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Ok....probably a stupid question about green laning ....

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CKBear
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PostPosted: 10:30 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Ok....probably a stupid question about green laning .... Reply with quote

Hi all. I fancy trying greenlaning. Would it be a really bad idea to grab a beaten up old 125, stick nobblies on it and give it a go? Thinking of something like a cg125 or even a dog cheap lexmoto?
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Snod Blatter
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PostPosted: 10:45 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did all the ones I could find locally on my CB250 with a somewhat knobbly rear, didn't even need it to be knobbly - the tracks aren't that difficult.

I wouldn't bother buying a bike specifically for it though, unless you live somewhere with really good ones and find pottering about on bumpy muddy paths avoiding the valleys left by 4x4s somehow life affirming.
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DRZ4Hunned
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PostPosted: 11:37 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Entirely depends on the lanes, some are just like dusty footpaths that you could traverse with no modification, and some are like climbing a cliff that even dedicated enduro bikes struggle with.

But if you wanted to get properly into greenlaning I wouldn't waste your money on a commuter 125.
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Lord Percy
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PostPosted: 12:02 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Re: Ok....probably a stupid question about green laning .... Reply with quote

The Goblin King wrote:

Not enough suspension travel & too small 18 inch front rim - so forget about "Houndkirk Road" in the Peak District...

https://s19.postimg.org/rkmpn3n6b/13082708_509338072583764_9043076554132021976_n.jpg
https://s19.postimg.org/aubbxror7/12928398_499921353525436_6810939601356823085_n.jpg


Meh, I think people in this country get too worked up about how super duper specialist their gear should be before attempting certain things. It's just wheels over a surface, looks easily doable with a bit of care. In fact it looks piss easy if I'm honest. I bumped along worse surfaces in India on the bog standard CB100 I rented for a while.

Sure if the guy wants to get serious about it and dive in at the deep end, get some good kit, but for testing the water I think grabbing an old 125 and sticking a nobbly back tyre on it is perfectly fine.

For comparison, I'd gladly take any old mountain bike for some downhill riding just to give it a go before splashing out on the serious kit. Same applies for all pursuits, I think.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 12:05 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Re: Ok....probably a stupid question about green laning .... Reply with quote

CKBear wrote:
even a dog cheap lexmoto?

Have you been watching Baron Von Grumble? Thinking

Or Spicy110?

That sort of green lane, sure, why not. Those are being done on road tyres. I've even taken the Enfield (briefly) up some dirt-and-gravel paths and lived to tell the tale. You don't have to go full gripped-and-sorted.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 12:13 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most green lanes are driveable using road tyres. The "Houndkirk Road" for example, you could take any car or any bike along there.

You'll be fine going on the vast vast majority of green lanes, most of them aren't describable as 'off roading' and if you want to find green lanes that are challenging then you're going to have to spend a bit of time searching for them.
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Pete.
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PostPosted: 12:23 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

When I was a teen a guy I knew took an old trailie-style bike with a blown engine and put a fairly meaty four stroke twin engine in it, I forget the details. He went out every weekend, used less petrol, made less noise and was more reliable than most of the crossers/enduros that went along. It was a bit of a lash-up but cost him next to nothing and he had a lot of fun on it.
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thx1138
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PostPosted: 12:38 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

depends where you green lane

some of the lanes I ride, on a dry summers day - during a long dry spell, you could probably ride it all, and tiptoe round the tricky bits on standard tyres

try it when it's wet, and you'd get stucker than a stuck thing that's very stuck indeed, after falling over many times - but put some appropriate tyres on, and away you go, no bother


but I've seen anything and everything green laning with the TRF, from +1000CC Behemoths, to C90s, to ancient Matchless

anything can green lane with adjustments in my opinion, but not anything can green lane everywhere

or is that not anyone? Cos what I can't do on a bike, someone else can...
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Polarbear
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PostPosted: 12:45 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Surprised no one has posted this one....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqgEl53x7CM

Always makes me laugh Laughing
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M.C
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PostPosted: 14:35 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you buy a CG you'll end up with a CG. If you buy a DT125 you might get something actually enjoyable.

