Time for an update... I finally got a a chance to ride the TC this week. It has been a month filled with fun weekends riding off road and no time for MX. Plus there were some initial issues that had the bike in the shop for a week or so. The issues... Hard starting and binding, that caused a broken kick starter. Bills MC plus fixed it right up with his cam mod, and a new kick starter. Then I got the jetting dialed in, the 42 pilot from the jd kit was either plugged very badly out of the box or never drilled so I was trying to jet a bike with no pilot circuit. When I put the 40 pilot in it the blue needle was too rich. I went back to the red needle 5th position, 2 turns out on the fuel screw and the 40 pilot. Basically the JD settings with the 40 pilot and slightly richer on the fuel screw. It is now a 1 kick bike hot or cold 90% of the time. The first real ride was Tuesday a public practice on a track I had been to twice, but they reversed the track direction on me. I got to learn a new layout and new bike in a hurry. I showed up 2-1/2 hours into the practice when everyone else was warmed up and played rolling roadblock for a bit before getting up to speed. I missed recording my best session somehow so this one is the last session of the day and it was getting a bit dark. [smugmug]ZT0xJmk9MTAxNzcyNDAzOSZrPTlMS1ZjJmE9MTM4NzQyNjlfcGpYbUEmdT1qbWV0dGVlcg==[/smugmug] The other video's from that day are here if you want to watch me get passed, a lot. The next day I went and rode at a private track. Just me and my friend Don. He is former pro MX'er, rode Erzberg this year etc... He worked with me and told me some things I was doing that I knew not to do but didn't realize I was even doing. The track was really slick, good practice for throttle control and line selection. At one point I rolled the double step up section in the back a few times until I found a good line. [smugmug]ZT0xJmk9MTAxOTAwODQ3OCZrPVFUWHBpJmE9MTM4ODc1NjNfYzQ0TmImdT1qbWV0dGVlcg==[/smugmug] The other video's from this session are here including a some short clips and pictures of Don So the verdict on the bike so far? The handling is everything I had hoped and more, I am not yet comfortable with how well it handles. Can't wait to get some more seat time. The power is great, there is probably more power on the table but if you ride it where the power is it works just fine. The brakes, are typical husky with tons of bite and only one finger needed. Suspension, plush and controlled, soaks up the chop well and doesn't bottom hard even when coming up short. I need to move the bars to the forward position like my TXC, that should help me get over the front more. Don wanted me landing nose down more, not something I am super comfortable with. The only complaints... The initial issues kinda sucked. Lost the left side frame guard on the first ride. A couple times it has died landing from jumps and won't restart until the engine completely stops, like the auto decomp is getting engaged somehow. It caused me to get rear ended in a corner and the swing arm got a nice scratch. My bike is dirty and I need to wash it now. ummm, that is about it. Later,
It carbeurates (sp?) better? Other than that I really don't know, I rode the '10 TXC so long ago and in completely different conditions that it is hard to say. Later,
nice, glad to see the warm up laps fade up into the smoother faster laps. you looked like you had rear hoppers on the coming up short hits at first, but then settled in good when timing kicked in. that track is cool and looks fun kinda like an offroad biased course, nice through the trees. Great vid quality.
Brain fade... [smugmug]ZT0xJmk9MTAyMjExOTEzOCZrPU5ZdVNWJmE9MTM5MjE0MDhfaEZzTHQmdT1qbWV0dGVlcg==[/smugmug] Later,
Yeah I had slowed down and was not even riding the main lines, not pushing at all and had a lapse of concentration. I have no idea what I was thinking. I do know that my "slow" TC250 had more than enough power to overshoot the landing by at least 20 feet. Here is a video from earlier in the day, even mixed it up with a 450 for a bit. [smugmug]ZT0xJmk9MTAyMjAzODkzMyZrPUhaSHRHJmE9MTM5MjE0MDhfaEZzTHQmdT1qbWV0dGVlcg==[/smugmug] Later,
he seems to be crashing more, it's odd. Pushing the boundary I guess. (or learned it from Shane) I type this as I sit here with a sore foot and hand
Cool videos Jake! I don't think the guy that cut you off wanted you to pass him; nice pass! Was he on a 450? Yeah your slow bike sure gets it done.
That last one is a good vid Jake. I did the same thing out there at that track, used my off road slick off camber skills to pass people on the inside that only wanted to ride the groove. Some off road skills will make you better at Moto.
Jake great corner speed and love the way you cut that little sucker to the inside. great vids Are you racing in PNW? AMA D27?
Thanks Robert I don't have any AMA races planned this year, will do some local MX stuff this winter and see what next summer brings as far as the bigger AMA sanctioned events. Later,
