Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
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450X2.jpg
450X1.jpg
Current progress. Lets face it, my commute to work does not suck.

Changed gearing last night and made a HUGE difference on the road. Not so jerky and 1st gear is useable. Rear sprocket from a 51 it a 43. Still riding the stock 13 front but have a 14 that I may go to with SM wheels.
 

Rich Rohrich

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Jul 27, 1999
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Looks pretty sweet already, but that overly tall suspension has got to GO! :)
 

Thump

Jr Admin Type
Jan 17, 2000
4,656
7
Kinda fun riding around like this. I used to see thing on the side of the road and think, man, I'd love to rip that on the bike…. This morning I saw it, thought it, then hit it. Perfect little natural table top.
 

Rich Rohrich

Moderator / BioHazard
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Jul 27, 1999
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You can still clear doubles with the shortened suspension and SM wheels.

In fact Bill Berndt (SFO) told me a story about when he was mechanic on Doug Henry's SM team. When they first got Doug involved they took the newly built YZ450F based SM bike with 17"s and cut SuperMoto slicks out to a local MX track for a practice day. After a lap or so of him getting used to the feel of the bike Doug was clearing all the triples and proceeded to lap everyone on the track. Your results "may vary" but you'd be surprised how good a DTX or SM prepped bike can work on and off the road.

Even more interesting is the fact that they converted the 4 speed YZ450F in Doug's bike into a 5-speed using a 1999 YZ426F transmission. That particular transmission was donated from my spares collection, and it originally was donated to me from the smoldering remains of a certain YZ426F owned by Mr. David "Thump" Vaught after our own Billy Who laid waste to Thump's 426 at Dirtweek.

Doug won the Irwindale Supermoto race with your transmission Thump, so I figure you have SM in your DNA now.
 
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Rich Rohrich

Moderator / BioHazard
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Even cooler to think a little bit of DRN crossed the finish line with Doug Henry !
 

Offroadr

Ready to bang some trees!
Jan 4, 2000
5,227
25
Lets hope this one does not suffer the same fate LOL
 
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