STIMILON 2011 !!! May 28/29 MX338

[breakdirt916]

tls25rs: you may just want to email David Olcott (quoted above) and see if he'll slip you in ahead of time.

They need a signed and notarized (yes, wtf, notarized) liability waiver, but he can email you the blank form if you want to print it yourself to bring to a notary. If you're able, see if he'll let you get that in the mail by tomorrow and maybe he'll accept payment and your selection of classes in advance.

[tls25rs]

tls25rs: you may just want to email David Olcott (quoted above) and see if he'll slip you in ahead of time.

They need a signed and notarized (yes, wtf, notarized) liability waiver, but he can email you the blank form if you want to print it yourself to bring to a notary. If you're able, see if he'll let you get that in the mail by tomorrow and maybe he'll accept payment and your selection of classes in advance.

No access to notary so I may just have to roll the dice and try to reg Fri night or Sat morning. Either way is ok with me, if I get there and can't get reg'd then I will hang out and enjoy watching. It's my own fault for being a dumbass and not pre reg'ing.

Joel

[typeone]

no dice to roll it happens every year, you'll be fine, riders reg last minute no problem.

if i remember correctly, there will be 2 lines, pre-reg'd and not yet reg'd.

[rbrais]

I'm pretty sure the notary is needed because they need to know that YOU signed the waiver. If you do it right in front of them i don't think there is any notary required.

[McBiggity]

got my rear tire on for the sand last night. Took way too long. But ready to go.

[typeone]

nice. i still have a list to finish on the bike but pretty close.

just got done hacking up my Fox chest protector to better fit the Leatt, coming out pretty sweet. realized on Sun ride that the reason it hits my helmet so much is because the shoulder cups are getting stuck under the brace pushing it up. i also had to set the front and rear panels so far apart that it just sat weird on me. finally took the time to try and fix it...

i put the CP back to my settings when i used to wear it without a brace, drew marker lines and started cutting. WAY better fit! just need to trim the shoulders a bit more then clean up all the cuts. pretty psyched cause i almost said F-it and overnighted a Leatt or HRP CP which = $$$

[breakdirt916]

would you guys change the spring tension for the exhaust valve on a 125 because we'll be on sand?

my exhaust valve was stuck wide open before my tear-down, and now that it's working properly, the low end is amazing because before, it...wasn't there. however, now I felt like there was no "hit", so I checked the rod behind the ehxaust valve cover for proper operation (check!), pulled off the front cylinder cover and checked that the exhaust valves were moving up and down fine (check!), then finally cranked down the spring tension down to 1/2 a turn (down from 1 full turn) to see if it helped. After putting it back together and riding it, I found that I lost a lot of low end, but I could definitely feel the "hit" a lot more.

and for sand, I was told to keep the thing completely pinned the whole time since it's just a 125, so I sort of want to keep that spring tension low at half a turn, so that it's easier for the engine to wind up and get on the pipe, and keep my momentum up...is it okay to do that? manual says it should be 1 full turn

[Paul_E_D]

That's a common tuning technique on KTMs. Have you read about anyone doing it on the RM? I'm not familiar enough with it to say definitively.

[breakdirt916]

nevermind...I have it at ~3/4 turn and the "hit" is definitely there...I only noticed it when I got on a mini track and opened her up

otherwise, this was my first ride on the RM since 2010, and WOW. 20 mins of riding and I'm beat more than a red headed step child. I have arm-pump like whoa, and I see myself doing all the things a noob does: sit and lightly throttle under the power band, instead of standing and wailing on the pipe. I'm seated back on berms and turning in too soon (thus washing the front), and I'm piss scared of WOT over whoop-like sections.

on the plus side, the RM just needs a few odds and ends, but overall it's rideable enough for Saturday.

are there jumps w' lips @ MX338? are they rollable?

I tried, in 2nd gear, bmx-sized jumps and every time I tried hitting it faster or harder, the tail end of the bike shoots up, and launches me off the seat, and my whole body is drifting away from the bike while I'm in the air. Def. need some practice there, or else I'm rollin' all of em

edit: just watched the video on page 5 - all look rollable, but sand looks like it slows ya like crazy!

[Paul_E_D]

They're all rollers at southwick, and sandy so they get super rounded. No lips. BUT, you need to stand in the attack position with your head forward of the bars for take off. Don't roll off until fully airborne. Those two things will stop you getting bucked off the seat.

Getting forward will also help in the whoops. You don't want to get pulled along by the bike. Whiskey throttle is sure to get you totally out of control. For whoops, head forward, ass back, bent at the hips.

Pretty much always squeeze with the knees.

The sand at southwick makes throttle errors less costly. The wheel just spins and you don't go anywhere fast.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

nevermind...I have it at ~3/4 turn and the "hit" is definitely there...I only noticed it when I got on a mini track and opened her up

otherwise, this was my first ride on the RM since 2010, and WOW. 20 mins of riding and I'm beat more than a red headed step child. I have arm-pump like whoa, and I see myself doing all the things a noob does: sit and lightly throttle under the power band, instead of standing and wailing on the pipe. I'm seated back on berms and turning in too soon (thus washing the front), and I'm piss scared of WOT over whoop-like sections.

on the plus side, the RM just needs a few odds and ends, but overall it's rideable enough for Saturday.

are there jumps w' lips @ MX338? are they rollable?

