2PLY, on 15 February 2012 - 01:26 PM, said:

'Bout the same as eating beans and cabbage before a ride, I would think.

2PLY, on 15 February 2012 - 01:35 PM, said:

What's the fun in that?  Half the enjoyment is playing head games with the huggers!

Though don't get me wrong....I hate cutting down trees and avoid it if at all possible.  Light/no footprint is a good philosophy whether riding, hiking or otherwise enjoying the wilderness, IMO.

andrzej, on 16 February 2012 - 09:54 AM, said:

Agreed, but now that you also ride a Trials bike, you'll understand that I never cut trees DOWN..  I only cut off the limbs of trees already down and maybe drop them to about my handle bar height...  Each year Mother Nature delivers some new presents...  I just have to "unwrap" them a little.

You don't want me to "clear" any of the fast Enduro Trails..  And when I help others that insist on cutting a 5 foot chunk out of the tree, I make them wait until I get to jump it at least twice before I help.  

But don't worry, most of my trail work is on trails a sit-down rider would never want to be on so I can be creative with the "clearing"  AS I tried to point out in 2 recent videos.  These were actually directed at a few USFS people I know to give them an example of what we like and why they should not follow me with a lumberjack crew to clear-cut after me..  There is a reason some of these logs have been trimmed and nibbled on but are still there  

First video is just to describe the work and the reason, video #2 is the test ride and example of multiple choice obstacles.





And you even get to see me doing some close-up Geology / Micro Biology work during this last one..  

Edited by 2PLY, 16 February 2012 - 09:01 PM.

One more caution on the aluminum fuel bottles:

Many stores offer aluminum WATER bottles that look exactly like the fuel version.  Best to avoid them and pay a little more for the REAL ones as the aluminum water bottles are very thin and not meant to handle the pressure build up common with fuel.  The thinner water ones are also easily punctured by other things in your pack or by a crash.

I was at a Fred Myer Store yesterday and saw that they offered quire a few versions of the aluminum water bottles, but none of them were suitable.

The water bottles also have a non gasoline friendly gasket that swells when it contacts said fuel.


Joe

Why not just buy one of these? $55 buck is pretty cheap and you could probably sell for almost that when your son steps up to a new bike.
http://www.motorcycl...liary-Tank.aspx

Edited by GSP2, 18 February 2012 - 06:46 PM.

GSP2, on 18 February 2012 - 06:45 PM, said:

Because again, it adds a lot of weight at one of the worst places possible for any dirt bike AND you have to remove your headlight to mount it..  Most people that remove the headlight or their bike comes without one are racers and have no reason to carry extra gas. They remove the head light or don't want it again, because of the weight in that critical place on the bike.

The guys that want the head light are most likely non-racers and are the ones likely to travel long distances on single track trails so they need the extra gas AND the headlight...  It all adds up to the conclusion I made 30 years ago that 1 liter MSR style fuel bottles in a pack was the answer. It's also the reason I chose the Stihl 200T chainsaw as the best fitting saw for a back pack.  Some guys are happy with the front suspension chainsaw holders and I agree that they look slick, but at a great cost to handling. With my Trials Bike weighing in at 145 pounds wet, adding 8 to 10 pounds anywhere on the bike really affects my ability to ride to where the work is needed.  Plus, I enjoy very little loss in my riding ability with the stuff in a well fitting back pack.

Nothing really wrong with a high quality fork tank other than the negatives I've mentioned above, and I'm sure they are far better than the ones that fell apart on me 30 years ago. but it's good to know all of the reasons from previous experiences before you jump in and learn the same way I did...  But then, it is sometimes the best way to learn by repeating the process.

Quote

Thanks Joe,  I didn't know that but then I had already made up my mind to never use one..   Still, good to know

Edited by 2PLY, 19 February 2012 - 05:47 PM.

hey 2PLY thanks once more for all the inside!!!

which comelpak is the one you are wearing??

wblake, on 28 February 2012 - 12:59 PM, said:

I've been using (and the one on my back in the earlier photo) the Trans-Alp model.  However, it has been discontinued and I now have the Alpine Explorer which is probably the upgraded Trans-Alp.  Better pockets and better almost every thing.  I have the blue one. Here is a page from CamelBak on it.  I bought mine from R.E.I. at $100
http://camelbak.com/...e-Explorer.aspx

great man, thanks a lot.....we can always count on you for a thorough answer!

Thanks again.....

