- Jan 25, 2000
- 1,823
- 0
Well, I brought my ’06 CRF 450 for its maiden voyage yesterday, and I chose Glen Helen for the proving ground. First, let me tell you that I’m a +50 novice, 165 lbs, in painfully average shape, so take any comments from that perspective. I’ve also been riding a 125 for the past three years.
So I take this thing on it’s first lap, and almost immediately, I’m forced into a hard left and up a whooped hill. How in the heck do people get on the gas uphill with these things? Damn thing was trying to loop, even when I was well forward. Anyway, I completed that lap floundering around – I could barley ride the thing. First impression was that this was way too much bike (and it seemed angry) – anyone want to buy a used 450, only ridden once? Second lap was much better, I even jumped a tiny double – things were looking up.
Later on, I noticed this small double with a hard banked right that about 80% of the riders were doing (but I wasn’t). I may be old and slow, but surely I could do this simple jump and besides, I have a fourfity now – right? Right. I tried the jump twice in second, but was a little timid, so I didn’t quite make the jump clean, so I thought I’d try third and sort of coast over. Wrong approach – I skipped of the top of the landing with too much speed, lost control completely and launched myself over the embankment. I should have been able to save it, except the wicked throttle response landed me in a heap. The usual scrapes resulted, but in addition, I somehow managed to skin my armpit. A bike is not truly broken in until it has scratched plastic. I tried the jump once more in second, and made it clean – I didn’t push my luck and avoided it after that.
Anyway, these are my thoughts so far (subject to change without notice)
1. This bike has gnarly power, I’m guessing too gnarly for most, even those younger and a lot faster than me.
2. Why did they put Larocco’s supercross suspension on this thing? Seemed way stiff, especially the shock (checking the dust marks on the fork, it appeared that I was using most of the travel)
3. Traction – there were some instances when the rear wheel lost traction over bumpy ground hard on the gas – maybe this was caused buy the stiff shock?
4. Starting – this bike starts great – no complaints (kickstarting, I mean)
5. Handling – nice, neutral handling
To be fair about the suspension, I tried riding it like it’s supposed to be ridden (on the pegs – hard on the throttle), and it work very well. Unfortunately, I could only do this for a quarter of a lap. This is not a sit-down, barcalounger motorcycle – you have to ride it. Glen Helen is also a very rough track – a true test of suspension.
Now I have to decide if I should keep it and bring it into my world – it’s gonna cost $.
So I take this thing on it’s first lap, and almost immediately, I’m forced into a hard left and up a whooped hill. How in the heck do people get on the gas uphill with these things? Damn thing was trying to loop, even when I was well forward. Anyway, I completed that lap floundering around – I could barley ride the thing. First impression was that this was way too much bike (and it seemed angry) – anyone want to buy a used 450, only ridden once? Second lap was much better, I even jumped a tiny double – things were looking up.
Later on, I noticed this small double with a hard banked right that about 80% of the riders were doing (but I wasn’t). I may be old and slow, but surely I could do this simple jump and besides, I have a fourfity now – right? Right. I tried the jump twice in second, but was a little timid, so I didn’t quite make the jump clean, so I thought I’d try third and sort of coast over. Wrong approach – I skipped of the top of the landing with too much speed, lost control completely and launched myself over the embankment. I should have been able to save it, except the wicked throttle response landed me in a heap. The usual scrapes resulted, but in addition, I somehow managed to skin my armpit. A bike is not truly broken in until it has scratched plastic. I tried the jump once more in second, and made it clean – I didn’t push my luck and avoided it after that.
Anyway, these are my thoughts so far (subject to change without notice)
1. This bike has gnarly power, I’m guessing too gnarly for most, even those younger and a lot faster than me.
2. Why did they put Larocco’s supercross suspension on this thing? Seemed way stiff, especially the shock (checking the dust marks on the fork, it appeared that I was using most of the travel)
3. Traction – there were some instances when the rear wheel lost traction over bumpy ground hard on the gas – maybe this was caused buy the stiff shock?
4. Starting – this bike starts great – no complaints (kickstarting, I mean)
5. Handling – nice, neutral handling
To be fair about the suspension, I tried riding it like it’s supposed to be ridden (on the pegs – hard on the throttle), and it work very well. Unfortunately, I could only do this for a quarter of a lap. This is not a sit-down, barcalounger motorcycle – you have to ride it. Glen Helen is also a very rough track – a true test of suspension.
Now I have to decide if I should keep it and bring it into my world – it’s gonna cost $.
