Slainte Mhaith
Gentleman Dog
Want to propose a 1-5 trail rating idea again. Similar to what has been discussed before: Trail rating
1 being the easiest and 5 the hardest
But:
- It must be experience independent. You only rate the trail and not how easy you found it. I might not attempt say a 3 but Alfie Coxc might find a 5 easy.
- It must be bike independent. On a DRZ 400 I might attempt a 5 rating but never on a GS.
- Aimed at DS bikes and not to include Enduro bikes etc. Thus the typical terrain that we attempt to ride. (Enduro might add a 6-10 if we get there)
- It need not be precise. If one oke rates terrain as a 3 and the next rate it as a 4, so what. The next guy that reads it at least knows it is not a 1 or 2.
- Suggest we keep an average rider with a 600-100cc bike in the back of your mind when doing the rating.
Suggestion:
1. Noob: Normal easy gravel roads. The typical gravel road that we travel between towns. Tweespoor only included if it is easy.
2. Easy: More than just gravel. The typical road that might scare a noob but any rider with some experience will not have a problem to ride. You might experience some thin sand, maybe mud or marbles. The type of stuff an experienced rider might not even notice.
3. Difficult: A road that most will find a challenge but not a problem for the experienced rider. The old Sani would fall under here although I would put the new graded road down under a 2. Deep sand roads would go under here. Baviaans would probably be a combined 2 and 3.
4. Technical: Really difficult stuff. This is where it mostly goes off-road. Maybe add something like the thick sand roads of the west coast under here. Or Bezuidenhout's pass (when totally dry it might fall under a 3) Maybe coconuts in DeWildt or 3 fences riverbed. Stuff an experienced rider on a light bike will still find easy but will be a challenge on a heavy bike.
5. Impossible: The really difficult stuff you would highly unlikely never attempt on a GS bike. Might even be difficult for most on and enduro bike. Here I am thinking about Koos se klim in Gatsogwe which Runner did on his XR650 an shark-za just managed in his video on a KLR650.
What says you?
Maybe we can post some photos as examples?
1 being the easiest and 5 the hardest
But:
- It must be experience independent. You only rate the trail and not how easy you found it. I might not attempt say a 3 but Alfie Coxc might find a 5 easy.
- It must be bike independent. On a DRZ 400 I might attempt a 5 rating but never on a GS.
- Aimed at DS bikes and not to include Enduro bikes etc. Thus the typical terrain that we attempt to ride. (Enduro might add a 6-10 if we get there)
- It need not be precise. If one oke rates terrain as a 3 and the next rate it as a 4, so what. The next guy that reads it at least knows it is not a 1 or 2.
- Suggest we keep an average rider with a 600-100cc bike in the back of your mind when doing the rating.
Suggestion:
1. Noob: Normal easy gravel roads. The typical gravel road that we travel between towns. Tweespoor only included if it is easy.
2. Easy: More than just gravel. The typical road that might scare a noob but any rider with some experience will not have a problem to ride. You might experience some thin sand, maybe mud or marbles. The type of stuff an experienced rider might not even notice.
3. Difficult: A road that most will find a challenge but not a problem for the experienced rider. The old Sani would fall under here although I would put the new graded road down under a 2. Deep sand roads would go under here. Baviaans would probably be a combined 2 and 3.
4. Technical: Really difficult stuff. This is where it mostly goes off-road. Maybe add something like the thick sand roads of the west coast under here. Or Bezuidenhout's pass (when totally dry it might fall under a 3) Maybe coconuts in DeWildt or 3 fences riverbed. Stuff an experienced rider on a light bike will still find easy but will be a challenge on a heavy bike.
5. Impossible: The really difficult stuff you would highly unlikely never attempt on a GS bike. Might even be difficult for most on and enduro bike. Here I am thinking about Koos se klim in Gatsogwe which Runner did on his XR650 an shark-za just managed in his video on a KLR650.
What says you?
Maybe we can post some photos as examples?
