2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

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doakley
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by doakley »

Great job! Get that kicker fixed! You might want to consider swapping over to the KX125 kicker (or the Fredette Racing version of same). I think you'll like it much better.
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Yeah Doug, Fredette has a bunch of them in his shop, I’ll do the new knuckle too.
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Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Swung by Fredette’s shop last week and picked up the Fredette kicker, a fresh knuckle, o-rings and clip. Installed it with no issues. Fits perfectly behind the Rev pipe, did trim back my plastic frame protector a touch. Testing it was a blast. Much less drama starting it now. Boot doesn’t slide off, and I am getting much better starts. Now I’m screwed. No excuses if I don’t pull the hole shot at the next race. Need to practice my launches so I can get it right. Did this some today and gained appreciable improvements.
Last edited by MoonStomper on 10:16 pm Oct 22 2021, edited 1 time in total.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

VCHSS Race #10 - Pipsico…
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Last weekend we rolled across the state east to the coast, just south of Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia to race on the Pipsico Boy Scout Reservation. As usual we arrived on Saturday night just minutes before the gate closed.

On my way down our driveway as we headed out - I noticed a bag hanging from my mailbox. It had the parts and fresh goggles in it that I’d ordered earlier in the week. The main thing that I wanted was the replacement clutch actuator oil seal that sits in the clutch cover. I had determined that it was the source of the oily mess that was all over my clutch cover and right boot on recent rides.

Before leaving I had drained the old oil and then found my jug was short 250ml so I’d planned on picking some up a jug on the road to the race. After making my espresso early Sunday morning I leaned my bike over, swapped in the new seal and added fresh Pep Boys 10W40 dinosaur oil.

The new goggles are the 100% Racecraft 2, and feature noticeably more visibility than my Accuris. Being able to see more is a nice thing! I installed a couple of the tear offs that came with and was all set. The weather had been drier than the previous visit and I was looking forward to racing in their sandy loam. After the last race I had remounted my still fresh Tusk soft terrain tire on the back and a Dunlop soft terrain on the front. This would be the first time I’d raced in this type of dirt with the proper tire setup.

The start was a dead-engine launch and as the 30 second waves in front of me went I realized that I couldn’t see the flag girl. So when our time came I had no clues as to her flag drop tell. Major disadvantage.

TEN SECONDS!… Elbows up, forward on the tank, and boot on a freshly zip-tied kicker, I anxiously awaited the signal. She was jigabopping around quite a bit and I almost fired off a couple seconds too soon… then I gambled and went for it on another move of her elbow - and so did everyone on my right. As the flag swooped down, I felt power coming to life and got clean off the line. Not a bad start for no more time than I’ve spent practicing recently, I was into the first corner inside the top eight or nine of a seventeen bike field.

The first lap I had determined to try and grab positions aggressively, but be smooth in between opportunities. The tires were doing their job and everything felt good. The course was tight with very few good passing areas and only a couple short WOT 6 gear sections. Both of these shut down into blind hard left turns that routed into narrow side track.
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My first 7 mile lap put me through the scoring tent with someone right on my tail so I didn’t know if my chip had scored me or not. This tail was in my class and he was charging, so I let him by as we passed through the crowd of spectators and fell in behind to follow. He squeezed past another guy in the open section and then we flowed together into more single track where he didn’t extend his lead by much. I began working on the guy between us who wasn’t interested in letting me past. Eventually he snagged a sapling and got hung, blocking the trail and I blasted by him mowing down some vines and brush.

Just as I popped back into the trail I saw the guy we had been following drop his bike in a berm and I took advantage. The next few laps I tried to be smooth and smart, looking up the trail and avoiding pitfalls. Near the scoring tent on my next to last lap I heard my buddy Tracy yell my name as he stood by the trail - I got distracted, went off-line and got hung up in some saplings (embarrassing)!

Despite some rather ugly log crossings and a few very close-calls I never dropped the bike and didn’t crash. Finishing as last rider on the lead lap in seventh, just 28 seconds out of fifth was a pretty good day. The sixth place rider was waiting for me at the finish and offered me a cold beverage back at his trailer with the guys. There I bumped into the rider that had dropped his bike in the berm and learned that he had caught back up later and was following me when his bike ran out of fuel and died before he could hit his reserve (he’d forgotten to top off before the race)! He complimented how smooth I was riding, and not making mistakes that would let him get by easily.

