If that's the case, I'd choose a mule, typically smarter and more sure footed than a horse, plus they can work, need a tree pulled outta the forest? Mule all day
I agree with you.... but how many people know how to ride, care for the horse and gear.... or any other equine animal. A bike doesn't need "care" ans alsl doesn't have a mind of its own.
Imagine Forward Observers retreating from the mountain on MTBs after being found out, losing 6000 feet in altitude in half an hour. That's a solid use case
As long as your competent with it, nothing will descend rough terrain quicker. But you have to be skilled. A normie (non rider) just jumping on a long travel mtb and pointing it down normally end in concussion and collar bones. Same can be said for motorbikes and surrons but someone with basic control over one of these can still get most of the benefit.
Honestly, in SHTF and I just need to move around, check traps/patrol an area/hit my hunting or fishing spot/etc I'd go e-bike but only if I had a way to charge it- the sun is more reliable than finding a working gas pump. Also, stealth is going to be your friend so being completely quiet is a plus.
@@229glock you do know that batteries decay over 50 percent faster when unable to use correct fast charging power sources? for example why does you phone today come with a warning about only using your fast charger because older type cs and trickle charging from solar outlets can rapidly decay your battery. It is a reality that will impact far sooner than people think. you'll find your battery sensor displaying full when it is actually only 60 percent and losing your mobility when you need it most is a death sentence in the worst case
This is my favorite channel.. by far.. I'm a contractor and i use dirt bikes daily.. Most people can't understand how efficient they are.. for tactical-engagement purpose, commute, transport.. This is the only channel on youtube that addresses those issues in a very coherent way..
@@RoughWalkers but i think people should "play" in their backyards before using for a life threatening situation.. dirt bikes are fun and useful.. much more than people think.. For "off grid" outdoor life style, is a huge plus, but for military-tactical use, is a must.. that's a skill that every operator should be trained for.. Obs: I'm in ukraine, and we have dirt bike groups that are making a huge difference when it comes to assault trenches or enemy positions(or even rescuing civilians from a contact zone).. so yeah.. i can say with property that dirt bikes are more important than people think...
@@nestormakhno2333 im talking about civilians preparing for the world to end .... the term we use in the 🇬🇧 is "all the gear and no idea" and these prepers just make me laugh Some of them have over 100 weapojs systems incase america is invaded America is a paranoid nation, im not having a go im just confirming what these videos are Lets just hope theres enough gear for the people who actually need it instead of running around your back garden pretending to be a soldier
A recommendation from Jack Spirko that I always liked was - Keep 12 five gallon fuel containers in your shed/garage. Cycle one out per month (use it for your lawnmower or car or bike, whatever) and refill it with fresh gas. Cycle the next can the next month. You'll never store any given tank for longer than 12 months, and thus don't need to worry about fuel stabilizers, and always have a 60 gallon supply of fuel on hand.
you could also get hard metal tanks and a vacuum pump and suck out all the air using the vacuum fitting. This will make the gas last for 5-10 years, and possibly longer with a added fuel stabilizer.
@@keith3761your problem is that it's difficult to store 5 years of gas and gas things aren't even efficient at all. A pair of solar panels and electric tools and vehicles is far more efficient and effective. My Ford lightning is pulling 140 mpge on low speed drives. Far more effective than a weaker louder gas f150 that gets less than a quarter efficiency.
@@joshsummers7933 your batteries will die out in about 5 years of heavy use. the solar panels lose their efficiency as well. not to mention hail and damage your solar panels might take. Also you will need far more than a "pair" of solar panels to charge your truck in any amount of time.
@@keith3761 you definitely won't have 5 years of gas. The first resource to vanish in any event is gasoline. I call bullshit on 5 years for a battery 😂. I'm rolling 8 on my lawn batteries, have a 10 yo EV with little degradation. They're lasting far longer than people thought. As for solar they make plenty of easily portable, foldable 400w panels. If I have 4 (easily set up and moved or added to a small trailer) that's 1600w capacity. I'm easily adding 40 miles per day far beyond the time you ran out of gas.
@@joshsummers7933 well you better send those batteries to NASA because no one else has been able to show 10 year EV with "little degradation" so i have to call BS on that unless you just never drive the thing. And that 1600w capacity is PEAK in perfect weather, something you will not have. And when someone rips a round into your car's battery bank you are gonna get melted. As for running out of gas, you know you can manufacture it right? and if everyone does somehow run out of gas how long do you believe it will be before they just come after you and take yours? esp when you have to stop and put out some very bright solar panels to recharge them?
1. e-bike = fun high end operational tactics (local level) 2. gasoline powered enduro-bikes = (regional operations) (have stashes of gasoline in all wind-directions and rotate them) 3. Vans, campers, trailers, trucks en other higher storage transport = tactical (long distance operations) store plenty of fuel to go etc.... have enduro bikes scout the route ahead of the high-volume transport. Comms are essential. Invest in nr3 first and work your way down.... 😉
Simply put, nr3 is a way to get away from a shtf-situation with stocked fuel/food/medical/dry clothes etc etc etc.... Usually enough fuel for a 1000miles and enough crap to eat, drink, wash, pee, poo, relax (morale) and clean up after yourself for a week. A trailer is imho the best option and probably cheapest option (don't forget tools and spare tires etc for your trailer). You can hitch it to almost any working vehicle and gives you a base to work from. Remember the rule of 3 (I use the rule of 2). Two hours in the wrong weather-conditions for your clothing-situation will kill you. So a nice hardend shelter makes for a good (hygienic) base.
I have to push back against the idea that a new rider getting into dirt bikes should go with something without a clutch. The clutch is the most important part of learning to ride a motorcycle, and if you’re not learning that, you may as well just stick with an E bike.
Coming from someone who's ridden/raced both dirt and street, and started riding in 1972, I can say without any question, most people have no real need for a loud exhaust pipe on their bike for regular dirt or street riding. Spend the money you would have spent on performance upgrades on riding instruction from long time racers and trials competitors, etc. A skilled rider on an inferior bike can almost always eat an inexperienced rider for breakfast, even when the new rider is on a much better machine. For the purposes of stealth, you are _way_ better off keeping a nice quiet stock exhaust pipe on your dirt bike, in order to be stealthy. Any good rider will more than make up any power difference with skill.
Drz400 has remained unchanged for 20+ years. Carbureted, long maintenance periods (3k miles). Known as a solid tank and good beginner bike, tons of parts and upgrades everywhere, Costs from $2k-$5k
@@dukedynasty- the funny thing is, it's actually not. The 650 singles, XR650L, DR650, KLR650 have been around another 10-15 years longer than the drz, and haven't changed at all (ok the KLR got fuel injection and new plastics). The XR and the DR are still 80s tech in a bike that you can buy brand-new. Which is pretty awesome from the reliability standpoint.
Bike with kick start seems more reliable than relying on battery and starter. Also a siphoning hose with hand pump to prime hose I think would be very handy in a pinch.
E-bike are more stealthy if needed? Every tool has their application. But what about just a plain old mountain bike? No gas or electricity needed and helps keep you in condition, almost never breaks down if you're taking it easy and is almost silent. I think dirt bike AND a mountain bike is the solution for speed and silence and cost and maintainability, depending on the application.
An xc mtb if you live in a rural area. Gravel or fully rigid mtb for urban or suburban areas. If you don’t need suspension go with the better transfer of energy.
They trialed this in the 90’s and it didn’t work well. Because the frames required had to be over strengthened and they had to be parachute deployable. It just made the weight to effort unattainable to maintain. Sure today the frames might be lighter and stronger, with the potential of having an e-bike capacity. However at the end of the day the effort to get to the objective would burn the troops out before they even crossed the departure line or arrive at the ORV. The move to either e-bikes or hybrids is a better option to get the troops there to participate in combat operations.
As someone with 100’s probably 1000’s of miles of dirt tracks out of my back door I have been trying to blend my professional experience with LARPing these days to make use of all these trails. To include ATV, Bike, motorcycle, horse, snowshoe, ski, snowmobile etc. Mobility is a very important factor that I have not got a grasp on outside of by feet or military logistics.
0:10 I have that same hammock :D. It's a Sunyear camping hammock for anybody who wants to know, it can fit in your pocket it packs so small, real comfortable too
I have the ENO Sublink system. My hammock is sub-6 oz.. super tiny but super comfortable. It also came with a bug net, a rain fly, the hanging cords, and 4 titanium stakes (5.7 lbs total kit weight). Cost me $300, but it has been invaluable and paid for itself numerous times over. I never leave home without it. It's in my EDC bag.
@@markmartin2204 I'm actually fixing to make an investment I should have made when I purchased the sublink system, and that's to get the vulcan under quilt and the vesta over quilt. If it's dropping below 50, I can't sleep in it without my MSS. Doing so may lighten the need for a 10lb sleeping sleeping bag unless it's dropping below freezing. the vesta and vulcan together is another $500 investment.
E-bikes aren’t necessarily invisible on a thermal spectrum. Electric motors can generate a lot of heat, especially if they’re being used at full boil. However, they are very, very quiet compared to a normal motorcycle, which is a huge advantage. Less maintenance on a motor and not having to adjust valve trains or change oil is nice, and solar charging capability is also pretty cool if you have an off grid panel setup already working. But if you need something for getting through a disaster and getting the hell out of dodge, being able to put as much distance between you and whatever you’re leaving behind is essential. E-bikes just can’t do that.
