Too late for off-road?

[kerhonky]

Originally Posted by TorontoBrit

FUCKING AWESOME! I will watch that numerous times again. Those guys are incredible role models, not just for how to ride, but how to live.

[Qwik]

45 and love playin in the dirt.

[Aussijussi]

I am 64 and still do dirt, lot less than i used to, i also ride a 990 adv. I stay away from the tight stuff, sand especially, 990 being just too heavy, too much like hard work. It's a fun bike on fire trail's, using the throttle to steer the bike, as long as you don't over do it. If you have the euros, obvious thing to do is buying KTM 300 or the like, for a second bike. The 690 enduro r is really popular here, they're out of stock, due to demand. I never had a chance to ride it, but i rode the 690sm r , same bike with 17 wheels, what a riot of a bike! Wouldn't tour on it though. Your age matters fuck all, it's only a number. I've met people in their forties, that were going on 80's, and vice versa. There was thread in OC, about a 990 adv, as a first bike. In my opinion, if you were only to ride blacktop, it would be ok, it's an easy bike to ride, albeit high, as for dirt, i would not recomend it for a beginner, you could get into serious strife with it, a dirt bike putting out 100 neddie's, it could get tricky
Get a ride on the 690 enduro r, and tell us how you went, good luck mate!

[Crisis management]

My son is about your age.........

I started riding off road at 50 and now (56) still ride expert trails and enduro and road race (I seem to have a firm grip on last place in my class tho). Like others have said, get into it and keep learning, everytime I get on a bike I learn or improve something, those technical challenges are what keeps me alive.

[Celtic Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by TorontoBrit

Can't express just how inspirational that was! That's the living definition of being "Young at Heart". I've been riding on the street since '86, and on the verge of 50 have taken interest in off-road riding. Looking for a small enduro, though, since a 500lb Caponord probably isn't the best noob dirt bike.

[lilsmokey]

My dads on a KTM 525. He's 57. Uncle number 1 is on a Xr650L. He is 62. Uncle number 2 is on a KTM 540 And a KTM 990. Uncle number 3 is On a XR650R. Hes 64. My grandpaw stopped riding when he was 83 due to back surgery. He was on a KTM 360 2-stroke when he finished off. You are never to old to ride.

[GusinCA]

I've been riding for 33 years. First dirt, then 25 years or so of street, and now I have a WR250R that I use mostly in dirt.
Not only is riding in dirt probably the best way to develop skills on the street, but of course it's much safer.

Oh, and after 33 years sand and ruts can still give me trouble...

[Offcenter]

They say you are only as old as you feel. You must be feeling pretty darned old.
That's sad.
I was born in 1950 and I'm 29. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.

[mikem9]

Originally Posted by stellars

Hi there

I am riding motorcycles for more then 6 years now and started riding offroad once i got my Ktm adv - which is about 1 year now. I do trails, nasty uphills, gravel and all. I even do sand (we do have a sort of small desert in Poland). I try to ride as much as i can, but need to limit it to weekends only - for obvious reasons.

I ride with a couple of good guys on, respectively, lc4 and xr650. I do stay behind a lot. I do lose control on sand (although i try not to as much as i can), i still have problems with deep ruts and sharp turns on the trail (especially if on the hill - mainly uphill).

Im in my 30s and i keep hearing that maybe i am too old for offroad, that i will never learn how to do it properly.. Especially from those guys - who ride 20y+

Is that true? Will my skills stop improving and should i give up and stick to pavement? I love offroad, i really do, but such comments from experienced riders kind of blast my enthusiasm away...

There are about 50 riders in my group of offroad riding buddies. There are a lot of good riders. Several had some kind of prior racing experience (motocross, enduro, hare scrambles), including a few higher level racers. One of the faster and more skilled riders in our group didn't start riding until he was in his 30's. I don't think it's too late at all to continue to improve your skills.

Like some of the others have said, I would suggest a smaller offroad bike to work on your skills. A 200 - 450 is much more forgiving and in most cases much more fun in the dirt.

[Aussijussi]

Originally Posted by offcenter

they say you are only as old as you feel. You must be feeling pretty darned old.
That's sad.
I was born in 1950 and i'm 29. That's my story and i'm stickin' to it.

+1

[stellars]

That's right :-D

I feel very young anyway - there's however always a question whether you are able to learn to ride enduro being 30+. And apparently answer is YES.

You always look at those videos on Youtube - at the guys doing all that crazy stuff and wandering if You'd ever be able to ride like that. I was told (by the riders I ride with) - that you'd never learn that since your comfort zone is too small. When younger - your comfort zone is large enough to absorb all sorts of mistakes and crazy stuff you try.