That was a nice compliment and I appreciated hearing it. There were definitely some moments where I didn’t feel “smooth”! He was definitely a faster and more aggressive rider.

Back at my truck I found my son collapsed in a chair. He had fought a cold all week and wasn’t feeling super great. His race had gone pretty well though in spite of missing out on a hole shot that he’d thought was in the bag. He had managed another second place and secured his second position in the 200C points battle. Next season he will bump up to 200 B and see what he has in the Main Event.
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I really enjoyed this race, honestly felt like a couple more laps would have been really fun. My riding fitness has come around and I’m super stoked about a 6hour event we are doing this weekend. Laps for Lungs in Floyd County, Virginia. You can do teams or Ironman it, which is what I’m planning to do. I’m very interested to see how long I can stay on it and if I dig it as much as I have the ultra distance events I’ve raced on my mountain bike.

Still tweaking the KDX, planning a few more minor upgrades to get her set up to grab some hole shots and improve her performance. I’ve been also working really hard on my riding style and am definitely feeling gains with my bike handling.
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Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by doakley »

Keep ‘em coming! Really enjoying following your season.
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Thanks Doug! We have a 6 hour race Sunday in Floyd County on a new course. Really looking forward to it.
After talking with Jeff last week I’m going to change my gearing up to a 13/46 from the 13/49. He says that is what he typically raced. Makes 1st more useable and you get a longer range of pull in 2nd, with better starts.

Really digging the new kicker too. Still don’t understand why less leverage actually makes the bike start so much more easily. Maybe because it’s shorter my short legs can reach it more easily?
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Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Almost forgot!!!… At Pipsico before the Main Event I spotted another KDX lined up with an AA number. Jason Greer was ready to rock on a bike that his uncle had willed to him. With a quick kick start, he was rocketship fast off the line nearly getting the hole shot.
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He ended up 6th in his class, and 11th overall out of 115. Not shabby for an antique machine up against a field of new euro hardware!
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Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by SS109 »

Love your race reports! :supz: Cool seeing another double AA (pro) on a KDX! :cool:
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Next race is this weekend in Floyd County, Virginia. It’s a 6 hour event that can be raced as a team or Ironman. Not a series race, but a fundraiser. This course may be featured in the VCHHS next season…
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Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

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Last weekend we were fortunate to have the opportunity to race locally (Floyd County, Virginia) in a benefit event to fight Cystic Fibrosis called ‘Laps for Lungs’ (see flyer above). This was 6 hour race on a new course that will be a new addition to the VCHSS next season. My son Henry and I both chose the Ironman class and were excited about this rare chance to race each other. Could the old man’s experience, superior preparation and guile defeat the young whippersnapper’s pure speed, lack of fear, and strength?

Our AA buddies Travis Jones and his son Trevor (Go Race Suspension) both came out to race with us and this made the day extra fun. Henry lined up with them on the inside line and aimed for a hole shot. I took the outside line so I wouldn’t get run over, but still be able to grab a top ten start and waited for the TEN SECONDS call from the front row of a race for the first time ever. This was a pretty neat experience. I felt confident that my KDX was well-prepared for this race with some fresh performance upgrades and extra preparation for this long format race.

When the flag dropped my new Fredette shorty kicker easily brought my 200cc’s to life with a roar. My practice had paid off and I launched off the line with minimal excess drama and aimed for the wide line around the grassy corner. Henry, Travis and Trevor tore around the big right hander just in front of me on the inside and shot down the hill towards the round bale sweeping into an acute left. Out of 29 guys I was in the top ten and feeling comfortable. The KDX had plenty of speed, the rev pipe wanted to sing. I played it cool and just matched the pace around me.

Into the woods we went - single file I just tried to settle in and maintain a buffer on the guy in front so I could start learning this course and get through the first 9 mile lap unscathed.

