November 2020 – Frontaer

Frontaer is an evolving motorcycle brand. We may earn affiliate fees on some pages of this site. Read more.

5 Best Dirt Bike Trails near Winnipeg Worth Riding (2022)

While there are numerous dirt bike clubs and tracks in Manitoba, we wanted to create a list of legal forest trails near Winnipeg.

After all, Frontaer loves to explore just as much as you. The feeling of revving through the forest and getting through those gnarly sections is what gets us going in the morning.

Best Dirt Bike Trails in Manitoba

We’ve done the research and have asked fellow riders in the state, as well as consulted the Provide of Manitoba as to where others are riding. We wanted places where you can legally explore without needing to look over your shoulder.

Our best tip is to get inside the Manitoba Dirt Riders (MDR) group on Facebook. They regularly run group rides through the entire province.

These are Manitoba’s best dirt bike trails:

1. Little Big Foot Trail (Woodridge Provincial Park)

Little Bit Foot Trail within Woodridge Provincial Park is an epic spot and it’s looked after by the Sandhogs. This is a non-for-profit organization that looks after this track and keeps it open for all types of riders.

You can also hook in with the Eastman trail which is about 4km long and is best for ATV riders. Both trails are two-way and you need to be mindful on blind corners and potential logging operations. Otherwise, this is a haven for dirt bike riders of Manitoba.

2. Eastman ATV Trail (Sandilands Provincial Forrest)

The closest dirt bike track to Winnipeg is Eastman ATV Trail and it becomes quite popular on weekends. Thousands of hours of planning (and cutting through government regulations) went into the creation of this trail.

Editor’s Note: Frontaer is still waiting on confirmation as to whether dirt bikes can ride at Eastman.

With 56 kilometres to explore and completely away from 4×4’s, you’ll be able to cover this all in a few hours. It’s not far from Zonda if you want to do some runs on the closed-circuit track on the same day.

3. North Star Trail (Belair Provincial Forrest)

North Star is a great spot to let loose on almost 500km of epic forest trails. This spot is very popular with dual-sport adventure riders given the epic scenery. We recommend starting at Steed at Manitoba (Highway 304 intersection) and there is a good staging area.

The trails are more sandy here which means you can ride them immediately after rain with the occasional bog hole. Just keep in mind that you may be on private property in some of these aras though it is well signed.

4. Sandilands

The Sandilands Provincial Forest is a pretty big area and it’s past the Eastman ATV Trails. We’re only looking at 75 minutes out of the city and you’ll find yourself in some stunning wilderness that’s just beginning to be explored.

You’ll find a mixture of double and single track here with regular trail users. The spot becomes increasingly busy especially on weekends. Even if has rained on Thursday/Friday, you’ll still find riders out here given the sand doesn’t hold the water unlike the other muddy spots around the province.

5. Grunthal MX

Grunthall is an epic spot and even if you’re not into the racing scene, you’ll still love it here. This track holds regular MMA events and has won awards for its design. The starting gate itself holds 42 riders so you know you’re definitely in pro territory!

This is the type of spot where you’ll have just as much fun spectating as you will heading out there on two wheels. If you’ve been riding a while, then heading here to hone in on your skills will be quite the reward.

Getting Started

There we have it! Some great riding in the area and an established dual-sport and ADV community too if you’re looking at week-long adventures. Just keep in mind that some of these spots could be closed due to seasonal weather or major events, so it’s best to call up before you haul out!

There are also tours and beginner training workshops if you’re new to riding and aren’t yet ready for a dirt bike of your own. Likewise, consider some of the electric models coming out on the market which are lighter and less aggressive. Plus – better chances of these riding spots staying open because there aint no noise!

Continue Reading More Guides by Frontaer

[elementor-template id="4784"]

👉 39 Most Common Dirt Bike Terms (How Many Do You Really Know?)

🔥 21 Awesome Dirt Bike Riding Tips ('Cause We Want You Safe Out There!)

🌲 How To Go Camping With Your Dirt Bike (And Arrive Home Safely)

🔧 7 Tools Every Dirt Bike Rider Must Carry (To Avoid Those Awkward Rescue Calls)

🥾 Best Dirt Bike Boots That Go The Distance (Who's Got The Best for 2021?)

Are Dirt Bikes Manual or Automatic?

