2021 VCHSS Series - KDX in the Orange Sea

[MoonStomper]

My physical condition could definitely improve, I’m not doing any real prep for the races. I’m driving almost 11k a month for my job and then when I’m home between trips doing physical stuff most every day. Seriously, if I’d just get back to doing daily core workouts I know it would help me a ton.

Haven’t even been riding the mtb this year like I usually do. Though I do bring it with on some of my trips and get some sweet riding occasionally. I just need to start a routine and be disciplined.

[MoonStomper]

Update - replaced the original fuel cock...

After the latest round of upgrades I felt motivated to finally do the ‘Yamaha petcock swap’. The original had to be long in the tooth and seemed rather exposed considering the affinity I have for dropping my bike in the woods. I’d also noticed dust sticking to the area at the base of the tank and also around the lever. Those gaskets were probably circa 2003. Putting a shorter one in there with fresh gaskets seemed like the right call. It’s actually cheaper than buying just the replacement gaskets and as you’ll see a real bang-for-your-buck upgrade.

Found the correct Yamaha part number on here and then by cross-referencing some parts sites I was able to locate it on RMATVMC for $19. So I snagged it along with some other items we needed.

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Showing her age...

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Old one out and new one on right for comparison...

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Bottom of tank in case you are curious...

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New one in, fit perfectly and operates flawlessly. Took longer to drain the fuel than to install and reassemble.

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[SS109]

The only thing I hate about that petcock is the fuel line routing. I'm trying to locate a better fitting alternative.

[doakley]

Just looking at the photos, could you simply mount the Yamaha valve flipped 180*? That would put the little selector lever on the back side but really, how often during a ride do you move it? I don’t know if that is feasible.

[SS109]

Just looking at the photos, could you simply mount the Yamaha valve flipped 180*? That would put the little selector lever on the back side but really, how often during a ride do you move it? I don’t know if that is feasible.

Hmm, interesting idea but it would be really tight to the upper engine mount if it fit. Probably be super hard to actually switch it on and off.

We're getting ready to do our yearly bike maintenance so I'm going to pull the petcock off my buddy's '18 YZ250X and try it on the KDX tank. It looks the same as the other Yamaha except the fuel line exits straight down.

[lucy]

Or, you could insert a fuel filter with a small 90 degree elbow.

[SS109]

Or, you could insert a fuel filter with a small 90 degree elbow.

Good idea!

[MoonStomper]

I actually like the way it’s routed, seems less exposed.

[MoonStomper]

UPDATE - broke the original rear caliper guard...

Couple weeks ago I noticed I’d cracked the plastic caliper guard so I found this Works Connection aluminum replacement at RMATVMC...

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Perfect fit and looks like it will do nicely...

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[KDXGarage]

Nice! Thanks for the pics. It does look sturdy.

[SS109]

UPDATE - broke the original rear caliper guard...

Couple weeks ago I noticed I’d cracked the plastic caliper guard so I found this Works Connection aluminum replacement at RMATVMC...

Perfect fit and looks like it will do nicely...

Got the same one. You won't break this one!

[MoonStomper]

Race # 7 - April Fool’s - Oak Ridge & Race #8 - Hill Billy - Rural Retreat, VA

Okay, I must admit that I’ve done two series races since last update and have gotten way behind…

To say, ‘I want another bite of this apple’ is a major understatement… actually BOTH apples!

Super dry conditions in Virginia the previous few weeks had led to super dusty racing. With the rain we were blessed with later in the week just before the race, we nearly nailed perfect conditions on race morning. It was also much cooler, about 60 degrees and so perfect for racing. April Fools is super fast and super popular. Located among beautiful rolling hills, on prime if maybe a little wet dirt on a horse farm in south central Virginia.

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… not me HAHAHA… it’s Zahrt the Dart from back in the day…

Some amazing woods trails and some very fast 7th gear sprints through beautiful rolling pastures. I got off an average start mid-pack then kind of sucked for the first half a lap until finally getting into a rhythm and building some confidence. After the first lap I was in 6th, and my second was almost a minute faster, but still in 6th. It was really fun ripping that desert pipe across those open fields, she sounded AMAZING! I wasn’t lacking any low end grunt either and the bike felt really good.

