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Dan Diego

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Posts posted by Dan Diego

  8. Posted

    I want a smaller bike, but not this small. Tis' a pity I'm fat.

    But it sure looks sweet!

    https://horcamoto.com/2017/04/09/yamaha-wr280r-adventure/

    It's been modded considerably, the biggest being the Engine – Thumper Racing 280 Big Bore Kit.  Perhaps the most significant mod is the increase in engine capacity to 280cc.  I can’t compare the current engine’s performance to a stock bike.  However, I am surprised how forgiving the engine is at lower revs – definitely more torque in the lower rpm range (and helped with a 48-tooth rear sprocket) than other 250s I’ve ridden. Vibrations are negligible. My big question is its reliability – and thus whether I would be prepared to take a bike with this mod on a trans-continental trip – no reason to assume it will be a problem, but  I’ll need to get some miles on it to know more in this regard.

    MAJOR MODIFICATIONS

    https://horcamoto.com/wr250r-modifications/

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  13. Posted

    Big Baja weekend: How 2 guys on small bikes turned into 6 guys on big bikes

     

    (Thats the RR name only because "Adios Pantalones" was already taken...)

     

     

     

    My buddy Chris wanted to do a 2 or 3 day Baja ride. Erendira, San Felipe...something like that. I put together a 2-day ride for April 1-2, staying away from the SCORE San Felipe 250.

     

     

     

    He was gonna take his Scrambler, I was gonna take my KLR.  

     

     

     

    Then the calls started.

     

     

     

    Chris: Hey, you know Ted really wants to come with us.  

     

     

     

    Me: Yeah, Ted is cool, but this was supposed to be a laid back weekend.

     

     

     

    C: Hey, this buddy of mine, Ian, really wants to come, too. Super good guy.

     

     

     

    M: Aw, c'mon, man! It's gonna be like herding cats!

     

     

     

    C: Ian and Rob will probably peel off, anyhow.

     

     

     

    M: Wait...who's Rob? And how many are coming?

     

     

     

    C: Rob is Ian's friend.  Good dude; you'll like him. So it's just us and those guys.  And Ruben, one of Ted's friends. Super good guy...you'll like him.

     

     

     

    So...

     

    There were two Tigers, a KTM 1190 and an 800GS. So Chris ended up taking his new Husky 701 and I loaded up my 990 ADV. It had turned into a big bike ride.

     

     

    We all meet up in La Mesa on Saturday morning. Introductions were made, a rough ride plan was laid out and we got on the road.

     

     

     

    We crossed through Tecate and slabbed it to Ensenada, munching on fish tacos by 11. By 1230 we were in Santo Tomas where the dirt started. After a brief stop at La Bocana, we started on a trail toward the coast I know. It was sketchy, with some washed out areas and mud, but we arrived at the first ranch gate. I'd been through that ranch several times...sometimes there was no one there, other times a couple of guys would wave to me as I rode by.  This time the ranch hand was adamant about the "dust on the crops" and the "noise scaring the cattle." Translated for gringos: mordida. Three minutes and $5 later we were on our way.

     

     

     

    The trail was rockier than last time and rutted from recent rain but not too bad at all. Though I might've seen a couple bikes on their sides.

     

     

     

    We reached a hill overlooking the ocean: the Punto San Jose lighthouse to the right, the Danish cult compound to the left (they've been building, I see). We exited the gate at the coast road and rode the couple miles or so to the lighthouse. That's a really scenic area, with the big waves and high cliffs, if you haven't been there.

     

     

     

    After some photos we were off to Coyote Cal's where we'd decided to stay instead of beach camping. The road was pretty torn up in some places but very rideable. We stopped at a couple of picturesque spots to just take in the big Pacific, then made Cal's by 5. We had cold beers in our dusty hands, and lots of them, by 5:01.

     

     

     

    Pro tip: CC happy hour bucket of 6 beers: $10. 

     

     

     

    Rounds of tequila and more beer just kept coming. Like Chris had assured me, these were indeed good guys.  And good riders, too. After a great Thai dinner, we smoked stogies around the fire, talking about the day's ride. Coyote Cal’s owner, Rick, sat with us for a while and reminisced about old Baja.

     

     

     

    The next day we all had the Dirt Riders Breakfast Special and planned the route ahead. While Ted was fueling up, he noticed his front tire was flat. Ruben, a longtime Baja rider had a new tube installed in less than 15 minutes. Ruben then headed back to San Diego and we headed south along the coast.

