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Region: Washington State (wet side mostly, though I see some Pearrygin and Chelan DS-centric camping this summer) Riding: Navigating mud seas since January 2012 Bike: well-abused 1976 Yama DT175 Terrain: forest service roads, dirt pits, whatever random single track isn't gated I don't have a particularly-capable bike but I do enjoy dinging around on the 2stroke wherever I can get it. People complain about Harley dudes sticking their nose up at their non-Harleys, but the DT gets about as much attention as I can handle. https://yamahaenduro.com is a pretty great resource for Yamaha 2-wheeled 2-sroke knobby-tire'd knowledge. 
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Mar 8, 2012 00:16
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:49 |
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Did some trail riding at Walker Valley today. Ran into some nasty hail a couple hours after we got there so we decided to pack up and go. My truck almost didn't make it up the (gentle) hill, exiting the park. 
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Mar 12, 2012 05:20
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Spiffness posted:Haha, I was at walker... come to think of it, pretty sure I saw you on the fire road. Oldest crappiest bikes there, can't miss us. Speaking of which, can you clue me in to some mellow trails I might find there? Yesterday was my first time at Walker, my bro and I just picked a random trail and it got too gnarly for us real quick, that's when we decided to see how far the forest road went. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 01:06 on Mar 13, 2012 |
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Mar 12, 2012 17:40
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A friend of mine got a YZ450 as his first ride because he's a big dude and wanted to learn off road. I took it for an "easy" spin and it scared me shitless, an old 175 is thrilling enough for my capabilities... 30mph on dirt feels like 90mph on pavement to me.
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May 29, 2012 20:00
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If you're not particular about brand, cruise craigslist for 2-race-old take offs. Good deals to be had. I got two pairs for 100.
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Oct 23, 2012 02:39
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The wife and I checked out of Christmas day family stuff in favor of playing with the enduros at the Walker Valley ORV area. It was sadly my first time off pavement since June when we explored some USFS roads near Darrington and found the snowline. Had the entire place to ourselves at one point, and it was raining or snowing the entire time - perfect, no dust and a liquid-cooled me. Reading up on a little technique really paid off for me; weighting the outside peg, particularly. But I still suck at dirt biking in general and maybe my dumpy machine compounds that a bit. Had to turn around on a couple trails. Definitely got my confidence up by the end of the day though, especially after going through the puddles (lakes!) once. QUESTION: Am I forming a bad habit by standing on the rear brake while descending in gear, or is that legit? My thought is that I can't lock the rear wheel like that without stalling the engine, and it's been pretty handy. Also, I swear to god everybody born before 1970 had a DT175 back in the day. I can't take that thing out without at least a couple people telling me all about it, it's kind of fun. I've learned that being mostly-together and running with mismatched parts here and there is synonymous with "great shape", for a DT.
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Dec 26, 2012 18:42
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I haven't been back to the gray area there since a sheriff's deputy kicked me out. I landed myself in the mud after trying that jump last time, my suspension isn't exactly set up for hang time and I bounced right off the bottom of the shocks. Walker was in decent shape yesterday. Puddles everywhere but no snow on most of it. Bridges were slick though.
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Dec 26, 2012 22:27
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Gullous posted:There is one tolerated spot at the powerlines; directly across from the substation. We've been ignored by the cops three times now. The locals back this up. All the other areas look sketchy, with signs and such. Still, Walker is a better area if you're looking to explore fire roads. Where do you stage across from the substation? The only place I've rode up there is on the more eastern area where the gate is always open... I don't see a way in near the substation. Green mountain... I know it well; we used to do drunken underage bonfires up there a decade+ ago. Haven't been up with the bikes yet though, and it'll definitely be under snow until Aprilish. I say I suck, but I do prefer tighter trail riding over bombing down wide open USFS roads. I'll try pretty much anything that doesn't look like instant death on the enduro - whoops and berms are good and I haven't found any on my national forest excursions. Definitely haven't really scratched the surface of Walker over the course of my two total visits. Are they ever going to reopen Reiter for motorized vehicles? It's a lot closer for me than Walker, I remember it being a lot of fun to go 4x4 out there. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 00:02 on Dec 27, 2012 |
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Dec 26, 2012 23:58
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A dude at the ORV park last time I went was telling me about his old DT1 (the DT175 makes me everybody's new best friend) and how it would run until he unscrewed the gearbox fill cap. Mine must not leak so bad; it kept running 
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Jan 29, 2013 22:29
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Maybe it is in part due to the legislation that went into effect last year about street registering dirt bikes, bumping up the value of them to people.
