Source
r/Dualsport•
OneFishTwoFish42

Personal 'Rules'

Curious if any one else has developed a set of 'rules' for their adv/ dual sport addiction.

Me...

  1. never, ever put anything on top of the back bags. Even less often if black. It's a really good way to lose things. Instead they can go on the seat or gas tank. Seat is better because I'll feel them if I forget. Or that's the hope.

  2. always zipper close all bags and backpacks right after opening and accessing what's needed. It's a good habit to get into so that I don't accidentally ride off with a backpack half open.

  3. Never pass up a gas station if less than full and about to get off pavement.

  4. paint all tools something bright. Mine are orange. They get lost easily in the dirt and shadows. Also, wire together any that can be (like box wrenches). Also, the paint makes it easy to remember which tools to put back in the bike gear and which go back in the tool Box.

... Those are the some that come to mind, but I'm sure there are a handful of others. Been meaning to write them down. Others?

Posted May 2, 2017, 12:34 PM UTC

1421
zassafrass12182016 Husqvarna 701 E•

A big one that's a holdover from snowboarding in the backcountry:

There's nothing wrong with looking at an obstacle and deciding today isn't the day, and turning around. No single ride is worth your life. There is a time and place to push yourself, and if you're honest with yourself you know when it is. Turning around might hurt your pride, but it will hurt it a lot less than breaking your leg and costing everyone else their ride because now they have your busted ass to deal with.

So far, I've never had to halt a ride because of any injury, but I've seen several called off due to someone wrecking their bike because they put themselves in a situation they never should have been in to begin with.

17
Dirt_Bike_Zero[MOD] 990 ADV, 450xcr-w, CR500•

Well said. There's a fine line between challenging yourself and doing something stupid. Consider options carefully.

3
RaymondTerrificSoCal - 2003 DR-Z400s•

A holdover from my skateboarding days.

You never hurt yourself doing anything cool. It's the stupid little things that get you in trouble.

You can ride trails and highways all day without trouble, but when you take off your helmet to do a couple donuts in the front yard that's when you hit your head on a tree limb and go into a coma.

10
nfurtado771993 DR350s•

When in doubt throttle out. Keep your ass off the seat.

7
JeremyHall•

Details?

1
nfurtado771993 DR350s•

When riding off road always stand on your pegs when going over an obstacle. Speed helps keep you balanced so don't go slow over obstacles.

1
turbulent_energy•

don't go any faster than you are happy crashing (i don't always follow this.)

don't go to places you are't shure you can come back.

don't go alone (i don't always follow this)

5
zassafrass12182016 Husqvarna 701 E•

Yea, I try to not do the first and second ones which varying success. I very rarely follow the third one, but if I am riding alone I try a lot harder to not do the first two. At the very least, be conscious of the risks your taking.

Edit: Or more correctly, to DO the first two and not go too fast or too far off established and well traveled trails.

3
turbulent_energy•

yeah...

0
schroederrr•

If you're going for a ride alone you should let someone know where you're going and when to be expected back, just in case. I unfortunately never do this.. at least the one time I crashed while solo it wasn't so bad I couldn't get home, but it should've been towed.

1
ridethroughlifeFront Range, CO - XR600R•

Always take a pre-game dump. Seriously. If you're 30 miles out on a dirt road and you gotta shit, it ruins the day. Also a side-note: be sure to drink water throughout the day. You don't realize how hard you're working and sweating just riding casually.

4
MainStreaming•

Do you daily your xr600r? I'm looking at purchasing one. (xl though)

2
ridethroughlifeFront Range, CO - XR600R•

I ride most days. I bought a truck so I take it when it snows and rains now. It's the most amazing bike I've ever had. I could probably do long range touring on it if I set it up right. But it's a monster on trails.

2
JeremyHall•

If I'm going offroad, I make sure the following are packed on the bike:

  • Freshly filled canteen, no less than 32oz.

  • Medical kit consisting (at a minimum) of an Israeli bandage, tourniquet, rubber gloves, and EMT shears.

  • Cheap and recently programmed hand-held "HAM" radio and a loud whistle.

  • Tire repair kit and a way to re-inflate the tires.

  • Wool blanket.

  • Poncho.

  • Lightweight nylon hammock.

  • Bic lighter and/or survival matches.

  • 100' of military grade paracord.

  • Sharpened carbon steel knife.

Of course you can add a few items to this, or take one or two off the list depending on your skills. Regardless, there isn't much you can't survive or recover from with just these.

3
schroederrr•

Mine is to always lock the panniers. Sounds obvious, yes, but I once left one unlocked to use it but the bag was gonna be too big so I slung it over my back and forgot about the box. 20 minute ride home and realize my lid is gone :(. I found it the next day, after it got ran over of course.

1
GrumpyGoob•

Dude. Im sorry.

1
OneFishTwoFish42OP•

It kind of fits in with my zipper rule. It occurs to me that I could learn a lot from rules that sailing has.

1
NyxlexiccaMRT125E•

Always keep a pocket full of zipties and electrical wire.

Bring water in multiple containers. Every sodding time I've brought just the one bottle, it's somehow escaped. :|

Bring a fucktonne of food. My body will only put up with being unfed for two-three hours at a time when I'm working hard. I love trailmix, chocolate (on mild days), and energy bars. Or, on longer trips, sandwiches, stew-in-a-can, tea bags, cake...

While doing a gnarly trail, never stop and say "hey, this is going really well!"

When pissed off in the middle of nowhere, stop and have a pee break. If still mad post-toilet, loiter some more. I enjoy riding in a rage in my own back garden, but it's probably not that clever out in the wilderness.

Electricals go in a ziplock bag inside a dry bag inside another dry bag.

Wear the non-waterproof boots if planning lots of deep river crossings.

Keep your phone on you, and bring a charging pack along. My bikes all have 12V sockets, but a) that can be awkward at times and b) if, for some reason, something happened to separate me from the bike, I want my phone to be safely charging in my pocket, not off down some ravine.

1
Lord_Boomer•

I have a fat fuck of an adventure bike now, and that changed the way I ride big time. Before when I had a small dualsport I would go head first into anything without out thinking, because if I got into trouble, I could easily turnaround or get unstuck. With a +500lbs adventure bike on the other hand...

I got into trouble on a steep decline, single track once. There was no turning around mid descent.... trying to backup a 500lbs bike up hill, by yourself, is next to impossible. A long story short, I spent more hours trying to turn around, and getting out of that mess that I gotten myself into than actual riding. Not to mention it was very hot out and I was by myself. Was pretty proud that I got out in the end though lol. But it wasn't fun at all, at the time. Now if I don't know the trail, I'll make sure I can turnaround at the bottom before I descend. I'll walk to to bottom if I can't see it from the top even lol. Fuck gravity....

1
chadehooper•

Don't get stuck.
Seriously, it's been a big problem in the past month or so. I got stuck riding trails at a park, and had to call the front desk to have someone pull me out.

Last week I nearly got stuck in the national forrest. Everything looks better until you get your rear wheel dug in the ground in 90 degree heat and no one around to help.

1
OneFishTwoFish42OP•

I carry a set of ratchet straps that can be used to help leverage myself out of spots. Considered that?

2