Dirt bikes

fuuuuuuuuu. lusting on those so hard. not nearly enough snow around here to be able to think about it though. looks like so much fun.

 

Picked up a 2004 WR250F today

File is too big to upload, but stoked for it...........needs mirrors and some new plastics. Will post pics if/when I figure out this Mac (new job).

 

Got the boy a Z50r .
Hope to have it before Christmas

 

I've had the inReach Explorer for 4 years now. I ride Moab, San Juans out of Silverton but mostly central and northern New Mexico. The Explorer is nice because no matter where you are you can send & receive a text message, send a pre-written email or call for help by SOS button. inReach uses the Iridium satellite system which gives complete global coverage, the others don't. I've read ride reports for Siberia where they used the Explorer to get help. If you get the insurance they offer you can get picked up anywhere on earth for no charge and it costs less than $200.00/year. I hear CO and UT charge for that service, so it might be a good idea. inReach plots your position with periodic pings and you or anyone you want to, can see your route on their Earthmate application. I pair my Explorer to an iPad Mini 2 which makes sending messages and following your current location (if you download that area's maps ahead of time) much easier. I trucked my FE501 to Alaska this summer to ride for almost 2 weeks and it was comforting to have my Explorer along with it's ability to text my wife in New Mexico at will from remote locations. If you go to the advrider.com forum and search on it you will get a lot of positive feedback.

BTW I'm retireing next summer and moving to Montrose, CO with my wife. I plan on using the Explorer daily with my Husky (weather permitting). For me it's the perfect DS bike with a 4.5 gallon IMS tank. It's been desmogged and tuned. You can lug it down to a walking pace in 2nd gear and ride at 75 in 6th without any trouble.

 

Figured it out - now I need to go shopping. New plastics and a new shock/fork setup at a minimum. Will 2017 wr250r plastics bolt right up? And what about wheels? Want to get a second set with slicks on them for...........well, no good reason except I want them

 

How much work is it to convert? I'm assuming you just buy the kit? Can you swap it in a day or two or is it pretty involved?

 

Those are so much damn fun.

 

Installing the kit is only slightly more involved than swapping wheels. A couple/few hours at most if you are taking your time.

 

So I'm eyeing up a used '14 Beta 350RR (street legal so thumbs up for that).....4 hrs away from me but have been lusting over these Beta's for long enough!!!

What say all you knowing woods riding members regarding the Beta's???? Competent bike? Good suspension? Reliable?

I was searching for a 2smoker (250 or 300), at first, since I'm always hearing great things about them as a woods bike....I figured I'd give one a try. Slightly intimidated by them though, mechanical upkeep wise.....regarding rebuild and such....I am mechanically inclined having worked on my own track bikes over the yrs....silly concern?

 

I have two friends that have pretty recent vintage 300 two stroke betas and they love them. They both have them tagged and like the oil injection system on dual sport rides. just ride in and fill 'er up like everyone else..

so far both have been as reliable as KTM's. wait... yeah, I'll go with that. 95% of the KTM's are pretty solid, just hope you don't get the other 5%. like every other brand, they have their lemons. Just confirm that he's doing the basic maintenance and you should be good (oil and air filter changes regularly, valves when needed/called for, etc). If there's no hour meter or similar on the clocks, and they haven't added one, I'd move on but overall they are solid.

 

the first time, when you have to figure out the directions, spacers, set up trimming fork leg covers, ect... it is 5-6 hours. the swap back to dirt is about half. the next swap back to snow is about 3 hours.

due to over fueling from lower temps than calibrated for, carbs need big jet changes, and efi, needs flash, or tuning. you need to add a thermostat to try to stabilize the temps. thermo bob is what most people in the snow bike world use. in super deep snow, you should add the engine cover/blanket, to prevent the snow from over cooling the cases. due to the over fueling, and condensation from the drastic temp changes, it is recommended to change the oil daily. (it's a quart so, no big deal). will help with oil contamination from water, fuel.

you definitely have to spring, and valve the front suspension due the big lever you just added to the back of the bike. then in the spring, you have to change that back for dirt/dualsport/woods duty.

they are not cheap, they need a bit of extra maintenance but, they are worth it, and fun as hell, especially for deep snow back country playing. they will go where long track mountain sleds can not. Ski

 

If you can count to potato, you can do a top end on a 2 stroke. Bottom ends on the 300's can go 400+ hours. Obviously the majority of hours centers around how it's used/ran, just like road bikes, the harder you run them, the more frequent the maintenance. Mine has 240 hours on the OEM bottom end, has only had one top end done. Obviously guys that are winning expert races/Moto America pace (but in the woods) are doing rebuilds far more often, vice me just fucking around in the woods doing wheelies and shit.

 

My only concern on the beta would be spare parts availability.


We got out last weekend with some accomplished single track riders, even dropping a tooth on the front my 450sx was geared way to tall and suspension was too firm for that riding. It pisses me off that I can still run A level pace on an mx track and am lucky to hang with a B level single track rider In the tight stuff. Oh, and now I need a new clutch because of the tall gearing and all the hill climbs.

 

So true, people who have never ridden single track just don't understand how good riders can go through the tight stuff at speeds that don't seem to make sense. It certainly helps you develop excellent balance though.

 

So true! I’m all about the tight woods fast riding. Risk verses reward is high. Trees do not move and will flat bust you up at speed. I hit two last weekend at speed. First one was a glitch on my part, fuel light come on which on my bike is the same color and location as the engine light. That quick glance away from the track in a second and I smacked a tree with the left bar. 2nd one was simply a deflection at speed from a hidden root under leaves that sent me off course.

I was lucky to walk away both times unhurt. Its a big adrenaline rush though when you’re clicking through the tight stuff and it all just feels like poetry in motion. 5 days off coming up for the holiday, I’ll spend most of it at the camp with my dirtbike.

 

Its amazing how when you smack a tree with a bar good that the shockwave goes through your entire body. It can actually almost give you a quick ringing of the bell in your head. The next few days is count your bruises days : )

 

I have a 15' 350RR, tagged for the street. Way better woods bike than I am a rider. Has been pretty much trouble free, only issue I have experienced is in tight first gear sections. I believe it may be boiling the fuel, leading to a slight tendency to stall at crawling speeds. I am getting the factory fan setup, as it seems that would be all it takes to cure this issue. A quick blast up to second or third gear for a couple hundred yards and it idles fine again.

I have noticed other bikes(brands) sporting fans, so this may be common in certain conditions and areas.

Love the bike!

 

Oh yea its a solid as a hit as they come short of your body actually hitting the Tree. For me in a second or two it reminds me of just how dangerous a thing you are doing. I guess that’s part of the thrill.

I hit a tree last year and busted 2 ribs a week before my Barber regional round. I raced but man I was in pain even iced down to the point I could be pinched and couldn’t feel it. Ribs suck right up there with a collar bone break.

 

On the clipping trees topic- got the Cycra probend on both bikes and I'm pretty happy with them. People knock them for trapping your wrist inside but I've taken legit spills with zero hand injuries and didn't bust any of the controls