yarbonwick

Sponsoring Member
Mar 7, 2000
674
0
Originally posted by ultrachrome

Has anyone seen my armadillo?

Last I seen it was running with Gormer behind it with a Jack Nicholson The Shining grin on his face.
 
Mar 1, 2001
27
0
Who's Amber?...Who cares!!

Hey FC when you gonna go riding with us? There's a night enduro this Sat out at Capital Forest that's pretty fun. Put the light back on your bike and let's go! ;)

Great Graphics by the way :cool:
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
I don't know about night riding. I have enough problems when I can see. :eek: My bike has been nominated for the "night bike" in the 24-hr buttstomper at Reiter. I'm not sure I'm cool with that since I've seen the aftermath of Reiter during the day.

I'll be at Thurston County, either on Steve's RM125 or my KTM, on Saturday.
 

ultrachrome

Member
Oct 25, 1999
88
0
It's really cool. Like a whole new world. Amazingly mellow yet exciting at the same time. You should try it some time. You go a little bit slower but it's very doable even with the crappy headlight on my KLX.

I can't imagine what those trails would look like after 12 hours, let alone 24. That might be a bad idea to allow your bike to be used.
 

MACE

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Nov 13, 1999
441
0
PLEASE don't do it!

Originally posted by firecracker22

That would be the stock silencer I haven't convinced my sweetie to replace yet. ;) :confused: In all seriousness, a FMF silencer is the next thing I buy for that bike. That enormous stock thing is terrible. And I keep bending it. :eek:

Please, Please, PLEASE don't replace that wonderful stock KTM silencer with another LOUD FREAKING PIPE.

The only silencers that passed the NMA 98dB at our poker run were KTMs (almost the only ones). About half the FMF Turbine Cores passed the 98 dB. You don't need that little bit more power nearly as much as you need a place to RIDE. Look for the NMA to start getting serious with sound tests in 2002.

And in case you doubt my sincerity, I have adapted a KTM silencer to my YZ. I love it!

As for the night enduro, you gotta come out. It's a hoot'n'a half. The speed averages are slow and it's just FUNFUNFUN. You gotta see me on my XR650L Trail Whale for pure slapstick entertainment. I ride a 320 lb bike just this once a year because the lights rule.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Re: PLEASE don't do it!

Originally posted by MACE


Please, Please, PLEASE don't replace that wonderful stock KTM silencer with another LOUD FREAKING PIPE.

I don't want a loud freaking bike either--but that darn pipe sticks out so far past the end of my side panel, that every time I land on it, it gets bent. If I land on that side it bends the whole thing--subframe, airbox, the entire pipe. I'm now leaking spooge out the front where the pipe comes out, and the seat and side panel bolts don't line up right, and the airbox cover panel doesn't fit in there the same anymore either. It's not the horsepower or noise I'm looking to change, I just keep bending the darn silencer! And the next person who says "just don't fall anymore" is going to have my triangle stand thrown at their head. I fall down a lot. I am a crappy rider. And I am tired of bending the silencer. Right now it rubs on the rear tire. My only other idea is to see if I can have the end cut off and the spark arrestor welded back on, thus removing the last 10 inches or so past the bend. Any other ideas for short, quiet silencers are appreciated but that thing is history.
 

XRpredator

AssClown SuperPowers
Damn Yankees
Aug 2, 2000
13,510
19
Re: Re: PLEASE don't do it!

Originally posted by firecracker22
And the next person who says . . .
Just don't fall anymore!:p

(I'm ducking, I'm ducking!)

Seriously, does FMF make one for the 2-strokes like the new "Q"-series for the 4-strokes?

And as for the leaking spooge, that's what you get for crossing over to the dark side!:confused:
 

ultrachrome

Member
Oct 25, 1999
88
0
The Turbine Core II on my Gas Gas scored 96dB at the sound check this weekend.

I think the fact that you fall a lot means you will be fast some day...not to mention providing loads of entertainment for onlookers.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Originally posted by ultrachrome
I think the fact that you fall a lot means you will be fast some day...not to mention providing loads of entertainment for onlookers.

<sigh>
yes, I hear that all the time. "You're not pushing yourself if you don't fall." Steve compliments me if he sees me lying on the ground in a corner. "You're pushing yourself! That's good!" then he rides away before I can throw something at him. ;) Just kidding, he's a great coach/cheerleader.

And everyone gets loads of entertainment. I have received applause before on my crashing skills. They're usually pretty spectacular, and I'm usually lucky enough to cuss, shake my head and get up. Nobody saw my really good one this weekend though . . . I was getting tired and didn't grab the clutch fast enough when I accidentally goosed the throttle, sending the bike squirting out from under me. I landed on the footpeg. Ouch. I have a nice footpeg shaped bruise on my left cheek. :eek: not the one I smile with . . .
 

XRpredator

AssClown SuperPowers
Damn Yankees
Aug 2, 2000
13,510
19
<snicker, snicker>

Just kidding!

Lucky that footpeg didn't take a chunk out of you! Those suckers can be dangerous! I have a pretty good scar on the inside of my left calf (and a pretty good hole in the pants, too!) from my footpeg. Those suckers are sharp any more!
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Those suckers are sharp!

