This fella, who goes by the monikerTropic o Canada has an interesting multi-year thread going on ADVRider of single day and multi-day rides on, predominantly southern Vancouver Island (although I notice he visits the north-end of the island too). I found it very interesting and inspiring, particularly because he rides whatever the season or weather and frequently solos. He touches everything from spelunking rides, curiosities and every-day maintenance on his DRZ400, It's going in the links section, as the thread is still active with his posts. Well worth a read on a rainy day.
He engineered his Rotopax to sit on the side of the bike. Eh, Andy? Eh??
For you quadders and brush-clearing enthusiasts, I just stumbled across a Canadian made folding saw reviewed on DSBC. It looks excellent! This is the time of year when things need cleaning out, and I always carry a little foldable hand saw, but nothing like this! 67USD.
Just a quick entry to say, after initially being underwhelmed by these boots, I'm liking the Formas more and more now. After several walks on rocky terrain (thanks, James), and some insoles (my feet are long but not wide), lowered pegs on the bike, these boots are working well.
I have been on two slow speed (very) single-track rooty technical rides with the TX Enduros and begun to get quite used to them. After initially disliking the clunky over protected feel, they are now conforming to my feet, becoming more flexible and giving me the feedback I need to change gear and brake more accurately. I had one off yesterday on black top, and had it not been for the boots and the excellent MSR knee guards, I would be in a cast with a likely fractured patella and twisted ankle. Admittedly it was a slow speed on-the-pegs lock to lock figure eight practice with no real speed involved, but my right knee and boot were the first to impact the road and become sandwiched by the bike. I'm wincing to think about what that would have been like if I had been wearing sweat pants and my hush puppies...
The boots are very comfortable now, the adjusters are extremely well thought out, super easy to use and make for very quick fitting and removal. No word on waterproof"ness" yet, but the soles are grippy and the buckles don't snag on leaves or debris. Needless to say, with the solid hiking boot sole, the steel toe, rear impact guards and hinge, I feel well protected.
The only downside is that because I wanted the enduro sole for hiking to those inaccessible fishing holes, the grips make it hard to slide the boot on the ground, and require a deliberate thought to lift the boot from the pegs rather than slide them off. But frankly that's like buying a Porsche and complaining about the lack of room...Not that I'll ever be in that position. I'm sure I'll get used to that too, over time.
Being my first bike boot ever, I don't feel I can give them a rating so far, but I will say they are growing on me in leaps and bounda and are well worth the money, especially when compared to similarly equipped - but far more expensive - boots from other well known companies like Gaerne, Sidi and the like.
One of the interesting things that all bike owners get to do is modify and customize their ride to suit themselves. I had a DR650 which I resprung, de-weighted and lowered the footpegs on (with the help of a friend who could weld). While re-springing the big Suzuki was amazing, lowering the pegs was the best and cheapest mod I did. It boosted my riding ability more than any other mod has ever done before or since. It transformed my confidence on slower more technical sections and, together with bar risers, made it much more comfortable to stand on the pegs. Of course lowering the centre of gravity didn't hurt either; in fact, it was amazing how much easier the big bike was to navigate through quite technical areas at walking speed.
The original steel pegs (ktm footpeg 590.03.041.250)
The Husaberg has much more ground clearance than the old DR, and being a very compact bike, it can be cramped in the cockpit for a 6 footer wanting to stand on the pegs for long periods of time and ride dual-sport. Not only that, but standing on the pegs gives the impression of being in helicopter. Not that the bike notices at all; it's my neurosis. So, after riding for a year, I decided, rather than buy some risers, a high bar, and re-thread all the cables and hydraulics, it would be simpler to buy some lower pegs.
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But, on looking around there are only a few aftermarket products out there. They are slick, look nice, come in anodized blue or orange aluminum (depending on your cool-aid of choice), but they only offer a whopping 7mm of adjustment down by using a "collar". 7mm? That won't even defer the height gain from my new boots. For this you pay in $189 US before shipping, duty and taxes. Call it $250 CDN, or if you like $35 per mm.
Ouch.
So there was only one thing for it, a pegoplasty or peg-reduction if you like. The exact opposite of those pecker augmentation emails Andy keeps getting. [edit: Hey, don't knock it--those augmentation devices worked for me! ~Andy] First, I thought about making an extension bracket that would slot into the original bodywork and hang lower, but that would be very hard to stabilize as the peg is held with a large-bore clevis pin with only split-pin securing it. The pegs would waggle. Not the thing when slopping through mud or balancing on that log. Then I happened across a guy who has done the same thing on his KTM 990. Oh yeah, they use the same pegs as all the other KTM/Husa/Husky products out there - ktm footpeg 590.03.041.250. Actually it's stamped right on the peg. So I looked that up...$60 per peg. That was my insurance. I would cut the pegs themselves, get a plate welded in, and weld the peg back together. If I didn't like it, then I could always buy original (or aftermarket - $35 per mm...ouch) pegs again without having screwed up the bracket.