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At the end of my second lap going into the zigzags near the scoring trailer I tried to move inside of a rider I had caught, and he shut the door on my front wheel and I hit the dirt. I got up pissed with myself and got back after it, catching and passing him coming out of the scoring zone. Zooming off across the long field straight I held her WTFO before I finally tucked it down into the dark woods. Then I misjudged my speed on a line, pushed wide and got stuck between a couple trees.

The rest of that lap I was noticeably faster and more aggressive, but I pressed too hard and kept making mistakes. It was frustrating and hard to pass. Slower riders wouldn’t yield and I had to take chances. Stuck again behind one of these ‘slow/sitdown’ riders, we caught another slower rider and as those two crossed a bridge over a small stream I checked up a bit and the dude directly in front of me followed the other guy up the preferred right hand line, so I determined to go left off the bridge and take the shorter steeper muddy A-line and just go for it.

This would have worked if I’d waited a split second longer to let her rip. I spun sideways coming off the wet bridge and dropped the bike almost sliding into the creek. Fortunately a course worker was there and got me straight pretty fast and I ended up catching and passing those two jokers soon after when they wrecked each other, but I lost a lot of time.

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It also cost me a spot and probably two, as I ended up 7th on the day. I was pretty disappointed because once again my bike was way better than the position I finished in.

LESSONS LEARNED…
RE: FOULED PLUG:
1 - My mechanic buddy said I’m not ‘leaning her out’ enough before the start. I need to do more above idle warming up at initial kick start, then more WOT sprints before going to the line. It was a hot/humid day and this makes a difference.
This burns carbon build up off the plug, rev it high then hold kill switch to get her primed to kick off the line.

2 - Bring along my wrench and a plug. No crap.

