Northeast Dualsport Riders Tour Back Roads

Not all motorcyclists embrace the rolling sofas that cruisers represent or stick to the relatively smooth surfaces of state highways. There is an adventuresome breed of riders who prefer the challenge of a dual sport; testing their skills on rutted, unpaved back roads and trails, and running the constant risk of losing traction and going down.

A dual sport is the motorcycle equivalent of a high chair. Dual sports are tall – a seat height of 34 or 35 inches isn’t uncommon so the bike’s undercarriage has adequate clearance. (A cruiser rider might sit 10 inches lower.) Dual sports also often have knobby tires that provide grip on dirt roads and help keep the bike upright when the rider is confronted loose gravel, water-filled potholes and sections scoured by storm runoff.

Last month, on a Sunday morning after a thunderstorm, Victoria Zandonella of Bridgewater, CT exposed RIDE-CT/ RIDE-New England to her preferred style of riding with an invitation to accompany members of her group on some scenic, less traveled roads in nearby Woodbury, Roxbury and Southbury. Zandonella is the founder and chief organizer of the Northeast Dualsport Riders, which formed in December 2012. The club has 88 members who pay dues of $10 annually, although only nine showed up that morning.

 

Before the ride, Zandonella provided background on the 75-mile route that included “class 4 roads” as well as some ground rules for everyone: Ride in standard staggered formation when on paved roads and keep an eye on trailing riders and backtrack if a rider is no longer visible. “If you see a rider go down, get off your bike and help him. It could be you the next time,” she said.

Her brief lecture stressed safety and courtesy. A portion of ride would go through horse acreage near South Britain and she cautioned everyone to slowly or to stop so as not to spook any horses. Indeed, when the group reached that area, horseback riders were evident in a meadow. Everyone was respectful and everyone, no matter the mounts, waved.

The NDR is extremely safety conscious. All riders are required to wear a DOT-approved helmet with additional armored gear encouraged. “The last thing I want is for anyone to get hurt. Safety is our No. 1 priority,” she said when interviewed later.

Zandonella asked that the precise route of the group ride not be disclosed. “To ensure our routes are not exploited by too many riders, we do keep them private to the group,” she explained. “We like to try to be respectful of area residents and others who enjoy the areas that we ride.”

Not being accustomed to routinely riding on dirt roads, and certainly not on roads such as the ones Zandonella had charted, I was nervous at the outset. Constant and complete rear-wheel traction was impossible. My Suzuki DL 650/V-Strom, while light at 428 pounds, wasn’t specifically made for dual sport riding and the street tire on the rear wheel often slipped in the dirt.

“A dual sport bike requires a lot more technical skills than a road bike and you really have to maneuver the bike. There’s a lot of counter-steering involved. You have to be comfortable with the bike moving around underneath you on loose soil. These bikes are made to conquer more difficult terrain than most of their riders are ever willing to venture,” said Zandonella, who rides a 2008 Yamaha XT250.

Zandonella took up riding at age 10 and been on two wheels for 37 years. She’s ridden more than 100,000 miles and put more than 25,000 on the XT250 alone. It was a love of off-road riding, a desire to bring dual sport lovers together and two back surgeries, which made her wary of riding solo because of the risk of getting injured in the woods, that caused her to form the NDR.

It’s not a club that many riders would ever consider because dual sport riding isn’t for everyone. “It takes a decent amount of balance, coordination, a general enjoyment of speed. You’ve got to be in good shape physically. Good core strength is required, good judgment, agility,” she said.

The club’s co-organizer is Kyle Swaidner of New London, who rides a 2013 Husqvarna TR 650 Terra. He agreed that there is a different skill set to dual sport riding. “It take a little more understanding of weight transfer and traction control, both on braking and throttle,” he said, suggesting that dual sport riders are more perhaps more nervy than street riders. “They’ll see a little path off the side and see where it leads,” he said.

Zandonella took the group over hill and dale. As the miles passed and I became accustomed to the V-Strom’s rear tire slipping, and even dared to stand on the foot pegs a bit while moving, my firm hold on the hand grips loosened and the fun factor increased. It was easy to understand why the NDR’s membership roster is growing.

More info on the NDR may be found at www.meetup.com/Northeast-Dualsport-Riders/ and on the club’s YouTube channel.

(This column was original published in the “Republican-American” newspaper on June 7, 2014 and was written for a broad, non-riding audience as well as for motorcycle enthusiasts.)