Despite what Andy's mum told him, that is what 1.5 inches looks like. When I got the pegs back, because of where I had directed them to cut, they had these serrations on the bracket. They would not be nice on my boots, so I ground them off.
Grinding the serrations off...Something I wouldn't have had to do if I had them cut the bracket off the peg, rather than the peg off the bracket...but what fun would that have been? Now I can look at these in the knowledge, that in some small way, I helped fabricate them...I could over time, even exaggerate and take all the credit...No, only the Welsh would stoop.
Then I sat on the bike, pondered, measured some more and fabricated some wooden "pegs" at approximately the what felt like the right height and measured. 1.5 inches lower would do it. My legs would be somewhat straighter, I would not feel like I was lurching over the bars when standing. Not only that, my centre of gravity would be lower.
Wish I could weld like that. Heck, I wish could weld!
But there are other, more serious considerations to worry about: the pegs must be no lower than the bash plate, the rear brake pedal must be able to be adjusted low enough, and the side stand must clear the port peg...I turns out that lowering the pegs by 1.5 inches is the absolute maximum that you can manage while meeting all of those criteria.
A 1.5 inch plate welded in place. Top serrations removed.
So after that long-winded ramble, here are the shots of the finished product. Thank you Nanaimo Sheet Metal - precision cut, plate inserted and, critically, welded back together at exactly the right angle (no not 90 degrees!). I furnished them with the link above and they did the rest. $100 for both. Money well spent? Only time will tell.
Grinding finished.
Above and below. Mounted on the bike.
Above and Below: brake pedal adjusted fully low with specified 5mm play.
I haven't ridden with it yet, but I am very pleased with the results so far. I'll mount my new rear (ouch that sounds awkward) and let you know how it goes... Maybe some more finagling with shifter and brake, but that can be fun too!
It's been a long time since I've been out. I usually take the time during the winter months to strip the bike down, check, service, research next year's tires (is there anything better out there for us dual sporters in the DOT domain?...yes...), purchase and checkout new equipment and watch some videos (bring yer bleach...). So with that in mind here's a mish-mash of dirtbike paraphernalia for you.
New Equipment:
I have purchased some much needed boots. After trolling all the on line reviews, vids and recommendations, it came down to Gaerne or Forma. I went with the Forma, after speaking with the guys at Atomic. I've never had a dedicated motorcycle boot before, let alone an off road enduro boot, something my riding partners chide me about. I ride in sheepskin booties with fleece lining. Soooft. Warrrrrm....Comfortable....Daaangerouus. Truthfully, on the plus side, they allow awesome control. I've never had a problem. There's absolutely no support, no protection and no waterproofness, but they are light and I can FEEL everything; consequently, the control is fabulous.
Not anymore. Now I've purchased some very highly recommended, double hinged, high-end enduro boots. The Forma Terrain. And I hate them. I'm told they are fabulous, flexible, comfortable, with top end details for a mid-range price. Am I'm sure that's all true. But they feel like flippin' ski boots. I cannot feel a damn thing. Where's the shifter? Why's the back tire screaming? Oh yeah, I've locked it up. Protection, it seems comes at a cost, and it's a trade off. I think I erred on the side of immortality versus control. Perhaps I should have gone for the Gaerne Balanced Oiled. Frankly, given a second chance, at this point, I'd drop some of the protection of the Forma for the more supple trials boot. The Forma's, to their credit, are not yet broken in, and I guess I'll give them a shot for while.
More successful were the MSR Reflex knee guards. I have an old pair of Fox knee protectors which saved my skin 18 months ago in my De Cosmos Caper Crash. However, they left me open to a second impact on my knee as they rotated as they ran down the side of Andy's bike...I spent a few months learning how to straighten my leg in physio after that. So I had been looking for a pair of knee braces or better protection. The MSR's are articulated and fit me really well, The webbing is comfortable and the protection is amazing. In short they are super comfortable, and frankly, I forget I am wearing them. Highly recommended!
Bergy Bits
It's been a little over a year since I got the Husaberg and I'm super impressed with it. The Suzuki is long forgotten. The reliability has been stellar, but even better is the performance, suspension and light weight. The bike is perfect, except for one thing...the access to those needy bits.. Getting to the valves requires removing the radiators and the fuel tank. To remove the tank, one must remove part of the subframe... You can see the Swede now, sitting with his spectacles while gazing at the CAD screen and reducing the space between components until the mass centralisation is perfect. Mechanics curse, but engineers marvel. Most of the year I marvel!
