Thanks Forum, First Race in 30 years!

[OldDirtKDX]

Thanks to all the info and input on KDX's. I raced my first desert race in over 30 years. HBMC's District 37 Dual European Scrambles. I finished 28th over all and 4th or fifth in class (Magnum Novice Light Wt.) Final results aren't posted yet.I'm in my 50s and have only been back in the dirt for a year and a half. I'm a little sore after 42 miles in the Mojave but, It was more fun than I've had in years. I can hardly wait for the next one in a week or so.
Thanks to this forum, Jeff Fredette, and Eric Gores' Forward Motion. I have a great bike. It's a '01 200 that's been bored to 225ccs, FMF Desert pipe, VForce 3 Reeds. and all the usual suspension and engine mods including a Hinson clutch basket. The bigger bikes pulled me on the long sandy washes and the big climbs but, I got 'em back on the tight stuff and on the long open desert runs.
Thank You my friends
Long Lives The KDX!

 

[kmccune]

Congrats! :cool:

 

[duke]

"Old Dirt"

Your accounting only served to strengthen my commitment in finally taking the plunge to race a desert event. I have pre run a few courses before with a friend who used to compete, but haven't returned to the desert in 4 years, restricting my riding to Gorman/Rower Flats and occasional MX practice (not real keen there, fearing more the over exuberant 40 something on the "450 what ever" trying to convince himself that he is still 19 as he nearly lands on me after having over shot the jump!) But I digress. Now that I have a stabilizer mounted, I am ready to go. "Magnum" is for 50 plus aged riders, correct? I am 48, so I would guesstimate that there is a senior Lt weight class.

 

[OldDirtKDX]

40+ Ltwt

Yeah, I pretty much suck on tracks due to my abilities or, lack there of, but, it's good practice. Plus KDXs' aren't exactly MX bikes. The desert is a blast! Gormans fun as we go there quite often. Dual Euro. scrambles are a good starting point as they are multiple shorter loops. Usually 6-14 mi. Beginners and all Red # plates only go 1 loop on the longer races Hare and Hound Etc. 35-45 mi loops.
So far all the people we have met, Clubs, racers, Etc. are as helpful as the people in this forum.
Hope I see you at the races soon. I'm doing Lucerne April 9th.
Go to the District 37 site and check it out.

 

[duke]

I am planing on the Badgers European Scramble in May. I rode one of the older courses a few years back. It was great. Not too hard, but different enough to be fun. However, it was just myself and a buddy who raced it a week prior, so no "ribbon"

 

[Okiewan]

Very cool!

 

[duke]

What is your opinion of the Desert Rev pipe? About a 1/3rd of my milage constitutes technical terrain, the remainder being fire roads and sand washes, and the thrice yearly venture to an MX track. Have you noticed any appreciable loss of bottom end as a result of the pipes installation? My current pipe is a PC which apparently is supposed to offer a slight enhancement everywhere

 

[OldDirtKDX]

Rev pipe?

I don't notice any appreciable loss on the bottom end but, there is a considerable gain in hi-mid and top end. I had a torque pipe on briefly seemed to limit the top end more than increase the bottom. I tried it again after Eric at FM bored and ported it. It was like the stocker! The rev pipe really worked with the mods. In fact it's amazing how low it will pull. Almost 4 stroke like!
Hopefully, I'll see you at Red Mountain in May. I'm going try and install a Scotts damper by then as KDXs' short wheel base gets twitchy when pinned in the washes! We'll probably be the only KDXs' out there. We will represent!

 

[duke]

I just installed my Scotts Stabilizer, but have yet to try it out. I am confident that it will be worth the money. As for us being the only 2 KDX's, you maybe right. But at most of the D37 GP's that I have done, there is always at least one person battling the "high price spreads" with their "trail bike."

 

[OldDirtKDX]

Easy

"It's Not Easy Being Green" :rotfl:

 

[duke]

I am too cheap and lazy to ride another bike.

 

[OldDirtKDX]

Cheap and Lazy?

I to am cost effective and energy efficient. But, my little green machine got me to a 4th in class with only a KTM 525, a 450 YZFand a KTM 450 in front of me. It definitely wasn't my riding prowess that got me there! It seems that here in Calif. a lot of people shun little 2 strokes as "Bigger is Better" even if it's more bike than some can ride to it's potential and just tire themselves trying.Besides, by the time I got my KDX desert ready i.e.; Carb., Suspension, Pipe, Hand guards, Clutch basket, Bored, ad infinitum. it wasn't cheap. If you know what I mean.

