Get’n Older? GO SMALL! Little Adventure Bikes, Big Fun / Holy Smokies Moto Rally Day 1 

66 and riding my 411 Himalayan where ilive in north Alabama . Went to Colorado last summer . Rode the Himalayan up pikes peak , Cumberland pass , then on to Yellowstone , crazy horse memorial , Mt. Rushmore etc.. good adventure

Good to see you and Brock together again! About the WR, light is right. I’m 67 and ride a nicely modded CRF300L, it’s a great bike. Thanks for taking us along!

Very nice to see the smaller enduros being represented.

I’m 69 and I just bought a Yamaha TW200 to ride around my small mountain town in Colorado. I still use my 2011 Harley 1200 Nighster to ride to church every Sunday.

Great meeting you, Brock, and the other two guys on the SM 500. I was the one on the Tenere that had the tool for Brock's front axle and a pump. Hope you guys enjoyed your trip. We had a great trip and got home on the 29th. We leave for the NEBDR next week. Really enjoy your videos... Drew

That leg swingin part. hahahaha. That concrete bench was so uncomfortable. hahaha

WR250R is about the perfect sized bike for what you're doing. Most people bring a bike too big. I think everyone believes bigger is better for some reason, but it's the opposite offroad!

Hey JR it was great meeting you at the cabin with the Holy Smokies guys. Bummed I didn't get to ride too much with you guys, for sure next time. Although I may take you up on the offer to do the MABDR in October with me and my brother in law. Keep up the good work and look forward to more videos.

Boy, that sure does sound like a lot of fun.I certainly wish I was doing something like that.Good for you to get out there and do it man.I wish I was out there doing it with you....

I am 53 now and 5'6. I use to ride a yz250 2stroke and definitely preferred it to the crf250 4 stroke I had before. Some accidents and yrs have passed and my husband bought me a Xt250 to trail ride. Its nice bike and got me riding again. But I kept looking for something little more. We got the CRF300LS last weekend. ❤ its just that little more I wanted.

Awesome video glad to see you back. JR have a great 24 riding season.

Love your videos and I am always exited for a new one. I’m also in Virginia and hope to cross paths one day. Keep on moving.

First time watching your channel. I've known Brock for over 30 years. Hope y'all have a great ride!

Always excited when I see your notification when I open RU-vid. I’m a DR650 guy but looking forward to watch all your new stuff! may the good Lord grant you safety and amazing memories in 2024!

So glad to see you Jo and also Brock in this new video. I always enjoy and appreciate your perspective on riding and on life. I plan to join Brock on his Rocky Road Ride at the end of July. Would be great to see you there. So, I ride a 2022 Honda CRF 300l Rally. Did the MABDR last summer from Montreal and leaving in a few days for WYBDR and COBDR for a trip of a lifetime. Perfect bike for me. Your videos have greatly motivated and helped me to plan this trip. I can't thank you enough for all that I've learned from you. Safe travels for you this summer. 👍

Greetings from a DR rider in COLORADO! Love your adventures, keep up the good work!

I’m glad I stopped swinging my legs before they really got going 😂😂 great video Joe! Glad I got to ride with you -Preston

Jr.love the channel. I have had a wr250r since 2018 and I absolutely love that bike. It's bulletproof you can beat it up and it will still run. The only thing I did different which I think made a huge amount of difference for me was gearing down the bike just a little bit with different sprockets. It really helped with more sand and tech riding. I also changed the rear shock. I was getting bucked like a bronco before the change I put a 3 gallon tank on as well. I'm 60 and I love this bike.

I have a thought to share regarding "down sizing bikes". I am a older rider at 73 with goals of riding until 83 and beyond if possible. I have been riding for over 50 years both street and dirt. I hail from California so have done high speed desert stuff in addition to wooded single track. Add to that a gazillion street miles. That is my resume' in a nut shell. I have never had a crash on the street thank God. I use to commute long distances on a street bike on Southern California freeways splitting lanes much of the time just to get back and forth to work. Additionally, for recreation, I would ride from SoCal to Sacramento to hook up with a bunch of guys for a weekend excursion through the northern coastal mountain ranges and everywhere else. The only serious crashes that I have had have been off road. Over the years, I have broken a collarbone, wrist, fingers, and have crushed the left side of my rib cage twice! The last time, one of the bones almost punctured my spleen and I had a concussion. Anyway, to the point. In 2020 I bought a Honda XR650L. I thought it would make a great dual sport bike and light weight ADV bike and while it is fun tourqy, it isn't overly powerful. And the power it very controllable. The only downside was that it is heavy at nearly 350 lbs. So, I down sided to a KLX300D and truely love that bike. The biggest downside is that it lacks power when you want to carry extra gear maybe for an over nighter. But for many things that I like to do such as explore the back country the bike is great. So wanting a little more power, I know, I know, it sounds like over kill, I bought a Husqvarna FE501s. That bike definitly has some quirks to work through but I have managed to not only over come those but others as well. But I am going to cut to the quick here. I changed the ECU, opened up the exhaust, added a comfort seat, steering stablizer, and a few other things. When I swapped out the stock grips for the bolt on type, I kept the stock throttle cam. Here is the bottom line. The bike is lighter than my KLX. It has WAY more power than my KLX but it is completely controllable. Using clutch and throttle control and riding in a higher gear, I can completely control the power to the ground even in the most challenging of conditions. And, when I drop the bike, it is still easier to pick up than my KLX. The KLX in stock trim is maybe 309 lbs. The Husky is maybe 266 lbs. Now, this isnt about trying to sell a brand to anyone. There are several if not many good brands out there including Honda that will do the same thing with proper set up. Don't misunderstand what I am saying. The Kawi is an extremely pleasant bike to ride especially in rocky technical sections. But, it suffers in more wide open sections because of its lack of power. This is where the ____________ (pick your poisen) shines. I think that because of its lack of weight and handling the KTM, GAS GAS, Beta, Husky, etc etc really shine. Seat height isn't that much greater in the Husky or KTM, GAS GAS or what ever. For me as an older rider who can contain the monster inside, I can ride the Husky with pleasure and not feel like the power is too much in off road situations. The power is very controllable. Yet, the bike IS LIGHTER than a CRF300L or a KLX300D. I feel that both bikes fill a niche' so I will be keeping both my KLX and the Husky. I hope that this makes some kind of sense. I hope that it helps someone on the fence about what to do. Lastly but most importantly, don't get frustrated, overwhelmed, or angry at all of the information (some times conflicting information). Dang, sorry for the long windedness.

