Why You Shouldn't Try Black Bear Pass Backwards (Motorcycles) 

Awesome story. I rode an XR100 a lot when I was 12 or so. I have an SL100 now that doesnt run. I wanna get it running for some mini vintage bike adventures!

Thanks for your comment!

It was pretty scary at the time too. I just tried to not look down! I think going down was worse than going up. Some guys said their brakes were fading which was scary too. Thanks for your comment and view!

same here the height is a deal breaker for me

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@@Megakoolguy357 lol, this isn't a forum question. I don't need to read and search before making a comment. Especially, when it wasn't particularly negative. I was just pointing out I thought your comment on the video had funny timing. After watching a few of these videos, I'm just glad you made it up safely without taking any spills. Saw a guy on a similarly rocky trail, take a dive off the side with his bike into a pool at the bottom of a waterfall. For an unfortunate fellow, he got lucky.

@@roguea987 @Rogue Æmpire @Rogue Æmpire I'm just trying to make it so the comments aren't a thousand repeats of people pointing out the same fact. It also makes it easier to reply with my own version of a repeat. Most people stop watching the video at 30 seconds, so I just assume that most comments are from people who didn't watch or read the description. I'm glad nobody got hurt as well. For the number of people driving that trail it is actually baffling to realize how many skilled jeep guys there are. If a vast majority of them weren't pretty good drivers there would be a lot more accidents. Even the SxS crowd in Colorado was pretty great. I appreciate you clarifying your comment and interacting with the video.

It was super sad we had to turn around there. It was also really hard to do with the rock wall on one side and a drop into a creek on the other. To top it off I am super scared of heights. Nonetheless, it was fun while it lasted!

They allow it only for Jeep jamboree, not 2 wheelers that unfortunately have to many times over the decades have ignored the rules. If you’ve wheeled much in the Southwest desert areas you know what I’m talking about. For every person who takes off cross country in his Jeep, truck or other vehicle there are a whole lot of 2 wheelers that have decided to cut cross country. The worst of the offenders were the ATC’s that came out in the 1970’s and they alone closed many areas but the war for closures started in the late 1960’s and migrated to everyone else. It was always a small percentage of people who did it but unfortunately bikes and ATC’s even more so we’re dirt cheap compared to a 4X4 so that the percentage was a lot more people.

Thank you.

It's all the same people dont think signs apply to them no dogs allowed dogs on leash one way ect...

@@melissalynn6680 You are correct. I don't buy this story. People do so many things wrong on BB pass. I wouldn't be surprised if they close it permanently some day.

@@JH-mt3pp yup totally then mix in the alcohol and pot and that makes total destruction..me and my husband did engineer pass this year and a lot of people who pulled over to talk with us were drinking on the trail..I'd rather save it for afterwards to celebrate the accomplishment and not put anyone at risk.

@@melissalynn6680 I have never seen people drinking on the trails but I guess I'm not surprised. Driving those trails under the influence is really crazy.

You're right. That's the video is titled "why you shouldn't," not "why you can't." Thanks for the comment!

My camera had a terrible habit of ruining the absolute best footage. At least one guy made it most of the way up, but the Jeeps stopped him. It looked hard, but I think we would have made it okay. Worst case we would have pushed the bikes up one at a time with three of us together. I so wish we had gone the right way and been able to do it.

IQ of a group decreases as population increases and the presence of an authority figure can speed that up. I’m not going to criticize you, I’ve seen that play out before with groups of motorcycles. More than once I’ve just waved the group on ahead and headed home solo.

@@blacksquirrel4008 It's kind funny because one of our group members is a deputy and another is a surgeon. We started with a pretty high average IQ 😆. I am very glad to have been able to learn from the experience and share the info online. If we had a video like this before setting out that day, we would have done the right thing. I am actually set to go to Utah with the same group this summer and I am pretty sure I won't do something like ride black bear backwards again!

