The trail bike thread. - Page 3

aigel · aigel's Garage

Nice choice. Here is my 2003 - proud new owner for 10 days now. Similar hours at 117!

Have you checked the short oil screen cap? Apparently these have an allen bolt head and are stripped frequently. Mine has been replaced by a cap with a welded on nut, that disappears too deeply in the bore, where I cannot grab it. I am torn if I should mess with it. Apparently, if you have pieces in your screen, you have bigger issues ...

I could use red locktite and install a bolt into the nut thread and try to unscrew it, but I am afraid the threads may be toast or have been re-tapped. Not worth the risk to the case?

G

jorian · 10-29-2015, 04:44 PM

My 14' 300 EXC-W. Hands down the best woods bike that money can buy. I LOVE this bike.

jhynesrockmtn · 10-31-2015, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Have you checked the short oil screen cap? Apparently these have an allen bolt head and are stripped frequently. Mine has been replaced by a cap with a welded on nut, that disappears too deeply in the bore, where I cannot grab it. I am torn if I should mess with it. Apparently, if you have pieces in your screen, you have bigger issues ... I could use red locktite and install a bolt into the nut thread and try to unscrew it, but I am afraid the threads may be toast or have been re-tapped. Not worth the risk to the case?

Nice bike :-) I picked mine up yesterday and went through the oil change with the dealer including pulling the screens. He mentioned the one underneath is easy to strip and they recover quite a few. I would take it in and have someone get it out of there and replace it.

I'm bummed, we were going to ride today and we've got our first big storm of the year :-(

dlockhart · 10-31-2015, 09:57 AM

Having a little fun on my KTM 640 ADV following a friend on his DRZ400.

A short clip.

dlockhart · 11-01-2015, 09:14 PM

The ride up into Delamar.

Originally found by the Piute Indians, later located by miners from Pioche in the late 1889 where they developed many gold mines supporting the town of Delamar (now a ghost town). The main 50 ton mill started operation in 1895. This area is located about 16 miles south of Route 93. The turn off from Rt. 93 is 16.5 miles west of the town of Caliente, Nevada. Nearby Lookout Mountain is 7,083 ft. in elev. Some of the mines are located in the Helene Wash with the Delamar ghost town and most of the mines being located in the Delamar Wash. The nearby cemetery has a lot of graves due to Delamar's reputation as "the widow maker". Early deaths were caused by "silicosis" among miners, due to the quartz dust breathed during mining and milling of the ore. Production of gold is estimated at over 15 million dollars. That's a lot of gold considering what they got for an ounce back then!

This large Ghost Town site had a hospital, 2 churches, several mills, an opera house, a school, numerous saloons, and many other businesses. Supplies were shipped in from Milford, Utah, 150 miles away, by mule train. The only left today is the stone walls and foundations of these buildings. During the mining period in the late 1800's there were 1,500 to 2,000 people living in Delamar.

Bill Douglas · 11-07-2015, 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peteremsley

This could be interesting if it comes to fruition:

And the are doing a 450 one too.

Licence plate ready is a bonus. Dirt bikes are a bit hard to get road registered here in NZ, but this one with mirrors, blinkers etc from the factory looks like it certainly would be allowed. A few days ago I road registered my XR 400, but it was NOT an easy exercise - phew.

dlockhart · 11-07-2015, 05:18 PM

Jeff Higgins · 11-07-2015, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by peteremsley

This could be interesting if it comes to fruition:

crf250 rally

I got kind of excited about the new Honda CRF250L, thinking it would be a great little dual sport that would be far better on the tighter trails than my "Big Red Pig" XR650L. Turns out it's only 26 pound lighter than the 650... Sounds like it has all the makings of kind of a dog.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rattlsnak

I don't know how you guys ride those big displacement bikes like 400s, or 650s on the trails. To me they are just way to big and heavy to really get down to business on them. I can see maybe if you ride on the street a lot though.

I did start looking at smaller, more trail oriented bikes after having gotten back into "dirt" bikes with the big XR. If my wrists ever get back into real trail riding shape, I may pick up that pursuit once again.