Love your videos. I'm pretty sure it's "El-I-Jay"

Great video 🏍🏍🏍ride safe

Hi Joe, I had a Yamaha 250 XT and loved it. Sold it a purchased a Tiger 800. I should have kept it also because they have their place in the dirt being lighter and easier to handle. Happy to see you again on utube. Rusty.

Good job Joe 👍

Good to see you back on the tube! Really want to make one of Brock’s rides one day.

Your video made it into my thread and I enjoyed your ride. I’m a new rider at 66 years old and got a bmw 310gs last year. Bought it new so it’s totally stock so mostly set for street riding. Not many trails around here in Nashville Tn but I keep hearing about the Tn dirt devil that’s about 60 miles from me. It looks like fun. Glad to find your channel.

Great video and ride was great to ride with you.

Hi JR, looks like a great rally! Get yourself a G2 Throttle Tamer for your WR. I installed one on mine and it makes low speed, technical riding pure joy compared to stock. Pretty simple installation and inexpensive. Most of the guys on the WR20R Riders FB group have done this to deal with that twitchy throttle during low-speed maneuvering

Go KLX! I got 230 for the utmost simplicity. Klx300 looks solid too.

I went from a 1200cc to a Drz400🤙

Nice video. Thank you very much. I have driven my T700 since 2020 for 45,500 miles. My T700 motorbike will be resting this summer. For summer 2024 I'm riding a 2002 DR650 for travelling , 90 lbs lighter than my T7, much easier to maneuver. Lighter is better. I think that over the years my bike will become lighter.

Well I just missed you guys, I got there the 24.

I have a few bikes, all large except a WR250R. It's a 2016, and has about 7000 miles on it. I bought it in October and have tossed a grand total of approximately 9k into this little monster. I've ridden it a total of about 300 miles on it. I just keep upgrading it. Now, with the Comfort Seat, it's around 6 feet tall! I rode it down a gravel road and was surprised I got out alive. Any suggestions?

I’ve had lots of dual sports. Never had an interest in heavy adv bikes. I use to ride big heavy fast street bikes, but I got that need for speed out of my system in my 20s. In 2006 I had a DRZ400 for a couple of years,and then had to sell it due to finances. In 2021 I started shopping for another one when I discovered the 300 Rally. I Bought that and almost instantly felt like I made the wrong decision, and kept thinking about how awesome my DRZ was... But now, after 2 years, and about $2k in mods and upgrades, I think I like the Rally more than the DRZ. The wind protection and fuel injection are nice things to have. I’ve done everything you can possibly do to this bike just short of a Big Bore kit, but that just might be in the future. I definitely don’t need that, but in another year or so, If I still believe a Big Bore kit will make this bike my unicorn, and I don’t start getting negative feedback from people who have installed them on their bikes, I will most likely do it. Several RU-vidrs have plenty of miles on theirs already. I’ve only heard great things about the WR. I’m sure it’s a great machine. There’s not many dual sports I don’t like.

Glad to see you made it to my back yard! Yes, the Smokey Mtn 500 & 1000 are favorite trips in North Ga. I'm very interested to see how you like the Wr250r as I'm thinking about getting either that or the dr650. I've been riding a Honda xr400r but as a senior rider, I'm sorta tired of Kick start only! Anyways, I look forward to watching your new riding season.....Safe rides always~~~

Its - Well I'm a running down the road , not rolling down the road . Its - Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy, not the sound of your own voice drive you crazy .

60 years old and traded in my KTM 1290 SAR for a Husky 701and don't regret it one bit.

Im swangin, I'm swangin, hahahahaha

they are too small for an adv bike--- they are a 100% dirt bike