Motorcycles come in all shapes, sizes and styles. I've always been partial to my first street bike, a 1978 Honda Hawk II. With a 400cc engine, it could tackle the freeways if I wanted and at 300 pounds I could pick it up if it tipped over. But in my heart I viewed motorcycles as a way to travel over rough terrain that would be a challenge in a vehicle. Before mountain bikes, before SUVs, I dreamed of riding a motorcycle through the Outback of Australia. That meant getting a dirt oriented bike. I'm getting closer to realizing my dream when I discovered Dual Sport riding.
This is a new sport for me. While I participated in my first dual sport ride in 1985 (in Australia), I didn't realize at the time that it had an official name. Since purchasing my first dual sport (offroad/street legal) motorcycle in 1997, I have discovered Team Dual Dogs and some Dual Sport email lists.
I purchased a 1983 Honda XL600R in 1997. The motorcycle looks different now, due to upgrades and a few crashes. :) (Well, you've got to learn somewhere.)
I had another Dual Sport bike in my collection, a 1991 Suzuki DR350S. Now it belongs (partially) to Gayathri. I liked the bike except I had trouble starting it. I finally learned how to push start it and I could start it when it was warm but I never did figure out the technique for a cold start. In the end, I sold it because I needed room in my garage... :(
Now I need to learn how to ride offroad. It's been 11 years since I did any serious offroad motorcycle touring. That was in Cape York, Australia. Two-up on a Cagiva 350. (Talk about a trip to remember.) The nearest hospital was 500 miles away on dirt tracks. We camped out among termite mounds that were taller than either of us. We drove through hoards of black flies and wildfires. We saw jabaru, kangaroos and wild bulls. We saw very few other travellers and rode the dirt track without a map. The rivers we crossed were crocodile haunts. We crashed so many times in the thick bull dust that I was certain we were going to end up "in hospital".
But we survived, as did the motorcycle. Gianpiero went on to ride the perimeter of Australia and write up the journey in an Italian Motorcycle magazine. (I have the article, but unfortunately, I can't read it.) And the memories from that trip are always with me. On the wall of my office I have a picture of the bike - loaded with our gear parked by a gate across a dirt track, as a reminder that there are adventures to be had in life. Someday, I'll add a picture of my Honda decked out in its travel garb in some faraway place.
I've gone on a few local dual sport rides and have had a great time. Here are some reports of my impression of dual sporting:
I got my 1978 Honda Hawk running again. I used to ride the Hawk when I was in college but it's been sitting idle in the garage for 10 years. After cleaning out the carbs and putting in a new battery, it's running again! That's one thing I like about this bike, it's very reliable. And I can start it!
Now I'm in the process of cleaning, adjusting and rebuilding all those parts that have been neglected. It's a lot more fun to ride on the street than the XL600, probably due to the tires and lower center of mass. I'm already planning my adventures across the southwest on the Hawk. Stay tuned.
Next trip, the Mother Road Rally, June 8-15, 2001. An "all brands" motorcycle ride. I'm still debating which bike to take though the DR will most likely win out. The diverse group of riders who have signed up is appealing. Looks like I'll have some interesting company along the way. Come on out for a day or two (or more) if you live near Route 66.
For those interested in joining a Dual Sport discussion group, there are several good ones on the internet. Suzuki owners can get information from the DR group (Visit the dr350 archives at http://www.listquest.com/lq/search.html?ln= dr350) Or there is DUST (Dual Sport Touring) which caters to all brands of DS bikes.
