Tale of Two Trail Rides

[TTD]

It was the best of trails... and the worst of trails.



Actually, it was the same trail.

Paul, Jamie, Renee and Myself went to Beartown today.

Jamie's battery was dead (no kickstarter), so we started with a quick jumpstart. No problem, I figured... this has happened before.

Unfortunately, either the battery was dead dead... or the charging system stopped working... because even after starting and running... the battery didn't do anything.

No problem, we figured... how often do you need to start your bike on a 45 minute loop.

Apparently... quite a lot when the trails are snotty.

We had to regularly find places on the trail to bump start the bike. Which means we (alright, mostly Jamie and Paul) had to do a lot of pushing the bike up hills... only to roll down and bump.

So... Paul and Jamie were leading and having to deal with that.

Renee and I were bringing up the rear and were doing fine for the first half of the loop... then she just started crashing a lot.

First she mangled her front brake lever making it hard to use. Then she broke off her shifter leaving her in second gear. Then she killed her battery from crashing so much and restarting.

I'll leave the Jumper Cable story for later...

So... several hours later... we all get back to the trucks.

Jamie hit the road. Renee relaxed in the truck. Paul and I did another loop at speed.

Despite almost crashing 10 or so times... we both made it back fine... and tired.

I can barely move my arms... but can't wait to do it again.

[R7]

You should have come with us, I was the crash king for today I gots a big bruse on my right arm and a new lump on my right ankle. I have to stop protecting my bike with my body and just let it hit the rocks rather than me I'm in a little pain now

On a good note, we did get in 37 miles of riding and mostly single track at that

[theothersean]

A small set of vice grips and safety wire in the tool kit will make a new shift lever, front or rear brake lever or clutch lever, in a pinch.

I have a set of home made jumper cables small enough to fit in the tool kit as my bike also has no kicker. A simple set of small alligator clips on the ends of a 2 foot scrap piece of wire that they use for installing car stereo amplifiers. I think is 14 gauge.

They also sell a similar set up for about $10 on line

[TTD]

OK... here's the jumper cable story.



Me and Jamie are back at the truck. (Renee is stuck in the woods, and Paul is sitting with her)

I have heavy duty jumper cables, but they are like 20 feet long and I was not looking forward to negotiating singletrack with them wrapped around my waist.

So... I have some "heavy duty" safety wire in my tool pack and thought I'd try that first. I wanted to make sure it works, so we decided to try it on Jamie's bike first.

I cut off 2 two foot pieces and proceeded to attach them to each battery.

Well... as soon as I made the final connection... the wire turned BRIGHT RED... and burst into flames.



It was cool! (after I determined that my bike still worked fine)

Note to self... you have to use a certain gauge wire for jumping bikes.

[TTD]

Originally posted by R7
You should have come with us, I was the crash king for today I gots a big bruse on my right arm and a new lump on my right ankle. I have to stop protecting my bike with my body and just let it hit the rocks rather than me I'm in a little pain now

On a good note, we did get in 37 miles of riding and mostly single track at that

Yeah... I'm trying to get Renee to "step off" the bike instead of fighting it all the way down... and usually ending up underneath it.

We'll definitely hook up, Mark. I'm riding every weekend I can until the snow flies... or temps get ridiculous.

[Paul_E_D]

I'm already sore from pushing Jamie's bike. That was a torturous loop.

The second time through it was a blast though! I felt pretty good and really didn't get too sideways or anything. The KDX is much better now, pulling cleanly off the bottom. It helps when I don't have to give it 1/2 throttle just to get it running clean!

I need some leaner needles and pilot jets to try so I don't pop your contacts out when I ride in front of you!

Can't wait to do it again!

[TTD]

yeah... something is definitely up with that bike.

It's like a James Bond vehicle... no one can follow it.

[R7]

Oh and Tony, there's one thing I have learned with offroad bikes and batteries, the charging system is designed to maintain the battery, not charge it from dead.

We'll definitely hook up, Mark. I'm riding every weekend I can until the snow flies... or temps get ridiculous

Well I know how you are so once it hits 50, you're done riding
Seriously though, it's always 10 degrees warmer down here, the snow never sticks around for more than a couple weeks at a time so the potential is there to ride year round

[TheIglu]

I'm pickin up my CR125 tomorrow, installing the bark busters off the KLR tomorrow night and will be ready to ride after this last race weekend!

I just can't wait, all you guys' stories are killing me. I used to ride dirt only before I turned 16, now I can count the times of dirt since then on 10 fingers. I enjoy it so much but never thought of actually doing it more. Hopefully I can catch up with you guys for a couple rides this season. Gotta get that ORV sticker....

[TTD]

Excellent... always good to have more peeps available.

I hear ya about the charging system, Mark... but it's never been a problem.

Jamie's bikie is Renee's old one.

I knew the battery was weak and told Jamie.

But... the most I ever had to do was jump it (after it sat for a couple of weeks or something)

Once jumped, keep it running for 10 minutes or so, and it would be fine. This time... it wouldn't even slightly turn the bike over...just a "click"



Anyway... hopefully just a battery. I have a multi-meter, so we can test the alternator output too.

[airgary]

you bastid.... why you no call me to ride? i put my new err umm case cover on (ooops) and have been waiting to head out and ride some.....

