truespode
Moderator / Wheelie King
- Jun 30, 1999
- 7,984
- 251
Pics are here www.truespode.net/pvmx902.htm or you can find them in the ride report area of www.truespode.net
I have to share one pic first… this is where James passed me. It was awesome. I’ll get back to it in the ride report.
![url]](/forums3/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2F%5Burl%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Ftruespode.net%2Fpvmx902%2FMVC-009S.JPG%5B%2Furl%5D&hash=1fd1a536d63060c986eba5dc51b22c19)
I get to the track and meet up with James and Mike. We look at the track and it looks to be in great shape. In the first practice we notice it is quite a bit wet but still the track is GREAT!
I love Parker Valley.
A few days before I had swapped out the rear sprocket from the 49 tooth I was running back to the stock 48 tooth. Parker Valley has a few uphill straights and I wanted to be able to hold 3rd gear a little longer. In practice I felt I made the right decision.
The racer order was a disappointment to a certain extent. We ended up racing with the A/B riders in both of our classes, Unlimited and 250 (MikeT only raced the Unlimited class so the pics are courtesy of him).
In the heat race of the Unlimited class MikeT tried to take me out on the start! He came right over on me and pinched me off!! Ok, so it wasn’t that bad. Actually the guy to my left came over so far he almost hit Mike. Mike was on my right and although he came over a bit on me it wasn’t anything to worry about until the guy to my left cut over.
I was doing ok in the heat and hitting the big double on the back of the track. On this double you come out of a left hand 180 sweeper and gun it. I was getting up into 4th and making the jump pretty easily. My only problem was that I forgot to downshift in the air so I lost some momentum when I landed. Later in the day I started holding 3rd due to the choppy stuff before the take off and I ended up doing much better. I was jumping farther and able to keep my moment up. A few times I shifted down to 2nd and was able to wheelie over the two holes/braking bumps in the corner right after the landing.
The only other doubles on the track is a double double section before the finish line table top. I followed James around the right hander before the double double and tried to match James speed but didn’t get a good enough jump out of the corner and ended up casing it hard. I almost bounced myself off the track!
Today I looked at the fenders and there were some fresh scrapes on both fenders! Luckily no frame damage. My ankles still feel it though.
By this time Mike was gone and I couldn’t see him. I didn’t see James either. I just focused on my race. I ended up near the back of the pack (out of 22 in the Unl class).
The 250 heat was only 5 races later. I was tired after only 3 laps and barely had time to get a drink of water and head back down. At least the main events will be 5 laps so we’ll have more time between races.
In the 250 I didn’t do too well either and honestly I can’t remember where I finished.
On to the MAINS!!
I decided to just take it easy in the Unlimited race and enjoy the track. By this time the track was really beaten up and there were a lot of braking bumps. I really enjoyed it. However, my suspension and steering damper really helps in these conditions. I just have to keep up my momentum and the bike absorbs all the bumps and tweaks and I don’t have to fight it too much.
I came around one corner just in time to see James do a “SUPERMAN BERM GRAB.” Basically, he low sided and wrapped himself around the berm like it was a fine woman! :) Back in the pits after the races he found out he had a bent radiator :(
I ended up somewhere in front of James in the Unlimited main but we were back of the pack around 14th or so out of 22. Mike got 9th and a trophy (really a plaque). Way to go Mike!!
In the 250D I took some advice from Mike. He said when the lady turns the card sideways the gate drops about 1 second afterwards. I timed it just right and jumped the gate! I had a decent start and was in around 8th or so on the start. I quickly got passed by a few riders but kept holding on the gas and rode as hard as I could.
Around lap 3 or so James and I were coming up to the double double. I went wide and he cut under. He did both doubles and I rolled them. His speed over the doubles put him past me by about 3 bike lengths. The pic above is when it happened… great job by Mike to catch the most exciting (for me anyway) part of the race.
I tried to catch James and close a bike length or two here and there but he was moving and I couldn’t put any serious time on him. Next time to the double double he did it again and pulled out a really good lead.
I knew he was tired so I tried to dig deep but I was making a lot of mistakes and sitting when I should have been standing and although I felt like I was moving faster I really wasn’t.
James ended up a solid 10th ( final trophy position was 9th) and I finished 11th out of 18. Not a bad race overall.
