offroad motorcycle for bug out

A

alephlex

Joined
May 4, 2005
Messages
151
Friends,

I've noticed a series of threads lately about bugging out and invariably the one problem that crops up repeatedly is transportation - you are all ready to go but you find that the roads are jammed etc.

I'm curious to get your opinions on how an off-road motorcycle with side panniers and a trunk would rate as a vehicle of choice in a bug-out scenario.

I've camped with one fairly frequently and find it remarkably versatile. Tracks that are uncrossable with a regular sedan are easily managed with a motorbike as you can pick which sections of the road to ride on. Petrol consumption is remarkably low ($5 for a 300km trip with full load) and jams are things that can be negotiated. Of course you can't carry as much on a motorbike and you can't insulate yourself in the bike for some extra security as you could in a car.

I do realise that camping and a bug out scenario are very different situations but I'm curious anyway. Anyone have any opinions?
 
alephlex said:
I'm curious to get your opinions on how an off-road motorcycle with side panniers and a trunk would rate as a vehicle of choice in a bug-out scenario.
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Depends on how much violence is going on around you. If people are rioting and/or shooting at one another, I sure wouldn't want to be exposed on a motorbike, especially given how loud they are.
 
The real problem i see with a bike is range. Most bike have a range of 150miles. Now on the upside of the bike if you do manage to get some gas from a car 2-3 gallons would get you father then a car would. On a basic car you can carry enough gas to go 1,000 mile easy. Im talking about a container in the back. On the bike you cant do that. But if you have a place that you want to get to and its within 200 mile or so and you dont need to carry much. The bike would be my first choice. I also ride a bike every day as i prefer the freedom of a bike then sitting in a cage.

Sasha
 
I think its a great idea!

I have a sneaking feeling that anyone planning on bugging out with thier trusty 4-wheel drive truck full of gear is in for a shock. Living on the edge of a large city I've seen what just a snow storm does to people, God forbid a real emergency like a dirty bomb goes off or something. Plus that truck full of stuff is like a laden galleon to an pirate, a nice prize.

Some guy on a motorbike may not be that tempting a target, plus he may side step the traffic jam and get out of Dodge before the real violence breaks out. I've considered the same tactic using my wifes and my Vespa motorscooters. Even mountain bikes may be a better choice than the family car or truck.

Travel light, travel fast.

Something like a Kawasaki KLR650, or a BMW650 may be a real good escape vehicle.:thumbup:
 
You are much quicker but you are exposed to the weather, violence and very fragile to other road users. If you travel light it can be a good choice for escaping you house with only two people. But you have to ‘’bug-out’’ before SHTF and need to have a back-up shelter/food storage.

A offroad motorcycle is handy and not that expansive but a 4x4 is IMO more useful.
 
A motorcycle, just about any kind, may have significant advantage over automobile in the event of mass exodus from a large metropolitan area. The ability to zip between traffic jams could be extremely handy.
 
I think that a bike has it's positives and negatives. As unbiased as possible I beleive them to be as follows:

PROS:

Nimble (easy to get in and out of traffic and bypass obstacles)

Range (with extra capacity tanks you can get 400+ miles)

Reliable (simple 2 or 4 stroke motors and you can put on foam tires = no flats)

Concealability (easy to hide behind bushes or a dumpster)

CONS:

Easy to knock you off (they can just bump you with a car, use a bat, throw a brick)

Can't carry relatives/friends/gear or others who can fire while I'm driving (this is really important to me. I want to be able to get things in quantity into a car or p/u relatives/friends/fellow allies)

No shelter to sleep in

No protection from elements

Can be stolen easily or hauled off

No shelter from projectiles (a vehicle with some skin is better than nothing)

Can't shoot and ride (need two hands)

Requires skill to operate (can't get just anyone to help me use it to do tasks or transport me if i'm injured)



Bottom line, I think that considering the pros and cons, a enclosed vehicle is better for many reasons. But a cycle has it's place.
 
If i could add something about motorcycles. If you realy want to use a bike to bug out. You better be a very good rider. If any one thinks he could just jump on a bike and ride it like a pro think again. The chance is you would do a better job at hurting your self then any one would trying to hurt you. If any of you rode a bike as a kid and you think you could just get back to it. Im sorry but you would get hurt. Most people that do get hurt are the weekend riders. Im not trying to put anyone down. I seen too many people that got hurt thinking they can ride a bike after they were out of it for a few years. IF you do dicide to ride DO take the MSF class and were gear and i mean proper jacket boots and pants and lets not forget full face helmet. The reason i might sound like i put a damper for some people is cause i dont want no one to be part of the satistics. If you dicide to ride and you didnt for a long time. Get a small bike to learn and get used to it. A bmw GS is a great bike for someone that rides alot and can handle a bike that size and power. Now what i call a cool ride is riding a bike in the twistys at night. Talk about a rush. We got some of the best canyons out here in SO CALI. Santa Monica mountains and Angeles Crest highway. Just take care guys.

Sasha
 
sasha said:
If i could add something about motorcycles. If you realy want to use a bike to bug out. You better be a very good rider. If any one thinks he could just jump on a bike and ride it like a pro think again. The chance is you would do a better job at hurting your self then any one would trying to hurt you. If any of you rode a bike as a kid and you think you could just get back to it. Im sorry but you would get hurt. Most people that do get hurt are the weekend riders. Im not trying to put anyone down. I seen too many people that got hurt thinking they can ride a bike after they were out of it for a few years. IF you do dicide to ride DO take the MSF class and were gear and i mean proper jacket boots and pants and lets not forget full face helmet. The reason i might sound like i put a damper for some people is cause i dont want no one to be part of the satistics. If you dicide to ride and you didnt for a long time. Get a small bike to learn and get used to it. A bmw GS is a great bike for someone that rides alot and can handle a bike that size and power. Now what i call a cool ride is riding a bike in the twistys at night. Talk about a rush. We got some of the best canyons out here in SO CALI. Santa Monica mountains and Angeles Crest highway. Just take care guys.

