CXR80 Flattracker, pic link

[ob1quixote]

I picked up a project bike, a '91 CR80 with an '81 XR80 motor. I had hoped it was a big wheel, but wasnt, so I made a flattracker out of it for my daughter.

It has an old school XR tank on it, and stock plastics painted black with candy red and auto epoxy clearcoat. Since this photo, the seat "nose" has been cut back, and the seat dyed black.

She rode a race Saturday night, had a bad start, but by the end she had it pegged in 5th, hanging the rear end out, passed 5th place and was closing on 4th at the finish!

Link to a picture

http://img17.exs.cx/img17/9664/Jul16601.jpg

Robert

 

[Ol'89r]

:cool: Very cool Robert.

Check out www.flattrack.com

That's where us ol' roundy-round guys go to play. :yeehaw:
Lots of good info there.

 

[Rich Rohrich]

Very Cool :cool:

 

[ob1quixote]

Thanks for the website tip 89r, we both are kinda new at the "left turn Clyde" game, so any info to shorten the learning curve is very welcome! She has ridden enduros for years, dabbled in MX, now a little flattrack, hmmmm anyone have a small, cheap trials bike??? LOL

Thanks again,

Robert

 

[Ol'89r]

so any info to shorten the learning curve is very welcome!
Robert

Go fast, turn left. Go fast, turn left. Go fast, turn left. Repeat as necessary. ;)

It's pretty easy stuff Robert. Well, except for the turning left part. :yikes: :laugh:

If you have any questions, PM me.

Most important part, keep it fun. Let her set the pace.:cool:

Ol'89r

 

[ob1quixote]

LOL, yea we managed to avoid all the right-handers on the track! Dad keeps it fun, 8 yrs of enduro racing, MotoDadItis has already been cured!

I wish I could find an affordable rear tire {14 in} that would do well, or at least better than what I'm running. We are on a tight budget, I got what was supposed to be trials tires fore and aft. The front tire was classic cheap trials tire, it worked great. The rear was more like a hard terrain knobby with slightly shorter knobs. It worked, but it appeared like when the tire broke traction in the corner and began to slide, it snapped loose rather than what I would imagine the preferred break would be, more gentle and predictable.

Its not the end of the world if its not exactly trick/spec, its all about fun, improving her enduro and MX riding, and another opportunity for me to spend time with my kid.

Thanks,
Robert

 

[Ol'89r]

its all about fun, improving her enduro and MX riding, and another opportunity for me to spend time with my kid.

Thanks,
Robert

:cool: That's great Robert. That's what it's all about.

Actually I do have a couple tips. Main thing is to teach her not to fixate on anything. Teach her to look at where she wants to go. If riders go down in front of her, teach her to NOT look at the downed riders. Look for a hole or an escape route.. If she blows a corner and starts heading for the fence, tell her NOT to look at the fence, (crash wall). Tell her to look back towards the groove and tell herself 'that is where I want to be.' Then mentally MAKE the bike go there. Sounds crazy but it actually works.

As you probably already know, you go where you are looking. If you are looking at the crash wall, you will most likely hit the crash wall. It is a very mental game and you have to trick your mind into letting you do things it doesn't want to do or doesn't think it is capable of doing. (Hope that makes sense.) :ohmy:

Keep her safe. Buy all of the safety equipment you can afford. Flattracking is a very unforgiving sport. :ugg: Dress her for the occasion.

In regard to tires. Will they let you run a knobby on the rear? Many flattracks will let the smaller bikes run knobbys since they don't have the HP to tear the tracks up like the big bore bikes. A trials tire doesn't have the side tread to hold in a corner. On a trials tire the tread does not go very far down the side of the tire. She could be dropping off the edge of the tread. If they will let you run them, you might find a knobby with a better wrap-around tread.

Good luck and have fun. :yeehaw:

Keep us posted.

 

[ob1quixote]

They let knpbbies on, they have a mini-mx and mx class. I will probably have to stay with the rear knobby, I havent been able to find anything else for a 14 in rim. Moving to a larger rim really isnt going to happen, that would require a swingarm and lotsa $$!!!

Thanks,
Robert