I consider the big XR more of a lighter "adventure touring" bike than a trail bike. I can ride it on the freeway and cover some really big miles to get to the better riding. There is a clear divide in Washington, at the summit of our Cascade range, between Western and Eastern Washington. Here in very liberal Western Washington, all off-road riding is strictly verboten, unless it's in an off-road riding park. In far more conservative, agricultural Eastern Washington, it's pretty wide open. That means one of two things - trailer over the mountains, or buy a bike that can be ridden over the mountains. The big XR excels at that, while still being far, far better than some big Bimmer twin once you do get off road. So, seen in that context, they really are fantastic bikes.

I'm really hoping I can actually do that again this next summer.

Bill Douglas · 11-22-2015, 08:43 PM

I'm still suffering, but survived it. On Sunday I went on an organised trail bike ride in the Wellington region. A place called Orongorongo (Maori talk for listening post or woman's name) Station held the event.

Phew. It was described as a trail bike ride but 19 out of 20 bikes were full blown motocross and the guys with body armour and all the gear. there were about 270 riders setting off in a pack

I should have left a bit later.

I fell of a couple of times, and a few bruises, but didn't need the ambulances they had parked up in advance

LakeCleElum · 11-22-2015, 09:23 PM

Lovely scenery Bill......Heal quickly......

We have an annual ride around here called "The Desert 100" - I did it way back in 1970 on a Honda CL77 Scrambler. Recent pic of the start:

Bill Douglas · 11-22-2015, 09:51 PM

OK... It puts my little day in perspective

It was rather dog eat dog. I was getting showed in stones from the guy in front so I showered the guy behind me. I was like a pig in muck, riding on adrenaline LOL. Looking back I'm pleased I did it but won't be doing the same again in a hurry.

dlockhart · 01-17-2016, 12:30 PM

Fun vid of tip overs. I make a brief appearance.

jhynesrockmtn · 01-18-2016, 06:16 AM

Awesome. The thing I get most anxious about is serious downhills. I just haven't gotten a good technique yet or enough practice in.

Bill Douglas · 01-18-2016, 12:25 PM

That's a difficult surface to ride on - phew. Hard packed with loose gravel on top I guess is like riding on ball bearings at times. Plus those ruts were killers

rattlsnak · rattlsnak's Garage

I'm sorry, but that doesn't look even remotely fun.. Jeez.. Way too hard!

Bill Douglas · 03-25-2016, 10:38 PM

Well, I did my big (for me

) trail bike ride. It was a huge farm near the top of New Zealand's South Island. The ride was over 330 kilometers, that's about 200 miles.

This what the start of the trail looked like.

The Honda XR400R was a joy to ride.

Being alpine and autumn over here a night in a tent next to the lake was COLD but worth it.

Some guys on BMWs appeared and pitched tents next to the Honda. Nice enough guys, didn't cause any trouble

although they were on BMWs.

Bill Douglas · 03-25-2016, 10:48 PM

I was closest to civilisation so I volunteered to carry the empties out.

The BMW guys had been fly fishing the day before and had caught 9 large trout between them. Next time I'm bringing a rod.

The later part of the road/track was through rolling hill country. Not really my thing so I just went flat out.

Ha, finally I reach the coast.

dlockhart · 03-26-2016, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

I was closest to civilisation so I volunteered to carry the empties out.

Ha, finally I reach the coast.

A beautiful corner of the world there.

Bill Douglas · 03-26-2016, 04:21 PM

Thanks. I live on the coast so going into alpine regions is different for me. I really liked it. New Zealand is full of green fields and sheep. LOL, I'm not joking, so getting away from lush and green into sun scorched mountains is much more interesting.

ckelly78z · 03-26-2016, 04:24 PM

I was just out riding my KLR 250 along farm lanes, fields, and a muddy yard. I don't have the confidence to ride the technical trails like in the videos. I would have required knee pads and elbow pads. The most I have to deal with is muddy ruts that want to steer the front wheel and make the back tire spin.