Shortypants Bike - Converting a CRF 150R into a trail oriented dual sport

[GailCallsMeKarl]

Originally Posted by itrack

If your looking for a good dual sport tire that will fit those wheels check out the Shinko 244.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com...Rear-Tire.aspx

Thanks!! I was going to buy those for the 230 so I'll check that out!

[MeefZah]

Looks good, Carrie!

[dirtydeeds]

I like it.
I just put a Baja DS kit on a KLX140L. It turned out really nice.
I think the next bike will be the 150RB.

[thumpergirl]

Did you make it to RTB? I must have missed you. I was only there Saturday night and I did solo rides both Saturday and Sunday. Always looking for more women to ride with - there are not enough dual sport women out there!

[GailCallsMeKarl]

Originally Posted by thumpergirl

Did you make it to RTB? I must have missed you. I was only there Saturday night and I did solo rides both Saturday and Sunday. Always looking for more women to ride with - there are not enough dual sport women out there!

I did! I think I passed you going the opposite way at one point. It was Sunday late morning, somewhere between 36 and that bridge near the big game ranch. (I don't GPS, can you tell?)

I think I'm headed to Red River this weekend, didn't know if you do dirt or not. I'm also going to try to make DFW First Friday Beer this Friday. Hopefully we can catch each other!

Let me know when you're riding, I go any chance I get!

[thumpergirl]

I do use a GPS but I still never have any idea where I am. I just follow my tracks. Sunday I passed very few bikes. I think two bikes were turning right onto a road, heading the opposite direction of me. I was leaving what i refer to as the 'dreaded bridge'. I would have been solo if you passed me.

Yes, I do dirt! My new-to-me ride is a wr250r, which is what i took to RTB.

i live in north austin. i'm taking a friend out to look for dirt in bastrop one day this weekend, probably saturday. i don't know where you are, presumably DFW area, but you are always welcomed to join. maybe we could meet halfway one day for a 2 hour buzz in some dirt.

[thumpergirl]

Yikes - nevermind, just checked your location! Sorry I missed you at the rally. I should be the TAR rally in the spring. Lets be sure to meet if you make it to that one!

[GailCallsMeKarl]

Originally Posted by thumpergirl

I do use a GPS but I still never have any idea where I am. I just follow my tracks. Sunday I passed very few bikes. I think two bikes were turning right onto a road, heading the opposite direction of me. I was leaving what i refer to as the 'dreaded bridge'. I would have been solo if you passed me.

Yes, I do dirt! My new-to-me ride is a wr250r, which is what i took to RTB.

i live in north austin. i'm taking a friend out to look for dirt in bastrop one day this weekend, probably saturday. i don't know where you are, presumably DFW area, but you are always welcomed to join. maybe we could meet halfway one day for a 2 hour buzz in some dirt.

Yep, that was Zach and I on the 2 bikes. Zach was pretty sure that was you. He was also on a WR. I didn't look at the bridge too long as I'm pretty sure I would have freaked myself out if I thought too hard. I just went.

I'm North of DFW by about 50 miles. But I'll go anywhere for a chance to play in dirt! (my true love - trail riding!) Keep me posted, I'd love to join you!

[thumpergirl]

yeah i think it was a wr and a red bike i passed, so it musta been you two. well, nice passing you both! maybe next time...

[73Mustang]

Hi
I was in RTB also. Unluckily, I didn't run into either of y'all. I was looking out for small bikes, but I didn't see any. By "small", I meant 200cc and under. I figured nobody would be as crazy as me to want to bring such a small bike to a road rally. But I'm very interested in small bikes, and your thread caught my attention. I think it would be cool if the small bikes riders get together in rallies, so we don't have to go too fast to keep up with the big bikes. I have a KX 100, which is very similar in spec to your CRF 150 R, except that mine is 2-stroke. I've been contemplating converting the KX into street legal, and selling my big bike (KDX 220 street legalized). I don't enjoy riding big dirt bike. After riding my KX, the KDX feels like a pig.

I'd like to hear how your 150R dualsport turns out. I'd love to be able to ride my KX in Big Bend State Park (requires street legal bikes).

I see two big problems with the KX and CRF R: (1) cannot carry enough gas to go more than 70 miles. (2) Exhaust noise is too loud.

IMO, a reasonable DS bike must go at least 100 miles. Need that margin of safety. My KX has an aftermarket "quiet" FMF Q exhaust. But it is barely quieter than the stocker. At 50 MPH, the bike is very loud. Very harsh on the ears without earplugs. IMO, a DS bike needs to be a stealth fighter for safety reason. Fast in, fast out. If I can't work out the KX issues, I'm also contemplating getting a CRF 150 F. I know the F is a play bike with sucky suspension. But it probably gets better gas mileage, and the exhaust is probably quieter.

[thumpergirl]

As for the gas, for some bikes they make aftermarket tanks (for my WRR, safari and IMS make them in different sizes). I would like to put one on but right now it's cost prohibitive. I ran out of gas at 84 miles, so not much better than what you're getting. I carry a 1 gallon rotopax, attaches nicely to my tail rack. they also make bigger sizes. i'd prefer to carry the weight lower - you can attach them to side racks - but it all takes $$$.

some people also use MSR bottles (i've used them in the past) to carry extra fuel. there's lots of info on the forums and you can gather ideas and be creative to come up with your own solution. i do like my rotopax a lot.

[73Mustang]

TG,
My KX is very thirsty. On the trails, I probably get 20 MPG. So the 1.5 gallon tank on the bike won't go very far. Even with aftermarket tank and MSR bottles, it'll take alot of effort to make a 100 mile range bike. I believe the CRF R is just as thirsty as my KX. Aftermarket manufacutrers don't make oversize tank for small bikes. The bikes are just physically too small to fit anything bigger. And KX and CRF R don't have subframes. So fitting a Rotopax might be a challenging exercise in engineering.

If everyone in the group is riding little bikes, it's probably not an issue. But if I ride with people on bigger bikes,
it sucks to have to be the only one always looking for gas.

[GailCallsMeKarl]

I like the idea of a small bike rally!!! How fun!! We might have to open it up to 250's and smaller so we aren't the only 2 there!

I'm going to add MSR bottles, that's what I did for RTB. Just need a good way to carry them. I also need to be able to have a small repair kit on hand as well. Without the rear sub frame, it makes it a little tricky.

I can get about 60 miles on a tank. I personally don't want a bigger tank as I like to be able to really sit forward on the bike in corners.

Top comfortable cruising speed was about 50 mph. So no, I'm not keeping up with the big bikes. But gravel is not my passion, dirt is.

The CRF is loud. I do have a spark arrestor I need to install and I'm hoping that helps. If not, FMF makes a QuietCore I haven't tried. I have installed the FMF PowerCore 4 on another bike and it's not loud at all. (and sounds frickin' wicked, well, as wicked as a tiny bike can sound)

I am planning on Big Bend at some point on the little bike, looking at February. You're welcome to join in! It'd be fun! Get that thing road legal!

EDIT: And don't get the F!! Get the R - the suspension is SOOOO worth it! And the power is flat ridiculous.

[thumpergirl]

You guys have probably already seen this - but I used a 'manual' tube for my MSR bottles, they fit in there great and these tubes are only $5. I got 2 of them and store tools in the other one. Then I used hose clamps to attach them to the bike. I don't know what your little bikes are like, but without a rear subframe yeah - it could be tricky to attach!

http://www.agrisupply.com/manual-can...-seal/p/67670/

[thumpergirl]

ps - sorry i missed you too! maybe next time we will all coordinate BEFORE the rally to make sure we actually meet...