Planning for the race we had borrowed some jugs and had more gas than we thought we’d need. I’d brought pickle juice in a water bottle in my cooler and all the stuff that you hope you never need. My plan was to race two laps, flip my tank to reserve and finish the third lap before refueling. I was guessing that one 2.9 gallon tankful would carry me 3 laps.

About 3 miles in I took a downhill inside line to let a faster rider by and saw trouble lying in wait at the bottom before this line rejoined the trail. A slick looking tree branch the diameter of my leg lay across the trail at that certain angle that tells your brain you are about to eat crap. I didn’t have manage to pop up the front wheel before the washout started. This is another important skill I need to master.

That’s when I felt my left knee pop as I slid across the top side of my bike. Pain and bitter disappointment spread across me like a wave of cold water. I could feel my pipe hot on the inside of my right thigh as I realized the bright light in my face was my headlight. This wasn’t part of my superior plan to show my son how it’s done. The tortoise is supposed to ultimately beat the hare, not collapse like a house of cards on the first lap!

Pushing myself up off the bike the motor died as I reluctantly released the clutch. Could I support my weight on my left leg? Man this sucks! I managed to stand up and pushed through some pain to lift my bike as a passing rider asked if I was okay. I nodded to the affirmative as I continued to assess my new situation.
“Man this really sucks!” I thought as I found my knee disagreeing with my weight. If I hadn’t have had my knee braces on I knew this would have been worse.

Had to ride out of here, easier than walking, could I restart the bike? Maybe I can get over this log and at least try to finish the last 6 miles of this lap. Maybe I can make it. Or should I ride to the truck and grab some ibuprofen? Screw it, I’ll just start riding again and see how it goes. My sprained knee was to the uphill side which helped, and the short Fredette starter worked in my favor. Ol’girl eagerly fired, and off I went. It was a little painful to stand, but the dry trail wasn’t too tricky and more and more I figured out how to pick up my pace. Squeezing with my knees more seemed to help, and I sat some taking breaks wherever I could.

I passed by several opportunities to ride by the truck and kept rolling. The trail was loamy with some babyhead rocks strewn about. Steep short climbs, and descents, some creek crossings, one river crossing and then a downstream run of twenty yards across a shallow gravel bar. These features were all pretty tricky. I quickly realized the higher gear ratio of the 13/46 Jeff had recommended was working to my benefit in all of these situations. My KDX had plenty of power and I found it less jumpy and smoother handling everywhere on the course.

Slowly regaining my confidence I grabbed more throttle and began to hold my own. The trail widened and pointed up a long and steep multi-tiered, power climb after one thigh-deep river crossing. Splashing out of the cold water and grabbing second I launched over a smooth tabletop jump and pointed her up the mountain power on and clicking third. Working the clutch my green machine roared up the mountain - MAN THIS WAS FUN!!!

Maybe the best thing about this part of the course was the ROAR from the KDX as I flew up the mountain. It just had a great deep sound as I clutched it on and off in third gear over the silty, rock strewn jeep road catching air up over the water bars.

Soon I dropped down the other side hanging off the back and rolling as fast as I dared, around some berms at the bottom and into a field. The soft bottomland trail climbed gently and featured lots of yellow tape and some rather decent jumps which I aggressively attacked while ever mindful of my unhappy left knee. With a number of spectators and cameras watching this section I couldn’t let the history of the KDX be tarnished.
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We flew through the air, lacking style and grace, but with plenty of imprecision and authority! The tuned Go Race Suspension really works well on this machine, it felt amazing.

Finally I found the scoring tent and the screen showed me in 16th position. I decided to quickly hit the truck and grab 800mgs of Advil, some pickle juice and a Gatorade. Back onto the course, I tried to improve on my last lap.

Each succeeding lap moved me up in position. On my third I saw my son back in street clothes waving me through the jumps. Back at the truck to fuel he met me there and gassed up my bike (it only took two gallons for 27 miles). While dumping in the fuel he explained what had happened…

After not getting the hole shot (2nd)… (orange bike on the outside of our two AA buddies Travis and Trevor Jones)
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…he had a strong lap racing with the leaders coming through the first lap in fifth place. Halfway through the second lap climbing a steep rutted hill, he smoked the clutch and could smell it burning. He pulled off the course when it would no longer pull. Disappointed, he managed to get back to the truck and loaded up.