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Feb 1, 2013 23:52
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Spent a good part of the day in the gravel pit at walker, figuring out how to wheelie the DT and XL beasts. They take a bit of convincing to get the heavy front ends up with like 15 horsepower on order. We met a friend up there too. I feel kind of bad for him... Never rode a bike and wanted to start on dirt. No big deal but his friend convinced him to get a brand new YZ450F; no fan, no estart. And he's out of shape. Every time he stalls it, which is a lot, he spends 15 minutes wearing himself out starting it. I started it once, which was a bit of a task for me, and rode it around the pit - scares the crap out of me. I'll stick with my dumpy 175 until I suck a lot less.
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Feb 4, 2013 16:43
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It usually took me 2-4 kicks to start it, which wore me out climbing up to get leverage on it. He is way out of shape to the point of difficulty getting his foot on the starter. That 450 is super huge and this is from a guy who is comfortable on a Ulysses. I don't know why it takes a few kicks... It has 2 hours on it so maybe its not broken in? I suggested that a mellow 250 might suit him better. Apparently his friend has him convinced that a 250's springs will be too soft and installing a Recluse clutch or whatever will solve his problems. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 17:51 on Feb 4, 2013 |
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Feb 4, 2013 17:42
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Spiffness posted:Probably just not broken in yet, could be nobody knows the finesse to start that particular bike. Each bike has a kick that's right for it. Usually, firm and steady all the way through. Not just KICKICKICKICKICKICK *wheeze* It's this. I try to give it a good even kick when its right at TDC but surely I haven't figured out what it likes. I don't really intend to either - the bike is too much for me and I'd be really sad if I was the first guy to cartwheel it down a hill. The DT is like half a dainty little kick and it's popping and sputtering and ready to rock. Makes it easy when I'm exhausted from climbing a trail and stall it in the mud. I love that little shitheap.
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Feb 4, 2013 18:54
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JP Money posted:Are there no hills where you guys ride? poo poo I used to stop on hills even on my KX250 just because it's easier to leave it in 2nd and roll down a hill to bump start it rather than kick it. Not sure what you mean but yeah it's all hills all the time.
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Feb 4, 2013 22:24
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JP Money posted:Bumpstarting a bike? As in clutch in while in 2nd or higher, get rolling down a hill and let the clutch out. The bike starts without you having to get off the seat / kick it for 4 hours. Got it. No, getting far enough up a hill for that would probably be a hurdle 
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Feb 5, 2013 02:13
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I almost forgot about the Desert 100 coming up in April. The wife would not forgive me if we forgot that; we intend to run the enduros in the 50 mile vintage class this year. We're both completely terrible at riding, it should be fun - my goal is... to finish. Any advice for a first-timer?
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Feb 8, 2013 20:09
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As long as they still start, go and stop - we're running the XL175 and DT175.
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Feb 8, 2013 21:53
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I do want a bike with modern components, that's for sure. But you run what you brung.
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Feb 8, 2013 22:28
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Had another great day at Walker yesterday. Took the antiques up Tooler which took some time - the big roots are too tall and the old bikes too heavy to get over easily but the wife and I had a hi-five when we made it up the switchbacks. It's pretty cool, every time we go out we're getting tangibly better - a trail that we would have turned around on a couple weeks ago, we'll huff and puff through now. I think I need to work on my cardio.
