derekb_55

Member
Feb 8, 2001
121
0
I am going to do my first hair scramble this weekend and the course includes a river crossing. The water is about seat deep and i have never crossed water before.:scream: I was just wondering if anyone had any advice on crossing water. thanks.
 

SpeedyManiac

Member
Aug 8, 2000
2,378
0
Your bike will drown. The engine will suck in water through the airbox and kill your bike. You could try going really fast and surfing on top of the water. Or you could try building a jump to jump the creek. I think it's too deep.
 

Wraith

Do the impossible its fun
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 16, 2000
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If it is seat deep, then have at least 20-30 riders in front of you when you get to the creek crossing. Wait to cross it until they flood their bikes. Pick the line where most of the bikes are on their sides under water, and use em for traction.;)

But really, there has got to be a shallower place to cross. Scout it out real good before the race.
 

WoodsRider

Sponsoring Member<BR>Club Moderator
Damn Yankees
Oct 13, 1999
2,812
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Seat deep?

Wow, you'll get to see plenty of racers trying to pump water out of their engines if it's really that deep. The trick to water crossings is to stand on the pegs for better control. Stay loose on the bike (don't grip hard with your legs) since, during a race, you won't be able to see the bottom and a submerged obstacle can toss you and the bike different directions. Keep the front end light in order to get over submerged obstacles. Have your finger positioned over the kill button so if you go down you can kill the engine and, hopefully, not suck in any water. Take it easy if you go splashing through even shallow water you're more likely to get water in the electrical, fuel or air-intake system.

Using these tricks I've crossed streams that were headlight deep without any problems. However, I've seen people drown out in foot deep water before. If it's really seat deep, get off the bike and walk it across. This raises the bike so the air intake will not suck in any water.
 

Jimmy!

Member
Jan 7, 2001
137
0
:eek: Yikes! Pontoons come to mind ... The deepest I've crossed is about 3ft. That's got to be some race! Watch out for submarines...:D
 

High Lord Gomer

Poked with Sticks
Sep 26, 1999
11,790
34
In a situation like that, it is worth wasting a minute or so to watch others and find the best place/way to cross.

Same thing goes for very muddy areas. Wait and watch a few people to find a decent line rather than charging in and burying the bike and wasting 15 minutes and all your energy getting it out.
 

BullDog KX125

Member
Mar 9, 2001
76
0
seat deep?
thats insane crazy hates going though water that is 1/2 tire deep.

will, unlike with a 4wheeler (a redneck one) dont putt through the water, hit it with SPEED i hit some water thats almost about 3 feet deep sometimes, and i hit it in atleast top of second.
but i prefer about 3rd.
then water cant get in the pipe, but if u start slowing down to much i would kill the bike.

but i dont know much about deep water crossing.
i've sucked water, but my bike went in the lake, i didnt =].

i didnt think you could hit water thats *gulp* seat deep!
with the tail pipe under water?

it scares me just thinkin about it

oh ya, and one more thing, be prepared to whipe your goggles off =]
 
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MTC

Member
Feb 1, 2001
35
0
I don't know how big this race is, but if spectators are going to be there, then chances are some of them are going to be near the water crossing. If there are any spectators in the water, point your bike directly at them and cross there, because, they are more likely to find a shallow part to stand in than you. Just pay attention to how far the water comes up on their bodies.

Also, Try look for places with ripples in them, These are usually the shallower parts, the ripples are caused by rocks/obstructions under the surface. This isn't always be a good technique, since there are usually a lot of jagged rocks that could cause a flat. (try switching to foam tubes, then you can cross anything without having to worry about flats).
 

smb_racing

Master of None
LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jul 31, 2000
2,085
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as long as you don't get water into your airbox it doesn't matter if the water is up past the end of the silencer, the exhaust will keep water from gushing in as long as you maintain steady acceleration .
The main thing to remember with water is there could be unseen obstacles, hitting these could cause you to break speed, but don't chop the throttle, keep the gas on and clutch it to keep water from backing up into the exhaust. :)
 

derekb_55

Member
Feb 8, 2001
121
0
well the race is over and it wasn't too bad because they got a load of gravel and dumped it in the river so it was only up to about the axels. That was no problem. I didn't think they could run a race with a seat deep water crossing!:think
 

Kramer

Member
Jan 19, 2000
112
0
WAAAAAAAAY of topic

Wrooster, we need to snap out of this mentality. I agree that it may not have been a great thing to do, but for very different reasons:

Fish are not known to "feel". Only to react. We have all been subject to too much "Greenie" propaganda. If anything they (except the unlikely dead smashed ones under the gravel) will benefit from the added "ecodiversity" brought to the stream.

Aquatic insects need shelter, provided by voids in the gravel.
Fish eat aquatic insects.
Fish die, feeding micro-organisms, and plants.
return to top.

The only likely effect the gravel has is that it screams "SOMEONE PUT ME HERE" to the brainwashed general public. And since mother earth certainly didn't do it, it must be BAD.

Not to mention that after a few years and some high water/storms that gravel will spread just as all the natural stone in that stream.
 

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