My first trip to the motocross track on the 650L

[FOUR STOKED]

Call me crazy for taking a 300lb+ bike to a motocross track but a friend of mine finally talked me into going. I have always been woods rider strictly for recreation, but I have always wanted to go.I have tweaked my bike to be almost completely off road but I have no illusions about its considerable girth.Anyways I had a great time. I thought I might share some of my perspective being someone who has been riding for 20 years in the woods but only once at an actual track.

1- Boy, those doubles are a lot taller a farther than I thought

2- The 650 has enough power to clear any obstacle, and just as soon as perfect my timing, suspension, and ability to stop considerable tonnage, I'll be ready to go pro!

3- A fence makes a perfect emergency stopping apparatice in a pinch if you do clear the double and have no chance at stopping ?

4- Boy I thought my legs were in better shape than that

5- There are some really talented guys at most local tracks

6- I really enjoyed the startled look I got from some people for being out there on the brp but I think it may be time for 2 bikes in the garage... 80 or 90 lbs less to muscle around might be better for the track anyways

7- I was very nervous about being out of my comfort zone

I should have gone years ago

[qadsan]

About a year ago at a local MX track there was a guy on a 650L just tearing up the track and his bike still had all the turn signals, mirrors, etc. The guys on the full-on MX bikes couldn't keep up and it didn't take long before people gathered to watch this. After a short while most everyone pulled off the track to watch and then this guy exited the track and hit the highway ? There was a lot of talk as to who it was riding that bike because the guy was incredible and would have been incredible on any bike, but he sure made peoples heads turn on that 650L

[slip]

About a year ago at a local MX track there was a guy on a 650L just tearing up the track and his bike still had all the turn signals, mirrors, etc. The guys on the full-on MX bikes couldn't keep up and it didn't take long before people gathered to watch this. After a short while most everyone pulled off the track to watch and then this guy exited the track and hit the highway ? There was a lot of talk as to who it was riding that bike because the guy was incredible and would have been incredible on any bike, but he sure made peoples heads turn on that 650L

That's a heck of a story. I guess the old adage is true, 'it's not the bike but the rider'.

[Roll_it_on]

My hats off to you for taking the 650 out to the track. I wish I could get over the fear of making a fool of myself. It has been 20 + years since I raced my 1980 CR250R and I still have dreams about soaring over some of those jumps etc.. I just know they would be looking at the old fat guy trying to jump his 650R and saying hey check this out I still know in my mind that I'm fast even if my body doesn't fit the bill. One of these days I am going to find the right jump for my BRP and it will time to MX it up again....... ?

[FlyByWire]

I'd love to get out on a track and try it out, I may even do so when i get the suspension set up on my BRP.. Its just too bad the biggest MX bike is a CRF450, great bike... but probably terrible for a 6'7 285 pounder

[Kritter]

Qadsan, was that at Glen Helen or Elsinore?

[qadsan]

It was at Saddleback while it was open earlier this year.

[Wilson-1]

Steve Hengeveld (Baja 1000 winner, Team Honda) practices MX on a XR-650. Amazing to watch him ride that bike as fast or faster than the local pro riders on the track. Rode my old XR-600 on a track for 10 min. and it scared me bad........

[Dual_Dog]

I have tweaked my bike to be almost completely off road but I have no illusions about its considerable girth.

4- Boy I thought my legs were in better shape than that.

I hear what you're sayin.' I never knew I could be so sore for so many days after just one day of hard riding on the XRL! ?

Time to break out the Stumpjumper for some cross-training.

[BuddyK]

Roll_it_on

My kids bought me a no fear shirt that says : The Older I get the Faster I Was I plan to take the pig to a MX track just for grins (mine & everybody else's) I doubt I'll be doing to much flying, but I can still give em heck in the turns. When I quit racing MX, bikes with over 6" of travel seemed silly ?, why would you ever need more than that?

[jaybert600]

I remember watching a marathon at the Santa Clara County fairgrounds about ten years ago, seeing a guy on a XR600R absolutely smoke everyone on the track, which included CR250's and CR500's. It was beautiful!

[CYBORG]

"It's not the bike, it's the rider.", eh?

When I go riding with my buddies at Ocotillo wells, I feel like I am the man! High speed through Tule Wash, tearing up Blow Sand Hill ?.

But then:

I rode my first race in December at Glen Helen and have been using the excuse that my bike doesn't do well on tracks! I know the truth but prefer denial. I felt like the biggest clod creeping around corners with YZFs and CRFs passing me and then flying UP the hills just to slow down enough to make the turn at the top.

Oh well. Chock it up to experience or lack of . I did have a good time anyway.

I had read about JC taking his 650 to the track for training. He IS the man!

[qadsan]

If you want to see some pigs fly, then go to the Adelanto Grand Prix coming up on Frbruary 2th & 29th. There's some really fast guys riding all kinds of bikes and there's always plenty of XR650R's racing there.

http://www.desertvipersmc.com/Ad2k/inform.htm#AGP

Here's some flying pigs from the 2003 Adelanto GP.

http://bbs.off-road.com/photobb/showphoto.php?photo=9628&size=big&papass=&sort=1

http://bbs.off-road.com/photobb/showphoto.php?photo=9604&size=big&papass=&sort=1

http://bbs.off-road.com/photobb/showphoto.php?photo=9590&size=big&papass=&sort=1

I believe this is a CRF450, which didn't quite make the jump.

http://bbs.off-road.com/photobb/showphoto.php?photo=9589&size=big&papass=&sort=1

http://bbs.off-road.com/photobb/showphoto.php?photo=9542&size=big&papass=&sort=1

bottomed out!

http://bbs.off-road.com/photobb/showphoto.php?photo=9545&size=big&papass=&sort=1

http://bbs.off-road.com/photobb/showphoto.php?photo=9400&size=big&papass=&sort=1

Rob Barnum at the Baja 1000 in 2002.

https://www.thumpertalk.com/bike/images/rob_barnum_baja1000.jpg

[XR/CRDave]

Cool pics, I like the one of the pig bottoming out.

I have taken my 650R to Lake Elsinore track several times and it is fun and it did surprisingly well, in fact my friend who is a much better rider than me took it out and was clearing most of the major jumps on the main track. What was good about it ws that you do not have to shift or clutch it and it smooth on those nasty braking bumps and choppy stuff. A word of caution though, be careful on big jumps if you come up short the landing can be hard.

[Roll_it_on]

Wow!! ? I now know my place with the whimps and has beens. I may still dream about my old MX days but I will leave jumping these beasts up to the real men as shown in those photos. It's been so long since I got any real air that even if I landed it I would probably need to go use the facilites afterwards anyway