Dirt bikes, if we leave it at that, might sound like a pretty mundane topic. However, the term "Dirt Bike" conjures up different images for different people. For the younger crowd and West Coasters, it might mean a seat set up high in the stratosphere, knobby tires that look like they belong in a Mad Max movie, and enough power to shoot out a 12-foot rooster tail. For others, it could be a lower, smaller displacement four-stroke bike with high pipes and lights to help navigate the backcountry when it gets dark.
My own interpretation of the term "Dirt Bike" leans more towards what's known as trials bikes - not "Trail" bikes, but "Trials." You know, those bikes with low seat height, high ground clearance, designed for slow and skillful riding, jumping onto rocks, and clearing logs. Urbanites might have seen these bikes in exhibitions at motorcycle events, where riders jump from one large box to another or ride over large pipes. The Gas Gas or Beta is a common choice for these events.
I was fortunate to have a brother-in-law who was a die-hard motorcycle enthusiast. We rode together a lot, both before and after I married his sister. Most of our riding involved high-speed trips on Mediterranean highways and byways, astride high-horsepower road blasters (think Katana 1150). A year after my marriage, he decided we should hone our skills at slower speeds, so he bought a couple of trials bikes: a Bultaco Sherpa and an Ossa 350 Trials.
My other brother-in-law owned a nice piece of land he was developing on a large plateau in central Spain. Getting up that plateau was a real challenge, with rocks, boulders, breakaway gravel, outcroppings, shrubs, and sudden open spaces demanding constant attention. The road was already tough, but attempting it on a motorcycle without a road was almost insane. Those Bultaco and Ossa bikes took a lot of abuse as we tried to conquer that mountain, and conquer it we did. Then we'd set out to find an even more challenging route to the top. Trials bikes are perfect for this kind of riding.
Eventually, those bikes had experienced enough riding for three lifetimes and were passed on. My brother-in-law sold his Katana and got a Honda XL650, red, white, and blue. I have a picture of him riding it with a broken leg not long after he was rear-ended in Madrid traffic. The XL seemed pretty large to be considered a dirt bike, but it handled itself quite well. It was definitely more nimble than the BMW GS800 of its time. Who would have thought that we'd see big liter-plus bikes considered as dirt bikes? Some people do, but I find it hard to accept.
So, what's the point of this post? Well, it's just me rambling, really. I have a soft spot for dirt bikes, whether they're desert sleds, motocross bikes, trials machines, old-school on/off-roaders, motards, or faux all-terrain bikes. It doesn't matter. They all share a sit-up-and-ride position, wide handlebars, and a free-spirited attitude that you just don't get with any other type of bike. If you have one of these, we're going to get along just fine. Don.
Ramble on! -Jay