E-bikes make sense to me in a post-societal world, having the ability to charge your batteries with off-grid solar is a huge advantage, and I think we can safely expect e-bike batteries to last at least 10 years considering modern lithium ion batteries. Gasoline on the other hand will, at best, only last a couple of years. Even with lower range, an e-bike will allow you to quickly patrol your property or move between communities/neighbors.
Look up the Verge series of E bikes, interesting reduction of parts but just too expensive. Hydro power and an E bike in a semi rural area for staying up to date with the neighbors maybe spotlighting on tracks for extra food and getting small amounts of groceries or trade in a food group or collective.
Most now you need to change gear fluid every 600 miles, but still nothing. I been using ebikes to commute full time, test ebikes for companies, & they're so much more less maintenance & cost than driving cars, it cost me $4.35 every 1k miles I travel, cars were costing me THOUSANDS every year, & I've done long distance bikepacking to test it in different situations, & an ebike over a motorcycle is definitely a lot better choice to stay low key. I will use Rwarr Mantis bikes kitted out like Adventure bikes, I have a bike trailer with dual suspension that can travel safely at 25+mph & can charge while mobile with the solar panel or power station
@@ReVolt_e-Vlogs the only issue I see with electric bikes is that they really aren’t useful for highway travel over say, 100 miles at a time. If you can’t do at least 75-80mph for over 100 miles on the highway, then it’s quite limited in its scope for travel or even long distance commuting. My round trip from work every day is 80 miles, and that’s simply to and from work. I would be hesitant for an electric motorcycle right now to get me to work every day without worry of the battery either dying on the way home, or the heat from prolonged highway speed causing the battery or motor to go into heat protection mode and limp mode the bike. I’ve seen it happen with surrons, and even eride pros doing the same thing. At that point your options are limited to something like zero motorcycles, which can be prohibitively expensive as their higher end bikes are nearly 20 grand. As it’s starting to get cold , the battery life of those bikes also take a hit. For that price you can buy a mid tier to top of the line gas powered touring motorcycle which will be able to go hundreds of miles per fillup. I’ve always wanted an electric motorcycle for commuting since they seem like very simple machines, but if they can’t even make an out of state trip without several stops and hours of charging batteries it kind of seems like the scope of their use is quite limited to city commuting or outdoor use on trails and backroads.
@@elterga6224yeah but the problem in that scenario is ebike is harder to fix compared to gas engine imagine if you been in a firefight situation and a stray bullet hits youre battery or motor then its hard to fix that since their are not as common as gas and the other and i agree that a ebike could outlast a gas but when it surpass its life span then you basically face the same problem with gas
I have been riding a TW 200 for 35 years. Still the best bike I have ever had. Now with all the upgrades on the market , I can make it better were there are its short comings. Great video.
i have an old kx250 2 stroke and that shit absolutely kills it. Drives like a dream, easy to fix like parts for that bike are everywhere and i can use parts from diffrent bikes aswell and that bike in general is just a beater. Turns on everytime, once i let it stand in a dirty sandy riding hall for over a year due to an injury and i couldnt move it, put a bed sheet ontop to protect it from sand, when i could ride it again i gave it a spray with water, put some fuel in it, it wouldnt start on kicking but i just push started it in 3. gear and it started instantly, rode without issue and after letting it run for 30mins it started on kickstart again the next day, as reliable as it gets
Bill nye wrote a book called Unstoppable, I read it years ago for school. In it he talks about the efficiency thats able to be reached by humans on bicycles. Per calorie eaten it's absolutely incredible how efficient a man on a bicycle can be! Worth the read :)
There’s lots of good reasons to have both. A much less expensive e-bike may be a good alternative to a Suron etc. I did a lite ADV build ( 5.2 gallon tank, Giant Loop rackless luggage etc,etc) on a Beta 500 for BDR use. Looking for an appropriate e-bike like a Lectric cargo bike w/dual batteries, 750 watt motor or higher and 150 mile range to get up into the back country with. Cargo e-bikes like this are rated to carry 450 lbs so transferring ones BDR gear over is a plus.
Gas completely drying up will probably never happen but gas shortage and rationing has happened before and is much more likely. A gas bike will make your gas ration go a lot further because they get great mileage.
@@destroyerofgear better have a very big stash of fuel stabilizers. Also, that's all the gas you have and all the gas around you sitting in vehicles, untreated tanks, and other lovely places where humidity will affect gas.
I’ve got a Honda 300l and a 230l along with 2 talaria sting e bikes. We use the e-bikes daily especially getting around after Helena when gas was gone. We needed to charge them once on the generator while running the house
KLR-650 adventure I feel far more confident in just due to range and it's design which has been tested and is expandable as you could want. Many continents have been crossed on a KLR, and the marine corps at one point used a version of it that could accept multiple kinds of fuel so it could sip off of whatever grunts could find.
@@christianarrington6492 The KLR’ s have definitely earned their part in being a great dependable dual purpose montrcycle. I’ve seen both military and police in Africa along the border’s are still using them. Having owned both the 650’s and ‘250’s they are one tough reliable bike!
I've been riding and racing dirt bikes since middle school...many, many years ago. For range and pure speed go ICE..the e-bikes are great for stealth so for a tac team go ICE but for recon e-bike. Kawasaki built some diesel bikes years back for the military but they are high maintenance and impossible to get parts for...but they could have been the ticket
I feel like a whole category of bikes was left out. Like "mini bikes" just because now they are bigger and have alot of potential. Brand new ones are cheap and because they use horizontal engines, if the engine breaks, you can find a compatible engine anywhere and it will stay running.
From my perspective, riding both, I thought you guys did an outstanding job on presenting the necessary thought processes involved in picking a ride. My E-bike is a class I, so I do sometimes miss the throttle, and this gives me a really good starting point should I want to up the class level on my E-bike stable. Thanks!!
My first bike was a XR600 kick start only… trial by fire… or so I thought, bought a brand new RMZ 250 thinking it would be a breeze to ride in comparison, I was wrong. Doesn’t really matter the size of bike you ride, if you underestimate it, it will hurt you.
SHTF I'd be going my MTB. Funnily enough Berm Peak actually demonstrated some of this in Asheville as they were in a pretty SHTF situation. He used his electric truck to get him as far as he could go, then jumped on his eMTB for the rest. eMTB is probably the best of all worlds because it's got electric assist but works fully manually if you run out of juice. You'd be much better on a regular bike than a dead eMTB though. Cool video, something to think about.
Asheville local here, Helene just hit recently and a regular bicycle has a lot of value, gas gets used up and no electricity those aren’t the best without fuel reserves. I used my mtb to get supplies in and out of a campground 1 mile of destroyed roada
I saw e-bikes EVERYWHERE in Asheville in the first 72 hours after helene crushed us..... you stopped seeing them once they died and there was no way to charge them due to catastrophic damage to our infrastructure. For prepping ALWAYS go with a vehicle than can run on fuel/different gasses over electric. With that being said im planning on getting an E-bike for be-bopping around town but thats it. When your power grid is completely destroyed its just more dead weight, speaking through newely acquired experience that is still ongoing in my neck of the woods.
@@albinoyak2755 You don't leave them out during a storm.........Shouldn't that be obvious? You have a backup power bank somewhere safe from damage. When storm ends and it's safe you can put them out to recharge what you used.
@@albinoyak2755 Hence having backup battery power. At the end of the day it comes down to money and how much you have. Unfortunately the wealthy tend to survive longer than the poor.
KLR650 diesel/multi-fuel. With a diesel you can use a large variety of oils. Modifying a gasoline engine to run on alcohol is another option. Alcohol is very easy to make through fermentation. That would also work with a generator for recharging electrical options.
My KLR has been from Canada to Mexico and back, between highways and several sections through the BDRs. Loaded with all sorts of crap to keep me alive as I slept next to the bike. It's just not there yet with the e-bikes. Eventually it will, just not quite now. Also the price point of those bikes make no sense, (out myself as a poor) they cost more than I paid for my XJ and KLR combined and still suck worse than both of them. And speaking of not quite there yet, pretty much anything you have to repair or replace on either the KLR or jeep can be done and there's a billion junkyard swaps and mods that have already been done with Sure, if you rode all night and had the additional weight of a quality roll up/fold up solar panel you'd still have to wait to get any type of charge on a good day in ideal weather. Now, it quiet... So is walking! but that's calorie-driven not electric assist and that's not fun for anyone. As the great philosopher Garand Thumb said, fitness. If you're not fit, you're gonna cry. Thank you for reading my blog.
Also, fish don't climb trees good and not many birds swim can well. There will always be someone with an "Aha, gotcha!" scenario But here's a silly comparison, gas fires vs lithium batteries oof
Correct, bought some entry level e bikes, just to experiment on. Then will add larger battery packs, and additional ways to power. Looking for a micro hydrogen generator. Also beefing up the frame to carry a battery power station and 100w folding panel. During Hurricane Milton, we kept Ryobi 40v and 21v electric chainsaws going using an Ecoflow River2 and a 100w panel. Work until 2 bars, move to charger, swap battery. By the time it hit 2 bars, the other battery was fully charged and the power station stay 80% through the day in sunlight.