[s a x m a n]

then I went to applebees to tend bar all night and had to break up a fucking fight ...

i'm SHOT

going to bed

[Paul_E_D]

I was wondering how you made it through that shift, because my head was spinning by 9:30!

Paul

[s a x m a n]

yeah, it was a long night ... by 10:00 i could barly stand anymore and still had 2 hours left.

So yesterday's ride was interesting ... we did have to bump start the bike several times (i think total was 5). Which is about 35 times less then I stalled it the first time I went out.

So I learned a lesson there in trying to keep the bike running.

Yesterday was my 2nd time ever out on a dirt bike, and the conditions were slick .. the main issue I was having was with berms (sp?) that were muddy ... each time I tried to hit them the front end would just wash right down it, which usually ended up having me in the mud hole.

I know its a getting on the throttle issue, etc;. but I'm still learning.

I still feel like I have no idea how to handle a dirt bike. Some of the trails we did yesterday seemed pretty difficult ad far as rocks, mud, etc;.

I need to spend some time "play riding" to get used to how it feels to steer a dirtbike and how it moves under me.

I did manage to make it up this pretty technical hill, without stalling ... so that was my accomplishment for the day.

I feel like I got hit by a train today though ... but its a good sore.

I'll get a new battery and hopefully will fix the starting issue, then just go out again and try to learn more.

[TTD]

You should not have been trying too hard to avoid those mud holes.

Skimming along the top of berm... just over the water... is a very technical and risky move when it is as slippery as it was.

In general, it was a technical ride. You did fine.

On our high speed run, I watched Paul clear about a 10 foot long puddle that was on a corner... it was done perfectly.

There was only about 4 inches of dirt that was exposed above the water line, and it was almost vertical so you had to carry good speed and lean angle.

The penalty for your tire sliding off the top of the berm was a VERY WET rider.

Anyway, I've learned that at Beartown, the mudholes are generally clean and not that deep. (thanks to the efforts of certain people)

I just slow down and roll through steadily... if I can't wheelie over it.

Again... you'll do fine. You're worlds faster than I was after two rides, that's for sure.

[Paul_E_D]

You saw that Tony?! I thought that move was a work of art! It felt as good as drifitng both wheels through turn 2.

[sandman]

i keep 100' of para cord on the bike for times just like this. we've used it to tow bikes and to pull start bikes that wouldn't start.

[Paul_E_D]

How do you attach the cord?

[theothersean]

I have 50' of 1'4 in. nylon rope with carabeeners(sp?) on each end, you can just loop them over the bars and clip them back onto the rope. I have pulled many bikes and 4 wheelers out of the mud with it. Including my own
It gets you to be on dry ground to get some footing to be able to "help" the bike out.

Knock on wood I haven't had to use it for towing yet.

[sandman]

Originally posted by Paul_E_D
How do you attach the cord?

we took the 100' and looped it back and forth until we had the overall length we wanted and tied it to whatever look like it would work on each bike.

we tied it to my subframe (exc520) and around the lower triple tree of the other bike.

[R7]

Originally posted by theothersean
I have pulled many bikes and 4 wheelers out of the mud with it.

It was a set-up I'm telling you!!! You had the rope thing out before I even entered the mudhole on my quad that one time, you knew what was going to happen

[KB]

Originally posted by 35racer
Renee and I were bringing up the rear

I hear that's your best trick. Bringing up the rear??

KB

[a13x]

Originally posted by s a x m a n Yesterday was my 2nd time ever out on a dirt bike,

the main issue I was having was with berms (sp?) that were muddy ... each time I tried to hit them the front end would just wash right down it, which usually ended up having me in the mud hole.

I know its a getting on the throttle issue, etc;. but I'm still learning.

I still feel like I have no idea how to handle a dirt bike.

Some of the trails we did yesterday seemed pretty difficult as far as rocks, mud, etc;.

I need to spend some time "play riding" to get used to how it feels to steer a dirtbike and how it moves under me. [/B]

You need to go ride somewhere were you can repeat the same sections over and over. Like a track (most motocross parks in the area have beginner / intermediate tracks and a 'Big Boy' Track) or a local sandpit / open foresty area where you can set up your own makeshift track.

Hopping on a dirtbike and just running off wild into the NE trails (notoriously rocky and muddy) is a broken wrist waiting to happen for the dirtbike new guy.

Riding the same berm / corner / whoop section / root section / uphill 26 times in a row will help you learn the in's and the out's off riding a dirtbike, from your comments, you could use that repitition and experimental time.

Plus it's still mad fun.

[Paul_E_D]

Yeah, We've been talking about that. MA riding areas no longer provide any play riding spots. Vietnam had a small area like that and it was great to warm up and practice before hitting the technical stuff.

Luckily, I have an area in my back yard where I can practice a little. It's mostly flat and sandy, but that makes for fun flattracking antics at least, and there are a few features, like a levee to jump, a little single track woop section.

Sax, maybe you should come down here for an afternoon. We could also hit some small local trail areas that are easy peasy compared to Beartown.

[TheIglu]

I also have 4 areas, LARGE areas that are plenty easy to get accustomed to DB's on within 10 minutes of my house, along with Crow Hill MX. I'd be willing to host/lead a newbie off-road ride. I have fireroads, singletrack, rough paths, sand pits, open areas, water, mud, railroad beds, etc etc.

Located in Central MA, right off Rt.2 near Fitchburg/Gardner. Perhaps the 14/15 of October?