Bill, I recommend getting a Smugmug account. Then you just create your gallaries, and upload photos into them. You can browse, crop, color correct, etc, etc, there if you want. When it comes time to share here, you just click "right click" the photo you want to share, choose "copy image address" (or similar, depending on the browser), then paste it into the Forum reply field in between the two tags "". The cool thing about smugmug is you can choose any size image to display simply by the URL - there is a size reference in the URL itself, I think the sizes are: Th = thumnail S = small M = medium L = large XL = extra large X2 = extra extra large X3 = extra extra extra large O = original And the best thing about Smugmug is that it is owned and operated by Baldy, the owner and purveyor of this site, so if you like ADVrider, it is a way of giving back to Baldy who runs the site and does not clutter the place up with advertising to offset costs for bandwidth, rack space, hardware, etc - it's all on his own dime. So if you benefit from ADVRider (and we all do, or we wouldn't be here), consider a Smugmug account for your photos. Check it out ... https://www.smugmug.com
And if you use a code from another smugmug user, you can get a $5 discount. Not just sayin' cause I have one in my sig.
Basically the same with some minor differences to the cases and 6 speeds instead of 5, however they are interchangeable between frames.
I'm a Charlotte local, Dakar nut, how the hell did this get by me? I woulda VOLUNTEERED to help if I knew this was going down! Been looking for a way to get involved with ANYTHING Dakar for a long time, and this is in my back yard. I'll buy a sticker or 12, t-shirt... maybe next time. Good luck!
Bill: I've been busy organizing bike bike enduros, the PB300, 2011 and 2012 versions, work and family, so I haven't spent much time reading or posting on advrider. But I wanted to say "good luck or break a leg" which ever works for you. :eek1 Please be careful and just try to finish, IMHO, that's the best result anyone can do in their first Dakar, entering the Dakar has been my dream for more than 25 years. Your gonna live the dream, please come back and tell your story. I'll be the first to throw the party. Here's a pic from the 2008 Sand Blast Rally, we first met at the XPLOR Pine Barrens 2007 but I don't have a pic from that event. You always impressed me at the Rallys we rode, and I have a clip of you on my PC rippin on the Aprilla 550, that I play when I want to show what we do for fun. In my spare time I'll post it here. Best Regards Jack and the PB300 Crew
As you can imagine, Bill's crazy-busy. If you're interested in ordering schwag, place your order at http://bc2dakar.flyingcart.com/ I'll PM my email address to you, reply with your order confirmation and I'll bring whatever you buy back from the Performance Center to Belmont. I'll meet you on the interstate, just 15 minutes west of Charlotte. This offer stands for anyone in the Charlotte area.
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Ordered a T-Shirt on the website. I've been a volunteer at the Sandblast Rally for the last 4 years, wish I could've got invloved. SOMEDAY I'll get to Dakar as a spectator, wrench, speedbump... it will happen.
The question of service and spares was asked in another thread, I addressed it there and thought I'd share it here also. I'm sure everyone will have a different service schedule, mostly based on budget for parts and mechanics. My plans are oil change, oil filter cleaning and new air filter daily. Tires and mousses will go no more than two days per set, some only one day depending on terrain and conditions. I have three wheel sets, two of the rears have cush drives. The third rear wheel I'll use as a back up or if I know there is lots of sand and no street liasons. Each wheel set is complete with rotors so we should not need to replace any of those as they will be on rotation. Brake pads will be changed on a as needed basis. Chain and rear sporcket should go the distance but we will change on the rest day as a precaution. A fresh engine will go in on rest day and I will have a third "just in case". I also have second set of Ohlins forks and shock that will get exchanged on the rest day. I will have virtualy a complete bike in spares with me, everything from subframe, swingarm, triple clamp, radiators, cables, throttle body, fuel pump, electrical components to extra nuts and bolts. Hopefully that box never gets opened. I also have extra grips in a few different styles I can change if they get worn out or if it looks like it may be wet. <!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
Jack, That is when all this began! The Xplor PB event in 2007 was my first experience ever riding in sand, had a blast! Then came SB in 2008, first off road rally, disapointing finish with an electrical problem but still had a great time only to come back for more the following years. Who knew where this would lead... I hope I can share some great tales of the DAKAR with you at SandBlast 2012.
Cool looking forward to meeting you and hearing some Dakar stories in person. You going to ride your Dakar bike at Sandblast?
What do molten metal, lube and stainless screen have in common? New entries in the blog! www.bc2dakar,com Protective screens for the radiators.
Watching your pictures from the bike i was wondering why do you use the heavy big original exhaust ? I Europe we get a second smaller and lighter exhaust ( Akrapovic ) when you buy a Husky 449 from the dealer. Also you have more power and more torque withe the Akrapovic exhaust. Better and lighter again is the complete titanium line from Akrapovic, but also very expensive ( 1500,- Euro ) But there are a lot of other nice light powerfull exhausts on the market, think about it ! Less kg in the desert is more safety for shure !!!
Bill: I've met a lot of great riders and made a bunch of good freinds from the Pine Barrens events. The synergy created over the years is still picking up momentum and some intresting alliances have resulted from riders meeting each other. I'm not sure if the Pine Barrens RallyMoto team will be at Sand Blast, but we do have a AA enduro guy who wants enter this year on his 690, we'll see. Our next PB event is April 14th and 15th, 2012, maybe you could give a presentation of your Dakar experience at the Dinner. Here's a pic of you and the other instructors from the Performance Center at the 2007 PB XPLOR event. Good Luck and God Speed. Jack and the PB guys.