December 2009

Showing newest 10 of 15 posts from December 2009. Show older posts

Dec 31, 2009

Red Bull No Limits 2010 Travis Pastrana Video Footage

Pastrana sets the bar high! 269 feet is the new world record rally car jump! Not only did he beat the old record by nearly 100 feet, he did it by jumping over water onto a floating barge! It truly was amazing watching the car fly through the air knowing that he had to hit such a small target. Any misalignment on takeoff would translate into a much larger distance once he reached the landing ramp. Travis has taken rally cars to a new level with this jump. Although still not as far as a dirt bike has flown, it's impressive nonetheless.

Red Bull No Limits Video Footage As Travis Prepares!

Check it out! Here's some warm up footage of the world record rally car jump that will happen tonight on ESPN. Turns out that flying a car through the air is kind of difficult.

Travis Pastrana Red Bull No Limits Spy Pics!

Well, he sure looks confident. Here travis shows his signature thumbs up before he goes and attempts something really stupid. His crash during practice showed that this will be anything but routine. You can't help but love the guy's attitude though. After rolling his Red Bull Rally car on the faulty landing, he commented, “On a positive note, I’m still kind of inline with what would have not been the water.” On a previous stunt jumping a dirt bike into the grand canyon and waiting too long to pull the chute he said something to the effect of "when things decided to go bad, they went really well". The chute opened just seconds before he hit the ground making for a tenuous moment to say the least! You can be sure that he will be prepared however. His carefree attitude that appears on the surface hides the long hours of preparation. Tonight he attempts to break the record of the longest rally car jump in history by jumping over the bay and onto a barge. The Red Bull New Year No Limits will air live on ESPN and ESPN HD at 11 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Here's some pics of some recent practice jumps. “On New Year’s Eve, A Car Will Fly!”

Winter Dirt Bike Maintenance

This is the time of year that most dirt bikers look out the window longing for warmer days with less snow and more DIRT.., they don't call it a dirt bike for nothing, but whether we chose to ride or not, there are some things that can make a big difference to how our machine performs when needed. For those who chose not to ride, winter storage becomes the issue. Chose a warm, dry place if possible such as a garage to store the bike. Even unheated garages will keep a bike better than sticking them out in the weather. During storage, the main issue for me seems to be the fuel left in the tank and system. I usually try to use as much fuel as possible on my last ride of the season so I can simply drain the fuel. That way I can make sure my fuel is fresh when I take it out in the Spring. If you are left with a lot of fuel, a fuel stabilizer is handy and will keep everything in good shape. Fuel left in the carb for a long time will leave deposits, sludge, and/or varnish when the fuel evaporates. Also, if you have a 2-stroke, mixed gas has an even shorter shelf life so it becomes more important to pay attention to the condition of the fuel. If I have a bunch left, I usually try to store it in a separate container, then use it up in my less expensive weed wacker instead of my bike. Some guys like to change the oil in the crankcase to help avoid condensation. I've never done this, but it could be a good idea. The old oil will contain more contaminants that will sit in there all winter, may as well change it now rather than later. If your bike has a battery, remove it. This will help keep it charged. A charged battery will not freeze, but if it goes dead it will, so either keep it warm or keep it charged...better to keep it charged periodically, or keep it hooked up to a battery tender. This will increase the life of the battery. If it freezes, more than likely the battery will be toast.

If you chose TO RIDE during the winter, it becomes cumbersome to drain the fuel etc. just for the month or so that you might leave it in the garage. Most of the time, my bike doesn't sit for more than about a month, so I usually run the gas low as possible and drain the carb, then turn the fuel off so the carb etc. won't just fill back up(if it's only a month, I won't even do this much). Spraying a little wd-40 where condensation might take place will help displace the water. The biggest PITA about riding in the winter is trying to keep your bike clean. Don't be tempted to simply come home and put your ride away wet, you'll need a new chain by the time you get it out again. Take the bike into a garage where it will be above freezing and spray the chain etc. with compressed air, then lube it. If it's muddy, your best bet is to wash it with a hose. If it's only slightly below freezing, I still can use a hose to spray the mud etc. off the bike, then take it in and let it dry in the garage and/or blow it off with compressed air.
Studded tires are a pretty much a minimum on a bike if you want to ride in the snow and ice. Ice screws can make a good homemade studded tire and are cheap to buy. If you're like me, you'll go through about a tire every year, so if you really plan to ride in the winter, stud your old tire and get a new one in the spring. Until recently, we have tried to ride most every month of the year, including the winter months. Now, I usually ride in November and put it away till February. If you get lucky, dry spots can be found to ride in Utah year round, but it's hit and miss. This picture was out at little Moab in February. The day before was perfect, then we woke up to this! It was still fun, but where money and time are scarce, you may want to pick more carefully. Then again, it's moments like this that you sometimes remember the most! Depending on how your bike is Jetted, JETTING could become an issue. Colder, drier air will cause a leaner condition and may require richer jetting. Make sure to pay attention to any differences in how the bike is running. Going richer on the jetting could save some expensive engine damage.

