Chicago Riders

Spork

Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2016
Messages
38
Location
Chicago, IL
I know I can't be the only Chicago rider round here, gotta show those GSAs what for.

Anyway, I'm in Lincoln Park, got a garage and tools and stuff if anyone needs to wrench. Haven't done dirt since my KLR days but I'm looking for some easy fire roads to start.

Also, member of the Chicagoland Dual Sport Riders meetup group, but they seem to do things on Tuesdays.

-Eric
 

Spork

Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2016
Messages
38
Location
Chicago, IL
::003::

Any easy fire roads in the area that are public, or do i need to head up to cheese land?

Are we doing any tech days in the area? I can host a tech day but my garage is a single car so I only have room for like one more.
 

holligl

Find the road less traveled...
Joined
Nov 13, 2015
Messages
2,212
Location
IL/AZ
Hoffman Estates here. Just bought a nicely equipped used 2014 ES last week. Still getting acclimated and geared up.
 

rid34fun

Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2012
Messages
59
Location
Chicago IL
Palatine here. New 2014 last year. It has been great. We should get a ride together and go to Lake Geneva or somewhere up that way.
 

Spork

Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2016
Messages
38
Location
Chicago, IL
rid34fun said:
Palatine here. New 2014 last year. It has been great. We should get a ride together and go to Lake Geneva or somewhere up that way.
Sounds good, I'm traveling a bit this week but around the end of the month I got some time. I was thinking of joining the Chicago Dualsport Riders for one of their meetups but im a straight up beginner, with only mountain biking under my belt.
 

Terminus

Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2016
Messages
312
Location
Aurora, IL
Aurora here. From my experience you either need to go north to cheese land or way south to get to dirt roads.
 

cheesewhiz

New Member
Joined
May 1, 2014
Messages
124
Location
Southcentral WI
Go west!

The other side of I39 to the river (And beyond into IA) has some nice gravel.
Check out that other site (ADV) for details.

- From the land of Cheese!
 

Topgear

New Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2012
Messages
119
Location
Minooka, IL
I'm in Minooka with a 2012. Just rolled 30,000 miles, and getting ready to ride up to the CADVR rally later this week.
 

Spork

Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2016
Messages
38
Location
Chicago, IL
Thanks for the tips.

I've been busy farkling the FJR so not too much time for dirt roads. Clearly it seems that there isn't much around Chicago, but IA/Carbondale area is a bit too far for a day trip, but WI is a a possibility
 

Eville Rich

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2016
Messages
464
Location
Wisconsin, USA
Not Chicagoland, but in Southern WI (between Janesville and Madison). It would be great to get a group ride going if folks want to venture a bit north. Going west to Mineral Point and into the driftless region gets you some great back roads and small towns. I'm planning to hit the southern half of the Trans-Wisconsin Adventure Trail (TWAT) in a few weeks with my wife on our 250 dual sports. I'll scout it for consideration for the S10. Rumored to be more road oriented than the northern half of the TWAT, which I've done.

Eville Rich
'16 S10
'15 WR250R
'87 K75S
 

Marty Joda

New Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2019
Messages
2
Location
2.5 miles S of Midway Airport
Not Chicagoland, but in Southern WI (between Janesville and Madison). It would be great to get a group ride going if folks want to venture a bit north. Going west to Mineral Point and into the driftless region gets you some great back roads and small towns. I'm planning to hit the southern half of the Trans-Wisconsin Adventure Trail (TWAT) in a few weeks with my wife on our 250 dual sports. I'll scout it for consideration for the S10. Rumored to be more road oriented than the northern half of the TWAT, which I've done.

Eville Rich
'16 S10
'15 WR250R
'87 K75S
Looking forward to a trip report on the TWAT for the S10. When I wear out the street tires that came on the used Tenere I just bought I have Mitas E-07s to put on it and will be ready to have a go at the TWAT. Love the Driftless Region.
 

Eville Rich

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2016
Messages
464
Location
Wisconsin, USA
After riding the TWT in mid-Sept, I'd say that the southern half is totally doable on the S10. It's a mix of rural paved roads and gravel. Even the state forest section in Iowa is fine. We hit rain for most of the bit in Iowa and the mud wasn't bad. Wouldn't ride it without some sort of knobs - E07 should be fine.

The only piece that would be sketchy is a dirt section of sandy ATV trail near Black River Falls. It's not a long stretch and can be gone around.

Much of the northern section is way too sandy for the S10, IMO. We're talking ATV trails with deep loose sand. There is an overland route used by 4x4 vehicles that skips the deep sand, but I'm not familiar with it. Worth trying the overland route on the S10 just to get to the Delta Diner.

With any of the TWT, having a GPS that will allow you to use the tracks is nearly essential unless you don't care about getting off the route. I'm also not quite sure how people do the whole length of the TWT in 2.5 days. I may just be a slow rider and the 250s aren't barn burners, but it's a lot of ground to cover if you are sticking to the dirt and ATV trails as much as possible.

Eville Rich
 

Raindog_10

New Member
Joined
Oct 27, 2019
Messages
13
Location
Chicagoland area
Greetings, sold my GS and picked up a 2014 ES a couple weekends ago. I'm in Crystal Lake and was part of the founding group of CDSR (Kenbob is a friend of mine...but only got out once in the WR250R this year). Glad to see other Super-Ten riders in the area.
 

FM Rider

Member
Joined
Sep 9, 2015
Messages
85
Location
Rotonda West FL
Greetings, sold my GS and picked up a 2014 ES a couple weekends ago. I'm in Crystal Lake and was part of the founding group of CDSR (Kenbob is a friend of mine...but only got out once in the WR250R this year). Glad to see other Super-Ten riders in the area.
Fortunately, I've abandoned Illinois and moved to Southwest Florida.
 
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