boat440

You may want to try Wolfman. Expensive but good quality. http://www.wolfmanluggage.com/Tail/09index.html

Been researching PWC's (Sea-Doo, Yamaha, Honda, etc..) and have not found many active discussion groups. Does anybody know or subscribe?

Spelled it wrong. It's Thomaston Dam. It's still open, but only from May thru Oct. conditions permitting. No 3 or 4 wheelers. http://www.nae.usace.army.mil/recreati/tmd/tmdhome.htm

Same here mid-eighties LI rider. Southhampton, Manorhaven, Pilgrim State Hospital, Kings Park Hospital, Commack road, many local sand pits off of the LIE or Sunrise Highway and many winery areas on the north fork. Bikes: Honda XL250, '74 Yamaha IT175, I think it was an '81 Yamaha TT600, '82 Husqvarna MX430, Maybe an '86(Was special in that it was the last pure-Swedish built bikes before being sold to Cagiva) Husqvarna WR250, '92 Does any one know if Thomston Dam in Connecticut or the NJ Pine Barrens are still open?

Motocross is still alive on LI with 1 track. It's located in the town of Yaphank http://www.islandmotocross.com/ There's also an Long Island Off-Road vehicle association. You might want to read the struggles LI has faced regarding off-road use. The battle was lost. http://www.liorv.org/ Prior to 1993 the LI Pine Barrens was open to legal riding. Then the NY State's Long Island Pine Barrens Protection Act defined the region (100,000+ acres) and it was lost. It's now a protected wilderness. . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Island_C...al_Pine_Barrens The same is happening to California.

Some good suggestions, here's more. * Remove the jumper cables unless you do not have a kick-start back-up * "Space Blanket" for winter rides for protection against the cold/elements * 1-2 flares for remote rides should a helicopter or park ranger is searching for me * Aluminite (small aluminum flake product for fixing small radiator leaks) Thankfully I never had to use them

Thanks for the invite - PM sent Same thanks. Look forward to meeting.

Had a 1996 XR600 leftover. Congratulations, you made a great choice for a 1st bike. And if you keep it looking nice, since it's fully depreciated, most likely you can re-sell in 2 years and get the same price you paid. There is, however, always a temptation to change out the exhaust, it is highly visible and easy to do. The reality is the XRL is heavy, underpowered and undersuspended compared to today's standards, but it is stone reliable. You are best to set the bike for your riding style, comfort and improvement reliability. Ask yourself these quesitons: Have the wheel, steering head or swing-arm bearing been replaced? Has the motor or gear box been re-built? Has the CDI been replaced? Has the fork or shock fluids/seals been replaced? New air filter? What about optional accessories, does it have off-road tires, steering stabilizer, hand protectors, skid plate? The bike is 12 years old and is based on an engine design from 1985. It is best to save the $ with the new exhaust, performance gains will be minimal. Also try this website. Lot's of hop-up tips for the XR600, but some should apply for the 650: http://www.justxr.com/info/ See you on the trail...

See below an UHD "Ultra Heavy Duty" tube (on left) versus a standard duty tube(on right). They are both for a 18 inch rear rim. This is my 1st purchase of this kind of tube. I'm trying in combination with a trials tire. The UHD cost is $32 versus $12 a standard tube. For the extra money you receive (~2x) greater overall size (tube thickness) which translates to a higher weight/volume increase. Hopefully the UHD tube will provide a superior resistance to failure with a higher quality rubber compound & increased durometer. But given the inconvenience of changing a flat on the trail, having the better tube is well-worth the extra insurance. Anybody have experiences of a measurable decrease in pinch flats or punctures with this tyoe of tube? Thanks...

A vote for Carolina Work Boots. Still have them from the late 70's as a construction worker. Although they have not been used for quite some time. http://www.carolinashoe.com/category.asp?CatID=284 Plenty of black styles to choose from. Boot World carries them. Use the store locator. There website even says some of their products are still made in Morganton, NC.

Forest, You hit the nail on the head. Most (not all) services that the state provides is for the poor/illegals. By closing state parks this now effects the middle & wealthy(which do not consume nearly as much state resources) . Therefore making it easier for Arnold to raise taxes.

You have not offered him a beer yet have you? Get him drinking he'll give it up. Wait until the 27th. There's quite a few club members that work long & hard to develop the gps tracs and roll chart. They are the architects and owners of the ride.

Results so far: * 6 replies for the UHD(must have), would not use any other tube except the UHD type. * 2 replies for HD (the tube thickness has an indirect correlation to pinch resistance, but other factors such as tire air pressure & sidewall resistance are the more significant/contributing variable)

CHEATER! (PM me the details ) Tarnish the Crawdaddy integrity??? Riding sweep, sorry no special PM's advanced details given. You will just have to wait for the 27th. Will have plenty of those "cheap" spare tubes and CO2 cartridges available. Let's just say you will ride ___p __U _P U which was typically d _o __w ___n ____d _____o ______w _______n Enjoy!!!

