RIDE REPORT
RIDE REPORT
I have a good ride report after getting to take the KX200 XC-w out for a real ride, and boy was this a ride. This weekend was the first time I got to really ride it and it was at the first race of the OCCRA series after the summer break. The race took place at Camp Gruber, which most people consider to be the most difficult and technical of all the races in the series. Camp Gruber is in eastern OK where the terrain starts to become very hilly and rocky, and this place has a LOT of rocks.
To add another layer of complexity, it raind for two days before the start of the race. Then, if that wasn't enough, Hurricane Ike passed overhead Saturday night before the race and dumped an additional 6" of water on the area, turning it into a muddy, slippery, rocky mess. This would be an excellent test of the new bike.
Overall I give the hybrid an A. It would have gotten an A+, except for an issue with the airbox, which I will get into in a minute. The first ride came on Saturday in practice. I went out onto the 10 miles course with my usual riding partners. I told them that I would probably be getting used to the new bike so not to wait for me, to just go ahead. Well, I took off dirts and the bike got the better of me. My plan to feel the bike out and get used to it gradually went out the window and I just let her rip. The next thing I knew I was flying through the woods faster than I ever did on my KDX. I looked back at one point and my riding buddies were no where to be seen, so I stopped and waited. Once they caught up we took off again. Once again I pulled away from them. We are all pretty evenly matched, so I think I was hauling ass. Of course, I do really good on the hard, rocky terrain so that may have had something to do with it.
The hybrid was so easy to turn. I think I read somewhere that the 2003 KX125 "carves" through the turns and that is exactly how it felt. I was able to lean way and carve through the turns through no skill of my own. The bike just turned effortlessly. I could also tell it was very light. I found myself, on several occasions, switching which side of a rut I wanted to be on by just lofting the front end and pulling the front tire fron one side of the rut to the other in mid air. The first time I did this is was just by accident in a moment of desperation. After I did it I wondered if it was just a fluke or if it was something I could pull off again. So, I did it again. Beautiful.
I am fully comfortable with it now. I guess that makes sense since it is my KDX motor and I hav been riding on KX forks for the past few months. One thing I will have to still get used to is the ergonomics in the standing position. It is a little different somehow and I am still feeling a little off balance sometimes when standing. I may have to adjust my handle bar height and location to feel right.
Overall I would say that the hybrid is very easy to ride fast. It is very light and nimble and easy to manhandle. It also likes to turn. For riding fast through the woods it is much better than the KDX. For really tought 1st gear kind of stuff it is just as good as the KDX. After I try it out on one of my familiar trails I will know more how it compares in the slow, technical stuff. I give it an A.
The reason it didn't get an A+ is because the MX-style airbox leaks water really bad. Every time I blitzed through a deep puddle or creek it would take in eater and start to sputter. Eventually I had to slow down at the water crossings and creep across. I will definately have to modify the airbox somhow if I am going to be splashing through water at high speeds. I should have known the airbox was vulnerable because of the sound coming from it. It creates a loud, rumbling sound from under the seat as it sucks in massive amounts of air. It sounds like a monster under there growling for air. It definately gave it another level of stimuli.
Another thing I tested was the V-Force reeds and Pro Circuit Platinum II pipe. I used to have an FMF Rev pipe (I'm on a 200). with the new reeds and PC pipe the power delivery changed. It caught me off guard a few times because with the rev pipe (on my 200) the power off the bottom wasn't as...instant. It had good power on the bottom, but just not as much. with the rev pipe it would slowly build until it would really ramp up in the higher rpm's. With the V-force and PCII pipe it was on like Donkey Kong right when I gave it the gas. A couple times it surprised me and I almost lost my grip on the bars, but I eventually got used to it and think it works very well.
Another thing I noticed about the hybrid is that it sits a little lower. I can straddle it and just barely stand flat footed. If I put my weight on the seat it sink enough that my knees start to bend. The KDX was a little taller than this. I'm arounf 5'-10" or 5'-11" and would have never really considered a taller seat with the KDX. I am thinking about it with the hybrid, or I may just enjoy the ease of touching the ground.
18" or 19" wheel? I would like to have an 18" so I can play around with a trials tire sometimes. I may eventually come op with a second wheel that I can mount a trials tire on. Does the 19" turn better than an 18"? I don't think I'm really a good enough rider to tell the difference. If I rode on one than then immediately switched to another an dhead back on the trail I may be able to tell, but I think either one will work, whatever your personaly preference is.
I will also eventually look into a larger tank. This one is only about 2 gallons. That should get me about 40 miles. I don;t know, I rarely ride more that 40 miles without a break and a return to the truck for a re-fill, except in a race. And I only race for fun, so a pitstop wouldn't kill me. The pitstop in this race gave my kids something fun to do. The small tank may also help it handle better.
), just waiting for a good kx to show up...)
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