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VTNewb posted:Anna finishing the last few corners of the King Phillip Enduro. That was a tough one. Good advice though!
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Jun 8, 2015 17:51
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Radbot posted:Why's that? I live about an hour away from trails so even a nut buster seat shouldn't inflict too much pain, right? Get either the S or the SM I'd think. SM ideally, but they're more expensive. KLX400 is the same bike too and may be cheaper. Here's a thumpertalk thread on the same question. http://www.thumpertalk.com/topic/938191-drz400e-vs-drz400s/ edit: advrider probably has a bunch of folks talking about this question as well. Get comprehensive for when your bike gets stolen.
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Jun 17, 2015 18:05
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Silver posted:Pretty sure the owner/promoter of the event has said before that he wants a race that no one can finish. Toughest race in the world. Start all racers in a giant steel box. Close and bolt the door. Problem solved. That's a stupid thing to want - I'd much rather see folks pushed up to the limit of what they're capable of but with the possibility of success.
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Jun 18, 2015 14:15
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mrking posted:Well to be fair that's exactly what happened: some of the riders at least managed to get over as a group but not individually. I'd say they went too far though Yeah, I just meant I want to be able to see them succeed actually riding their own bikes and not forming a mountaineering expedition.
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Jun 18, 2015 19:15
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VTNewb posted:A+ did laugh
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Jul 7, 2015 14:53
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Don't listen to these suckers. Buy a 350 or 500 exc. Or just a crf 250 and accept your tail lights are going to get smashed up so you'll end up replacing them with cheap stick-on LEDs. Fwiw, I think spending money on your suspension is the best idea vs almost everything else. Edit: and electric start. You definitely want that on your first dirt bike. With kick start backup probably. builds character fucked around with this message at 21:36 on Feb 15, 2016 |
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Feb 15, 2016 21:34
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VTNewb posted:Serious question: What's your product? That's step one. Is it Erzberg lite or something that folks who suck can actually do and feel some sense of accomplishment (and conversely your better riders are probably going to complain about). Then step two is who do you want your new riders to be? Literal new riders or folks who already ride (hare scramble participants, for example). Then what you should do depends on that. Here are my suggestions without knowing the answers to those two questions. 1. Foster a sense of community. You need folks who care about each other and want to come out to race but also to have beers and burgers at the bbq/potluck afterward. Fast dudes will always come almost no matter what. So will the old guys. Also, old guys love hanging out chatting about how awesome they used to be. Anyway, you have to do it live and then probably on Facebook too. Have someone moderate Facebook because people are awful. 2. Intro Enduro. Free trials classes/enduro classes where riders bring their bikes and the goal is to ride in an enduro race. Ideally you'd have a whole series from "babbies first dirt ride" to "things that make VTNewb cry." And then folks can track their progress. If you have enough interest you can get someone like Graham Jarvis to come give a class every year. 3. Family days. Same thing only its bring your kids and get them running around a mini track on tiny bikes. Dads love showing their kids how manly they are and it's a much easier sell to say "Come with me and the kids and they can ride around and you can hang out and drink." Than to have to say "watch the kids while I go play motorcycle." make smaller courses for kids to compete in. 4. Spartan/tough mudder style "gently caress you, this is super hard on purpose and the point is competing." Ideally youd be able to tap some brand loyalty rivalries here too and get sponsorships by local dealers (with classes on offer for everyone they sell an enduro bike to). Doing this the goal would be to become destination events because they're so hard. I think this is probably a loser unless you've got a ton of money, but worth considering if you've got a bunch of motocross bros or the like. You could partially incorporate this by having different classes in your races where only fast guys ride the hard part. 5. Dealer sponsorships. Get the local dealers (if you have any big ones) to compete with various classes - new riders in particular. Good for the dealers too as everyone is going to either destroy their bike or want a ton of new high-margin stuff for it.
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Feb 16, 2016 04:53
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NitroSpazzz posted:I've always had a little range anxiety using the trials bike for trail riding. Today I actually ran out and had to push the thing a couple hundred feet up the trail to one of the main access roads. Lucked out and after sitting for about five minutes figuring out what to do someone rode by on an ATV and towed me to the parking lot. Just get a tow strap and hook it to your foot peg? https://www.atomic-moto.com/MSR-Tow-Strap_p_604.html And then something like this with a spare liter. https://www.atomic-moto.com/Wolfman-Wolf-Bottle-Holster_p_2217.html
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Feb 20, 2016 00:07
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I like the leatt stuff, but there's lots of stuff that's good. I'd call Brian at atomic moto because he's super nice and helpful and they're great. Knee braces are good but I'd get a neck brace first. Atlas neck braces are cheaper than leatt. Edit: there's some question about whether knee braces end up making you break your legs in ways that make you more likely to die but that's at Dakar pro levels of fast which you don't need to worry about.
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Feb 29, 2016 03:23
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ant mouth posted:Thanks for the suggestions, I'll add the KDX to my search. beta also makes 2 strokes. Not nearly as many out there as KTMs though and fewer dealers to boot.
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May 4, 2016 16:53
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Partial Octopus posted:For enduro riding, do you guys prefer hard armor or soft armor? Just got my first dirt bike and am trying to figure out what to wear. I wear a ton of armor, but I'm old. Lots of mx bros wear very little. What do you mean hard vs soft?
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Jan 8, 2017 05:16
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Partial Octopus posted:I mean something like traditional hard armor such: http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/leatt-55-body-protector I have the 3df and if I did it again I'd probably get the 5.5 only because it comes with rib protection. That said, the 3df is good and has nice protection in the shoulders, back, chest and decent in elbows. I wouldn't mind just a touch bigger in the elbows but it's a lot better than anything you'll find in a jacket. I wear that under a klim dakar pro which used to be a cordura jersey if I'm riding on the street to get there or just a jersey if I'm not and wear a neckbrace. For knees I wear more leatt (coincidence, I swear) with their dual axis knee guards and they're great. They don't really protect against twisting and I'm thinking about real knee braces as a result, but they've done an amazing job for everything else. All of that said, I think MX boots are the #1 protection that you want. And then you want knee protection that goes into the boot a little so that there's no gap where you can mess up your shin by smashing the tiny exposed bit into a rock. e: just read gullous's post and yeah, I agree with all that except that I've found the 3df to be plenty of protection. Of course the downside of armor is that it's hot. Particularly if you're working hard and are fat and out of shape. Gullous posted:I'd argue for the hard armor. Crashing in with dirt riding usually involves hitting something pointy and/or sliding. Plates help distribute that impact and resist the abrasion. That's ridiculous. No padding required cause you aren't going anywhere and if you do fall it'll be in nice cold mud that's two feet deep.
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Jan 9, 2017 17:54
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Partial Octopus posted:Going to the pine barrens in NJ tomorrow for my first time off-roading. I put some MT-21s on the WR250R. Pine barrens are great. There are tons of options for different riding down there. Lean back, steer like a boat using your rear wheel. Example: tilt left + throttle will make you turn left. Deep Pine barrens sand is ridiculous compared to other sand so be aware that most sand is a lot easier than that nonsense. Looks like you were posting last night so you're probably in the thick of it now. Good luck! At least falling in sand doesn't hurt much.
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Jan 28, 2017 17:05
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Anyone tried the Midwest mountain engineering clutch lever? I just put it on and it's not quite the magic I'd hoped for. Does seem to reduce pull a little but not *that* much. I still need to adjust it a little so that pull engages the clutch in the proper position but I don't think that should change the pull required and was wondering if anyone else had tried one before.
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Feb 2, 2017 15:46
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n8r posted:Never heard of it. The site appears to also sell herbalife supplements, so they aren't against selling bullshit. Return it - don't see why it'd be appreciably better than a stock lever. Yeah, don't disagree on the Herbalife, but... It's just changing mechanics so engagement is spread across the whole lever pull. And slavens sells them http://slavensracing.com/shop/clever-ez-pull-clutch-levers-by-midwest-mountain/ And the Australian has reviewed them. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=U_wxlOLAm3g ThumperTalk seems to like them. https://www.thumpertalk.com/forums/topic/1037260-midwest-mountain-engineering-clutch-levers/ So I think they're probably a real thing. E: I'll adjust it properly tomorrow and see if that makes a difference. Clutch pull is already pretty light, but I'm chasing the stupid end of things and trying to get like mtb brakes light. Fwiw, it's very nicely made although it's just a clutch lever and some rods and bushings. It comes pre-greased which I always appreciate. We'll see if it's going back after I dial it in. builds character fucked around with this message at 15:18 on Feb 4, 2017 |
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Feb 4, 2017 14:54
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n8r posted:If you want an easier clutch pull, get a hydraulic clutch - I believe there are aftermarket retrofit kits. This is an excellent suggestion, but it already comes with a hydraulic clutch. It's definitely night and day from a cable clutch and I'm thinking maybe the reason I don't notice as much of a difference is I haven't had a chance to get used to the hydraulic clutch and how easy it is (say it's 10n to pull cable and hydraulic is 2 and then this reduces it to 1.5, that's a big difference but wouldn't feel like it).
