Trails were closed when we got to our intended destination (Sam Houston NF) after driving over an hour, so we went to a nearby motocross park (Three Palms) to get our dirt fix (Texas=minimal public land.) The tank on my '99 Adventure was nearly full of fuel, so I quickly found the limits of the suspension! It went fairly well, and I was able to keep up or pass some average riders on XR 400s and the like on the sandy beginner/river track. We did OK for the hiking boot/Levis group. Some folks commented that they were amazed that the Enduro 3s were even hooking up at all (they weren't, it was all about momentum.) The brakes were awesome, as usual. Anyway, enough self aggrandizement. The questions: 1. Tires. This is a tired subject, but D-606; TKC80; Baja; De$ert; MT21(?) or Cheng Shin/Kenda/Maxxis? I.) longevity on pavement? II.) traction on soft/medium terrain? III.) cost? Feel free to use a letter grading system (ABCDF) if you don't feel like describing your opinion in detail. Using Copper Canyon as a ferinstance, I may just want to strap some knobbies on the back, and do a tire change in Creel or wherever the return path will cross, then back to the street tires for the ride home. Locally, just go cheap on the rear, and keep replacing it? Maybe someone who has gone super moto will sell off their 18/21 setup cheap! 2. Even allowing for a full tank, at my "present" weight (250) and with 3/4 rear preload cranked in, the suspension was way too soft for anything but the mildest trail riding. I have the WP 50mm conventional forks on my bike, but no suspension manual, and need some help. I know rebound and compression are each in their own fork leg, and I am not afraid to change oil or springs. I have worked on mountain bike suspension (Mag 21 & Marzocchi Z2), but never motorcycle suspension, other than oil changes, and airing up the air forks of old. I don't feel advanced enough to need revalving or anything beyond heavier springs (for now.) Anybody have an online source of WP manuals, or a way to make me a copy of yours? I want to get a heavier spring on the rear, so I can back off the preload a bit, and be able to load up for Copper Canyon! Nitrogen charge. Is this something one can have done locally? 3. Boots. Mack, I think you were sporting Flex Force SIDIs in the CC travelogue. Am I right? How were they to walk in? Might they fit a wide foot? Who stocks them? I am seeking boots that fit (12.5 EE); will protect my ankles, and can be walked in a bit. The trials type boots (Discovery, No Stop, Combat Tourer, etc...) look ok, but how much do they give up in ankle protection? Anybody know of a shop in Houston that stocks SIDI? I wear SIDI Mega (wide) in a bicycle shoe. There, that's my novel for this month. It was fun getting dirty and flying through the air on my beast. Thanks in advance for the responses. Paolo
Paolo, your killing me! Such cool topics, stuff that's been running through my mind as well, and I've got to get ready for work. But of Course I'll have plenty of time to post from there. I expect you will get much better advice on tires from Arch, Scotty, etc. Those who have more time on their ADV's, and on the surfaces we have here in Texas. That said I've used Michelin Enduro Comp III (front) Endurostar (rear), and the TKC's. My next set will be the Pirelli MT21 Rallycross. I suspect the Pirelli's will be better off road then the TKC 80's, but the TKC's worked really well on the C.C. trip. Caveat: I was riding with a group where everyone else had larger, heavier bikes. And we never made a complete canyon loop, (close, damn close, but no cigar) we attacked from both sides, so we spent more time on pavement, and there was some very nice, faster paved sections with big sweepers, the TKC's impressed me on the road, much more then I expected. (I can't put my finger on it, but for really hauling ass, my gut says to be a bit more cautious pushing a 21" front TKC, I think it's a different animal then the 19" TKC mounted on a GS that gets such praise.) Michelins 10/90 serious tires, for serious terrain. TKC's 50/50 (Almost a 70/70 if that makes sense, not great but good at both) I made it from Presidio and back, with about 40%+ remaining on my rear TKC, in November Texas temps. (I trucked from Austin, if you break down, you will need a truck at the border, at least for the GS's ) I can see a second set of wheels in my future, but for this kinda trip riding from Houston, you could install the front knobbie, keep a street biased high mileage, high temp rear on the bike, and then spoon on the rear knobbie in Creel, then just ride it all the way back and toss it. (No first hand exp. in doing so, but I think it would work well.) Can't help you on the suspension, I'm just over #200lbs without gear, and a packrat, but I don't know any better, so I'm still happy with how it works. (I've spent a fortune on my VFR suspension, but the ADV still feels ok, but Flanny has me thinking on this topic.) I learned the hard way, so I suggest you carry the bare miniumum in C.C. or leave stuff in Creel to come back to latter, the bike will really work best as unladen as possible, you will be grinning like a fool. Man if I say one more thing about the Sidi Flex Force boots, I expect I'll be banned. Just think of the bandwidth savings! For Baja and C.C. I'd except nothing less in terms of protection. I suspect you have read the thread, I've nothing to ad it's all here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showpost.php?p=534826&postcount=90 You just need to try on a pair yourself and see if they work for you. It's premature to say, but I might have a new pair for sale in my size 12.5/48. I don't want to sell them, but I'm getting ready start house shopping in Austin, and this has brought on one major reality check for me. Gotta head to work, hope this helps a bit, Cheers, Mack