The trail is clearly marked one way. Why did you ask a police officer which way to ride it ? We took a Jeep on Black Bear in the early 1980's. I did some research and talked to the Jeep rental guys. It was made clear that it is one way. The signs tell you this. If a speed limit sign says 40 and a cop tells me to go 60....I'm going to obey the signage.

The sign isn't until after Bridal Veil falls. It's way up there. We were all looking for it, but we never actually saw it. In a Jeep, it makes sense to think that you can easily see the sign, it's RIGHT THERE! I missed it when we went by it again, missed it when I was editing the video (obviously), and missed it when I watched the video the first time. On a motorcycle, or even a mountain bike, keeping your balance is the main focus. My focus later was making sure the video was viewable. It would be nice if the installed a sign at the bottom of the trail in Telluride that had the same message. That is more of where we expected to see it anyways. We didn't really ask the cop for advice. I didn't even talk to her myself. A few of the group members were just saying good morning while she was investigating a bear incident with a trash can. Apparently she mentioned it as part of that conversation. I did the research the night before on some Jeep forums to make sure we could do it from the opposite side (not out of Telluride). The rather scarce info I found on it is why I posted this video. I wasn't able to find another video at the time that showed which way to go. Somebody on the forums posted a quote from a law that looked pretty legit, so we intended to ride Imogene, then make a loop back to Telluride and continue the route. It didn't take much to sway the group, and the smart thing would have been for me to refuse to go with them and stay in Telluride to wait. That was my mistake, I guess. To be clear though, as soon as we realized that we were going the wrong way we turned around. I think most people in this comment section see this as a group of malicious people trying to break the rules. That's just not what it was.

@@Megakoolguy357 IQ is different to common sense 😂

Yes follow the rules!!! Thankyou sir.

… this isn’t Forest Service maintained road or land.

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It was about 108 in utah. Im glad we werent there too long. We had to turn all the way around and never finished this road, unfortunately. I had IRC GP1 trials tires. We trucked the bikes. It was a long drive, so i can only imagine what it would have been like on motorcycles. I believe the max altitude was around 13,000 feet. The XR was pretty gutless in the thin air. Thanks for watching AZ buddy!

Verbal Widget. I've ridden in the San Juan Mtn. area 3 times in the last 5 years. I'm from MN. You have to go, your so close.

@@travisn4493 I was just telling a friend that two days ago that we are a 8 hour drive from Utah and Colorado and need to ride there. Thanks

Anxiety level is sky high right now ,just watching the video . No way in hell could I do that .

I was nine when I made this account 😁 I couldn't think of an original name, so I just left it as is.

You're absolutely right. Just after the corner at the end of the video is the beginning of the "Steps." While it would be possible (if a little dangerous) to pass if it were just bikes, it is not possible with a Jeep. Most of the part of the trail we did was narrow enough that two cars couldn't pass.

We had 3 KTM 500 EXCs, an XR650L, a DR650, and a CRF450L. I may have mentioned it in another of my COBDR vids, but I don't think I said in this one. Due to how much time it took to pick our way back down the hill in shame, we didn't end up continuing back to Telluride on BBP the correct way. We took Imogene instead and moved on with the trip. There is a guy on here who posted uncut videos of all the passes he rode on an XR650L. He does have a video on Black Bear pass on his channel. The channel is called "Chad Goff."

@@Megakoolguy357 thanks. I ride a DR650, thought I heard that in your audio. Can you connect me with that guy? I’d appreciate his perspectives on our bike and Imogene and other passes etc. thanks again