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Feb 5, 2017 14:15
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Feb 8, 2017 00:44
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Slim Pickens posted:Here's the video of that jump. Spotter failed them big time. That's great. I was just there over Christmas and there's some nice riding up there. Is your video sped up?
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Feb 8, 2017 13:37
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Slim Pickens posted:No, it might just be the 60fps playing tricks with your eyes? Yeah, turns out it was just my phone. Looks fine on desktop. Have you been to Tahuya or the new place that just opened up? builds character fucked around with this message at 23:21 on Feb 8, 2017 |
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Feb 8, 2017 23:18
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GriszledMelkaba posted:what's the new place that just opened up? http://www.kitsapsun.com/story/sports/outdoors/2016/12/28/trails-dreams-comes-fruition/95773440/
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Feb 9, 2017 14:05
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x post from pictures and videos. https://www.redbull.tv/video/AP-1NWPT8PXS1W11/moto-7-the-movie
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Feb 17, 2017 19:30
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shacked up with Brenda posted:Youtube "the making of" the 722 section. A+. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHnr0y3_uwc Words fail me. Slim Pickens posted:Currently running through 80s and 90s Yamaha graphics for sumo ideas, the pink and purple of the early 90's is pretty 
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Feb 22, 2017 18:13
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but I'm digging the 89 Chesterfield speedblocks.
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Modest Mouse cover band posted:Didn't Yamahas used to be yellow? I used to have a 70s or 80s YZ50 or YZ80 when I was a kid, and I'm certain it was yellow. Maybe it was a Suzuki and I'm misremembering? I think it was this bike, but I don't know if these were painted. Yes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHnmui4c4YY Yes. He started at 3 3/4 with a PW50. Two things that I think are most helpful. First, get him a balance bike if you haven't yet. It's probably the best thing for getting comfortable with two wheels and makes a huge difference for both a motorcycle and a bicycle. Plus, you can get this one and start him off on the path to success in life early. The pw50 comes with (or you can buy) training wheels and it has basically a governor screw so you can start out with it all the way in (out?) and his top speed will max out at 2 mph. Other than that, my advice is bring candy. Any time he crashes, take a little candy break. Take other candy breaks too. Bribe your kid to love motorcycles. It is important. Obviously a lot of it also depends on your kid. EX250's kid was winning motogp races against italians at age 2, but other kids will take longer to develop the coordination. Again, and I know I'm repeating myself here, I think a balance bike right now is key. It helps so much with developing two wheel balance. Second, get a set of bluetooth communicators. I happen to have a couple senas that I really like, but they're a little spendy and I think there are better, cheaper options. There is a HUGE difference for your comfort and for your kid's comfort in being able to help them with when to brake and if they need to give it a little more throttle, GOOD GOD STOP HEADING TOWARD THE STREET, NO JUST JUMP OFF AND LET THE BIKE GO, etc. And it also makes the whole thing nicer with being able to chat with your kid while they ride as they get more experienced. One note, be sure you're familiar with how to turn volume down as if they fall and get hurt, it may get very loud very fast.
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Feb 23, 2017 18:18
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Modest Mouse cover band posted:Ah very cool. Thanks for the tips! Looks like he'll be getting a slightly belated birthday present in that balance bike. Awesome idea with the bluetooth communicators also. In the interest of full disclosure, you can get him one for less than half as much. https://smile.amazon.com/Chicco-Bullet-Balance-Training-Bike/dp/B004MW55Z2/ for example. We managed to find one that had a wooden frame that looked like a dirt bike (like this https://smile.amazon.com/Indian-Motorcycle-Balance-Bike/dp/B00VSAMDHY but dirt bike and not that expensive) but I'm not seeing it on amazon now.
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Feb 23, 2017 21:43
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EX250 Type R posted:Honestly they grow so loving fast its easier to just buy a larger bike than build up the beginner bikes. I regret getting my daughter a crf50 instead of the next size up since she is, at 7, 4'6" and ~75lbs and is generally just a rugged beast. She's a terrible comparison for all kids though because in the "how many toddlers can you beat in a fight" her answer is just "all of them" where for you the answer is still like "a lot but I don't know, there's definitely a limit." Modest Mouse cover band posted:Sweet, thanks for the info. Yeah I'll pick up one of those balance bikes at Scheels since we have some rewards gift cards, so it may come out close to free. Thanks for letting me know that though I was wondering if that was a special one or just a cool looking one. I've never heard of Beta Motorcycles but it looks like they have some pretty sick dirt bikes also. Now I really want a 390 RR-S. Yes, this is a good and right opinion (I have a 390RR). PW50 will probably last three years if you start him at the tail end of three. Depends a lot on how big he is. If he's big then at 6 he'll probably be ready for something like a CRF70. Maybe even at five. If you do get a PW50, then all your issues are going to be either new plug or that stupid switch on the handlebar which you should put a ton of dielectric grease on and generally not let get wet.
