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Didn't you have a nasty wreck at GH and waste a 6d helmet?
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But I have to applaud OP for airing his laundry here.
OP, dude, you haven't had a new bike in 11 years. That tells me your new bike setup skills are not very well established. Take all of this feedback and keep at it. The KTMs are really, really great bikes.
I had a 13 450sxf which was Mxa's favorite. I purchased it after I had a string of crfs(04, 05,07) but I had trouble adapting. I was happy to sell it, but not because it wasn't a good bike, mostly because it was so strange. I went back to Japanese and was thrilled ! I loved my 13 kxf and put 120 hrs on it but it took a shit ton of set up to get it right.
And then I bought another Ktm (350).
This time around I knew what I was getting in to. And I knew I would have to put some effort into the setup.
After about 20 hrs I can't say enough how much I like my ktm. Makes my kawi feel like a tanker.
Almost forgot to mention, Ktm's gearing choices are not nearly as good as honda's. Make changes!
My tranny issue was twofold first I had to get the shifter height right which I went over in my last post, another issue was that the KTM tranny is too good for my taste. It is sooo smooth that not only can you not feel it shift, with my newish boots I can’t even tell if I’m touching/moving the shifter. On my Honda it wasn’t notchy or anything it just had a more tactile feel, there was no doubt you grabbed the next gear. I’ll get used to it as my boots break in and I learn to trust my shifts. Also you can’t find neutral unless you go down from 2nd.
Another issue I had was the Raptor pegs I put on. Way gripper than anything I’ve used before, hard to get my feetwork right (MXA has a good article this mo about how important that is)
This was the first moto with this bike I charged out of the gate and actually tried getting a start going into the first turn. I came out in 4th but probably could’ve had a holie if I was on my Honda, I saw the hole but didn’t have the confidence to out brake the girl next to me, yeah that’s right what’s the big deal? Her name is Ginger and she hauls ass, she has a friend Michelle who is even faster. She’d probably smoke the majority of you guys on this board. I’ve seen her lay herself out in the first turn in a crash that would send most guys home and then go out the second moto and get a good finish…so STFU -Respect.
I used to own this class but I’m still not sure how the KTM responds on flat ground coming into the first turn in a two wheel drift while coasting. You know when you come into a flat corner hot and you kind of saw the bars back and forth while both your tires break loose before you get on the gas – I just need to do some figure eight barrel drills in the parking lot and I’ll be good to go next time.
I only lasted 3 or 4 laps before I either got taken out or didn’t lift in time. I always criticize the pros when they go into a bowl turn and the guy on the outside doesn’t let off and gets his front wheel taken away. It always looks so obvious - Why didn’t you just let off and live to fight another day? Well I was that guy this weekend. Or was I? At the time I didn’t even know who did it and was more pissed at myself.
I may have been able to let off but didn’t think I needed to, but looking at the GoPro and seeing his tire mark that goes from inside across three lines directly to my front wheel when I go to pick up my bike it looks like at the best it was a really aggressive block pass lol What do you guys think? Did I get railed T-Bone Steak style or did I put myself in the wrong place?
Pit Row
I think you just need to set it up for you, then spend some time getting used to your new bike, build your confidence up on it, get to know it and it's limits, what it likes and doesnt like etc.
I don't think the guy took you out, it looked like a legitimate block passing attempt and certainly how I might have tried to pass you myself, you certainly did leave yourself wide open to that pass and you effectively ran into the guy and caused your own fall. You might have well cut back to your right and just blew straight past the guy but shit happens and it happens fast. I wasn't there and you can't really tell from a video. I know I've at times been in that position and had the same thing happen, at times I've been that guy going up the inside.... You probably just didn't sense he was there quick enough and hopefully you weren't hurt at all.
Anyway,I'm just really envious of you, you are out there racing on a good track with good competition and having a good time.
I got to race at REM a couple of times back in 2000 on a 5 week visit to the USA. I have very fond memories of it!
Oh what I'd give to be able to just get outta bed every Saturday morning and go race two twenty minute motos on a good track, where I don't need an expensive race license, where I don't need to pre enter in advance,where I'm done by mid afternoon, where I don't have to push my bike through tech inspection to have some wanker sticking a screwdriver through my hand grips trying to see if I've made the criminal offence of attempting to race without handlebar plugs, where I don't have to bring my very own personal flag marshal or I'm not allowed on the track, where I don't have to be there at 6 am Saturday morning and still be there at 4 pm Sunday afternoon for a total of 5 three lap races, where I'm not threatened with capital punishment for riding my bike from the track exit back to the locked in pit area where I have to ask an official to unlock the lock in pit area gate so that I can take my bike bike back to my vehicle and go home if I so choose.
I love it that you have had health issues and injuries but you have a new bike and you are out there racing...I don't mean that I'm happy that you have had those issues, just that you are prepared to say f*** that and go race anyway!
Well done!
Good luck with the KTM , I've had Yamaha two strokes for years but no bike at all now. I like the look and sound of these new Ktm four strokes , would love to ride one
I would have a new bike and be out there racing in an instant if it were even remotely worth the time and expense, sadly it just isn't where I live.
