Jeremy Wilkey

Owner, MX-Tech
Jan 28, 2000
1,453
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Ricky Charmical,
Little big man, Champion, Unoffical (to some) king of the MX world, hardest worker, or troll, whatever you call him this man is posesed with unbelivable amounts of speed, and shear desire to crush the competion. Obvously he has created much debate on other fronts we've all conjectetured over his gooffy bike set-ups but with what I've been learning, I've begun to get a new take on what might become as common place as jumping like Mc..

Rember when Mc rode 250 SX for Honda.. My god those first few years where increadble.. He looked like no other rider, rode.. I rember a good buddy of Mine Jason Jones telling me how we had better learn to ride like MC because we where about to be old school.. Well Jason you where right.. Now everyone ecept me riders low over jumps... Geez Gary Bailey did a good job, beacuse I can't stay low.. Now you can't tell MC from anyone when he rides, and most 65 riders can inside whip to stay low..

So what am I really getting at.. I can already here Jones telling me better start backing er into corners or we are gonna get smoked... I'm sure Rich Rohrich knew it all along.. Well Jason never told em that but its starting to make sence.. (However Rich does all the time :) )


Ricky smokes everyone in the corners.. Sure he leaves it on everywhere but where he realy makes time is in turns. Whats strange about Ricky though is he is not a classical turner.. He does not steerinto and steer out of a corner with elbows up carving a pretty arc, but rather drives in bracks for a second and then reves his CR till its aboujt to pop and then dumps the clutch.. ITs not pretty, its almost geek like..... But what he acomplishes is quite amazing if you look at it all togther. When he dumps the clutch he breaks the rear lose and pitches the bike into the rut, this creates a state of partial slip which actually helps him amximaize traction... (Slight slip is good.)

When a rider Corners he must apply coopious amounts of power to create enough traction to overcome Centrifigual force by creating load on the wheels. To maintain the Center of Gravity the rider must lean the bike. The bike creates a slip angle that is the result of all the forces. The slip angle is actually Rickies line throught the corner.. The problem is in Dirt we are limted to how far we can lean, when we drift we can actually lean less creat more traction, and lower the center of Gravity all at the same time. Whats amazing is that Ricky has figured out how to do this on a track with ruts... while riding the ruts....

Now lets look at his bikes.... When we drop the back of the bike down we change the CoG and we also make the bike eaiser to create a more sustainable slide. Ricky obvously needs a lower bike, but I beilve that he has found a way to make his bike not only workable but turn his weekness into a strenght...

Lets look a few items of specualtion on my part.. Showa often ran statically prelaoded topout springs in the past.. I've never seen this feature on a KYB Shock.. The top out spring slows the reaction of the wheel at the top of the stroke and has been used in RR as a "anti-highside device" I don't think Ricky has rode any less scwirly this year, but I've seen him highside alot less... My bet is Charmical is using a Top out spring much like the 03 WP shock that actaulay works (unlike the production 02 Showa).

One other Key point is that with so much sag I was wonedering how they even keep a spring on his shock.. The top out spring would exsplain it..

Well anyway here are my first sigifcant ramblings about Chassis stuff.. My thoughts will get more clear as I grapple and define these things mroe over time.. Much like the regular old suspension Forum...

BTW.. Jones Thanks for lessons, its hard to believe you rode the First SX for me, and now 7 years later I have to start your bike For you! Jones is coming back to the sport he had t leave .....

(WOW Jones that was a bad picture off you... I'll find a better one..)(Photo being removed.)
 

Vic

***** freak.
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May 5, 2000
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Interesting.
 

jmics19067

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Jan 22, 2002
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Ricky smokes everyone in the corners.. Sure he leaves it on everywhere but where he realy makes time is in turns. Whats strange about Ricky though is he is not a classical turner.. He does not steerinto and steer out of a corner with elbows up carving a pretty arc, but rather drives in bracks for a second and then reves his CR till its aboujt to pop and then dumps the clutch.. ITs not pretty, its almost geek like.....

I was fortunate enough to make a trip to Budds Creek in 1998 and what truly amazed me was in this one turn< in the bottom right before a tabletop> RC was hitting the berm with such force he was almost bottoming out the suspension and holding it there until he started to straighten out.
 

Shawn Mc

Member
Apr 8, 2002
152
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All of these observations are why Honda threw cubic dollars at RC. And now that RC has cubic dollars thrown at his scoot, his reign will only get tighter. MXDN should be fun again.
 

Rcannon

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Nov 17, 2001
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I watched Ricky in the Salt Lake supercross. Despite an incredible amount of mud and terrible conditions, he was running at a completly different level than anyone. I swear, the only person as fast was James Stewart (different classes).

On the start, his bike (and Stewarts) was faster than anything else. Is this rider talent that kept them up front, or factory engines?
 