It would be difficult to connect you to our DR rider. I don't hang out with him outside of the BDR trips. Also, I'm not sure his perspective would be worth much to you, as he comes from street bikes and has ridden in Baja, Mexico something like 5 separate times. In short, he's an exceptionally talented rider. He was in my Imogene Pass video. I believe it was the second one (the top). I would hope I can offer a little advice though. The DR and XR are very similar machines relative to the KTM-style bikes. The DR had Cogent cartridge upgraded forks and heavier springs (which many people consider a requirement). The DR had a bigger tank and had more luggage than my XR. So, his bike was likely 70 pounds heavier than mine. The XR and DR both make amazing torque, so slipping the clutch at low RPM was probably the only real advantage we had over the smaller bikes. There were two things that had a great effect on the rideability though: 1.) If you are a short rider, the DR does have a slightly lower seat height and likely a lower center of gravity than the XR. That might make it somewhat easier on Imogene for shorter riders. My XR still had its lowering link on during this trip, which caused some issues, but possibly helped a bit as well. I have since removed it. 2.) Strongly consider leaving the stock carburetor on your machine. Jet it however you like. I recommend going leaner all around, but especially the main jet. Most of the time, you aren't fully utilizing the main jet down in town, but in the passes the bikes can get very sluggish with the throttle open as the air gets thinner. Our DR rider had a pumper carb on his bike, which made it faster and gave it better throttle response. It also had the added effect of exacerbating elevation change issues. His bike was actually having trouble running at all, while mine was noticeably less powerful and still running relatively well. I left the same jets on from 4,000ft to 14,000ft. I don't think he ever did change his out, but he did have to deal with his bike running like crap sometimes. Hope this helps.

I have posted numerous explanations throughout the comments and the description, as well as in the video. The intent of the video was exactly as you said: to illustrate what NOT to do.

A trials bike would have been easier for sure, but not legal or necessary for this trail.

Yes. You are not the first to comment this. I explain it thoroughly in the video and all over the comments. Yours is probably the last comment I am going to leave up. I'm getting very tired of reading the same comment over and over.

I think you would do fine. The best part with that bike is the waddling capacity. Be mindful of the weather and the route. Don't wanna get stuck up there since you will be going quite slow on that bike. Like probably first gear most of the time. That elevation is hard on motorcycles, especially ones without a ton of power to start off with.

@@Megakoolguy357 thank you for the info. Amazing how close to the cliff you got . I couldn't watch that part . Just hoped you didn't let go of the clutch .Can't imagine going up the steps . Stay safe

I gotta tell ya, I was pretty scared. Imogene was absolutely worse. It was a lot of cliffs with no switchbacks and steep downhills. I have a video on that one too.

I don't make the rules. If you attempt to go up the wrong way, you will have to contend with the Jeepers, who have every right to punt you back down the hill. I mentioned in the video that it would be possible to go up on a bike anyways, but a busy day in the summer isn't the right time to take chances.

@@Megakoolguy357 yes the jeeps rule that road

I never even considered the clutch cable failing. I'm glad I didn't 😆 Thanks for the view and comment!

I never even considered the clutch cable failing. I'm glad I didn't 😆 Thanks for the view and comment!

@@Megakoolguy357 nonetheless, it was different to see someone do Black Bear in the opposite direction. How long does the whole ride take roughly? It's on my bucket list.

@@MrNismopro We had planned to ride Imogene and Black bear in one day. I think we started a bit late for that, but it depends how fast you want to ride AKA how much of the view you want to miss. RU-vid has many uncut videos on the passes that will give you perspective on the time it takes. For Pete's sake, please don't ride backwards like we did. It is very much the wrong way and you will look like an idiot. I know from experience. Some other commenters have mentioned that Black Bear might be closed to motorized vehicles in 2022 (no idea how true that is), so make sure to do research on whatever you plan to see so you don't head to Colorado to be disappointed.

@@Megakoolguy357 thanks for the info. I won't be riding it in the opposite direction for sure. I'll keep an eye on the forums and site info as I get closer to a date for it. 🤙🏽

It's stock gearing. The main issue is that 2nd gear being too far from first. If I ever have the cases apart I'm gonna change that. Thanks for watching!