Sasha
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Be careful dude. I see lots of riders in the ER. Some with minor abrasions and excoriations, and some with brain matter in their helmets.

I've got to gown up better next time that happens.
 
Choosing to bug-out is a major decision. It means staying home with lots of supplies, roof and a bed is no longer a good option. If you have decided to bug-out, others have too and the roads will be blocked. A good off road bike that has the range to get to a preselected bug-out-location would be able to get through the traffic if you don't make yourself a target. Don't carry a lot with you, it should already be at your bug-out-location. Travel light and move fast. I second the KLR-650, but learn to ride it; good call on the MSF class.
 
I were looking for this site. Please this site has EXTREME graphics so if you dont like blood and gore dont down load. Every friend i got that rides a bike or planning on riding one, i let them see it. It gets people to think twice. If you notice most of the bikes but not all are the bigger crusier bikes.

http://home1.gte.net/res0ak9f/bike.htm

Hi ERdept When we ride i ride with a good group of people we have rules on how to ride in a group to stay safe. We ride as fast as the slowest guy in the group. We also watch each other. Our motto is we dont want to pick up no one from the side of the road. I do see too many people ride bikes and you know they cant handle it from following them. The hurly guys ride with T-shirts and skull caps does anyone wonder why they get hurt more...........

Sasha
 
Yeah, some of those shots are pretty graphic, but the point of this thread isn't motorcycle safety, it's using a motorcycle to bug-out due to a significant problem that is forcing thousands to leave town at the same time. A motorcycle can be great transportation.
 
Thanks for the website. I don't have anything against bikes or bikers. It's just feel that there is not enough steel around you for protection.

Cars go through impact testing and have safety measures built into them that bikes are not subjected to.

I just think that life is short and dangerous enough as is. Even a minor fender bender is a big deal for a bike. You may survive the impact, but the subsequent fall, and possibility of run over or the impact from the stop are some other things that bikers must contend with, no matter how safe you ride or how many ride with you.

Well wishes, stay safe and aware.
 
Thanks for your thoughts and critical comments all. Really interesting reflections all. I appreciate many of you commenting about the limitations of range and carry capacity. Good thoughts on using it as a way of getting to a place that is already set up with your basic supplies.

I think Sasha is offering some great info for the new riders in our midst and also people who are getting back into riding with the MSF classes and good gear. I recommend Honda Advanced training for those of you who can afford it. As with everything else in the wilderness, nothing substitutes for skills and practise.
 
If anyone felt that i came across too hard i didnt mean that way. The reason is i want everyone to understand that unlike a car a bike is something that you need to stay with, ride all the time. If you didnt ride the bike for a long time it would not make sence to try and bug out on one.
If i would buy a bike to bug out on it would be something within 400cc. It would have enough power to go places light enough to pick up if droped and push out of sand mud or anything else. Dont worry so much about how fast it would go. even a 250 would be fast enough. For side boxes try some large ammo boxes. You can weld them to the bike or makes some frames for them. You can always get an extra fuel tank that would carry as much as 5 gallons. Best of all you can ride your bike to work and back best practice you would ever have. I almost never drive my car any more unless i need to pick something big or it rains too hard, im more afraid of the cars when it rains. People in Los Angeles just dont know how to drive in the rains.

Sasha
 
A motorcycle opens up 'roadways' that are closed to larger vehicles. Bike paths, foot bridges, sidewalks, etc. can be traveled, when everybody else is jamming onto the main roads.

You can keep a lot of your gear and extra gas at your destination. If you don't have an alternate homesite you'll be heading to, you can cache gas outside of town.
 
Back in the day we called them Trail bikes. They have lights so they could be tagged and street ridden, but, have the suspension for off road.
Our motto was: "YOu can remove the lgihts at home, or take them off in the woods" meaning they'd get torn off by trees, branches, whatever. :)

I concur with FLX, with a small motorbike you could use practically any alley that an adult human could pass through. Even the railroad track discussion, might be bumpy, but the trailbike could do it.

In an urban setting, the bridge may be clogged, but you could go between cars, or if the bridge has a pedestrian walkway, hit it. ASnd for the record we are talking about times of major emergency, not to get home before the ballgame starts.

Once you are outta dodge, it's easy to hide it, it's easy to go a hundred yards off the main road for some relative peace and safety.

Your not gonig to carry a ton of gear on it, but, considering we are of the mindset you may end up abandoning your car in the chaos, you'll be able to easily carry anything you would while walking.

Small trailbikes get great MPG, so even if gas were scarce, you could siphon a quart here and there from abandoned vehicles, and still go for miles. (Hint: always have a siphon hose). I'd also carry a patch kit, spare tube, and two "spoons" for removing the tire from the rim to patch it. You can even pump it back up with a real small bike pump, like cyclists use.

I think it would be viable alternative, especially if you need cheap & easy transportation around town anyway.

Like this:
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sport/products/modelhome/9/0/home.aspx

I'm bugging out on my 660Raptor. Leaving the family behind to fend for themselves! :thumbup:

Raptor600
 
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