Dirt bike. Coming from a logistics background in the military not having to wait on “recharge” is a big deal. I can take fuel from a truck and use it in a bike or vise versa. It’s less limiting.
GREAT video! 4 Electric Dirt Bikes at our place. Also, I have the ability to sneak around at our River Cabin at all hours of the night, morning, or day...without being noticed by ANYbody. Downfall is the charging, but I've found with Solar energy, as well as stored energy....when the grid goes out, it doesn't matter!
Great video, goes over a lot of the strength and weakness's. One thing i would like to add about e-bikes, is the in-ability to charge in LOW temperatures. Most of these batteries do not have a heater and charging below 32* F will simply kill the battery while a gas bike can be fueled and ran in any temperature. (They also have the ability to be converted to Timbersleds allowing use much like a snowmobile over heavy snow areas.)
Be able to drive a manual car, and dirt bike with a clutch and gears. With that said, I do like e-bikes because I have solar with huge battery bank. Don't own an e-bike yet, but maybe a future purchase.
I hate that it took me so long to get around to watching this video. You guys are seriously motivating me to diversify my focuses when it comes to sustainment, and survival. I gotta get my XR400 running.
Are you always trekking the most extreme terrains in SHTF? Where does a regular mountain bike paired with lightweight electronic to make it go brr fit in.
After living in WNC and Hurricane Helene taking out the grid and roads e-bikes and cars were on the road. Solar with power wall was charging everything and gas stations were either empty or couldn’t pump gas without grid electricity. Having both is the best option but my surron and our Tesla was invaluable.
All great points. I can stress enough that a lot of the E-bikes are very hard to get parts for because they're either startup companies or they've already gone out of business. Doesn't seem to be as much the case with Surons. Regarding engine sizes on bikes, look at the terrain you are going to be navigating usually, consider your uses and your own size. Unless you need to have a bigger engine to go fast for long periods of time like on a highway, a 250 4 stroke will be really good for the prepared citizen. They sip the gas, they're light, they have plenty of power for enduro-style riding. I say this as someone who owns a DR650, but took my TTR250 to compete in an Enduro race. It was 60 lbs lighter than the DR650 (and the DR is quite light for a 650). It makes a big difference when you're off-road.
It becomes more and more difficult to find parts for dirt bikes as they get older. Manufacturers change their engine design slightly ie:KTM 350 10 years ago and today the rebuild kit is different. Dealers cut off customers due to supply chain after a certain time forcing you to buy newer to get service and OEM parts if you aren’t mechanically inclined.
@@RogerStone-j1vthe absolute best is bikes like the Suzuki drz400, dr650, and the honda xr650. Their designs have been almost untouched for decades. If you want a more modern bike, yamaha 2 strokes are very easy to source parts for. They have had a few design changes recently; nothing really major though.
I just sold my E-Ride Pro 19", and had it for about 3 weeks. I wanted to try them. It's fast and fun, It's a bit noisy for my liking, not like you're going to sneak up on something. Also remember, that unless you want to carry the charger around you have to return to the home base to charge, it's quite the draw on a solar system, about 1500 watts if memory serves me.
Absolute Gold! Funny, informative and great production values. Crisp, interesting camera work paired with great editing. Love the 1.8 35mm shallow depth of field (guess).
Very thorough and fair comparison! Thank you! eBikes and EVs are still in early days with a lot of innovation in the pipeline. I sure this could be revisited every year or two and the eBikes will look more and more compelling. For me, for prepping, simply being able to keep it charged off solar and not having to rely on any kind of grid at all and being 100% self-reliant is awesome (baring major breakdowns, but even there, eBikes are less likely to break down in the first place, and in a bad societal collapse you won't be able to get the parts you're guaranteed to need for your dirt bike).
I'm not a chemist but you can actually make your own gasoline through pyrolysis. From what I've seen It's common to turn plastic waste into useable fuel in 3rd world countries However it still needs a fuel source like wood or something similar to burn. And the fumes are quite toxic. Would be an interesting thing to cover. (And I'm also guessing fuel isn't going to be that clean either so whatever you run it through will probably need frequent maintenance and may not run at 100% power)
I remember seeing a video of a guy in Europe who would take red diesel for lawnmowers and filter it to run in cars because prices were too high. Highly illegal where he was but food for thought for when laws are malleable.
Maaaaan I’ve been looking forward to a video like this forever, I’ve hated people online taking for granted gasoline operated machines and tools as these pinnacles of self sufficiency. I’m glad to see a even handed take that doesn’t just fall into the vibes of “manly” gas machines and “hippie” solar power
Don't over look something like an ADV bike as well, while they are larger and more expensive, they can carry a lot more gear as well as offer much more range and power.
I like the conecpt of e-bikes, but they're just not to the level i want (yet) I'll keep riding my DR650 for now.. a bit big for serious offroading, but good enough for what i do. Great video guys, keep it up.
@@jefflemaster2850 I’m apart of his group, and we haven’t tried it yet due to our schedules being busy. However, a couple other members of our group are currently working on some improvised gas-powered 4 wheeled transportation (we are creating small, 3 person recon vehicles), and we all have bikes. Our group hiking mostly relies heavily upon people being underprepared, improper bike management, and/or too much chaos to leave with our vehicles.
my suggestion as an experienced rider for the prepard is the Tdub. aka TW200. the bike can do anything. and I have actually put some questionable fuel in mine and never had issues. also, the bike is great for inexperienced riders. and it is a pack mule.
Hey Guys, I'm the Marine that met you guys when you showed up at GAP Grind. I choose Dirt Bike. I can find fuel. I caonnot charge a E Bike in the middle of combat...
Assuming you'll just be able to find fuel is so foolish. You really think fuel is going to be easy to find in a survival scenario? You're so unprepared, it's mind boggling.
@WillardLongshot-ks8yg you're assuming... which makes you look like the mule. I've been prepping for years. Trust me, if you don't need it, better off having it!
I say both; e-bikes are awesome for short recce missions, dirtbike has longer range and are far easier to fix "on the go" and are proven to be reliable as long as you keep up maintenance schedules. i love those waterproof bags, tnx for recommendation :D
I'm sitting in a hotel room to get caught up on work because the power is out at my house. Hurricane Milton hit us on Thursday and we've spent the last two days without any electricity. Fuel has been out at gas stations since before the storm hit, but there's still enough available because it's easy to store. Teslas, ebikes, etc are dropping like flies, but anything gas powered is still running strong because gasoline logistics are dramatically less difficult and less costly compared to electricity. Choosing an ebike means you have to deal with fuel twice most of the time, once to power whatever creates your electricity and against to charge your bike. This was far from my first hurricane, and the folks up in the mountains who got hit by Helene have the same lessons. You can't carry a bucket of electricity on your bike or vehicle, and you can't always choose how far you need to go or how much fuel it will take to get there. Ebikes are not grid down transportation, buy an ATV or dirt bike.
Not to mention, a hurricane,tornado or flooding shreds private solar panels, windmills and small hydro systems. A hail storm took out an entire solar farm in Texas so no guarantee you can make your own electricity.
5:21 best solution for that is to figure out a way to configure your bike to charge while you're riding it either that or have a spare battery that charges while you ride and vice versa when one battery is dead grab up your spare battery plug it in plug in your dead battery and ride while you charge your dead battery and you'll always have a means of transportation...
An interesting anecdote from a special operations team (I don't remember which one) regarding this question. Years ago they had found dirt bikes useful for some mission sets, dramatically reducing the travel time from insertion to objective. They recently tried gas/electric hybrids and really liked having a "silent running" mode that allowed them to take the bike closer to the objective. Then they tried an all-electric that promised the same range as their old bikes. It was a lie, the e-bike had a fraction of the range of either the gas or hybrid bikes when carrying a fully equipped operator. Add to that it was actually heavier than either the gas or hybrid bikes, which is a problem for transporting them especially by air, and they gave the e-bikes back. I could see them considering them again in the future as technology improves, but we aren't there yet.
Dirt bikes seem to be the all around best bike because of durability and logistics. I think e-bikes would be good for reconnaissance and or insertions. So i think using a vehicle or even a side-by-side pulling a trailer could get you close and then use the e-bikes to slip in and out with. I'd like to see an e-bike under thermals from ground and above after it has been running. Dirt bikes glow like a CIA fed post.
Honda 450 or KTM 530 dual sport is what I recommend. Both aren't super heavy and won't wear you out going over technical terrain. Both run off pump gas, unlike 2 strokes. I've been on a Honda XR-100, KDX 200, YZ 250 and 450, Honda 450, LC4-640, XR-650(custom built for Baja 500/1000). 450 to 530 is what I recommend. If that is to much then a 250 to 350 is the next size down. I'm in a desert with sand so I prefer the bigger bikes with more torque.
When it comes to dirt bikes, I believe you best bet would be to go with bikes that have been around for years and haven't changed the design (drz400, klr650, tw200). Alot of the times you could take a part off of a 2024 and put it onto a 90s version of it and the other way around.
@@RogerStone-j1v old Yamaha and Kawasaki 2 strokes with like Yamaha ct175 DT250,DT400, DT360 or a Kawasaki ke125 that have oil injection systems allow you to fill up at the gas station without running premix just filling an oil tank with 2 stroke oil. Fun bikes also old Honda 4 strokes for longevity if doing a top end rebuild on a 2 stroke is beyond your mechanical ability. a 4 stroke Honda 185-250cc is a super simple bike. Do your research and get a bike then load up on parts when you see them for sale cheap since that is the only limiting factor with older bikes is parts availability .