The valves are perfect and have not moved in 1500km. A new plug, chain and sprockets, and she'll be good to go, except for her rear tire, which is a Maxxis Desert IT. It's a POS in wet, rooty and or muddy conditions. It wears like steel and has the traction to match - like a puck on ice.
Tires.
On the front I have a Pirelli Scorpion XCMH which is about the pokiest DOT tire you can find. It is by far the best front DOT tire I have had for our conditions, certainly better than the D606. There are some other, newer, possibilities out there, including the Golden Tire GT series, but the early reviews are not promising with regards to wear and price per grip level. Local riders are not over impressed either, so I think I'll stick with the XMCH on the front for now.
On the rear, I've been dabbling with the idea of a Pirelli MT43 enduro trials tire. I like the idea of the awesome grip on technical trails with wet roots and rocks being easy pickings for this tire, but the cornering and its serious mud issues are a worry. The enduro-trials tire is taking off as riders discover new levels of grip in the technical trails with them. There are several new competitors for the Pirelli MT43. Enter the new Motoz Mountain Hybrid tire. If that doesn't work out (supply is limited), then I might stick a Pirelli Scorpion XMCH on the back to match the front for now.
**UPDATE: the Motoz Mountain Hybrid is hard to come by and only just available. Folks are just starting to review them as they leak slowly into North America (US only so far)... Here is a good review of the MMH being used in similar conditions to Van Isle (wetter, muddier). And here is an unflattering review of its wear characteristics when paired with a 500 in the hard rocky desert around Reno I believe...Perhaps not what it was designed for...?
It appears that Kenda are coming out with a hybrid called the Equilibrium to rival the MT43 and MMH...No reviews yet. I'll keep you posted.
Old man winter is getting closer, the sun is getting lower, and, worst of all, my insurance runs out in early December, so today Mother Nature provided us with a respite between systems and me with a bonus ride, albeit a short one. Andy was locked inside in a self-induced purgatorial work-binge and Ryan had no oil in the KTM's sightglass, Ouch. So it was a lone ride today. I like solo rides, and thought I'd stay local (Lantzville Foothills to Nanoose) and look for some new trails. Found some good'uns!
Sundew Main: having a slash when I see three dirt bikes heading north-east, way below. They take a curious trail that I've never seen before. The elevation lets my eye follow them, and I listen to the throttle blips. It sounds good. I follow.
Their tracks and lead to this gate, after passing several looking juicy looking trail junctions on the way. Curious as to where I am, I get the trusty iPhone out. Sywash Ridge Road it tells me. Never heard of it. But handy if you need another route into the foothills/Sundew main...Below, the gap is adequate...
Backtracking from the gate for 80 metres or so, and taking a partially hidden single track path to the right you hit some hydro-lines. I turned left (north-east) and came out to Lorenzen Lane in Lantzville (I know, never heard of it either, but it's off Superior Road). Could've gone right, but it had a more "civilized , dog walking look" , so I decided to leave that for another day.
Turning back, and taking some alternative routes into the woods on the west side of the hydrolines, you get into some great trails with some very tasty side routes...This is FAR steeper than it looks from the wide-angle elevation-flattening iPhone cam....
And another.
Above...Ingrid peeks over the ravine trail...You can see the memorial off to the right. Below, Ingrid-eye view from the top down. There's a slight right hand descending trail across a creek and up the other side. It's a great ride (vid at end of this drivel).
There's a little footbridge across the creek.
Footbridge with trail down from the memorial
Above: Overview of the route; Below: Close up of the Lorenzen Lane and Sywash Ridge Road access routes
Side note. I have to mention the memorial for a young man that I came across. It's a moving tribute to newly married man (August, 2011) called Garrett Paquette who passed away 6 months after his marriage, on November 11th, 2011. He left a grieving wife and an obviously loving family. If you take this route, you will see the moving memorial to Garrett. The memorial was erected for two reasons: one to remember Mr. Paquette, and to "safeguard others not to fall into the ravine below". The ravine is the one I rode down, pictured above.
The fenced entrance, maple tree, and bench serve not only as a tribute to Garret Paquette, but it was also designed to shepherd others across the ravine safely. You can see that without it, it might be tempting ride straight on towards the gently rising and curving trail on the other side of the ravine. This is what Garett did. It cost him his life.
Be safe out there. Ride on the right, and slow down. See you next season.
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