Follow-up on Offset Clamps

[grayracer513]

A few weeks ago, I posted my impressions of the 22.5mm clamp set I installed on my YZ450. Click to Review

Since then, I removed the front tire I had on the bike and swapped back to a Dunlop 756. The former front tire was a Bridgestone M401A in the oversize, 90/100x21, and it was apparently the source of some of the instability I mentioned. I had installed the tire for the first time at the same time that I put the clamps on, so if nothing else, it's a good demonstration of why you should only make one change at a time.

Anyway, the clamps give the steering a very light overall feel, and based on how and when the bike felt the least stable, I started wondering if they had also made it more sensitive to changes in tire width. This seems to be the case, as with the somewhat narrower 756, the bike is much less prone to "hunt" in rutted sand, or kick to the side on an angled bump.

Otherwise, I'm pretty sure that the 401 actually had better traction in intermediate to hard soils than the 756 does, and Junior says he likes it on his standard offset 250F. I may try a 401 in 80/100, or I may not, but either way, I though it was interesting how much the tire changed the steering behavior with the offset, and the bike is alot more pleasant to ride now that it feels more settled again.

[stezlaki]

Cool.........thanks for keeping us updated.

So, to clarify, would you now retract this statement entirely:

The bike has lost a lot of the solid stable feel at speed that the YZF is also known for, and now feels a nervous and unsettled when I'm going fast in sand or rough terrain.

I'm still keeping my eye out for some offset clamps to try on mine, but seems like if/when I find them I don't have money or they go for more money than I have. Oh well...............

[grayracer513]

It has lost less than I originally thought, but still some, and is not as steady as a stocker. Because of the apparent sensitivity it has to changes in tires, I still don't think it's the thing for the very inexperienced, but with the 756 on it, it's much better.

And yeah, money's just that way, in'nit?

[aford541]

RG3 keeps telling me that the 22 MM clamps are the way to go.

[grayracer513]

Don't get high centered on the negative side of my comments, which I am pointing out here were about half due to the tire. A review of my earlier post will show that I also said:

"There is no doubt that moving the fork back cures the reluctance to turn and gets rid of the "top heavy feel" the bike has been known for. The steering now has an overall light feel, and can be flipped through a series of 'S' turns much more easily than before. It turns in at will whether initiating a turn or in the middle of one, and the front bites unbelievably hard with any kind of traction. It will take inside or outside lines or change between them aggressively, and has much less tendency to push the front.

"If you ride SX, or MX on mostly tight courses, or anywhere that the ability to carve up corners is at a premium, this is something you'll like."

[ncmountainman]

do you run a steering damper gray? i did notice i had to turn mine up a little after going to the offsets,you definately get a little more feedback but i wouldn't call mine unstable at all even at high speed i was running a maxxis SI and just put on some new pirelli's(mt83 scorpion pro front/mt 16 garacross rear) the rear tire is a little taller and put more weight on the front i'm not sure thats a good thing yet,i may have to lower the fork tubes. great tires though hey gray while i got ya here,whats your thoughts on that hyd bottomout in the 04 forks. i've found a company that makes a kit for the 03 (and older) forks. it eliminates the cv and performs the same as your 04's. is the bottoming progressive or all at once? i'm thinking it would come in handy for HS allowing a softer setup while keeping the bottoming capacity?

[Matt96xr6]

Just remember the 756 is more of a softer terrain/IT tire than what it sounds like you are running. A 742 would be a better choice (personally love that tire on the indoor and clay tracks) and it comes in the 80 and 90 size front tire.

[grayracer513]

do you run a steering damper gray? i did notice i had to turn mine up a little after going to the offsets,you definately get a little more feedback but i wouldn't call mine unstable at all even at high speed ...while i got ya here,whats your thoughts on that hyd bottomout in the 04 forks.

I don't run a damper, but that might be something to look at. It works well on CRF's, and the geometry is now quite a bit more like one of those.

I really like the '04 fork as oppossed to the older ones, and the hydraulic bottoming is one of the best parts. I was ambused by a 3 foot wide crosscut in the desert at about 40-45 that should have slammed the base valves out, but I never really felt it bottom, not like the '03 anyway.

Just remember the 756 is more of a softer terrain/IT tire than what it sounds like you are running. A 742 would be a better choice (personally love that tire on the indoor and clay tracks) and it comes in the 80 and 90 size front tire.

I tried a 742, and it didn't work as well for me overall as the 756. I might try it again with the new offset, but on the stock clamps, I found that the 756 is far more recoverable once it slides than the 742. San Diego county is probably one of the hardest places on Earth to pick at tire for unless you're at one particular track. The soils range from hard clay (that's clay that hasn't seen water in 10 months), with and without embedded rocks, to loamy (here and there), to DG to fine sand, sometimes all in one riding area. The DG in McCain Valley is a very tough place to figure out traction. It can be a foot deep and completely loose, or packed hard with a layer of "ball bearings" on top. Everything slips.

And hey, Merry Christmas!

[aford541]

I have used the following tires in the past four years.

1. 80% of the time 756 regular

2. 10% of the time 742 90 wide

3. 5% of the time 756 RR

4. 2.5% Michelin Starcross

5. 2.5% Pirelli

Comments

Pros

1. Very consistent Good in sand probably the best of the five

2. Better than the 756 in harder conditions

3. 5% better than 756 regular as good as the 742 on harder terrain

4. Wears like iron likes very hard terrain

5. Works very well on hard pack and sandy terrain as good as the 756 rr and lasts longer.

CONS

1. not good on hard pack dose not last as well as the average tire

2. not that good in sand

3. Cost and availability

4. Does not like sand

5. Hates watered hardpack, so do I

If I could have a new tire every ride it would be a 756 rr

I want to try that mt 32 Pirelli, I think that would be the best tire for the tracks I ride, Gorman mainly.

[jeffboyd47m]

I think alot of people are over looking a great all around tire in the 755. It has a stiffer side wall and is very flat resistent. It also works pretty good on alittle harder terrain, I have run them in the desert for years with very satisfactory results.

[aford541]

Nobody seems to have the 755 here.

[jeffboyd47m]

Rocky Mountain MC stocks them.I can`t remember the price though.