You know, it would actually make sense for me to buy a bike in California, leave it there at someone's house and travel there to go racing every sat and Sunday for one month every year.
It would be way cheaper than racing here, I would get more track time in than I would in an entire season here and I would have a great time...unlike here.
Shit I think I just had a brilliant idea!
Cheers mate...keep racing and watch out you don't take the extreme outside line when there's someone on your hammer!
It looked pretty cool on that go pro footage though.
Was just thinking back and remembering back to an incident exactly like that at a supercross race at Heathcote park raceway in 1987( it's actually a drag strip) in Victoria when I got a good start and my mate Steve Butler cameup the inside of me and exactly the same thing happened , I was kicking myself for leaving that door so wide open .
Anyway I like your story with the bike issues and wish I had those problems myself, at leas it would mean I was actually racing....
Take this with a 50 lb. sack of salt from a a fat old slow guy. I'm going to try Bridgestone X30/X40 combo next.
I admire your drive. I kind of did the same thing as you, My last new bike was 04 CRF450. Injuries in 08 and excuses kept me off a new bike until I got my 17 FC450. I have shot knees, 2 bulging discs in my neck, 3 in my lower back and will likely have my ankle fused later this year. Slap tear in one shoulder and low grade rotator in the other. I was sick of feeling like shit most days and decided to go all in. I decided of I was going to ache I would have some fun along the way. I don't do much of anything else. I don't golf or play poker or do the river thing or Glamis. I gotta moto, slow and ugly as it is until I really can't anymore.
Love you attitude. If I'm going to be sore I might as well have a reason. Eventually we all have to either quit when we slow down or just race slower. I'd rather be a has been than a never was
-Respect
Yes I had a wonderful time over there and was looked after wonderfully by some amazingly kind and generous people.
Got to meet loads of the local REM racers , even got invited to join in the post moto ritual of stopping for food at the in n out burger place lol! They were a great bunch of blokes and no doubt probably all sill racing!
I was so spoiled. I got to spend an entire day cutting laps around Carlsbad raceway, got to go riding at sunrise cycle park, and that place with the enormous boulders on the side of the hill...forgot what it's called now but it had this enormous double that I was shifting up into fourth to clear on a yz125.... It was an awesome track.
When I got home to Australia, I continued to race in 2000 on the state scene and in 2001 I raced our entire national series and the thumper Nast series as well.
That year I went to a big local two day race meeting, it was actually at the track where I was a member of the club and the shop that was sponsoring me that year was the main sponsor for their big weekend.
I unloaded my three yz's, 125, 250 and 426 and headed over to sign up, which is ridiculous because you don't actually sign anything.....there is no enter on the day here...it's just to show your license and club membership and give the name of your personal flag marshal. I didn't have anybody and was scolded by the Nazi on duty for going to the races by myself and told that I would not be allowed to race until I found someone to do my flag marshal duty.
I turned around, loaded up my three bikes and effectively quit the sport.
I bought a bike again in 2005 but only rode it at my own private track that I had then...but sold it not long after since I had just lost interest in riding without racing.
Bought two yz's in 2011, did the whole race license and club membership thing again and raced at three events.
At the third event , at Cobram Victoria where the track is right next to the municipal rubbish dump, I remember sitting there waiting for my next 5 lap race and contemplating the stench of the rotting refuse next door and the swarm of flies hovering over us all ,when there was an announcement over the P.A.. The event was being stopped and all riders were to assemble before the control tower and there would be a roll call. Any rider found to be not present would be disqualified from the event and have their racing license suspended til further notice.
At this emergency riders meeting we were told that some naughty children that were camping at the track the previous night had gone across to the rubbish dump and had vandalised some equipment and we all got a big lecture about it.
As a result of the meeting and running through a roll call of about three hundred riders, most of them sub 16 year olds, we were told that the last round of racing for the day would be cut due to time constraints.
I didn't bother with waiting around for my next race, I loaded up and went home and haven't raced since.
The bikes sat in the garage UN touched for three years until I found a place to ride on a friends property and did that for a bit before losing interest and selling the bikes.
You can't make a story like that up!
The memories of the great time I had in the USA were constantly there. The knowledge of how easy, hassle free and fun that REM Saturday racing scene was compared with o,this shit at home..
Yep it seems just like yesterday but it was over 17 years ago...
Like you say, I would no doubt be able to avail myself of the hospitality of some of the locals there....makes me feel guilty as I wouldn't be able to reciprocate other than to provide accomodation at my home here which is actually in a lovely part of Victoria, but there is no moto paradise here....just all that shit I was complaining about. It's why the sport is virtually dead now.
Well ,I will keep thinking about my plan ...it really is feasible and would be incredible to have something like that to look forward to and work towards every year.
The reason I haven't bought a bike since I sold my YZ's over 3 years ago is that I'm a racer...just love mx racing like all you REM regulars. Not much point to it for me to go to the trouble and expense when there is only shit child minding service races to go to.
So this idea is the only way I'll ever get back on a bike
I wonder how my missus will respond when I tell her about this idea??
Anyway...cheers mate!
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