Going back on the course, I was sorry about his bad luck, but I still had a top ten goal in sight. The laps went by like a dream, each part of the course burned in my brain as I learned better ways to ride it smoother. My knee allowed me to stand more and I felt I was getting better each pass. The scoring tent showed me moving up and after my second gas stop, I ate some food and downed another Gatorade and some more water. I felt pretty good overall. After another lap or two (I don’t really remember) coming through the scoring tent the guy told me “one more” and I looked up and saw I was in 10th place. I hammered through that lap, with only minor mistakes and entering the scoring tent again saw I still had twenty minutes on the clock.

I could have stopped, but I was there to ride and didn’t want to have eleventh place roll up with a minute left wanting to race. Going back out on the course I still felt pretty good with only some minor cramps. The course was riding better than it had all day for the most part and I was really having fun. Ripping around the course mostly by myself in my own little world escaping the realities of life. Then I became aware of my rear tire going down. I’d started at 10.5 psi and had considered dropping down to 8-9 earlier, but didn’t! The bike was still going okay so I decided to carefully navigate the rest of my lap and hope that the guy behind me was at his truck.

Unfortunately I had to roll past all the super fun jumps I had enjoyed too.

Finally rolling into the scoring tent I was glad to see the checkered flag and ‘10th’ beside my name. Nine laps of nine miles each got it done.

The Ironman winner, Trevor Jones did 12. What a day!
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Go Race Suspension - Travis and Trevor Jones (3rd and 1st Place Ironman)


Next up… Revenge of the Rattlesnake at Wythe Speedway, Wytheville, Virginia.
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Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by SS109 »

:supz: Congrats! A 6 hour race is a test of skills, conditioning, and pure determination. You proved you had all three! Now just think how well you would have done if you didn't hurt your knee?

One piece of advice that I learned the hard way I would like to share... don't sacrifice your race for anyone else by making a bad move to let them pass. Always wait for a spot that is safe for you.
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Thanks, that’s very true and I learned that one early on, this time I thought I was good till I saw that darned log!
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Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Tomorrow’s race…
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This is potentially one of the coolest race courses in the series and I did it last year, got 5th out of 6. Only because the guy I finished in front of didn’t bother to finish or maybe died. I did one lap, sort of.

The race starts inside the infield of a southern red clay, dirt oval track. Live engine, flag drops and you boost over a berm and out onto the raceway for 3/4 of a lap WOT, then up and out onto an endurocross section over logs and tire obstacles with a good jump, then off and into the woods through some open fast trails with some narrower tight single track sections up and down some steep terrain. Then eventually after about 6 miles return to the oval and into the infield to run around some tight turns and over some small jumps and repeat with the scoring tent just after the endurocross section.

Last year the race was held in a hurricane after two days of solid soaking rain and I’d never really ridden much less raced in real mud before. I got a lesson. I did have my bike ‘prepared’ with lower psi in the tires, more compression in the suspension, etc., but it still really sucked.

Out on the course it was so soft and wet that controlling the machine was exhausting, everything was five times slower and harder than usual. People were on the ground all over the place. The downhills were a mudslide and the climbs were ridiculous and in some places impossible. In one draw I got stuck in a conga line in one single rut behind thirty other guys also stuck in this rut because you couldn’t go right or left, only straight and up.

Stuck behind a big obnoxiously LOUD four-stroke throwing clumps of mud straight into my face and chest, pounding my hands (I had no legit mud guards, just plastic Gatorade bottle halves zip tied onto my bark busters) the radiator got so hot my original nineteen year old plastic radiator plug on the left finally gave up the ghost and ejected in my face.

In a huge cloud of rushing steam I thought the top end of my cylinder had blown off as I felt the burning sensation rushing onto my hands, arms, chest and face. Falling over in burning pain, I was stuck in mud up to my knees and couldn’t get out from under my bike as the radiator spewed more hot discharge onto my crotch and legs. Here I stayed, desperately patting at my arms and body to cool the burning with my right foot trapped as I wondered what sort of hell I had found.

