Went for a ride yesterday with fellow forum member Barry (motogp52)

[Firehawk068]

I met him at his place (turns out he only lives about 5 miles from me), and instantly realized that not only does he own an FJ, he owns 4 of them! 
Plus a Beemer, and various dirt bikes.......................





After a cup of coffee and some 2-wheeled conversation at his place, we headed for the foothills............



Barry opted to ride his gorgeous '89.



Once we covered a few roads in the foothills, we stopped at a gas station in Conifer to get rid of the morning coffee............
There just so happened to be a group of vintage motorcycle enthusiasts out for a Sunday ride...............





We rode a few more of the foothills roads, and headed south towards Deckers. We decided to stop and have lunch at Zoka's, in the little village of Pine.......
Seems this place is always a biker destination. Not only was the same group of vintage motorcyclists there, but a good-sized group of Corvair owners as well...........





After a fantastic lunch, and some good conversation, we made some loops around some of the roads near the Platte river. We ran into the same group of vintage motorcycles a couple more times. They were doing the same thing we were, in the opposite direction........

A short while later, we found ourselves on a dirt road (Capn Ron, you'd be proud!), and just about that time a storm caught us..........
The dirt road quickly turned into a mud-road...........
At the next junction, rather than make a 25 mile loop back around to the closest main road via pavement, we decided to take a 4-mile shortcut up another dirt/mud road to try and outrun the storm......

We skillfully kept the FJs upright, and the road turned to pavement once again. We quickly got ahead of the rain as we headed for home (sticking mainly to back roads).

It was good to get the FJ out for the day again, and it was a nice 150-mile day of riding.
Barry and I had a great time, and I'm sure we'll ride together again soon.

For now, our slightly muddy FJs need a wash......................

[Capn Ron]

Definitely proud of your venturing off the pavement.  The road less traveled is almost always more interesting!

Great ride report...sweet stable of FJ's and WHOA...that's a lot of Corvairs!!   

[roverfj1200]

 

[ribbert]

Definitely proud of your venturing off the pavement.  The road less traveled is almost always more interesting!

Cap'n Ron, I think you and I are soul mates when it comes to our love of off roading.

One of the many things I enjoy about my bike is the places it takes me, the more remote the better. I love getting off the beaten track sometimes. I like to throw in a few side roads on my trips.

The following photos were all taken over the last 5 days.















Who needs a dirt bike?

Noel

[Bones]

You need a set of knobbys on that thing Noel,   What part of the country were the pics taken, going by the sun setting in the ocean it'd have to be on the west coast somewhere wouldn't it.

[ribbert]

You need a set of knobbys on that thing Noel,   What part of the country were the pics taken, going by the sun setting in the ocean it'd have to be on the west coast somewhere wouldn't it.

Haha, that would be interesting once back on the bitumen.

The photos were taken around the SW coast of Victoria and up the Coorong into SA. The sunset is on the breakwater at Kingston, home of the "Big Lobster" A sad relic from the glory days of road travel when only rich people could afford to fly. I can remember staying at this very motel as a child on a trip with my family, the joint was bustling. Every room taken, the pool full of kids, people cued up waiting for a table in the dining room etc. The pool has been empty for 20 years and the dining room closed almost as long. I doubt if they even know if the "No Vacancy" sign even works anymore.



The "Big Lobster" a mere shell of its former self.



Just as well I booked ahead, they only had 37 rooms left when I got there.

[Derek Young]

Nice ride report Alan! 4 FJs?!!! Awesome! When I read about your muddin adventure I knew the Capn would be proud...me too! Well done boys!

Derek

[movenon]

Nice reports !  Always nice to link up with other FJ owners.

Noel, when I was setting up my forks I spent time on dirt roads and in one area an empty pot holed field to work my forks and found the FJ pretty easy to handle off road considering.

Allen you have some great country down there to ride in keep the pictures coming,  its going to be a long winter....
George

[Firehawk068]

The "Big Lobster" a mere shell of its former self.

I see what you did there...............................

[ribbert]

Noel, when I was setting up my forks I spent time on dirt roads and in one area an empty pot holed field to work my forks and found the FJ pretty easy to handle off road considering.

George

You're right George, I have always found it comfortable on unsealed roads, but I guess if you do it often it should be. One of the benefits of occasionally straying onto gravel roads is I think it's good to know what it feels like and be comfortable with the bike moving around under you. It makes it much less scary if the bike steps out on you on the bitumen for some reason or you accidentally spin the back wheel up in the wet, or momentarily lock the front or whatever.
I have occasionally deflated my tyres for long stretches of gravel and it makes a huge difference, but mostly I can't be bothered.

One of the those roads pictured had a liberal spread of golf ball size rocks that had the bike wobbling constantly. Corners excluded, I generally find 80 a comfortable speed on gravel, it is a good compromise between covering distance and allowing for limited traction.
Unlike the highways, these roads do not have hazards sign posted.

Although the roads I posted aren't, most gravel roads are steeply cambered for water run off to minimise erosion,especially in the hills, and have a build up of soft, deep gravel at the edge and VERY deep drains after that. The biggest trap you can fall for is getting too close to the edge at inappropriate speed where the camber exceeds the ability to ride straight on the road without the front wheel washing out from under you and you are increasingly drawn to the drain or the cliff face. By the time you realise this, you can't brake either. Many times I have ended up stopped in a drain (where the camber ends) and have to rejoin the road at a much more acute angle. Because the roads are narrow it only takes a moments lack of concentration to start down that slippery slope, literally. This is usually no big deal, unless you are carrying too much speed, which means you are going to bounce off something or fall off.

When wet, patches of clay where the gravel has worn / washed away can also be a trap.

Never succumb to the temptation to power slide the bike around on these roads, all it takes it one sharp stone or rock to rip through your tyre.

For all that though, unsealed roads take you to some fantastic places and I love the feeling of being somewhere remote, just me and the bike.

Noel

[X-Ray]

Great photos and reports, I know what I'm doing this weekend after I get home from camping, 

[motogp52]

I'm glad you took a few photo's Allen.  What a fun ride it was and well worth the hour long muddy clean up afterwards!!  We'll have to do it again sometime!   

Barry