A n00b goes racing

[eatpasta]

Originally Posted by MotoMike

Tappet w/lock nut. Kind of a bitch the first couple times, but you get the routine down. Need a special angled feeler gauge.

oh sweet..... I love those. luckily I have never had to do one of those bucket/shim deals

[rider914]

Originally Posted by MotoMike

Tappet w/lock nut.

RFS !

Originally Posted by MotoMike

Need a special angled feeler gauge.

... or 1/6th turn method (in a pinch or when the stems get a bit worn).

Intakes are the ones you need to keep an eye on. They move (tighten up) faster, but are easy to check and adjust. Exhaust are harder to get at, but hardly ever move.

I think finding the right TDC, or at least the right spot to adjust, is often the hardest part. KTM didn't give us easy access to put a wrench directly on the crankshaft

-M

[nobrakes]

Originally Posted by MotoMike

Tappet w/lock nut. Kind of a bitch the first couple times, but you get the routine down. Need a special angled feeler gauge.

Yep. Ignore the manual's concept of TDC and follow this video tutorial instead:

And if your experience is anything like mine on my '07 450, only the intakes will need adjustment, my exhausts never moved in over 300 hours. Fortunately, the intakes are the easiest to get to, and the exhausts are down in between the radiators and it's a tight squeeze to check them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWS9RuEQzc8

[eatpasta]

Originally Posted by rider914

I think finding the right TDC, or at least the right spot to adjust, is often the hardest part. KTM didn't give us easy access to put a wrench directly on the crankshaft

-M

yeeaaahhh on my 650R the nitwit previous owner wrote where TDC with SHARPIE all over engine.



it DOES make it easy to find TDC however....

[eatpasta]

raced the astonishingly fast 525 today..... it was only the second time I had ever ridden it in the dirt.
I know that I said I was going to stop doing videos but I have to do one about this race. The 525 feels like cheating out there.... its that good

[header]

Originally Posted by eatpasta

raced the astonishingly fast 525 today..... it was only the second time I had ever ridden it in the dirt.
I know that I said I was going to stop doing videos but I have to do one about this race. The 525 feels like cheating out there.... its that good

Agreed

Ill be waiting for the video

[eatpasta]

Im going to buy a couple of these, but here are the proofs from yesterdays race start.










The KTM is fast. Very fast.

here's Dennis, pre flat and pre injury.



Ran into Veron as well - we were all in the same class. There was only about 7 of us. The two or three guys that guest pitted with the Coyotes were on the same line.... weird. They were fast though

[eatpasta]

got the results FINALLY.

39th OA out of 71 and 3rd in class. Now considering that I started on the THIRTY NINTH ROW - im pretty proud of this finish because there were only two rows that started behind us. So I passed about 40 riders to get to where I was.
and had I not crashed or gotten stuck that one time, or stopped to slow down traffic with the downed rider, I would have easily finished 10 or 15 spot higher.

Still planning on doing the video... I just gotta get some time together

[eatpasta]

Ohhhh kay - finally got this one done. Cant believe how long it took to finish and upload. It took literally all night to upload - but here's the latest vid

[Bluebull2007]

He's back! Nice video, so make it 8 guys watching your vids. Im sure theres a lot more actually.

Anyway. Nice new bike Told you suspension makes the world of difference! Now imagine if you could improve on that suspension.....Just watch out because you'll be riding faster now, which means you can crash harder.

Tis why I wear a DS jacket over my shell. The ballistic armour helps but it helps even more for high speed crashes if you have a jacket over that. Not sure if it would be appropriate in an enduro though. You might get some funny looks like I do

Great to see you racing again.

Now I just got to stop being fat and go out there and start rallying again.

[pacadermng67]

Hey man,

Great stuff. I just watched all your videos and am extremely impressed with the quality. It really seems like a great time. Keep making the videos, I will watch every one.

Thanks!

[eatpasta]

hey thanks guys! I appreciate it.

Wearing a jacket over the armor is usually a no go because its so hot.... also I dont have a jacket that fits over the top of it...

[Bluebull2007]

Originally Posted by eatpasta

hey thanks guys! I appreciate it.

Wearing a jacket over the armor is usually a no go because its so hot.... also I dont have a jacket that fits over the top of it...

Yeah I know its hot, but you acclimatise. Get one with vent flaps XXL. Camelback goes underneath and helps with the ventilation, keeping your water cool.

[eatpasta]

Originally Posted by Bluebull2007

Yeah I know its hot, but you acclimatise. Get one with vent flaps XXL. Camelback goes underneath and helps with the ventilation, keeping your water cool.

yer one of a handful of riders whose advice I will actually take...

[Bluebull2007]

Originally Posted by eatpasta

yer one of a handful of riders whose advice I will actually take...

Thanks, but as I said it may not be applicable for an enduro, which are often slower.