@@gjonhajdari9939 the osmand app is great for exploring areas with no service. You can download a few states worth for free so you don’t get lost without cell service. I like the Gaia app best for uploading “tracks”. Do a search on the ADV rider forum for mapped dual sport rides people have put together, download the track, and share to Gaia. You can just try google searching dual sport adventure rides for the state you’re in and any bordering states. Should come up with some good stuff.

Yep, the only semi coherent argument I’ve heard for not wearing a helmet is the fact that your more likely to simply die instead of wind up paralyzed - still not a good reason though. As far as getting a dual sport as a person who mainly commutes there are a ton of factors to consider but the short answer is yes, I would say get one if you’re interested in it. You could get an adventure touring bike if comfort is a top priority. It would probably be even more comfortable than your commuter and be able to do some light off road. If style is more of a priority, look at a scrambler. If you want to be able to do some more intense off road look at a dual sport that can easily be converted to a supermoto - have a second tire/rim setup ready to swap out when you go on a trip. That’s the short answer but this could be an hours long conversation!

hahaha true

Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!

Yep! I really wish a Japanese brand would put out some competition for the 690 but it really is a great true "dual sport".

Sorry to hear about the crash and injuries. Glad to hear you made it out with your life though! If you want to meet up for a ride once your up to it send me an email at [email protected] and we can exchange info.

Thanks! Hoping to get a lot of riding in this season.

Yeah they’re all wide enough for jeeps. The place is really meant for jeeps and trucks. Definitely still very challenging but not in a way that’s really fun for dirt bikes. Just super beat up and muddy or rocky jeep trails. This video doesn’t show much of the actual trails though. If you look at my Uwharrie “Redemption” videos I hit all of trails in the park besides the two extremely difficult trails that are definitely not 690able.

Yeah it’s not an easy ride on a bike at all. I thought the forest roads were pretty fun though if you’re on a dual sport.

Yep! Someone commented that they built a stool of sorts to put the kick stand down on. That’s a brilliant idea. I’ve been meaning to build one but haven’t gotten around to it yet.

Thanks! I work in natural resources management but not with the DNR. Yeah I’ve only been able to make it up there this one time so far. Definitely gonna be heading up more this season.

El Dorado Outpost had the paper maps. I think they were free if I remember right.

@@wanderingturtleadventures8619 perfect! That's what I guessed! Keep up the great videos!

Very true. It might look like I’m sitting the way the camera is but I always stand when it gets difficult. If I’m sitting through stuff that would just be better standing it’s probably because I was a few days in at this point and my legs were killing me lol. Very true though standing certainly is better but resting is equally as important on multi day trips.

@@wanderingturtleadventures8619 Totally. If you can do anything with less energy, do it. It looked like you weren’t standing at all, but that must’ve been the camera, because on the hairiest bits, it appears as though you were standing, but you apparently were not. 1 day of 6 proper hours pf hard riding and I’m exhausted and sore the next day. Day after day and I need to scale it back or be more lazy, which is dangerous.

Pretty much the entire route is pretty easy unless it’s really muddy. The hard sections in Vermont are mostly really short obstacles for like 500ft or less at a time. There are some pretty challenging parts like that. If you go early spring or during a wet fall when it’s muddy and have a heavy bike it would be really difficult. Things also look so much easier in video than they are in person. Go pro flattens everything out. I’d say the more difficult part of the NEBDR or BDRs in general is just the endurance aspect. Section 4 in Vermont definitely has the most challenging parts. Especially in the “figure 8” looking segment where the alternative bypass cross crosses with the main route and makes a figure 8.

@@wanderingturtleadventures8619 I just got back from doing a course with Brett a Tkacs on my GSA, so definitely riding a big bike. Everyone was saying the MABDR would probably be too boring for me considering we’d all been tackling some difficult terrain well. However, I look at some of your video, and then also realized tonight that the BDR website has this as the second most difficult BDR, which surprised me, and made me question whether to do the MABDR and keep training, or go for it. The mud and ruts don’t bother me too much. If I fall, I’m confident I can get out solo and recover, but some of those rocky steps, get it wrong on a big bike, and you’re quickly into leg-breaking territory. I record my weekend off-road travels too and know how much the GoPro skews the difficulty. Hence, my question, because some of those rock steps looked hard, fun, but hard. I only ride solo, so I’m always imagining worst case scenario. I still think I’m gonna do it.

