Damn you dual sport people. Damn you all. You cost me money today.
After years of reading dual sport ride reports from DD, Blue, R. Markus, (even closer to home) Garry and SWRiverstone, and the many others… I knew my garage wouldn’t remain a single bike stall for long.
Yesterday, RideWV (James) ran over to the D.C. Metro area to pick up a 2003 DR650 which he found on ADV Rider. After he promised the guy he was going to buy the DR, a 2003 KLR was brought to his attention. The KLR looked like a good bike and he was going to go look at it today. He told me I should get it if I’m considering getting into dual sporting becuase if I didn't like DS'ing, I could sell it w/o a loss. James knew it wasn’t going to be long before I broke down and picked up a dual sport. There are three main people I ride with when I don’t ride alone and two of them (RideWV and Garry) have dual sports. Back at the 08 bike show the BMW X Country caught my attention. I just loved how it fit me and I was going to save up for it and look for a sale at a BMW dealership this Fall.
Today, I was supposed to hook up with Garry and some of his peeps from Pittsburgh to go for a nice sport bike ride in Central WV. It would be the first time Garry and I would have ridden together as KTM owners.
But, James’ comment about the trying out dual-sporting w/ the KLR kept ringing in my head. So, last night I phoned Garry and told him I wouldn’t be making his ride on Sunday because I was going over to Deep Creek, Maryland to look at a 2003 KLR.
To shorten a long story, the bike was in great shape, came with a good bit of farkles, and the price was right. (No, I don’t know if the doohickey was replaced)
Here I am at the seller’s garage picking it up this morning.
The papers were signed and we put the KLR in the back of James’ work truck (blasphemy, I know).
James dropped me and the bike off at my house, I ran in to change, did a quick once-over on the bike, and took off to meet James at his place for our inaugural ride on our new (to us) toys.
After meeting James, we filled up on gas, and did a nice small 60 mile loop to break in the bikes and our skills.
The first stop was for a bathroom break. We had already found some mud just a few miles into the trip. Much fun!
We stumbled across this vacation house several miles away from anything and I like how its perched over the banks of the roaring stream.
Here’s a closer view.
We headed down into the Cheat River Canyon and took a brief picture stop about half way down.
At the bottom, we had fun taking various pictures of the Bulltown bridge which crosses the Cheat River at the bottom of the canyon at the point where Bulltown Run meets the Cheat River. If you’re a white water rafter / kayaker, this is the takeout point after the 14 mile run down the Cheat from Albright, WV. The bridge is about 90 feet above the river below.
James crossing the bridge
Me crossing it
James
Me
DR Porn
Several miles later, we came across this neat little land bridge near the WV / PA state line.
And right at the state line, there was an old coke blast furnace.
A little later, we came across a pretty big limestone quarry.
Here’s James next to a big excavator.
KLR Porn at the rock quarry (can you see Fred Flintstone working the background?)
15 miles later, we pull into my place to watch the MotoGP race on the DVR.
The Super Duke won’t be lonely at nights now.
It’s been 30 years since I last rode a motorcycle in the dirt. I was 17 years old and the bike was my 1978 125 YZ. Though it was a relatively short trip today, I can tell there is a lot of fun for me and the KLR in the future. I can’t wait for more rides with James and I’m sure we’ll venture north to tackle some of the Laurel Highlands with Garry.
I am very proud to have fallen into the DS fold.
