ontheroad

Bummer, sorry about the flat, CJ and I cruised around for awhile, beautiful day up there, 75-80F, no traffic on the trails, nice traction/light dust and no nazi ranger chick......

Hah, cool, will swing by Pine Valley cul-de-sac around 8:45+ if you're starting there

Going out to Corral, Fri. 1/17 for a ride, will be at Four Corners about 8am. First ride back after broken fingers and have no idea about pain/endurance etc., so will start at Beg. speed and try to work back up to Intermediate pace. Would appreciate it if anyone wants a mellow ride.

Love my '09 530, many are happy with the 450's too. The 350 however, to me, felt more like a 250F with a big bore kit ie. it's more of a revver with noticeably less off the bottom. It's prob. just as fast on top, but you have to work it more imho. There is an argument they all have plenty of off road power, so depends if you like more of a torquer or a revver. Another reason I went 530 is the option with supermoto wheels and having street torque. The 530 is a hooligan wheelie machine with SM wheels/tires and the displacement is a big part of that. They're all nice bikes, but if a noticeable torque improvement is what you want, I'd go 530/450. As mentioned above, the 08's had some case/ring/head issues that were resolved in '09. My '09 has been trouble free, I'd have no qualms getting an '08 if the PO had engine rebuild doc. to resolve the issues though. Suspension wise I noticed a big diff. just having the oil changed, went higher on the fork oil and backed the clickers out a couple, more plush with same bottoming resist.

http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/News/13-12-12/California_s_Johnson_Valley_off-highway_vehicle_area_saved.aspx California's Johnson Valley off-highway vehicle area saved December 12, 2013 The Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area in California won't be taken over by the military after all, thanks to language included in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2014 that was approved by a U.S. House-Senate conference committee on Dec. 11, the American Motorcyclist Association reports. The AMA, together with a coalition of off-highway recreation partners, congratulates U.S. Rep. Paul Cook (R-Calif.) for his leadership in protecting the interests of the OHV community -- many of whom are motorcyclists -- by getting the language inserted into the bill. Cook's language ensures the safety of the residents in the Johnson Valley area, which is just east of the San Bernardino Mountains near Los Angeles, and provides an adequate training area for the U.S. Marines stationed at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms. Specifically, Cook's language designates the Johnson Valley OHV area as the Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area, which will be managed by the U.S. Department of the Interior. The area is designated specifically for recreational uses including, but not limited to, OHV use, camping and hiking. Marine Corps activities would be allowed in a shared use area twice a year for a maximum of 60 days and would require use of non-dud producing ordnance. The Cook amendment was inserted in the NDAA in June by the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, of which Rep. Cook is a member. The measure then went to a House-Senate conference committee, where conferees worked out House and Senate differences in the bill. The final conference committee bill released on Dec. 11 contains the Cook amendment. The bill now goes to the House and Senate floors for approval before going to the president to be signed into law. Wayne Allard, AMA vice president for government relations, praised Cook, who is a retired U.S. Marine Corps colonel, for his efforts to protect the local economies and provide for the safety of the residents surrounding the Twentynine Palms Marine Base. The base wanted to expand its live fire training into Johnson Valley. "It was the strong leadership and exceptional ability of Paul to work with the Natural Resources Committee and Armed Services Committees in the U.S. House and Senate that protected the popular off-highway area in Johnson Valley," Allard said. The Johnson Valley Off-Highway Vehicle Recreation Area is the first federal land-use designation for off-highway use and becomes a precedent for future motorized recreation." The AMA joined with the California Motorized Recreation Council, a non-profit 501©3 represented in Washington, D.C., by The Livingston Group, to work with Cook to develop the amendment that preserves access to the Johnson Valley OHV riding area. CMRC members and partners include the Off-Road Business Association, California Association of 4-Wheel Drive Clubs, California Off-Road Vehicle Association, American Sand Association, California-Nevada Snowmobile Association, AMA District 36 (Northern California, Northwestern Nevada), AMA District 37 Off-Road (Southern California), The Partnership for Johnson Valley and countless individuals and businesses. The Specialty Equipment Market Association, the Motorcycle Industry Council and Americans for Responsible Recreational Access also provided valuable support. A map of the compromise plan for Johnson Valley can be found at the link: http://cook.house.gov/johnson-valley-map

Yup, then after the surg. + 8 weeks in a soft cast, 4 weeks in a part time splint + PT. So 3 months, no scooter. Get your insurance paid up too, total cost without it would have been ~ 2 new KTM's..... (hence the ejection plan calculations for next time )

Thanks. Tried the ASV's and like the ARC's better for '08+ EXC's due to fitment/clearance. (ARC also makes the KTM hardparts ones) The brake ratio is super strong though, feels like an oversize rotor now, nice but have to change pressure application. Good thing I have good insurance too, looks like surgery on two fingers + 8 weeks out.

