Dirt Road Norge?? Thoughts

[sbaker]

Hello;

Anyone here thinking about talking their Norge on a longer packed dirt / packed gravel trip.. If so what tire recommendations would you make??

Thanks !

Sam

[john zibell]

I would say the ones mounted on a Stelvio. But other than that, the size of the rear wheel limits the tire you can put on, and i didn't see any off road tires that would mate successfully on the rear wheel. I'd try for a street tire with as open a tread as I could find. Also not expensive as the rocks on the gravel roads will probably chew them up quite a bit. Probably something like the Shinko Ravens http://www.swmototires.com/index.php?pa ... &Itemid=53

[Bisbonian]

Pirelli Scorpion Trail tire?

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/ ... -Tire.aspx

I think this is what came stock on the Buell Ulysses.

Depending on the depth of the gravel and how well the dirt is packed special tires may not be necessary.

[Beaufort]

And Conti makes a trail tire in the right sizes.
http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/motorcycle/themes/motorcycletires/enduro/trailattack/trail_attack_en.html
I haven't used these, but I've used the TKC80 and really liked it.

[GT-Rx]

Sam, stock tires would be fine on gravel/hard pack. If you are in need of tires, I'd recommend these; http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tirecat ... .asp?id=93 - it's a street tire with dirt-like treads. I've ran them and loved them.

[Bill Hagan]

You are a brave man, Sam ... a brave man.

Actually, I probably have a couple hundred+ gravel- and dirt- (and a couple of muddy rut and ford) roads under my Norge, but I chose not a one. GPS and poor land-nav skills got me there every time ... well, that and following Wayne Orwig.

And, I have to say,other than my terror at the time, the Norge is -- for a tupperware slab queen -- oddly fine on those rough surfaces. It always "feels" top heavy to me when doing parking-lot stuff or when putting it on the lift, but on all sorts of roads, conditions, and speeds, it's just fine. Ain't me, I assure you.

One quick recent story, then I'll let those who know what they are talking in tires about post, but I was going way too fast on a straight-as-an-arrow back road north of Geneseo last fall, fully loaded, and rocking along on one of those grand October days. Then without any warning whatsover, the road went to gravel. No signs, no transition, just OH SHIX, I'm gonna crash. Nope. Throttle maintenance decel, and she was fine. I had to bury my underwear at the scene.

So, where you going?

Bill

[sbaker]

Hi All;

Well one of the guys I ride with is looking at an Arctic Circle Trip in 2013... I have a 2012 Norge queued up ... So I really don't want a Stelvio I don't like the "high-up" position of it, the Tiger, Multi-Strata, KLR etc. So I am thinking that with the right tires a Norge would probably do ok. No Firm route yet... Perhaps stay on the Canadian side and get as far north as possible.

Looking at the Alaska Trip pix from this thread, by Bisbonian, It looks like a Norge would be ok on the road he encountered...

We are still very much in the planning / concept stage, but it is potentially a great adventure...

Yes Bill.... Brave?? na?? maybe foolish!! Yes many underwear graves scattered across the countrysides!

[Oz1200Guzzi]

Bill, last year I had an experience similar to yours: I was taking a documented shortcut on sealed roads (thank Google Maps!) when the black stuff turned into brown stuff while I was doing over 100 kph. Immediately things spring to mind: it rained last night; this brown stuff has just been graded; I am going way too fast; if I stop and turn around I will have to unpack the bike just to pick it up;

Common sense prevailed and I brought the speed back to 80-90 kph for the rest of the dirty stuff, including some wet bits - the Sport worked fine - well balanced provided you didn't do anything silly.

took a fair bit of elbow grease to remove the dirt after is was baked on for more than 2000 km though.

Enjoy the trip - you should be fine...

[magoo]

I haven't owned a dirt bike for many years but I've always enjoyed riding my roadbikes on decent dirt and gravel roads when necessary. I think the next best thing to a dirtbike on these roads is a Guzzi because of the big fat low/mid range torque. If the roads you're going to be on are similar to ours downunder humming along in third or fourth at around 80 kmh is just bliss.

Good luck

[journey]

I have the Conti Trail Attacks fitted to my Triumph Scrambler, they are a great tarmac and hard packed graverl tire, I think they are rated 80 tarmac 20 dirt.