Ever ridden a factory bike or close to it?

PFitzG38
Posts
1634
Joined
11/6/2009
Location
Newport Beach, CA US
1/19/2019 6:43pm
Paul Thede from Race Tech once told me “You only know the best you’ve ridden”
1/19/2019 7:14pm
I've ridden all the Redbull Ktm and Rockstar Husky Mxgp Factory bikes this year on magazine test days.
The Euro bikes isn't really that stiff, except for Herlings. The others was very comfortable even at a lower speed, but refused to bottom out even for a heavier guy.
Cairoli runs stiffer chassi but softer suspension, and Herlings is the other way around.
Cairolis bike was super smooth with lots of torque, and Herlings had a mid-range hit that would pull your arms out of socket.
3
1/19/2019 7:23pm
Every year Mr Boyesen would buy a few bikes from me @ a shop I worked at for testing. Then bring some back 4 me to consign. He brought in an 05 KX250 that had never seen dirt but the motor had scuffs on it & signs of use. He told me to take it for a spin in the field next to the shop. 1st off I could barely kick it. Once it started the freaking ground shook. I pulled out in 2nd cracked the throttle & when I hit 3rd I almost fell off the back. I raced KX250’s the last 3 years & mine weren’t close to this fast. He laughed and said he built the Motor & sent it to Kawi for JBS 2 test because his factory bikes were underpowered. Apparently JBS loved it & Mr Boyesen built their motors all season. That bike was by far the fastest thing I ever rode. Guy I sold it 2 raced my class. He’d get monster hole shots then get tired lol.
1
1/19/2019 7:26pm
newmann wrote:
I was set to take a quick spin on Hannah's Boyesen link Suzuki but no one had any fuel for it...Sad
I had that bike in my old shop for a few days. Dag let me borrow it 2 put on display for an event we were having. Piece of history 4 sure !!! I remember seeing Al Carr race that thing locally in the late 80’s at Evansville.

The Shop

yzken250x
Posts
274
Joined
1/26/2013
Location
Goodyear, AZ US
1/19/2019 10:07pm
Back in the Mid 80’s I used to run around with Willie Surratt. We went to high school together and became friends. I used to ride his 85 CR 125 and 250. I remember the suspension being super stiff for me because I was 130 lbs and he was about 180. He had over 10 bikes at his house. He was just getting rid of all his 84 bikes and Getting his 85 bikes. We also took my XR 100 motor and put it into his CR 80 frame. I talked to him last year at A1 and he still has that bike.
yzken250x
Posts
274
Joined
1/26/2013
Location
Goodyear, AZ US
1/19/2019 10:22pm
Back in the Mid 80’s I used to run around with Willie Surratt. We went to high school together and became friends. I used to ride his 85 CR 125 and 250. I remember the suspension being super stiff for me because I was 130 lbs and he was about 180. He had over 10 bikes at his house. He was just getting rid of all his 84 bikes and Getting his 85 bikes. We also took my XR 100 motor and put it into his CR 80 frame. I talked to him last year at A1 and he still has that bike.
1
markit
Posts
2638
Joined
1/10/2013
Location
Bogalusa, LA US
1/19/2019 11:24pm
I had a 99 PC yzf 400 Sx great motor and suspension but a pia to start, luckly it had great breaks cuz that engine would put you in the next turn so quick. Another one i should have kept.
1/20/2019 1:55am
At the end of 96 I purchased a bitsa ex ktm team bike, it was an sx motor, super strong real smooth, low and midrange.
Marzzochi 50mm forks from the 95 outdoors season which were fantastic plush, ohlins stock shock which felt dead, brakes were average at best. Overall it was a great bike.
Bigfoot
Posts
1197
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
UT US
1/20/2019 8:22am
I got to ride Jeff Jennings' Wheelsmith Maicos in 1978. While they weren't factory, back in the day a fully decked out Wheelsmith Maico was close.

Both had very plush suspension -- breathed-on Maico forks with dialed in Fox Airs on the rear. A stock Magnum 250 was gutless compared to the competition, but JJ's had special porting and pipe and a bigger carb, and was very tough for my slow right wrist to keep on the pipe. After stalling the 250 a couple of times, JJ suggested I try the 440 in the photo that JJ took of me. What a dream! Smooth, linear and controllable power that could torque through anything, yet wheelie at will just about anywhere. With some modern brakes, I can't help but think what that bike would be like with modern brakes.


