The clash of dual-sport/ADV 650 thumpers | Page 5 | GTAMotorcycle.com

The clash of dual-sport/ADV 650 thumpers

Which is best for which road?

  • City/HWY - Honda XR650

    Votes: 2 13.3%
  • City/HWY - Kawasaki KLR650

    Votes: 4 26.7%
  • City/HWY - Suzuki DR650

    Votes: 2 13.3%
  • Gravel/Dirt roads - Honda XR650

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Gravel/Dirt roads - Kawasaki KLR650

    Votes: 2 13.3%
  • Gravel/Dirt roads - Suzuki DR650

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • Off road/trail - Honda XR650

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • Off road/trail - Kawasaki KLR650

    Votes: 1 6.7%
  • Off road/trail - Suzuki DR650

    Votes: 2 13.3%

  • Total voters
    15
Yeah, casual is my game. Overly organized with too many rules makes me cringe.
With that said, we'll definitely try to get something going this year on GTAM, MotorcycleMike.
I don't want to get my pig stuck in the forest somewhere but definitely wanna hit gravel and double track.
Few years from now, if I have a bigger garage, I may add a true dirt bike to the stable.

Do you guys have OFTR memberships? I heard it's needed on some roads/trails.
They have a weird system where you have to sign up through a club like ODSC for example.

Facebook - I don't have it. But thanks for the suggestion. I joined a Meetup group but so far everything they posted is planned rides through ODSC, RallyConnex, etc.

I'll look into Thor boots and order some steel foot pegs.
 
The ODSC rides (except for the Bethany) are really small, casual, and very easy going.

The OFTR membership is really just needed for Simcoe County Tracts. I know there's a few other ones out east, but the Ganny has its own. When you sign up you just pick a club to "support" and you add other ones to support too.
 
I'll look into Thor boots and order some steel foot pegs.

I have some Chinese Steal pegs (d2d I think) That have never been mounted, if I can find them and they fit, ( supposed to be for 2007 and prior year klr) they would be cheap.
pm me if interested.

These be them....

Free-Shipping-Black-1-Pair-MX-Foot-Pegs-footpeg-Motocross-Dirt-Bike-Footrests-L-R-For.jpg
 
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Thor is good low end - my knee armor and armored shirt both Thor.

What is your boot size tho Steve...??

I could not get my toe under with size 11 mx boots.
Even the boots above are tight ( missed a bloody shift today at an awkward moment, )

I wore hiking boots ( and still do ) for a lot of light off road, Zilch protection but good traction

I just adjusted the lever to fit the boots, but it does take a little focus to shift with the mx boots, but I am a slow rider off pavement, too far away from emergency services to crash really hard.
 
Yeah - there are other levers...problem with then wearing other foot gear and the lever can't go too high or it hits the case :(
 
The ODSC rides (except for the Bethany) are really small, casual, and very easy going.

The OFTR membership is really just needed for Simcoe County Tracts. I know there's a few other ones out east, but the Ganny has its own. When you sign up you just pick a club to "support" and you add other ones to support too.


Ah, do you have to pay for every ODSC ride or is the membership enough?
I think Bethany is $10 for members and $15 for non-members.


Anyway, having a hard time finding decent insurance for KLR. Lowest is Desjardins at $618 but they offer no discount for 2nd bike. TD's quote sucked. Still have to check RBC and maybe one more random.
Insuring VFR with Intact and KLR with Desjardins is the best deal so far but only by 21 dollars... For that reason I may just keep both with Intact and take one or the other off as needed. Planning trips will be a ***** that way though as I'd have to decide up front wether I'm doing gravel or no.

I was hoping to get a combined premium for around G note, unfortunately $1,454 is best at this point.
 
there is no deal for two bikes, you insure each on their own now
 
TD upped me to over 900 from 600 this year with no changes. Desjardin got me for 410
 
DemonPig - I use Primmum, they only offer 1 start date (Feb3) If you wait to insure the bike it will be prorated. So the strategy is to insure the DR650 right off the hop and ride that 'til end of June or July and then insure one of the bigger road bikes. I did that a couple years now and provides good savings.
 
To join the ODSC you join the OFTR and then you select the ODSC as the add on group ($10 extra). You could also choose any other club affiliated with the OFTR (like SCORRA).

The casual rides are free to members or non-members. Some organized rides like the Super Sunday down near Port Burwell are free for members or $20 to non-members and sometimes include a free meal, a raffle (I got a rim-lock at last year's Super Sunday), and a hall to meet at. Other rides are member only, like The Last Blast.

The ODSC website also has a member's only section that once the new website is up I am going to try to post of some gpx tracks of legal riding areas. OFTR is also working on mapping the common riding area trails for member use.

As for insurance, I have a great rate at The Personal... but I get a good group discount there. My Vstrom and DRZ are both insured with comprehensive and liability for $760 or so, and I live in Mississauga. I think my Vstrom on it's own was around $450 or $500.
 
Thanks for the clarification. This DS world seems to be much more complicated at first than the Sport Bike one.

I wanted to register on ODSC forum but they require a phone number and an address to do that, a bit excessive, no?
I did register on ADVRider - that's American though, Canadian forum is all mashed together.
I'll see how that ADVplus meetup group works out for me.

These are awesome insurance rates MM, I have no group discounts sadly. Just need to make more money. ... Or quit smoking.
 
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The ODSC forum is complicated to join, but that is to save the need for moderation -- the whole forum is run and moderated and applicants to the forum are checked by Neil Edmunds, one of the directors. Neil is updating the site to more modern software shortly, but I don't know if he plans to alter the sign up strategy.

And yes, the ADV+ meetup group will get you nearly all the ODSC ride info as ThatGuyDuncan reposts it to ADV+. I think it is still worth going through the hassle of joining ODSC though... they are a good bunch of guys and I believe the sight has value.
 
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