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Feb 24, 2017 21:21
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EX250 Type R posted:
What? Thor?! (Good job)
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Feb 26, 2017 02:12
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shacked up with Brenda posted:Video edit of that snow/mud race I posted about before: Nice ad for tearoffs. I love the guy going to pass and hitting the tree. Are you in any of the shots?
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Feb 27, 2017 16:45
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I'm racing my first rally tomorrow and I took a class yesterday. The teacher was riding an Aprilia RXV 5.5 so you know everything he said was correct. Also, holy poo poo his bike rips. There was another instructor there who'd finished Dakar this year and he brought his rally bike with him. It was also pretty incredible. It was mostly riding, but here are the notes I took on going fast enough n the hope they're helpful for someone else. Mostly it's stuff folks know, but still doesn't hurt to refresh. Suspension in sand Rebound up rear Compression up front Vision Don't look down - look forward Head up until you're on the ground if something looks gnarly, slow down before you get to it and then accelerate through. Use camber as a berm Look at shoulders of road and trees for how they're curving and where there are openings Downhill, look through trees Weight Forward for throttle, back for brake Feet on pegs = weight to turn Sitting, on top, forward on the bike before you turn Stand up braking - head up, crouch and shift weight back Panic brake in sand, lock rear, modulate front Sitting braking - lean back, upright. Shifting forward as you finish stopping but before you turn If you're catching someone, you're faster. Time it so you can get by them quickly and safely so you're catching them on an open space at speed and blow by them. Look ahead to set up, just a matter of timing. If you're slower, try to make yourself predictable. Just don't be erratic. Let them go by and follow their lines and you'll get faster. Adjust your speed prior to the ruts so you can either maintain or accelerate through them. If you decelerate in, then front goes down and makes it worse. Tulips - distance is cumulative, not per segment.
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Mar 3, 2017 21:28
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That was great. I cannot recommend it enough to everyone. Here's a very brief video of the winner and guy who taught the class beforehand on his aprilia. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EG2u_xCOA9o you can get a little idea of how fast he is if you watch him as he's coming through the trees. It's ridiculous. Anyway, it's a lot of fun, the people are nice and you get to go sliding around corners at It's definitely not cheap. Early entry is ~$250 and there's probably another $100 in licenses you need, + a physical and then you have to get there. You can camp, which helps a lot as the other big expense is hotel. Other than that, it's not too bad, and it's well worth it. Having gone to cornerspin was incredibly helpful, but didn't stop me from crashing four times - three times from my front washing out in the sand as I was braking, once from going wide on a turn, getting up on the little wall on the side (the road was sort of cut a few feet down into the ground in that spot) and then trying to jump down and having my tires slip down and that combined with the bumps meant I got shot off onto my shoulder which is still a little sore but should be fine in a week or two. The other thing that was crazy that happened was I put on fresh MX31s for the race and by the end of the day on the rear the center knobbies were gone and the middle-outside were triangular from being worn down and chunked so much. Great grip while they worked, but by the end I could feel the rear tire wobbling from side to side until one of the sides bit. It certainly didn't help and, I think, contributed to my crashing twice in the last stage but probably only like 30% with the rest just being tired and going too fast for the third crash and then the last one was pushing while still shaken up from the prior crash.
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Mar 6, 2017 23:43
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EX250 Type R posted:good stuff, post lots of pictures dork Somebody else's video but that's me at 3:54 in on the beta. https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=KBM3TptieGA Here's another of me.  And here's the guy who raced Dakar with his rally bike. 
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Mar 7, 2017 04:12
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Anyway, anyone used these or have thoughts on them? https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/p/1049/47066/SKF-Fork-Mud-Scraper-Kit
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Apr 11, 2017 19:24
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shacked up with Brenda posted:First local moto yesterday. Only me and a buddy showed up. How're you liking the bike after a year? Yerok posted:Picked up an '01 CR85 for my roommate for $150. Good cases, good everything more or less just missing a few bits and pieces. The sad thing is that I'll probably have this back together before I get to my 125. Post pics of build please. Unrelated, anyone have helmet lights they can recommend for riding in dirt at night? Ones like this? https://www.taskracing.com/moto-adventure-helmet-light.html
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Apr 16, 2017 16:47
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shacked up with Brenda posted:The biggest deal was getting the suspension revalved for me. I'm used to KTM XCs which are too soft out of the gate. This thing was wayyy too stiff out of the gate. With that done, the bike is pretty great. I'd think 2t would be a lot easier to not stall but I guess rekluses are magic. Suspension really is so important. It's ridiculous. EX250 Type R posted:
Look at what a good dad you are.