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Feb 11, 2013 18:47
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Spiffness posted:Tooler is a fun trail, way better up than down. In general, I think up is more fun than down. We did Jam out of the lot, bypassed the gate at the bottom of the fire road via a tiny bit of Muddled Meanderings across the road, and hit Tooler. Then we got lost up on Bear Creek Mainline and found the boundary gate on Lake Cavanaugh road. On the way back we got a nice view of the sunny/foggy valley on BR-23 and took the EZ Connector and Jam back to the lot for lunch. After that I found a pit and got more comfortable hitting berms and putting both wheels in the air. I found myself correcting for loss of traction or unexpected wheels-in-the-air on a more instinctual basis, rather than panic inputs. Concentrating on weighting the outside peg around turns. Getting smoother and faster every time. Going to outgrow the DT.
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Feb 11, 2013 21:43
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Tooler is fun. Got any footage of going up the switchbacks?
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Feb 27, 2013 22:18
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Went up to Walker with a few friends, one of which I put on the wife's bike and three of which just got dirt bikes themselves. I got to ride a 300 EXC around for a few and I think I want one. It's takes considerably less effort to do everything on that bike - with its fancy ground clearance and torque - next to my antique. Plus it doesn't scare me like (well... as much as) the YZF450F. Speaking of which, my friend who got the 450 as his first bike - he's starting it and riding it around now. He even had enough confidence on it to try out Jam and managed to go over the bar for the first time. I thought he was done for the day after that, but he got back on it and went up the upper mainline until it turned to a muddy mess. I guess he went down a tooth on the front which apparently helped out his clutching.
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Mar 4, 2013 19:02
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Went riding at Walker Valley in the rain and sloppy muddy conditions. Probably ate poo poo more times yesterday than I had cumulatively up until yesterday, super sloppy out there and my DS tires aren't really up for mud but I didn't let that stop me. Sank the engine case in a puddle, almost had my foot taken off by a rock hiding in the same muddy puddle. Fell off at the top of a hill and tumbled rear end over head down the trail while my bike dug itself in at the top. It was a blast.
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Apr 8, 2013 06:55
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Silver posted:n8: Maybe where you're at but I was running 2 tear offs and a buddy of mine was running 5 tear offs(which is too many he said he'd stick with 3 or less next time). Even if they were outlawed you could just get some roll offs and be solid. Around here we don't ugly-up our scablands.
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Apr 12, 2013 20:07
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I was going for the irony of keeping "scablands" looking nice. But yeah those fat bastards make a hell of a mess, I bring grocery bags in my backpack and usually try to pick up a few of the less gross-looking cans to haul out.
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Apr 12, 2013 20:26
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I've had my own share of reminders about how elbow guards are a good thing. Some of the rocks and concrete trail reinforcements I've eaten poo poo on are pretty hard and pointy. Last time I went out in the sloppy mud, I whacked an elbow on a tree and it hurt like the dickens. If I wasn't wearing the pad, it probably would have at least ended my day.
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May 15, 2013 22:28
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I use cheap-o Fly racing one-size elbow pads, and I can't say they're comfortable - I start sweating under them instantly. But I do like using my elbows more than I hate wearing the pads. Now that I am thinking about trail riding, I remember that I need a new chain on the DT before I head out next time. I think this will be my excuse to go with a beefier chain and sprockets - do you think I'll have any trouble going from the stock 428 set to a 520 set? Will a heavier final drive noticeably affect a 14hp motor's ability to put power on the ground?
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May 15, 2013 22:56
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HondaRider271 posted:Yeah, definitely. Hell I notice something like that on the 450. It's not going to like handicap you or anything but there will be a noticeable sluggish quality when jumping to the 520. Why do you think you need a beefier chain and sprocket? Just want it to last longer or what? Yeah, I replaced my chain and sprockets when I first got the bike and I've maybe put 100 miles on it since then. It being a peaky old 175 2stroke, I am not real gentle with it and the roller chain wore out fast. The XL175 I believe is running a 520 roller. I was thinking of matching it and gearing down.
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May 16, 2013 18:07
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My plan is to shorten it by adding a couple teeth to the rear so I get a more useful 2nd gear for how I use it. My pace on trails with the stock gearing is generally somewhere between the top of 1st and lugging 2nd. I figure if I shorten it I can bang up to 2 a little earlier and be able to ride slower in that gear and maybe get more oomph out of the bike. I don't ever need it to do 55mph like it's currently geared to accommodate.
