TDM850
DUAL SPORT OF COURSE
Part Two

BY STEVEN "SCOOTER SCUM" JOHNSON
Originally Published in the Tedious Quarterly.

Last time we discussed the change in tires to improve off-road riding. In this issue we will discuss techniques and tips to prepare you for the off-road experience. One of the first exercises is to practice throttle control and balance at slow speeds. My personal favorite exercise is to ride figure eights as tight as the steering will allow. To work up to this, we will ride the TDM in nice large figure eights. Use cans or rocks to mark the outer edges of the figure eight. While riding we are focusing on keeping the bike upright. We do this through the large number of inputs to the motorcycle. To name a few includes:

1. Pushing and pulling on the handle bars

2. Adding weight to the foot pegs - standing or sitting

3. Shifting your body forward, backward, left or right

4. The rate/speed we open and close the throttle

5. The rate/speed/order we apply the brakes

All these combinations change the way a motorcycle moves through space. When we ride figure eights we focus on nice smooth throttle control. Throttle control is the hardest in a sharp left hand turn when your right arm is fully extended. This extension can cause you to pull on the throttle and give the bike gas. A common novice first crash is to hit the gas in a left hand turn and freeze on the gas.

We also focus on the balance during figure eight exercises during sharp turns. We want to feel the bikes balance and keep it upright. Balance is the key to riding a large bike off-road. As we make sharp

turns at slow speeds, the bike wants to fall in to the turn. To counteract this natural tendency, we put weight on the outside foot peg (sometimes a lot of weight!).

Continue this exercise until we can turn the handlebar and they hit the handle bar stops. This exercise might best be done with 1/4 tank to reduce the mass of the bike. We should practice figure eights on a

regular basis. Consider doing them once a week to keep in shape.

Before ridding off-road a couple of riding tips:

1. Ride in packs -- there is safety and strength in numbers. I have had friends drop their big enduros and have to wait 3 hours until somebody came along to help pick up the bike.

2. Know your road -- Heavy bikes, dirt and high speed are a dangerous mixture. Slowing down on dirt roads take a significantly longer distance than on the street. Do not ride faster than you can see on the road. Test your brakes frequently.

3. Start slow and easy -- first start on rural dirt roads then move up to more challenging jeep roads. What would be considered a boring ride for an XR or KDX is just about right for a TDM.

4. Ride with reasonable protection. Boots, helmet and body armor are good additions. You are more likely to go down in the dirt than on the street.

5. Stay away from deep snow, mud, and sand.

6. Try to keep your feet on the pegs with a little weight. This will help lower the bike's center of gravity.

This is not the definitive list. We will cover that in future issues.

What to expect when you are off-road. Lower your expectation for comfort when riding the TDM off-road and you will find the TDM is the most comfortable street bike you have ever ridden in the dirt! The TDM is not a lean, mean, enduro machine. The typical antics of dirt riding are out! Freely lofting the front wheel, power sliding through corners, steep gnarly hills are not in the TDM's vocabulary. The TDM can be gotten air born off jumps, but it lands with all the grace of a stalled 747.

The bike can handle most roads with obstacles that are 3-4" or less. Miles of rough road are exhausting. Deep water crossings are also not recommended. Any high water over the exhaust pipe, may cause the

TDM to stall and not re-start. Pushing a TDM out of a stream is not my idea of fun. The TDM does not do well in soft or muddy conditions.

Since the tires are bias towards the street, they tend to plow and slid through mud. This can be scary the first couple of times. Just remember, a soft light touch on the controls and balance are the key. Never

freak out or seize at the controls. Overcome fear through confidence, experience, and preparations.

This article was originally published in the Tedious Quarterly. For more information, questions, comments or suggestions for articles, please feel free to contact Steve Johnson by e-mail at scum@uswest.net.