If you’re new to dirt bikes, then you probably aren’t aware of how the gearing works, and if they’re automatic or manual transmissions.

For the majority of dirt bikes, the following is generally accepted:

Most dirt bikes are manual where the rider is required to change gears using a clutch in the left hand and a gearstick using the left leg. This is typical for the 90cc and above class, including all enduro and motocross motorcycles. Automatic dirt bikes are rare but growing in popularity, with automatic gearboxes found on electric dirt bikes and children’s 50cc versions.

If you’re just getting started riding, learning how to change gears properly is one of the most challenging things. Staying upright is the easy part…until you reach that gnarly section.

Automatic and Manual Dirt Bikes

For decades now, dirt bikes have pretty much come out the factory with their manual gearboxes and a clutch. There really weren’t any variances at all.

Then again – this was an era where just about everyone knew how to drive a manual car with stickshift. Thus, the principles of gear changing isn’t too difficult to learn.

The only real challenge came with the fact that most dirt bikes don’t show the revs. Instead, you’re expected to listen to the engine and change up to a higher gear when necessary. That is – when you’re revving too high.

Current Market Options

There are some dirt bikes which come as automatic straight from the factory. This includes pretty much every electric dirt bike given that they don’t technically have gearboxes and the power is infinite.

That said, if you’re getting started, then you’ll find the torque in an electric dirt bike quite confronting. Learning how to ride a dirt bike with a manual gearbox isn’t that hard.

In addition, there are 50cc and 80cc dirt bikes for children which are single speed. This allows kids to simply focus on riding without the confusion of clutch control and changing gears at speed.

Now – there are some dual-sport options that now don’t have any gears. Their automatic transmission systems are quite revolutionary, with Honda’s CTX700 DCT, the Energica Ego and the Aprilia Mana 850 being favorable options out there. These are ideal for adventure riders who simply want to cruise and may have a leg injury preventing them from changing gears all day long.

Lastly – Honda produces the CT110 for the Australian Postal Workers. These motorcycles are used in offroad environments and some have even gone across the country…and even the world! They do have gears but no clutch, so they are considered to be a semi-automatic dirt bike.

In Short

It’s not that hard to learn how to do efficient clutch control. If you’re just getting started, then it’s best to understand how the revs work which ultimately makes you a safer and confident rider.

Find a wide-open area where you can practice all day long. Stick to your 1st, 2nd or 3rd gear and master the art before you attempt those gnarly hill climbs out there. Stay safe and we’ll see you on the trails!

Continue Reading More Guides by Frontaer

[elementor-template id="4784"]

👉 39 Most Common Dirt Bike Terms (How Many Do You Really Know?)

🔥 21 Awesome Dirt Bike Riding Tips ('Cause We Want You Safe Out There!)

🌲 How To Go Camping With Your Dirt Bike (And Arrive Home Safely)

🔧 7 Tools Every Dirt Bike Rider Must Carry (To Avoid Those Awkward Rescue Calls)

🥾 Best Dirt Bike Boots That Go The Distance (Who's Got The Best for 2021?)

Ryan Dungey – Retired Yet Still In The MX and SX Scene

Ryan Dungey is a well-known competitive dirt bike rider who rose to fame in the motocross and supercross scene years ago.

What happened to Ryan? Well, today he’s still looking to get back into racing after a brief retirement. He’s been doing a lot of practice recently and enjoying his freetime.

Frontaer is providing an insightful guide about this life of this MX and SX legend.

Let’s begin.

Ryan Dungey Overview

A lot can be said about a man who really pushes the limit, especially in a world where hiding behind the cell phone has become the new normal. We’re becoming complacent and watching others be successful.

In Ryan’s case, he’s inspired thousands of young riders to get out there and push themselves beyond the comfort zone. Because life is better lived behind the handlebars.

Ryan essentially grew up riding every single weekend. He loved nothing more than riding his dirt bike on the MX track and with his parents support, his passion certainly paid off.

By the age of 16, he was already on a professional contract and on his first riding team after winning the Loretta Lynn’s Amateur Championship. That certainly got the attention of some sponsors.

Racing Career

Ryan Dungey is known for his crazy accomplishments in his racing career. From 2006 to 2017 he certainly put in the hard yards to achieve mastery behind the throttle.

