Dirtbiking Vs. Rockcrawling

[Rot Box]

Just for conversation sake I'll be the first to admit lately I would take a mediocre day of riding over any day of rockcrawling hands down. I can honestly say I have not been "rockcrawling" once in the last 18 months and I don't even feel bad about it. I've been exploring in my Ford and needed 4wd occasionally, but I have not found the need for lockers and low gears or huge tires once this year. On a bike I can cover triple the amount of area in far less time, still have a great time, explore areas that I could never reach in a 4x4, save money all the while spending quality time with old friends and meeting new people. I have been on practically every 4x4 trail in Northern Utah but it seems like legal single track just keeps popping up everywhere I look and there just isn't enough time to ride it all.

I noticed there are a lot of people riding and buying bikes this year what are your views/reasoning? If you had to pick one or the other what would it be?

 

[Caleb]

Just for conversation sake I'll be the first to admit lately I would take a mediocre day of riding over any day of rockcrawling hands down. I can honestly say I have not been "rockcrawling" once in the last 18 months and I don't even feel bad about it. I've been exploring in my Ford and needed 4wd occasionally, but I have not found the need for lockers and low gears or huge tires once this year. On a bike I can cover triple the amount of area in far less time, still have a great time, explore areas that I could never reach in a 4x4, save money all the while spending quality time with old friends and meeting new people. I have been on practically every 4x4 trail in Northern Utah but it seems like legal single track just keeps popping up everywhere I look and there just isn't enough time to ride it all.

I noticed there are a lot of people riding and buying bikes this year what are your views/reasoning? If you had to pick one or the other what would it be?




...oh wait, did you just say the same thing?

Granted I haven't been wheeling (beyond fire roads) since I sold my buggy (3-4 years ago). I think you said it best.

 

[Corban_White]

Yep

 

[Grim]

i went through the same faze. i had to build the biggest, baddest rockcrawler i could fab up. got really sick of not being able to drive my jeep on the road without red and blue lights in the rear view mirror,and to trailer it everywhere was getting to be a pain in the a$$. parted out the rockcrawler, bought a stock LJ, put a mild lift on it, the family and i have not regretted it sense. i love to drive my jeep every day. ok , not a dirt bike , but still the same concept .

 

[Herzog]

I'm the opposite, even though I don't crave the nasty rock crawling all the time I just like being out on the trails... no matter what trail. The adrenaline of conquering something is just a plus that goes with it. But I prefer on 4 wheels, probably mostly because I've never owned a dirt bike.

 

[Jared]

If I were single it would be dirt bikes all the way.

However, my wife and two small kids don't mix well with the bike. To me the outdoors are to be shared with family as much as practical. While I'm not against (and am really looking forward to!) an occasional solo trip on the dirt bike, Jeeping is still where it's at for us.

Jared

 

[Greg]

I think they all have their place. I love technical rock crawling, but I no longer have a rig for it. If I could afford it, I'd love to have another TJ like the RME TJ I built.

Our LX450 takes us to many places, loaded up with camping gear and everything we'd need for a long weekend or more. I really enjoy riding the dual sport, but it's not family-friendly... yet. Catherine has her own bike and we need to get better at getting the both of us out on the bikes. I do think it's much less expensive to own a couple dual-sports vs. a dedicated rock crawler.

Having a dual-sport 4x4 is where it's at, IMO. Something that's mildly built, can be driven on the freeway, then hit the trails and keep going when it gets rough.

 

[jackjoh]

4x4's only - family - camping - exploring - daily driver - cost (no extra vehicle) - and lately old age. But whatever have fun and keep the roads and trails open.

 

[ricsrx]

If I were single it would be dirt bikes all the way.

However, my wife and two small kids don't mix well with the bike. To me the outdoors are to be shared with family as much as practical. While I'm not against (and am really looking forward to!) an occasional solo trip on the dirt bike, Jeeping is still where it's at for us.

Jared

X100

 

[rholbrook]

I have grown up riding dirt bikes. I am in my mid 40s and can still hold my own with the young kids. If I crash, at worst I break a lever or bend a handle bar. Or like last night, hurt my wrist. Big deal. A weekend in Moab, axle shaft, dent, torn tire, broken this broken that. I can see the dollars flying out of my wallet. Actually, its been a while since I broke anything major. For me, its a minimum $800 to go to Moab, twice that if Queen Jennifer and Princess Regan comes along because then its hotel and good eating.

I have always loved riding, since I was 8, I couldn't get enought of it. I have yet to ride in Moab but I am going to next time I go. There is room for all activities or so my kids tell me. If I had to choose one activity for me, its riding, with my family, its boating.

