Moab Results

[Dougie]

Another great Memorial weekend in Moab. Sorry you missed it.

I had a lot more fun this time around with that 14/52 gearing. If you remember, I had a hell of time with YZ timing out there. But that 52 rear sprocket made a HUGE difference on that nasty, steep, loose, rocky, large steps and stairs stuff. I'd have to say it was the best thing I've done to the bike so far.

Me, Mike and Eric did 88 miles on Friday. For those familiar with Moab, we did Poison Spider, Golden Spike, Gold Bar, Gemini Bridges and finished with Porcupine. I had no drops or bike damage on this ride (notice I said this ride). We practically had the place to ourselves this day as the crowds were still arriving. My buddy Eric cracked his subframe and tore the frame bolt weld on his muffler on his '98 XR600. He didn't drop it but the stress of those rocks and ledges finally took a toll. Luckily he found a welder at 9pm on a Friday night that fixed him up better than new.

Saturday, we hooked up with Bryan and Dave. That gave us 2 WR400s (me and Bryan), 2 XR400s and a XR600. We were ready to do our own 24 hour 4 stroke test. We did Kane Creek Behind the Rocks and Pritchett Canyon. Approximately 58 miles. It was a little warm today but nothing like we were going to experience on Sunday. I broke my first brake lever today on Kane Creek when I lost control on a narly climb. This was my own fault as I took it too slow and had bad body positioning. Luckily I brought two extra brake levers for this weekend. I was going to need them.

Today was a testosterone test between Dave and Eric as both went back and forth on who had the biggest set. Eric started it off by riding down a 7 foot ledge that the rest of us walked our bikes down. Then Dave one upped him by jumping off another 7 foot ledge. Eric followed him off it but only after a false start to make sure they were brass enough. The rest of us took the girly way around and were damn proud of it ?

Then on the way out of Prichett, Dave and Eric took the hardest part up the last nasty obstacle. An ugly climb up three ledges. Eric just about made it up but let the bike fall just a bit to the side. Then Dave lauched his XR400 from the first up on too the second then right up the third. It was a thing of beauty. No easy way around for the rest of us this time. We all made it up unscathed.

Sunday was pretty much brutal due to the triple digit heat. We started on one of the tougher trails in Amasa Back. It was funny as all four of us (me, Mike, Eric and Dave) all were sapped of energy from the start. Lots of squirrly front wheels and a few drops. I didn't have any on this trail. And this was the one trail I was worried about with the YZ timing. But once again, that 52 tooth sprocket made all the difference in the world for me. I can't praise it enough.

We were pretty drained after this but decided to go back on Pritchett in the opposite, tougher direction. Again a few drops and lost front ends but nothing major until we got to Yellow Hill. All four of us lost it at the top of this hill which was a huge slick vertical rock. Dave damn near dropped off the cliff. How he saved it I'll never know. But it was impressive. Mike got stuck in a deep rut. Eric wheelied out of control to the left almost on top of Dave. And I wheelied out of control to the right dropping the bike into a hole breaking my second brake lever of the weekned. Like I said, I brought enough just for this reason I am getting very fast at changing these out. It was a pretty funny sight to see all four of us wiped out at the top of this hill. We eventually stacked rocks and climbed out to the top relatively unscathed. But we were totally spent at this point as it was 110 degrees on the rocks. We high tailed it out and headed for the coolers. It was so hot today, my radiator overflowed into the resovoir and that was boiling over and spewing all over the ground. I could actually squeeze the plastic together and almost put my finger through it.

We had a great weekend. No broken bones, only a couple of scraped up forearms. Minimal bike damage. I had two broken levers and a damaged hand grip. (I put on an aluminum throttle tube after cracking the plastic one last month in Moab. It held up great). Dave lost his fender bag with $100 in tools when his rear fender broke loose. Eric shelled out $60 for a couple of weld jobs and a leaky fork seal fix up. And Mike, the one who usually ends up hurt out here actually walked away without a scratch. He did however break off his rear disk guard. But he'll take that anyday.

Next trip to Moab looks like it will be in Ocotber. Mark your calenders and start accumilating your extra parts.

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Dougie, '99 WR400

Mods: YZ timing, Race Tech Suspension, FMF PC IV, FMF Hi FLo Moto, YZ seat, IMS 3.3 tank, One Industries Graphics, Renthal bars, 14/52 gearing.

[Mitch_from_Oz]

OCTOBER..

Count me in. i mean it. I will get there somehow and I will bring a group of friends along as well. I can forsee myself and maybe as much as another 4/5 guys. We will leave Thursday night and drive home either Sunday night or Monday morning.

But, I will certainly be there and I will probably be riding either a YZ400 or a KTM380

I hate you guys for having so much fun without me.. ?

Mitch

[Kevin_in_New_Hampshire]

OK Fella's,

I have Oct 5-15 off. My schedule is locked in for these dates. If by chance this works out for everybody, that would be great. If not, I can always watch the Brady Bunch re-runs again!! Hey I would much rather hear your fantastic stories than take part myself...NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ditto what Mitch said!!

If you don't go on these dates, I will...I will...well I'll hold my breath until it gets uncomfortable and then I'll start breathing again. So you will be really sorry! Then I will continue to bitch (just like a woman) until you are all fed up with me...SO THERE!!

[This message has been edited by Kevin in New Hampshire (edited 05-30-2000).]

[Mike_in_Silicon_valley]

Dougie,

And I thought I had a good weekend. Sounds like you guys had a great time . The October trip sounds like a blast. If Mitchie's willing to come from down under me driving across a couple of states seems pretty insignificant. One thing though, it sounds like the riding is pretty technical. I've just gotten back into riding after a long time away. I've got more knads than riding ability at the moment. I'm not saying I welded training wheels on my bike, just that I'm definetly not an expert rider (who knows after a couple of more weekends maybe I'll be clearing the triples ? . I'm sure to improve between now and then. My concern is being an anchor to the group . Wait a minute, what am I thinking, I know I can roost those aussies . I'm just kidding Mitchie.

[Bryan 1]

Yes Mike, the Moab riding can be technical. But many of the bad spots are optional. Like Doug said, Eric and Dave launched off a 6 or 7 foot high ledge. But Doug and I, not wanting to brake our bikes and/or bodies, took the easy single track around the obsticle. But I had a camera to protect. Yeah right!

Personally, I'll take the easy way every time to avoid damage on me or my bike since I'm an old guy compared to the others. But Dave and Eric are my heros!

Check out our Saturday pics: www.thumpertalk.com/maymoab

The pictures of the guys standing around the WR (pics 1 and 2) are Doug (left) and Dave fixing Dougs broken lever. The picture of the XR with the suspension bottomed out (pic 10) is a pic of Eric right after he rode down a section so narly, no one else would ride it (I took the picture too late). The pictures of the XR's in flight going left to right (pics 11 and 12) are pics of Dave and Eric jumping off the ledge. Right when they landed they had to stop and take a hard right to avoid a big boulder and a small cliff. The picture of the WR in the air (pic 8) is Doug doing his Seth imitation at the sand dunes. The pictures of the downed XR's are amazing. We just found those bikes laying around in the desert (just kidding of course).

How does October 7th weekend sound for you guys? Hope many can make it.

Bryan...