New FX Shroud and Swingarm Graphics for the 2001 CR

As I said in a previous post, I've been looking into updating the look of my bike a bit. I decided to try a set of shroud graphics for a 2002 CR and retrofit them onto my 2001 model. The 2002 graphics were more readily available and a bit cheaper, but I also like the look of them better and knew that unless I was going to switch over to the stock red plastics neither set would really look right without some modification. I wasn't prepared to spend the dough on new plastics and I'm still a little partial to the white. I'm also a little weird when it comes to wanting a certain look. I just don't quite like the stock look and I always have to be a little different. The lower graphic is the "stock" 2001 graphic made by FX. To make the 2002 graphic work, I cut the black sections into separate pieces and spread them out..kind of like an exploded look I guess. I think it made it look better on the white by spreading them out this way and it allowed me to at least line up the lower hole. By doing this, I was able to start with the bottom, then the top piece, then I filled in the middle with the other 2 pieces to get the right spacing. I also have the FX Honda swingarm graphics that look killer as well. Still to go are a new black rear fender with a fender decal to break up the solid black. It should blend well and the black won't get as discolored by the exhaust as the white has making it a PITA to keep clean! I really like the look so far, and I was able to save the money I saved on expensive graphics and plastics for a top end rebuild(more to come on this). By the way, I do think the graphic I got in the mail was a bit different than the picture, but it didn't matter in this case. I actually like the one I got just fine. I think it has a bit more red and the tip doesn't swoop back. Also, since I have an aftermarket white tank the white plastics blend the tank in better than red shrouds would. Stay tuned, I think the rear fender is really going to finish the look!

A New Kind Of Freestyle Motocross, Nuclear Cowboyz!

While this idea is not totally new, freestyle motocross competitions are sometimes a difficult thing to pull off. It really is kind of an art form when the riders jump through the air doing their various tricks as well as a competition. They are judged based on certain criteria, sometimes it's consistent, sometimes it's not. Sometimes bigger tricks win, sometimes consistency, sometimes quantity..flow etc. It's definitely a lot more about entertainment than say a motocross would be. The competition is a fun part of it, buy why not do a show just, on a larger scale, based on entertainment value? Enter the Nuclear Cowboyz! The Nuclear Cowboyz tour has assembled the world’s greatest cast of freestyle motocross riders. It will feature whole new freestyle motocross experience with the best FMX riders in the world performing together in one "explosive theatrical production". Nuclear Cowboyz will "ignite the arena floor with freestyle motocrossers defying gravity, leaving the audience with an unbelievable adrenaline-rush". At first I had mixed thoughts, but then I wondered what I really go to a freestyle competition for. I sometimes get tired of just seeing guys rush around in their allotted time to pull off the "most difficult" tricks to get the most content in one run, or going in a figure 8 hitting the same ramps over and over. Sometimes the best tricks are a great whip..not judged very highly though. This format could be really cool. Multiple riders will take the stage and concentrate more on entertainment value than the most technical tricks that get the most points from the judges. There will be other performers etc. besides the riders as well. Here's a clip from the bike of Mike Mason during practice as well as a few pics from practice. Tell me this doesn't look fun! Unfortunately, the stops are limited and they will not be stopping in Utah. Here's a schedule of the stops they'll make starting this January!

Classic Baja Buggy - Steve McQueen's "BAJA BOOT"

The Baja Boot was one of the defining vehicles of the Baja 1000. Built in 1967 by Vic Hickey, an engineer at General Motors, it was revolutionary and an impressive sight. The chassis was constructed out of SAE- 1010 13/4-inch steel tubing that weighed 3,450 pounds. It was powered by a 350 that was installed backwards and in the rear of the vehicle. It had independent suspension, 4-wheel drive, and could operate from a front wheel drive platform through an inverted drive assembly that allowed the driver to disengage the transfer case. McQueen raced the Baja Boot in 1969’s ‘Baja 1000′, the Baja 1000 was the longest off road race in the world. It is also arguably the toughest and most dangerous– 1969’s event claiming two lives. With just 237 miles completed, disaster struck when a broken transmission put them out of the race. Up to this point in the race they had been traveling well and McQueen later said “In the fast sections, it was not unusual for us to get airborne for 50 to 70 feet over road dips. The Boot rides so smooth you can overdo things. Even in bad, choppy sections it’ll do 60 or so, and if you slam into a big rock at that speed you can crack an axle or worse.” The original and first built Baja Boot is currently up for sale. I have no idea what kind of price, but what a sweet ride! Over 40 years old and it still demands a look or two!

Homemade Potato Rocket, Rocket Launcher, Nerf Dart on Steroids?