1
ama530
Posts
200
Joined
10/19/2011
Location
Lehighton, PA US
1/20/2019 8:51am Edited Date/Time 1/20/2019 8:59am
newmann wrote:
I was set to take a quick spin on Hannah's Boyesen link Suzuki but no one had any fuel for it...Sad
I had that bike in my old shop for a few days. Dag let me borrow it 2 put on display for an event we were...
I had that bike in my old shop for a few days. Dag let me borrow it 2 put on display for an event we were having. Piece of history 4 sure !!! I remember seeing Al Carr race that thing locally in the late 80’s at Evansville.
Mr. Cepress. Been a long time. Are we putting the drumsticks down and blowing the dust off the green bike? Mahovich has returned to the fold and started riding again. We do the off-road thing now. MX is dead around here.

Back to the thread. I worked for Eyvind when I was in college back in the late 80's early 90's. We had allot of pro riders and their bikes come through the shop. One in particular is Trampas "Chad" Parker. He came back home in 91 to race the Unadilla GP when he was running the 250 GP series. He won the 250 World Championship that year. Still remember him showing up with his dad, (his dad was one of the nicest guys I met during my tenure there.) 2 Italian mechanics, and 2 brand new Honda 250 factory bikes in crates. Absolutely gorgeous!!! Aluminum gas tanks and all. And lucky me got to ride one of them. Amazing motorcycle. None of the stiff suspension and lightswitch powerband crap that most American riders had. It was so smooth and handled like nothing else. It felt like a 60HP 125. I still have the plastic from his bike in my shop. Will never forget that. Another thing I won't forget is, Eyvind wanted to take a look at the internals of the motors on those. The Italian mechanics took offense to that and packed everything and locked the bikes up. It was a little tense to say the least.

I also remember Al racing the link bike. Unfortunately, it didn't make him any faster. Dag could ride that thing though! He raced one of the last units Eyvind built during the Norwegian MX Championships.
1
Taddy
Posts
81
Joined
7/27/2018
Location
DE
Fantasy
4119th
1/20/2019 10:04am
i have the 2016 GP Bike from Ferrandis.
this bike is miles away from a normal bike.
everything working perfect and the engine is so powerfull and smooth to ride.

The suspension.. the fork is sooo stiff, it is make for these rider of course. But the shock is a real dream.
Also the weight its about more than 5kg less. I dont know wehere they can take 5 kg off but it is so. the factory wheels and tires, all these carbon parts, tank and subframe, the brakes, every screw titanium and so on.

Before the bike has only 3 gears but it is not rideable on our tracks. it is for the fast deep groomed and wide tracks in the GP´s so i got a factory 5 gear transition.





1
BMSOBx2
Posts
2088
Joined
2/18/2017
Location
Antioch, CA US
1/20/2019 11:28am
Bigfoot wrote:
I got to ride Jeff Jennings' Wheelsmith Maicos in 1978. While they weren't factory, back in the day a fully decked out Wheelsmith Maico was close...
I got to ride Jeff Jennings' Wheelsmith Maicos in 1978. While they weren't factory, back in the day a fully decked out Wheelsmith Maico was close.

Both had very plush suspension -- breathed-on Maico forks with dialed in Fox Airs on the rear. A stock Magnum 250 was gutless compared to the competition, but JJ's had special porting and pipe and a bigger carb, and was very tough for my slow right wrist to keep on the pipe. After stalling the 250 a couple of times, JJ suggested I try the 440 in the photo that JJ took of me. What a dream! Smooth, linear and controllable power that could torque through anything, yet wheelie at will just about anywhere. With some modern brakes, I can't help but think what that bike would be like with modern brakes.


Wheelsmith Maicos were the bomb. We took a 78 250 still in the crate straight to wheelsmith & had them do the full set up with aluminum swingarm & Fox shocks. Fastest 250 I ever rode. Light years away from stock.
JOHN CHOATE
Posts
2023
Joined
9/18/2008
Location
Dallas, NC US
1/20/2019 11:44am
This bike rolled right out of factory Honda’s 18 wheeler. My first race on it was the AMA national at Topeka, Kansas. RIDE ON!!!!
2

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