Apparently not so, very much - I keep pushing my comfort zone further and further. What scared me to death a year ago - today doesn't even raise adrenaline level. Or maybe agitates me a just a little bit

I was kind of confused whether in your 30s you'd be able to push that zone far enough to actually make some good progress. You guys have made it clear that YES WE CAN :-D

[GordoS]

I starter riding street about six years ago (HOV lane in Northern Virginia is open to motorcycles...) Like you, I started "off roading" on a big bike, my commuter R1200GS that with a set of knobbies (TKC-80s). I was comfortable in the woods from having mountain biked and downhilled for for the past decade (so I started downhilling at 35-36, I won't say tougher than off road motorcycling, but damn sure just as accident prone). However, a big bike magnifies any mistakes you make and after a couple of rides where I was nearly ready to leave the damn thing taking a nap in the middle of the forest, I picked up a smaller bike, a used KTM 450. Made a huge difference in the fun factor and more importantly, the mistake envelope. Don't give up -- I don't ride with other folks so my pace is my own which I think is important. It is also important to realize that as we get older the things that younger folks bounce back from (like running into a tree or picking up the bike for the xxth time that day), will cost you more - just a natural part of aging. Just spend more time staying out of those situations and learning to deal with those situations when you get into them and remember motrin is your friend. Finese it, don't fight it.

I agree with some of the earlier posters -- I read alot, this site and others, and just picked up some instructional DVDs. If you a member of Netflix, they actually have a few in their library. Learn what you can before you hit the bike.
Too old is bullsh!t...you just need to go at your own pace.
good luck,
Cheers,
Gordo

[Ceri JC]

Originally Posted by stellars

That's right :-D

I feel very young anyway - there's however always a question whether you are able to learn to ride enduro being 30+. And apparently answer is YES.

You always look at those videos on Youtube - at the guys doing all that crazy stuff and wandering if You'd ever be able to ride like that. I was told (by the riders I ride with) - that you'd never learn that since your comfort zone is too small. When younger - your comfort zone is large enough to absorb all sorts of mistakes and crazy stuff you try.

Apparently not so, very much - I keep pushing my comfort zone further and further. What scared me to death a year ago - today doesn't even raise adrenaline level. Or maybe agitates me a just a little bit

I was kind of confused whether in your 30s you'd be able to push that zone far enough to actually make some good progress. You guys have made it clear that YES WE CAN :-D

I did the highest level of BMW's UK Off Road School earlier in the year (Level 3). At 30, I was the youngest in the class by several years. Although everyone in the class had a pretty good degree of trail riding experience and was comfortable riding offroad, no one was what I would call an advanced offroad rider. No one had done any of what many people would refer to as "difficult" big GSes before (although a few of us had on Enduro bikes). Despite this, we all managed to get the basics down of the techniques and got noticeably better as the day went on. On a personal note, I've now got the confidence to use these things as appropriate on my own bike when trail riding.
For reference, the sort of things I'm talking about include:
Jumping the bike 3-4 feet in the air off ramps.
Jumping a few inches on the flat, Trials-style using suspension preload to get over ruts/the walls of the middle of the trail,
Drift turns.
Powerslides.
"Spin on the spot"
Riding terrain that most people would consider impassible on a GS (EG for UK folks The right hand side of the Quarry from Dusk to Dawn!)

I should emphasise I am still not very good at any of the above; but as to whether it's possible to learn them at all, or if you'll be too scared to even try them: yes, you can learn them and no, it's not too scary!

Keep at it, you'll keep getting better!

[Barry]

If you enjoy off-road, stick with it. Age, beyond fitness, has NOTHING to do with it.

I tried to follow Malcolm Smith up Pikes Peak during race or practice, forget which. I thought I had him until we hit dirt. Then he just walked me. I was 46 at the time, he was into his 70s. I was on a bigger bike, he was on a 250. School was in session.

Barry

[stefan tilden]

Originally Posted by PeterW

There's your problem right there. Get a smaller bike for off-road, get a 250 and embarrass your friends instead of the other way around.

Yes, you can ride a 990 fast off road, but it's going to be a hard learning curve starting out that way.

Pete

I agree. Try something like a 250 or if you have more money to spend the Husky 310. Work on your overall body conditioning especially your core with yoga and situps and things like that and you can have a great time out there. They make dual sport and pure enduro models BTW:
http://www.dirtrider.com/tests/off-r...varna_310_txc/