to 265. Then a brand new RMZ-450. I took my 11 year old to the sandunes in California with
our dirt bikes once. It was awesome. I broke an arm and a leg there. Seriously. Then drove myself 1.5 hours to the nearest hospital.
While in shock....That's another story.

I started my boys on a Z-50A and we kept going up and up.CRF50, CRF70, CRF80, RM-85. KTM 105. YZ-125.
By now they were teenagers. They could buy their own bikes now, I was no longer financing them.

We live in BC. Tons of great riding anywhere outside of the Vancouver/Fraser Valley, We live in the interior of BC. Spoiled rotten for dirt-biking.
None of us took any lessons. We just rode trails, and figured stuff out. A ton of fun. The throttle and suspension are tools to learn how to use
to your advantage. You can pre-load the suspension, then when it comes back up blip the throttle. You can hop obstacles with ease.
Throttle wheelies are fun, then you can master that skill to keep your front tire up in dangerous territory.

Get out and have fun. Night lights are good. An oversized fuel tank or a way to attach extra gas is good too. I don't recommend riding alone.
It's easy to go down, break a part of your bike, or a limb. Then you may be stranded. Dirt bikes led to quads, seadoos, snowmobiles, etc...I learned
a ton about maintenance and repairs. on all. I don't take anything in to a shop any more. I now do things myself. The journey has been awseome.
Rewarding and fun!
Good luck.

Keith


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## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Diablo said:


> I think ganaraska forest used to sell a trail pass to let you ride there legally. Maybe they still do.


 Plate and insurance is all you need when I was riding a lot..


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## Electraglide (Jan 24, 2010)

Distortion said:


> Plate and insurance is all you need when I was riding a lot..


Same in BC and Ab. There a lot of area where you can ride without buying a 'pass'. For public roads and highways you need a DL.


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## VHTO (Feb 19, 2016)

Diablo said:


> It’s unfortutunate that unless you own a large piece of rural property, or race at tracks, there are few places to ride legally around Ontario.
> 
> I think ganaraska forest used to sell a trail pass to let you ride there legally. Maybe they still do.


AFAIK one can still go riding in Ganaraska Forest. 

There is also an off-road riding school there called Trail Tours.

North of Toronto, Horseshoe Valley Resort hosts the BMW Motorrad riding school, and they may still have an affiliation with Yamaha.

I believe that one can ride legally on the trails in Copeland Forest, provided that your bike is licensed and insured. Do your own checks first, though.

RJ Motorsport www.rjmotorsport.com has dirt tracks as well as access to a number of trails


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