$32??? .....ouch......I don't spend that kinda $$ on tubes so I guess I must just run heavy duty as opposed to ULTRA heavy duty ......anyway, I run heavy duty and carry normal just because it's easier to pack/carry, it's lighter, and they're easier to change when hot/sweaty/pissed off out on the trail......I seem to be able to pinch flat ANY TUBE on the 620 "Exxon Valdez/Mother ship".......I think Doug's right, pinch flats are gonna happen regardless of tube.......it's more of function of air pressure .....and nails are gonna blow through any tube.....even gold infused $32 specials CDaddy, Did not go with the "Heavy Duty", but went straight to the "UHD". I do not know what qualifies a manufacturer to label their product UHD as compared to HD. Is their a standard for the labeling/differentiation. Got the MSR UHD from Motorcycle Superstore for $31.99. Also picked up a trails MT43 tire (rear) at MS as local stores I shop do not carry. Yes, will carry standard duty tubes as spares as they are smaller/lighter and easier to install. http://motorcycle.motorcycle-superstore.co...ibtnSearch.y=30 Agree no tube can completely stop puncture/pinch flats. I have been searching Dirt Rider/Dirt Bike articles for comparisons, with no luck. Without any conclusive scientific study, hopefully the extra expense, and common sense of the thicker tube will reduce the probability of occurance of these events. That's good enough to spend the extra $. Any comments on the Dirt Ball concept? Getting ready for the Big Bear run. Start early, you will need the time. I saw the route. Some surprises.

It's not required for bikes, but good safety is a flag. You can get them for about $10, plus a few bucks for a small bracket that attaches to the rear axle.

Today's Board Statistics: Our members have made a total of 40359 posts We have 769 registered members The newest member is womantriker Most users ever online was 166 on Dec 16 2008, 02:49 AM 21% of all registered members were on-line. Is that 2:49 AM PST or maybe Singapore (+16 hours), India (+12hours) or others time.

While no tire is optimal for all conditions, alot of guys are running a Pirelli MT43 trails tire with 8 lbs of air pressure with UHD tubes. I haven't tried it yet, but a few of the guys I know swear with this set-up for rocks. Perfect for Gold Mt, John Bull, Delamar, Redondo, Bald Hill & others. I'm in working the event as a sweeper. Where to buy: http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/2/29/...-Rear-Tire.aspx Reviews: http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/392/1963/Mot...ire-Review.aspx Comments: http://www.southbayriders.com/forums/showthread.php?p=939708

Hey FN, I went on that ride. Real windy. I still have the tracs. The first day was fun and not to tough, 95 miles. The 2nd day was hard. The waterfall (really tough step-up, required 3 spotters to get your bike over) was tough and some steep hills (both directions). I can probably remove some of day 2 difficulty and it would be a great ride for all. That will give us time to walk thru Burro-Schmidt tunnel. I'd be willing to help. Have lots of tracs decribing the ride and other side rides. Let me know. But I still can't use that Distance to Destination feature

"But can you really eat the batteries? Founder and CTO Neal Saiki explains, "The best technology is coming out of Canada, and Canada has clean facilities. These are 100 percent non-toxic batteries. You can cut them open and eat them. They're just a salt that is tightly bound. Because it's a salt inside these they're landfill approved in the United States and Europe." I'm so glad you can eat the batteries. This way the CPSC cannot forbid this vehicle.

Nothing to do with lead poisoning. Most likely political influence from an anti-motorcycle/dirt-bike organization applying pressure on the CPSE to ban small dirt bikes & quads.

2Wheels: First inspect before removing. No need to take the races out unless they are pitted/worn and need to be replaced. My needle rollers were rusty, worn & pitted and the races had permanent tracks worn into them. I made a decision to replace them, since I intend to keep the bike. If they are not worn, you can easily clean both upper & lower outer races while in the steering head, best not to take them out. The inner races and needle bearings(rollers) are also quite easily accessible and easy to clean. Use a degreaser to remove the grease residue and dirt, let dry overnight, then grease them up good and reassemble..

On the last ride I noticed the steering on my trusty DRZ400 was quite notchy. I removed the Scott's Steering Damper to the same effect. Meaning the once smooth circular side-to-side movement had become non-uniform, jerky and nearly difficult to move. I guess after >7 years of dependable service (it's a 2001), it was time to inspect and lubricate the steering head bearing. (I believe I cleaned/lubricated them when I installed the Scott's Damper over 5 years past, oh well). Upon inspection the taper needle bearings were rusted, did not ride smoothly and were pitted. Furthermore the upper and lower inner races exhibited similar characteristics including small wear grooves permanently laced into the once smooth 60 Rockwell case-harden races. So after spending $86.10 plus tax on some new NTN bearings (Escondido Cycle Center had them in stock), I am off to remove the inner race bearings. It appears the races are tightly press fit into the steering head (which they should be). After several futile tries (gently) with a hammer/screwdriver, I realized I need a tool made for the job. It appears a bearing race removal tool of some sort is needed. Before I use the Gorilla tactic (which never works) and wack this thing hard, I thought I might get some additional opinions. It would be ashame to put the new bearings in without changing the races. I've attached a picture of the inner race. 1. Does anyone know if a tool of this type exists? 2. What are your experiences with this type of repair? 3. Where I can borrow one? I'd gladly pay for the usage? 4. Do any of the local shops loan out tools(highly unlikely)? Thanks for your inputs.

Trophy Hunter, that sucks. Every time you contest credit card charges it lowers your FICO score. Even if you were not culpable and the charges were removed.

Thanks 2wheels & tlking6. Wow, where go you find this stuff. From June, 1960. I was a month old. It would have been difficult to find a washer with the exact OD needed to grab onto the lip of the bearing race. Instead I used a die grinder to cut the bearing races in half and they came out easily. The races were a line-to-line fit with the steering head so I let them cool in my freezer overnight and they slide right in. After water-proof greasing and pre-loading with the triple clamp nut the side to side steering movement is now smoooooooooooooth.