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May 16, 2013 20:44
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HondaRider271 posted:Also, I was thinking about your chain/sprocket situation and it occurred to me that it may have worn out so fast because it wasn't adjusted properly. I adjusted it every time I went out; ratchet strapped the swingarm to compress the shocks and adjusted based on the rear sprocket at its apoapsis. Mostly I think it's just an underbuilt chain for the abuse it gets - all its miles are in the woods. As far as mods go, it's all stock from 1976 in EPA street legal trim. I am sure it could use a top-end refresh, the piston slaps around something fierce but it starts on the 2nd kick every time and all I have to do is put oil and spark plugs in it. When it finally blows up and I have to work on it, I might get a new MX175-spec carb for it - they're about as expensive as a rebuild kit for the stock carb - and have my pipe made into an expansion chamber. That's supposed to give it a good boost.
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May 17, 2013 17:15
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Blaise posted:First dirt ride of the season! I live north of Seattle. Your season looks a little different than mine I usually get my dirt riding in before spring hits; don't think I've rode in >50f heat.
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Jun 24, 2013 23:49
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Once I am out there and riding, it isn't so cold. Plus it's nice to have a quieter ORV area; on sat/sun mornings in the winter, we pretty much get the place to ourselves. No dust 'cause everything is moist, too. Would also rather just hop on the street bike and ride in the summer than load up the enduros and drive an hour to the trails.
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Jul 16, 2013 19:14
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My 175s (a 2t and a 4t) sip gas; we'll go trail riding for a few hours and when we top them off it's less than a gallon total across both bikes. I think they have 2 gallon tanks so despite bringing a 1gal tank with me in the truck, I pretty much don't worry about it.
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Jul 22, 2013 20:42
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I managed to table top my friend's KTM 300exc into a tree today on Jam at Walker valley. Used the helmet, left elbow pad, and both knee pads in that one; my best score yet! Nothing broke but I am feeling the pain and stiffness set in quickly. He saw me do it too... "now that you're fine, that was hilarious!" was my encouragement while walking it off. It's a different world up there when it's not soggy wet out, as well. clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 05:31 on Jul 29, 2013 |
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Jul 29, 2013 05:28
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Gweenz posted:I'm looking into a dual sport and am new to any kind of off road riding. I'm not looking into hill or rock climbing, just looking to get my feet wet on some nice scenic trails. The problem is, and this might sound like a strange question, where do I go? From what I can find, the DNR sanctioned trails in the area are multi-use and don't allow motorcycles. Where am I allowed to go, legally? Can I pick any road on public land? I live in northwest Wisconsin so everywhere I go I see trails leading off in every direction, but I don't want to head down one that's on private land and run into a guy playing a jug and a banjo. With a street legal dualsport you can go down any public road. If you don't see private property, no motor vehicles, or keep out signs, it's generally all good. USFS roads are all fair game, and there are often some trails that branch off the roads. In my area, DNR managed land requires inexpensive access passes so you may want to look into that sort of thing before heading out.
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Aug 27, 2013 18:53
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It's similar here for the gray-areas. I've had a deputy kick me out once, saying "I've been kicking people out of here for 8 years..." which carried some "we're not really going to do anything about it but you're being too loud for the neighbors right now" subtext to me.
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Aug 28, 2013 00:23
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How much trouble am I in with maintenance on a 2017 CRF250X? The R models in general seem to have pretty short rebuild intervals on that unicam motor. But the X is way milder, so maybe it lasts a little longer?
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Dec 6, 2017 20:48
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Too late. Two 2017 CRF250Xs. Desert 100 here we come.
clutchpuck fucked around with this message at 03:10 on Dec 8, 2017 |
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Dec 7, 2017 23:49
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Money is no object (msrp - $500)
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Dec 8, 2017 00:24
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| # ¿ Apr 27, 2024 23:49 |
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shacked up with Brenda posted:edit: something weird going on with imgur I will when we get them, they're "pending delivery".
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Dec 9, 2017 19:43
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