BEST OFF ROAD VEHICLE

flynnbflynnb Member Posts: 14
in General
I WOULD HAVE TO GO WITH THE TOYOTA FJ-40.THAT IS A
GO ANYWHERE ANY TIME RIG,WITH A BULLET PROOF
MOTOR.
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  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Off roading can be high speed desert. It can be low speed trails. Rock crawling comes to mind. Personally I prefer a longer wheelbase vehicle for high speed stability and hill climbing. Like a pre '97 F-150 with a 16" fab-tech suspension. I realize this truck would be a handful in the woods or rock crawling but it would destroy a "Jeep" type (read older land cruiser) vehicle in the off roading I like. Sticking to brand loyalty an early Bronco is a better vehicle than an early Land Cruiser with much bigger/better after market support. Of course a 350 chev swap in a Toy brings the LC up a few notches. So much for that bullet proof Toyota/Chevy 6 cylinder slug.
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    is better than a truck or jeep for almost any circumstance I can imagine.
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Markbuck, I'm a big motorcycle fan but whenever I try to rock crawl with 2 or 3 people on my bike I always crash. The trophy TRUCKS smoke the bikes in the desert and the lower class trucks are pretty close. Then there is off roading in the woods and a snow storm hits.......as much as I love bikes I'd much rather be in the warm cab of a truck. Now on the Moto Cross track I concede a bike has no equal but is that really off roading or more like racing on a closed course? So your imagination for almost any circumstance is rather limited. LOL!
  • thesandmanthesandman Member Posts: 40
    Set up a VW for what you want to do rocks,sand,the woods,prerunning,or trail and for the money a VW is hard to beat.
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    MarkBuck is absolutely right. Although no vehicle handles all circumstances ideally, the offroad motorcycle handles the greatest combination of off road circumstances better than anything else. Better than quads, better than hummers, better than horses and mules, although mules are very effective...

    We use our 4x4 trucks not as primary off road vehicles, but as a payload delivery device. Anything can handle a motocross track. An enduro bike goes where the quads can't, faster, with less effort, on single line trails, horse trails, animal trails, trails too narrow, rocky or gnarly for anything else. A trials bike will climb obstacles you can't climb without ropes...seriously.
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    I love motorcycles, I'm just stating that I can IMAGINE some situations where a 4 wheel vehicle would be better. Trials riders are amazing but they top out at what, 45 mph. I remember taking my mid 80's CR's to the desert and would get head shake at 60 MPH that would almost put me into a tank slapper. My Husaberg 600 will do an honest 90 in the desert but I felt a lot more comfortable beating my '96 F-150 with the Rancho kit and 6 Rancho 9000 shocks at top speed(I couldn't afford the fab-tech suspension at that time)
    Single track trails, moto-X tracks, a balmy day, good friends, a bike can't be beat but I can think of a few places a properly equipped off road truck will out perform a bike. Rock crawling and sand washes come to mind. Especially when hauling passengers. I realize Markbuck said ALMOST any circumstance I'm just pointing out a few I think where I'd rather be in a truck.
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Quad sorry. No stripes, no spots. Good guy Mod. Happy trails.
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    Rarely beat $6000 motorcycles in BAJA or at Casey's BITD races or here in our silly AZ Whiplash racing circuit. Plus the trucks get stripped to the frame and magnafluxed after every race. Our dirtbikes get an oil change, a clean filter, and maybe hosed off.

    Been radar'd during a race in Mexico in '91 (only time ever winning any money) at an honest 99 mph on my old KX500 (during my young, stupid, ride WFO in the dust days). My new XR650R pig will run about the same speed stock, and my KTM380 will run about that when geared up. The trophy trucks will run 130+ on the lake beds but averaged over an off road race, the top motorcycles will consistently beat the top trohpy trucks
  • flynnbflynnb Member Posts: 14
    I WAS ONLY TALKING ABOUT 4X4'S.I USE TO RACE MOTOCROSS SO I DO AGREE YOU CAN GO ANYWHERE ON A BIKE.LETS JUST TALK GETTIN MUDDY.
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    Ya, I knew what you meant but the smarta$$ in me responded to your topic of BEST OFF ROAD VEHICLE....
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Markbuck, overall wins go to the bikes. But like you said the trucks can be faster. Especially on a non-technical wide open course. It seems Baja is getting smaller, tighter loops giving the bikes an advantage. But like you stated about your young, stupid days what would you rather be doing 100 in down a sand wash?
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    Rather be doing mach 1.2 about 50' above the sandwash in a F-15 but the AirForce kicked me outta the pilot program while I was a ROTC in College for poor vision. ;o)

    Probably still a bike.... I'm just gettin more stubborn in my old days.
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Actually, if you did make the cut, you would probably have gotten kicked out for firewalling at 50' above anything. All I did was to fly a B-47
    under a suspension bridge and they weren't too thrilled with that. at the time (1950's)there was
    a serious shortage of multi-engine jet pilots so I
    was dealt a chewing out for my dastardly deed.

