New dirt rider advice

[Jewcati]

should have been cake ... unless you don't own a spring puller

Yah , no spring puller. I got it though!


'15 Mutistrada S
2009 Husquvarna WR 167

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[Jewcati]

I usually land on my hands or knees. My wrists love me. Its an instinct I just can't seem to kill.

Never had a problem with the hydro pack bursting. Guess I'll expect that to happen on the hottest day.

Interference with the brace was at the back, top of the pack, right about where you'd expect. I spent a solid 30 or 40 seconds trying to tuck the brace under the top of the pack or vice versa before tearing it all off in a huff and exclaiming "fuck it". I mean, I was really patient. I'll screw with it again someday when I have a few min. I'm not a small human and with gear under the straps on the pack are extended all the way out. Not sure I'd tried this brace (atlas) with the new jacket I bought (fox) or if I had tried it with the old shit (evs) jacket I had before. Maybe it fit better on the flimsy evs jacket. Can't remember anymore.

Are any of you guys are making these braces work with packs?

Maybe I'll consider the fanny pack. I see the market has responded to the factor by calling these things "enduro" and "scramble" packs. So much more badass when you change the name. I've seen experienced looking trail bosses with these before. Having the hydration straw on your lapel is frickin' awesome though. I'm not the fast guy in the pack and usually only get a moment for a snort of water as I catch up to the group. Very reluctant to give up my hydration pack. Camelbak Mule with a Moose fender tool pack stuffed in it has proven to be just about the perfect size for my use.

What about a fender pack?


'15 Mutistrada S
2009 Husquvarna WR 167

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Paul_E_D]

NOTHING can survive on my fender.

[aldend123]

I don't understand how the "jury is out" on neck support. The advantages seem obvious. And then so do the downsides; less mobility, weight, discomfort. In my opinion it is a tradeoff between comfort and protection. Just like any other gear choice.

Right... the advantage seems obvious. But I think we only have intuition. The mechanics of injuries isn't always intuitive. There's very limited data studying their effectiveness, and risks. For example, one fear is that injury will be transferred somewhere else. Like a thoracic spinal injury instead. I believe several prominent people in the industry have attempted to rebut that example, but they're also selling braces. Most of what I've seen out there for 'evidence' is by those selling the product. Even if they are honest and believe what they say, they're still biased. There's also increased risk in wearing one with your helmet off, like walking ahead to inspect the trail.

Until there's more evidence, the best thing is probably to watch what the pro's are doing. Unfortunately, sponsorship and a desire for competitive edge cloud that. I think in time, we'll probably find that they're valued as much as helmets. But right now, I don't think that can be said.

Camelbacks burst when crashed and while it does cool you off quickly, it is no longer effective for hydration... I now carry bottles in my camelback pack. I'm looking at the nicer fanny pack options though. Shoulder straps and protective gear sorta sucks.

Curious if those were camelbak brand? ~10 years ago, they used to have a video on their side of a truck driving over a filled bladder. It was slow speed, not a quick shock though. But I'm kind of surprised it wouldn't pop the hose off or push the bite valve out before bursting unless the seams were already weak.

[Paul_E_D]

Let's say I have a friend who already has a KTM woods bike but also wants to get a dedicated KTM MX bike.. should I they get a two-stroke or four-stroke? Was thinking of a 125SX or 250SX or 250SX-F or 450SX-F.. would like to spend under $3k.

It all depends how much you like your skeleton. Having owned and ridden both, I can soundly recommend a 250F for track duty. The 2 strokes are quick simply WILD and dangerous to ride on a track until you have a broad skillset.

I will concede that they do some things better, but hooking up and driving forward in a short distance is not one of them. Going sideways off every ramp with the rear spinning gets pretty stressful after a while. The tracks are now made for 4 strokes. That's what I recommend.

That said, you saw me break some of my skeleton doing exactly what I just described, so it might be a wash.

[nhbubba]

No, no. I learned the hard way that fender packs are an interesting concept that doesn't work in reality. Ask Chip. One of his buds kept me from loosing my trail kit. Maybe if you drill your fenders and then bolt the pack to the fender. But then that's probably why I got my 200 with a broken fender.

Fender packs fit nicely in a backpack though. Just a glorified tool roll. The moose one has a nice sturdy zipper and buckles with compression straps. Fits tools including a set of spoons and a 21" tube.

By the way, the hook on this pick set works great for pulling kick-stand and expansion pipe springs.

[number9]

It all depends how much you like your skeleton. Having owned and ridden both, I can soundly recommend a 250F for track duty. The 2 strokes are quick simply WILD and dangerous to ride on a track until you have a broad skillset.

Uh, I quite like my skeleton. Riding the 300 EXC on a track is fun, but a) simply too fast for me and b) it has the woods gear on it and I don't want to wreck it or remove the woods gear every time.

I will concede that they do some things better, but hooking up and driving forward in a short distance is not one of them. Going sideways off every ramp with the rear spinning gets pretty stressful after a while. The tracks are now made for 4 strokes. That's what I recommend.

That said, you saw me break some of my skeleton doing exactly what I just described, so it might be a wash.

Yeah, I typically don't take the advice first time 'round.

How much worse is the maintenance on a four-stroke?

