broken leg from California 2011 fe 570

Wow, sorry about your luck. Quite a first post. Heal up. Hopefully your third post isn't in the for sale section.

Sorry to hear of your crash/broken leg. Perhaps the fractures are from twisting the leg when the bike did a 180 around you. If that's the case, no boot would prevent that - boots typically protect against external impacts. Heal up soon.

Most of the riding I done is off road 40 years plus maybe 5% on road. Thing is off road to street no real problem but going from street to off road can be a hard thing to do. I'd say you should take baby step I'm not trying to insulting you. Don't try to keep up with someone who's been riding a lot longer off road then You . A friend Got a 650 Honda and broke his foot in the first 2 miles of off road riding. he been riding street bikes only most of his life (more than 40 years) and we both though he could do it and the trail was EZ. Again baby steps it's not the Boots it's your ability. My first 2 years were a bitch for Me. I hope this helps. There are two kinds of riders those who have crashed and those who WILL. Knowing how to fall is an art.

Without sounding strange, Is a FE570 not too much of a dirtbike for a first time owner? Maybe something less powerful would be better to start on. Riding mates bikes around the pits is different to owning and riding a 570.

SunnyRSA said:

Without sounding strange, Is a FE570 not too much of a dirtbike for a first time owner? Maybe something less powerful would be better to start on. Riding mates bikes around the pits is different to owning and riding a 570.

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I agree, I bought my 650 of a bloke who bought it as his first dirt bike. Fortunately his friends and the local bike shop convinced him to sell it. Now with 43 years of experience I went and broke my collar bone and ribs with it. But hey you get that.

But if your starting out, a 250 or 350 four stroke would be a good start. Some rider training for the dirt is not a bad idea as well.

Yep been riding for 15 years and still I falling off ha ha har.

roust84 said:

Well, I am finally recovering from corrective surgery that was done this January for what turned out to be a poorly healed ankle break from my July accident. I'm all pinned and plated up now lol

I'm looking for some more supportive boots now... Any thoughts? I broke my *** in tech7's

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The Sidi Crossfire boot and Gearne are very protective. I own the Crossfire SRS and they are also super comfy. I would not buy the SRS as the replaceable sole ends up to be heavy and slippery.

Heal up well.

I think the 570 can be made quite mild and controllable.

I'd set the suspension up so that it rides stable - set sag and adjust forks for it to be slightly low in rear and high in front. Just a millimeter here, millimeter there. Suggest exploring stiffer suspension settings as it rides more predictable that way. And spring for your weight of course!!

Put a stock muffler on it if you have one and it isn't on, it creates a slight smoothness or lag in the throttle response

(Then make sure it's running well, i.e. not running sluggish in the low RPMs which can cause a bit of a KICK when it picks up and starts going. Is the throttle response smooth and linear from almost any RPM? Sluggish low RPM can be caused by blown muffler packing or a fuel system requiring maintenance.)

Then set it to the "mild" ignition map. Either by buying a switch or wiring in some restistors (can search this site for values / info).

And then watch these DVDs: DualSportRiding ... AND DO THE PRACTICE STUFF!

And the boots are probably irrelevant ... 50 stout horses in a 115kg package will break bones if applied correctly. I think doing the hillclimb is the flaw in the plan I deeply respect the adventurousness but you took a risk there for sure. And it bit ya But no need to be afraid of the bike. Get back on, you'll be fine.

And also ... as you armor up, there's a perspective that you start breaking bones that can't be armored. As in fully braced boots and knees will start to break femurs by twisting them apart. I don't know if it's true but it's at least a take on things. Out in the wilds I'd rather have a smashed ankle than a jagged femur break cutting up arteries inside my thigh .. ! Best of all maybe ride a little slower

Ouch thats gotta hurt!! But look at it this way you got your first good crash out of the way early heal up and get back out there soon !!

tourist said:

I think the 570 can be made quite mild and controllable.

I'd set the suspension up so that it rides stable - set sag and adjust forks for it to be slightly low in rear and high in front. Just a millimeter here, millimeter there. Suggest exploring stiffer suspension settings as it rides more predictable that way. And spring for your weight of course!!