 

[duke]

I have run down and passed 450F's, while in the same token I have been left behind by a guy on a mid 80's IT200. So in my estimation, its the rider at anything beyond open B class level riding, from an off road stand point primarily. Your investment is drop in the bucket, really. I have friends, in fact all of my friends, ride 450F's of some make and configuration. Each one of them sinks "Funny Car" level money and modifications and I seriously debate any noticable improvement. But hey, its a hobby, so "se la vie."

 

[rubbersidedown]

I'm turning 36 in a few weeks and have been feeling the "why didn't I get back into riding sooner" blues...Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[OldDirtKDX]

Could be...

Duke, you're right. It probably is the rider as 2 of the OA finishers ahead of me were on Novices 85's! I tried to catch them but I got humbled!
On your Scotts damper did you get the kit to mount on the stock triple clamp or the Scotts clamp?
I have a really small bucket.

 

[duke]

Stock triple clamp. But I did purchase a special handle bar wherein the cross mount is specially bent to accomodate the presence of the stabilizer. I kept all the old "stuff" so it can be remounted when I sell the bike. As for the 85's pace, its youth serving as the advantage. Neither FMF or Scotts have yet to offer it. I know, because I called.

 

[duke]

I ventured to Rower Flats and finally had a chance to experience the Scotts dampener for the first time. A hefty investment to be sure, but one that made the bike really handle much better then before. I road both the entire fire roads at a much faster pace then ever before, all with about a fraction of the exhaustion normally felt. The device really instilled a high level of confidence. This wasn't a placebo effect either. I could really tell that the same rocks, gullies, braking and acceleration bumps that cause the front end to snap and wander about were significantly muffled to a point where I could enter into the turns at much faster speed. And that in essence is the reason we purchase such products.

 

[chevy383cid]

Congrats, Once a dirtbiker always a dirtbiker. It's like a virus that lives in your blood> with the occasional itch when you don't get to ride enough!!!!!!!! I'm going to race my first hairscramble this spring>I've been practicing alot on my trails!!!

 

[OldDirtKDX]

Scotts post?

Duke, Are you using the weld-on or the clamp-on tower?
Also, where are the "Flats" located.

 

[duke]

Clamp on version. Rower Flats AKA Texas Canyon is located off of Sierra Highway in Santa Clarita/Canyon Country Area. Not real big, but it features a little of everything in all its various guises of difficulty: Single track that leads to Lake Piru in the back, steep hills, meandering goat trials for miles and a nice fire trail that snakes around for about 15 miles each way, along whcih you traverse some moderate sized hills, strewn with ruts and rocks. For me its freeeway close and makes and offers routes that make for a good quick practice session. From where you live (Costa mesa) you could knock off a good 60-90 minutes of travel time. From what I was told, they used to host enduros there in the 60-70's and it served as the test grounds for many enduro shoot outs in the magazines through out the 70 and 80's.

 

[duke]

"Old Dirt"

As for competing in a Euro scramble, about how much time should I arrive before my scheduled class, taking into account my status will probably be a post race entry?

 

[OldDirtKDX]

Time

Duke, I'd allow 2 hours as if you're not alreadyAMA and Dist 37, it took about 45 mins to get all signed up at the HBMC event. Being signed up and pre-entering saves some time, I would think.Then it took a few minutes to ride to the course start. Of course, this is based on a first time experience.
I'll let you know after this weekend at Lucerne.

 

[duke]

I am an AMA member already and will have renewed my D37 membership by then (I hope). I am wondering if there is some way to decipher which events feature more technical terrian versus open terrain? Obvioulsy a KDX is at a disadvantage when things really open up

 

[Red_Rooster]

Stock triple clamp. But I did purchase a special handle bar wherein the cross mount is specially bent to accomodate the presence of the stabilizer. I kept all the old "stuff" so it can be remounted when I sell the bike. .

Duke,
look at my post about dampener mounting issus and see if you can help me out. I got all of my stuff from BRP, as I already had a dampener from my ol trusty XR600. had to replace the dampener arm is all. any help you can give would be great.

~RR

 

[duke]

Turn the lower clamps around, it may give you the correct setting. Thats what I did. Its a tactic not referenced in the directions if memory serves me correct