@@Megakoolguy357 gear spacing between 1st and 2nd must be pretty big then, which makes for a challenging ride on steep stuff. I went down Blackbear in 2020 on my KTM 450 EXC-F and regeared it than night back at camp. It was too high of gearing to be comfortable and the steep descent of the “steps” on Blackbear.

@@deerinmyyard8430 Yup. It's a known design flaw of the 650L. I just go up hills in first gear and with the low end torque I do pretty well. Being able to utilize second gear for a bit more speed would be awesome though. I think the biggest complaint for the KTM 500s in my group was that they were afraid of riding off the cliff because they had to rev them out a bit more than the old Japanese bikes.

Two things 1.) We did educate ourselves. This video was created to help prevent others from doing it again. I put it out with the risk of getting comments like this so people would know not to ride it backwards. 2.) It wasnt our idea. A local POLICE OFFICER in Telluride told us to ride it backwards, saying it was the only way. We had it all planned out, and she convinced the rest of the group to change. I was against it and I should have waited in Telluride, but I wouldn't have this footage. We have similar problems with uninformed people here in Oregon, so we were trying to be as good as we could be while in CO and UT. This was a mistake that was precipitated by a local. I believe I mentioned that in the video too. I was the only person in the group who disasgreed with the decision to ride backwards, and it is pretty hard to argue with info from a LOCAL COP. And the sign needs to be much bigger and not white. When you are busy looking at the ground, the sign just isn't in your view. A camera with a wide lense sitting on my helmet projecting through your screen makes a small sign much more easily visible. All that said: no matter where you ride, if someone in the group disagrees with the plan, talk it out until the decision is unanimous.

@@Megakoolguy357 I applaud you for putting this out there knowing you are going to get blasted. There is always someone out there just waiting for the chance......"out of state flat landers" Geez, come on, really!! Reminds me of my poor old dead great aunt blasting the "snowbirds for bringing all that damn dope into Florida". That was her thinking! Lol. Anyway, you lived and learned. They officially run Black Bear once a year backwards, or at least they did. Still, nice video, yes, I'm out of state but have contributed many tens of thousands of dollars to Colorado, hunting, fishing, and skiing the past 40 years! Thanks for posting!

I really appreciate the positive comment! I actually didn't think that people would be as negative as they have been. I realize that those who are in agreement usually don't interact at all, a very small number of people leave a like or dislike, and that the minority is the loudest population. There appear to be two groups of people who do not like this video: First, the "oh no you broke the rules" guys, and the "just send it, Who cares about rules" guys. I intended this video to help people follow the rules so as to not endanger themselves or others. The COBDR was absolutely surreal. There was almost no point where I didn't thoroughly enjoy it. Even the highway portions were awesome, and I think exploring via dual sport or overland with a Jeep is the best way to see the state. I hope you have the chance to spend tens of thousands more on your favorite activities! Happy new year.

@@Megakoolguy357 No problem ! I've watched and enjoyed a few of your vids. I fully intend to take advantage of all Colorado has to offer for some time. Agree on a dual sport...a great way to see the state. My brother lived in Marble Colo for a couple years in the mid 90's and we took the road to Crystal City and Schofield Pass. I highly recommend it! Cheers to a great year!

@@ynot0714 We rented a side x side and went up to Crystal City. The Crystal mill is beautiful ! Our rental only allowed Crystal City and back at the bargain price of $230 lol. It was worth every penny. I didn't want to walk or drive our Lexus RX lol.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean here, but thanks for the view.

Yes, at my protest, the rest of the group decided to ride the wrong way. This video was uploaded to prevent other groups from doing the same thing. Thanks for your view and comment.

@@Megakoolguy357 If they all agreed to jump off of the cliff would you have done it too ?

What good would it have done to not go? They still would have ridden the wrong way without me and the video wouldn't be here for thousands of people to see before trying it themselves.

A member of my group mentioned that in another comment. We were all looking for the sign on the way up as I had read about it online, but the number of hikers and the steep cliff on the side made it hard to pay attention for the sign. I could be illiterate too though! ;)