Posts
634
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Loveland, CO, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/24/2012 12:07pm
I showed up to the track Sunday for some practice and the guys I was meeting were late... really late. While I was impatiently waiting, this younger guy (20 something) came up to borrow some tools to change his oil. I complied and was relieved to see him actually recover the oil instead of attempting to dump it on the ground, he returned my tools less my 8mm socket that he dropped in the old oil, he promises to mail it me when he fishes it out of there. I watched him spin a couple of laps and realized that he was new to riding or at least to track riding. We end up shooting the poo and he talks me into a spin on his RMZ 250 because he thinks the forks bottom too easy, I went for a ride and boy was he right. We spent the next 30 minutes giving his bike the once over and making the necessary suspension adjustments. His sag was at 4 7/8" inches so we beat that down to 4". He had his forks all jacked, both rebound and comp were not equal After a couple of rides and fork stiffening from 14 out, to 10 and then 8 he was happy and I took it for a ride again. Wow what a difference. I wish I could get my CRF450 to carve corners like that. Rest assured I'll be making some geometry adjustments to my bike to see if I can get it better. Long story short, not all 20 somethings with a MX bike are douche's, some of them actually want and need a little assistance. On top of that my buddies finally showed up and we spent the day throwing roost at each other. All around great day.
http://www.procircuit.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=57655&idcatego…
that made a world of noticable difference to the geometry! Its 2mm longer, which equals about 10mm at the seat. completely helps the bike, it carves now, isnt as stinkbug'ish, and made thing feel alot better.
it will carve like you wouldnt believe BUT, word of warning... it is VERY responsive, as in you think left, you are going left. Its not twitchy, its just hyper-responsive.
also, do this, yes I'm serious (if you havent already) go and get every bearing for the chassis you can. Wheel bearings, stem bearings, swingarm and linkage bearings, it doesnt cost as much as you think. Pack them with Bel-Ray waterproof grease, torque to spec, and get new seat foam. I know, sounds kooky, im telling you, it WILL make a VERY big difference in feel.
The Shop
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
I'm even older than you (just a bit, of course), so when I started school, we were strictly inches and pounds and pints, (with the US versus the Imperial gallon just to make things interesting).
Then we rolled in the metric system and I thought I'd never figure it out.
Now, after living and working in metric for all these years, it's second nature and I find it hard to believe some things still function in that somewhat wacky (arbitrary) "old" system.
In order for your military to operate in any joint (allied) function, it is necessary that all personnel learn and become functional in metric. It is the language of sciences and engineering.
Having gone from a motorcycle shop to a truck & trailer operation, I could see and would often say to the techs how much less they would have invested in their tool chests if they only had to work in metric. I also find it so much easier to eyeball a fastener and know exactly which socket fits.
Just a quick ramble on metric. I'll go away now.
My whole bike is filled with Torco Fluids, lubes, filter oil including the grease in all the original bearings before the first ride. Putting a 23 Deg clamp on is like cheating you could set it up poorly and it will still turn better. Unfortunately the clamps are not in the budget so I will go about it the old fashioned way.
I do find it funny that many federal government construction projects are done with the metric system. Unfortunately the rest of us are still dividing by 12 and using the 1/1. I fear my 100m tape may be useless at this stage of its life.
Watched one of our vets last weekend and I couldn't believe how badly he was struggling to get any bite up front. It actually appeared as though he was fighting it whether he was turning just going straight over rough ground. We talked after practice and he was incredibly frustrated and the way I saw it was the way he felt it.
If you come up with any magic numbers I could pass along to him to try, I'm sure he'd kiss your bare ass in front of Wal-Mart on dollar day.
Just a suggestion - cut that 100m tape into 100 1m long sections. Even a 4 year old couldn't lose, hide, bury that many tapes could she? (OK, I won't bet on that one).
Like to know what you come up with, nonetheless.
As for the Wal-Mart thing... well that's just not right eh!!
I think my next ride will be Thursday the 10th. I'll let you know how it turns out.
1 is like 1, 2 is like 10, 3 is like the poo hit the fan... probably because it did!!
I have an 06 CRF and I agree with it not tracking/turning the way I wanted... and then I had my suspension done by 4-PR. Immediately when I got on the bike it felt like nothing I'd ridden before (I've had stuff done by a couple local shops, Pro Circuit, Factory Connection, and Pro Action)... Just sitting on it, I'm amazed at how balanced the bike is. First few laps out I constantly have to remind myself it's okay to really push it, even on hard flat sweepers, because the bike just constantly hooks up and goes where I want it. Seriously is the most amazing feeling ever.
Moral of the story, a good suspension set up will definitely get the feel you want. Even my buddies who are much lighter than me can get on my bike and notice the balance and turning capabilities... it's so good.
I'm still running stock clamps and everything, and my forks are flesh with my clamps, yet it turns on a dime while still being super stable and holding great traction. I notice so many suspension set ups very stiff in the front and soft in the back.
Over the past few years I've taken to saying "OK, now I'm gonna show you how to do "this", but I expect you to pass it on to someone else some day". Where that concept is concerned, we have a pretty amazing little MX family/community here in my neck of the woods.
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