No kidding! It didn't even tear my pants. It scraped down my leg, too--I have another footpeg mark on the back of one leg with scrapes from those darn teeth leading up.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
Sometimes I can't tell where the edge is. That's my biggest problem! My two biggest weaknesses are:
-> lack of endurance causing extreme fatigue on long trail rides
-> temper causing me to get angry and make stupid mistakes

I get SO FRUSTRATED because I feel like I should be better than I am. Any progress I've made is so slow that it's unnoticeable. I'm not even to the level of the other chick riders around here--they're all either as fast as the men or total beginners. I ride with AA and A class woodsriders so I have an excellent example to watch, but then I get mad when I can't do something that makes sense in words but I can't seem to execute the actions. Grrrr. I just want to holler when I crash in the SAME PLACE for the SAME REASON I did last time.
 

ultrachrome

Member
Oct 25, 1999
88
0
I identify with everything you are saying. I have been riding for a year and a half. Have you looked to nutrition for your fatigue problems? I have to eat all the time. If I don't, I bonk.

I race and ride with a couple of Vet.Am's. I am up to about 90% of their speed so I can hang with them for a while until I make a mistake and then they're gone. I agree when people say "ride with someone faster" but if they are so far ahead of you and you never see them, you might as well be riding alone.

I am incredibly anxious to get better and have had a hard time trying to find fast riders that I can practice with. My race partners don't practice.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
I've been riding the same, about a year and a half. I posted a question like this in the general forums to see what other people do about their temper/frustration.

I don't know enough about nutrition to know. I am starting to take vitamins and glucosamine. I do eat cookies and ice cream occasionally but I don't eat burgers and pizza much. I don't drink pop very often at all and only drink beer occasionally on weekends. When I cook it's usually chicken or pork chops, baked or bbqed. I do try to have salad and veggies with dinner as much as possible. But as far as counting calories and carbo loading and all that stuff I have no clue. I take powerbars and cliff bars with me on long rides too. My problem with fatigue stems from my lack of physical endurance. I need to design a schedule so I have a set time to run (blech) or something.
 

XRpredator

AssClown SuperPowers
Damn Yankees
Aug 2, 2000
13,510
19
Heck, just take some long walks along the beach with your honey! That's better than nothing.

(This from the guru of fitness who spends most of his time plonking around the garage while lifting 12 ouncers!:confused: )
 

ultrachrome

Member
Oct 25, 1999
88
0
Do you get "winded" or just turn to jello? If you don't do any cardiovascular work, that would help greatly. Running, cycling, co-ed nude volleyball, etc. I just got back on my bicycle a month ago and it's been helping me a lot.

But when I turn to jello, it's because I need some jello. It happened at my last race. About 45 minutes before the end, I just lost all energy. Next time I am taking some Goo with me. Much easier to consume than a Clif bar.

I also assume that you stay hydrated during your ride.

I would venture to guess your temper is hormonal brought on by extreme physical activity. I never get that way anytime else. I'm afraid the only thing you can do about it is avoid extreme physical activity or stop crashing.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
co-ed nude volleyball, lol.

I turn to jello. on long trail rides, I stand up all the time, so my quads start to wear out and I have to sit down, then I get beat up because sitting isnt' the best riding position. On Steve's track, my forearms and upper arms start going numb from wrestling the bike. I tell myself to relax and I do through the grass track and wider corners but in the tight stuff I tense up again.
 

ultrachrome

Member
Oct 25, 1999
88
0
You actually enjoy riding, right? I just assumed you did. It sounds like you've become a moto-masochist.

Here's a test. What would you rather do?
A) Ride at a slow pace on an easy trail with almost no mud, roots, or rocks.
B) Push your dirtbike up a hill.
 

firecracker22

Sponsoring Member
Oct 23, 2000
3,217
0
B.

Easy trails are boring. Hard trails kick my butt. I guess I am a moto-masochist.
 

bud

Member
Jun 29, 1999
433
0
Since I started doing longer, faster and generally more punishing trail rides, I found that to continue my habit of standing 99% of the time, I was going to need to work on fitness. Riding is the only workout I (want to) do though, so I decided to try actively looking for anywhere on the trail where sitting was possible without losing speed or getting beat up. Everywhere I have ridden, even the most demanding areas, have some sections like that. The trick was just to recognise them. The upside, besides increased endurance is that I usually feel fresh and ready to really go hard thru the more challenging sections.

Re wrestling with the bike, are you using your footpegs to help steer? Anticipating, say by leaning forward just before you hit the gas helps too.
 

lawman

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Sep 20, 1999
764
0
fc22:

i'm on my 2d ktm 200, & i've tried the stock pipes, the fmf tc II & pc II, & the pro circuit silencer without spark arrestor. the pro circuit with spark arrestor should be here any day. the stock pipe is nice & quiet, ktm is to be commended. the fmf tcII is a smidge louder at wot, but it's close. it still will pass an enduro sound test easily. the pcII is a little raspier, but not much. all are shorter, lighter, & tucked-in better than the stocker. any of the aftermarket 1s with fresh packing will be quieter than a stocker that needs freshening, that is really the key with any 2-stroke exhaust. my rant: ALL of them are louder than they ought to be; the standard should be the neighbor who is trying to enjoy his patio on a sunday afternoon, not what we find offensive.

the big difference in sound levels seems to be b/t stock ktm & aftermarket systems on the 4-strokes. the exhaust on ktm's rfs exc/mxc's is in my view a masterpiece.

ps: a little unsolicited advice: you might try a flywheel weight; it makes this bike much easier to ride in technical terrain. also, the fmf pipe moves the powerband down in the rev range, which helps too. enjoy!
 
Top Bottom