A little Story: My First Off-Road Adventure (not what I expected)
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 237
From: Skagit Co. WA
1st Gear Member
I'm not to hot in sand either but I am learning. The best thing to do is get on the throttle and get your weight on the rear tire, this will float the front tire so the sand can't grab the sidewall and have it's way with it. As far as I understand it.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 419
From: North Shore of Lake Superior
1st Gear Member
I grew up in northwest Wisconsin, rode a fair bit in sand similar to what's in Michigan. Sand is not an easy place to learn offroad skills, and the KLX platform is not the best sand tool out there (it's heavy and softly suspended and low powered...at least it's not a KLR). It will work fine though, once you sort it and yourself out (practice, practice, practice). A sand pit is a great place to learn all the skills you need, if you have legal access to any. Try to master it in a straight line on level ground...then throw turns and hills into the mix.
The others have summed up what is needed. An appropriate front tire will help a ton, but you'll still need to get the technique down. The most basic things to do in sand are keep your weight back, be hard on the throttle and easy on the brakes. Going slow, the bike will plow and wallow in the sand...carrying speed gets you up on top of the sand and more in control. Stay loose on the bike...the bike is going to move around beneath you a lot...stay in control, but don't try to fight the movement.
To enjoy riding in deep sugar sand, you need to ride pretty aggressively...if you're not, it will probably always be a battle.
The others have summed up what is needed. An appropriate front tire will help a ton, but you'll still need to get the technique down. The most basic things to do in sand are keep your weight back, be hard on the throttle and easy on the brakes. Going slow, the bike will plow and wallow in the sand...carrying speed gets you up on top of the sand and more in control. Stay loose on the bike...the bike is going to move around beneath you a lot...stay in control, but don't try to fight the movement.
To enjoy riding in deep sugar sand, you need to ride pretty aggressively...if you're not, it will probably always be a battle.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 333
From: Quebec, Canada
1st Gear Member
Springs may help, but as other stated a knobby is needed in my book. It is my experience that as confidence grows, you discover that the higher the speed, the better you can control precisely the bike's direction. I'd say though you must not skip the steps and increase your speed gradually.
There are a number of sandy places in my area (talking sugar sand here) and after five years, my abilities are night and days now compared to the first times. I don't fear the sand anymore. More correctly, now I fear it but not for the same reason: it's for the lack of power. Riding sand requires a lot of power to be interesting.
There are a number of sandy places in my area (talking sugar sand here) and after five years, my abilities are night and days now compared to the first times. I don't fear the sand anymore. More correctly, now I fear it but not for the same reason: it's for the lack of power. Riding sand requires a lot of power to be interesting.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 840
From: Sandpoint Idaho
1st Gear Member
I grew up in northwest Wisconsin, rode a fair bit in sand similar to what's in Michigan. Sand is not an easy place to learn offroad skills, and the KLX platform is not the best sand tool out there (it's heavy and softly suspended and low powered...at least it's not a KLR). It will work fine though, once you sort it and yourself out (practice, practice, practice). A sand pit is a great place to learn all the skills you need, if you have legal access to any. Try to master it in a straight line on level ground...then throw turns and hills into the mix.
The others have summed up what is needed. An appropriate front tire will help a ton, but you'll still need to get the technique down. The most basic things to do in sand are keep your weight back, be hard on the throttle and easy on the brakes. Going slow, the bike will plow and wallow in the sand...carrying speed gets you up on top of the sand and more in control. Stay loose on the bike...the bike is going to move around beneath you a lot...stay in control, but don't try to fight the movement.
To enjoy riding in deep sugar sand, you need to ride pretty aggressively...if you're not, it will probably always be a battle.
The others have summed up what is needed. An appropriate front tire will help a ton, but you'll still need to get the technique down. The most basic things to do in sand are keep your weight back, be hard on the throttle and easy on the brakes. Going slow, the bike will plow and wallow in the sand...carrying speed gets you up on top of the sand and more in control. Stay loose on the bike...the bike is going to move around beneath you a lot...stay in control, but don't try to fight the movement.
To enjoy riding in deep sugar sand, you need to ride pretty aggressively...if you're not, it will probably always be a battle.
If you don’t get new springs right away you can adjust the fork compression all the way in when you’re in the sand. That will help some also.
