DAMN Riders - No rules, Just ride!

Sonny and I are planning on the Shenandoah 500. We’re not sure about whether to run the DS routes on our Huskys, the ADV routes on my UGS and his 890, or some combination of that. Any insights? Any advice at all? Anybody want to ride with us?

John

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/shenandoah ... 5551474107


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Its been a few years since Ive done the S500.

But I think you’d have the most fun running the dualsport loop on your Husqvarnas. Short of that one A option the course is fairly easy.

Phil, just saw this.. does it get a lot tougher than the reddish knob portion of this video starting around 4min mark? If not Id like to ride the 890, but will probably bring both bikes to ride the weekend.

I'm probably doing it again this year. We're still not sure where exactly they'll ride as a lot of the roads/trails are closed this year for some sort of power line maintenance IIRC.

John, didn't you ride the DS route on your 690 last year? ( maybe I'm thinking of someone else. Different John?) Sonny, that video you posted looks like the ADV route. We always run all the hard options so i can't keep the regular course straight but there are a good number of rocks even on the single track. My friend Austin rode his old 640 on all the hard options a couple years back. It wasn't ideal but he made it through the ATV connector option.
I've wondered if I could do it all on my 701 if I pulled off the LR kit to save some weight. Stock 701 forks would be a disaster in the rocks though (NEBDR proved that! I have a Dal Soggio kit on the table waiting to go into it.)

Edit: JGalt was the fellow who did the DS ride last year w/ a friend on their 690s. Here is last years thread on it. He thought it was hard. Not sure what options they rode.
http://DAMNriders.org/viewtopic.php?t=5536

Thanks for the info Stephen, yeah since it will be my first time out I’ll stick with the ADV route. Plenty of sights, sounds and smells for me
I secured the D15 camping spot. Hope I didn’t jinx it since we have not actually secured a spot for the run yet, supposedly august 16 signups? I see we need a current ama membership, mine expired last year. Do we have to be a WATR member also? Thanks


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John F wrote: ↑Mon Aug 08, 2022 5:05 pm Sonny and I are planning on the Shenandoah 500. We’re not sure about whether to run the DS routes on our Huskys, the ADV routes on my UGS and his 890, or some combination of that. Any insights? Any advice at all? Anybody want to ride with us?

John

why not do the DS routes on one day and the ADV routes the next?

My personal opinion, riding the small bikes (like 2 stroke real dirtbikes) on this event is a waste of rings and knobbies! I mean 95% is hardpack jeep roads and pavement. The 1 AA section is a bear on a big bike so just option around it-Anywhere there is a "A" option there is a go around. This is my favorite event for cruising and taking a fall weekend in and just enjoying it. I'd ride the ADV or DS bikes on this event, there just isn't enough real trail to make it fun on a smaller bike for me. My 500 is about the perfect bike for this event or my T7, either would be perfect. Your 7Husky will kill it as will John's 9T

I'll be working the event and probably marshaling this year so i'll be on the 500 more than likely.

aai wrote: ↑Tue Aug 09, 2022 4:59 amI see we need a current ama membership, mine expired last year. Do we have to be a WATR member also?

Nope you don't have to be a WATR member.

thanks Bill!