GS Scrambler, Possible?

[crag antler]

Probably the best all around bike out there! It is large enough for me (6'4" and 220), so it is great as a tourer. It is also great offroad, pretty much like a big dirt bike.

I've ridden it 6000 miles since I got it back in March and about 1500 of those miles are dirt roads/trails. I just went on a ride with some ADV folks up into Wyoming and the V-Strom kept up with all the DR's. KLR's etc. in the loose and rocky trails.

Overall I couldn't be happier. I might like to try the 1000, just because of the extra power. BUT that power would do me no good on the loose stuff, which the 650 is great in.

How is the ADV group to ride with?
I have been a member there since April '09 and find it to as helpful as the GSR is.

 

[seuadr]

Probably the best all around bike out there! It is large enough for me (6'4" and 220), so it is great as a tourer. It is also great offroad, pretty much like a big dirt bike.

good to know. i'm 6'0 and 200 lbs, so pretty similar build. glad to hear the 650 is comfortable, that was one question i had. My 1100G is about the right size, with 2'' risers for the bars.

 

[reddirtrider]

How is the ADV group to ride with?
I have been a member there since April '09 and find it to as helpful as the GSR is.

Yea, what does ADV stand for anyway?

I was a member or NCTR (Northern Colorado Trail Riders) for one year before I moved down to southern Colorado. They were a lot of fun - everything from beginners to expert riders and they rode almost every weekend. If I ever get time off from the grind I'll join again and catch a ride now and then.

 

[reddirtrider]

Grafting a set of forks and a swingarm from an XR650R (or equivalent) would be pretty cool. There's nothing better than lots of suspension travel when off road.

 

[seuadr]

Yea, what does ADV stand for anyway?

I was a member or NCTR (Northern Colorado Trail Riders) for one year before I moved down to southern Colorado. They were a lot of fun - everything from beginners to expert riders and they rode almost every weekend. If I ever get time off from the grind I'll join again and catch a ride now and then.

adv is adventure riders. they aren't strictly trail nor strictly road, but kind of a mix.

lots of great pics over there i've noticed, and they seem to be pretty knowledgeable about a fair amount of bikes. they have guys that do ride reports (just regular members) that are everything from day trips on the street to cross continent trips.

interesting read.

hell of alot of v-strom owners, too. lots of tips and tricks like we have here for the gs's.

 

[crag antler]

adv is adventure riders. they aren't strictly trail nor strictly road, but kind of a mix.

lots of great pics over there i've noticed, and they seem to be pretty knowledgeable about a fair amount of bikes. they have guys that do ride reports (just regular members) that are everything from day trips on the street to cross continent trips.

interesting read.

hell of alot of v-strom owners, too. lots of tips and tricks like we have here for the gs's.

Here's the link http://www.advrider.com/

 

[bwringer]

I've sorta adventure-ized my VX800. No real reason, other than it's already been wrecked so there's no reason to keep it pristine.

The dual-sport tires work far better than I thought they would on and off pavement. The VX can chug through some really sloppy stuff with no problem, and throw a gawdawful roostertail of rocks and dirt at will.

It's still a streetbike with only about 4" of suspension travel, but as long as I keep that in mind, it's a lot of fun.

Since these photos, I've added fork boots ($17) and a sink-no-bob kickstand pad ($19). Yup, I'm a big spender.

The front is a 110/80-18 rear turned around backwards. It works great.

It would actually be easier to find dual-sport tires for my GS, since the front is a 19" rim and the rear is 17". The oddball 18" front on the VX left me with only one choice.

However, my GS is just too nice to risk in the dirt, and it's about 75 pounds heavier.

 

[reddirtrider]

I see what you guys are trying to do. Yea, not too bad if you keep it in the back of your mind that if you ever get stuck, you're going to have a heck of a time getting out.

Kinda does look like fun though in a sick, perverted sort of way. Kinda' like taking the 74' Bonneville out on some muddy back roads. :clap: Ah, stories to tell the grandkids.

 

[Colorado CJ]

Yep, ADV rider (adventure riders) is at http://advrider.com The guys/gals I met so far on the one ride I did were great. Alot of fun to be around and REALLY fun to ride with.

ADVRider has regional forums where people post local ride routes and meets. You can go riding every weekend (and sometimes during the week) if you want. There are strictly road rides, as well as a mixture of road/dirt rides happening all the time. It is a great way to meet people with the same interests and a great way to explore places you didn't even know were there.

 

[Colorado CJ]

These aren't GS's, but it gives me some ideas.

Yamaha XS 650:

HMM, my friend has a friend who has a '78 XS 650 but it doesn't have a title (he is a storage building owner and the guy stopped paying his payments for a couple of years now).

Anyway, I can pick it up for $50.00. I might just go this route instead of working on my GS, not sure yet though as I know my GS is running great.

 

[Colorado CJ]

And one turned into a (heavy) trials bike.

 

[GregT]

I like that last XS650 - reminds me a lot of my old SL350 Honda.
Weirdest Dirt changeling I've seen was GSXR1100L, naked, long travel USD forks from late dirt bike, longer Ohlins shock, Knobbly tyres etc.
Set up for beach racing at the Burt Munro meeting here in NZ.
They've now banned full knobblies as things like this just dug out the beach.
Lost the photos when our last computer crashed sorry.

Greg T

 

[Guest]

I love your idea, in fact it's what I'm planning with my 450, but I have a lot of work to do before getting anywhere near making it a scrambler type bike.

I have a mock up on a thread here somewhere, will attempt to find it.

 

[Guest]

Ok, forgot I canned my photobucket account and created a new one due to a username/password compromise so my old thread's pic's no longer work.

Anyways, here's the mock up I did, but I'm probably not going to paint the spokes black.

 

[Griffin]

I like it!

If you could find some spoked wheels for it, that would be even better, I think. Save some weight too.

 

[salty_monk]

Looks very close to the triumph one... I would actually like something like that myself.

Shame Suzuki didn't build a twin in the 650 sort of range. I'd want to load mine up with panniers & the like so a 400 would probably be a bit sluggish at that stage! Seems like the only really cost effective option along those lines in this country is the older KLR. I suppose you could get one of the XL's or DR's & dress them up the same way....

Dan

 

[Nessism]

Looks very close to the triumph one... I would actually like something like that myself.

Shame Suzuki didn't build a twin in the 650 sort of range. I'd want to load mine up with panniers & the like so a 400 would probably be a bit sluggish at that stage! Seems like the only really cost effective option along those lines in this country is the older KLR. I suppose you could get one of the XL's or DR's & dress them up the same way....

Dan

They did Dan, it's called a GR650.

And link to tons more GR650 offroad photos... http://photobucket.com/images/gr650/?page=1

 

[mistertoadie]

Also known as the 650 Tempter.

 

[Guest]

I will admit a blatantly obvious Triumph Scrambler copy there... but I like my 450's size and being a twin found it not too hard to maintain with synch'ing carbs and the like also.

Now if only I could get the engine painted and put back together... then I could think about starting it for real

 

[salty_monk]

Hmmm - will have to have a look at that. Were they popular? Were they as reliable as the GS's?

Dan