back on a Smoker

After several years on bigger 4 strokes, all weighing close to or over 300lbs. I was sucked back into 2 stroke bikes.  I am a huge fan of 2 strokes and really enjoy the way these bike deliver power and handle.  When I dove back into desert racing I when with a proven 2005 YZ250.

I was able to find a killer deal on a 2005 Yamaha YZ250 with all the desert goodies you could ask for.  The bike was owned by another district 38 member who was a proven contender in the Vet class.  The build sheet goes something like this:

M&M suspension
Race Tech springs
BRP sub mount triple clamp
Scotts Stabilizer
unknown brand aluminum skid plate
FMF Fatty pipe
FMF Q Stealth Silencer
V-force 3 reed block
Excel wheels with 18" rear
Dunlop AT-81 rear tire
Dunlop Geomax MX-52 front
Pro-Taper charmichael bend bars
UFO YZ update body kit
IMS wide pegs
IMS 3+ gal tank
11oz flywheel weight

This bike was a blast to ride!!  On the tight single track there is no better choice.  The light weight 2 stroke really shines in the tight stuff and the stabilizer really made it handle well in the desert.  This was the first year of the aluminum frame and the only year this frame got the AOSS front forks.  The newer 06 and on YZ got the SSS forks which seem to be some of the best forks out there right now.  I never rode the bike is stock trim, so I couldn't tell you how good or bad these forks are from the factory.  I can tell you though M&M did a great job on the work they did on these.  These forks were nice and plush with great bottoming resistance. 

I did a handful of races on this bike and the conclusion I came to was that to make this bike work like it should you need to be on your game.  There was no sitting down and putting through the desert at high speed like I could on the XR or ATK.  The harder it rode the smoother it rode.  I think this is where the 2 strokes tire you out more.  The YZ benefited the more aggressive rider, and frustrated the slower, tired riders.  I guess this is what it feels like getting old.  The YZ felt like a handful at higher speeds over rocks and whoops where as my old XR or ATK truly felt like a cadillac and just ate up terrain effortlessly.  

I believe I got so used to larger bikes and being able to just cruise over anything and everything that the YZ felt like a mountain bike with a motor.  It was flickable, it was nimble, it was point and shoot, but those aren't major factors in long distance desert racing.  I saw this as an incredible single track or tight woods racer and I envy those that could run this 2 stroke for hours one end, like its meant to be.

I knew I could go faster and be more stable on a heavier bike over a longer period of time.  So after almost a year on the YZ250 I again opted to go back to the 4 stroke desert sleds.  I love everything about 2 strokes, but for 500-600 miles race, my skills and ability are better suited on a bigger 4 stroke.  But I do see another 2 stroke in my future for single track/trail weapon.

Next Post will be the current bike that I plan on running in the 2016 Vegas to Reno.  All these previous bikes have led to this!

Big Red Pig

The reputation behind Honda's XR650R needs no explanation.  A factory bike designed to destroy the desert at high speeds.  I got to say, it doesn't disappoint.  I transitioned from the 07 KTM 450XC to this bike because I was looking for a bike that could eat up thousands of miles before in depth engine work was required.  This bike did that without batting an eye.

I had an 02 XR650R that promptly got decked out for the desert and long haul dual sport rides.  Previous owner had the suspension setup really well.  This was my first long term experience with a steering stabilizer.  I got to say, it saved my butt more then once.  I won't have a desert bike without one ever again.

The build sheet was the typical desert sled build.
 - Scotts top clamp and stabilizer 
- Guts Racing seat
- IMS 3.2 gal tank
- 6.6 gal Acerbis tank
- FMF power bomb header
- FMF Q4 silencer
- aluminum skid plate
- Vented side panel
- emissions removed
- 49 state intake boot
- baja designs dual sport kit
- 200W ricky stator.  has 2 100W AC legs.  I also ran 2 trail tech DC regulator/rectifiers for the redundancy.
- Pro taper CR high bars
- Acerbis hand guards
- unknown make 12 LED light bar.  4 spot and 8 flood.

