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Motorcycle Non-Paved Road Rating System
The following rating system is for establishing the
relative difficulty of non-paved roads for travel by adventure and dual
sport motorcycles.
Class 1: Improved dirt, gravel, etc. Passable
by any motorcycle capable of off-pavement travel.
Examples of class 1 roads include:
 |
Old Maverick Road, Big Bend National Park, Texas |
|
Salt Branch Road, Mason County, Texas |
|
Old Junction Road, Kimble County, Texas |
|
CR 350 (best DS road outside of Big Bend), Edwards
County, Texas |
|
Hackberry Road, Real County, Texas |
Class 2: Poorly maintained dirt, gravel, etc.
Rocks, sand, mud holes, ruts, inclines, water crossings, or other similar
obstacles make this road difficult for larger, heavier adventure motorcycles
and requires some rough terrain riding skills.
Example of class 2 roads include:
|
Road to Batopilas, Copper Canyon, Mexico |
|
Northern end of Pinto Canyon Road, Big Bend region,
Texas |
|
River Road, Big Bend National Park, Texas |
|
Sandy Creek Road, Llano County, Texas |
|
Bullhead Road (connects RR3235 to RR 2631), Real
County, Texas |
Class 3: Rugged, unmaintained dirt, gravel,
etc. roads. Significant obstacles such as moderate sized rocks, deep sand,
deep or long mud sections, deep & wide water crossings, and/or steep
inclines with loose terrain & tentative traction make this road/trail
extremely difficult for large adventure bikes and very challenging for large
dual sport motorcycles such as 650cc thumpers. Advanced rough terrain /
off-road riding skills advised.
Examples of class 3 roads include:
|
Middle section of Kent Creek Ranch road, Real
County, Texas |
Class 4: Extremely rugged road that contains
highly challenging obstacles such as steep drop-offs, deep & fast moving
water crossings, very steep inclines with loose surface, boulders, deep &
long mud sections, downed trees, and deep & long sand sections. Generally
not passable by large adventure bikes, extremely difficult for large dual
sport motorcycles such as 650cc thumpers, and very challenging for smaller
dual sport / trail bikes. Should be attempted only by those with
significant rough terrain / off-road riding skills and experience.
This rating system does not include trails or single
tracks. It is for the classification of roads only.
How to use the rating system
The purpose of the rating system is to give adventure /
dual sport riders an established standard for classifying roads. This
system will help riders select roads that are appropriate for their skills,
motorcycle capabilities, and desires.
1. Roads are classified according to the most
difficult section of that road. Classifications should not be
"averaged"; instead, classifications should indicate the most difficult
section a rider will encounter along that road. For example, the James
River road in Mason County, Texas is a class 1 road with the exception of a
class 2 water crossing. The entire road is, therefore, a class 2
road, even though the majority of the road fits in class 1. The single
class 2 river crossing means the road must be classified overall as class 2.
2. In
addition to giving a road a class rating, when possible give a description
of the obstacles found along that road. For example:
|
The James River Road is a class 2 due to a single class 2 water crossing
that is about 12 inches deep and extremely slick and treacherous with
algae. The remainder of the road is all class 1. |
|
"Kent Creek
Road is a class 3 road about 5 miles in length. The class 3 section
consists of about 1 mile of travel in a creek bed consisting of large,
loose rocks. Navigation is particularly difficult due to road being
overgrown and difficult to distinguish from other, private roads that
intersect Kent Creek Road. The remainder of the road consists of
both class 1 and 2 sections." |
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