Thanks, Mack. Yeah, down payments are a killer on disposable income. So is raising a kid! Austin is like a mini-California in Texas, property value-wise, unless you go Eastside Some friends of ours decided to buy an 80 foot houseboat instead, and live on Lake Travis at Hurst Harbor. They can take their home up the lake any time, which is nice. Not much room for a garage dyno or any of that other stuff, although they used to have a RIB, two sailboats, and a two place seaplane on top of the thing, with a crane to lower them into the water. Oh, and a ski boat they towed behind! We would set off up the lake in the afternoon, leaving the ski boat at the dock, and Mrs. Houseboat would catch up to us after arriving later from work. Not a bad life, and cheaper than a house, although slip rents are outrageous, as there are near monopolies up there. I suppose you could keep a 40 foot trailer up in the parking lot for your garage! An air-conditioned container? I am glad to have the swiss army knife of motorcycles, because I only get one! After posting my questions, I found Ricky's boot post. It seems to be the panacea of Italian offroad footwear. I think I saw a veiled reference to how narrow the Sidis are. What about yours? As mentioned above, I have EE feet, and they aren't happy in narrow boots. While I am not opposed to used footwear, I hope you will find something else to sell, as you seem quite happy with your boots! Tire wise, I suspect the TKCs are so good on the road because of their shallow knobs. What do you think? I will probably try some 606s, and depending on how long the rear lasts, either buy another, or use the cheapest DOT knobby I can find, and keep spooning them on. The MT21s have gotten mixed reviews over on KTMTalk. I look forward to hearing your evaluation. Still waiting on front fork help, but the work week is nearly upon us! I guess yours is already here. Thanks again, and watch out! You have some competition in the verbosity stakes! Paolo
LOL, I'm actually living "TDY" in Del Valle, in da'hood at present! The last two years have been very surreal, two of the aircraft that got driven in on Sept 11th were one's that I worked on.To keep my job, I had to leave Seattle, for Ft.worth, then I lucked out on an Austin position, I'm sure glad I've still drawing a paycheck. As to your friends on the houseboat, good for them. The additional toys make for quite the mental picture. I lived aboard on a two different boats in Portland and Seattle for short periods, I LOVE the lifestyle, and was looking to buy a liveaboard sailboat, and a cargo container for my landside garage, when the layoffs came. I expect my VFR and Duke II will soon be history, no crying though, I love the ADV. Expect that I will treat myself to a second set of wheels, a keihin, etc...... The boot pic will explain the extra set. My feet run to the narrow side, and the Sidi's are just a little sloppy around the base of the foot, EE's might be pushing things, I don't honestly know. Maybe, I suspect the knob spacing and compound have a lot to do with it, overall they have a lot of tread surface area compared to most knobbies. I have the WP suspension manual on CD, so feel free to hit me up with any questions. I work 8 days on, an 6 days off....The on is rough , the off is wonderfull. Cheers, Mack
Boeing? I have several friends who work in the aviation field. And no, they don't empty the honey bucket! Do those boots have the SRS system? I will have to find some to try on, or maybe give you a shout next time we are in Austin, since you have the market cornered! We were up there last weekend for the Marathon, but time was tight, especially after waiting two hours for a table at Kerbey Lane Sunday afternoon!
Ok, tyres. For dirt MT21s if you use them on paved roads then you'll need to keep the speed down (under 75mph) or else you'll find lumps of rubber flying off your knobs. TKCs, fine off road and in the dry but if the roads are wet be VERY careful they will break away without any warning at all and the next thing you know you're sliding along on your butt watching your pride and joy put on a firework show as it slides down the road! I do 80% / 20% road/dirt riding and for that sort of ratio I would always go for the OE Enduro IIIs. Suspension. I weigh about 240 and was recommended a 80-260 rear spring by Sommer and some heavy duty fork springs (don't know the spec of the ones they sent me but the are longer than OE and feel stiffer). With the 80-260 spring and the OE level of preload all my sag readings were spot on. Hope this is of help
Thanks, KTiM. I found a WP Extreme 5060 manual download over on www.Husaberg.org which was helpful. I am going to order your 80-260 spring, and the heavier fork springs for my bike. I am still trying to ascertain the original fork spring spec, if anyone knows. Paolo
Glad you found the WP manual, my part number search for older WP manuals come up empty. Anyone know the number designation for the front springs (Free length x spring rate, IIRC?) They are the standard resoleable Sidi's, mine have the SRS soles. (I turn wrenchs for AA at Bergstrom.) Cheers, Mack