I built this bike with the intention to go 200+ miles between fuel stops.  Also anticipating long solo rides.  This is why I went over kill on the tank, and had a someone redundant electrical system.  I one of the legs from the stator failed, I had another.  I ran 2 DC regulator/rectifiers and everything was DC.  If needed I could unplug a few wires and still have a light of some sort if I got into a pinch.

This whole project was awesome.  The bike really did make a killer dual sport and would have been a perfect Mexico bike.  Yeah, it didn't have the luxury of the electric start my KTM and ATKs had, but once you got the bike dialed in, and know the kicking routine it would fire up nice and easy when cold.  If you went down and flooded the carb, that's another story.  If that's the case, take a breather and understand you got a few minutes before your up and running again.  The ergonomics fit me pretty well, but you have to remember I am twisted and actually prefer the 80sish feeling bikes.  This is more a sit "in" the bike then a more modern sit "on" the bike.  The suspension, once set up is actually pretty incredible.  The forks are conventional forks and lack the "bling" of modern upside down forks, but they worked great.  The precision concepts 1X suspension build sheet is readily available on the internet, along with several other "recipes" if you want to take it up a notch.  I followed the 1X build sheet, minus the CR500 shock body and if felt great.  I couldn't find the bottom and it was truly a desert cadillac. 

Planning on long, pitch black, night rides.

Other then that, the bike handled it's weight really well and I was very pleased with it.  Aftermarket is flooded with just about any part in any color you could ever want.  I totally feel that if Honda ever decided to replace the XR650R with a modern equivalent, it would never be able to make enough of them.  The formula they used for that bike I feel is nearly perfect for long distance, high speed, desert and dual sport.

Driver's seat.

At this point in my life, I had a young infant, had a nice new 07 FJ cruiser, and just changed jobs from a place 5 miles from my house to an office 30 miles from my house. I regrettably sold this bike for a street bike to get me around town in traffic and save some money in gas.  Last I heard, the guy I sold it to promptly crashed it hard.  Never heard any news since.  It would be fun to get another and build it up again or build a 1X replica.  The bike is incredibly versatile and with a different tank and gearing you can take it into a totally different direction.

super tanker.

George!...you NEED to get a dual sport!! (read this if you're new to the dual sport/offroad world.)

I have asked some of my team members to contribute to the Blog.  To add any useful info they might want to pass along to the dual sport/desert world.  This is a total new guys take on getting into riding, and choosing a bike.  When I worked in the motorcycle industry, this was a very common question, what bike to start with?  George is looking at this question through the eyes of a motorcycle rookie and has a lot of the same issues, questions, and concerns that all new riders have.  This is not the typical professional test rider write up of a bike, this is one man's jump into the dual sport world with literally zero experience and learning as he goes.  Might be useful to you if your on the fence about riding and bike ownership.

-Rob
________________________________________________________________

A little about me and this review. I am totally new to the world of motorcycles, but thanks to my friends I mustered the courage to take the MSF course and get my license.  The goal of this review is to leave some perspective from a newbie to anyone thinking about getting into riding a motorcycle.

As someone completely new to anything you just don’t know what you don’t know and for something like riding motorcycles I decided to be conservative with my first bike.  So instead of a big adventure bike I went with a small manageable bike that would be able to do the following:

Adventure riding/Moto Camping
Single track
Commuting to work.
Riding on the highway

There were many bikes to choose from but in the end the DRZ-400SM just looked awesome and the DRZ platform comes highly recommended for doing anything on the street and dirt.

I first used an empty Cul-de-sac and went through many of the drills we did at the MSF class.  Then when I got comfortable I went for my first solo ride around the neighborhood. Going from the 250s at the MSF class to the DRZ-400SM seemed like a natural transition as I felt the bike was well within my skill level to handle but had much more potential. It had nice acceleration and it felt comfortable at about 50-60mph. Even though I just started to ride motorcycles the power was not too excessive and it was light enough for me to handle on the dirt even with street tires.  I was really happy with the feeling of control I had over this bike and the little bit of power it had.  I do wonder if its bigger brother the DR650 would have been the ultimate choice but its hard to tell, I think I would miss this light fighter of a bike.

