Author Topic: Is anyone using their RE for trail riding????  (Read 3359 times)

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Sam Simons

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on: December 21, 2009, 04:27:44 am

 If there is,please  describe how the bike if set up for this and what it's strong & weak points are. I'm talking strictly trail riding,not  (vintage) MX or trials....


Sam in Indiana


Ice

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Reply #1 on: December 22, 2009, 02:22:11 am
 My stock military sees some light duty trail use. Mostly logging roads and some rolling single track. Nothing aggressive as Its my daily ride.
 
 You might PM Br Vince and Br Bill Harris.
Vince is a former racer and owns a motorcycle store. Bill Harris has been riding on and off road for a long time.
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Sam Simons

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Reply #2 on: December 22, 2009, 02:35:00 am
 OK. Thanks,Ice. I was hoping that someone,somewhere was riding an RE offroad.....

Sam


ace.cafe

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Reply #3 on: December 22, 2009, 03:01:54 am
There's a guy on the Yahoo forum who goes by the screen-name of "Damon Fever", who use his bike on mild off-road stuff like fire roads and dirt trails quite often.
He's a very nice guy,and very knowledgeable about Bullets.
You could try asking him what he thinks.
I've ridden with him, and he has Hagon rear shocks, and stock fork set-up. I think he's using the Continental dual-purpose tires. He's got the trials rear fender brace and alloy rear fender, and the alloy front fender. And the trials handlebars.

I think it's the ground clearance and the limited suspension travel, that's the primary limitations. Just stay on trails or ground that doesn't require the suspension to try to soak up real big bumps.

I also know a guy who lives in the Far East, who uses his 350 Bullet in vintage motocross competition. It seems to work for him.

The Bullet was a top-shelf ISDT Trials bike in its day.
It can go off road.
« Last Edit: December 22, 2009, 03:05:12 am by ace.cafe »
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Blue Ridge Wheeltor

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Reply #4 on: December 22, 2009, 04:21:38 am
Uncle Ernie has been known to take his bike on gravel roads...
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Ice

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jest2dogs

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Reply #6 on: December 24, 2009, 06:47:07 am
"Damon Fever's" Bullet at Burke's Garden:
"Ennie" 2006 RE Bullet Classic 500 (currently undergoing a facelift)
Commuter Scooter Commuted to "Otherside"
"Geezer" 2007 Moto Guzzi Breva 750 died and reborn as yet, un-named, 2005 Moto Guzzi Breva 750,
and...the newest stablemate, also un-named, my crazy Russian 2015 Ural cT.


chinoy

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Reply #7 on: December 28, 2009, 08:13:20 am
LOL your trails look better than our roads.

The bullet is popular in North India with the farmers because its the only bike that has the Torque to pull them thru their famr lands where there are no roads.

Like somebody said up above. Its a pretty good bike for off roading out of the box.
A Friend runs a setup called IndiMotard he just picked up 10 brand new bikes. 5 C5s and 5 Older Machismo's

Like I said your trails look better than our roads.


REpozer

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Reply #8 on: December 28, 2009, 08:45:49 pm
I may go to  a dual purpose tire . I ride as is, out of the box. Its all about having fun and staying on budget.
If you got the coin, go for it. The sky is the limit.
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chinoy

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Reply #9 on: January 02, 2010, 08:36:29 pm
Well I had the chance to test this theory.
Bone stock C5 with street tyres taken up the hill.

The hill is a pretty nasty trail.
To give you some idea. On the last trip a World War II Willis Jeep fliped over.

The bullet handled it like a charm. Even if there where places where it was sliding sideways with both wheels locked.

The only thing Id add is this is not something Id advise a small guy try.
You really need to wrestle with the bike. And its a big heavy bike.

Can it handle the trails sure. But would I buy one to do just Trails. Nope.


Ice

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Reply #10 on: January 02, 2010, 08:58:21 pm
Br. JMHAZ is conducting a year long test of a UCE at Overland Journal Heres a link to a thread. http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,5860.0.html
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oldsalt

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Reply #11 on: January 08, 2010, 07:22:41 am
After my first long ride in the rough I moved the pegs backwards approx. 2 1/2 inches.  No way out for me.  That helped a lot to be able to "get on the pegs".  Stock they are WAY too far forward.  The pegs had to be chopped apart and reconfigured to accomplish this.  Not easy.  Also chopped the kickstart lever and moved it closer to the engine/trans so it would not interfer with the right foot.  Then re-plated it.  See avatar. The stock Bullet seat is terrorable because it is low in front...way too low.  Makes your knees so bent that it is more difficult than necessay to quickly 'stand up'.  However, the worst problem, in my opinion, for casual off road use, is the outragiously hard springs at the rear.  So hard it is difficult to go fast enough in rough, broken stuff to even evaluate the forks.  O.K., really, no big deal for me.  If I wish to change these things I can.  But I like my Bullet as it is and my choice is not to ride it aggressively in the dirt.   It's a street bike and would be a good dirter if a bunch of changes were made.  But I want it to be a street bike.  On smooth dirt sweepers and in general riding the motor torque curve and gearbox seem, for me, to be really friendly.   
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