    Bookitty
  • thesandmanthesandman Member Posts: 40
    Bikes are good.In most places they will be there first.In the sand,not allways.Takes a really good rider to keep up with a REALLY GOOD SANDCAR DRIVER ,driving a fast sandcar in open dunes.I have yet to meet that rider in the dunes,and lots have tried.I'm not saying he's/she's not out there,just that I've not met anyone yet after 30 years in the dunes. Trials riders,well when you see the show they put on it,s pretty clear,with the right tires,they'd go right up El Cap. nothin flat.Still it takes a truck to get the toys out there.It comes down to this,what do you want to do out there and how comfortable do you want to be?
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Deep mud and slimy rooted muck is the other situation bikes can get into trouble. Guess anything can have trouble with this.

    Sand is a matter of technique, for a bike. Go fast enough to float on top. For Paris to Dakar, I guess this means about 95-105 mph. But getting started is sometimes like trying to get on top of the water when skiing.
  • trucksrmetrucksrme Member Posts: 381
    Get ya a massey-fugerson now. They be the best ones off road for sure. Good luck on this one now!
  • bookittybookitty Member Posts: 1,303
    Actually, the very best off road vehicle is a rental car. No worries about tearing up the car, only the peace of mind of knowing that it is not your vehicle.

    Bookitty
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    Back in my field engineering days, had a '85 rental Ford Bronco 4x4 and .....

    Bookitty, you are right on about your last post! ;o)
  • mgdvhmanmgdvhman Member Posts: 4,157
    have in an off Road vehicle....is one that is not yours!

    Can we fit thru those trees??....SURE!

    Should we hit that mud hole?...it looks pretty deep?...SURE!

    Should we go faster with all this bruch hanging in the road?...SURE!

    LOL

    - Tim
  • moparmadmoparmad Member Posts: 197
    Nothin' beats a good pair of boots...and you'll need them after your rental ride.Besides they allow you enough time and tranquility to think up a good excuse for the rental desk.
    "Umm...that car had a bad tie rod I think."
  • thor8thor8 Member Posts: 303
    I have a Mercedes Benz Unimog 406, and she tells me she hates highways and roads, her diesel is sweating on the highway and her heart can only go 45mph, her big tires on 22 inch rims vibrates her frame even if she has all around coil springs, that is why I have to trayler her hefty frame in a sturdy rig, you see she weighs almost 10,000lbs and can carry that much weigth on her back, but yet she is so petite, she has one inch less wheel base than my porsche and she is no wider than my pickup, she wants to go off the road, trample over things, she loves water, she can go many feet deep on her portal axles, oh, yes, she is very sure footed, she can swicth to all four and lock them on the go, I just flick a swicth and she lets air and presto, yes her brakes run on air over hydraulic and if she needs to, she can inflate a tire or several, she has a god compressor and a tank. She likes to crawl, she has 21 speed and are syncronized, can go back with 8, in her very low mood she will make 1/4 mile in 5 hours, with her heart racing, but her strength is phenomenal, she can pull a plow or push a dozer blade with dirt in front of it or run a trencher or a backhoe, her strong heart can pump hydraulic oil to all those things, but I like her without atachments, but she was born to take care of them if they came, and one can take power from her from the rear or the front or both at the same time, on the go or stop, it dont matter to her, she does all those things and not just for show, but she really puts out, hour after hour and day after day and year after year, she wont brake under the strain, she has done it for 22 years, and she is in the prime of her life, I admit it, she could use some mascara and a make up, she deserves it, and is coming to her, she has seen many chigalos raise hell and make noise and limp home or go in a strecher, most hang around just for show, for a little while, do a few tricks here and there and dissapear, rarely seen again.

    Her and her older sisters have seen and done a lot, but they are such an unknown, guess they are shy, I know, they hate the road, they just hang out in the backwoods of the world, but if you find her you have to have her.

    But her and I know that she is the queen OFF the road and rest are, ......well, just pretenders.

    Andrew
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Now let's get her in a 100 mph sand wash!!!
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Yes...while they are winching her up, I'll be having lunch at the top, on my motorcycle.
  • RoclesRocles Member Posts: 982
    Andy Jordan can attest to this: TATRA!!!!!!!!!!!

    LOL!

    Alright motocross fans...the new BMW F650GS is going to be a great [non-permissible content removed]-kicker on both types of trails. She is a great hybrid.
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    No on the funduro. Wait for one of the new twin KTM's. Debut at Paris Dakar next year.

