Hi folks.
My camping bike is a Suzuki TU250X. I ride about 30% on gravel and dirt roads while the remaining 70% is on pavement. Occasionally with my wife on the back. Handling is not bad. I have to adjust my speed depending on how loose the gravel is. It's a bit tense on real loose rolling gravel.
I'd like a bit more power and am considering a savage. I would convert the belt drive to chain to avoid damaging the belt. Mid controls would definitely help but that is a lot of work and expense so I probably would not do that.

I know there are better options for the riding I would be doing but I am restricted to the 43" height of a bike to clear the canopy of my truck. I like the savage style and the power would be a great improvement on the pavement compared to the TU250X.

What are everyone's experiences on gravel?'
Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks

I live on a dirt/gravel road that’s 1/3 mile to the pavement, and out here your paved road can just stop and turn dirt until ... and I do try to avoid them if possible.  That said, our dirt/gravel section is not a problem with a little speed on the gravel portions.

DustyCrusty wrote on 11/11/20 at 07:46:01:


There are always better options, I got some friends that ride Ducati Scramblers!
In any case I was in for an Intruder, drive shaft and such a things, but suddenly, I found out there is a big thumper they cald Savage.. and fell in love imedetly! After that I found this forum.. ist great about Savage and S40 Boulevard!
At this summer I happend to be on a gravel road, totaly panic, not that it was dificult but mostly becuse my bike is in almoste mint condition, I dont want to damage anything!
In any case.. its a big thumper, 650 cubic engin, there are a lot of torque, if one only dont hesitates as I did!
But on the other hand.. I didnt ride whit a wife on the rear seat.
If I got my a girlfriend that love to ride on the back seat I probably would by my a bigger bike.. but only if she loves to ride on the back seat.. preferaly a Intruder/Marouder kind of bike.
In any case I like the belt, its not a drive shaft, it doesent ned any lubrication, it seldom snap of in any case!

To the others, I got brand new tarmack tires.. its this, different tires for different riding.

I think this bike would be a real turd on gravel.  The narrow handlebars and forward controls will make it impossible to get off the seat if needed.  The TU250x is a much better choice.  Even better would be any dual sport bike you can find.

Thanks for the input all. I hope to hear more. The thought of longer rear shocks is interesting. That should decrease the rake angle and trail distance. I'll have to remember my old trigonometry and see if I can work out the rake and trail differences.

I have had many dual sport bikes over the years, 200cc - 650cc, and my 1990 DR650 was the best handling gravel bike of them all. Don't know why. It just didn't squirm around and went where you steered it.

I also believe you don't want wide tires on gravel......a big footprint just makes more marbles under the tread!

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I tend to think thats a good thing for my sedate style of riding
The savage has relatively heavy  wheels ..big gyroscopes that want to keep you going straight  I find by letting it do its thing with a loose grip on the bars and riding smooth it does very well
My bars are wide which also helps
 I could be wrong but thats my feeling
 Now a scooter with small light wheels would be an entirely different thing I think