[Paul_E_D]

The maintenance thing can depend. A sacked out 4stroke can require a fair bit of work. The newer KTMs have become bulletproof though. Almost never requiring valve adjustments.

My Kawi 250F was pretty good, but it did require head works and new SS valves. It is now pretty bullet proof. It can get pricey if you ignore the thing though. I think the valve check interval is usually around 10 hours. That seems cray, but that's a lot of MX for people like us.

[typeone]

right, it's not the maintenance... it's the rebuilds.

[typeone]

i loved riding my TC250 (4T) on track. great linear, predictable power and the engine braking was perfect.

[nhbubba]

Sorry. Point taken. The pros of neck braces are certainly debatable. Maybe it's just the cons that are obvious.

My opinion is that they will prevent more injuries than they will cause. I personally will require some pretty persuasive evidence to the contrary. YMMV. I sometimes take this as "obvious". But I see that some may not see it that way. That's cool. Fortunately no one mandates these things at this point. But I'd rather be wearing one.

FWIW: I wear a brace on the race track now too.

Until there's more evidence, the best thing is probably to watch what the pro's are doing. Unfortunately, sponsorship and a desire for competitive edge cloud that. I think in time, we'll probably find that they're valued as much as helmets. But right now, I don't think that can be said.

I think looking at what the pros use is of limited use. They and I are not alike. Their experience greatly exceeds mine. Their ability greatly exceeds mine. Their environment is almost always different. And their goals are very different. They're looking for competitive advantages. I'm looking to make it to work on Monday.

I'm actually more interested in watching what parents put on their own kids. I fully admit that I ride like an 8 year old. (Probably worse.)

[number9]

right, it's not the maintenance... it's the rebuilds.

A two-stroke top-end rebuild at the end of every year doesn't bother me. A four-stroke rebuild at the end of every year would probably bother me quite a bit...

[typeone]

By the way, the hook on this pick set works great for pulling kick-stand and expansion pipe springs.

seems like it would be hard to hold on ... tossing another option in the mix ... i like the Motion Pro Heavy Duty puller. only ~$15

[nhbubba]

Sure. That'd work too.
Somehow I manage with what I got. Probably because its what I got.

[csmutty]

I usually land on my hands or knees. My wrists love me.

And you are still single?! How?!?!

[typeone]

A two-stroke top-end rebuild at the end of every year doesn't bother me. A four-stroke rebuild at the end of every year would probably bother me quite a bit...

you won't have to rebuild either one at the end of every year. it's just when the time comes, the 4T can get pricey. they're more complex.

[aldend123]

I think looking at what the pros use is of limited use. They and I are not alike. Their experience greatly exceeds mine. Their ability greatly exceeds mine. Their environment is almost always different. And their goals are very different. They're looking for competitive advantages. I'm looking to make it to work on Monday.

Basically, I agree about all those drawbacks. I just think it's the best we've got.

I'm actually more interested in watching what parents put on their own kids.

Ehhh, a select few parents maybe. I think others are too emotional and impulsive.

[Paul_E_D]

I suffered a big neck injury in a street crash. No brace. and I can say without a doubt that my brace significantly reduces neck movement both on the bike in rough terrain and off the bike rolling and a tumblin. It was key in my getting back to riding at all. hyperextension and related soft tissue injuries in your neck are NOT desirable. I'd take broken bones and cracked vertebrae any day of the week. The brace absolutely limits range of motion in this area. It was almost 3 years it took for my neck to heal and the brace allowed me to ride dirt even during that period. I could not ride without it. That's how pronounced the difference is.

[typeone]

that's why i wear one, reducing hyperextension during a wreck ... even with a herniated disc in my neck that still causes hand/arm numbness and neck pain, i took a nice digger head first into a ditch earlier this season, hitting on the right side first. the brace only allowed my helmet to go so far left, restricting movement that certainly could have been worse in my case. no dramas.

[Jewcati]

that's why i wear one, reducing hyperextension during a wreck ... even with a herniated disc in my neck that still causes hand/arm numbness and neck pain, i took a nice digger head first into a ditch earlier this season, hitting on the right side first. the brace only allowed my helmet to go so far left, restricting movement that certainly could have been worse in my case. no dramas.

You guys are a bunch of pussies....I ride naked with flip flops....scares the deer away

[typeone]

this was on the neighbor's lawn i bet, right?

[Paul_E_D]

You guys are a bunch of pussies....I ride naked with flip flops....scares the deer away

you've already been to STIMILON?! Damnit, I thought we had another newbie to break in.

[number9]

It all depends how much you like your skeleton. Having owned and ridden both, I can soundly recommend a 250F for track duty. The 2 strokes are quick simply WILD and dangerous to ride on a track until you have a broad skillset.

What about a 125 or 150cc two-stroke instead of a 250cc two-stroke? Then peak power should be close enough to a 250cc four-stroke...

[Paul_E_D]

Peak power is the problem. You have to ride a 12 at 100 percent at all times to make it come close to a 250F. I would call the 250F 50% easier to ride on an MX track. It's pretty dramatic. The bike has mechanical traction and just accelerates wheels in line while a 125 will be slinging out sideways to keep up. Especially for a beginner who loses momentum in the corners. This one is a no brainer.

[Chippertheripper]

Fuck that. Wind it up and dump the clutch.