Wilsons Sandbox

A short report of my attempted ride to the top of Rice Peak. http://cactusreese.smugmug.com/gallery/5063497_7U2Ut#304664301_iqXx5 -Bryan

I know what you mean about steep descents. I went down 2 trails where I could have the rear wheel locked up w/ my weight as far back as I could get it and still have the bike skid down the hill. Using the front brake was a bit scary at first and you just have to trust your suspension and yeehaw down your line. I figured if I thought I could make it down on a mountain bike, I should be able to make it on my motorcycle. Going up was a lot easier - I just stood on the pegs and didn't even have to slip the clutch. The suspension sucks up some surprisingly large bumps. I have Progressive springs in front and a Progressive shock in the rear so maybe that helped. John --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "cactus_reese" wrote:

> > A short report of my attempted ride to the top of Rice Peak. > > http://cactusreese.smugmug.com/gallery/5063497_7U2Ut#304664301_iqXx5 > > -Bryan >

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "cactus_reese" wrote:

> > A short report of my attempted ride to the top of Rice Peak. > > http://cactusreese.smugmug.com/gallery/5063497_7U2Ut#304664301_iqXx5 > > -Bryan >

Bryan, I see you have two "problems". 1) Your bike is red. Everyone knows the green ones are more tractor like--the one in my garage even says "John Deere". 2) Farkle color cordination, cough. what is up with those white handguards!!!! smile. Very nice report, and I know the camera never shows how difficult it is--and it appears you were doing it solo! I see that you were doing this with a 'naked' klr--not dragging all the camping gear along! Q. What gearing were you using? 4 of 5 riders on the GDR had less than enjoyable experience using a 14/43 combination. It was just not low enough gearing for the head-sized boulder strewn trail that crossed Lava Mountain portion of the trail (at my skill level and using the fully laden bikes. Poster Jeff Saline used a 14/46 and was able to ride the difficult parts more easily. Q. Would having a lower 1st gear have helped--or did the trail just become to steep to be bearable? Q. Did you think the K270 was an adequate tire for what you were attempting? Thanks for sharing your 2d attempt at Rice Mt. revmaaatin.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "revmaaatin" wrote:

> > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "cactus_reese" > wrote: > > > > A short report of my attempted ride to the top of Rice Peak. > > > >

http://cactusreese.smugmug.com/gallery/5063497_7U2Ut#304664301_iqXx5

> > > > -Bryan > Bryan, > I see you have two "problems". > 1) Your bike is red. Everyone knows the green ones are more

tractor like Yea, ever since I converted my A12 to red it has seemed like the gears were taller and the bike was faster ... even standing still.

> 2) Farkle color cordination, cough. what is up with those white > handguards!!!! > > smile.

Color coordination was never my forte. Careful inspection will reveal a forest green rim that I got off of ebay to replace the original when the hub self destructed when my speedometer rotor froze up.

> > Very nice report, and I know the camera never shows how difficult

it

> is--and it appears you were doing it solo!

Yes, I always get home, look at the pictures and say, "That doesn't look so bad."

> > I see that you were doing this with a 'naked' klr--not dragging all > the camping gear along!

Yes, If you are in this area you would be OK in Peppersauce Canyon or on Oracle Control Rd with camping gear but I would judge the upper trails toward the Rice Peak as impossible with a loaded bike. I have never seen another KLR on this trail. There is about a 100 ft stretch of baby head boulders on one of the hills.

> > Q. What gearing were you using? 4 of 5 riders on the GDR had less > than enjoyable experience using a 14/43 combination. It was just

not

> low enough gearing for the head-sized boulder strewn trail that > crossed Lava Mountain portion of the trail (at my skill level and > using the fully laden bikes. Poster Jeff Saline used a 14/46 and

was

> able to ride the difficult parts more easily.

I run a 14/43. I think it might have helped to be geared lower to take the rock steps a little slower but you do have to be going fast enough to keep your balance and some of the rock steps were 8 to 10 inches tall on a very steep grade.

> > Q. Would having a lower 1st gear have helped--or did the trail

just

> become to steep to be bearable?