Thanks for the well wishes. Yeah the discovery thing could be a bummer. One week after the rains there were zero tracks on some of the black diamonds. Even though I'm trying to laugh at what happened, it would be nice if this example helped someone else. So besides the mistakes that got me into the downhill endo, there's the mistake of how the crash went. Usually find a way off the bike that is reasonably safe, this time I just didn't separate enough as it came over the top. I treated it like a high side tuck and roll (high side/low side I'm ok with, endo needs work)and just tried to roll sideways....not enough Thing is I've been spoiled into thinking I'll separate from the bike, due to the momentum in a high side doing it for you. But tucking and rolling here just guaranteed the bike was coming with me since momentum wasn't doing the separation part. Imho, I should have pushed harder off the pegs to the side and then tucked and rolled, simulating the separation you automatically get in a high side. Hard to practice but something to think about adding to the crashing techniques bag.

Sorry Paul, didn't have a cam on, wish I had them too (although I can provide xrays lol)

So it's black diamond practice day, great weather, just put new foldable levers on the 530, ready to do some rock practice. Notice when I start off that the brake lever feels more abrupt and powerful, great if you're used to it, but it is noticeable. I try to always have a finger on the front brake, but this new lever is causing me to have to re-learn how to be less aggressive with it (warning sign #1) Hop onto 8, connect through Bobcat on 1 to 3, go over Bronco Peak, all good. This is my first time on 3, have done all the others though so thinking no big deal. Toward the end of 3, somewhere around 3A, come down to what looks like about a 5' shear dropoff......there must be a split in the trail because it looks like you'd need a trials bike and pretty good skills to jump up this face. But going down it, looks like you can just jump off it and land below. But I hesitate. (warning #2) Stopping at the top, I find a very slight ramp on the right side and decide to try to roll it even though jumping it would make more sense, just hard on the bike. (warning #3) I don't account for the fact that as I roll off this thing, I will brace for the impact and that I always have a finger on the brake and that the front brake is touchy now and that I will be near vertical when all these unknowns get together..... You can see where this is going. I tell myself "do not use any brakes" because of the steepness of the semi-ramp.....as I roll off, back as far as possible, all good, but when I brace for the impact, my index finger automatically flexes and the new touchy front brake just drags enough that I'm now in a high speed rotating stoppie.....try to get back but too late As it's flipping over I try to roll to the outside but the bike comes down on top of me on my left hand hard, middle two fingers feel like ice picks driven through them. Get up, dust off, all else good. Get back on bike, clutch hand is in pretty good pain, tell myself to suck it up and finish 3 to 11 to perimeter. Back at truck fingers don't look right, drive home to LA, swing by ER, two broken fingers. So, I'm a dumbass for- - riding alone - the combination of knowing the front brake is touchy now, and my finger is always on it and going down technical rocks without re-learning/practice with new feel - using technical rocks downhill to re-learn how my front brake feels now lol - taking a way down a steep technical obstacle that is easier on the bike but more dangerous for me - not backing out if it doesn't look/feel right, jumping it was fairly safe, rolling it questionable. Plusses- - time off work - right hand skills will be off the hook yo - this cast is a great back scratcher mmmmmmmm - people in the grocery store now want to share their hemorrhoid stories with me - CVS appreciation bonus points for buying the box of rubber bands from 1962 so that I can bag my arm 2x per day It's a hard call, but I'd go with don't do what I did.

Did Norm have any interesting stories about the thunderstorm he sat through last week?

Sure, can be ready to go at four corners at 7:30, any earlier is a little brutal with the 2:30 drive from here. If you guys want to meet at PV and meet up with me at four corners that's cool too.

Cool, will check back tomorrow

Will be getting to four corners at 8am to go practice Ranger/black diamond stuff if anyone wants to join. Probably riding for about 2hrs/lunch/2hrs

Hey CJ sorry to not get back to you, was in the truck at 7:04am. Like to also thank Vic for the cool route and tips, great riding today.