I tried, in 2nd gear, bmx-sized jumps and every time I tried hitting it faster or harder, the tail end of the bike shoots up, and launches me off the seat, and my whole body is drifting away from the bike while I'm in the air. Def. need some practice there, or else I'm rollin' all of em

edit: just watched the video on page 5 - all look rollable, but sand looks like it slows ya like crazy!

All rollable For sure. Stand up hold the bike wide wide open if you come off the powerband at southwick you will go in reverse.

You can't stay on the seat on jumps, you will end up on your head.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

http://www.stimilon.com/smc/raceorder.php

[McBiggity]

is it bad that I have butterflies already?? lol

[typeone]

i know, same here. wish i had the rest of the week off, cant focus!

[breakdirt916]

is each race roughly the same length?

I'm trying to figure out what time to tell my friends when to come watch (if they're willing to stomach the $20 gate fee).

I'm registered for never ever (race #11/20) and open hack (#15/20), so...anytime after 1 or 2pm would be cool, right?

[Paul_E_D]

The whole schedule runs twice. So you will ride 4 times. twice before lunch and twice after lunch. It's hard to say what time, but races are about 10-15 min each. some delays are inevitable. visitors should plan on hangin out for quite a while if they want to see specific races. Watching the main events is a must IMO. so 2-6 or so and they should see you, plus some good action.

[typeone]

Disclaimer: If friends stick around for the Rockstar main, prepare for potentially unsavory commentary towards your earlier efforts.



my favorite wrist band i had kept on my desk forever was the 'I WON PRACTICE!' one. hahaa!

[BMFR6]

I tried, in 2nd gear, bmx-sized jumps and every time I tried hitting it faster or harder, the tail end of the bike shoots up, and launches me off the seat, and my whole body is drifting away from the bike while I'm in the air. Def. need some practice there, or else I'm rollin' all of em

edit: just watched the video on page 5 - all look rollable, but sand looks like it slows ya like crazy!

everything is very rollable as everyone has mentioned, but have you played with the suspension at all? sounds like your rebound might be cranked up to the moon.

[BMFR6]

Anyone from central MA going out to spectate that may be interested in carpooling? I want to head out there for a bit, sometime after lunch until the end at about 6 or so....... but i'm having a hard time justifying driving all the way out there at 14.5 mpg and paying 20 at the gate, food and beer on top of that. unfortunately, i may be saving this trip until the nationals.

[rbrais]

is each race roughly the same length?

I'm trying to figure out what time to tell my friends when to come watch (if they're willing to stomach the $20 gate fee).

I'm registered for never ever (race #11/20) and open hack (#15/20), so...anytime after 1 or 2pm would be cool, right?

I think you get 4-6 laps. The experts go longer.

[rbrais]

I have so much shit to do. The bike is still dirty, filter is clean but not yet oiled. F- the rest of the bike, it's a Honda so it will be fine.

Decided to just run the dry-rotted tires that have been on it for the last 12 years. (They held air over the winter......)

Never did flush the brake lines. Front's a little spongey, but then it has been for the last 2 Stimilons and my performance can't possibly suck any more than it already does.

Screw putting in a fresh top end. I'll do it next year....maybe. Hey, that's lasted 12 years too...

Bottom line, if the bike breaks, there's always beer!

Truck's going in tonight for a new serpentine belt. Tent and shower need to be taken out of the box that I stuffed them in when I left the track last year. I'm sure they need to be scrubbed of mold.

Yep. Gonna be a busy couple of nights.

[breakdirt916]

Sounds like my my bike! I have also given up on making things perfect...as long as it's functional, and I get to ride a little bit before the bike blows up, I'm happy!

Buy thanks guys, all my friends are cheeeaaap. Unlikely I'll get a spectator, so no coordination necessary.

edit: have not played with the rebound at all...will try that within the next couple days

[Kurlon]

Front brake rebuild - Check
Check clutch thrust washer order and install working lock-washer - Check (turns out I DID do it right the first time)
Acquire proper tools to speed up plug checks and re-jetting - Check
Arrange for suspension refresh at Stimilon 'cause I'm lazy - Check
Hotel - Check
Clean current filter and have spares ready to rock - Check
Fresh H1R and chain lube - Check

Food shopping and a lil packing and I'm good to go.

Oh, any YZ owners want to upgrade to a Honda caliper/master combo? I've got a full 05 Honda setup plus a YZ caliper bracket to make it a bolt up system, lemmie know and I'll drag it along with me.

[BLACK SQUIRREL]

I sent my bike to the country to be prayed over by Buddhist monks and caressed by Hippie flower children. It will be ready

[Paul_E_D]

Haha! I snuck in an hour of riding yesterday. Did some practice starts on the 250. Boy I suck. Track is coming good. I'm starting to bottom my set up in the whoops. I might have to go up a spring at both ends...