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08-23-2009, 05:08 PM
| #1 |
| Easily Bored  Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
| Urban Adventure Riding Picture Thread
We were discussing riding dual sport bikes in the city in another thread, I took off this afternoon and decided to see just how many places I could find to ride off the street in my fine city. Took a bunch of pics, anybody else that wants to add some pics of their urban adventure riding please feel free. Alleys and industrial parking lots aren't so intimidating with knobby tires  Old Bush Stadium, where the baseball movies "Eight Men Out" and "A League of Their Own" were filmed, abandoned and in disrepair now  Found an access road leading to an old railroad right of way   Rode for a couple of miles on the right of way in the middle of town, ran alongside a branch of the river  It emptied out into a field, found a gentleman flying his model helicopters  Headed downtown and found a nice view of the skyline and canal  New high rise hotel going up downtown  Found an access road down by the river, got a view of the hotel from the other side  And a view of Lucas Oil Stadium  Wrong side of the tracks  Access road turned into an interesting dirt trail    Found a couple of homeless camps   Found another river access road a few miles down the road   This trail had another homeless camp, sad how many people are living under bridges next to the river  Back to civilization  And when I got home I found out that mesh pants and hot header pipes don't play well together  I enjoyed seeing a different side of my city today, riding on the street is fun, but you miss seeing behind the scenes in places where only a dual sport bike can go. I was probably trespassing on city property at times, but I stayed on the trails and didn't cause any damage. There were plenty of fisherman down by the river, I think those trails are fair game. I still can't wait to get our bikes out to the country, but it's good to know there's fun to be had close to home if you look for it! |
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08-23-2009, 05:15 PM
| #2 |
| Self proclaimed idiot....  Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 765
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Great pics! I have got to get me one of those. Just for the fact of thousands of miles of logging roads around here alone. Thanks for sharing the trip. |
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08-23-2009, 05:29 PM
| #3 | |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
| Quote:
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08-23-2009, 05:41 PM
| #5 | |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
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08-23-2009, 05:46 PM
| #6 | |
| Chuck Norris has lost in battle with this Member  | Quote:
they recently made most of them move and some bullchit homeless advocate feel good hippies a$$holes found them houses to live in.... i am sorry but to me it looked like a perfect place for a mass grave... oh well.... those photos you took look like you had one hell of a good day... lets not talk about homeless people and screw up the memory... so you are loving that DS huh?? | |
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08-23-2009, 05:46 PM
| #7 | |
| Night Stalkers Don't Quit  Join Date: May 2009 Location: Lexington
Posts: 456
| Quote:
So, I've got a question. Can you just ride these bikes anywhere and where ever? Or do you know the areas that you are riding in, or have permission from property owners. I'm interested in getting one just to ride off road wherever I can. I've enjoyed your past couple posts of this dual-sport. Keep 'em coming! | |
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08-23-2009, 05:59 PM
| #8 | ||
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
| Quote:
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08-23-2009, 06:37 PM
| #9 |
| '03 919 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: FL
Posts: 683
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[QUOTE=barton664;345721]i am sorry but to me it looked like a perfect place for a mass grave... QUOTE]  Cool pics thanks for sharing! I gotta get me a dual sport. |
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08-23-2009, 06:37 PM
| #10 |
| '03 919 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: FL
Posts: 683
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[QUOTE=barton664;345721]i am sorry but to me it looked like a perfect place for a mass grave... [QUOTE] Cool pics thanks for sharing! I gotta get me a dual sport. |
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08-23-2009, 06:39 PM
| #11 |
| '03 919 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: FL
Posts: 683
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got a lil happy with the post button I guess, how'd that even happen?
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08-23-2009, 07:12 PM
| #12 |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
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That's ok Brian, padded the post count a bit.  I wasn't sure I'd be into this bike but I find myself riding it more and more. It's well suited to short jaunts around town and I love the adventure aspect of knowing I can go most anywhere if the opportunity presents itself. Seems that motorcyclists of all types respond to it, I get acknowledged by both sport bikes and Harleys, and I frequently see riders staring at it with a "that looks like fun" look. |
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08-23-2009, 07:40 PM
| #13 |
| Centurion  Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salinas, CA
Posts: 1,364
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MY GOD!!!!, even the tires on that thing are too clean.................................seriously though, looks like a fun day of boondocking. FMF used to have a heat shield you could add the the header pipe, looks like one is in order. Dan Last edited by voodooridr; 08-23-2009 at 07:42 PM. |
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08-23-2009, 07:43 PM
| #14 | |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
| Quote:
I'll check into the heat shield, and figure out different riding pants. | |
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08-23-2009, 08:05 PM
| #15 |
| Das Kalmar  Join Date: May 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 1,159
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Awesome report. Your making me wonder if I should buy a new car or a dual sport. And my current car is a huge POS.