The Pro's

For a beginner this bike seems to be a great fit. I feel one of the strong points that makes it such a beginner friendly bike is how much torque it has. What this means is you can crawl over terrain that you are not comfortable tackling quite yet. What I’ve learned on some rides is other bikes might not have quite as much torque so you will have to maintain a certain amount of RPM's or speed to get over terrain.

During one ride I ended up stalling on a hill but I was able to start it again and resume my climb at a very mild pace thanks to how much torque this bike has. I basically feathered the throttle and powered through every rock I came across (I couldn't keep on my line).  It seemed to me that regardless of my lack of confidence this bike would take me over almost any terrain at a controllable speed which is a huge comfort for me at my current level of skill.

Another thing that is nice is the mechanical simplicity of the bike. It is relatively easy to work on and there is a wealth of Youtube videos and online tutorials that show you how to change your oil, rejet your carb and swap out other components. I was concerned with the carb and if I would have trouble getting it started during the California winters but that wasn't a huge issue for me.

The aftermarket is incredible and relatively cheap so you will have multiple options when it comes to upgrades (skid plates, exhaust, seat, tires, etc.).  The main things I would recommend upgrading is the exhaust and seat.

I am no wrench monkey and haven’t ever worked on vehicles but I was able to do many upgrades and repairs on this motorcycle by myself just following the youtube videos and forums.

Some Con's

When you get to highway speeds 70-80mph it is not exactly a comfortable ride. Some probably aren't bothered but I get tossed around a bit because of how light the bike is and the gearing is between dirt and highway which causes some pretty good vibration in the pegs. I've watched some videos and people have geared it tall for the highway which I may try at some point but you lose out on the opposite spectrum which is the dirt.

The seat seems to be hated universally and a lot of people will swap that seat out for something else. I tried my best to stick with it but take my advice and just look for a more comfortable option.


Conclusion

For someone with no background in riding motorcycles I would highly recommend this bike.  If you are like me and want to try everything from street to dirt with one bike you should definitely look into dual sport bikes.   I have been commuting almost every day with this bike and have slowly grown into this bike.  I also don’t think I would outgrow it quite yet as the better I get the more I can get out of this bike and I see plenty of skilled riders choose this bike as their main ride.  The ability to swap tires and try a different style of riding gets me excited for what I can try to do next and this is all possible because of the versatility of the DRZ-400SM. The next stop may be a supermoto class and some time on a track or another off road adventure.

2007 KTM 450XC

This has was by far the newest and best dirt bike I have ever owned.  It was electric start, had the amazing RFS motor, great suspension (once setup correctly.  spring rate is vital on PDS systems), and just rode great!  Did not make a great dual sporter though.  I got this bike for a great deal from a military friend of mine.  He mentioned he was looking to sell, and I immediately put my 97 ATK up for sale.  This bike is the last and arguably the best year of the RFS motored bikes, and it is a great looking bike. 

 I went through the process of getting this bike plated and street legal.  Yes, you can still get a plate for some bikes in California!  The XC model for this year had the short stroke motor from the SX models, and a haybrid transmission from the SX and EXC/XCW models.  It was a great snappy bike that I made work in everything.  I took it to the track, street use, single track, desert, and even got a taste for supermoto on it.

Lets just say I put some miles on this bike.  With the supermoto setup, I rode this bike almost daily.  To this day, still the most fun bike at any speed below 50 MPH.  I did the typical mods, GUTS racing seat foam, IMS tank, EXC silencer, 100W DC stator, etc.  I soon found out that street use and abuse on a true dirt bike came with a toll.  Stock valves where the first to go, eh it happens.  But it happens relatively quick when you put several thousand miles on a short stroke motor that's meant to rev.  Eventually I had a stock style oil ring shatter and started burning a LOT of oil.  Luckily I caught it on a short ride.  Then I believe between the insane amount of traction of street tires on supermoto wheels, along with possibly the counter shaft bolt coming loose, there was soon a noticeable amount of wear on the counter shaft.  This led to a full rebuild of the motor.

