| Author | Message | ||
     Werewulf |
ive got over half a million miles on the pavement and maybe 5 miles off... my torso is longer than my legs, 30" inseam and i cant flat-foot the uly.... ive determined that im really missing out on not riding some of the gravel forestry roads in the smokies and i would like to start... however, traveling the roads alone and having to maneuver around at a dead end road, seems kind of spooky.. if i was on my harley with the low seat, no problem... not being able to dig in your feet seems like it might get you stranded.. anyone with short legs do any off roading?? ive never laid a bike down (knock on wood) and im not eager to start.. (Message edited by werewulf on April 23, 2009) | ||
| Cityxslicker |
29 inch inseam, got a custom cut seat... but then again I am on the CityX and not the ULY. I just past 10k miles off road, 30k on the bike. Once you ride off road, you will never want to go back to the traffic of the black top. The world is not straight and paved; get on with the bendy and dirty. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Werewulf- I'm about the same dimensions as you. I've done lots of gravel forestry roads, but down here there mostly flat. I'm also pretty hesitant to get on very unlevel territory with my Uly. OTOH, I have dropped mine in a situation just like you suggest (missed a turn on the way to MBV I believe) and I had no problem getting it back upright, even with fully loaded bags. One thing you might do to help- order a pair of these to gain a little leg length: http://www.newenough.com/boots/sport_street_tourin g_boots/icon/tarmac_ventilated_motorcycle_boots.ht ml | ||
| Werewulf |
im going to get a pair of those boots..looks like it would help.. | ||
| Tootal |
If your on an 06 or 07 Uly then the 08 trees would help out on the dead ends! | ||
| Ft_bstrd |
It's not an issue. I have a 32" inseam. Go gravely. | ||
| Thrux181 |
Werewulf, I like running the forest roads. It becomes addictive. Mine are in the mountains. I'm not running thru mud. It does get tricky if they have just laid gravel. As yet I have not laid the bike down. I did lose the front end a couple a week ago. Nothing broke, hand guards saved the clutch lever. Should have Distanzias on soon. I've got about a 30" inseam. If I need to turn around and it doesn't feel right, I get off and push it. One of the reasons if want to lower it a bit is because I'm on my tip toes. When I get tired I don't feel as confindent. But it's still fun. | ||
| Cajunrph |
Get some of these. http://www.rideicon.com/showImage.jsp?class_id=792 3&image_type=fullsize&rank=100 | ||
| Glen |
ive never ridden an off road bike that i could flat foot on.....ever... if you think the uly is tall, sit on a reg dirt bike like my DRZ, or my KX. they make the XB12X feel like a low rider. momentum is your freind and when in doubt gas it. putting your feet down while offroad is just begging for a trip to the ER. | ||
| Florida_lime |
if you think the uly is tall, sit on a reg dirt bike like my DRZ, or my KX. they make the XB12X feel like a low rider. Or you can try a KTM 950 SE.  | ||
| Choyashi |
5 million miles offroad must be some kind of record! And, your right....there are werewolf like creatures in the woods that will get you when you stop to turn around! They run upright, and are almost 8' tall. More then just spooky.......yikes! | ||
| Glen |
best advise would be to find another guy in your area that is into offroading and ride with him. you will learn alot from riding with somone who knows what he's doing. now that im older and slower i ride alone alot but id rather bring a freind, a few years back i lay in the woods with a broken pelvis for about 18 hours before somone happened by and found me. hey, at least noone saw my tears  } | ||
| Debueller |
I have been inseam challenged all of my 48 years. (30") In my 40+ years of riding motorcycles, I've NEVER been able to flatfoot any worthy motorcycle. (I don't ride cruisers) Most professional racers (road and dirt) are of the smaller/shorter size. Do you think after a test ride on one of their race bikes they come back to their mechanic and complain of not being able to "flatfoot" their bike? I think not. Most accomplished riders prefer performance/comfort over the "crutch" of a low seat height. IMO people need to get over the obsession with being able to flatfoot their motorcycle. I spend most of my time on my bikes moving down the road with my feet on the pegs anyway. When I do stop, I plan accordinally by deciding which foot I'm going to put down and slide my ass to that side if I'm unsure of the footing......I do not see a problem with it....... (Message edited by debueller on April 23, 2009) | ||
| Werewulf |
i almost bought a new GS adventure...with over 8 gallons of fuel up high, what was i thinking...now thats one tall mofo..most of the owners that i talked to, were very tall.. even at that, many admitted the bike had got the best of them a few times.. i guess the secret, is not to ride alone... | ||
| Michael1 |
I have a 31" inseam and don't have an issue with the 07 stock seat on my 06 Uly. But then again, I do have an extensive dirt bike background, which helps a bunch. I say go for it. Start out slow and easy. There are tons of great trails out there in the Smoky Mountains. I highly recommend the Trail of Tears. I did it two years ago on the Uly and it was dusty, but very do able. I even had a passenger. We did find some serious ATV trails that were fun, but those were pretty advanced for a newbie dirt road rider. Here's the Trail of Tears, of Tatham Gap Road     | ||
| Werewulf |
small world, for several years, i lived on tatham gap road in andrews... thats one of the roads i had in mind.. the snowbird road that runs near there is a little more suprising.. now the road to wayah bald might be challanging..its been several years since ive been back there, but as i remember, it had a lot of switch-backs with deep gravel.. | ||
| Babired |
Hey man I ride an 2007 Uly and I have to get off to push it around or back it up to get it turned around sometimes. I'm 5'7" with a 30" inseam the only thing I got to tell you is go for it because the fear of you getting stuck on a dead end dirt road will keep you from going. Just do it! Everybody asks me if I lowered the suspension on it and I am like NO WAY! I love the Buell suspension. K | ||
| Florida_lime |
Small world.  I have a place in Robbinsville only a few miles from Tathum Gap. I took it as a "shortcut" from Andrews to R'ville on the first trip from Florida to NC with the Uly. I'm on Little Snowbird Creek, and Little Snowbird Rd. goes WAY back. It can be muddy, or very rocky, depending where you are. I've gone further back on it with the KTM than the Uly, but only by a few miles! | ||
| Werewulf |
yep, its a small world.. i didnt even know anyone else had even been thru andrews... i was living there when they had the historic search for eric robert rudolf...come to find out, he was stealing from my neighbors garden... i know the road to snowbird and i guess you must live near where it comes out north of robbinsville.. beautiful terrain.. i used to drive it a lot, but ive never been on it with a scoot.. | ||
| Florida_lime |
Actually, the other end ! Pretty much at the junction of Snowbird and Little Snowbird Roads -- 10-15 minutes west of town. 5-10 minutes from the Cherohala.  |