    My water cooled 2000 XR650 AL framed dual sport is pretty good too, figure I can go anywhere the BMW goes (except the country clubs) faster and easier.
  • rs_pettyrs_petty Member Posts: 423
    I was watching the TNN Trucks show and they were showing some rock crawling video. One of the trucks was a tube frame they called a "Sniper" I think. Anybody know about these things like where you can get the frames, what running gear they are set up for, overall costs, etc...
  • bobs5bobs5 Member Posts: 557
    http://truckstv.com/

    Here is the website for the trucks program on TNN.

    There is a section called "show products" which lists the various products that they used.

    You can send them an email if this particular product is not listed.
  • tacoma_trdtacoma_trd Member Posts: 135
    Hummer, little expensive though
  • thor8thor8 Member Posts: 303
    Here is a picture of the ultimate offroad vehicle, the unimog model 404:

    image
  • RoclesRocles Member Posts: 982
    TATRA!!!!!!!! It destroys the unimog...
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    Tatra can't fit in the garage...
  • jimvetajimveta Member Posts: 96
    image

    image

    maybe not the "best off road vehicle", but
    "best prerunner"?

    f150 2wd prerunner built by ivan stewart's raceworks, inc. http://www.stewartsraceworks.com
    truck specs at http://www.stewartsraceworks.com/prerun.html
    ... saw it listed at the now defunct
    bajaconcepts.com for $185,000 if i recall..
    could've been $135,000.. any takers? :-)
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    Now we're talking!!!!! It all depends what your idea of "off road vehicle" is!! That is mine.
  • RoclesRocles Member Posts: 982
    oby,

    Who needs a garage when you have a Tatra?? LOL! have you seen these things? I read an article about a year back on those behemoths....
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    Ivan got spanked last week at the week long 2000 mile Nevada race by a bunch of fairly stock motorcycles that cost about $6000 new.
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    I thought we already went through this. LOL!! Now add 2 people on your or my bike, strap the ice chest on and take away pit stops. Now what is the best off road vehicle?

    Didn't the Herbst Ford powered truggy take overall? I didn't see the final results.
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    Did Ivan carry a passenger? An ice chest? Do it without pit stops?

    Work to ride...Ride to Work (LOL!)
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    I think we read the same article...3 guys riding in the TATRA racing in the desert. How they race that thing is beyond me...
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    Did finish 1st for Big 4 wheelers after 26hrs and 7 minutes of racing.

    Beat by two motorcycle entry's, both on XR650's. First Honda in at 25:29 and second at 25:42.
    Stewart was like 4th or 5th overall at 27:03.

    My part-time 19yr old maid finished the race with her two male teamates after 42 hours and one big collarbone fracture (not her, the teammate). Her team finished 4th quad expert after DNFing on the last day due to carwheeling the rotax quad after breaking a ball joint at speed. The 17, 18, 19 year olds ran as high as 3rd quad in the early running.

    I wooysied out and didn't race. ;o)
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    A lot of the truck and buggy entries do carry passengers, the ice chest was being facetious. But if you weren't in a balls out race wouldn't you have an ice chest? The pit stop comment was in regards to the range of the vehicles. Like the beginning of this topic it was said a bike will be quicker from point A to B in a lot of situations. A decently built truck will beat a bike in a loooong sand wash/open desert. Now factor in payload and amenities and.......I guess I'm getting old. I still love riding my dual sport it's just after a couple hours I'm done much less 20+ hours.

    Gimme a bike for cheap top speed thrills, gimme a truck for real offroading adventure.
  • quadrunner500quadrunner500 Member Posts: 2,721
    I wouldn't mind having the ice chest. But trucks can't follow the bikes on the single track trails we ride.

    But then I don't do the desert thing much. We do ride the sand washes in Utah, but there's a bunch of trails out there too where trucks, even atv's can't go.

    Big vehicles have traction and power, but unfortunately, size gets in the way of taking you all the places out there.
  • modvptnlmodvptnl Member Posts: 1,352
    I guess it all boils down to what someone's idea of off roading is. Single track is fun. What's cool is where I live I can go out my back yard and whatever vehicle I choose there is a place to use it. I'm supposedly, according to riding buddies, right next to part of the old Mint 400 course. The way housing is spreading it won't be that way for long though.
  • RoclesRocles Member Posts: 982
    oby,

    LOL!! That's it!! They were racing in the Sahara, right? That vehicle was down right scary.
  • thesandmanthesandman Member Posts: 40
    I love single track at speed.Oh what fun that is . Balance! Keep your eyes on the trail.I've done lots of single track on my mountain bikes. Ya baby!
  • markbuckmarkbuck Member Posts: 1,021
    I love my mountain bike, but it has one serious problem. The engine is 40yrs old and only puts out 1/2 hp when running WFO.....
  • obyoneobyone Member Posts: 7,841
    that's a good one. I have a similar bike, also.
  • meredithmeredith Member Posts: 575
    After 30 or more days of inactivity....

    this topic is being "frozen." It will be archived or deleted in the next 10 days or so.

    Front Porch Philosopher
    SUV, Pickups, & Aftermarket and Accessories Host
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