TAT-2016 Post 18 – Sunday 31 Jan 2016

Hard to believe on 22 Jan we had 7” of snow and today it was in the 70’s! We had to go riding today but more on that later.

A couple days ago Steve and Terry finally got around to replacing a broken spoke on Terry’s KLR rear wheel. I arrived later and gave moral support but didn’t have to get my hands dirty; just the way I like it. We’re still not sure which incident actually broke the spoke but the repair was straightforward and gave us good experience removing the wheel on the KLR. I’m thinking we will use that experience a lot in the future.

Yesterday I finally decided to install my speed-o-meter correction circuit I purchased several weeks ago. This is the 12oclocklabs SpeedoDRD unit that is supposed to correct your speed-o-meter especially after changing your gearing which I did when I installed the 13T front sprocket; original 14T. I had watched a YouTube video showing how to install the unit on my CRF but it was still a challenge. The problem is you must plug in the circuit between the speed sensor and the speed-o-meter. The unit has compatible plugs installed so you would think it couldn’t be that hard; IT IS on the CRF. Although the speed sensor is on top of the transmission, the plug for the sensor is up under the gas tank embedded in all the CRF’s harness. I took all the side panels off and I still could even see the plug. I then started cutting tie wraps off the harness and pulling it apart and finally could just see it but could not reach it. I finally unbolted the gas tank and pulled it up as far as the connecting lines would allow and just then I could get to the plug with needle nose pliers. I made the connection then started tying all the harness back together. I routed the circuit up under the seat and used Velcro to stick it to the seat pan for easy access in the future for adjustment. Previously I had identified the difference between my GPS and speed-o-meter during a long ride; GPS 123 miles and speed-o-meter 132.8 miles. 12oclocklabs has a calculator on their web page to compute the correction and it said I needed a -07.4% correction. The instruction on how to enter the correction on the circuit is very interesting. It is all done with a single small button and green/red Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). Today’s ride was my first test with it installed. AMAZING, my GPS odometer said 78.2 miles and my speed-o-meter was exactly the same 78.2 miles ridden today. The unit is a little pricy at around $65 but it definitely works.

In anticipation of todays group ride I finally dug my ole GoPro 1 out and charged the batteries hoping to get some video during our ride. Of the core 4 only Steve and I rode today. Dale and M&M joined us on their KTM 530’s while we were on our 250’s. After our mandatory stop at Duncan Donuts we decided to head north and check out the MX track on Hwy 89. We missed our turn and ended up at Vilonia, refueled a couple of the bikes and took a different rout back to the MX track for variety. We told Dale we took the 45 mile route to get to the MX track although it is really only 12 miles from North Little Rock.

After paying the $15 per rider fee at the MX track we were told to ride anywhere we wanted and that they had 500 acres of trails behind the MX track. What we soon found out was a lot of it was muddy and all of us had a few close calls riding the trails and hill climbs but still had a good time. My CRF made several climbs up steep hills with rocks and muddy spots with ease, I really like this bike. We finally went back to the MX track and watched the crazy young riders risk breaking their necks on the jumps. There was actually a smaller MX track that wasn’t being used so we 4 took it over and rode like we knew what we were doing. This is where I dropped my bike while trying to climb a berm without enough forward momentum. Steve had already dropped his in one of the muddy trails so I didn’t feel so bad. M&M and Dale are much younger and more into MX style riding so they were working the jumps but even M&M dropped his bike on a muddy turn. Only Dale did not drop his bike today.

We were getting our money’s worth of riding so I decided to stop and take video of the other guys with the GoPro on my handlebars. That’s when I captured M&M making a jump and landing sideways with a pretty hard crash to follow. During his roll across the ground he took a hard hit to his left hand and wrist. It soon started turning blue and swelling so we knew it was time to head home but we weren’t sure he would be able to ride his bike.

After about 30 minutes M&M decided he could just barely operate his clutch or shift without the clutch so we headed back to meet his wife who was bringing the truck and ramps to meet us halfway. We made it to our meeting spot and loaded the KTM into the truck and they headed home. We followed a short time later on our bikes. After meeting M&M at his house to unload the KTM we all split off to go home.

Summary:

1               The SpeedoDRD is great and works.

2               My GoPro is rock steady on my handlebars where it vibrated like crazy on my Harley Davidson; is that a surprise?

3               Even with 4 GPS units on the ride we still missed our turn to get to the MX track.

4               Mud means dumped bikes, guaranteed

5               If you jump a bike you must come down, hopefully on both wheels but not always.

6               Video never lies

One last thing out of todays ride. M&M and I leave on a weeklong business trip in the morning and he is my expert at a briefing I have to give on Tuesday. What do you think the chances are he will be at the airport in the morning?

I will try to upload video of M&Ms epic landing in next post.