@@TheTyrial86 most bikes before the ~2000 where kick start between ~2000 and ~2017 they had both kick and electric start and after ~2017 a lot of the big ones dropped the kick start going just electric start, being that they are also fuel injected you weren't going any where with a dead battery anyway
single handed greatest intro done to date for Dirty Civilian. Christian, you taking those jokes to your expense was fantastic. Drew, hilarious. More blink-182 for background music. killed it.
Big American automobile high-HP V-8 engines were whisper quiet since the 1960s. Is there no exhaust/muffler technology to make the off-road dirtbikes very quiet? I realize there would be a loss in performance. But some of these dirt bikes seem to possess an excess of power. As an engineer, I have to believe there must be a sound suppression technology available for the 4-stroke bikes. That would significantly reduce their sound signature. Even a technology that could be cut off when High Performance is needed. That would be very useful in a "SHTF" situation. Without the drawbacks of the E-bikes.
They already exist... they suck rn. Just watched one guy lose theirs because the throttle was up when they reconnected the loose battery cable. Down the hill it went lol.
The cyber quad is the e-vehicle we deserve but will never get. Its too much of a happy middleground to not be a risk to sales of full teslas. Gonna need to wait for another mainline company to get serious about making one.
@@RedMatthew is there a model for can am? Im only seeing product rumors for 2026. Zero has been around long enough (17 years) that they aren’t really a startup anymore but can am is over 80 and has proven they are here to stay.
For bad boy buggies Im only seeing electric UTVs which are unfortunately always priced like small trucks. They have golf carts too but I think golf carts dont fit the offroading bill that dirt bikes and ATVs do.
Very Informative, as always!! Love how you guys break down topics; explain the pros and cons and especially keep foremost, stay in your budget, but get out and get the training!! Nick, camera work is awesome! Drew, you definitely fall into the "snarky, smart a##" mode effortlessly ( I'm going to carry CCW more forks! ). Josh, the way you quickly and eagerly went to e-bikes at the beginning shows how natural you would be tooling down Couch (not the furniture nor pronounced like the furniture) headed to Powell's. Keep up the excellent work all! 👍🤙
I live in Minnesota I have a klr 650 it goes 300 miles on a tank but no good in winter so 4 wheelers make sense year round my artic cat 450 goes twice as far than my Polaris 850on a tank full and squeezes through tight spots easier.like motorcycles snow mobiles only work on snow last year it didn’t . I also can stop and draw faster on the four wheeler and pull a trailer or sled they are so versatile and don’t need a trail your terrain may very
Good video. I've been looking at getting a dirt bike and looking at my options. I want a four stroke that can do highway speed and while I don't have a ton of experience on dirt bikes I have been riding street bikes for a few decades. Used bikes cost as much as a new one where I am.
Yah solar is the only way that e anything makes sense. And solar is so good for preparedness. Living in the south where a hurricane will come through and your area will lose power for days to weeks having solar is so nice. As long as the roof is still there you have power.
Have you guys ever looked into one wheel mobility? EUCs are getting very capable and are almost completely silent. They can be easily thrown into about any vehicle and are extremely efficient with their electricity usage. They do take a fair amount of practice to get decent at riding them though.
Yknow it is used as a jab at someone, but also he said "the" spectrum, so by law there are many spectrums in humans, mental and physical, so... could be talking about any kind. And it's a good joke playing on the fact that people may be fixated on something like a type of bike, just because, not on much actual merit. I do not find it offensive and I am on a type of spectrum myself 🤟something I ask u to take into consideration, and let me know what u think :)
In my opinion, one thing to note is.. if you are going to have a home, you'd want Solar in those situations. And if you have solar, you have a way of charging your bikes. You have to have a base of operations. Not to mention that you can use electricity for heating water, heating in general, defense...?
Check out the Himalayan 411 and Himalayan 450. 411 is easy to maintain, does about 70+ miles per gallon, it is almost like an old Jeep or a Land Rover, very agricultural, but does a great job.
A hybrid pickup truck for range and an e-bike for scouting the surrounding area. A solar panel and a power station for charging if there are no gas stations nearby, and some gasoline jerry cans for storing gasoline. That's my ideal set up. Why do you have to choose? Chances are you already have a pickup truck for day-to-day work anyway.
Im the netherlands, electrical cargo bikes are very popular. You can pedal on them, but they also have a battery. Many people use them as a second car, because you can transport children, groceries etc in them.
My question would be about quads and their use case compared to dirt bikes and E-bikes. They probably fill a different role, but would be interested in the concept and what it could look like
Refreshing unbiased look at bikes. I’ve gone the Varg route to be quiet, low maintenance and unlimited power source with solar and 45KWs of battery backup i have. Range on the go is definitely a concern but there is no perfect bike to have every aspect I’m looking at, would rather have stealth and guaranteed energy to know for sure i could go 50miles at any point.
In a SHTF scenario between dirt bike and e-bike, I'm going to choose horse.
horses are far better than just a horse. horses you can breed, trade, eat and milk!
@@keith3761 Totally agree
If that's the case, I'd choose a mule, typically smarter and more sure footed than a horse, plus they can work, need a tree pulled outta the forest? Mule all day
I agree with you.... but how many people know how to ride, care for the horse and gear.... or any other equine animal. A bike doesn't need "care" ans alsl doesn't have a mind of its own.
😂
I think it’s worth adding a mountain bike to the convo. Most low key form of travel aside from walking
Imagine Forward Observers retreating from the mountain on MTBs after being found out, losing 6000 feet in altitude in half an hour. That's a solid use case
As long as your competent with it, nothing will descend rough terrain quicker.
But you have to be skilled. A normie (non rider) just jumping on a long travel mtb and pointing it down normally end in concussion and collar bones.
Same can be said for motorbikes and surrons but someone with basic control over one of these can still get most of the benefit.
Depends on your objective as far as potential distance to be traveled.
@@wylnd you can get quite hubs as well making you super quite.
@@atomiccat2002 A Shimano hub has always been quiet. They don't make the cool sound. They make the almost no sound.
Honestly, in SHTF and I just need to move around, check traps/patrol an area/hit my hunting or fishing spot/etc I'd go e-bike but only if I had a way to charge it- the sun is more reliable than finding a working gas pump. Also, stealth is going to be your friend so being completely quiet is a plus.
Yup, as much as I love V8s and V12s and that over EVs...
...an E-Bike makes so much more sense in a tactical scenario.
@@Snakeblokewhich one (e-bike) to get though 🤔
Until the battery decays and you won’t be finding one of them just laying around or the parts to fix it
@@mgmwinz7791urban myth.
@@229glock you do know that batteries decay over 50 percent faster when unable to use correct fast charging power sources? for example why does you phone today come with a warning about only using your fast charger because older type cs and trickle charging from solar outlets can rapidly decay your battery. It is a reality that will impact far sooner than people think. you'll find your battery sensor displaying full when it is actually only 60 percent and losing your mobility when you need it most is a death sentence in the worst case
This is my favorite channel.. by far..
I'm a contractor and i use dirt bikes daily..
Most people can't understand how efficient they are.. for tactical-engagement purpose, commute, transport..
This is the only channel on youtube that addresses those issues in a very coherent way..
Well at least you use the gear as its intended instead of mucking about in your garden
@@RoughWalkers but i think people should "play" in their backyards before using for a life threatening situation.. dirt bikes are fun and useful.. much more than people think.. For "off grid" outdoor life style, is a huge plus, but for military-tactical use, is a must.. that's a skill that every operator should be trained for..
Obs: I'm in ukraine, and we have dirt bike groups that are making a huge difference when it comes to assault trenches or enemy positions(or even rescuing civilians from a contact zone).. so yeah.. i can say with property that dirt bikes are more important than people think...
@@nestormakhno2333 im talking about civilians preparing for the world to end .... the term we use in the 🇬🇧 is "all the gear and no idea" and these prepers just make me laugh
Some of them have over 100 weapojs systems incase america is invaded
America is a paranoid nation, im not having a go im just confirming what these videos are
Lets just hope theres enough gear for the people who actually need it instead of running around your back garden pretending to be a soldier
@@nestormakhno2333 i agree with the dirt bikes just annoys me when civvies prepare for war even tho they will probably never fire a bullet in anger
@@nestormakhno2333 stay safe over there brother, id be out there myself but mental health issues prevent me
@dirtycivilian is fast becoming a favorite Saturday tradition
Saturday is the true Sabbath…
@@AJohnSmiththe Lord’s Day is on Sunday. Read yourself the Book of Acts buddy
This was probably the most accurate “bro” conversations while riding I’ve ever seen. 😂 well done DC
Bro will keep a pedal Mountain Bike handy for the loss of power grids and fuel.
Pedals strengthen your legs too.
A recommendation from Jack Spirko that I always liked was - Keep 12 five gallon fuel containers in your shed/garage. Cycle one out per month (use it for your lawnmower or car or bike, whatever) and refill it with fresh gas. Cycle the next can the next month. You'll never store any given tank for longer than 12 months, and thus don't need to worry about fuel stabilizers, and always have a 60 gallon supply of fuel on hand.
you could also get hard metal tanks and a vacuum pump and suck out all the air using the vacuum fitting. This will make the gas last for 5-10 years, and possibly longer with a added fuel stabilizer.
