paulmbowers

One of these days...

You best be bringing something more substantial.

Agreed! It's better to go fast on a slow bike than go slow on a fast bike.

Yes, I know this belongs in a different category, but since we're here talking about it- I have a Dianese Safety Jacket that I stopped using years ago. Great piece of kit, tremendous spine protection. This one is either a xxl or xxxl and is a little small for me. Has a tear on one sleeve, but still fully functional. If you can use it, it's yours. It would be kind of you to send a small donation of your choice to SDAR. Pickup in San Diego's Mission Hills.

I use mine a few days ago for a particularly cold and tough new rear tire. I use it every 3 or for mounting jobs, depending on the type of tire and the outside temp. Handy to have, I keep one in my bike's kit at all times.

Pfft. I have the numbers on my side. Aggregating, I have 20 cylinders out there!

That kid is from a bad neighborhood.

Yes, lots. I did the top end in 2020, shortly after Bag's experience. The list of maintenance items is long and detailed- yes clutch pack, clutch bumpers many times, wheel bearings a few times (and my original wheels need it again). Clutch master repair, clutch hose replacement- lots of little things since I bought the bike in 2014. Chains, sprockets, chainguides, countershaft seals, etc- all get their share of attention and replacement. I disagree with you about stainless valves. Yes, on the earlier RFS motors one used stainless Kibblewhite valves, but not on these bikes. Valves are titanium and have a special coating which makes them extremely expensive, but catastrophic failures are rare- in fact, I've never heard of one. I replaced all of mine due to tiny pitting on the faces, but they had not changed in dimension- meaning the valves remain within adjustment spec damn near forever. LB tells me there are stainless valve kits available for these bikes, but primarily as a cost-saving measure. One must also change the valve springs when doing so. On my top end, I used all KTM OEM parts, but my next one I'll send out the original cylinder for replating and have that shop match a high-quality aftermarket piston. Not sure I'll save a lot by doing so, but it's under consideration. I've not replaced my swingarm bearings nor my steering head bearings. Forks and shock go to George every year or two for oil changes and seal replacements.

I believe I'm now at 600+ hours and 12,000+ miles. Bike is still far more capable than I. No sign of wear- valves still in spec, no smoking (even on startup). I believe I'll do one more top end (valves, piston/cylinder) before I dig into the bottom end, provided the limited inspection available with the cylinder off demonstrates the connecting rod and bearings are within spec. But not anytime soon.

An astute observation, informed no doubt by field observation. My Motoport has chest armor, BUT because it's a zip-up jacket, the armor is in two pieces, with nothing across the zipper area. And yes, I've considered it an Achilles Heel for that system. A powerful hit dead center in the sternum is not only dead-center but deadly. The trade-off (for me) is that I consider the overarching threat on the street is abrasion, with impact protection secondary. But yes, it is a compromise.

Well, ok... I have two sets of gear, one for primarily street (or BDRs with long street sections), and another set for local deserts and trails. Since I sold my ADV bike, I'm not using my street-oriented gear much for now. That gear is a custom set of Motoport mesh kevlar with their armor. I used that gear through Baja, ADV rides throughout Idaho, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, California and a cross-country ride to the East Coast. It's extremely versatile gear- I'll add a heated vest for the coldest days, and have been comfortable in all kinds of weather. Great kit if one can afford it- but it also LASTS- very durable. I designed the pants to fit over motocross-style boots, so no shin armor. I've had it repaired a couple times- catching the cuff on the footpeg, etc. For local desert/trails (and some out-of-area riding with a low street component) I have a set of KLIM Baja or KLIM Mojave pants, the same SIDI Crossfire T/A boots, and I wear a Leatt 3df soft armor. Super protective and comfortable, and I've worn it in the rain, snow and desert heat without additional layers. I hate color and patterns, so I wear 3xl sports-type jerseys I buy on Amazon for a tiny fraction of the nutty patterns and branding typical of "riding gear" that looks more like a fishing lure than a shirt. Gloves are Alpinestar SMX- sort of a combination of street protection and dirt ventilation. For me, they key to these gloves is the sizing- I wear a 3xl size glove, and they're very hard to find, even in construction-type gloves. For a backpack, I wear a USWE that looks something like this one. The crossed single-buckle design is seriously stable. I'm a fanboy of the Arai XD series of dualsport helmets. Yes, expensive, but I think my brain is worth it. I wear eyeglasses and have a set of progressive prescription Oakley Half-Jackets that I wear under the XD's visor, raising and lowering that visor as dictated by the riding situation- speed, dust, etc. I have an Arai street-oriented helmet as well, but it's been parked for a year or two. At my advanced age, I no longer bounce back from injury, and I'm pretty cautious about protective gear.

🤣🤣

😎✔️

Shhhh.

Heads up- rode these trails today and the power poles are being replaced, so LOTS of heavy equipment parked on the road/trails and vehicles on the roads/parked and pedestrians. The camping area just north of Tamarisk appears to be busy- I'm speculating they're pole line crews that are enjoying the desert while working the job. Nothing nefarious, just be aware of the increased traffic and parked vehicles.