Pic from ADVrider

[Optimus Prime]

This one had me :044:
http://www.advrider.com/Photos/hpimages/image_20.jpg

[supermotoC]

I'll bet that was NOT a pretty landing. It's not the fall, it's the sudden stop that gets you. That's a 600lb brick with 5" of gush.

[Dallara]

But ya' know, Collyer...

I'll bet it wasn't too bad, other than the banging and crashing sounds it made.

Back in 1976 a whole bunch of us from down here in Corpus, mounted on everything from a couple of Kawasaki Z-1's (I had one of those), a couple of Honda 750 single-cams, a Honda 550, several Honda 350 twins, a lone Honda XL250, one Yamaha RD350, and a few more bikes... all took a ride up into the Hill Country primarily to go to one of the guys' grandparents ranch in Tarpley, TX. When we got to this guy's family spread he decided he (and he was on the other Z-1) needed to take us on a moto-tour of the place. We started out on some plain ol' ranch roads - i.e. Jeep two tracks - but suddenly we came to a wide creek crossing, which Mark just motored on across... Not to be outdone (and being young, stupid, and an MX'er) I watche dhim get to the other side and then took right off after him. Most everyone else did, too, though one guy tried to foot-paddle his way across, slipped, and slid out in the water. He got his bike up, which he had lept running, and came on across the rest of the way. This spooked a few guys, though, and they turned around and headed back to the house.

Anyway, about 2/3's to 3/4's of the group mushed along behind Mark. Then we came to this hill... Now I had climbed many a hill far more daunting than this one, but it had always been on dirt bikes. Mark just motored on right up it, easy as you please, but spraying dirt and rocks out the back like nobody's business. Yet, I had seen him do it, so I gassed it up the hill, carrying a bit too much speed as I got a bit of air at the top (like 8 inches), but the big Kawa landed fine. Everybody else made it up the hill, too... with only one mishap when Robert Marshall didn't quite make it to the top on his Honda 750 Four, but Mark and I, along with a few of the others that had already rode up ran down the hill and we all got Robert pushed up.

So Mark proceeds to take us for some more dirt riding and we finally end up winding around on some single-track. That's when we get to this field where you can clearly see a little makeshift dirt/MX style track... No big jumps or anything like, mind you... Just a few easy, flat turns and two or three little dirt mounds for jumps. Mark asks us if we want to do some dirt tracking, and then takes off... on his big Kawa Z-1... and starts lapping the track, sailing over the little jumps with nary a care. The big Kwacker lands pretty hard, but he was easily getting 3 feet or more of altitude without a whimper.

This throws a red flag up to those of us who were dirt racers, and the next thing you know there are about six of us out there, including the XL250 of course (who stomped us all senseless, needless to say) having a great time... sliding corners, hitting the jumps, and generally doing things big street bigs were never intended to do. This went on for about 30 or 40 minutes, and nobody fell, nothing fell off any bike, and they all came out of it none the worse for wear except for a lot of Texas dust all over them.

We wandered back to the ranch house after a while, and later hit the road to do some more Hill Country paved roads and then head for home.

It was fantastic!

Somewhere, buried in my thousands and thousands of film photos, I have some pictures of that day and those jumps. Since I took 'em there are none of me, but I know I have some of Mark Downing, Robert Marshall, John Marks, Randy Haskins, and a few others.

What we would do without a thought when we were young and didn't know better, eh?

Apologies for hijacking the thread, but the picture brought back some cool memories.

Thanks, Jason!

Allan (Dallara - NACD)

[Arby]

Allen

The ranch ride isn't part of the upcoming Hill Country ride, is it? I wantta know if I should bring the DRZ or maybe the Montesa.

I too wondered about the landing when i saw that picture.

Bob

[DJ Down Under]

Anyone seen the vid of that guy that goes for a forward loop off a jump on his Busa..:104:

Looking for it I found this....too funny...and ouch!

http://expn.go.com/media/mtx/freeridemotox/2002/photos/020612_wyatt_crash_i.jpg

Still not it but more ouch... http://www.guzer.com/videos/motorcycle_front_flip_crash.php

That KR pic is a beaut...thanks

DJ

[socalrob]

Cool Pix, & cool story Allan. The main difference I see between the R1150R & a GS is about $2,000 when you drop the RR. I don't see alot of difference that would help you not drop the RR. The thing is when in the dirt you need a "I don't care, I'm NOT crashing" attitude. Too worried about not making it, & you wont.

On that KR landing that jump, all depends on how you take the jump as to how hard the landing is. I've gotton some pretty big air on dirt bikes & still had a nice smooth landing.

[Dallara]

Ya' know...

If you take a real good look at that picture again you can notice some rather interesting evidence that the guy had been playing around there in the dirt with that bike for a while.

Take a good look at the underside of the belly pan and the front of the engine through the hole in the front of the fairing/belly pan opening... See the same color dirt as what he's riding on?

Look at the toe of his right riding boot... What do you see there?

Look at the area of the chicken-strips on the front tire... Been riding a pretty good while on that surface to get that kind of rubber discoloration and build up of dirt into the tread area.

Look at the crossbrace of the centerstand... What do you see there?

I may be completely wrong... the whole picture may be some elaborate photoshop hoax, but...

I'd be willing ot bet good money that the guy had been riding around some little practice dirt area a while, and had even practice that jump a few times before someone took the picture.

Cheers!

Allan (Dallara - NACD)

[fganger]

We Don't Need No Stinking GS:)
http://R1150R.smugmug.com/gallery/360887
http://R1150R.smugmug.com/gallery/360887/1/14941810

We Don't Need No Stinking K1200R :icon_redface: :)
http://R1150R.smugmug.com/gallery/360887/1/28835109


We actually, I think we do. I take it all back.:058:
Frank

[supermotoC]

No, that's an old pic of the guy jumping the '99 KRS. And it's real. I've seen people do worse stuff on GOLDWINGS, and it hits hardwhen it hits terra firma. As an ex-MXer, it's not how high or how long you go, it's how you set it down. I can't imagine jumping that beast. I got maybe 18" of air on my RR (once) over a railroad crossing (typical Texas rail crossing), and even landing "softly" was a noisy affair. Check the KRS' baggage & top box - that's a lot of stuff to be thrashing around. Still, a lot of fun....

[Deans BMW]

AAHHHH, the good old days, don't need no stinkin dirt bike.

http://r1150r.smugmug.com/photos/59928286-M.jpg

[supermotoC]

DOH!
I take it the starboard side-stand failed.....



I particularly like the smiley face in the windscreen.

http://rhhall.smugmug.com/photos/20005093-L.jpg

[Road Dog]

DOH!
I take it the starboard side-stand failed.....



I particularly like the smiley face in the windscreen.

http://rhhall.smugmug.com/photos/20005093-L.jpg

I just love these pictures. There is nothing prettier than a Beemer at rest. I recognize this road though. We didn't even slow down on it. And there is infinately more traffic on it in this pic.

[DJ Down Under]

That's what happens when you use the center stand in sand...the left side has a bigger area and stays on top,the right side digs in..and the bike falls......bugger!

Great pic.

DJ

[DarthRider]

Doesn't look like the very best spot on the road to stop!
Yup, everytime I drop a bike I like to take a picture before I pick it up...

Dave

[socalrob]

Looking at the road, nice hard pack behind the bike, very soft sand where the bike's on her side, I suspect were looking at a drop while riding. I wouldn't stop a big tank street bike in the sand when I just left hard pack, at least I wouldn't on purpose.