Sand whoops ?

[LittleE]

Okay, so I ride in the Francis Marion at the Wambaw Cycle trail...pretty much all sand whoops. When there is a long straight section and I can really get up some speed, the back of the bike is kicking out all over the place...so much that I am completely losing control of the bike. So my question: Is there any advice that will help me to keep in control of the bike at higher speeds through sand whoops? Thanks in advance.

Oh yeah and I just have to say that the fmf gnarley and boyesen reeds helped out a ton on my KDX 200, but rear gearing has completely made the bike more enjoyable and a hell of a lot faster through the woods! Great mod!

Also...bought a new helmet this weekend...One Industries Kombat...tried it out today and was great feeling. Actually...broke it in today by slamming into a tree when front washed out and I was flung off! :laugh: Thank God for helmets!

 

[High Lord Gomer]

I'm not familiar with the KDXs, but have you tried adding a little more rebound damping for the rear?

A problem I have when riding there is that the whoops are controllable when you are on the gas and pulling hard across the top of them. When you get to the point that you need to slow down and back out of the throttle, that is when the back end starts kicking more and things get ugly. If you can, try getting to the edgle where the whoops aren't as deep when you back out of the throttle.

 

[CamDayKX125(4)]

the whoops section works better for me when im on the throttle. high lord gomer is right, the only problem with me is, my back end doesnt kick up when im at the appropiate speed,neither does the front end, but, when im not doing it right or just plain going fast over no whoops or bumps, the handlebars well start to rock back and forth but eventually stops. it scares the heck out of me. is there a different way to approach this problem?

 

[Skuta]

I love the whoops and am fast through them. What I do is put the bike in a gear that I know I won't have to shift with. Hold the bike straight with your legs (this is important), lean back and hold that throttle on. Keep the front end a little high, you want the front tire to bury into the next whoop so as to keep momentum going. In the sand you have to keep your front tire floating so make sure you stay on the throttle. Once you learn the whoops good you learn to play with them(trail riding not racing, racing is all business).

 

[Skuta]

As for the front end swapping you should try a steering dampener, it will fix that problem. It is really scary when your on a 500 and just moving when that front end starts swapping it is one of the scariest things(next to not making it up a steep hill on a quad).

 

[bikepilot]

I've ridden a KDX200 at Francis Marrion a few times (as well as other bikes many times). I find that the main thing with any sand whoops is to go into them hard and fast and keep the bike driving hard all the way through. Let up or go slow enough that the bike starts to drop into them and your done. If your a newish rider its probably best to roll through them or double through them untill you get more comfortable. If your more experenced and just having issues skimming whoops on this particular bike I'd look into the suspension setup. Be sure the sag is set correctly, the spring rate is ok for your weight (i.e. you get correct laden and unladen sag numbers) then go on to fine tune the damping. Generally, in my expernece too much rebound damping is the leading cause of issues in the whoops as it causes the shock to pack up on the repeated hits. Try taking a few clicks of re-bound damping out. If it feels overly stiff you might also take a couple clicks of compression damping out.

Also, as the KDX is a bit heavier and has a short wheel base and soft front springs its importaint to keep the weight off the front end in whoops - try to stay towards the back of the bike and grip it firmly with your legs while keeping your arms loose.

Watch out for trees and have fun:)

 

[Rmzracer83]

Steering Swap

I always just squeeze the bike with my legs and it stops the front end from moving side to side (steering swap) so i dunno.

Also if you lean back and wheelie through them it feels really kool :laugh: