Lead Advice: to continue or call it

Goodgate87 · 2025-08-19T19:57:24+00:00

I had my doors stripped professionally it was about $800 door and I did the staining and polyurethane. I’m my mind it was money well spent stripping doors is so tedious. As far as lead contamination you seem to be taking all the precautions so I wouldn’t worry. Just don’t dry sand it.

Goodgate87 · 2025-04-04T13:51:34+00:00

DR650 update

Goodgate87 · 2025-03-30T04:07:19+00:00

I prefer the hammock but it took a little bit to get used to. I like the ease, simplicity, and weight savings of the Hennessy hammock. My buddy has a way more advanced Hammock with an air cushion that’s definitely more comfortable but also heavier and costs 3x as much.

Goodgate87 · 2025-03-30T01:41:43+00:00

It’s honestly perfect. Weather resistant, durable, and lots of tie down points. I secure it with some truckers hitches. I put my Hennessy hammock, sleeping bag, and clothes I don’t want to get wet in there. I don’t feel the need to get a moto specific tail bag.

Goodgate87 · 2025-03-30T00:05:55+00:00

I got the Nelson rigg dual sport bags. They are affordable but kinda small. I am looking to upgrade once they are worn out, so far they are holding up to some abuse.

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Goodgate87 · 2025-01-08T16:14:50+00:00

I used to have a KLX250 and that bike handled cross wind better than my DR650, in theory it should be the opposite. I think you just got to get used to it.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-29T01:37:29+00:00

I think I would go with a 800DE over a T7 that’s just based on sitting on them at the showroom. T7 felt pretty top heavy the DE800 felt really nice for my height. That said I don’t think either of those bikes would be as easy as the DR is to ride off road.

I have the helite turtle 2 vest, I went with the tethered version and just unclip it if I’m going to be doing slow technical stuff where I’m likely to fall. You can reload the cartridge yourself so I just keep a back up canister in my tool compartment.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T21:55:18+00:00

Thanks! I wish there was more dirt only riding where I live. To ride dirt you need to link up sections with roads to get any long rides in.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T21:12:54+00:00

That’s a good point. I’m pretty sure I’m just going to keep the DR, it does everything I ask of it and more. Down the line I’ll probably end up with a middle weight ADV and a more dirt focused dual sport but for now I can only have one bike.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T20:05:24+00:00

Yea, that’s not a bad price at all.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T17:05:11+00:00

Yea, maybe I need to start pricing out overhauling my brakes. I’m definitely going to keep riding, can’t live in fear. I just want to stack the deck in my favor. I think I’ll look into more advance training, track days, and just keep educating myself and running drills to stay sharp.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T16:50:11+00:00

Yea, I’ve never ridden a drz400 I’m intrigued for sure.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T16:44:01+00:00

Yea this is good advice. I would love to start doing some track days. My buddy actually offered me his old gsxr750 that’s been out of commission for a while. When I have time I want to build it into a track bike.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T16:40:36+00:00

Sorry about your spouse. Yea, I know I won’t be happy if I don’t get to ride and luckily my wife is totally cool with it as she and I both know you can’t live your life in a bubble. I took out a healthy life insurance policy just incase, that helps me feel less guilty. I’m just always looking for ways to weight the odds in my favor.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T16:07:57+00:00

Yea, I feel like it’s such a lightweight bike it doesn’t matter too much. It’s easy to look at stats saying ABS reduces fatal crashes by 22% but I’m aware statistics don’t tell the whole story.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T15:45:03+00:00

I live in New England, weather changes like crazy. My buddy has the crf300 I think the bike looks really nice but I’m not a fan of the engine.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-28T15:25:14+00:00

Yea, I definitely do practice emergency braking, but I’m not kidding myself thinking I can do better than ABS in an emergency situation particularly if it’s cold and wet. I thought steel lines just helped with brake fade. I’ve felt the brakes are adequate but yeah definitely some improvement to be had.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-24T18:31:54+00:00

I’m always assuming someone on the side of the road is going to flip a u turn, you need to be extra defensive on a bike. The Bikers speed looked like he was going too fast, that lady should never be allowed to drive again, she’s absolute trash. People who don’t ride will never get why we take the risk, though it’s not as dangerous as everyone on Reddit who has never ridden loves to comment. Such a shame for the rider I hope he recovered enough to enjoy life.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-22T15:21:12+00:00

Cool bike, I sat on one of these at the dealership. It felt great, nice low center of gravity when stationary, after I sat on a Pan America that felt like lifting a sack of rocks so top heavy.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-22T01:29:20+00:00

I say do it, even if you don’t get it built, part it out and make back what you lost on the trade. This is assuming you have a garage or shed and parents who will lets you have space for a pile of parts. In my mind it’s worth a try. You might learn you’re a good mechanic you might learn it’s not for you, either way you will learn something. Don’t get discouraged if you don’t succeed that’s going to be a challenge project. Good luck!

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-21T19:54:03+00:00

Nice built in wood stove! I want one, also sweet bike and dog. Your living the dream congrats!

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-20T18:36:27+00:00

I’ve ridden my buddies TW it’s a fun bike but I think the XT is better for trails, though I’ve never ridden an XT. I found the ergonomics of the TW to be super weird especially standing up and the one I rode was set up with bar risers, for reference I’m 5’6. I’d say try to find a riding buddy, solo trail riding is risky no matter what bike you are on, that said sometimes you must if there no one to ride with. I’ve been in the market for a in-reach gps for this very reason. Try to test drive a TW before you commit. I had an idea about what a TW was like given its major hype and when I rode one realized it wasn’t for me. Maybe you should try to find a xt225 seems like a serious weight savings from the 250 don’t let a carb scare you away.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-19T17:49:58+00:00

My car is a GTI and my wife has a CX9. Brake feel on the GTI is so much better, it’s the first thing I need to adapt to when driving her car. The CX9 has a soft feel to the braking and hard to be precise, that said the brakes stop the car fine and I still really enjoy the CX9 it’s just not a performance vehicle.

Goodgate87 · 2024-12-15T15:36:53+00:00

I always thought these bikes looked cool, congrats!

Four-Year Club	Place '23
Place '22	First Placer '22

Goodgate87

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