Carry, Tow or None of the Above

There's one thing that most motocrossers know, and that's the importance of trucks. They have the option to carry their bike in the back of their truck or tow it behind on a trailer. Most professional motocrossers have their bikes loaded in the back of a semi, along with their practice bikes, pit bikes, spare engines, parts and tires. They go from track to track in these big trucks.

But for us "normal" folk, our funds only allot us just enough for a used bike and an even more used truck. The fact of the matter is, most motocrossers outside of the professional sphere don't have immediate access to a track or trail. We have to load up our bike and gear, and take it all somewhere else. That's why trucks are so vital to motocross.

The brand of the truck isn't as important as the make-up of the truck. For example, a full-size truck with a "long-bed" (normally around 97" in length) can comfortably carry two bikes side-by-side and tons of gear, with enough room to still put the tailgate up. I prefer "long-beds," but they're not the only way to go. They're just one of a few options.

It seems like the majority of full-size trucks have the "short-bed," which is typically between 69" and 78" in length. These are the trucks you usually see with their tailgates down when carrying bikes. The shorter bed length makes them a little easier to maneuver around town and in tight areas.

Then there's the mid-size trucks. They have even smaller beds, and usually smaller engines. They're typically focused toward people wanting the utility of a truck without excessive fuel consumption attributed to V8s and diesel engines. The mid-size trucks usually have either an L4, L6 or V6 engine.

Whether you're sporting a big V8 truck or little L4 mid-size truck, the important thing is that you have a means to carry or tow your bike. Motocross is exceptionally hard when you don't have the vehicle to get your bike to where you want to ride.

Be grateful for the many years and styles of trucks that get your bike and gear where you want to go. Here's a tribute to trucks.

Jockeys as Riders: Could it Happen?

I've often wondered if horse racing jockeys could make it in the motocross world. It seems as though they would have some advantages over the average Joe that's considering taking up racing. Jockeys are short and light-weight, having trained their selves to maintain a strict, airy weight and still function at semi-normal levels. They're accustomed to holding onto a fast-paced "thing" between their legs. The good ones have an edge about them that makes them seem bigger than they really are.

I still wonder if they would make for a good motocross racer...

Pucker Up, It's Powerful

If you've been riding on the same brake pads for more than a couple years you're likely not riding enough, or you just don't use the brakes. If so, skip this. Otherwise, you'll be interested to know what kind of replacement pads to put on your bike.

Galfer brake pads are high quality pads available at most dealerships and Web sites. They offer two basic types: carbon or sintered metal. The difference between the two is broken into two categories of riding conditions: hot, dry riding climates where there's a high potential for brake fade (carbon), or rough riding climates where mud and sand are present, but not as likely to experience drastic brake fade (sintered metal).

Anybody riding a Honda CR or CRF from 2002 to present knows how quickly the rear brake fades after hard braking. The minuscule size of the caliper and pads are prone to fade in a short amount of time. For this reason I purchased a set of front and rear carbon pads for my 2004 Honda CR250R. After replacing the front tire and completing a top-end rebuild, my first experience with Galfer carbon pads was a thrilling one. I still have the proof of their power protruding from the palm of my right hand in the form of a small piece of asphalt embedded in my skin.

Two years ago I was cruising my bike up and down the cul-de-sac to test out my top-end work. I was in third gear and did a wheelie as I was heading up the street. After I brought the front end down I tapped the front brake, with the new front tire and carbon pads. Prior to having replaced the brake pads, there wouldn't have been any problem with this. The old pads were worn and provided a very progressive braking. To be brief, my new front carbon pads bit hard into my 240mm Honda rotor, and I did a perfect imitation of Superman flying through the air.

I contemplated my predicament as I sailed through the air, thanking the heavens that my mother was out of town at the time. To this day I'm sure she's convinced that my bike is a conduit to the gates of hell. I digress. I flew up and over my Renthal Twinwall handlebars and straight into the cheese-grater-like devil know as asphalt. I skidded and rolled and somersaulted to a stop, gracefully ending on my feet. My bike lay on its left side, spinning its rear tire and shut off.

I spent the next three hours at the local hospital as they meticulously (though at the time it seemed more haphazardly than meticulously) scraping and cleaning my fresh road burn wounds and examining my right arm with their X-ray. The final diagnosis was a minor radial head fracture in my right arm, and lots of road burn on both my palms, left elbow, left rear shoulder and left thigh. The one irony about the whole thing is that the lowest section of road burn on my body occurred on my left hip. My legs and head remained unscathed.

My bike received a wicked dent and scrapes to FMF Fatty pipe. A triangulated section of the left-side handlebars was ground away after the grip and clutch lever were chewed up. The front fender got a nice set of skid marks, as well as the left side panel. Luckily, I had an extra set of grips on hand and an FMF SST pipe, so they replaced the damaged goods.

The scars are a nice reminder to me of the pucker power of Galfer carbon brake pads. If you're looking for bite, I'd recommend them to you with a smile. Just make sure you're prepared to stop NOW.

Dunlop D756 Tires Still For Sale

For any of you who've experienced the impressive handling characteristics of the sadly discontinued Dunlop D756 intermediate/soft terrain tire, all hope isn't gone. There are still places where you can find discounted new tires for sale, and I'm not referring to Ebay.

Check out the deals Rocky Mountain ATV/MC is having on their Dunlop D756 inventory. Click here to see what they have in stock.

I've been frequenting Rocky Mountain ATV/MC's Web site since 2005. They have a great selection of off-road products and very good service. You can't go wrong with them.