@@keith3761your problem is that it's difficult to store 5 years of gas and gas things aren't even efficient at all. A pair of solar panels and electric tools and vehicles is far more efficient and effective.
My Ford lightning is pulling 140 mpge on low speed drives. Far more effective than a weaker louder gas f150 that gets less than a quarter efficiency.
@@joshsummers7933 your batteries will die out in about 5 years of heavy use. the solar panels lose their efficiency as well. not to mention hail and damage your solar panels might take. Also you will need far more than a "pair" of solar panels to charge your truck in any amount of time.
@@keith3761 you definitely won't have 5 years of gas. The first resource to vanish in any event is gasoline.
I call bullshit on 5 years for a battery 😂. I'm rolling 8 on my lawn batteries, have a 10 yo EV with little degradation. They're lasting far longer than people thought.
As for solar they make plenty of easily portable, foldable 400w panels. If I have 4 (easily set up and moved or added to a small trailer) that's 1600w capacity. I'm easily adding 40 miles per day far beyond the time you ran out of gas.
@@joshsummers7933 well you better send those batteries to NASA because no one else has been able to show 10 year EV with "little degradation" so i have to call BS on that unless you just never drive the thing. And that 1600w capacity is PEAK in perfect weather, something you will not have. And when someone rips a round into your car's battery bank you are gonna get melted. As for running out of gas, you know you can manufacture it right? and if everyone does somehow run out of gas how long do you believe it will be before they just come after you and take yours? esp when you have to stop and put out some very bright solar panels to recharge them?
Having a Dual sport and a Tacoma I’ve been able to drop my truck off and pick it up without help from another person. Adds a level of self reliance.
1. e-bike = fun high end operational tactics (local level)
2. gasoline powered enduro-bikes = (regional operations) (have stashes of gasoline in all wind-directions and rotate them)
3. Vans, campers, trailers, trucks en other higher storage transport = tactical (long distance operations) store plenty of fuel to go etc.... have enduro bikes scout the route ahead of the high-volume transport. Comms are essential.
Invest in nr3 first and work your way down.... 😉
What is NR3, tho ?
Indeed what is NR3?
Simply put, nr3 is a way to get away from a shtf-situation with stocked fuel/food/medical/dry clothes etc etc etc.... Usually enough fuel for a 1000miles and enough crap to eat, drink, wash, pee, poo, relax (morale) and clean up after yourself for a week. A trailer is imho the best option and probably cheapest option (don't forget tools and spare tires etc for your trailer). You can hitch it to almost any working vehicle and gives you a base to work from. Remember the rule of 3 (I use the rule of 2). Two hours in the wrong weather-conditions for your clothing-situation will kill you. So a nice hardend shelter makes for a good (hygienic) base.
27:14 Whatever you choose to go with, lean into its strengths, don’t try to make up for its weaknesses.
Super well said. Loved the video, dudes.
I have to push back against the idea that a new rider getting into dirt bikes should go with something without a clutch. The clutch is the most important part of learning to ride a motorcycle, and if you’re not learning that, you may as well just stick with an E bike.
If you are too dumb to figure out a clutch you should probably be riding one of those scooters they keep by the shopping carts at walmart
Who cares? As long as you can learn to ride that’s what matters. It’s different for everyone
@@CesarD321say you don’t know how to use a clutch without saying you don’t know how to use a clutch 😂
Some people are just doomed by design 🤣
That’s a good point.
Coming from someone who's ridden/raced both dirt and street, and started riding in 1972, I can say without any question, most people have no real need for a loud exhaust pipe on their bike for regular dirt or street riding. Spend the money you would have spent on performance upgrades on riding instruction from long time racers and trials competitors, etc. A skilled rider on an inferior bike can almost always eat an inexperienced rider for breakfast, even when the new rider is on a much better machine. For the purposes of stealth, you are _way_ better off keeping a nice quiet stock exhaust pipe on your dirt bike, in order to be stealthy. Any good rider will more than make up any power difference with skill.
Agreed 👍🏼
Drz400 has remained unchanged for 20+ years. Carbureted, long maintenance periods (3k miles). Known as a solid tank and good beginner bike, tons of parts and upgrades everywhere, Costs from $2k-$5k
Man that’s the most unchanged bike ever
My 02 drz still runs great
230 is still better. Air cooled, light, 6 speed, gets 70 mpg, and still light enough that you could throw it over a fence.
@@dukedynasty- the funny thing is, it's actually not. The 650 singles, XR650L, DR650, KLR650 have been around another 10-15 years longer than the drz, and haven't changed at all (ok the KLR got fuel injection and new plastics). The XR and the DR are still 80s tech in a bike that you can buy brand-new. Which is pretty awesome from the reliability standpoint.
@@DevDog67I rock the thumper, XR650
Bike with kick start seems more reliable than relying on battery and starter. Also a siphoning hose with hand pump to prime hose I think would be very handy in a pinch.
Honda trail 125. Just got one. Best apocolypse bike
All any bike needs to start is a steep hill
E-bike are more stealthy if needed? Every tool has their application. But what about just a plain old mountain bike? No gas or electricity needed and helps keep you in condition, almost never breaks down if you're taking it easy and is almost silent.
I think dirt bike AND a mountain bike is the solution for speed and silence and cost and maintainability, depending on the application.
Or an electric mountain bike.
or just stay at home. Prepare in the first place lmao
An xc mtb if you live in a rural area. Gravel or fully rigid mtb for urban or suburban areas. If you don’t need suspension go with the better transfer of energy.
They trialed this in the 90’s and it didn’t work well. Because the frames required had to be over strengthened and they had to be parachute deployable. It just made the weight to effort unattainable to maintain. Sure today the frames might be lighter and stronger, with the potential of having an e-bike capacity. However at the end of the day the effort to get to the objective would burn the troops out before they even crossed the departure line or arrive at the ORV. The move to either e-bikes or hybrids is a better option to get the troops there to participate in combat operations.
But showing up to the bro-party on a mountain bike won't feel as cool when everyone is masturbating over their made-up shtf scenario.
As someone with 100’s probably 1000’s of miles of dirt tracks out of my back door I have been trying to blend my professional experience with LARPing these days to make use of all these trails. To include ATV, Bike, motorcycle, horse, snowshoe, ski, snowmobile etc. Mobility is a very important factor that I have not got a grasp on outside of by feet or military
logistics.
0:10 I have that same hammock :D. It's a Sunyear camping hammock for anybody who wants to know, it can fit in your pocket it packs so small, real comfortable too
I have the ENO Sublink system. My hammock is sub-6 oz.. super tiny but super comfortable. It also came with a bug net, a rain fly, the hanging cords, and 4 titanium stakes (5.7 lbs total kit weight). Cost me $300, but it has been invaluable and paid for itself numerous times over. I never leave home without it. It's in my EDC bag.
@@snoopyevans9447 It looks almost the exact same as the one I have. That one definitely looks more reliable than mine though
@@markmartin2204 I'm actually fixing to make an investment I should have made when I purchased the sublink system, and that's to get the vulcan under quilt and the vesta over quilt. If it's dropping below 50, I can't sleep in it without my MSS. Doing so may lighten the need for a 10lb sleeping sleeping bag unless it's dropping below freezing. the vesta and vulcan together is another $500 investment.
E-bikes aren’t necessarily invisible on a thermal spectrum. Electric motors can generate a lot of heat, especially if they’re being used at full boil. However, they are very, very quiet compared to a normal motorcycle, which is a huge advantage. Less maintenance on a motor and not having to adjust valve trains or change oil is nice, and solar charging capability is also pretty cool if you have an off grid panel setup already working. But if you need something for getting through a disaster and getting the hell out of dodge, being able to put as much distance between you and whatever you’re leaving behind is essential. E-bikes just can’t do that.
E-bikes make sense to me in a post-societal world, having the ability to charge your batteries with off-grid solar is a huge advantage, and I think we can safely expect e-bike batteries to last at least 10 years considering modern lithium ion batteries. Gasoline on the other hand will, at best, only last a couple of years. Even with lower range, an e-bike will allow you to quickly patrol your property or move between communities/neighbors.
Look up the Verge series of E bikes, interesting reduction of parts but just too expensive. Hydro power and an E bike in a semi rural area for staying up to date with the neighbors maybe spotlighting on tracks for extra food and getting small amounts of groceries or trade in a food group or collective.
Most now you need to change gear fluid every 600 miles, but still nothing.
I been using ebikes to commute full time, test ebikes for companies, & they're so much more less maintenance & cost than driving cars, it cost me $4.35 every 1k miles I travel, cars were costing me THOUSANDS every year, & I've done long distance bikepacking to test it in different situations, & an ebike over a motorcycle is definitely a lot better choice to stay low key.