@@ryanmalone2681 nice man yeah I say go for it. There’s always the bypass option for the difficult sections if you’re not feeling up to it. Just make sure you can an in reach or some GPS device to get help if you get hurt solo! I actually don’t have one and always ride solo but I really should get one. You’re right about the broken leg thing.

@@wanderingturtleadventures8619 I have satellite SOS and nav, but I’ve broken ankles and ribs riding and it’s hard on the family, so I have to avoid it for a while, but I’m up for anything. Hence, why I need as much training as I can afford so I have lots of tools in my back pocket when I need them for difficult terrain. I heard the MABDR is mostly paved, which I’m sure is great and beautiful, but I enjoy technical terrain, not to mention being comfortable, which is a combination that is a bit challenging. Thanks for the reply and video. Ride far and ride safe my friend.

Ha! Nice that's pretty cool to find yourself in a video.

Get a Zumo XT Garmin. . Apps suck

My go to apps have been Gaia GPS and OsmAnd Maps

I got these tracks from cannonshot.net. Lots of great tracks to be found there!

Osmand and Gaia. I use both because you can get everything you need without having to pay but I like Gaia A bit better. If you’re willing to pay the subscription that’s what I’d go with.

I really like the motoz rallz tires. They’re a little loud but thats a small sacrifice for how good they are on and off road.

I only did the southern half of section 6 but I don’t remember there being any difficult parts. There were some parts that seemed like they can get really muddy near the southern end of it but you should be fine this time of year. It was a fun section though.

@@wanderingturtleadventures8619 thanks for the quick reply! I'm really looking forward to it!

I honestly think the 690 is the closest you get can to an ideal dual sport on the market. The weight is so much better than an Africa twin or klr or tenere or any of those but it’s still a big bike. You have to be really skilled to be good on really hard single track or enduro type stuff but it can do anything, especially if you’re a good rider. It makes regular dual sport riding a breeze. It sucks getting away from the Japanese brands for sacrificing reliability though. You’d have to replace the clutch slave cylinder pretty much immediately because the stock one fails insanely often. I also have some flame out troubles where it just stalls when in gets really hot but that seems to be a pretty rare issue. Not that big of a deal for me since I just have to be aware and keep the revs up when I’m in slow stuff and the bike is running hot. It doesn’t seem to be as bad as bad as the 450lL with flame outs. The fuel pump is supposedly pretty unreliable too but I haven’t had that issue yet. Otherwise it’s been reliable and the engine shouldn’t have any reliability issues. I still worry about it a lot more than if I was on one of the big 4 brands. All things considered it’s an amazing bike. If Kawasaki, Honda, or Yamaha came out with a good competitor I would probably switch over.

@@wanderingturtleadventures8619 thanks for the reply, I’m not going to be doing any single track, just dirt roads, two tracks, forest roads, and a few bdrs! I just got home from Colorado two days ago, I rode a bunch of mountain passes on my Klx300, just way to underpowered for me, looking at the 450l or the 690. Not much to choose from in the 50 horsepower and above range with big service intervals. Seems like they are all missing out on the need for a true dual sport!

I think you can if you use the tip another commenter mentioned about building a stool of sorts at the right height to rest the kickstand on. That way it balances itself while you get the straps on.

@@wanderingturtleadventures8619 I’m also worried about being able to have enough leverage to push it past the initial wheel well into the right position. That seems tough. I’ll probably suck it up and spend the money on an ace trailer.

Haha yep its worth the risk every time. I was kind of hoping for a flip over too lol.

Yeahhh it’s a shame I won’t be able to ride with any of you guys back down in NC. Thanks! I’ve been working towards this job for 5 years so it’s nice to have the payoff. There’s always a chance I’ll make my way back down to NC. I loved it there. I’d probably want to be in the mountains next time though.

Gaia is the best GPS app in my opinion for adv riding of you’re going to pay. I think Dork in the Road might have a discount code? OsmAnd is the best free one because you can download a certain number of entire states for free. I used the free version of Gaia and OsmAnd together to get everything I needed.