Big and Powerful or Smaller and Nimble?

[Dirtnut]

I've been riding for a long time but I haven't been off road on a bike in several years and big powerful bikes with electronic traction aids were not around then. Of the people that have had multiple size bikes, have you found it to be better on a smaller, less powerful bike or a bigger one with lots of power but electronics to maintain traction to get you through tougher spots?

[Richard Simpson Mark II]

Smaller and lighter the better. And a good set of tyres. Falling off/over is inevitable, and a quarter-tonne bike is quite heavy to lift out of a ditch.

Power isn't the normal limitation, grip is. And TC can't create grip, it can only maximise the grip you have.

[daveuprite]

That's a good question.

Consider the case of Beta 4T enduro bikes. They now all weigh the same and share the same frame. You can choose between a 350, 390, 430 and 480cc engine but everything else remains basically the same.

The idea is that every engine brings different characteristics. The 350 is the buzzy high-revving nimble bike. The 390 is the long-stroke all-rounder. The 430 is the competitive enduro bike. The 480 is the big lugger.

BUT, the 480 also has a map switch that changes it from full power to rain mode. So wouldn't you just buy the big 480 and when you get into the nadgery slippery stuff just use the button to tone it down? In which case why bother buying any of the lower CC variants? Or is it never possible to get rid of the crude big thumper torque?

I still ride an old school carb-fed 450 Beta so I don't know the answer. But I'd like to trade up some time and not sure what map switching can achieve on an off-road bike.

[bikenav]

for most moving things lighter is more effective. We do not always ride motorbikes in the leisure enviroment for effectiveness we sometimes do so for challenge, but most people will tell you that small bikes make better off tarmac bikes, they are certainly easier. I have ridden a bit of each but easy trails may not give the satisfaction ridden on a small bike when they might on a bigger bike, makes the answer a little more difficult for me. Enjoy your ride which ever you way you go, rideing the trails just adds so much more to it.

[Tonibe63]

'offroad' is actually a very large spectrum so you really need to define what your intended use is. Then you can decide wether to ride or van the bike, what terrain you will encounter and finally what tyres you will need.

[Dirtnut]

Thanks everyone. Gives me some things to consider.

[Asgard]

I would agree that light and nimble is most definitely the best choice off road unless your very talented.
If you have a trailer or van no problem, get that sweet little thing and enjoy.........But
...............If you need to ride a long distance to the trail then the choice gets complicated the small bike with low end gearing might not suit if it takes you twice as long to get to the trail and leaves you with only half the time to enjoy the dirt, its all swings and roundabouts

I have a WR250F I use for the tight Welsh Lanes but if Im riding it anywhere but the very local stuff I stick it on a trailer
Saying that, if you take a look at what Godspeed gets up to with smaller Bikes, it completely blows my theory apart

[phil_h]

Haha!
They're all differently fabulous
Big GS is super exhilarating when its dry and there is grip - they are a magic carpet - but you mustnt lose concentration.
Little Alp is really relaxing to ride and punches way above its weight - but tedious going anywhere on tarmac.
701 is in between, smoother than a full-on enduro, buttery clutch and great low-speed - and a hooligan on the back-lanes when you're on tarmac when you want it to be.

[Flipflop]

I’ve been riding bikes for a very long time - no car - and I’m happy to ride my 250kg adventure bike on dry trails in Europe but for British green lanes I use a WR250R.
I’ve ridden with some excellent riders (like bikenav) who can ride their GSs on lanes I dread on my 250 so it’s all about the rider and not bike electronics.
If you can only afford 1 bike and need a big bike for distance then get some off-road training and go for it.
Otherwise I would recommend getting a small trail bike alongside your big one and enjoy.

[garyboy]

I agree with RS that tyres make a great difference, whatever bike. Obviously it is nice to have the power of a big bike, but the older ones are not so fast on tarmac anyway (TTR600 shitty panties moments often), while the 701 seems like a great compromise.

what no one has mentioned, the obvious, is that when you ride a smaller bike ... the power to weight ratio brings the effective power higher, so you feel you are riding a more powerful bike than it actually is, as it is dragging less weight.

I've had a KE100 and that pulled great enough for me over the marlborough downs and ridgeways, while the crf230 was also well balanced in terms of power, the crf250L being near the apex of rideability and versatility, but excelling in nothing .. except versatility.

of course, there is the little problem of motorway or main road distance riding .. too small a bike can be a pain ... but if you adapt your mind set, a compromise can be reached suited to the type of places you wish to go.

e.g. an alp4 will do longer distances better, an alp2 is lighter and more nimble .. but when they have a rest .. which one do you want? .. and/but when you travel far .. which one do you want?

i have come to the conclusion that it is best to choose your places before you choose the bike?