I will use Rwarr Mantis bikes kitted out like Adventure bikes, I have a bike trailer with dual suspension that can travel safely at 25+mph & can charge while mobile with the solar panel or power station
@@ReVolt_e-Vlogs the only issue I see with electric bikes is that they really aren’t useful for highway travel over say, 100 miles at a time. If you can’t do at least 75-80mph for over 100 miles on the highway, then it’s quite limited in its scope for travel or even long distance commuting. My round trip from work every day is 80 miles, and that’s simply to and from work. I would be hesitant for an electric motorcycle right now to get me to work every day without worry of the battery either dying on the way home, or the heat from prolonged highway speed causing the battery or motor to go into heat protection mode and limp mode the bike. I’ve seen it happen with surrons, and even eride pros doing the same thing. At that point your options are limited to something like zero motorcycles, which can be prohibitively expensive as their higher end bikes are nearly 20 grand. As it’s starting to get cold , the battery life of those bikes also take a hit. For that price you can buy a mid tier to top of the line gas powered touring motorcycle which will be able to go hundreds of miles per fillup.
I’ve always wanted an electric motorcycle for commuting since they seem like very simple machines, but if they can’t even make an out of state trip without several stops and hours of charging batteries it kind of seems like the scope of their use is quite limited to city commuting or outdoor use on trails and backroads.
@@elterga6224yeah but the problem in that scenario is ebike is harder to fix compared to gas engine imagine if you been in a firefight situation and a stray bullet hits youre battery or motor then its hard to fix that since their are not as common as gas and the other and i agree that a ebike could outlast a gas but when it surpass its life span then you basically face the same problem with gas
I have been riding a TW 200 for 35 years. Still the best bike I have ever had. Now with all the upgrades on the market , I can make it better were there are its short comings. Great video.
Unless it's the euro version ... the 125cc TW sucks pretty hard
Honda trail 125
i have an old kx250 2 stroke and that shit absolutely kills it. Drives like a dream, easy to fix like parts for that bike are everywhere and i can use parts from diffrent bikes aswell and that bike in general is just a beater. Turns on everytime, once i let it stand in a dirty sandy riding hall for over a year due to an injury and i couldnt move it, put a bed sheet ontop to protect it from sand, when i could ride it again i gave it a spray with water, put some fuel in it, it wouldnt start on kicking but i just push started it in 3. gear and it started instantly, rode without issue and after letting it run for 30mins it started on kickstart again the next day, as reliable as it gets
the video quality of these videos are insane, there arent many channels on youtube like this
A regular pedal bike turns a human into the most calorie efficient mammal in the world.
Bill nye wrote a book called Unstoppable, I read it years ago for school. In it he talks about the efficiency thats able to be reached by humans on bicycles. Per calorie eaten it's absolutely incredible how efficient a man on a bicycle can be! Worth the read :)
Not very fast tho
There’s lots of good reasons to have both. A much less expensive e-bike may be a good alternative to a Suron etc. I did a lite ADV build ( 5.2 gallon tank, Giant Loop rackless luggage etc,etc) on a Beta 500 for BDR use. Looking for an appropriate e-bike like a Lectric cargo bike w/dual batteries, 750 watt motor or higher and 150 mile range to get up into the back country with. Cargo e-bikes like this are rated to carry 450 lbs so transferring ones BDR gear over is a plus.
Stone by stone, brick by brick, with sweat and blood I have forged my youtube recommendations into glory
Gas completely drying up will probably never happen but gas shortage and rationing has happened before and is much more likely. A gas bike will make your gas ration go a lot further because they get great mileage.
Bur after 6 months of no gas production, even stashing gasoline is worthless because it stales
@@TalonsRebellion untreated gasoline is good for about a year, you can extend that indefinitely by adding fuel stabilizers yearly.
@@destroyerofgear better have a very big stash of fuel stabilizers. Also, that's all the gas you have and all the gas around you sitting in vehicles, untreated tanks, and other lovely places where humidity will affect gas.
@@destroyerofgear also, indefinitely is not correct. It will eventually degrade to much to be of use.
@destroyerofgear not indefinitely. Double the life at best without a vaccum tank worth more than your house
I’ve got a Honda 300l and a 230l along with 2 talaria sting e bikes. We use the e-bikes daily especially getting around after Helena when gas was gone. We needed to charge them once on the generator while running the house
KLR-650 adventure I feel far more confident in just due to range and it's design which has been tested and is expandable as you could want. Many continents have been crossed on a KLR, and the marine corps at one point used a version of it that could accept multiple kinds of fuel so it could sip off of whatever grunts could find.
@@christianarrington6492 The KLR’ s have definitely earned their part in being a great dependable dual purpose montrcycle. I’ve seen both military and police in Africa along the border’s are still using them. Having owned both the 650’s and ‘250’s they are one tough reliable bike!
@thenorthwoodz same in Sudan and South Sudan
Plus you get more use out it, by riding it to work and home during the times of peace and stability and not getting in trouble with the law.
Almost 50,000 miles on mine. Great bike!
@@rubberduckindustries6665 That's awesome!
I've been riding and racing dirt bikes since middle school...many, many years ago. For range and pure speed go ICE..the e-bikes are great for stealth so for a tac team go ICE but for recon e-bike. Kawasaki built some diesel bikes years back for the military but they are high maintenance and impossible to get parts for...but they could have been the ticket
I feel like a whole category of bikes was left out. Like "mini bikes" just because now they are bigger and have alot of potential. Brand new ones are cheap and because they use horizontal engines, if the engine breaks, you can find a compatible engine anywhere and it will stay running.
From my perspective, riding both, I thought you guys did an outstanding job on presenting the necessary thought processes involved in picking a ride. My E-bike is a class I, so I do sometimes miss the throttle, and this gives me a really good starting point should I want to up the class level on my E-bike stable. Thanks!!
My first bike was a XR600 kick start only… trial by fire… or so I thought, bought a brand new RMZ 250 thinking it would be a breeze to ride in comparison, I was wrong. Doesn’t really matter the size of bike you ride, if you underestimate it, it will hurt you.
SHTF I'd be going my MTB. Funnily enough Berm Peak actually demonstrated some of this in Asheville as they were in a pretty SHTF situation. He used his electric truck to get him as far as he could go, then jumped on his eMTB for the rest. eMTB is probably the best of all worlds because it's got electric assist but works fully manually if you run out of juice. You'd be much better on a regular bike than a dead eMTB though. Cool video, something to think about.
gas for the apocalypse, ebikes for dystopia
Asheville local here, Helene just hit recently and a regular bicycle has a lot of value, gas gets used up and no electricity those aren’t the best without fuel reserves. I used my mtb to get supplies in and out of a campground 1 mile of destroyed roada
Solar only works in good conditions and would need a big solar setup to even worm
In a grid down scenario, do you really want to go highway speed on a motorcycle in a world without medical care?
And on one wheel, I am the 56+ yo putting the wheel down at 50+ mph. Biggest hazard is spinning off speedo cable or ripping out the front valve stem.
Yes
Where I live if it isn't an interstate you aren't doing 50+. Much of the area is dirt roads so 30 is often "fast".
Bought an eride after seeing yalls video. I'm down in tampa and It's currently acting as a battery bank on wheels.
I saw e-bikes EVERYWHERE in Asheville in the first 72 hours after helene crushed us..... you stopped seeing them once they died and there was no way to charge them due to catastrophic damage to our infrastructure.
For prepping ALWAYS go with a vehicle than can run on fuel/different gasses over electric.
With that being said im planning on getting an E-bike for be-bopping around town but thats it.
When your power grid is completely destroyed its just more dead weight, speaking through newely acquired experience that is still ongoing in my neck of the woods.
So get solar panels?
@@5foot6andfunny right and when they get blown dwn/destroyed like the ones in my neighborhood then what my man?
@@albinoyak2755 You don't leave them out during a storm.........Shouldn't that be obvious? You have a backup power bank somewhere safe from damage. When storm ends and it's safe you can put them out to recharge what you used.
Hell solar was completely useless the first 96 hours after because of how hard the cloud coverage still was
@@albinoyak2755 Hence having backup battery power. At the end of the day it comes down to money and how much you have. Unfortunately the wealthy tend to survive longer than the poor.
KLR650 diesel/multi-fuel. With a diesel you can use a large variety of oils. Modifying a gasoline engine to run on alcohol is another option. Alcohol is very easy to make through fermentation. That would also work with a generator for recharging electrical options.
My KLR has been from Canada to Mexico and back, between highways and several sections through the BDRs. Loaded with all sorts of crap to keep me alive as I slept next to the bike. It's just not there yet with the e-bikes. Eventually it will, just not quite now. Also the price point of those bikes make no sense, (out myself as a poor) they cost more than I paid for my XJ and KLR combined and still suck worse than both of them. And speaking of not quite there yet, pretty much anything you have to repair or replace on either the KLR or jeep can be done and there's a billion junkyard swaps and mods that have already been done with
Sure, if you rode all night and had the additional weight of a quality roll up/fold up solar panel you'd still have to wait to get any type of charge on a good day in ideal weather.
Now, it quiet... So is walking! but that's calorie-driven not electric assist and that's not fun for anyone. As the great philosopher Garand Thumb said, fitness. If you're not fit, you're gonna cry. Thank you for reading my blog.
Also, fish don't climb trees good and not many birds swim can well. There will always be someone with an "Aha, gotcha!" scenario
But here's a silly comparison, gas fires vs lithium batteries oof
@@turdferguson2863 The KLR’s are one tough dependable dual purpose bike!