Eventually a course-worker recognized my plight and lifted the steaming machine off of me and I dragged my self out and tried to figure out what had just happened. Everything looked okay until I saw the plug (BOLT,RADIATOR DRAIN
Part# 92002-1682) was now missing from the top of the left radiator. That was sort of a relief as I had imagined the piston had fired off into orbit with the ISS.

I finally pulled my wounded machine away from the line of thrashing bikes and watched the chaos surrounding me as others continued to struggle, engines whined, mud flew in every direction, riders cussed and yelled, clouds of steam and smoke filled the air.
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This truly was DIRTBIKE APOCALYPSE.



Finally, after using my phone to video some of this carnage (linked above) while the bike cooled off against a tree, I poured water from my camelback into the radiator hole, and plugged it with a piece of green tree branch. Thinking there was no way I was going to get my bike up this slimy hill with all the other crazies in the way, stuck in their own nightmares. I decided to slog in my now sloshing boots up the hill to get some cell signal to notify my crew of my plight and come up with an extraction plan. Spending the night out here felt like a real possibility.

Once up there and away from the raucous, outrageous scene, I regathered the will to go back down and give it a shot. Though I still didn’t feel sure my motor wasn’t blown. As I started to descend I recognized a green headlight coming up out of the woods - it was my KDX, ALIVE!!! A course-worker had brought it up for me (turns out this guy was a legendary racer back in his day).

Thanking him profusely, I got back on the bike and onto the course. I finally made it through to the checkered flag and was relieved to have my bike and my butt out of the woods.
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This year’s race is setting up meteorologically to be a veritable repeat of last year.
Last night I decided to pass. Just not worth trashing my KDX with a trip to California on Monday and the last race of the season at Lake Sugar Tree weekend after next.

Tonight I am going to the prime time Virginia Tech - Notre Dame football game in Blacksburg My son is still racing so I’ll get up and go and root him on. Hopefully he enjoys it more than last year!
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Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by SS109 »

Ah, mud races... my favorite! Well, except for the clean up afterwards! :mrgreen:
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Current KDX: '98 KDX220
Old KDX: '90 KDX200 -White/Blue
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by doakley »

Wow, tough luck with the radiator plug. Mine did that in a race too only I wasn't trapped and just got away from the steam. I replaced that stupid plastic plug with a metal oil pan plug from the auto parts store. Just too the radiator in and found the closest plug. Then rethreaded the radiator to accept the new plug. No more problem!
Keep it rolling! I'm loving the write ups!

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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Yeah this was last year’s adventure. I found an aluminum plug at Advance Auto that fit perfectly.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Next up…
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All signed up for the morning event. I’ve managed to race the entire series this season minus the last one (mud fest) that I skipped.

During the break I took the time to install fresh OEM bearings in my swing arm and rockerlink. Also, picked up a Kawasaki shifter (non-KDX) from Jeff Fredette. This one looks stock, but is designed with one less bend and some different dimensions that makes it stronger than the original noodle. Fits exactly the same. Definitely feels more direct on the bike.
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This should be a really fun course with some motocross course, tight woods and open Grand Prix sections. Weather forecast looks nice. Can’t wait!
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by KDXGarage »

Thanks for the write ups and sharing with us! Keep it up.
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net. :bravo:
To post pictures from a device: viewtopic.php?f=88&t=24128
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by MoonStomper »

Sorry I’m running behind on my write up for the final race of the season. The Saturday after the race I went for a trail ride and had a bit of bad luck. Waited two weeks to get it x-rayed (thought it was just a bad sprain and bone bruise). Finally went in today and got this done. Interestingly, they haven’t put it in a splint or anything and now have me waiting for a call from an orthopedic.

Doctor said it is a mild displacement fracture of the distal ulna. No idea on a prognosis. Hoping to get it healed up before Sumter.
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~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~
Let the good times ROLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
‘99 KDX 220 / '03 KDX 200 - @%@ '18 Trek Slash 8 @%@ ‘22 Rieju MR300 Racing

BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA USA
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Re: 2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

Post by KDXGarage »

OH NO! Sorry that it happened. DO NOT rush it. Let it heal.

DAMN!!
Thank you for participating on kdxrider.net. :bravo:
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