     

     

     

    Rob had a very cool drone and got some footage of the guys riding up and through the volcano south of Erendira. Chris was Jonesing to ride on the beach and I assured him he would...but we turned toward San Vicente instead of continuing to Colonet...so the beach wheelies will have to wait.

     

    Note: I was using a combo of tracks I'd made or collected over the years and Rob was using his recently purchased E32 Baja tracks (I gotta get that) and he also had the classic Baja 

     

     

     

    The route continued to be rutted and washed out but otherwise rideable…so, typical Baja.

     

     

     

    We fueled up in San Vicente then headed a few miles south on Hwy 1 to La Calentura, taking that dirt road to Valle de la Trinidad at Hwy 3.  In less than 40 miles we were chomping on carne asada tacos at El Rancho. As always, good stuff. Rob ate 6! There was another Kug sighting there, BTW.

     

     

     

    It was about 3:30 and we’d planned to take one of 3 routes back to Tecate: The pine forest via Laguna Hanson and Ramona’s or the Compadre Trail or a route I hadn’t tried though El Jamau (thanks, Jim). However, the decision was made to slab it back to Ensenada, then take the toll road to Tijuana.  No worries.  We were off.

     

     

     

    Ian disappeared somewhere around the Ojos Negros cut-off and we didn’t see him after that.

     

     

     

    We made good time on the way back to TJ then crossed the border in less than 8 minutes.  I waved as I headed home on the 805 right before 6pm.

     

     

     

    What a great weekend ride.  The other riders were top notch: Excellent riders and good people. The weather was perfect and the riding conditions epic.  As I always do, I vowed to return. And 5 other heads nodded in agreement.

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  17. Posted

    Trying to outrun cops on a bike is just dumb.  Doing so with a passenger? A really, really bad idea...

    Motorcyclist killed trying to outrun cop, passenger injured.

    http://fox5sandiego.com/2017/03/26/high-speed-police-pursuit-ends-in-crash-in-national-city/

     

    NATIONAL CITY, Calif. - A police pursuit involving motorcycle has ended in a fatal crash at East Plaza Boulevard and Euclid Avenue in National City.

    “I noticed that there was a motorcycle that flew over the curb and then hit the wall," said Josiah Taylor of National City

     

    The pursuit started at about 9:30 a.m. after the motorcyclist, who had a passenger on board, reportedly ran a stop sign in Serra Mesa then attempted to flee south on Interstate 805. Police said the motorcyclist, a 23-year-old man took the Plaza Boulevard exit and lost control shortly after.

    “Ultimately he ran the light at Euclid and East Plaza locked up the vehicle brakes and ultimately collided with a cinder block wall on the opposite side of Firestone," said San Diego Police Lt. Charles Lara.

    The rider was reported to have reached speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour while attempting to flee patrol units.

    Police said the motorcyclist might have been driving on a suspended license. The driver suffered significant head trauma and died on scene. His 23-year-old passenger broke her wrist, two hands, and possibly her forearm. She also complained of back and neck pain.

    “I heard her screaming, I heard her screaming for help," said Taylor.

    National City police is investigating.

     

     

     

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  18. Posted

    A question for you big KTM riders, or perhaps this is an issue that affects other bikes.
     
    I saw an easy fix for turn signal stems that appear broken but are easily repairable. They're meant to break away. 
     
    http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/990-adventure-turn-signal-repair.795151/
     
    I fixed the END portion of my turn signal stem but now the BACK portion broke away and I can't get it back on.
     
    Your advice is appreciated, though I may have to put a new one on...
     
    IMG_2181.JPGHow about if the rear stem comes off the bolt? Similar trick?

    I've tried to force it back on but no can do.

    It looks like there's gotta be a way, similar to the front portion, but I can't figure it out....
    I have no interest in living a balanced life. I want a life of adventure.

  22. Posted

    Wanted to try a different route to Vegas, instead of the I-15. 

    Left San Diego via the I-8 east.  We went north through the desert on the S-2 at Ocotillo. Saw some desert wildflowers and some amazing scenery, as usual..

    At the 78 we went east to Borrego Springs, seeing more wildflower blooms and a family of sheep scampering on the rocks. 

    We took the S-22 to the Salton Sea, then the 86 to Mecca, then Box Canyon to the I-10.  We saw the largest desert wildflowers while driving through Box Canyon...especially right before the I-10 and the Joshua Tree NP entrance.

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