New Dualsport Rider On Single-Track! It Didn't Go Well - Yamaha XT250 

You say you made a lot of mistakes, but look at how much you learned on that first single track ride. That's exactly how you get better! The XT250 kicks ass

I think you’re awesome for putting this up. So many videos by experts with tons of experience. Great to see an honest video from someone less experienced.

Turning around on singletrack is the best place to try a kickstand pivot. Just put the kickstand down, lean the bike up onto it while standing on the same side. Make sure both tires, or at least rear, are off the ground. And pivot it 180 degrees. NIce easy turn around method.

Appreciate the ride, thinking about selling my MT03 to get a XT250, yours seems to give you fun experiences.

That single track was flat and smooth and very easy to ride. You just need more practice and you'll find these are much more fun than the gravel roads.

Tight spots on trails are hard to turn. Facing Uphill works better. If you have a flat area, leaning the bike to the left and spinning the rear wheel around (donut) works too. It takes time to gain experience, but you will be happy at each new accomplishment.

Gotta learn somehow. No broken bones so... no harm no foul.

Looks like you are in National Forest. You should get a MVUM, motor vehicle use map. It will not only show you where the trails go, but also which ones are open for dirt bike, and which ones are hikers only so you don't accidentally go on hiking trails.

Not bike-related, but this applies to everything in life: if you wouldn't comment on somebody else's video and call them "stupid" or "an idiot", then you shouldn't say the same things to yourself. Be kind to yourself! ❤

There are many off road motorcycle training centers and courses. May not be a bad idea to check those out. That kind of learned knowledge may save your bacon one day in middle of nowhere. But anyways, thank you for sharing your video and experiences. Rubber side down.

Great video man, refreshingly honest content!!

We all learn from our mistakes. Good job!

Good riding, mistakes are how we learn!

Great scenery and drone footage. Those trails looked difficult to me. The dropoffs looked crazy and I'd say that you did fine. I agree that facing the hill would have worked out better. Never thought about keeping a fallen bike in gear, so I learned something.

I liked your video and I learned from it.

Great video! Love the drone shots.

Exactly this happened to me Yesterday! I have a newly acquired TW200 was about 9 miles up off the hiway on an un mapped road and in a very rocky place I lost my nerve, stopped the bike and it promptly fell over. I was not able due to my old weak-fart body to get ‘er up but I had cell service and got my buddy to bike up to my location and he got it up for me. My InReach Mini 2 arrived while I was up there in the dusk waiting for a bear to happen along !!LOL Glad you’re OK. thanks for the share! (and U Turn advice!)

Video was pretty well done

Beautiful ride. Nice honesty. I'm newish too.

Tight single trail is one of the reasons I bought the xt250. It’s a Super capable tough bike! I ride solo most the time and carry a small “rope n handle” that I can loop anywhere on the bike and a Velcro strap for the front brake, it’s just the trick for bad situations.. so far I can just lift it but you never know🤷‍♂️

Good video man. Can’t wait to get my 250. I hope you post some more

The bike in gear is good. Also turn off the ignition switch so that the battery won't go dead. On my TW200, there is no kick starter, so if my battery went dead, I would be screwed. Then there is the battery. In 2009 I bought a new Polaris quad. It had an AGM battery. (Absorbed Glass Matt) I still have that original battery in that quad, and it is still working. My quads/motorcycles use to have lead acid batteries, and they would last 2 years, sometimes 3 and then I would need to replace them. I am sold on AGM batteries. Next, if you can't lift your bike up quickly, turn off the fuel supply at the fuel tank. The carb machines like my TW have carburetors and laying on its side will cause them to flood and make your bike extremely hard to restart. When turning around, like you said, always turn uphill. I have been riding dirt bikes for over 50 years, and another way to turn around on a very side-hill trail, is turn up hill and go as far as you can and let the engine die while still in gear. Get off the bike and pull the handlebars to stand the bike on the rear wheel. The farther that you go up the hill, the easier it will be to do this. Then just pivot the bike around 180 degrees. It is not as hard as you may think. I have turned around my XT600 that way many times when faced with a huge tree in the trail on a steep hillside. You will get better. I quit riding dirt bikes for 20 years, and I am just getting back into it. I am having some issues. LOL I am 76 years old, in June I will be 77, so I am not as nimble as I once was, but I dearly love my TW200, and I also love single tracks, however, there are some single tracks that scare me bad, so do not feel bad for turning around and going back. One other tip, especially on a new to you trail/road, never go down a hill that you can't make it back up. There may be a wash-out, or a 4 foot in diameter tree blocking the trail/road further down out of your immediate sight. Keep riding, you will get better.

Glad to hear you got out and you learned something..most of glad to hear you didn't get hurt!! Stay safe and practice

Come ride dessert southeast Oregon..preferably lake county..u won't regret it😊

You should have bob Ross paint some of the shots you get 🔥🔥

Beautiful area you have to ride

Good lessons, happy it worked out ok. Thanks for sharing with others!

Big mistake going there alone, I learnt that the hard way in my younger years. And if you need to turn around and the ground is not level it's bes6if aim the back of the bike to the sloping area because it's easier to move the bike up using the engine

Next time bring rope and pulley system?😮

Good work mate If it got ya heart racing allways good

You are not stupid! You sre nee rider,and you are lesrning from mistakes