Proud Owner

Just wanted to introduce myself - jeff.

I decided to lighten my load and upgrade at the same time so I bought a leftover 08 from a dealer here in NM.
First impression, sweeeeet.

Second impression, I feel like a gargoyle riding this bike. Everything is right in front of my face. Very dirt bike-like riding position.

Welcome to the group. Enjoy the new ride.

welcome, HI!

Hey Jeff !

So what did you lighten and upgrade from ?

...and where in NM ? The girl (she rides the WR) and I (my KTM Enduro) want to make a trip departing from about there (we have property in St. Johns, AZ) up through the Rockies this fall.
P.S. The very dirt-bike-like riding position is because it's a dirt bike !

X-Racer wrote:

Hey Jeff !

So what did you lighten and upgrade from ?

...and where in NM ? The girl (she rides the WR) and I (my KTM Enduro) want to make a trip departing from about there (we have property in St. Johns, AZ) up through the Rockies this fall.
P.S. The very dirt-bike-like riding position is because it's a dirt bike !

Well, my dual sporting began with a KLR. A great bike, but in retrospect it really is more of an adventure bike than a true dual sport - at least from my ability. I know plenty of KLR owners that can run with dirt bikes but I'm just not that good, or even motivated to become that good.
So, on a whim, I bought a little XT225 and I had my epiphany - small is fun. I rode that little smurf-bike all over the place and even though I chuckled at it's small size, I was also very impressed with what it can do for the more mellow rider. But the bottom line was, I looked like a circus bear riding it and it was a little underpowered. Mostly though, it was the ergonomics that drove me to look for a replacement. So, it came down to the TE610 and the WRr and the scarcity of a Husky was the deal breaker 'cause I can't ride what I cant buy. And realistically, I'm more into exploring than high speed antics so the WRr is probably the bike that will cause less doctor visits and I'm content with watching carnage than participating in it.

I live in the middle of the state, Albuq. - close to everything. To the south is desert riding and to the north are the mountains.

jeff

Interesting... You went proverbially "lock-to-lock" on the size factors and landed in the middle.

So at least you got your left-right "straight" !

Like I said I got the WRR for the girl who had a CRF230F (which she learned to ride in the dirt) and has since moved up to a CRF250X. The little bit I have ridden it I was fairly impressed. I haven't ridden anything other than a big-bore thumper for 15 years.

We actually rode it two-up more than comfortably a few times around town before I began the mods (including lowing it for her which I would recommend anyways for general use - It just feels more planted to me). I do have some buyer's remorse as I was intending on getting two of them before I ran across the KTM (a brand new Y2K LC4 Enduro. ...which is a good mount, but will suffer in places and of course excel in others (like most bikes do).

We do plan on doing some lightweight adventure riding, but it'll probably be truck or hotel based and two-day periphery rides. If I can avoid good fishing holes (or promise better ones further on) I can probably keep her out riding a week.

So congratulations on the purchase... We'll look you up later in the year.

Most welcome jeffohray,
NM is my most visited riding area out west. Usually ride just west of T or C. Around Beaver Head & Chloride are roads that just call me even from FL.

You do indeed have a fine ride for your area.

[quote="PonchoV"]
NM is my most visited riding area out west. Usually ride just west of T or C. Around Beaver Head & Chloride are roads that just call me even from FL.
quote]

That part of the state is nice and remote. It doesn't get as many riders as the northern part does - which is good.