Off-road riding in Toronto?

The Student Guy

The Student Guy

Member
Forum Sponsor
Hello everyone!

I am not a new rider, but I am new to Toronto motorbike community. I recently moved to Toronto from Ukraine and as I was a big lover of off-road riding in my country I feel really sick without a dirtbike and I plan to buy one. In Ukraine I had Honda XR 250, I was riding it pretty much every week (even in winter) for about 3 years, I did long 500km weekend off-road trips, and took part in many amateur competition and got a lot of podiums on 2nd and 3d places. So I consider myself an experienced rider.
So, I am looking for similar experience to what I had back home: meet new people and have fun with them driving in forests on weekends, take part in amateur contests and competitions, make long multi-day off-road trips making camps in forest on a riverside and getting some stunning views and visiting snorting places (if you want, I can post some photos from my trips and show you some beauties of Ukrainian nature), or just have a short ride in woods after my work or study to relief stress and get away from troubles. How is it possible here?
I plan to buy DR-Z 400 this autumn/winter and I would like to know how I can get my accustomed off-road way of life in Toronto:rolleyes:
Could you guys tell me how off-road life and community is doing here?

Thank you very much for your replies in advance!:)
 
You can check out Offroad Ontario for racing woods and enduros.

Rally Connex does some rides that aren't races, but can be very challenging if you want.

I'm not a member, but I think anyone can join Simcoe County Adventure Riders (I think Facebook group). You could probably find some people to do camping trips on the bike.

And Ontario Dual Sport Club would be along the same lines, but cost $20 to become member. You don't "have" to become a member though.
 
Join OFTR First. You need a permit to ride legal. Then ride Simcoe County and Ganaraska forest trails to get a feel for terrain. Then join
Offroad Ontario ( as Robp mentioned ) for amateur competition circuits...


Sent from my iPhone using GTAMotorcycle.com
 
down the Don Valley, beside the river
great canoing route too if you're into that
finish the day with a cold one down at The Docks

or get a trailer
welcome to a police state
 
Unfortunately it will be a drive to get to the real riding areas,
so happiness begins with a small pickup truck and a trials bike in the back.
... there was a time when you could ride the Don River Valley but you are about 30 years late for doing that, now it would probably end in a helicopter chase scene on the evening news :|

I ride with the ATA (Amateur Trials Association) sanctioned under the CMA (Canadian Motorcycle Association) which is FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) in Canada. Our next Ontario event is near Kearney on September 15 & 16.
 
Thank you very much for the answers and advices, guys!
I will definitely check those resources!

Yeah, I will miss that convenience when I was able to ride in local parks without any problems...:(
Are there any "kinda half off-road" abandoned places where I can have some fun? Like unpaved roads along railways, or some kind of abandoned dirt area, or some unpaved roads with good views a bit outside of the city (I was driving towards New Market on my car and I got to some unpaved roads, so I can assume that there are more of that there)?
I can live with the fact that I will need to drive to get to the "real forest experience", but I just want to find something where I can have some relaxing riding without driving too far away.

In addition, is there some kind of enduro parks here? Where I'm from we had some small tracks with typical hard-enduro obstacles, like logs, tires, and steep hills. Can I find something like that here?
And are there any MX tracks nearby? I saw on Google Maps one near Barrie and one near Oshawa. Is it expensive to have some fun there?
 
Trials said:
Unfortunately it will be a drive to get to the real riding areas,
so happiness begins with a small pickup truck and a trials bike in the back.
... there was a time when you could ride the Don River Valley but you are about 30 years late for doing that, now it would probably end in a helicopter chase scene on the evening news :|

I ride with the ATA (Amateur Trials Association) sanctioned under the CMA (Canadian Motorcycle Association) which is FIM (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme) in Canada. Our next Ontario event is near Kearney on September 15 & 16.
Click to expand...

I definitely would like to watch some trials, but Kearney is a bit too far away... Will there be any other events but closer to Toronto?
 
Some video of a few of my friends out last weekend at a practice area we use.
[video=youtube;1QkJWeQtWC0]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QkJWeQtWC0[/video]
 
There are a handful of MX tracks nearby, but depends on your definition of "nearby".

Moto 86, Wingham
Gore Road MX, London
The Pit, a little east of London
Motopark, Chatsworth
RJ's Motosport, Barrie (Wednesday and Saturday's only)
Burnt River Offroad, Burnt River (this has a small enduro cross track, MX track, and trails)
Alpha MX, a little south of Burnt River (I've never been to this one)

If you want to join an MX club, there's Steel City Riders based out of Brantford, and OCMC based out of a property west of Brooklyn.

There's a couple more I've heard about but you need an invite to ride at.
 
Just some words of caution as well. if your riding ANYWHERE other than property YOU own, you are required to have your bike fully insured.

Also I would caution against, "riding on dirt road along side of railway tracks". Those roads are all PRIVATE property, belonging to the railroads. The CN and CP police do NOT have a sense of humor. You could find your bike on the back of a tow truck, going to an impound yard.

Obviously, riding the dirt roads you seen as you headed to Newmarket, any road your going to be on will require a BLUE plated bike, for road use. Under the Highway Traffic Act, even an "unassumed road" is still a "highway", (legal definition), as such the bike requires a BLUE plate and of course insurance. Unfortunately, as others have pointed out, Ontario is not a very Off road friendly place to live. Once you join OFTR, you will find LOTS of trails, just most are at least 60 minutes + from Toronto proper.
 
I would add gopher dunes to this list.

1 big track
1 peewee track
3 trails
Robp said:
There are a handful of MX tracks nearby, but depends on your definition of "nearby".

Moto 86, Wingham
Gore Road MX, London
The Pit, a little east of London
Motopark, Chatsworth
RJ's Motosport, Barrie (Wednesday and Saturday's only)
Burnt River Offroad, Burnt River (this has a small enduro cross track, MX track, and trails)
Alpha MX, a little south of Burnt River (I've never been to this one)

If you want to join an MX club, there's Steel City Riders based out of Brantford, and OCMC based out of a property west of Brooklyn.

There's a couple more I've heard about but you need an invite to ride at.
Click to expand...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
daisoman said:
Anyone know of any flat tracks?
Click to expand...
Lots of them but you have to kick the horses off them first :|
... is way easier to find places to ice race
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom