About Us
Live's an Adventure... RIDE!
About Us:
I'm a dirt bike & motocross enthusiast and
rider from the Pacific Northwest in
Bend, Oregon.
I’ve ridden dirt bikes for over 30 years now (I’m 43). I've ridden all kinds of dirt bikes, and used all types of dirt bike and motocross gear, clothing and accessories.
I own 2 bikes [and 1 snowmobile]:
My '01 Honda XR650R "Mega Dualsport"
This
is a great bike! I wanted a super-powerful and very reliable
big-bore thumper to use as my primary motorcycle and dualsport bike. I almost
bought a KTM 525 or a Husqvarna TC 510, but I went with the Honda XR becuase of
their stellar reputation for reliability. I'm glad I did. This bike is super fun and fast. It
has tons of torque and big power throughout the revs. At about 300 pounds
it's not light, but way lighter than a Honda XR650L or similar box-stock
dualsport.
The best part about it really is that I can ride it anywhere - down to the local 711 for a 6 pack of beer, or dualsport 150 miles from my home in Bend, Oregon all the way down to Diamond Lake - like we did on our Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route Ride in August of 2006. Heck, I even race it with blinkers on! See my Virginia City Grand Prix race report.
Here is my list of modifications to my Honda XR650R:
- EBC oversized front brake rotor - this is the best mod so far -
it allows me to haul the beast down from speed with just 1 finger.
- Uncorked - removed airbox snorkel, drilled holes in the airbox
cover, UNI filter, etc, etc.
- Full Yoshimura RS3 Exhaust - actually the header is an FMF High-Flo
- it works with the Yosh since Yosh doesn't make a header for the XR650R.
This really wakes the bike up and makes it flat out haul booty... but
it's LOUD! They make a quiet insert (called a "TEC Kit" but
that makes the bike run really bad. Basically it's like sticking a
potato in your muffler. LAME! So, I compromised and had a custom
stainless steel turn-down tip fabricated at the local auto exhaust shop.
This gives me the best of both worlds - I can run it wide open to get
all the power - but the turn-down tip quiets it down a lot and points the
noise at the ground so it doesn't echo across the valley's and into the
local nature-nazi's ears. All good!
- Hotcams Stage 1 cam - this mod combined with the Yoshimura muffer
and FMF header gives the bike way more power in the mid to high rpms.
It takes just a little off the bottom torque, but it more than adds up for
it by giving the bike big power from mid to high rpms. In other
words, when you grab the throttle and go through the gears you're up to 80
MPH really fast! (if you want to go that fast). Just make sure you're not
pointed at a tree or anything. [NOTICE: Many opt for the Hotcams Stage 2 cam since it gives even more top-end power over the Stage 2 cam. It has more lift and longer duration and may wear your valves faster.]
- Suspension - To make the forks and shock perform better, I had my local moto shop revalve and re-spring them according to Bruce Borynack's Baja 500 specs.
Now the forks and shock work WAY BETTER and will take HUGE IMPACTS from Bumps and G-Outs with ease. This is one of the best mods you can do to any bike!
- Other Mods - Baja Designs dualsport kit, Enduro Engineering bark busters, radiator guards, Answer Pro-Taper bars and bar risers, Baja Designs soft tall seat by Guts Racing, steel sub-frame extension by Dirt Bagz, LED rear brake light and rear blinkers, etc., etc.
Pictures of the XR650R:
Racing the Virginia City Grand Prix in Nevada:
Dualsporting the Oregon Cascades - Photos by
Wachs:
My '07 KTM 300 XC-W "Woods Weapon"
I bought this bike for enduro racing and riding the tight singletrack. It's awesome! It only weighs about 220 pounds (80 less than my XR!), has tons of power, and great suspension and handling. It's a blast to race and its light weight doesn't tire me out as much as the XR does.
It's great right out of the box and needs no modifications to be competitive. I just installed bark busters, a skid plate and re-jetted it. Done!
Well, maybe not completely done. I plan on adding some carburetor mods to increase power across the rev range and will dial in the suspension more.
Pictures of the KTM 300 XC-W - Photos by David Wachs of GiantLoopMoto.com:
Pictures of the KTM 300 XC-W - Photos by Tom Niemela of BlackDogDualsport.com
My '06 Arctic Cat M7 "Mountain Sled"
We're really getting into snowmobiling during our snowy Central Oregon winters.
My latest addition to the stable is an '06 Arctic Cat M7 sled. Got it for a LOW price and it's like new with only 800 miles on it! Arctic Cat M Sleds are great and it's a blast to ride.
Pics of the M7 Mountain Sled...
It came with some cool aftermarket stuff on it.
- Billet bar riser, brake lever, gas cap, etc.
- Ceramic coated SLP muffler
- Cooling vents
- Etc.
The best thing about it is the “stand-up” ergonomics and high seat. In other words... It’s kinda like riding an MX Bike instead of a goofy old-school low-seated trail sled.
The suspension ROCKS too. The Fox Shocks provide a very plush ride when you hit the bumps and jumps. And then the motor is no slouch. It's a 140 HP 700cc 2-Stroke twin! BRAAAAAAPPP!!!!!
Plus, it’s GREEN!
Click here to see our ride reports!
Click the following links for reviews and tips of all the best dirt bike gear:
Motorcycle GPS Guide
Motorcycle GPS & Dual Sport GPS Units - Get Out and See the World... Without
Getting Lost!
Motorcycle & Motocross Helmets Guide
Motocross Helmet & Dirt Bike Helmet Guide and Reviews - Get a Quality
Motorcycle Helmet to Protect Your Noggin!
Motocross & Dirt Bike Boots Guide
"Must Have" Protection for Your Feet! Motocross and Dirt Bike Boot Reviews with
Tips and Discount Links
Motocross Apparel Guide
Get the best prices on motocross apparel and racing clothes - look good, ride
hard!
Casual Motocross Apparel Reviews With Discount Tips & Links!
Motocross Pants Guide
Motocross Pants & dirt bike pants guide & reviews - Motocross and Dirt Bike Boot
Reviews with Tips and Discount Links
Motocross Gloves Guide
Motorcycle Gloves & Motocross Gloves - Protect your Hands, and Ride Hard!
Motorcycle Gear & Apparel – dirt bike glove review - with discount tips & links
Enduro Jackets Guide
Motorcycle Enduro Jackets, Motocross Jackets, & Dirt Bike Jackets - Protect
Yourself, And Ride Hard! Motorcycle Gear & Apparel - enduro jacket reviews with
discount tips and links
Chest Protector Guide
Motocross Chest Protectors and Body Armor - Protect Yourself, and Ride Safe!
Motocross Gear & Apparel – dirt bike chest protector review - with discount tips
& links