RE: RACECRAFT:
Be a little more patient and look ahead of the rider in front of me a bit more.

~~~~~~~~~

[MoonStomper]

Race #7 - Hillbilly in Rural Retreat - was fifth last year), I didn’t get home until the day before the race so my bike/kit/mental prep was ZILCHO.

This race was earlier this year, but the weather wasn’t overly hot, there was some heavy dust in the field sections, but not nearly as bad as Graves Mountain a few weeks back.

When my plug fouled at the start I realized I hadn’t brought a plug wrench or plug and lost twenty minutes pushing back to the truck, and dropping in a fresh borrowed one with a KTM wrench.

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Plus I was racing on a scratched fork tube that was spewing oil above my brake caliper. We had zip tied a paper towel below the seal to catch the worst of it - ghetto as hell.

Not exactly a recipe for success. So I spotted the field about twenty minutes faffing around on the first lap getting her re-fired, but still managed three laps on the day. The second two lap times were pretty good and would have had me running four laps and finishing in the top five if I hadn’t fouled. As it was I passed two riders from my class, and finished 11th of 13.

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My son got another hole shot in his race, but crashed near the finish of his last lap while in second and finished 5th. He’s second in points now, and probably where he should be.

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[MoonStomper]

Race #8 - Peninsula Classic

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This race had been postponed last minute due to heavy rains earlier this season. It was rescheduled for this past Sunday. We have had a decent break which was good for me to get caught up on my maintenance game, but I’m still behind on practice time. Getting seat time is hard to do right now. I have been playing tennis with my college bound (next weekend) daughter though which is dang fun and good for my fitness. Amazingly, despite the looong layoff I played well and even won both my doubles matches in a tournament we played in together. Feels good after about 30 years of not playing! Hard to believe that I’ve also driven from Virginia to Oregon and Virginia to Spokane AND back since our last race. Got to take my wife on the Spokane trip and we spent quality time in Hot Springs, Montana, and Glacier National Park. 67k miles in 6 months!

Have managed to perform some important bike maintenance and upgrades before Sunday including (THANKS DOAKLEY!!!) major improvements to my OEM forks that were motivated after scratching a stanchion that caused a torn seal dripping fluid all over my front brake caliper before the last race. Doug sent me his old forks which included fresh 44kg Race Tech springs. These were much stiffer than the OEMs I had on there. Travis at Go Race Suspension got everything swapped around and now along with his Belgian Valves, my forks are PRIMO!!!

But hey, control is nothing without POWER. My recent top end job with all the extras took care of that, but the hot and humid weather had me chasing jetting as I was on the rich side and fouling plugs with a cold engine. This prevented me from being able to get in on the dead engine start of the last race. Last week after getting home and fouling a plug on my initial suspension shakedown ride, I finally got into my carb and moved my needle two clips leaner.
(The weather will be cooling soon so I expect to going back the other way in the coming weeks.)

The change I made on Saturday morning achieved the desired results. Crisp, clean throttle response, and no fouling my plug at startup. Air screw is set dead on 1.5. After unloading the bikes Sunday morning at the event she fired first kick and never gave me any hesitation or bogging. I warmed her up slow, gave her a pep talk and went to the starting line. The race features a rare live engine start and being last to the line I surveyed my class. There were nine other riders, all of whom I recognized. Most on high zoot Austrian bikes, a Beta 300, a Honda 250 4T and a Yamaha 250 4T. I’m o the only Green Machine and easily on the oldest ride in my class.

The usual hole shot winner - a newer KTM 300 rider(and super nice guy) was positioned for the outside of the first turn as always, I decided to take the shorter line to the inside like my son was lined up for about a half dozen rows in front of me. He has earned three hole shots this season with some tactical advice and coaching from Go Race Suspension Travis and Travis’s son (A Champion and AA newcomer, and THRILLMACHINE) Trevor Jones (19). Those guys have won a hole shot or two and learned their business from grand pa Bob Jones who was winning hare scramble championships back in the day!

I figured I may as well go for it because I knew my lack of sand track experience was going to leave me mid-pack at the end of the day if I didn’t crash or get stuck in mud holes. May as well get the glory where maybe I could! Time to put the green demon up front and serve notice.

There had been heavy rain Saturday after weeks of dry weather but the course was looking good if maybe a little wet, the mud holes would be a serious threat and a couple creek crossings were still full.

One of the preparations I made Saturday morning was to install a new $55 Tusk soft terrain 110/100/18 on the rear. I also got one for my son’s KTM 200. We have two races in this Tidewater neighborhood and it makes sense to make a relatively cheap investment in a tire designed for these sandy courses.

After studying the flag girl’s technique I found her ’tell’ and that gave me the extra edge I’d need. Her elbow always dropped before moving the flag. At ‘ TEN SECONDS!!!’ I clicked 2nd, slid up on the tank went to 1/3 throttle, clutch at edge of engagement, leaned over the fender, elbows up and on my toes. ANTICIPATION…

Her elbow dropped and I slipped the clutch and gave her.