Jeremy Wilkey

Owner, MX-Tech
Jan 28, 2000
1,453
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RC,
Clearly in Stewarts case not the engine.. Talent allways in this sport! Anyway you look at it the KX is a "wet dog".. They can be made to run fast for a increadbaly short rpm range.. So youn had better stay sharp.. Stewart is capiable of that..

BR,
Jer
 

Lorin

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Jun 25, 1999
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Many insiders are saying that Stewarts bikes cant keep up with him (explanation for the recent DNF's). He is able to wring every little bit out of that little motor! I was amazed that Dirt Rider (Copius source at best) was reporting 60 hp out of Carmichaels CR 250.
 

326mx

Member
Mar 25, 2002
431
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I think the talent of today's riders, is unparrelleled(sp?) to the level of Stewart and Carmichael. I also think that until they do it Bubba and RC will have no competition except themselves. And this will be a great battle, but I think when it comes, Millsaps and M. Alessi will be one of the sports greatest rivalries ever.
 

KawieKX125

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Oct 9, 2000
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Interesting write-up!!!

Just for the record, a little pet peeve of mine since I started with physics:
When a rider Corners he must apply coopious amounts of power to create enough traction to overcome Centrifigual force by creating load on the wheels.
CF is an imaginary force. It is the feeling you feel when you are pressed to a car door going around the turn. YOur straight line inertia is pushing you into the door.

Also, on the "slow, pipey" KX125 issue. Totally untrue. I have a fully built KX125 and TMR racing says it makes 39hp. Everyone who rides it says it is the fastest and easiest to ride 125 ever. They may be slower stock, but according to TMR, they have huge potential.
 

Moto Madman

Member
Apr 17, 2002
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Cool stuff!

I saw RC and Bubba at southwick. RC is not from this planet. He runs an insane pace but is incredibly smooth. Bubba can fly but he is not a very smooth rider and he made quite a few mistakes. Yes, he is fast but no where even close to RC.

Jeremy, i noticed how RC just about bottoms the suspension in the corners. Cool article!!!!
 

Rcannon

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Nov 17, 2001
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[Also, on the "slow, pipey" KX125 issue. Totally untrue. I have a fully built KX125 and TMR racing says it makes 39hp. Everyone who rides it says it is the fastest and easiest to ride 125 ever. They may be slower stock, but according to TMR, they have huge potential. [/B][/QUOTE]


Here is what I do not understand. Yourr bike rips with a few mods. Why would Kawasaki not do this to the 2002 engine for 03? It sounds cheaper than designing a new engine. I would imagine some of the mods could be done during production for less than you had to pay.
 

Shawn Mc

Member
Apr 8, 2002
152
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Motomadman how long have you been watching MX? Put Bubba in green gear and he looks just like a young RC. RC wasnt always perfect. The amount of change in RC is the truley remarkable thing. RC has gone from rocket fast laiden with mistakes and step offs to Laser FAST and as smooth as a Playboy model. I dont know what to contribute this fluidity too, other than increased physical strength and experience. Im sure his bike is probably better than it was, but its hard to imagine its that much better. Give Bubba a couple years, we'll see an epic battle between RC and Bubba. We may get to see one if RC steps down and runs a 125 at Steel City.
 

KawieKX125

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Oct 9, 2000
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I never said it does, that is just what they claim(running MR-2).
They cannot do this on the production line from what I understand because production tolerences are just too great. The bike really has the whole book thrown at it. I got it this way and did not have much of a say, but to tell you the truth, if I did have some input, I would get it built much less radically. It eats rings for lunch.
BTW, can any dyno accept a bike? I would really like to Dyno it to see what it really makes power wise.

Rcannon, it is not a few mods. The reciepts that I recieved from the previous owner totalled 3000 in the motor alone. The only mods that I can see being done in production are the flat top piston, the low tension ring, some of the porting changes, the carb, and the ignition with high/low switch. Other than that, is would be hand done.

Sorry to get off topic.
 

Jeremy Wilkey

Owner, MX-Tech
Jan 28, 2000
1,453
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I don't intend to start WW III here but the KX is a dog.. IT can be made way better if you through obseen amounts of maoney at it, but what happens when your through equally large amounts of money at at say a YZ? Anyway it does not matter here in this thread, I'm not a motor guy I have no friking idea.... but when the Stewart Charmical era presentrs itself Ricky is gona get smoked.. He will have nothing for Bubba..
 

Rcannon

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Nov 17, 2001
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Jeremy, I think your correct. Stewart, on an admitted dog, is able to turn lap times equal to him or better. This has to say something!
 

marcusgunby

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Jan 9, 2000
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Kawie all you need to go on a dyno is a road tyre that fits on you mx wheel.Any dyno centre should be able to help source one.
You could even cut the knobblies off a dirt tyre then do a nice burnout on concrete to smooth the tyre.
 
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