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08-24-2009, 06:14 AM
| #16 |
| President of FOG  Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 93
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DS/Motards are the funnest bikes to ride in the urban jungle! |
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08-24-2009, 07:19 AM
| #17 |
| Tirone  Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: colorado
Posts: 96
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Looks like a blast. I can't wait for my own urban adventures!
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08-24-2009, 07:22 AM
| #18 |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
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I need to start an Urban Adventure riding club. Dual Sports unite!
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08-24-2009, 07:30 AM
| #19 |
| Lovin the Vanilla Ice  Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: St. Lou
Posts: 600
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Ah, gotta love old tracks. Great pics.
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08-24-2009, 07:32 AM
| #20 |
| Unbannable  Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,185
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If I lose my job that will be me under the bridge.
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08-24-2009, 07:34 AM
| #21 |
| Lovin the Vanilla Ice Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: St. Lou
Posts: 600
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That chair and footstool combo looks kinda classy.
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08-24-2009, 07:43 AM
| #22 |
| Ballaholic  Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: nj
Posts: 676
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i still dont understand how people end up homeless. i mean if you have a job, you can get a place in the projects for practically nothing.
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08-24-2009, 08:15 AM
| #23 |
| 919 Frankenbike  Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: USA
Posts: 22
| Homelessness
Well, I'm not an expert, but from what I've read much of the problem with homelessness is due to mental illness. Many homeless people have serious mental problems that render them unemployable, or they can't take care of themselves. They have no family to take care of them or help them, and the government doesn't provide enough funding for treatment or housing. Decades ago, we didn't have these people on the streets because they were institutionalized. But these days, if they aren't a threat to society, they can't be locked up. So there they are, out on the streets.  By the way, sbeau1960, cool pictures. Even city people can have a motorbike "adventure"! Some weekends, I like to just get on my bike and set off in a random direction. I see something new every time! Now if I had a dual sport, I'll bet I could find some really crazy sh-- here in Chicago!  |
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08-24-2009, 08:17 AM
| #24 | |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
| Quote:
And how about this dual sport thread, tying together societal issues with adventure riding? | |
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08-24-2009, 08:28 AM
| #25 | |
| 919 Frankenbike Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: USA
Posts: 22
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08-24-2009, 11:33 AM
| #26 |
| So, Satan's our mascot?  Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Gilbert, AZ
Posts: 1,340
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Great pictures - it makes me wonder how much of my little metro area I'm missing by sticking to pavement. Some day dual sport, some day.
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08-24-2009, 12:36 PM
| #27 | |
| Centurion Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salinas, CA
Posts: 1,364
| Quote:
Dan | |
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08-24-2009, 01:32 PM
| #28 | |
| So, Satan's our mascot? Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Gilbert, AZ
Posts: 1,340
| Quote:
The missus is on the edge in terms of continuing to ride (she's not sure she enjoys it enough to justify the enhanced danger) and her little Savage would become a KLR within the week Otherwise, it's on the docket for post graduation present.
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08-24-2009, 05:48 PM
| #29 |
| Tirone is my middle name  Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Howard Lake, MN
Posts: 1,232
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I'd love to join your urban adventure riding club but I live in a town of 1800 people, not much "urban" around here, we don't even have a stoplight, not that I'm complaining about that. and the railroad tracks have no trespassing signs here. great pictures Scott and excellant job exploring off the beaten path in the city.
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08-24-2009, 05:57 PM
| #30 |
| Discen Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Henderson, NV
Posts: 249
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[QUOTE=SuedeGopher;345934] her little Savage would become a KLR within the week QUOTE]If you're talking KLR650, you must consider looking at RICOR's shock upgrades. Makes it a different bike altogether. |
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09-15-2009, 06:23 PM
| #31 |
| Tirone Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: colorado
Posts: 96
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Any new pictures? I'm kinda living vicariously through your pictures right now...
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09-15-2009, 09:35 PM
| #32 | |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
| Quote:
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09-16-2009, 03:21 PM
| #33 |
| Il bambino e un cani  Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saratoga NY
Posts: 3,363
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Sbeau, Most excellent post/report. One of the best and most interesting I've seen. My whole life I've absolutely loved the "lost" areas of cities. Tracks of forgotten fields, woods, industrial parks etc. And I love to see what use the local citizens put them to, that are often the only people that know about them. Seriously dude, you got a good basis there for a documentary movie, book etc. It could have some real wide appeal if politics were kept to a minimum and you just let the pictures talk. It would make a good on-going adventure for a website. Until the 10th grade I grew up in inner city Memphis. As a child I knew every abandon building, field or woods within five miles of my house. Had endless adventures exploring these areas with my friends on our bicycles. We did what would now probably be called "extreme" exploration. I could travel over a mile through the underground storm drainage system under our neighborhood streets, and dozens of miles through the open air drainage systems that crisscrossed the entire city. Google earth pictures below show the entrance and exit points. JohnnyB Below images shows the entry point. What looks like a road is actually a giant open air, concrete storm drain. Note the catwalk (above arrow) that crosses. The drain was about 15-20' deep, you can see the trickle of water running down the middle. I crossed this catwalk every day walking to school. The entry point was a circular concrete tunnel in the side of the drain, probably 4-5' in diameter. We could ride our bikes into the tunnel. These tunnels connected to the various street storm drains. If one of the grates was missing we could climb up and look out to see where we were.  This image shows where "our" tunnel came into open air again. After passing under streets, houses and yards it crosses a road and turns into a small concrete ditch about 6' wide and 4' or so deep. Arrow shows where it transitions to open air again.  This image shows the area we would cover underground. Pin on the left is the entry point. Pin in the middle is the approximate location of my house (circa. 1970), pin on the lower right is the exit point. We could continue on in a combination of open air, and tunnels for several miles. But the bikes would have to be left behind not far from this point.  Needless to say you did NOT want to be caught down there when a rain storm was coming in. This adventure was just the tip of the iceberg of all the various exploratory trips we would make on a regular basis. Thanks for reminding me of those good old days. JohnnyB PS. These google images are current .... so yes I assume the kids living in the area now are doing the same things we did. Last edited by JohnnyB; 09-16-2009 at 03:25 PM. |
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09-16-2009, 08:21 PM
| #34 |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
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Thanks JohnnyB, there is much to explore when we look a little deeper into our cities. Cool adventures you had as a kid, my time at that age was spent hiking through the woods and streams of Iowa looking for adventure wherever I could find it, the city was a foreign concept.
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09-16-2009, 10:57 PM
| #35 |
| Centurion Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Salinas, CA
Posts: 1,364
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Sadly everyplace I used to play, ride or sneak off to shoot the pellet gun is now paved or sporting a housing development or apartment complex, gotta love CA Dan |
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09-16-2009, 11:40 PM
| #36 | |
| Tribuni Angusticlavii Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NJ
Posts: 3,637
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Great report Sbeau! I must've missed it the first time. Dualsporting is a blast, ain't it? Quote:
JohnnyB - looks like a cool way to ditch the cops! I grew up in NW PA and our little town had some cool stuff - old paint factory, railroad tressel over the Shenango River, etc, some neat back parts lost to grownups but nothing like that. | |
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09-17-2009, 05:44 AM
| #37 | |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
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09-17-2009, 12:37 PM
| #38 |
| Il bambino e un cani Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saratoga NY
Posts: 3,363
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Strangely enough, in the bottom photo in my previous you will see my house a couple of blocks from lots of green with an interstate running through it. 40 years ago that was miles of empty woods, no interstate, no homes, nothing but rural Tenn. ( it was actually called the J.F.K. Wildlife preserve). We called the area the "Wolf River Trail". So while my home sat in the inner city, I was two blocks from miles of virgin woods that drifted off into the Tenn. countryside. The best of both worlds. Besides our urban adventures we built "cabins" in the woods, went out and shot our rifles, swam in the river, camped out endlessly. Here's a shot of part of the Wolf River Trail about a mile from my house. You can see the train tressle we used to run across exactly like in the movie "Stand by Me". There was no deck but the cross ties so it got scary if a train was coming. JohnnyB  |
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09-18-2009, 07:21 AM
| #39 |
| Easily Bored Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 8,330
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Here's my childhood romping grounds...  Our homestead is shown at the top center, our farm encompassed all the farmland and timber areas on the left side of the road. The only pond there when I was a kid was the small arrowhead shaped one south of the buildings. My brother owns the land on the other side of the road as well now and built the other ponds and the two large lakes |
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09-18-2009, 10:05 AM
| #40 |
| Il bambino e un cani Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Saratoga NY
Posts: 3,363
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I'm seeing a potential for a great private motocross track at your place. I'm amazed you ever left... I'd be moving right back there and building a compound for the coming end times JohnnyB |
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