Your Humble Moderator/Admin
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 21,060
From: Washington
1st Gear Member
I hate sand, but I have rode in it a few times, and yes lean way back on the bike, it lightens the load on the front tire letting it float across the sand. But again, I HATE SAND!!!
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,050
From: Abilene, TX
1st Gear Member
The KLX is an example of the worst of both worlds in deep sand riding...relatively heavy and relatively underpowered. Dropping into a dry, sandy river bed with some of my friends who are riding 40-50 horsepower competition bikes is depressing. They scoot back a little or stand up, turn on the gas, and then skim across the top of the sand like a surfer on a wave. It helps when I stand and lean back, but you can't overcome physics. It's more work than a lighter, higher powered bike anyway you look at it. I love my KLX for what I use it for, and you just learn to deal with its pluses and minuses.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 216
From: S.E Michigan
1st Gear Member
i will post a video for you of me on the same trails on the klx you have to me doing at least 25 mph on your pegs not totaly standing up
if you want i'll take you to the mounds this weekend and do some practicing and i can show you some tricks also you still have your stock rear gear you need to put a 48 on the back for those trails also your bogging the bike down
BTW mio and rose city is probley the sandiest areas in Michigan
if you want i'll take you to the mounds this weekend and do some practicing and i can show you some tricks also you still have your stock rear gear you need to put a 48 on the back for those trails also your bogging the bike down
BTW mio and rose city is probley the sandiest areas in Michigan
Last edited by zippets; Jun 5, 2013 at 03:57 PM.
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 216
From: S.E Michigan
1st Gear Member
Hey Beardoge, wow you're not far from my brother's place at all. Nice to meet you! And thanks for the suggestions and the three rules.
OK so a new knobby for the front is first on my agenda. I guess it cant hurt and the stocker is showing some wear. But no doubt about it, riding in that deep loose sand with all the ruts was no fun.
I have considered getting a quad but I don't want to sell my bike. As you said the beauty of this bike is the fact its street legal and I discovered that when I went exploring on my own. I mentioned I went into designated State Park areas and several times I encountered signs stating no ATV or dirt bikes. But I'm on a street legal motorcycle and I'm allowed where ever cars can go, so I figured that doesn't apply to me and I rode right in.
But yeah while I still am hopeful we can find some common ground for my brother and I to go riding, I did start to think that maybe I should get myself a quad. I mean I did mention to him that we can always load his Polaris up in the bed of his truck and I can load my KLX on the trailer and we could go find other trails that are more motorcycle friendly. But that's just not always going to be practical.
The thing is I just spent $3k for my bike. Spent another few hundred on plates and insurance and ORV sticker. I bought a helmet and a used trailer. I was all set, or so I thought. But you make some valid points, no doubt about it. I discovered what you're saying first-hand.
Well, I'm a tad over 155lbs. Last time I checked I tipped the scales @ 225 lbs. Maybe I need both new front and rear springs.
OK so a new knobby for the front is first on my agenda. I guess it cant hurt and the stocker is showing some wear. But no doubt about it, riding in that deep loose sand with all the ruts was no fun.
I have considered getting a quad but I don't want to sell my bike. As you said the beauty of this bike is the fact its street legal and I discovered that when I went exploring on my own. I mentioned I went into designated State Park areas and several times I encountered signs stating no ATV or dirt bikes. But I'm on a street legal motorcycle and I'm allowed where ever cars can go, so I figured that doesn't apply to me and I rode right in.
But yeah while I still am hopeful we can find some common ground for my brother and I to go riding, I did start to think that maybe I should get myself a quad. I mean I did mention to him that we can always load his Polaris up in the bed of his truck and I can load my KLX on the trailer and we could go find other trails that are more motorcycle friendly. But that's just not always going to be practical.
The thing is I just spent $3k for my bike. Spent another few hundred on plates and insurance and ORV sticker. I bought a helmet and a used trailer. I was all set, or so I thought. But you make some valid points, no doubt about it. I discovered what you're saying first-hand.
Well, I'm a tad over 155lbs. Last time I checked I tipped the scales @ 225 lbs. Maybe I need both new front and rear springs.
you really dont need to do any thing with the forks you just need to learn the technics of sand
i'll take you out and show you the ropes
