[cfr]

Crashed my new baby for the first time today. Taking the back way into dinosaur national monument in Northwest Colorado. No damage to me or the bike.

This was mostly a rocky road up until this point. The sand just prior to this was less deep and well packed. This was about 8 in deep and my skills and the stock tires were not enough to make it through.

The AT seems significantly more difficult to pick up than my KLR650. However, this sand was so deep I couldn't get any traction with my boots. When I did, the tires would just slide in the sand. Had to take the luggage off and still struggled for about a half hour.

 

[Ponzan]

Been there! ... If you use to ride alone may consider a MotoWinch

MotoWinch

Problems lifting a heavy tourer or Adventure bike? The ultralight and compact MotoWinch Motorcycle jack (4lbs/1.7kg) makes lifting your bike really easy!

eastbound.shop

 

[cfr]

Yep. I started looking at that snd the dirt napper (similar product) after dinner.

 

[DoubleThumper]

Precious memory @cfr.

 

[True grip]

Tires and TC have bit me before.

 

[Beowulf]

Deep sand has caused about 90% of my old AT's naps over the past three years... +1 on the Motowinch; it gives me the confidence to try stuff alone that I probably shouldn't. Good riding buddies are the best, though! If you do go with the Motowinch, the optional 3" disk that can be ordered with it is very useful in sand or soft ground. Keeps the foot from digging in to the ground vs. lifting the bike.

Stock tires suck on anything unpaved... better tires help, but sand is sand. Nothing fixes it, just learning to shift your weight back and stay on the gas harder than seems natural helps a lot. Let the front wander a bit, without over correcting. Almost all of my mishaps came from trying to "steer" in the sand, rather than just picking a line and trying to stay upright.

 

[Lucius]

"If you do go with the Motowinch, the optional 3" disk that can be ordered with it is very useful in sand or soft ground. Keeps the foot from digging in to the ground vs. lifting the bike."

Thanks for the tip on the puck when ordering the MotoWinch. I'm going to do just that if I go that route. I put in an inquiry with Dirt Napper on how far out stock is. MotoWinch is on vacation until July 11.

Been in similar situations (not sand, but mud or rocky hill) and have had to wait hours for nice passerby folks to help by simply standing on the tire while I lifted.

 

[lordsoth]

Deep sand with stock tires? That is brave. My AT has the dunlop missions and sand can be pretty challenging depending on the situation. If it is on a straight road and I have momentum it is not too bad. The missions handle that without an issue. But curves + sand can be difficult even if the sand is not that deep.

I also recommend that you reduce traction control to the lowest setting or zero. Traction control kicks in a lot when riding in sand and I think it makes it more challenging.

But at the end of the day I would rather deal with sand than deep mud. At least with sand you don't get stuck. It can be a pain to pick up the bike but you will make it out without help. Getting stuck in mud is my biggest fear because I mostly ride solo.

 

[Bill J]

Crashed my new baby for the first time today. Taking the back way into dinosaur national monument in Northwest Colorado. No damage to me or the bike.

This was mostly a rocky road up until this point. The sand just prior to this was less deep and well packed. This was about 8 in deep and my skills and the stock tires were not enough to make it through.

The AT seems significantly more difficult to pick up than my KLR650. However, this sand was so deep I couldn't get any traction with my boots. When I did, the tires would just slide in the sand. Had to take the luggage off and still struggled for about a half hour.

View attachment 72464

If you are trying to pick a napping AT you might want to have a Velcro cable tie to wrap around the twist grip and brake lever to prevent the front wheel turning while lifting. If the bike has a manual transmission, try to place it in first gear. If you have a DCT set the parking brake. Small points but with an AT lying down, a rider needs any advantage available. If riding alone often, the winch and disk suggested by others would be well worth the price.

 

[caridinaintruder]

Lets just say the AT is one of the hardest motorcycles to pick up due to the fact it wants to be as flat as a pancake when laying on the ground, and it's not really the lightest (especially with crashbars installed). I guess having some kind of bags on the side it falls on makes it a little easier, but it also depends on what kind of bags you have. Hard cases may possibly damage the frame (but lift the bike up the most), so soft panniers with maybe little (light) stuff in it may be the way to go. Still, it will be a struggle, but the bike won't be able to hug the ground like a stingray.

 

[AT-Dragon]

99% of the time I’m by myself, I’m a large enough person to snatch the AT up about three times in a row. But that being said I still carry the motowinch with me. I would suggest it to everyone, she is a heavy bike and I’m sure most of us here can pick her up, but, there could easily be times where for reasons beyond your control you wouldn’t be able to to it . Loose ground, a good incline, trees in the way, the bike laying on your leg, etc. I just find it a great insurance to have…

 

[rustynut2]

Same spot in Moab, lol. I hate sand

 

[AT-Dragon]

Same spot in Moab, lol. I hate sand
View attachment 72485

Did you try riding through that spot on two wheels too, maybe that would of helped…
Just kidding..
Yep. Sand- a PITA..

 

[AT-Dragon]

Someone had posted this before too…

 

[Beowulf]

Funny, this just came up in my feed over on Adventure Rider:

Different Takes, Same General Idea - Adventure Rider

So you’ve started off doing this dual sport/adventure bike thing. Inspired by Mondo Enduro […]

www.advrider.com

Lot's of opinions and a little good advice.

 

[Little Bill Daggett]

Sorry but still laughing here. I've had a few 'Offs' in my life but never saw anybody who records them for posterity. Love it and the wife still can't understand what I am laughing at....hope you are OK...been there...

 

[AIC_Rooster]

Sorry but still laughing here. I've had a few 'Offs' in my life but never saw anybody who records them for posterity. Love it and the wife still can't understand what I am laughing at....hope you are OK...been there...

If you take a picture, the event lives in that photo and doesn't need to live in your head anymore.

 

[rustynut2]

Sorry but still laughing here. I've had a few 'Offs' in my life but never saw anybody who records them for posterity. Love it and the wife still can't understand what I am laughing at....hope you are OK...been there...

You never pose for a dirt nap?

uphill loose sand, first trip to CO.....Top pic, was sightseeing, front wheel hit a baby head while standing....lol

 

[Little Bill Daggett]

You never pose for a dirt nap?
View attachment 72529
View attachment 72530 uphill loose sand, first trip to CO.....Top pic, was sightseeing, front wheel hit a baby head while standing....lol View attachment 72529 View attachment 72530

Baby head..love it...Back in the days when composite rations (compo) were issued to British soldiers in cans 'babies head' was the term used for steak and kidney pudding...it was some kind of meat stuff surrounded by a greasy pastry. I am still trying to get it off the roof of my mouth all these year later and even Rudolf Hess in Spandau could not dislodge it..

 

[rustynut2]

baby heads, 4 days of this on a klr and I was spent... Had another soil sample here, no pic.

Traded that pig in for a drz, been happy ever since.....Sorry if I abused the original post.....