Don't Forget to Jet

As the 2010 riding season starts to creep into view, I'm reminded of an experience I had regarding jetting. Actually, it was my lack of jetting knowledge that caused the problem. Let me explain.

I was riding with my brother, cousin and friends in late October of 2007. I had purchased my 2004 Honda CR250R just four months prior, when the average temperature throughout the day is in the mid nineties. When I'd bought my bike it was already jetted and didn't need any adjustments. Where I come from, riding from the months of June to September doesn't require any major jetting adjustments, other than an occasional half turn on the air screw.

But late October in eastern Idaho is different. The temperature is at least ten degrees cooler than in Utah. Besides the obvious, the temperature when we were riding was somewhere in the fifties, which was too cold for my jetting setup. Although I didn't realize it at the time, my bike was running too lean. It would start after a million kicks and idle high for a while, then it would be okay. But after fouling three spark plugs in a matter of a few hours, I didn't know what to do. I didn't have any main or pilot jets, or any needles for my carburetor.

The lesson I learned was how important awareness is in the sport of motocross. Knowing the temperature outside - or where ever you may be riding - is vital to a clean, powerfully running engine. Additionally, knowing the altitude of where you ride is important. The higher the altitude, the thinner the air is. The thinner the air means the leaner you need to go on you jetting.

Hopefully you have been out already on your bike. Up here in Rexburg, Idaho, it snowed today. Needless to say, I still haven't been able to ride yet. It's a sad, sobering day today. But the day will shortly come that I'll be riding my bike instead of writing about it. Have fun!

Setting a Trend

It's easy to find a trend in every aspect of your life. That's a simple fact. From clothes to hair to colors to cars, there's a plethora of trends you can follow. The idea of trends is ubiquitous, and rightfully so.

We, the people of today, often have the urge to fit in with the status quo. This isn't a bad thing, usually. While this isn't a general statement, fitting in with the status quo seems to be built into our process of thought. We don't like sticking out unintentionally in a crowd. It fights our natural instinct of wanting to be socially acceptable. Now, sticking out intentionally is a different thing.

Among the countless trends in society today, there is a particular trend that seems to stand out. Teenagers and young adults seem to dress with bright, often uncoordinated color combinations, sporting styled hair that leaves the impression they've forgotten how to use a mirror. The statement it seems to make, a fair one from my perspective, is that they want to stand out. Their apparent desire to be one-of-a-kind in their apparel and appearance shrieks from their eye-catching clothes. The bold colors and quirky hair style speak loudly, but not in a way that these "modern" people may have considered.

Go outside and start counting how many of these colorful youngsters pass you. In a matter of minutes you'll realize how these colorized and accessorized people, in their attempts to stand out, fall into a non-distinguishable canvas of color. The reason for this isn't because they picked the wrong colors or hair styles. On the contrary, it's because so many of them pick the right colors and hair styles. They blend in with each other. In their attempts to stand out they mistakenly blend in because the other million 14 to 22-year-old youngsters are wearing nearly the same thing. I'd like to compare the current four-stroke trend with the current trend of colored clothes and haughty hair styles.

Motocross is a fashion statement, whether you're riding red, blue, orange, green or yellow. Ten years ago only one of the "Big Five" (Honda, Yamaha, KTM, Kawasaki andSuzuki) motocross motorcycle companies was producing a four-stroke motocross bike (Yamaha). Today, all five of the "Big Five" produce motocross four-strokes. And only two of the five still produce two-strokes. Ironically, the "Big Five" company that first produced the four-stroke motocross bike (Yamaha) is one of the two that still produces two-strokes.

What caused the four-stroke trend? There are a million possible reasons why. Four-strokes don't use oil in their gas, so they don't pollute the air like two-strokes. Four-strokes are more powerful bikes than two-strokes. Four-strokes don't have to have engine repairs as often as two-strokes. I could keep going, but won't.

Ultimately, any person that traded out their two-stroke motocross bike for a four-stroke is the reason why the trend changed. Bundles of used two-strokes flooded the "for sale" market when the four-stroke flood gates opened less than ten years ago.Granted, the professional motocross world is centered on four-strokes, and there are some reasons for that. An obvious reason is because a 450cc four-stroke, which ended the 250cc two-stroke for Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki, has more power than a two-stroke. If you're racing, you'll be hard pressed to find somebody that doesn't want more power. Simple enough. Also, a 450cc four-stroke offers more overall horsepower and torque than a 250cc two-stroke. Of course. It has nearly 200 more cc's.

I dare say the times haven't changed so much as they way in which we express ourselves has changed. The shift in motocross manufacturing is a result of that change. Despite the ever-changing trends, one trend that won't ever die is that of two-strokes. My reason? Most two-stroke fans have counted the costs and benefits of their decision, and they refuse to yield to the dominant four-stroke industry. Just remember what I've said the next time you have your valves replaced on your four-stroke motocross bike, because it may be the last time you can afford it.

MXA Explains Motocross Front-Wheel-Drive and Rear-Wheel-Drive

Here's a question for you: Have you ever watched a four-stroke motocross bike in a turn? You may have noticed how, in most cases, it seems to turn like you'd expect a motocross bike to turn. That's pretty simple.

How about a two-stroke? Have you seen how a two-stroke slides around turns like Vin Diesel driving his '70 Chevelle in Fast and Furious? It seems like the rear tire wants to go faster than the front tire, which isn't far from the truth.

When comparing the turning characteristics of two-stroke and four stroke motocross bikes it's apparent that they're in different ball games. They don't turn the same for a few different reasons.

Motocross Action Magazine explains the differences. April 2010 issue, "Handling: Two-Stroke or Four?" Just flip to the glossary and click on the article.