I think that if I wasn't so afraid of scratching my new red plastic and I wasn't so winded from the climb up the trail to where the steps were I could have made it in about 1 in 3 attempts.

> > Q. Did you think the K270 was an adequate tire for what you were > attempting?

The K270 is the best compromise tire that I have found. It did slip some on the hills causing me to fishtail a little on the steeper hills. Traction was not what did me in on the steps.

> > Thanks for sharing your 2d attempt at Rice Mt. > > revmaaatin. >

Glad I could share. I think a 3rd attempt will be the charm ... if I rent a quad. -Bryan

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "cactus_reese" wrote: SNIP

> > I run a 14/43. I think it might have helped to be geared lower to > take the rock steps a little slower but you do have to be going

fast

> enough to keep your balance and some of the rock steps were 8 to 10 > inches tall on a very steep grade.

SNIP

> -Bryan >

Bryan, Thanks for the response. This little phrase,"rock steps" adds a lot to the understanding. I was having a problem visualing the acutal difficulty--rock steps--makes it a whole different game...a game if I were playing, would have likely left me in the bleachers as a spectator while on a KLR. A trials bike heritage completly passed my KLR and its rider. revmaaatin.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "revmaaatin" wrote:

> --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "cactus_reese" > wrote: > > I run a 14/43. I think it might have helped to be geared lower to > > take the rock steps a little slower but you do have to be going > fast > > enough to keep your balance and some of the rock steps were 8 to 10 > > inches tall on a very steep grade.

The way to take rock steps of that height on a KLR is to keep your weight back and keep on the gas. The front end will practically float over the steps, especially if you blip the throttle when you come to the step. It's when the rock steps get to be *more* than 10 inches tall that you have a real problem. As for speed, the most dangerous KLR is one that's going slow. Your wheels are gyroscopes and want to keep your bike upright, but you need to be going fast enough to get sufficient gyroscopic effect to do that. The problem is that if you hit a 14 inch rock step and end up doing a Superman, it *hurts* at that speed. As in, broken bones, probably. So not a good idea if you're solo. Frankly, if solo I would have turned back too. Too much opportunity to have broken bones. Ick.

> Thanks for the response. This little phrase,"rock steps" adds a lot > to the understanding. I was having a problem visualing the acutal > difficulty--rock steps--makes it a whole different game...a game if I > were playing, would have likely left me in the bleachers as a > spectator while on a KLR.

I've taken mild rock steps of that sort before, it's really not that hard on a KLR (you have a 21" front wheel, remember? It'll do 10" rock steps just fine, it's the 12" rock steps that hurt , but only if riding with someone else or in an area where I knew someone would be along shortly. It's not something I'd want to do solo in a place where nobody is going to be along for a good long while. It's just one of those things where the only thing to do is yell "Banzai!" and blip the gas while leaning back to lighten your front tire. The KLR is surprisingly capable for a bike of its, err, significant girth. But it's a *whole* lot of work to wrestle a KLR through this kinda stuff, and frankly, if there's more than a few rock steps I wouldn't do it simply because it's more work than it's worth. _E

My original tires were Gripsters. What you say is true - breaking the bead using conventional means was a bear. The bead laughed at my C-clamp, spoons, and everything else I tried. I didn't have another bike to use the kickstand trick. Come to think of it, I should have just put it in my bench vise... Alas, with several other tricks still up my sleeve, I used a 2x4, rested one end on the side of the tire just shy of the rim (the wheel was tipped so bottom of the rim was supported by the ground), and jumped up and down on it. The bead broke easily enough. John

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "E.L. Green" wrote: > > If I'm with another bike, I'll > > use their kickstand to break the bead. I have a 3rd short tire > > Try to do that with a Conti TKC-80 or Avon Gripster rear. I dare you! > You'll be oophing and grunting and shoving that kickstand into the > fray with all your might and IT WILL NOT WORK. I guarantee you! I thus > far have not found a way other than my giant C-clamp to break that > $%@# bead on those two tires (both of which are tubeless tires by > design and thus have a much stiffer bead than most tube-type tires). > > _E >