GS850G Dual Sport?

[Bruno]

So I'm kind of tired of being tied to the highway and since Iowa has more gravel roads than paved ones, I'm starting to think about taking my ride off the highway. Also, my wife says (and for good reason financially) I can't buy an actual dual sport, so I'm kind of limited in my options. I'm thinking of putting some 60/40 dual sport tires on my 850 and hitting the gravel. Any other suggestions, especially considering suspension? I've already got progressive springs in the front. Am I crazy? I see these giant dual sport bikes and I just don't see why I can't go ride some gravel as long as I put on the right pair of shoes. Thoughts???

Bruno

[RichDesmond]

For just regular gravel roads you don't need anything different for tires, just go ride. If you run into sand or mud though, look out.
600lb bikes on soft surfaces are a recipe for disaster unless you're at least a semi-competent dirt rider. Very important to be honest with yourself about your off-road abilities.
Another option is to just sell the GS and buy a bike better suited to some dirt work.

[Rich82GS750TZ]

I ride gravel and hard packed dirt roads almost as much as paved roads. Someone people recommended SHINKO 705s. I’ve got a few hundred miles on them now. So far, they’ve been great. Very sure footed. Remember, the rear brake is your friend. Too much front brake on the loose stuff and you’re going to have a real bad time. If you think about street riding using your brakes about 80 front/20 rear, think the opposite for dirt. At least that’s what seems to work for me. I try very hard to stay away from the front brake at all, really, when I’m off-road.

[Steve]

As good a bike as the 850 is, I think you might have answered your own question.

I'm thinking of putting some 60/40 dual sport tires on my 850 and hitting the gravel.

The only problem is that it might be more than your tires that "hits the gravel".

Except for the fully-dressed 1100GK, the 850 was the heaviest GS made. The suspension does reasonably well on the street, and your Progressive fork springs are a step in the right direction. It might help a bit to sort out the rear suspension, too, but you are a bit limited, as there isn't a lot of travel there.

There are a few here that have mounted some D/S tires, but I think they were closer to 80/20, and reported modest success. It's still not a "dirt bike", but just a bit more capable on gravel roads.

Take another look at those giant dual-sport bikes. You will see MUCH higher ground clearance, MUCH longer suspension and probably a LOT less weight. And they were DESIGNED with dirt in mind.

Just make sure you have crash bars installed and keep yourself in good physical condition. Not just for being able to pick up a fallen bike, being fit helps you control the bike better, which might prevent going down.

.

[Bruno]

Thanks everyone for your tips and advice. The gravels here in Iowa are well maintained and hard packed. I wouldn't even consider putting my bike on them when they are soggy. I just want it to be able to hold it's own with the gravel and if I hit a loose patch. Suspension travel is a concern, but I'm not looking to go riding on trails, although one can easily hit some wicked washboards out there. We'll see... I've got a whole winter to think about it. If anyone else has something else to share, please do.

[Gorminrider]

If you drive the roads in a car you will already know the nature of them...no brakes, very small changes of steer and throttle, caution on the hills so you don't discover farm equipment too quickly! calves, deer moose skunks porcupines etc... you know this if you drive around there but as long as you can stick to your track, you can go fast -Swapping wheel tracks for an approaching vehicle or letting someone pass will be the worst of it...that part between the wheel tracks is slippery, loose gravel, so anything more than the smallest motions at 45-60mph will send you to bad places. It's just going to be moreso on the bike. If you stick to the right track, it's not as good as the central one Camber can trend you into the ditch too so it'll take some practise. And if it rains, does it all goto gumbo? carry a tent, eh.

so,Feeling stuck in your town? Maybe it's Worth a try if you don't mind swapping tires but maybe you need an atv or a 175cc...I drive a fair amount of gravel grid roads in Canada's prairie over 50 years and I have yet to meet a motorcycle on the dusty grid roads. Maybe the Adventure bikes are just not interested but I think they're just unpleasant on a bike. (I did ride em short distances from the paved highway in the 70s but only by necessity...15 miles is a very long way until you get used to it and I never thought it was interesting enough to ride em that long but, hey, I don't live there . )

Snow tires on the car are a bit better than summer tires so sure, a bit more lug to your tires.. If nothing else, they'll help to get back out of the ditch you slid into!

[Gorminrider]

just to see what roads we're talking about...This is Alberta. Looks newgraded..they favour Lots of gravel and sometimes peagravel!

2019-aug-sept-PrairieGravel-20190902_075626.jpg

[Gorminrider]

and Saskatchewan...different....dustier, sandier and just after a rain...Maybe more like Iowa? With the classic "3 tracks" though it'll be wider and more a 4 when I turn onto the larger road..still, a car goes down the middle until you meet someone

FarmRoad-601-20190901.jpg

[Gorminrider]

Alberta again, and their deep gravel...fair amount of camber to the road too...there ARE curves by the way...but maybe not in Iowa. I'd look up some dust plumes and if I could do movies here, there's probably a gravel spray from a passing vehicle, but they're rare. 99.9% of prairie folk slow down passing each other. Polite, and wary of windshields which have a limited lifespan no matter.

You'd better get a windshield and maybe even a bonnet for your tank too. I fear for your paint. Maybe coat the insides of fenders etc too.
AlbertaGravelFoothills.jpg

[Gorminrider]

But you don't need special tires for the nice roads, like these, until you hit a puddle maybe.


2019-smallroad.jpg

[Bruno]

Yep,

Saskatchewan gravels looks like Iowa's. I rode on one a bit last week with regular tires and it went quite well. I just keep the speed down around 30mph. I'm thinking with some tires made to handle gravel, I should be ok. It's really just the loose stuff between the tracks that is concerning. Bumps are kind of unpleasant on a street bike, but tolerable as long as they aren't severe. I've got a windshield. I know I might be sacrificing my paint, but somethings gotta give. Thanks for your thoughts.

[RichDesmond]

One other thing to consider: Can you pick your bike up? Odds of dropping it on surfaces like that go way up, not so much from an actual crash as from a low speed coming-to-a-stop type thing.

[Steve]

One other thing to consider: Can you pick your bike up? Odds of dropping it on surfaces like that go way up, not so much from an actual crash as from a low speed coming-to-a-stop type thing.

From post #4.

Just make sure you have crash bars installed and keep yourself in good physical condition. Not just for being able to pick up a fallen bike, being fit helps you control the bike better, which might prevent going down.

.

[Bruno]

Yep, I have crash bars and I routinely lift heavy objects for a living, not that I would be looking forward to laying it down or picking it up, but if it happened, I'd handle it.

[Big T]

You should plan on writing off the exhaust system. Or, make a "skid" plate