With the constant news cycle, stock market ups and downs, it's good just to get out in the woods and explore a little bit. I decided to take the newest addition to the Irish Motorcycle Stable... My 2024 Triumph Scrambler 400x.

It was a beautiful day to get her out in the woods. No river crossings at Little River, but some nice streams and good sized puddles to play in. I had one really challenging uphill section with deep Jeep ruts and good sized rocks. I ended up having to put the feet down a few times, but all in all she does a good job off-road. Much better than my 2014 Tiger 800 which feels like a beast off-road compared to her little sister the Scram.

👍

Pretty cool stuff!

Very Nice!!!!

Those tires do “ok” off road?
Next question, those tires do “ok” on road?
Is that a good all terrain tire?
I was looking at possibly getting myself something similar to your bike, but would be 75% off road prob.

I was wondering the same thing.

Yes they do. I doubt they would do very good in mud though. Those trails are pretty rocky and in small rocks and gravel the tires do great. They are about a 70/30 tire. 70% street and 30% trail. Metzler Karoo Streets I think they are called.

They come stock on the bike, so when they wear out I'm probably going with a more 60/40 or 50/50 tire more like the Shinko E-804 or the Mitas Enduro Trail+. Leaning towards the Mitas out of those two.

if I wanted a bike for more trail riding I would find a used Suzuki DR650, which is what I was looking for when I bought this Triumph Scrambler 400.

My other bike, which I take off the road too is a Triumph Tiger 800.

These pics were taken in Kentucky on The Little Shepard's Trail last fall... We shouldn't have had those bikes out there, but we made it back...

Jesus you sent me down a rabbit hole…😜
You can get a nice little bike for 5-7000 looks like.
Kawasaki, Yamaha, Suzuki or Honda scrambler.
Good stuff.

If you are thinking about buying something, PM me and I can give you my number and some advice when you need it. I've been riding since 1973 when I was a young teenager and I have owned a lot of bikes.

I paid $5000 for my 2014 Triger 800 and $4400 for my 2024 Scrambler 400x. Both were in primo condition. Like perfect condition.

Thanks Irish I will.

I know them roads and that church where you have been riding Irish. Looks like you had fun.

Do you like the Scrambler better than the Himalayan

I had the Himalayan 411 and it was a really cool retro bike that would go anywhere like a donkey, but it was sloooowwww. I think it only had a 25 horsepower. It was a great bike for back roads and trails. I called her "Burrito" (Little Donkey) because that's what she was. Now I have the Tiger 800 for long trips like we recently did to Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona and I have the Scrambler 400x for just running around town, occasional moto camping trips and exploring off road. Both will do Off-road, but the Scrambler is at least 100 pounds lighter and even though I'm in good shape, I'm still 64 years old.

The new Himalayan 450 is by all accounts a great bike for touring and off-roading. Basically it hits the sweet spot for a lightweight, small displacement Adventure Bike. I've read nothing but great reviews about it. It's in the same price range as the Triumph Scrambler 400x. I'm not a big fan of the looks of the Himmy 450 though like I was for the Himmy 411.

My Scrambler and the Himalayan 450 both have 40 horsepower so they are pretty peppy. Nothing like my Tiger 800 though, she's got a triple motor with about 100 horses, and weighs like 465 pounds wet, and will step out and move.

So from the best I can tell, where you ford Little River at either Hart's Ford or Tim's Ford, those used to be the two places where the main road came up the mountain from Shinbone Valley. Then that "main road" meandered around, crossed Yellow Creek at that little bridge by the shoals and then proceeded into Fort Payne (Then Will's Valley) via what is now called Adamsburg road. So it's a pretty cool history. My buddy Bill, has about 35 acres on Adamsburg road and the old rad bed runs through his property.

That poor church is about 120 years old and really needs a group to step up and preserve it. It easily dates back to when that was the main road up the valley, over the mountain and into town from the east. The old stand up piano is still in there.

Thanks guys. At my age and now that we are "old teenagers with money" we are both trying to spend as much time as we can exploring and experiencing new and different stuff. They say in retirement you have 3 phases:

Go Go years
Slow Go Years
No Go years

We are trying to stretch out the Go Go years as much as possible...

Headed to Texas tomorrow by way of Vicksburg, Mississippi to see Moto GP races, Chip and Joanna Gaines, Walden Resort in the Texas Hill Country, Fredericksburg, and San Antonio, but if we see some fun or unusual stuff, some good BBQ or Tex-Mex, we are headed there too... Not sure when we are coming back. Maybe stop for a night in Clarksdale, Mississippi for some blues music at Red's Juke Joint and at Morgan Freeman's place Ground Zero.

Unless it has changed hands, one of my friends family still owns that ol church. Great people!

I always enjoy your photograph filled threads of your travels, your cabin build, etc.. Now I'm just curious and I maybe a little off base here, but from the threads you've posted here involving bikes, it seems you have an affinity for European bikes instead of the Japanese bikes that most of us grew up riding. I haven't had any experience with the first Eurobike, so what is the main attractions to them? I can't imagine them being more reliable, maybe equal though. Is it comfort? Connection to European roots? Or some other kind of cool factor? They definitely are cool.😎

Living your best life man. 👍🏻👍🏻

Vicksburg. Tamale Place. Mississippi Delta Hot Tamales. Order a half dozen for a snack. Eat in parking lot. You are welcome.

Love that British racing green.