Or go for something inbetween, like a Van Van or TW125.
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Hahadumball
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PostPosted: 16:15 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

never had any issues with my chineeeese bike
the chain did come off after a jump once and break the sprocket cover but other than that it was fine and i abused the shit out of it!

https://i.imgur.com/MrtdtPy.jpg
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Lord Percy
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PostPosted: 17:32 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Re: Ok....probably a stupid question about green laning .... Reply with quote

The Goblin King wrote:
Lord Percy wrote:
Meh, I think people in this country get too worked up about how super duper specialist their gear should be before attempting certain things. It's just wheels over a surface, looks easily doable with a bit of care. In fact it looks piss easy if I'm honest.


Those guys only rode round half of Houndkirk Road in the video, there's 1 other bit that had my skid plate scraping small cliffs/rocks on the way down. Had to gun it while slipping the clutch in 1st/2nd while front wheel's bouncing off those steep edges = lots of bunny hopping on the way back up. Got home to find 1x body panel bolt 1x hand guard bolt & 1x regulator bolt missing from all that vibration.


Ah right, fair enough. Still, I do reckon it's possible to have a go along a fair few dirt tracks with a fairly bog standard machine.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 18:23 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

It is.
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Ste
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PostPosted: 18:25 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

SV650 supermoto racing.

https://supermotojunkie.com/showthread.php?88535-fernley-vet-national-and-GP-pics
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Fladdem
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PostPosted: 18:27 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

I started off on my MT5 with Chinky Katspaws on it with a 19"front and 16" rear wheels, rubbish tyres but about all that fitted with a sort of 50/50 tread pattern. That never let me down and it was light enough to pick up and carry if need be. My C70 has been laning, the Varadero 125, my Super Four has been laning.

Ironically, the ones I get least pleasure green laning on is the TTR and CRM, they're too capable for green lanes and there's not really a challenge in it with those two bikes. Laughing
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Teflon-Mike
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PostPosted: 19:51 - 24 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I wanted to go green-laning on two-wheels, I'd probably be looking to get myself an old two-stroke trail-bike, like a twin-shock Yamaha DT100 from the late 70's early 80's... and I'd deem even THAT rather more over endowed for what's 'needed'.

Green-Lanes is public roads without a permenant tarmac surface; they ent MX tracks! If you are good enough to try some of the more challenging Green-Lanes we have in this country, and there ent that many, then you'd get more of what you are probably looking for doing competition trials or real enduro's on a dedicated comper.

Comp-Trials, at clubman level's also probably a darn site cheaper, too!

At about £10 an entry plus petrol; you can compete a full 14 round 'season' in the sport for less than you'd likely pay for tax and insurance on a CG125! Let alone changing the tyres! An old club-man rock-hoppa's probably cheaper to buy, and likely to prove more reliable too!

Biggest challenge in the pursuit though is actually finding LEGAL lanes you can ride down; you cant heqad down any old farm track or bridle-way you chance upon! Means lots of time pouring over OS Maps and checking Way-Finder data-base and or obscure council web-sites to find TRO announcements and the like, then plotting a route between lanes you can ride.

And there ent many legal lanes about; so even after all that, you can easily spend more of a day riding about on hard-top hunting for the little feckers as actually on'em!

Which begs the compromise over whether you get something light and nimble for the rough stuff, or big and comfy for the slogs between'em.

Notion of loading bike up in a van or trailer and heading to one of the lane-rich districts like the Peaks or Sowdonia or the Lakes? Well? Might as well load the bike in van or trailer and go do a comp-trial or enduro and get more saddle time, less hassle, and more challenges per minute than 'trucking' it.... or as I do, just leave the bike behind and do the lanes in the comfort of a Range Rover!

But, yeah, in principle, a reasonably standard road bike, on more appropriate block-tread tyres aught to be more than capable enough on most lanes, especially the popular ones they have been tending to 'grade' with road-stone to deliberately make them less challenging in the last decade or so, that are often smoother than a typical farmer's drive way, or even the pot-hole ridden streets about town!
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deadwolf
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PostPosted: 03:25 - 25 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

The dad and I checked out this abandoned brick quarry sometime last year (in Malaysia btw). Mostly dry dirt with some muddy patches which didn't faze the Ninja at all. I was actually having an easier time going through the mud on my wider tires compared to my dad's narrow-tired Honda Wave. Just keep your wits about you, don't panic on the slippy muddy stuff and you'll be fine on a road bike. The most important thing to keep in mind is that rocks and bumps will hit you much harder on a road bike because of the suspension so take it slow and don't try to blitz through.

https://i.imgur.com/Z14kRpI.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/IiL1Btq.jpg

Houndkirk Road looks like major fun. A wee googling revealed this:

