Chad

I do not have much experience with clutches, but something to consider... My buddy had serious first gear slippage issues after a clutch rebuild (NOT involving a Rekluse install). Tear down identified that the plates had been installed in the wrong order. Apparently tough to tell which plate you have when the thicknesses are very close?? (Altho you note your install is within spec.) Reassembly with the plates in the correct order fixed the slippage issue. Likely more of a rookie mechanic issue on my buddy's part, but stranger things have happen with shop work... (Assuming you had it done at a shop.) Good luck!

Don't know about the Leatt armor... I purchased the Alpinestars Bionic short sleeve about a year ago. Fits well and comfortable to ride in. I've taken a couple of diggers with it on, and it has protected me well. (Not serious diggers tho.) I opted for short sleeves to reduce heating up, but still wear elbow pads, so I'm not sure how much heat I'm "saving." I do not wear the armor in the summer months tho... It's just too hot for me. I'm a bit shy of 50, about 15 lbs overweight and tend to heat up very quickly. Probably less of an issue for more fit guys. In the warmer months, I wear a roost guard and elbow pads. What I did just purchase and am liking so far is the Leatt Coolit vest. ($75) They also have a Tee model. You wet it, wring it and wear it under your gear to evap cool your core. I have only used it for about an hour each of 3 rides, but it seems to do the job (at least better than nothing). Most recent rides have started early enough in the am to where I didn't need it to start, but I then put it on about midway through the rides. Not sure how well it will work over an extended period of time, but I plan to test it out soon. I mention the Leatt Coolit because it might be a good addition to one's body armor in the summer months so you can keep the protection level and maybe mitigate some of the heat issues. I have not yet worn the Coolit with my armor to see how well it cools under something heavier than a jersey. Coolit Vest http://images0.revzilla.com/product_images/0046/0823/leatt_coolit_evaporative_cooling_vest_detail.jpg Alpinestars Bionic S/S http://static.chaparral-racing.com/productimages/1300/020-2702-0074.jpg

Great day of riding with some new faces! I really enjoyed meeting you guys (jawhitmoyer, wierrider and trophyhunter) and the ride! Temps were definitely bearable... Likely because we got started at 7:30-7:45. After you guys met me at Four Corners staging area, we rode 1, 2 to Corral Canyon campground. Then perimeter road to 11 to 5, down to the perimeter road to 1 to Bobcat Meadow campground. That's where we split. From Bobcat, Jim and I rode 9 to 8 to 1, then rode 8 back down and around the other way back to 1 to Bobcat Meadow. From Bobcat, we rode 6 over to Corral Canyon campground, then perimeter road back to 11, Peacemaker loop, 11 to 5, then to 4 which loops back to the perimeter road just above Bobcat. Perimeter to Bobcat, then 1 back to Four Corners. Jim, you kept up with no issue. Every time I looked back, you were right there... And we kept a pretty good pace. Seeing your video, I'd say you zipped right up that rocky shoot on 8. I'd say your redemption run kicked some arse! Here is a link to a trail discussion started by cj54x awhile back. http://dualsport-sd.com/forums/index.php?/topic/14220-new-trail-at-corral-canyon/ The discussion includes a link to a trail map and an imbedded map that shows all the trails we rode to give you an idea of our route. I was good and tired when I got home! Thanks again Jim, Wierrider and Trophy... See you out there again soon!

Probably a little late for anyone to read this, but I'll be out there looking for you guys. Won't likely make the 7:00 KSU at your rally point, but won't be far behind. I'll stage at Four Corners and hopefully be ready by the time you get there. Black F-250 and KTM 350 XCF-W.

On Dave's http://bestdualsportbikes.com/ page, there is a full write up with photos on how to make "emissions adjustments." He sells a kit to make the changes. My guess is there is a number of YouTube vids on the subject as well.

I personally haven't read much re: the 500, but Dave at http://bestdualsportbikes.com/ has done a lot of work with the 500 over the past 3 years or so. If nothing else, some good ideas and food for thought... I've done a number of the mods Dave has discussed related to the 350 and am very happy with the results. Chilly White wrote 3 reviews on the 2012 EXC 500. Might be some useful information there... http://www.enduro360.com/2012/02/15/products-tested/2012-ktm-500exc-review/ . He also reviewed the '14 450. Some of the observations there are probably applicable to the 500... Good luck! Haven't heard of anyone that's not super-stoked about that bike!

That SUCKS Sdhydro! Hope it's not too extensive and you heal quickly!

Good morning of fun... But 4 a.m. roll call kills me!! Temps aren't so bad tho. Thanks for posting 1Kstep.

Hey Goon... I have the tap that came with my HDB hand guards you can borrow. I'm in PB, so pretty close. PM me and we can set something up to get it to you before Sunday.

Soil samples were good Sunday... Took a few myself. Good that he still wants to get after it. Awesome that you are out there teaching him! Was he on the Yamaha (?) running laps around the staging area? He looked pretty comfortable on the bike... We didn't post a ride b/c I just rebuilt my clutch slave cylinder and I needed to do some testing / adjustment to get it dialed in. My clutch issues wrenched up a ride a few weeks back, so I didn't want to coordinate riders only to hold up the ride out on the trail. Think it was a good call b/c I had to stop several times to dial 'er in. Good news is I think I got it all back in proper working order. Also the reason we rode McCain instead of joining the ride at Corral with the others. See ya'all out there soon!

