thinking about doing a bit of off roading!

[hugeduck]

after watching some off roading and where i live it would be perfect (lincolnshire). but i've never done it before so i literaly dont have a clue where to start. looking at the honda xr 400 and they look ideal, light, enough power for the commute if needs be and CHEAP! plus i can just keep the storm for nice days!

any suggestions?

cheers

[AMCQ46]

A good xr will still hold its value well, and a cheap one will be trashed....the engines need oil changes.

But any enduro or trail bike is a good place to start, there are loads of options from old bikes like DT or TS or xl 175 / 250. To newer things like the DR350 then up to date with the DRZ.

the old ones will be half project, half greenlaner, the newer ones will be better off road, but that just lets you ride faster...you can have as much fun on an old piece of crap with good knobbly tyres.

[hugeduck]

A good xr will still hold its value well, and a cheap one will be trashed....the engines need oil changes.

But any enduro or trail bike is a good place to start, there are loads of options from old bikes like DT or TS or xl 175 / 250. To newer things like the DR350 then up to date with the DRZ.

the old ones will be half project, half greenlaner, the newer ones will be better off road, but that just lets you ride faster...you can have as much fun on an old piece of crap with good knobbly tyres.

i'd prefer something old and sh1t lol but nothing too sh1t if you know what i mean, i'd get a 250 but would want something i can use on the road and having a 250 would do my nut it lol.

my brother had an xl 600 but that what just to big and heavy

[AMCQ46]

Off road you don't want anything big. Less weight and power works in your favour, the number of times I have led a green lane ride and a new bloke has come to try it out and struggled because he thought anything less than a 500 was too big a step down from his gixer thou.

My dirt bike is a 200cc 2stroke...but it is a competition enduro bike so has about 38hp and with the right gearing It can fly onthe roads and the fields. But I wouldn't recommend that unless you wanted to mix greenlaning with some hare and hounds enduros, it's not much of a commuter bike!

I still think a Drz 400 would be a good starting point for trail riding and commuting.

One other suggestion is to do trials not greenlaning. The bikes are much cheaper, and there will be competitions in your area every weekend....now I have started doing trials I don't use the enduro bike at all...don't know why I never tried it years ago

[bluestoesonnose]

Having done a bit of off roading you'll be gearing the bike for off road as road gearing will be too high. Therefore you only require something light and punchy, I started with a KMX200 and it was more than enough. I lost the plot and bought a XR600 which was too much for green lanes, it wasn't happy unless it was being gunned, you want something that wont intimidate you, trust me most 400cc bikes on the dirt will, the chaps you'll be going out for a blast with will also have bikes that struggle to do 60mph, so it's no biggie.

Join the TRF and learn the trails, a great laugh and the way it's going on the roads these day the best way to get your motorbike rocks off.

[hugeduck]

Having done a bit of off roading you'll be gearing the bike for off road as road gearing will be too high. Therefore you only require something light and punchy, I started with a KMX200 and it was more than enough. I lost the plot and bought a XR600 which was too much for green lanes, it wasn't happy unless it was being gunned, you want something that wont intimidate you, trust me most 400cc bikes on the dirt will, the chaps you'll be going out for a blast with will also have bikes that struggle to do 60mph, so it's no biggie.

Join the TRF and learn the trails, a great laugh and the way it's going on the roads these day the best way to get your motorbike rocks off.

yeh thats what i'm thinking, the amount of freakin coppers hiding around every blind bend its only a matter of time before they catch me! so if i can get my kicks down a random green lane everyones a winner. i would love a 2 stroke but just couldnt live with how unreliable they are. i'm poor as fook so i'd be looking at something for 1500 or less thats road legal and will do 60-70 mph.

so you reckon a 250 4 stroke will be up for a daily commute which just consists of single carriage ways for 10 miles each way, and a bit of off roading every weekend. and i'm not really into doing racing, i dont think theres anyway i could afford it at the moment

[hugeduck]

[urlhttp://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1995-SUZUKI-DR250-WH ... 27cd0e7bb2][/url]

what about this?

[bluestoesonnose]

Easily do 10 miles on single roads, remember you'll be on aggressive knobblies and you'll have off road gearing so you'll be flat out at 65mph, in the wet on knobblies that'll feel like warp speed ten.

Get s bigish (no more than a 350cc bike) 4 banger and change the oil on a monthly basis (remember where you'll be using it), get good at changing tubes and join your tfr group, you'll love it

[geodude]

I asked Al the same question. Some of the info here might help


As many of you know, I have been seriously thinking about hitting the green lanes. A green lane is a legal road that usually doesn’t have a hard (ie tarmac) surface. They are usually muddy rutted routes that are not suitable for normal vehicles. You may see tractors, 4x4s or off-road type motorcycles down them. Having experienced Kitcombe Lane in Farringdon in minus temperatures with Simon.......more

[AMCQ46]

Cheers Geo, I forgot I wrote all that lot

And it's still true, except I have a newer trials bike now

[alternative_vtr]

I used to do a lot of greenlaning, would love to start again. I had 3 XR650R's mega overpowered for the job but lots of fun. I used to ride with 4 other guys, they had KTM's and one had a CR125 crosser, we used to have loads of fun. I would get an XR400 or a DRZ400 next time but to get a decent one you are looking at over 2 grand.

[geodude]

Cheers Geo, I forgot I wrote all that lot

And it's still true, except I have a newer trials bike now

Everything as changed for me. I have a DR350 for the lanes

[hugeduck]

cheers for the info

[geodude]

cheers for the info

No problem. Keep us informed

[hugeduck]

having second thoughts now. from what people are saying lincolnshire is crap for greenlaning, apparently there isnt anywhere to go unless i get a trailer and go north which aint for me because i'm skint lol. but if something turns up at the right price i'll give it a go. i reckon if i spoke to a few farmers they'd let me down some of their tracks.