I felt the bike ran well enough considering I was running a 250F in the 250 class and there were quite a few hills and high speed sections. If I was better in the corners I’d have done better so I really shouldn’t blame the bike.
However, the 450F looks so nice that it may just be the excuse I need :)
Ivan
I have to share one pic first… this is where James passed me. It was awesome. I’ll get back to it in the ride report.
I get to the track and meet up with James and Mike. We look at the track and it looks to be in great shape. In the first practice we notice it is quite a bit wet but still the track is GREAT!
I love Parker Valley.
A few days before I had swapped out the rear sprocket from the 49 tooth I was running back to the stock 48 tooth. Parker Valley has a few uphill straights and I wanted to be able to hold 3rd gear a little longer. In practice I felt I made the right decision.
The racer order was a disappointment to a certain extent. We ended up racing with the A/B riders in both of our classes, Unlimited and 250 (MikeT only raced the Unlimited class so the pics are courtesy of him).
In the heat race of the Unlimited class MikeT tried to take me out on the start! He came right over on me and pinched me off!! Ok, so it wasn’t that bad. Actually the guy to my left came over so far he almost hit Mike. Mike was on my right and although he came over a bit on me it wasn’t anything to worry about until the guy to my left cut over.
I was doing ok in the heat and hitting the big double on the back of the track. On this double you come out of a left hand 180 sweeper and gun it. I was getting up into 4th and making the jump pretty easily. My only problem was that I forgot to downshift in the air so I lost some momentum when I landed. Later in the day I started holding 3rd due to the choppy stuff before the take off and I ended up doing much better. I was jumping farther and able to keep my moment up. A few times I shifted down to 2nd and was able to wheelie over the two holes/braking bumps in the corner right after the landing.
The only other doubles on the track is a double double section before the finish line table top. I followed James around the right hander before the double double and tried to match James speed but didn’t get a good enough jump out of the corner and ended up casing it hard. I almost bounced myself off the track!
Today I looked at the fenders and there were some fresh scrapes on both fenders! Luckily no frame damage. My ankles still feel it though.
By this time Mike was gone and I couldn’t see him. I didn’t see James either. I just focused on my race. I ended up near the back of the pack (out of 22 in the Unl class).
The 250 heat was only 5 races later. I was tired after only 3 laps and barely had time to get a drink of water and head back down. At least the main events will be 5 laps so we’ll have more time between races.
In the 250 I didn’t do too well either and honestly I can’t remember where I finished.
On to the MAINS!!
I decided to just take it easy in the Unlimited race and enjoy the track. By this time the track was really beaten up and there were a lot of braking bumps. I really enjoyed it. However, my suspension and steering damper really helps in these conditions. I just have to keep up my momentum and the bike absorbs all the bumps and tweaks and I don’t have to fight it too much.
I came around one corner just in time to see James do a “SUPERMAN BERM GRAB.” Basically, he low sided and wrapped himself around the berm like it was a fine woman! :) Back in the pits after the races he found out he had a bent radiator :(
I ended up somewhere in front of James in the Unlimited main but we were back of the pack around 14th or so out of 22. Mike got 9th and a trophy (really a plaque). Way to go Mike!!
In the 250D I took some advice from Mike. He said when the lady turns the card sideways the gate drops about 1 second afterwards. I timed it just right and jumped the gate! I had a decent start and was in around 8th or so on the start. I quickly got passed by a few riders but kept holding on the gas and rode as hard as I could.
Around lap 3 or so James and I were coming up to the double double. I went wide and he cut under. He did both doubles and I rolled them. His speed over the doubles put him past me by about 3 bike lengths. The pic above is when it happened… great job by Mike to catch the most exciting (for me anyway) part of the race.
I tried to catch James and close a bike length or two here and there but he was moving and I couldn’t put any serious time on him. Next time to the double double he did it again and pulled out a really good lead.
I knew he was tired so I tried to dig deep but I was making a lot of mistakes and sitting when I should have been standing and although I felt like I was moving faster I really wasn’t.
James ended up a solid 10th ( final trophy position was 9th) and I finished 11th out of 18. Not a bad race overall.
I felt the bike ran well enough considering I was running a 250F in the 250 class and there were quite a few hills and high speed sections. If I was better in the corners I’d have done better so I really shouldn’t blame the bike.
However, the 450F looks so nice that it may just be the excuse I need :)
Ivan