Correct, bought some entry level e bikes, just to experiment on. Then will add larger battery packs, and additional ways to power. Looking for a micro hydrogen generator. Also beefing up the frame to carry a battery power station and 100w folding panel. During Hurricane Milton, we kept Ryobi 40v and 21v electric chainsaws going using an Ecoflow River2 and a 100w panel. Work until 2 bars, move to charger, swap battery. By the time it hit 2 bars, the other battery was fully charged and the power station stay 80% through the day in sunlight.
Dirt bike. Coming from a logistics background in the military not having to wait on “recharge” is a big deal. I can take fuel from a truck and use it in a bike or vise versa. It’s less limiting.
GREAT video! 4 Electric Dirt Bikes at our place. Also, I have the ability to sneak around at our River Cabin at all hours of the night, morning, or day...without being noticed by ANYbody. Downfall is the charging, but I've found with Solar energy, as well as stored energy....when the grid goes out, it doesn't matter!
Horse. Eats Grass anywhere drinks Water anywhere.
True and they can be self replicating! You can make more horses with horses. But they do show up on thermals.... need to invent thermal horse camo!
Also horses can provide meat and milk
Holy shit I thought you were being funny, I just learned something 🤣
None of the survivalist types ever talk about horses… There’s a fear factor that most can’t get past in the presence of a large animal
And can only give away your position ONCE...
Great video, goes over a lot of the strength and weakness's. One thing i would like to add about e-bikes, is the in-ability to charge in LOW temperatures. Most of these batteries do not have a heater and charging below 32* F will simply kill the battery while a gas bike can be fueled and ran in any temperature. (They also have the ability to be converted to Timbersleds allowing use much like a snowmobile over heavy snow areas.)
Why not mention dual sport bikes? You can get a klr 650 of fb for 3k?
@@tripplej6053 KLR’s will take you anywhere!
This is hands down the best intro in guntube culture, ever. Bravo boys.
Be able to drive a manual car, and dirt bike with a clutch and gears. With that said, I do like e-bikes because I have solar with huge battery bank. Don't own an e-bike yet, but maybe a future purchase.
I hate that it took me so long to get around to watching this video. You guys are seriously motivating me to diversify my focuses when it comes to sustainment, and survival. I gotta get my XR400 running.
Are you always trekking the most extreme terrains in SHTF? Where does a regular mountain bike paired with lightweight electronic to make it go brr fit in.
After living in WNC and Hurricane Helene taking out the grid and roads e-bikes and cars were on the road. Solar with power wall was charging everything and gas stations were either empty or couldn’t pump gas without grid electricity.
Having both is the best option but my surron and our Tesla was invaluable.
Lovin the starfox 64 reference ❤ that use to be my game! “Do a barrel roll!”
All great points. I can stress enough that a lot of the E-bikes are very hard to get parts for because they're either startup companies or they've already gone out of business. Doesn't seem to be as much the case with Surons.
Regarding engine sizes on bikes, look at the terrain you are going to be navigating usually, consider your uses and your own size. Unless you need to have a bigger engine to go fast for long periods of time like on a highway, a 250 4 stroke will be really good for the prepared citizen.
They sip the gas, they're light, they have plenty of power for enduro-style riding.
I say this as someone who owns a DR650, but took my TTR250 to compete in an Enduro race. It was 60 lbs lighter than the DR650 (and the DR is quite light for a 650). It makes a big difference when you're off-road.
It becomes more and more difficult to find parts for dirt bikes as they get older. Manufacturers change their engine design slightly ie:KTM 350 10 years ago and today the rebuild kit is different. Dealers cut off customers due to supply chain after a certain time forcing you to buy newer to get service and OEM parts if you aren’t mechanically inclined.
Any thoughts on what would be a good bike with spare parts after understanding this?
@@RogerStone-j1vthe absolute best is bikes like the Suzuki drz400, dr650, and the honda xr650. Their designs have been almost untouched for decades.
If you want a more modern bike, yamaha 2 strokes are very easy to source parts for. They have had a few design changes recently; nothing really major though.
Exactly the new design for the motor to the transmission, to even the chain type. It’s getting harder for a pimp to get around
Any of the japanese bikes, none of the euro ones! @@RogerStone-j1v
@@RogerStone-j1v a YZ 125 or 250. Super durable, basically unchanged since 2007. 2 strokes are easy to work on.
I just sold my E-Ride Pro 19", and had it for about 3 weeks. I wanted to try them. It's fast and fun, It's a bit noisy for my liking, not like you're going to sneak up on something. Also remember, that unless you want to carry the charger around you have to return to the home base to charge, it's quite the draw on a solar system, about 1500 watts if memory serves me.
“Come on Peter Dinklage, let’s see what you got!” 😂😂😂😂
Absolute Gold! Funny, informative and great production values. Crisp, interesting camera work paired with great editing. Love the 1.8 35mm shallow depth of field (guess).
Next video: How to make your own oil refinery
Very thorough and fair comparison! Thank you! eBikes and EVs are still in early days with a lot of innovation in the pipeline. I sure this could be revisited every year or two and the eBikes will look more and more compelling. For me, for prepping, simply being able to keep it charged off solar and not having to rely on any kind of grid at all and being 100% self-reliant is awesome (baring major breakdowns, but even there, eBikes are less likely to break down in the first place, and in a bad societal collapse you won't be able to get the parts you're guaranteed to need for your dirt bike).
I'm not a chemist but you can actually make your own gasoline through pyrolysis.
From what I've seen It's common to turn plastic waste into useable fuel in 3rd world countries
However it still needs a fuel source like wood or something similar to burn. And the fumes are quite toxic. Would be an interesting thing to cover.
(And I'm also guessing fuel isn't going to be that clean either so whatever you run it through will probably need frequent maintenance and may not run at 100% power)
I remember seeing a video of a guy in Europe who would take red diesel for lawnmowers and filter it to run in cars because prices were too high. Highly illegal where he was but food for thought for when laws are malleable.
Maaaaan I’ve been looking forward to a video like this forever, I’ve hated people online taking for granted gasoline operated machines and tools as these pinnacles of self sufficiency. I’m glad to see a even handed take that doesn’t just fall into the vibes of “manly” gas machines and “hippie” solar power
Don't over look something like an ADV bike as well, while they are larger and more expensive, they can carry a lot more gear as well as offer much more range and power.
Scooters also because you dont need to balance the tires and you can change them at home
I like the conecpt of e-bikes, but they're just not to the level i want (yet) I'll keep riding my DR650 for now.. a bit big for serious offroading, but good enough for what i do. Great video guys, keep it up.
My SHTF plan involves a 60 mile hike to a farm that my friend's grandad owns.
Womp womp
"That's bait." ☝🏽
Enjoy "sharing" it at some point.
Have you tried to walk there yet? Just to see what that entails? Try out some footwear? I hope you never have to do it for real! Stay safe
@@jefflemaster2850 I’m apart of his group, and we haven’t tried it yet due to our schedules being busy. However, a couple other members of our group are currently working on some improvised gas-powered 4 wheeled transportation (we are creating small, 3 person recon vehicles), and we all have bikes. Our group hiking mostly relies heavily upon people being underprepared, improper bike management, and/or too much chaos to leave with our vehicles.
my suggestion as an experienced rider for the prepard is the Tdub. aka TW200. the bike can do anything. and I have actually put some questionable fuel in mine and never had issues. also, the bike is great for inexperienced riders. and it is a pack mule.
Hey Guys, I'm the Marine that met you guys when you showed up at GAP Grind. I choose Dirt Bike. I can find fuel. I caonnot charge a E Bike in the middle of combat...
Keep a siphon pump. Theirs small handheld pumps which work great..
Assuming you'll just be able to find fuel is so foolish. You really think fuel is going to be easy to find in a survival scenario? You're so unprepared, it's mind boggling.
@WillardLongshot-ks8yg you're assuming... which makes you look like the mule. I've been prepping for years. Trust me, if you don't need it, better off having it!
I say both; e-bikes are awesome for short recce missions, dirtbike has longer range and are far easier to fix "on the go" and are proven to be reliable as long as you keep up maintenance schedules. i love those waterproof bags, tnx for recommendation :D
I'm sitting in a hotel room to get caught up on work because the power is out at my house. Hurricane Milton hit us on Thursday and we've spent the last two days without any electricity. Fuel has been out at gas stations since before the storm hit, but there's still enough available because it's easy to store. Teslas, ebikes, etc are dropping like flies, but anything gas powered is still running strong because gasoline logistics are dramatically less difficult and less costly compared to electricity. Choosing an ebike means you have to deal with fuel twice most of the time, once to power whatever creates your electricity and against to charge your bike. This was far from my first hurricane, and the folks up in the mountains who got hit by Helene have the same lessons. You can't carry a bucket of electricity on your bike or vehicle, and you can't always choose how far you need to go or how much fuel it will take to get there. Ebikes are not grid down transportation, buy an ATV or dirt bike.
Not to mention, a hurricane,tornado or flooding shreds private solar panels, windmills and small hydro systems. A hail storm took out an entire solar farm in Texas so no guarantee you can make your own electricity.
5:21 best solution for that is to figure out a way to configure your bike to charge while you're riding it either that or have a spare battery that charges while you ride and vice versa when one battery is dead grab up your spare battery plug it in plug in your dead battery and ride while you charge your dead battery and you'll always have a means of transportation...
I'm going bicycles I'll be my own fuel not relying on gas or electric!!!!!