Fun morning at McCain... Got hot pretty fast. Rally time at 4:30 am not much fun, but when it's all said and done, always worth it. McCain was typical summer dry, loose and dusty. Couple of augers into the loose berms were fun! Good number of riders out by the time we left. Mexican food at Sombrero's on the way in hit the spot. Sounds as if there were a number of good rides today... Hope all had a great Father's Day!

Whoop!

Happy Birthday Kenny! Hope it's a great day and the foot is mending well!

After Ranger (jumped out at the Trail 11 bailout), sdhydro noticed some oil leaking from his case, so he headed back to his vehicle. The rest of us rode 11 to 5 to the perimeter road to Bobcat Meadow campground. Took Bill's Singletrack back to 4 Corners. BS, Amgems and Darylhunter headed back down Kernan at that point. Ken, 1K and I rested up a bit at 4 Corners, then headed down to run out Spur Meadow. Decided instead to go up, over 6 to 9 to 8 to 1, back down 8 to do the second part of 8 up to 1 and then back to 4 Corners. Good fun and a bit of work, but nothing like Ranger. 1K and I stopped at Sombrero's in El Cajon for some Mexican health food! Cali tacos, tostadas and rolled tacos!

I apologize for the clutch issues and related hold up... Feel like I took all the momentum out of the decent start to our run. Ranger is a butt-kicker. Now we (I) know that going both directions! Saw a couple of rattle snakes out there. One down in the rut of the single track, one on the perimeter road. Keep you eyes out for them... Don't want to get hung up on the trail right next to one of those bad boys! Likely will be out warming in the mornings before it gets too hot, so you early-birds be extra mindful. Thanks to all for your patience... Always a pleasure riding with you guys and I still had a great time!

RIP brother. I commute 3-5 days a week on my MC. My biggest fear is the person who loses it for the 2 seconds it takes to do irreversible damage. I think the charge of murder is appropriate. Safe rides brothers and sisters... Dirt and road.

Definitely a good pass there... But we all know I was in the dirt / mud on that hard left and up the rocks on Ranger... Fiance' got a good chuckle out of the final comment! Thanks for posting!

Was it this guy??

No photos/videos of me either dude...it's a conspiracy. One of the drawbacks (and benefits ) of riding sweep most of the day... All of the cameras are in front of you!

Great morning of riding with a great crew! Conditions were just about perfect for Corral. Ranger was a blast...but a bit tiring. The jeep trails were ass-kickers! Thanks for posting the pics... (Altho it's as if I wasn't even there!)

Came across this on the Kurt Caselli Foundation (KCF) page. Produced by Giant Loop and endorsed by KCF. $40 MSRP and a portion goes to KCF. Check it out here http://www.kurtcaselli.com/news/ (Scroll down the page a bit...) Added the Giant Loop link --> http://giantloopmoto.com/products/tracker-packer-spot-gen3/ From the KCF site: The Kurt Caselli Foundation is proud to announce the release of its first officially endorsed safety product, the Giant Loop Tracker Packer, a ruggedized holster for the SPOT Gen3 GPS-enabled location tracker and emergency beacon. Developed in conjunction with The Kurt Caselli Foundation, the super rugged and secure Tracker Packer firmly attaches the SPOT Gen3 device to the rider's arm, backpack shoulder strap, handlebars, fork tube, and many other locations. Redundant closures, multiple connections, and tether points, help prevent the SPOT from becoming separated from rider or bike, even in the roughest, most extreme riding conditions. The Tracker Packer enables riders to follow best practices by wearing the SPOT within reach, in a horizontal position for optimal satellite signal. By keeping the device in a visible, easy-to-access location, anyone on the scene can quickly deploy the SPOT's SOS signal in the event of an emergency, sending the GPS location to an international emergency response coordination center. "It has been a pleasure to work with Giant Loop and take the Tracker Packer from just an idea to a finished product" says KCF Rider Safety Adviser, Quinn Cody "This is our first mission related safety product and thanks to a great group of motivated people, we have been able to bring it to market in less than a year." Made in USA with military-specification components and materials, the Tracker Packer is backed by a limited lifetime warranty. USA MSRP is $40. The Tracker Packer is available bundled with the SPOT Gen3 for $150 exclusively at Giant Loop a portion of all Tracker Packer sales will be donated to the Kurt Caselli Foundation. Safe Rides All!

Thanks for the head's up!

Wanted to give a shout out and thumbs up to Spaugh for his MC services! Needed a quick shock oil change... Mr. Spaugh took me in after hours, used his awesome ShockBleeder (check him out at http://shockbleeder.com), and changed my oil and recharged my shock with Nitrogen in about 30 minutes for a very reasonable price (including oil). GOING THE EXTRA MILE... Recognizing that the bleed wasn't perfect, Brad kept the shock overnight, made it perfect, and delivered it to me the next day. Awesome service! Hit Mr. Spaugh up for your service needs! See the link below to his previous post re: his services: http://dualsport-sd.com/forums/index.php?/topic/19671-looking-to-do-bike-work/ Thank you Sir!

Looks like McMaster-Carr calls them "rivet nuts."

McMaster-Carr is also a good source for all things hardware. In LA somewhere, so typically fill orders same day and delivered via ground shipping in 1-2 days. http://www.mcmaster.com/#