Bad Day on the Mountain: R1250GS Crashes on the Mount Rosa Loop
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2024
- We rode up Old Stage Road again to try the Mount Rosa Loop, an OHV trail around Mount Rosa. Our first trail was nearly impossible on heavy bikes, and went straight up Mount Rosa, so we bailed.
Less than 1/4 mile into the CORRECT trail, disaster struck when Neil's left crashbar struck a boulder and nearly sent him over the edge of a 700ft+ drop. Unfortunately the crashbar bent backwards into the valve cover, dislodging it and causing a severe oil leak.
We pushed and shoved for 25 minutes to get the bike turned around and facing back down the mountain, then pushed it uphill to the start of the trail, where Neil's heaps of mountain biking experience helped him coast the dead GSA back down to a staging area so his family could come recover him.
We'll try it again, but maybe a tad slower and with a little better eye for rocks...
Ouch. That's what I always imagine happening when I see that boxer engine sticking out.
I subbed... So Mt Rosa aka Nelsons or #672 is a Singletrack that is hard for most people on Enduro bikes. The steep hill you turned around on (FR381.B) just goes up to an old mine (no entrance up there) it gets even steeper...LOL Good view though and I have found two stolen vehicles up there the USFS removed in the past. FR381 you started down and had the case damage just dead ends, it gets really rocky and steep before the end, no good view etc. However as you are heading to the end that is where you will find the 672 singletrack to your left. Hiking trail will be on your right. There is a play area, old mining stuff (quarry) off to your right on FR381, that has a good view at the top but is loose and steep. FR381.A by the old cistern drops down and is steep and washed out, that way could get you into trouble if you stay to the left, it gets rocky and steep and dead ends there is no number for that old road. Staying on FR381.A is doable on the bikes you are on, good view of looking back to FR381.B to the top of the steep hill you tried.
I got to say be careful, a lot of the roads can start off okay but get rough or drop you down to spots you might have a hard time getting out of.
I highly recommend COTREX as it's FREE provided by Colorado tax dollars. Shows all the legal trails etc in Colorado. Check out Mt Herman Rd and the side trails. If you need anything let me know, if I am available I'm cool with rescuing. Also check out the moto shop in Monument, A&M Moto Toys next to Game City by Rosie's.
Good to know! Appreciate the routes, I'll check them out for sure!
I actually used COTREX to plan the route around Mt. Rosa, since 381 connects through that 672 singletrack and back down 379 to 626 and the starting point!
I'm looking into a lighter bike (KTM 350 EXC-F or a WR450F) to hopefully be a little less risky on those high altitude singletracks. I dropped the T7 on some Rampart Range singletrack last weekend and caved in a barkbuster...
Always carry tow straps.
But this is a beautiful playground for adventure riding.
We found one on the trailside, actually, but ended up not needing it.
We pushed the bike uphill for probably 10-15 minutes that I wasn't recording, but the rest of it was mostly downhill. We got lucky.
Get a tow strap The Strap Guy and practice using it.
We had straps, but it made more sense for us to use a footpeg push on the very few level or uphill sections so we weren't stressing the T7 transmission and clutch with towing for extended periods.
I know it sounds counter intuitive but you're going way too slow through those wash-outs & in general. You really need to give yourself more momentum, particularly through wash-outs & changing, undulating terrain like that. You're trying to keep a lot of mass controlled at very low speed which, means you have to be considerably more precise with your weight & position on the bike which also means you have to be able to shift your mass very quickly & be very precise. As you've already experienced, not the best way to keep a big, heavy machine pointed in the correct direction & upright. You really need to use the momentum & rear wheel power of the bike to make it steer where you want it to go which, means a little more speed & more aggressive riding behaviour.
To give some perspective to the situation, trials bike riders are set up with very light machines with exceptionally low centre of gravity &, although they make it look easy, it takes years for them to be able to command their machines at the very low speeds they use. You are basically trying to achieve some of the same riding challenges with a bike that even the most accomplished trials rider would struggle with.
To ride any motor bike in difficult terrain, the rider is always better served with an aggressive riding attitude & not full of indecision at every turn.
On a large heavy bike, we all need to be practiced at our low speed manoeuvring like being able to power turn the machine instead of man-handling to turn the bike.
I've been riding since I was about 10 yrs of age & have always had motor bikes in my life. I've ridden & owned all kinds of bikes & ridden in all kinds of terrain & riding too slow is the hardest riding of all with a big bike.
The GS is a very heavy machine & not the best choice for a rider with minimal experience.
The best way for you to step things up & give you more confidence is to ride those same trails again with a much more experienced rider who is well aware of your experience level & can push you along a little faster on the track. By trying to keep up with a more advanced rider, you will quickly realize the true potential of the bike when ridden & handled more appropriately for that type & weight of bike. You basically just need to find someone to get things moving a little faster which will almost immediately boost your confidence which, is very evidently, most of your trouble at this stage.
To be very honest, both you & your friend need a little pushing along by a better rider.
Since we all have to start somewhere, don't be too proud to ask for help. It's the smart way of learning anything in life.
@@rotasaustralis I appreciate the insight!
We're just out there trying to improve, and if the stakes were a little lower we'd probably push as hard as we do on level ground. As you saw, though, we're literally inches from hundreds of feet of free space. One wrong line at too high a speed and it's all over.
I'll admit, I need to use a little more throttle through obstacles so I have more momentum stored to overcome some of the tougher stuff. That's what I'll be working on this week in the enduro park! Last week it was just basic dirt drills to keep retraining the fundamentals.
Keep the shiny side up! :)
No worries.
Please don't take what I said as a criticism. I've watched a couple of your vids & in my opinion you ride a little too slowly simply from the perspective of giving the machine enough momentum. Riding a heavy, tall machine slowly is much harder, hence, the counter-intuitive aspect. I know when I was learning, it helped me a great deal to have more experienced riders to keep me going at a reasonable pace in order for me to gain the confidence I lacked &, which was actually working against me.
Confidence on a bike is extremely important whereas, overconfidence often ends in tears or death. Lack of confidence causes double mindedness which is as bad or sometimes worse than over-confidence. Lack of confidence also causes the rider to be controlled by the bike instead of controlling the bike.
Anyhow, it's great to see you out there & having a go &, the vids are good as well.@@NoahWyka
Not a fun day for sure!
I'm just glad you're good, man! That was a long way down...
R1250GS not GSA :)
Made the adjustment, thanks!
Lol thanks but was joking a bit. At least you were able to get me to watch all of the video, if it said GS I wouldn’t have watched it. :) enjoyed the video, it was good 👍🏼
No offense but you need to get a smaller bike and work in your skills. I would recommend an offroad course and of course there is plenty available here on you tube.
I agree, and a lighter bike for enduro and technical singletrack riding is in the works. Looking at a KTM 350 or Beta 300, but they're incredibly expensive for a hobby item.
I don't have a dirt bike or enduro background whatsoever, so I'm still learning!
For 95% of the riding I do, though, the T7 is perfect.
It's just when I get into the tight stuff and end up off-line, I have trouble.