 So this whole series of events led me to the same conclusion many before me have come to, and even mentioned to me before I got this bike.  450 MX bikes, don't make the best dual sport/daily riders.  They will eventually pay the price.  I got to say it was a blast, but it all haunted me later on in the maintenance department.  Ive seen many claims that the long stroke EXC motors can take the abuse and 20,000 miles is not unheard of, and if I had the cash I would have turned this into a long stroke motor, but it just wasn't an option at the time.

 Between a 600 and this particular 450, I felt more comfortable on the slow, lugging, tractor power of the prior 600s I have owned.  But this KTM was incredibly smooth and user friendly to work on.  It was snappy and it really felt good in the desert and tight trails.

The take away I took from this experience is that high revving 450s make terrible dual sport/commuters.  I am never going to find one bike to do it all.  I was looking at doing long bike camping trips, and a 600 series bike was probably going to do much better then a 450 will.  (Honestly, if it wasn't for the me trying to do camping off a bike, I would prbably still have this bike to this day.)  And I confirmed I can still plate a green sticker bike.  I started doing more solo riding and getting comfortable with navigation and riding/preparing for long rides by myself.  As far as prepping for Vegas to Reno, a 600 will need less attention prior to the race.   

1997 ATK 605 DSES

CALVMX Vintage motocross, Glen Helen

Yes, another ATK.  I have had 2 prior to this one.  A 94 605 which I mentioned on an ealier post, but I also had an 89 604 CC/MX.  The 604 I vintage raced for a bit, which was actually an awesome bike.  Had a 560 motor in it, kick only, but it felt snappier and seemed to want to rev more on the track.  I later found a crack in the case, and did have the money or time to get it repair properly.  This one I WILL find again.  This thing was trick, along with the MX seat and tank.  Only 604 MX I have ever seen in person, only maybe even 1 of 10 I have seen on the internet.  Sorry, I only have a picture of it with the CC tank.  Tme MX tank and seat made all the difference at the track though.

But back to this one, a 1997 ATK 605.  Second year of the odd ball one sided frame.  Every trick part you could ask for: electric start, talon billet hubs, talon sprockets, brembo brakes, WP suspension, 190W stator, linkless rear shock, super reliable motor, skid plate, and street legal.  This ATK was built after the company was acquired and moved to Utah.  This is another bike that seemed ahead of its time and pushed limits on design.

 As a dual sport I felt this fit me better then the 94 I had.  It went straight at high speeds, wheel wouldn't deflect, suspension stock was plush and would suck up whoops all day long.  It took getting used to in single track, it fells top heavy at real slow speeds.  Once you realize you need to keep your momentum up though, it would do pretty good.  I would be able to get into the flow of tight twisty trails, but it did make you work for it a bit more than a MX bike.  This is the only bike I felt comfortable on at VERY high sustained speeds in the desert.  I have ridden bikes that had a lot of suspension work, and even some of those didn't feel this good.  A lot of folks I talk to about these older ATKs have mentioned that this suspension combo seems to perform better the more you throw at it.  I will have to agree with them on that.

I beat on this bike for almost a year with no serious problems or issues.  I did everything from commuting to and from work, to single track, to desert.  I racked up several thousand miles on this bike in the short time I had it.  Then I was tempted with a deal I couldn't pass up.  A friend of mine was leaving the area and he was selling his 2007 KTM 450XC.  The grass is always greener on the other side, right?

Again, ATK is still in business out of Utah and parts are still available.  They are not producing a dirt bike at the moment, otherwise I would probably have one of those as well.  ATK actually has some of the best customer service I have ever experienced from any dealer, let alone the factory!  Those guys are awesome to work with.

Got a few more bikes to talk about before I get to my race bike.  Hopefully this is some good reading for you all. 

The Crew

This is where I beg, plead, make promises, ask for some help in trade for beer or bike work to get my chase team together.  Lucky for me I have a few friends who are willing to drop what they are doing for the sake of adventure.

1.  Jerry - A good friend of mine who I met working at a motorcycle shop.  We talked bikes, that led to guns, that led to school, that led to Vets BSing, metal fabrication, that led to past lives and rock crawlers, and that led to him hiring me for a manufacturing job in the tactical industry.  We have both been looking for the sweet life on our own terms. 