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vJEGgpINfnk/TdpdY5PwqpI/AAAAAAAAHn4/nip13eaFT_s/s1600/houndkirk++lowres.jpg

If a cafe hipster can manage it with clip ons you'll be fine.
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af1
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PostPosted: 19:43 - 25 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Enduro spec bikes were popular 30 years ago and some of the bikes are great value

Ie honda mtx aprilia etx yamaha dt (all 125's 2 strokes with light weight and 20bhp plus (enough to slightly kill yourself)

https://125stradali.com/honda-moto-enduro-125-honda/
(In Italian but gives some ideas)

Most of these bikes are available ready to go for less than a thousand quid

Ie
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-MTX200R-CLASSIC-2-STROKE-AMAZING-ORIGINAL-CONDITION-ONLY-9276-MILES-/201125141826?hash=item2ed3fe1d42:g:tpsAAOSwFAZTvTJ9

ie

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aprilia-tuareg-rally-125-127-not-wind-etx-rx-mx-af1-/201563741349?hash=item2eee229ca5:g:WgAAAOSw~oFXGAOr
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c-m
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PostPosted: 19:45 - 25 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Green lanes round my way are complete rubbish. From what I've seen elsewhere too UK BOATs are usually straight, relatively narrow, and short, and while they may be bumpy or rutted, they don't seem to have whoops or the like.

It means there's a alot that you don't get to practices, like cornering, adverse camber, desents etc..

Perhaps in Wales or up in the North they've got a better a deal.

I have a picture somewhere of me beaching the Aprillia Falco off road. Can't for the life of me find it now. Just pick a dry spell, and go for a play. You'll soon know if you need a different bike or tyres.
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thx1138
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PostPosted: 20:22 - 25 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

c-m wrote:
Green lanes round my way are complete rubbish. From what I've seen elsewhere too UK BOATs are usually straight, relatively narrow, and short, and while they may be bumpy or rutted, they don't seem to have whoops or the like.

It means there's a alot that you don't get to practices, like cornering, adverse camber, desents etc..

Perhaps in Wales or up in the North they've got a better a deal.

.


Have you tried riding in Thetford forest? The green lanes there are varied and challenging enough considering.

Never seen a complete group make it round yet, and I've always broken something on my bike when I get round Thumbs Up
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c-m
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PostPosted: 21:38 - 25 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

No never seen any lanes there. Do you have any GPX files? Could be a good test bed for the mods I'm making to my bike.

What I found when I did foriegn countries, is that I was comfortable in dirt and mud, but struggled more with the front end in marble like gravel, and on rocky ground.
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thx1138
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PostPosted: 15:50 - 26 Apr 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thetford forest, with the novice riders;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIGWNmpQLMU
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PitBikerPeter
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PostPosted: 23:23 - 12 May 2016    Post subject: Re: Ok....probably a stupid question about green laning .... Reply with quote

CKBear wrote:
Hi all. I fancy trying greenlaning. Would it be a really bad idea to grab a beaten up old 125, stick nobblies on it and give it a go? Thinking of something like a cg125 or even a dog cheap lexmoto?


How mad, ive got a old brazil looking cg125 and i take it everywhere, i mean everywhere, with slick tyres still on it. its been through mud and water so deep that it got stuck almost fully submerged and i had to keep the revvs up so the water didnt flood into the exhaust.. it was like a submarine lol. personally i say dont even bother with knobblys... my cg has been over the south east beaches as in pebbles and thick mud, been on the sand dunes and full submerged into a lake and then started up 5 mins after i pulled it out the lake... its currently waiting for me to rebuild it, after the oil rings went kaput and it was burning oil like a two smoker.. only crash ive ever had offraod on it was when i lost the front end in a battle against a 3 foot drop into 2 foot of puddle a mud where i flew over the handle bars...
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groovylee
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PostPosted: 08:27 - 13 May 2016    Post subject: Reply with quote

i do classic trials in my kit car jeep, and there are lots of bikes that do it too - sort of like green laning (ish).

there are a group of lads that do it on beaten up C90s with 125 engines in them - they do pretty well too Cool

https://www.retro-speed.co.uk/CMS-Images/m_3990001_20160109-Poel%20on%20the%20C90%20Honda..good%20man.JPG

https://s3.amazonaws.com/medias.photodeck.com/a1289eea-ca11-11e3-a262-f2b86e40979d/UK-st_agnes-4236567_medium.jpg
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