This is what Dumont Dunes was like the day after a winter storm: snow-capped mountains, pristine dunes and packed-down sand with plenty of traction. Such a special day was available to anyone, as long as they could ride on a Tuesday. We had no special access, no VIP experience. Just two guys and two bikes. Photos by Kevin Wing.

Sand riding is a love-it or hate-it affair. Those who love it embrace the ?gas on, brain off? approach, keeping their body weight back and a loose grip on the handlebar, allowing the front wheel to float and hunt. Speed and momentum are your friends in the sand, but they are also the kind of friends who like to scare the bejeezus out of you. When doubt or fear kick in and you roll off the throttle, the front wheel plows into the sand and ? like a light switch ? right becomes wrong.
My early sand-riding experience was on my old ?98 Kawasaki KLR650, a solid, trustworthy dual-sport that?s remarkably capable off-road given its limited power, hefty weight and budget suspension. I?ve ridden in sand on full-size adventure bikes, and while doable it always fills me with dread, in part because their 19-front wheels, 90/10 tires and 500-plus-pound curb weights stack the deck in favor of peril.

Like a speed boat, successful sand riding requires getting ?up on a plane? and skimming across the top. That?s why speed is so important, and the lighter the bike (and rider), the better. I learned to stop worrying and love sand on my KTM 690 Enduro R, which...