Jerry is another Jack of all trades, master of none type of guy.  He is a guy that can get things done with what he's got.  I figure if there was anyone to lead a chase crew, that's the kind of guy you want.  He also has experience operating a chase team in other motorsports.  He has experience tackling, what most people consider huge endeavors, within a budget and with realistic expectations.  Jerry will be the guy that keeps me in check when I try to get too carried away with ideas and grand plans. 

2.  George - George is a friend I met through Jerry.  An engineer from the desert who likes shooting.  Me and Jerry recently talked George into picking up a dual sport.  This guy is now riding more then I do!!  So I now I am going to expose him to a whole new side of dirt bikes I hope he enjoys and never forgets. 

3.  Dad - At this very moment, he doesn't know he is going to be doing this.  But I know if it involves motorcycles, racing, and race trucks, he is will be in.  He grew up riding in the California desert and Mexico  as a kid.  His stories and pictures of desert racing in the 60's and 70's are what got me into the sport.  He was off bikes for over 30 years, and got back on a Harley a few years ago.  Being as he is in Utah and I'm in California, we have yet to ride together.  After years of me telling him about my dual sport adventures and desert racing, he got back into the dirt this past year.  He now has a V-strom 650 all decked out for adventure riding.

A little dated, but its motorcycle related.

So this is the tentative chase team.  (I know life happens and things get in the way, so this team is open to change.)  I will be offering my 2007 FJ cruiser up as the vehicle, but depending on our planning and what we think is best, I may have to "rent" one of their vehicle or just rent a van in Vegas to haul everything.  The logistics of this whole operation I'm sure will be evolving over the next year with everyone's input.

Eventually the profile of each member of the Team will be posted.

1987 Husqvarna 430XC

Big bore 2 stroke.  6 speed.  Need I say more?  The 87 Husky 430XC was actually a really fun and fast bike.  The suspension was surprisingly good off road.  Ergonomics were the typical 80s style, sitting more behind the tank and farther back.  The seat was also typical 80s era, wide, deep, and very comfortable.  The cool thing about the Huskys from this era was that there was so much interchangeable parts between the models.  Bottom ends had parts that could be swapped as far back as the air cooled models.  You could pretty much pick a tranny from any of the models and slap it it.  You have 250, 430, and 500s, 2 stroke and 4 strokes even, to share parts between.  I was lucky enough to get the better electrical system that put out 140 watts if I'm not mistaken.  In California, these parts along with a green sticker is a recipe for a plated bike. 

 I never got to the point to plate it because the one big pitfall of the bike, vibration.  This bike had gobs of low end power, but would still produce the power up high to make this bike fly...If you could hold on long enough.  The bike vibrated more then any other big bore 2 stroke I had to date.  From my research and getting in touch with guys who dealt with the factory desert teams that ran this bike, the solution was adding a motor mount.  From the factory, there was only 2 motor mounts, and no head mount.  So the hot trick of the day was to add this extra mount and it eliminated some of the vibration, along with balancing the motor. 

 This was one of the best looking bikes I have had, and at the time I didn't know I had a lot of trick, hard to find parts for it such as guards, up-tite skid plates, up-tite reed blocks, pipes, and enough extra parts to make three-quarters of another bike.  With the huge amount of low end grunt it made a killer trail bike, but at the time I wanted speed.  I really wanted to like this bike, but as my one and only bike, this wasn't it.

From this experience I found out how much vibration can really effect your stamina.  It wasn't something I put a lot of thought into at the time.  But when you spend a few hours on a bike that puts your hands to sleep, it's really hard to want to like the bike.  The ride becomes less enjoyable.  If I find another, I will definitely look into flex bars and balancing the motor, and if that doesnt cut it, break down and add the motor mount.  Its just too damn cool to not want another one.

CafeHusky.com was a huge wealth of knowledge of these bikes.  This is one of the less popular generations of Husqvarnas, but there are some die hards on that forum that really know there stuff.  It is a one stop shop for older Huskys.