Put a stock muffler on it if you have one and it isn't on, it creates a slight smoothness or lag in the throttle response

(Then make sure it's running well, i.e. not running sluggish in the low RPMs which can cause a bit of a KICK when it picks up and starts going. Is the throttle response smooth and linear from almost any RPM? Sluggish low RPM can be caused by blown muffler packing or a fuel system requimaintenance.)

Then set it to the "mild" ignition map. Either by buying a switch or wiring in some restistors (can search this site for values / info).

And then watch these DVDs: DualSportRiding ... AND DO THE PRACTICE STUFF!

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Good advice. You can also mellow it out with a throttle tamer G2 Throttle Cam System - G2 Ergonomics and taller gearing will give it less of a "hit". It's already a lightweight, great handling dual sport with excellent suspension. I think going to something like a DRZ or WRR wouldn't be as safe IMO, because even though the power might be more forgiving, the handling, suspension, heavier weight and brakes wouldn't.

Find someone who is willing to ride just a little bit faster than you and ask questions a lot of questions. You will get better it just takes time and a lot riding (FUN) the 570 is fine love it. that bike is great on road and off road. Like being a kid again.

I have a DR-Z too ... I'm going to resoundingly second Huskyfatman's point that you're muuuuch better off on the 'Berg. It's just a better bike.

That said, I've wheelied my 570 more often and longer by pure accident than I ever wheelied the DR-Z on purpose ... It's kinda scary, BUT! Once throttle control is learned, it's actually SAFER to be able to wheelie over crap on the trail ..!

Do consider having it sprung for your weight. (Depending on your budget I believe it's better to have it revalved too in response to the stiffer springs, but not strictly necessary. Side note: you can revalve yourself if you really want to get into things but I'd avoid it unless you know you want to really dig in. That type of stuff is better saved for later. But if you have a mechanical background and some tools and it tickles you ...)

The suspension is everything. Dirt bikes have LONG travel in relation to bike size. The back and forth rocking of the chassis and the dynamics of the chassis in general is the foundation of everything that is dirt bike handling. Rider weight is a great part of the weight of the whole package. In other words they do bounce around a lot You really do want the right springs in there for handling to be as it is designed to be.

For example, in turns you shift your weight over the front wheel to get it to bite better (this was counterintuitive to me, but consider that friction IS a function of pressure, and the mass of the bike remains the same, so it makes sense to add weight and therefore friction to the wheel that is pivotal at that moment for handling ...) So when a full-size rider leans over a spring that is too light, the front will compress a lot further down than when my scrawny self leans over that weel. (And the rear will raise higher in relation.) Front wheel trail IS the stability of steering of a bike, and is mandated by the angle of the front forks. (Steeper forks = more agile or flighty steering. Laid-back raked-out "choppery" forks = more stable, self-steering bike.) So with your weight you have reduced the trail of the bike a lot more than I can, shortening trail, and causing the bike to be much flightier in turns. This is fixed by a stiffer spring that doesn't allow the bike to move as much.

You're in California? - I'm pretty sure you'll have lots of very competent suspension professionals in your general area.

(In my opinion it is a valid philosophical question whether it shouldn't be illegal to sell dirt bikes without setting them up correctly for the rider, correct springs for weight included in price. Suspension is such a big part of everything off-road and there's no way for a new rider to really know the difference. I rode my DR-Z for a year set up way wrong - for a much heavier rider - so it was too high in the rear and rode really flighty. I did learn a lot by "riding around it" but I learned much faster overall when I was really free to explore a correctly-handling bike.)

My apologies for the wall of text Tried to say things I wish I'd been told sooner knowing NOTHING when I got into this Hope it's useful.

Incidentally - How self-steering do you feel the bike to be? Is it flighty and agile, or do you feel you could ride hands-free?

(This balance is first and foremost adjusted in the suspension.)

Rensho said:

The Sidi Crossfire boot and Gearne are very protective. I own the Crossfire SRS and they are also super comfy. I would not buy the SRS as the replaceable sole ends up to be heavy and slippery

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I have the Sidi Crossfire II - and I concur with Rensho - a great boot. Not too heavy, but protects well.

The best thing I like (liked?) about my Sidi's was the first time I wore them, was a full day out (6+ hours or riding) and they were perfectly comfortable right from the start. I then wore them again the next day with no discomfort at all.

They're not cheap, but sometimes you get what you pay for.