An interesting anecdote from a special operations team (I don't remember which one) regarding this question. Years ago they had found dirt bikes useful for some mission sets, dramatically reducing the travel time from insertion to objective. They recently tried gas/electric hybrids and really liked having a "silent running" mode that allowed them to take the bike closer to the objective. Then they tried an all-electric that promised the same range as their old bikes. It was a lie, the e-bike had a fraction of the range of either the gas or hybrid bikes when carrying a fully equipped operator. Add to that it was actually heavier than either the gas or hybrid bikes, which is a problem for transporting them especially by air, and they gave the e-bikes back. I could see them considering them again in the future as technology improves, but we aren't there yet.
E-bikes stealth mode, Gas bikes do all definitely for the long haul
Yall did great with that opening, good vibes in rough tides makes everyone's day better
Dirt bikes seem to be the all around best bike because of durability and logistics.
I think e-bikes would be good for reconnaissance and or insertions.
So i think using a vehicle or even a side-by-side pulling a trailer could get you close and then use the e-bikes to slip in and out with.
I'd like to see an e-bike under thermals from ground and above after it has been running. Dirt bikes glow like a CIA fed post.
just found this channel. the intro has sold me. i don't need to see anymore. subscribed. feel like i would vibe with y'all irl
Thanks! Glad you like it!
Any good dual sport will dominate in most circumstances
Honda Africa twin for the expensive end and Suzuki dr350-650 for used to cheaper end
Honda 450 or KTM 530 dual sport is what I recommend. Both aren't super heavy and won't wear you out going over technical terrain. Both run off pump gas, unlike 2 strokes. I've been on a Honda XR-100, KDX 200, YZ 250 and 450, Honda 450, LC4-640, XR-650(custom built for Baja 500/1000). 450 to 530 is what I recommend. If that is to much then a 250 to 350 is the next size down. I'm in a desert with sand so I prefer the bigger bikes with more torque.
When it comes to dirt bikes, I believe you best bet would be to go with bikes that have been around for years and haven't changed the design (drz400, klr650, tw200). Alot of the times you could take a part off of a 2024 and put it onto a 90s version of it and the other way around.
Street legal running dirt bikes can always be had for less than $2000 if you get one with a magneto it doesn’t even need a battery to run.
What kinds? Do they have a title? Any info helps
@@RogerStone-j1v
Kick start dirt bikes don't have electric starts. Most 2 strokes will be this way.
@@RogerStone-j1v old Yamaha and Kawasaki 2 strokes with like Yamaha ct175 DT250,DT400, DT360 or a Kawasaki ke125 that have oil injection systems allow you to fill up at the gas station without running premix just filling an oil tank with 2 stroke oil. Fun bikes also old Honda 4 strokes for longevity if doing a top end rebuild on a 2 stroke is beyond your mechanical ability. a 4 stroke Honda 185-250cc is a super simple bike. Do your research and get a bike then load up on parts when you see them for sale cheap since that is the only limiting factor with older bikes is parts availability .
@@TheTyrial86 most bikes before the ~2000 where kick start between ~2000 and ~2017 they had both kick and electric start and after ~2017 a lot of the big ones dropped the kick start going just electric start, being that they are also fuel injected you weren't going any where with a dead battery anyway
@@RogerStone-j1v drz400 with a kick start installed, I've never been stranded
single handed greatest intro done to date for Dirty Civilian. Christian, you taking those jokes to your expense was fantastic. Drew, hilarious. More blink-182 for background music. killed it.
Only thing with e-bikes is that the battery’s capacity decreases over time. Then you gotta buy another one- or get lucky finding one.
Technically the degradation is true, but it’s only a small percentage. That is unless it’s a super low quality battery.
They don't decrease that fast. Also you do realize the ICE motors wear out yea? A real prepper would just have at least one of each.
Big American automobile high-HP V-8 engines were whisper quiet since the 1960s.
Is there no exhaust/muffler technology to make the off-road dirtbikes very quiet?
I realize there would be a loss in performance.
But some of these dirt bikes seem to possess an excess of power.
As an engineer, I have to believe there must be a sound suppression technology available for the 4-stroke bikes. That would significantly reduce their sound signature.
Even a technology that could be cut off when High Performance is needed.
That would be very useful in a "SHTF" situation.
Without the drawbacks of the E-bikes.
In all seriousness when are we gonna start seeing E-4wheelers?
They already exist... they suck rn. Just watched one guy lose theirs because the throttle was up when they reconnected the loose battery cable. Down the hill it went lol.
The cyber quad is the e-vehicle we deserve but will never get. Its too much of a happy middleground to not be a risk to sales of full teslas. Gonna need to wait for another mainline company to get serious about making one.
They already exist. For example quads, check bad boy buggies, zero cycle, and can am websites
@@RedMatthew is there a model for can am? Im only seeing product rumors for 2026. Zero has been around long enough (17 years) that they aren’t really a startup anymore but can am is over 80 and has proven they are here to stay.
For bad boy buggies Im only seeing electric UTVs which are unfortunately always priced like small trucks. They have golf carts too but I think golf carts dont fit the offroading bill that dirt bikes and ATVs do.
Very Informative, as always!! Love how you guys break down topics; explain the pros and cons and especially keep foremost, stay in your budget, but get out and get the training!! Nick, camera work is awesome! Drew, you definitely fall into the "snarky, smart a##" mode effortlessly ( I'm going to carry CCW more forks! ). Josh, the way you quickly and eagerly went to e-bikes at the beginning shows how natural you would be tooling down Couch (not the furniture nor pronounced like the furniture) headed to Powell's. Keep up the excellent work all! 👍🤙
. Four legs instead of two wheels is the way. Emp proof
If you have the land and money to care for horses, sure. Horses can also make more horses.
One of your best videos yet. :)
We are big dirt bike fans. We do a lot of hard, technical off-road riding. ICE vehicles are def the way to go.
what if the fuel run out, since logistics break down? since everyone else also need fuel
@@stefthorman8548 Electricity is generated by burning fuel.
@@ExpatriotSilencers unless you have solar
@@Iamabot4708 Solar recharge would take hours and hours, possibly days. Thats not a tenable solution.
Got me rifle. Got me feet. Nuff money to survive off of.
Simple as.
Money means nothing in SHTF
@@RogerStone-j1v my point is I don't have the money now. And it seems shtf is closer and closer each week.
I live in Minnesota I have a klr 650 it goes 300 miles on a tank but no good in winter so 4 wheelers make sense year round my artic cat 450 goes twice as far than my Polaris 850on a tank full and squeezes through tight spots easier.like motorcycles snow mobiles only work on snow last year it didn’t . I also can stop and draw faster on the four wheeler and pull a trailer or sled they are so versatile and don’t need a trail your terrain may very
Most of the "Prepared Civilians" I know need regular cycling, no point in prepping for the worst and being fat and out of shape 😂😂😂
Good video. I've been looking at getting a dirt bike and looking at my options. I want a four stroke that can do highway speed and while I don't have a ton of experience on dirt bikes I have been riding street bikes for a few decades. Used bikes cost as much as a new one where I am.
If you have a solar setup 100% ebike
Yah solar is the only way that e anything makes sense. And solar is so good for preparedness. Living in the south where a hurricane will come through and your area will lose power for days to weeks having solar is so nice. As long as the roof is still there you have power.
Have you guys ever looked into one wheel mobility? EUCs are getting very capable and are almost completely silent. They can be easily thrown into about any vehicle and are extremely efficient with their electricity usage. They do take a fair amount of practice to get decent at riding them though.
0:56 Not cool.
Yknow it is used as a jab at someone, but also he said "the" spectrum, so by law there are many spectrums in humans, mental and physical, so... could be talking about any kind.
And it's a good joke playing on the fact that people may be fixated on something like a type of bike, just because, not on much actual merit. I do not find it offensive and I am on a type of spectrum myself 🤟something I ask u to take into consideration, and let me know what u think :)
In my opinion, one thing to note is.. if you are going to have a home, you'd want Solar in those situations. And if you have solar, you have a way of charging your bikes. You have to have a base of operations. Not to mention that you can use electricity for heating water, heating in general, defense...?
Easily the best channel on the internet
Check out the Himalayan 411 and Himalayan 450. 411 is easy to maintain, does about 70+ miles per gallon, it is almost like an old Jeep or a Land Rover, very agricultural, but does a great job.
Great video! As a swede, the pronounciation of Husqvarna made med laugh out loud though!
A hybrid pickup truck for range and an e-bike for scouting the surrounding area. A solar panel and a power station for charging if there are no gas stations nearby, and some gasoline jerry cans for storing gasoline. That's my ideal set up. Why do you have to choose? Chances are you already have a pickup truck for day-to-day work anyway.
Thanks for making this content.
Been watching since the BEGINNING.
Im the netherlands, electrical cargo bikes are very popular. You can pedal on them, but they also have a battery. Many people use them as a second car, because you can transport children, groceries etc in them.
My question would be about quads and their use case compared to dirt bikes and E-bikes. They probably fill a different role, but would be interested in the concept and what it could look like
Refreshing unbiased look at bikes. I’ve gone the Varg route to be quiet, low maintenance and unlimited power source with solar and 45KWs of battery backup i have. Range on the go is definitely a concern but there is no perfect bike to have every aspect I’m looking at, would rather have stealth and guaranteed energy to know for sure i could go 50miles at any point.
Totally agree