His titles include:

Winning every major title in American Supercross (crazy!)
And then winning every major title in American Motocross
3x Winning the world’s largest international Motocross race
7x Wins at the American Motocross Association Championships

With 450+ overall wins under his belt, it’s fair to say that’s he’s absolutely done the work. A weapon behind the handlebars would certainly be an understatement here!

Case in point: From 2009 to 2017, he only finished twice outside the top 10 on the leaderboard, often due to injuries or engine problems. That’s a man who is seriously committed.

What Happened to Ryan Dungey?

Ryan has been enjoying his retirement after finishing the 2017 season through recreational riding and travelling, however, he’s looking to make a comeback in 2021 and race again professionally. He’s still around but isn’t receiving as much media attention as he did 10 years ago.

Coming out of retirement is no small feat. Very few, if any, riders ever come back from their former glory days. Why? It’s the next generation of riders who are lighter and have incredible attention spans which can dominate the leaderboard.

We do look forward to seeing what comes of this space. Likewise, we look forward to seeing Ryan coach the next generation of riders looking to dominate the leaderboards.

In Closing

Ryan has inspired a generation of riders to go the extra mile. While the world has its fair share of couch potatoes, Ryan has certainly pushed himself to incredible heights and lengths to simply win.

That has the respect of us and the entire dirt biking community. If he doesn’t quite make his comeback into motocross, it wouldn’t surprise us to see him entering the Dakar Rally.

Continue Reading More Guides by Frontaer

[elementor-template id="4784"]

👉 39 Most Common Dirt Bike Terms (How Many Do You Really Know?)

🔥 21 Awesome Dirt Bike Riding Tips ('Cause We Want You Safe Out There!)

🌲 How To Go Camping With Your Dirt Bike (And Arrive Home Safely)

🔧 7 Tools Every Dirt Bike Rider Must Carry (To Avoid Those Awkward Rescue Calls)

🥾 Best Dirt Bike Boots That Go The Distance (Who's Got The Best for 2021?)

Stefan Everts – Retired Yet Still Riding Occasionally

Stefan Everts is a very well known professional MX competitor from Belgium, but not much is known in the western world.

In this guide, Frontaer did some research to see his current status with Malaria and Amputation.

Let’s begin.

Stefan Everts Overview

Stefan practically was born to ride dirt bikes and by the age of 4, was already whizzing around on the equilavent of a PeeWee 50. Throughout his childhood and teenage years, his parents encouraged him to pursue his passion on 2 wheels.

Instead of school books, he opted for the race track and it certainly paid off. When others were finishing off school, he was already in the 125cc world championships with his debut at age 17. It only took 2 years of consistently hard work for him to secure his first title.

In the years to come, he would end up collecting numerous World Championship titles on his trusty 2-stroke dirt bikes. Instead of being the aggressive rider, he was smooth throughout his throttle and clutch control, with his riding being very much free-flowing.

He soon garned a reputation for his unique style of riding smoothly on the track. While most riders would rev it hard throughout each gear, Everts went high in the gearbox and would choose the higher gears and a standing position…even in the tight corners. Essentially, he was riding smarter instead of harder.

Achievements

Stefan achieved a lot in his 16 years riding competitively. Up until 2006 when he finished racing, he had worked his way in with several times including Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki. Towards the end of his riding career, he remained loyal to KTM.

His achievements include:

Winning 101 Grand Prix victories in total which is staggering
Was the 10 times World Champion
The only rider in history to be World Champion for every Japanese manufacturer
Was the Belgian Sportsman of the year 5 times

Upon ‘retiring’, he turn became the motocross race director for KTM’s factory team. Its in this position that he was able to turn his attention towards helping the next generation of riders become a weapon behind the handlebars.

Yet he continued to race competitively and turned his attention towards enduro. He competed at the Gotland Enduro competition (the biggest enduro in the world) twice, once in 2007 where his engine suffered issues due to mud, and again in 2008 when he crashed towards the race and couldn’t finish.

Injuries and Malaria

As you’ve probably heard, Stefan Everts has had some toes amputated due to catching a serious case of Malaria 2018, years after finishing his riding career.

Most riders continue to ride recreationally after retiring from competitive motocross and enduro. We can imagine this was not just heart-breaking for him, but a true scare for his family….especially as he had to go into a coma.

