Dakota Dual Sport Riders

Thank you for your input!  Have a GS and know that I will not take it out much when it is too messy.  Just too big to contend with and besides, it's my street bike also.  Looking at getting something more off road worthy and want to know if I should buy know or wait till winter is behind us.

I voted 5-10, but there is likely a window between mid or late November and end of Feb where the bikes are parked.

I live in Eastern SD though, and our winters are quite a bit harsher than what you have in the BH.

I voted. I ride every chance I get. I purchased a pair of heated gloves on clearance this summer, so winter can't come fast enough ;D

Where I live, I rollerskate down my road to hit some dry pavement. My winter riding always gets me out of the hills to a warmer climate. Sturgis,Spearfish, Rapid. Colorado front range.....you get the idea. The trails around my house are snowmobile trails from Dec 1st to Mar 31st.

An XR200 would be lighter and easier to pick up on icy, snow covered trails 8) ;)Just sayin

maybe not the best on trails but i've been wanting a hack to make winter riding even easier once the snow gets deep.

You will find that there is a reason your area is called the 'Banana Belt'.
I live on the Missouri river.  I ride every month of the year... not everyday tho, but alot.  When it gets cold and slick, I move to an avt.  It's so much easier to carry all of my ice fishing stuff that way.

I once decided to ride at least once through every month of the winter. Feburay in Minnesota can be brutal. One time is enough. I saw an article in Aerostich about a guy who rode the width of Canada in January. He used metal studs on a BMW with lots of heated clothing. A F650 if I remember. I rode my bicyle through the winter 2 years ago (50 miles a week). I got metal studed tires for it also and it was doable (I learned to wear a helmet though after the first fall, nice black eye). The old saw is there isn't bad weather, just bad preparation.

That reminds me of an article I seen in a Honda riders mag about a guy from aerostitch that rode his bike across lake superior(?) over to wisconsin.  Gassed up; had a burger and then rode back.  I think I even kept that article.... where could it be?...

I believe that was the owner, Andy Goldfine. I met his brother once, and got talking about motorcycles (natch), and he told me Andy still has the bike in his garage. A Honda 250 something. Cool story.

I ride all year round here in Watertown, but then, with the sidecar battle cruiser its pure FUN!! Heck, we hold a MC event in February hopefully a bunch of you all can come to. ITs a timed enduro through the streets of watertown. One year it was foot deep snow the entire ride.

Started this thread and you will be happy to know it lead me to buy a XR650L.  Looking forward to getting it muddy in the months ahead.  Hopefully with some of you all.

Congrats Dave!Oops.... I mean osufr ;D

hard to go wrong with a honda.  you may lose a little of interstate ability versus a klr650 (who cares!) but you will gain that and a lot more back in dirt duty.

have fun and ride safe!

Awesome, the big HOnda will be a heck of a great ride.

I'm looking to stud up some tires and am looking for some advice from those who have done it.  How many screws should I put on each tire?  I'm finding that I can buy them in packs of 250 and 1000. 
I'm not looking to ride on ice so much as ride on packed snow on ND gravel roads. 
Any advice?

We ride all the time durning the winter. We studed up tires last night and went riding today. I will post up a couple of pictures and video.
Here are a couple of pictures from a couple of years ago. This is my Husky. Great machine in the snow
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t103/anmachinecycles/DSC02636.jpg)
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t103/anmachinecycles/DSC02634.jpg)
(http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t103/anmachinecycles/DSC02635.jpg)

Here is a helmet cam from last year. You will have a blast with studed up tires.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4KUHaX4sHM

Quote from: Osnabrock on November 26, 2010, 09:14:37 PM
I'm looking to stud up some tires and am looking for some advice from those who have done it.  How many screws should I put on each tire?  I'm finding that I can buy them in packs of 250 and 1000. 
I'm not looking to ride on ice so much as ride on packed snow on ND gravel roads. 
Any advice?

Studs don't help on dep snow, paddles are better for that, Studs are SCARY on pavement, but sweeet on ice and the hard packed snow that you'll have on teh gravel roads. figure on 500 screws per tire for your dual purpose riding, three and four per lug. Don't forget the sides. and keep a bunch of spares because a bunch will fling out when you ride. Enjoy!! Get the short ones so they dont' go too deep and puncture the tube.

Quote from: Lee Bruns on November 28, 2010, 10:29:45 AM
Studs are SCARY on pavement

i've heard it compared to riding on marbles.

great advice lee.  sounds like you've done this a time or two. 

the club plows out a circle track every now and then on frozen lake kampeska and has some fun hot laps. Its a good time. Then in February we hold the Popcycle Derby so everyone gets practice riding on frozen pavement and icy roads also. Eventually we'll all be crippled I suppose.

Xtreme Ice Racing at the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center, Dec. 11:

http://www.gotmine.com/display_event.php?id=1382

I once took my then new izusu trooper out onto a lake ice road racing course carved out by the local loonies, and drove the piss out of it for about an hour. The next morning I went out to the car and found it sitting on 4 flat tires. Evidently had broken the bead on all 4 tires bouncing off the frozen berms of the course. Was alot of fun though...