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Apr 23, 2017 00:02
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5 RING SHRIMP posted:Hi Try starting out as EX250 Type R's kid. Where are you going to live and what kind of bike experience do you have generally? What's your budget? Do you have something to haul the bike in or will you ride it to the trails? You want to watch all these videos. They're really good. https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCJAvmhgP0h1AEKY8vTEJPJg
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Apr 23, 2017 12:23
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Every single time I see a big puddle I worry about this and every single time I hit it anyway because if you can't ride through puddles then the communists have won. But man, rough lesson to not learn.
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Apr 24, 2017 19:59
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Gullous posted:Next time lean back and pin it Dirtbike Bros: Next time lean back and pin it There but for the grace of god... I did a ride in the pine barrens a couple years ago now where a guy drowned his 1200GS and he ended up replacing the oil three times and it started up just fine after that. I'm sure there was some additional wear from that but it seems like if you get the water out, don't run it with water in (I know, this is the hard one) and then change the oil a couple times it really helps.
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Apr 25, 2017 17:46
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Flikken posted:What is a good inexpensive dirtbike to start a 10 year old on? How big are they? CRF-70 is good.
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May 14, 2017 17:16
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shacked up with Brenda posted:I really like my yamaha but I've been waiting for this for a long time... 2t with grip warmers, here we come. Sadly, I think this is not quite as revolutionary as they're making it out to be. The oil injection is nothing new and it won't be street legal in the US. I think it's a very good step in the right direction, but what I think you're getting here are 1. map tuneable, 2. slightly better gas mileage (although, looking at beta because synerject does their EFI, their MPG numbers are worse than street legal KTMs although equivalent to the "closed course" maps on KTMs), 3. no altitude adjustments. I think what KTM is really getting is passing Euro4. The complexity argument is so dumb. If you're traveling around the world and are going to be in bleakest siberia then maybe you don't want something you can't just take apart and fix yourself, but in literally every single other scenario EFI is going to reliable enough. Anyway, I hope this is a step in the direction of street legal 2ts but I don't know how you get around oil blowing out the exhaust without a catalytic converter and that's too heavy/big.
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May 16, 2017 15:19
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Deeters posted:I'm starting to realize I should just find something relatively cheap that fits well. I should probably get a new chest/elbow armor too. For cornerspin last year I rented gear and the only regret I have is that I wish I'd brought my knee pads because theirs suck and my only injury was from where I fell and they pinched me and I got knee pad abrasion. A friend has forcefield shorts and they're absolutely ridiculous. Great protection but way too hot. I have klim's version and they're a decent low speed off-road alternative but they're definitely not CE rated. They're also not super hot. Basically what I'm saying is I haven't found decent hip protection that I like. I wear klim Dakar pant + hip armor and the klim padded short but I'd rather there was something between klim and force field in terms of protection and heat.
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May 17, 2017 01:47
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| # ¿ Apr 30, 2024 00:23 |
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First, an update on my MWE clever lever. I finally got it all dialed in and adjusted and it's actually pretty great. It needed to be moved in on the bars so that you can really only use one finger - that was what I'd been missing before. I used to use two fingers most of the time so there's a little adjustment there and then there's a little adjustment to having to pull it all the way in to get it to engage fully but I actually like that now because it's easier to modulate more finely. It also does decrease mechanical force required for clutch pull so that's nice too. Is it worth it? No, probably not for the price unless you find yourself fanning the clutch a ton and your fingers/forearms get tired. But it's a nice little piece of bling that actually does what's advertised. Razzled posted:atleast your rear end is intact helps to have all that extra padding. and not be wearing fancy jeans. shacked up with Brenda posted:Look at this thing: I really love my beta. My best, most honest assessment, is that the beta is for everyone except really serious racers. I have a 390 and my buddy has a husky 350 and putting aside the differences in motor character, the 350 does feel like it turns a little better such that if you were a serious racer you would both want that and be able to take advantage of it. The tradeoff is that the beta feels like 10x more stable and planted and frankly almost nobody buying any of these bikes is good enough that that's not better for them. The power delivery is also ridiculously smooth. Those were the two big things that I noticed and have kept noticing right off the bat - incredibly smooth power delivery and just a feeling of being planted on the ground. Anyway, I think the 125 is a good idea and hope it's successful. It certainly seems like it should be as it fills a niche that's currently filled by bikes that are just less good at it.
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May 19, 2017 15:52
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