Old Koot, on 28 January 2012 - 05:53 PM, said:

Another thing that I'm shocked that people haven't mentioned is taking the tank off the kx (make sure that it is empty and put some boiling water in the tank and shoot some air in the tank. The boiling water and a couple of pounds of compressed air might get that additional fuel to get him through. I think dirt bike magazine had a step by step process on how to do it. Either that, or do what others had suggested and get some of those seamless aluminum fuel cans available at outdoor stores or ...gulp... the hippies at REI.

screnshaw400, on 03 March 2012 - 05:06 PM, said:

Hey....I like the stores like REI (Mountain Co-op here in Canuckia).  The gear is usually priced reasonably well, is light, intended for activities with reasonable exertion levels and works well riding. Usually way cheaper than brand name riding gear too.  Some of the mountain biking equipment is perfect even when you have a throttle.

REI Hippies?    Hmmm..   More like a Tree-Hugger's nest, but I just leave my MC Riding clothes in the Van and get what I want and then sneak out...   Sometimes I drop the Motorcycle word just to see what happens..  So far, no one has shown any shock knowing their hiking stuff is helping the Hell Raising Motor-Heads. Some really good gadgets in there.

I've been a member since 1965 when they had only one store in downtown Seattle. However, since switching to Motorcycles in 74, it's kinda fun to roam around in the Hiker's Main Store like a spy.

Edited by 2PLY, 04 March 2012 - 07:18 PM.

2PLY, on 04 March 2012 - 07:13 PM, said:

Stand close to the exit door. A friend waiting right outside, engine running, you door wide open. The mention hunting...out loud.

Ahhhh....nothing like perpetuating stereotypes.  Such good fun!  I've been shopping at REI for 30 years and have been riding longer.  Been killing helpless animals even longer and dined on venison last night.  Goin' XC skiing this weekend.  Multiple personality disorder I suppose.  

NemadjiMan, on 05 March 2012 - 06:01 AM, said:

Love it!  Sounds like me....except I had bullwinkle bourguinion (moose stew for the uninitiated) for dinner last night.

They do look at you funny in stores like REI if you ask where the ammunition counter is....

Edited by andrzej, 05 March 2012 - 08:31 AM.

Here what I do. I got a water bottle holder from a bicycle and bolted it to my front number plate, then slide a fuel bottle in and bungy it.

That reminds me...  before I gave up on spare gas on the front forks, I made my own wooden holder that clamped to the forks and carried 2 MSR fuel bottles sideways..   I used my radial arm saw at an angle to cut a curved shaped the same radius as the bottles to form a cradle for them and cut slots through the plywood back-board for 1 strong velcro straps per bottle.  But this was before I decided it was a good idea to retain the headlights that came stock on most Trials Bikes.

I would think you could make a good looking one out of that cutting board plastic.  using a heat gun on 2 rectangle blocks of the same stuff, you could heat it up and press in a hot pipe of the same diameter as the bottles.. or maybe you could use the bottle itself for the press-fit shape...  as long as it would not damage it.    I don't have any photos of it that I know of but it would be easy for me to make a quick CAD model.

Edited by 2PLY, 18 March 2012 - 08:14 PM.

OK, no photos of that home-made bottle holder but here are a couple screen shots of a CAD model I just cooked up..

Edited by 2PLY, 18 March 2012 - 08:15 PM.

Or just strap one of these on the back of your seat/rear fender. Room for two bottles per side!

http://www.giantloop...avitm-saddlebag

Or one bottle per side, and tons of room for other stuff...tools, spare tubes, sweater, food, water, whatever.  Plus you still have room in the middle pocket.

I've got one...will be using it on my YZ250 for a 150km/day ride in the Canadian Shield (near Algonquin Park) in late June this year. Not cheap, but well made.

Won't affect handling as much....and will get the weight of my tools off my waist, and that way my nephew (who we need the gas for....I've got an oversized IMS tank on my YZ) on his stock KX125 won't have to haul bottles in his backpack.

Won't work on a trials bike though.....no seat to attach to! ;-)

Not to sound like a child rearing expert, a schoolmarm or anything else but, if it were me I would MAKE SURE that my nephew carried the gas bottles in a backpack on his own back.  A good life lesson and all that happy horsestuff.   Also, you'll make sure that it is super safe system if he is the carrier.  Of all of the alternatives besides a bigger gastank, you'll get the best bike handling and comfort by using a backpack IMO.

Edited by NemadjiMan, 19 March 2012 - 07:44 AM.