We're not really sure what to call this one, but it's what you get when you take a mini nerf football, 3 empty pringles cans, and some paper mache. Stick it on the end of a patato canon and things start to get interesting. As many of you know, we have had a little bit of a bug lately to blow things up and/or see what and how far we can launch things into the air. Our prototype "rocket" used a tennis ball for the nose and worked really well until it eventually crumpled up from too many harsh re-entrys. To make this rocket we cut up 3 pringles cans, glued them together, then covered them with paper mache, also known as wheat paste. Google paper mache and use whatever method you'd like. We used basically a 5 to 1 mix of water to flour, then boiled it and added some white glue and a bit of sugar. Here's a link on how we made our patato cannon. We use mapp gas or a couple squirts of starting fluid for the fuel. We get better results with the mapp gas. We hold the trigger(halfway, DON'T LET IT SPARK) of a mapp gas torch in the end of the cannon making sure to gaurd with a hand or cardboard to negate any escaping gas. About a minute of gas will give a great big boom when lit! This rocket will fly 300 to 400 feet high. Our cannon is made from 2" pipe, so we reduced the diameter of the cans slightly by making a cut and then glueing it back together. We used duck tape to hold the seams until the glue dried, then covered it with 3 to 4 layers of paper mache. It will always tend to break more towards the nose upon re-entry, so we use more layers towards the front and less towards the tail to keep it light and strong.

Talk about dart envy!

Strange Bike! Zero MX vs 450 Gas Motorcycle?

If this bike doesn't look strange at first glance, take a closer look and you'll see no exhaust pipe, no internal combustion engine, and the only fuel source a giant 2 kWh lithium battery. The claim is that this bike "beat out more than 200 450cc gas motorcycles in fierce competition". Personally, I have a hard time believing that is even possible, but perhaps under the right circumstances with the right rider. The race was held France hosted by the French Federation of Motorcycles. The zero bike is set to compete in a much different type of competition, the TTXGP, the world's first zero carbon and zero emissions motorcycle race series. The inaugural TTXGP race took place on the historic Isle of Man TT course in June 2009. The first TTXGP race in the 2010 season will be the TTXGP North America Championships at Infineon in Sonoma, California on May 14 - 16. Click here for the full story.

Claiming torque of 50 ft-lbs and a peak horsepower of 23hp, the Zero MX dirt bike is on the right track, but with a range of less than 2 hours ride time it's still very limited on what it can do.

Dirt Bike Graphics Options, 2001 CR250

I've been wanting to either get a new bike lately or at least get a new look and a fresh rebuild for my old bike. Since a new bike isn't in the cards, the latter will have to suffice. Finding a graphics kit for older bikes can be tough, but there are a few companies out there that offer aftermarket options for a ton of applications. When I bought my bike, it had just had all of the plastics replaced from the stock red to a white. Since the owner was doing this just to sell the bike, he left it up to me to dress it up. I went the route of making it more custom rather than trying to stay with the Honda look. Recently though, I've been looking into options to try to maintain some of that stockish Honda CR look, but still have some originality to it. Factory Effex does a great job at offering this kind of thing as can be seen by these various shroud graphics for the Honda to the right. They mimic the original look, but most often are not an exact replica. This 2001 CR250 to the left uses the stock shroud graphic but custom swingarm and rear fender graphics by factory effex. While I like the look of this bike, for some reason I just don't like the yellow letters on red (think Ronald McDonald), and I am going to stick with my white plastics for the most part to save money. This shroud graphic is for a 2002 CR250 by Factory Effex. I like the colors much better and it should fit on my 2001 with a little modification. The options with plastic color for the Honda CR's are pretty much red, black, and/or white. You can get kits with these colors or mix and match with any of them. I've always had issues with my white fender turning black from the 2-stroke exhaust smoke, so the black seems like a good idea, but an all black bike just doesn't do it for me, and like I said, it's more expense than what I want right now. Here are a few other bikes that readers of bike pics.com posted up that I kind of liked the look of in certain areas.

The other option would be to go totally away from stock like this flame kit on this CRF450. I like the way this looks, but the cost for just the graphics is steep at $120, then if you need plastics it adds another $120 for a full plastic kit. I think this is a good look, but maybe a bit impractical and/or a little overkill for the average rider that might scratch and/or break pieces and then end up not being able to fix just one part of the bike. With the amount that I tend to lay the bike down, I decided against it. It looks good in the pictures, but it's more of a poser bike in my opinion.

Below is a current picture of my bike. I have modified the number plate slightly to make it smaller, and it has an aftermarket high capacity fuel tank. You can see the black coloring on the fender from the exhaust.

Here's the same pic "photochopped"(not very well, I might add) with how it might look with some of the options I've considered. The black fender would be a better color to hide the exhaust spooge, and it still looks good with the rest of the bike. On the swingarm is a factory effex Honda swingarm graphic, and the shroud is the 2002 Factory Effex shroud graphic.

These are "trim kit" options from Factory Effex for the Honda. These include front and rear fender graphics, swingarm, and fork gaurd graphics. By combining plastic options with graphics you can tune the look of your bike in a lot of different ways to suit your individual tastes. I'll be posting up pictures of my bike within the next month of the progress I'm making.