 

[Stephen]

Dirtbikes never really did it for me. I've been intrigued by enduros and dual sports for a number of years, but I still can't justify the cost of having one (well, my wife can't justify the cost ).
Rockcrawling on a whole lost its allure many years ago. I got tired of breaking stuff and hammering my vehicle. I really enjoy the easier, more scenic trails these days. Be it a day trip or a week long one. I know that if need be, my Samurai can tackle anything I come across, but I don't like pushing the limits (except gas mileage ) anymore.
On another note, for the sake of conversation, I've really become enamored with road trips on the backways and byways. Drove to Denver a couple months ago on US40 and had a blast stopping at all the small towns along the way. And with our new Miata, hitting up the old highway system all over the country has definitely moved up in priority.

 

[SAMI]

Sorry Steve, but your Samurai has never been of 'rockcrawler' status. I know that you've wheeled it, but I don't think you understand the stresses that can come from romping your streetable rig through Pritchet Canyon, or other like trails... It sucks. Well, any breakage that occurs sucks, cause you still gotta get to work on Monday.

I would love a bike.. It'll be years down the road i'm sure..

 

[Stephen]

Sorry Steve, but your Samurai has never been of 'rockcrawler' status. I know that you've wheeled it, but I don't think you understand the stresses that can come from romping your streetable rig through Pritchet Canyon, or other like trails... It sucks.

This may be true by today's definition, but even 10 years ago the term "rockcrawling" denoted something far less hardcore. And when I first became involved with this past time back in 1993, the term meant literally "rock crawling" and any trail on EJS where you needed 4-low would have fit that definition. I've done my fair share of rockcrawling by those gentler definitions I knew it by.

 

[redtoy]

I do not have a bike but I do have a quad but would rather take the crawler out. It is more fun and I can take my family or friends with. I do enjoy the quad as well.

 

[YOUKNOW]

You know what they say, "with age comes the cage" I love dirtbikes, but I sold it. So the jeep it is.

 

[rockreligious]

I grew up on dirtbikes, and traded them in 15 years ago for rockcrawling, a year ago started riding dirtbikes agian. I love them both, and its nice to alternate between the two to keep things fresh.

 

[UNSTUCK]

I picked up my first jeep about ten years ago. I wanted one for as long as I can remember. I had it a year or two. Then I started thinking about a truck. I ended up trading my jeep in for a truck. I had that truck less then a year, before I sold it to start my first Jeep build. And today, that Jeep is mostly parted out, minus the tub and frame, sitting, waiting for me to get the bug again. I need to save about $20,000 for my plans with it.
To tied me over, I just picked up my first dual sport, which most of you know about now. It cost me $1500. Now my girls (4 and 5) are begging for one too. Even my wife jumped in on and said if you all have one, I better get one too! I've been watching KSL and it looks like I can get small 50cc bikes with training wheels for about $500 each and I can get my wife a used China make dual sport for about the same. So now it looks like I can do family activities again for around $3000, plus gear. That's a lot cheaper then the Jeep build.
So I woke up early this morning and headed up Bingham Canyon. I rode to the mine overlook. I had a great time and learned a lot on my bike. I got more then my fill of riding for the day. I rode home and was back by the time everyone else was waking up. If they had their bikes, we could take off to 5 mile pass and spend the rest of the day together riding as a family.

But I'm sure it wont be to long before I get the itch to build my Jeep again. In the meantime I guess I have all my customers jeeps to play with!

 

[ID Bronco]

I thought about this thread this past week. I am trying to do both, crawling and bikes/atv's and only doing both moderately. I ride well and crawl allright but I need to spend money and time on both my crawler and the bikes. With 5 kids the number of motors/machines to deal with gets old for me with the bikes. Then seven helmets/other geat gets to be a pain. But my crawler only has 4 belts so we don't all go anyway. When the younger ones grow up I don't know what I will do. I mostly have my big atv for hunting but I really got the kids bikes/atv's mostly because I am making up for not having them when I was a kid. Giving them the chance I never had kind of thing.

Wow that was wandering rambling.

 

[pELYgroso]

I don't know what I'd choose....I just finished my 4runner, which is a "dual sport" 4X4, and I love taking the wife (and she loves it too) and now little baby out camping or just up the canyon for a cruise. With the baby, obviously the 4runner is the only option, but my wife and I both have bikes, so when we can get a sitter for a few hours (we'll probably do it for the first time this week), we'll head out on the bikes for a couple hours. That's what I love about Utah! Everything is so close!

Having said all that, I don't know if there's anything in the world that's much more fun and adrenaline pumping than hauling up AF canyon's single track trails with a few buddies, trying to keep up with eachother, and covering SO MUCH ground in a 3-4 hour ride!

And having said that, I don't know if there's anything that I love more than seeing my wife having a great time riding in the runner up a trail, or even WATCHING HER drive up the trail, and now being able to have our little girl with us!

sooo......ya, I don't know what I'd choose. I just hope I'm fortunate enough to never have to make that choice. For now, it's both!

 

[Gravy]

I alternate between as many stupid (and/or) expensive motor sports and outdoor activities as I can so I don't get bored and my ADD doesn't get the best of me