Fortunate, we have checked his Instagram mately and he’s alive and well. He’s spending a lot of time coaching his son to become a weapon behind the handlebars.

Closing thoughts

Stefan inspired a generation of riders to push past their existing limits, while encouraging the spectators to get into recreational dirt bike riding. It’s not often that we find someone willing to push himself beyond the edge, especially in the world of cotton wool.

Continue Reading More Guides by Frontaer

[elementor-template id="4784"]

👉 39 Most Common Dirt Bike Terms (How Many Do You Really Know?)

🔥 21 Awesome Dirt Bike Riding Tips ('Cause We Want You Safe Out There!)

🌲 How To Go Camping With Your Dirt Bike (And Arrive Home Safely)

🔧 7 Tools Every Dirt Bike Rider Must Carry (To Avoid Those Awkward Rescue Calls)

🥾 Best Dirt Bike Boots That Go The Distance (Who's Got The Best for 2021?)

Crossfire Motorcycles Review: Are they Made in China?

Crossfire Motorcycles are becoming popular with numerous dealers across Australia, but do they have a good reputation?

Frontaer is always unbiased in their evaluations and simply wants to help people find great places to go riding their dirt bikes. In fact, we created a state-by-state guide to help you.

There is no commercial relationship between us and them, and we aren’t paid a cent. We’ll simply give you our unbiased review so you can make up your own mind.

Crossfire Motorcycles Review

Chinese pit bikes and dirt bikes have become all the rage in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. When the Japanese and Euro manufacturers like Honda and KTM are charging a fortunate to Australian families, someone has to fill the gap.

After all, you want the kids to be out there and having fun as we did during our younger years, instead of scrolling on Wastebook and showing off a little too much on Instagram.

That’s why companies like Crossfire exist. They want to bring affordable dirt bikes to Australians who can’t afford the fancy gear nor the expensive servicing and repairs.

Crossfire Motorcycles are Made in China but have some Italian influence. Their final assembly is done here in Australia, otherwise everything is built in Chinese factories and exported. This explains why they are so cheap.

What They Offer

Cheap thrills. When you could spend months or years saving up for your kids’ dirt bike, you could instead be seeing them out there riding within the next month or two.

You’ll find dirt bikes, quad bikes and go karts in their range, as well as some seriously cool buggies too. The engines are reliable, though not so powerful and they lack that ‘oomph’ in each powerband. Certainly no 2-stroke!

What most people don’t realize is that Crossfire Motorcycles are illegal to be ridden anywhere except for private property. No problem if you’ve got a few acres or take the bikes to a riding area, but if you’re looking to ride these in state forests…then you’re outta luck.

It would be good to see ADR compliance on their 250cc varieties in the near future. It seems as though Braaap is working on one at the moment, though that company has had its fair share of problems too.

Customer Complaints

Did you notice a few negative reviews and experiences like we did when researching? Well, it’s all quite straight forward. Most people won’t detail positive experiences online yet are quick to leave a negative experience. As a brand, that would be quite frustrating.

What you’ll notice that Crossfire uses a network of dealers across Australia. So it could be the dealer themselves that is being a slight pain when the product itself is perfectly fine.

Likewise, Crossfire is working towards increasing their processes and reputation. It’s already pretty strong having been running now for around 12 years. They’re not just distributing in Australia either – as they are becoming quite popular in Canada.

In Short

Crossfire is a good company that’s building themselves a good reputation. Sure – they’re not impressing everyone but the volume of happy owners is apparent. What they build actually works and you can buy one for the fraction of the price of the equilavent of a Yamaha or Honda.

And now, they’re not the only company in town. But for parents looking to help their kids getting started offroad without the huge expense and burden, then this is a great starting point.

Continue Reading More Guides by Frontaer

[elementor-template id="4784"]

👉 39 Most Common Dirt Bike Terms (How Many Do You Really Know?)

🔥 21 Awesome Dirt Bike Riding Tips ('Cause We Want You Safe Out There!)

🌲 How To Go Camping With Your Dirt Bike (And Arrive Home Safely)

🔧 7 Tools Every Dirt Bike Rider Must Carry (To Avoid Those Awkward Rescue Calls)

🥾 Best Dirt Bike Boots That Go The Distance (Who's Got The Best for 2021?)