Anarchy OT - Page 621

spydyrodeo · 07-21-2011, 08:34 PM

Bike should treat you well. Even though it's not a racebike, it's still a 300. Take it easy for a while and get used to it. Those are high performance disk brakes, so get used to how they feel and how much you can grab before they lock up. Grab too much front brake on the dirt and you wash out. It's still going to put out a lot of horse power for what it is, but it's a little tamer than say a KX250f.

speedy2k4 · 07-22-2011, 09:10 AM

Better pic:

Kawasaki definately snagged the best color for their bikes. I rode it up and down the driveway a couple times just 1st and 2nd gear, but it starts on the first kick and rides smooth. Sounds good too, I was expecting a dirt bike with an aftermarket exhaust to be incredibly obnoxious.

spydyrodeo · 07-22-2011, 04:34 PM

What year is it? The graphics put it at 01-05. Front fender screams 01-02.

EDIT: Nevermind, 06.

banderson · 07-22-2011, 07:18 PM

Nice, Speedy. Good buy.

spydyrodeo · 07-23-2011, 04:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by banderson

Nice, Speedy. Good buy.

Definitely. I'm a little jelly.

speedy2k4 · 07-23-2011, 06:55 AM

Been riding it the past 2 hours, tons of fun to ride. Haven't put it on the ground, just stalled once trying to turn around. Discovered it's much easier to just rip on the throttle and swing the back around than trying to actually turn around slowly. Much more predictable on gravel that I would have expected, tail jumps around when cornering but I just drag my inside foot a bit to keep it upright. Also very easy to pull the front up to get over logs and such.

What I'm really bad at is braking at speed. I mostly slow down by downshifting and a little front brake, but I was trying to practice braking hard and as I predicted, I'm having a hard time not locking up the rear. Don't get much feel for the lever with boots on and it takes very little to lock up. Fishtailing at 40+ is a really uncomfortable feeling. Any tips, or just something to get used to?

spydyrodeo · 07-23-2011, 01:05 PM

You'll get the feel for it. JUST DO NOT LOCK UP THAT FRONT BRAKE!!!

When cornering, put your leg out in the direction of the turn, if you're turning left, push your left arm forward, grab more throttle and go. A motorcycle is a gyroscope, the faster you're going, the more stable it will be.

speedy2k4 · 07-23-2011, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spydyrodeo

A motorcycle is a gyroscope, the faster you're going, the more stable it will be.

Yeah, it's a really weird feeling. It is a bit terrifying when the tires break free and then catch again though. See Moto GP guys wobble around going stupid fast, your heart has to skip a beat every time that happens.

banderson · 07-23-2011, 06:42 PM

I've locked up the front a few times on pavement, scary as hell. Never have dump it from locking up a wheel though. Locking up the back *shrug* you won't slow down as fast, but it doesn't matter all that much.

With slow speed tight turns practice keeping your eyes up and looking through the turn. It is habit to look down and keep your eyes short, but you will never make a really tight slow turn that way.

A-5best · 07-23-2011, 08:19 PM

When I was getting the feel for it on my friends bike in a parking lot (gsxr 600, I know...) low speed turns seemed to be helped if I leaned the bike but kept my body upright, rather than trying to lean in the turn. Take that with a grain of salt though.

spydyrodeo · 07-24-2011, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by A-5best

When I was getting the feel for it on my friends bike in a parking lot (gsxr 600, I know...) low speed turns seemed to be helped if I leaned the bike but kept my body upright, rather than trying to lean in the turn. Take that with a grain of salt though.

That's called counter balancing, and it helps on a bike like speedys.

speedy2k4 · 07-24-2011, 09:34 AM

Yeah on flat ground I just lean the bike and sit mostly upright, foot on outside peg and inside leg hanging out to push off if it slides. If the turn is banked or if there is a little bit of a ditch to ride in I feel like I lean a little lower.

speedy2k4 · 07-24-2011, 12:31 PM

One more quick question: Chain maintenance. On my mountain bike I just spray it with WD40, wipe it and walk away. What is best for the KLX? I've heard people say use WD40, some use heavy gear oil, some use spray wax and some clean it with diesel and don't bother to lube it at all.

spydyrodeo · 07-24-2011, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by speedy2k4

One more quick question: Chain maintenance. On my mountain bike I just spray it with WD40, wipe it and walk away. What is best for the KLX? I've heard people say use WD40, some use heavy gear oil, some use spray wax and some clean it with diesel and don't bother to lube it at all.

Every 2 riding sessions, spray it down with some WD-40, and then take a wire brush, and hold it on the chain lightly and run the wheel backwards or forwards in neutral while on a center stand, then take a dry rag and spray the chain with some more WD-40 and then take the dry rag and wipe it off while spinning the wheel. Take a good chain lube, and lube it. Be careful and watch your fingers.

Every 20 or so, take the chain off, soak it in some gasoline, and then use a good chain lube.

When I raced I used PJ1 chain lube.

dm4monkey · 07-25-2011, 05:15 AM

Got my butter bars on Saturday.

AAWWWWW YEAAAAA!

spydyrodeo · 07-25-2011, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dm4monkey

Got my butter bars on Saturday.

AAWWWWW YEAAAAA!

Congrats 2lt.

speedy2k4 · 07-26-2011, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dm4monkey

Got my butter bars on Saturday.

Grats brotenant.

(Not gonna lie, had to look up what that meant. Thought you were getting really excited over a pastry.)

Spydy, teach me how to wheelie. I get going in 2nd, slide farther back on the seat, clutch in, twist the throttle and clutch out, that pulls the front up high enough to clear obstacles but I haven't been able to balance it. Should I be standing on the pegs? Or should I try pulling it up without the clutch on a better surface than gravel?

spydyrodeo · 07-26-2011, 09:42 PM

Better surface than gravel. I honestly cant tell you how to do a good wheelie, because I've never wheelied just to do it. There were times in races where I'd be up on the tank, the gate would drop and I'd drop the hammer and I'd be sitting down going down the starting line on those big tracks with long lines with my *** on the seat holding a wheelie with my wheel pretty high off the ground going up through the gears with guys elbow distance on each side of me. Kind of one them things you just do.

I honestly would try it in first gear just blipping the throttle and testing the waters and seeing what it does. Could get yourself in trouble popping the clutch.

One thing I would recommend if you want to pop the clutch, get going at a decent pace, maybe 20mph, stand up but like you're bent over on a sportbike trying to do a wheelie, pull the clutch in, grab you some throttle and let it go, it might come up. Just don't hurt yourself.

speedy2k4 · 07-27-2011, 03:57 AM

1st gear on this bike is pretty much the turn around at walking speed gear, it's incredibly short. Runs out of revs before it will do much in first. I think 2nd might be able to power the front up without the clutch if it got better grip, I've accidentally pulled it up a bit going up hills. I'll probably wait till I can try it on dirt or grass though, don't wanna scratch the hell out of the bike or myself if I drop it on gravel.

speedy2k4 · 07-27-2011, 10:13 AM

I broke it.

Lost a rear spoke somehow, might have clipped a branch on the ground or something. Didn't notice it until I heard a loud grinding noise as it started mauling the brake rotor.

Rim doesn't look bent/dented and all the other spokes are fine. Looks like it pulled the threads out of the nipple (?) though, so I think the tire would need to be removed to replace that.