I remember feeling good about the get off, like I’d almost jumped the field but the video shows I was clean and off the line with three other guys all to my left. I knew I’d have to charge up to the turn and then brake hard under control (on an unknown wet grassy surface) and hook 175 degrees back to the right, go about 50 feet to the flags and 100 degrees around a tractor tire back to the left, and then up the long muddy straight to get into the woods(whichI hadn’t actually scouted) about 1/8 of a mile away.

I got my feet on the pegs and grabbed third, slipping the clutch with the throttle wide, nose came up as expected, but I was still leaning over the tank and continued accelerating, the power really came on and surging forward I committed to being first in the turn and hoped I could whoa her down and lean her back over without sliding out through the apex.

At the first braking point I had the lead with four others trying to all squeeze in on my left. The traction was there as my fender ducked under braking and I got it right, only overshooting a little bit, but getting turned and working the clutch and full gas, I sensed two guys crossing behind over to my right, but third gear under heavy clutch - throttle ripped, pulled me straight without going sideways. I pulled away and got to the hole shot flags with a solid bike length and slid the rear around the tractor tire left-hander into the straight-away.

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HOLE SHOT!!! Feeling stoked, I ripped full steam up the straight and hit the mud wide open and shot up the hill pulling away from the pack - I hadn’t walked this so had no idea what it looked like except had been warned that there was a left into the woods out there somewhere. This straightaway was a tractor lane lined with woods on my left and 5’ high cornfield on my right. Yellow tape and some spectators came into view and I set up to gear down and whipped her left into the woods. I knew that KTM 300 was coming fast and I set him up to take an easy pass. I didn’t want to hold him up and I tried to follow after he eased by. He’s a really skilled and experienced rider (should probably be B class at least).

Following him briefly, then it was a while before the second guy came up and I didn’t hold him up either. I eventually settled into about 5th or 6th and managed my three laps without any crashes or getting trapped in some of the nasty deep mud holes I’d been warned about.

I discovered the coolest thing about racing the KDX. It is like hanging out with a really popular celebrity while you are ripping around the course, Every group of spectators recognizes that green headlight and yells, “KDX!!!!” Really keeps me stoked!

The greasyness got worse on the last lap which really held me back from making a last lap charge. Going into the final half of the last lap I pushed a little harder though and caught the 5th place guy going into the scoring trailer tape and finishing one second behind him for P6 on the day. We congratulated each other on the ride and he invited me over to his truck for a cold beer, which I happily accepted.

Very happy with my KDX, it was an absolute ROCKET SHIP on the open straights, wound out in 6th and hanging off the back is FU-UN! It was super fun to reel folks in on those straights and pass them before ducking back into the woods. Jeff Fredette’s advice to go with the Boyeson Rad Valve, his needle, and jets, and the Gnarly Rev pipe and his torque ring really worked. The bike has plenty of grunt down low, I ride third gear a lot (13/49) in the flow sections, it’s way smoother and faster that way with less wheel spin.

The suspension is really working nice with the fresh springs and the Belgian Valves installed by Go Race, together they really make a huge difference. Also have to recommend that Tusk soft terrain tire. It really worked on this terrain, I’ll be taking it off and saving it for the next coastal race at Peninsula in a few weeks.

I’m looking forward to next week back in the mountains at Coyote Run. Hoping it will be prime dirt.

[SS109]

Ha! The old KDX has still got it! Congrats on the hole shot! It's amazing what you can accomplish on a bike you have faith in. Time to start pushing a little harder.

[KDXGarage]

HECK YEAH! CONGRATULATIONS on the holeshot and solid ride!

[doakley]

Glad to be of some help with the forks. Keep on pushing!

[MoonStomper]

Race #9 - Coyote Run

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The day before this race I successfully fought off the urge to swap out the old front brake line, rotor and master cylinder kit. I’d recently bled the system and had it working reasonably well, but new parts are so tempting!

Earlier in the week I’d paid a visit to Fredette Racing Products in Beecher, Illinois home of owner and AMA Hall of Famer (34x ISDE), Jeff Fredette. He gave me a really cool tour of the facility (I’m pretty sure I heard secret agents training in the black arts, firing flame throwers and machine guns behind one of the closed doors). Afterwards, he sent me away with a box of KDX goodies. Back home I was eager to bolt some stuff on, so I did the frame guards, front fender and IMS Pro Series pegs (Jeff said he “feels like a bird on a wire without”)… then went out for a shake down ride.

The pegs made a huge difference right away. I can squeeze the bike without my boots sliding off the pegs now. Standing feels better too because when on your toes you aren’t slipping. You have to lift your foot to move it. Overall a much more secure attachment to the bike in all positions.

The fresh plastic looked nice too. Ol’girl is looking fast now!

Coyote Run is located about an hour and twenty minutes south of us on a farm here in SW Virginia near I-77. It’s a beautiful place with a variety of terrain, great dirt, and some sweet, wooded, technical single track. It’s very much like what we ride here at home, but not quite as rocky.

I’m hanging onto 5th in the points battle and hoping to move up in the last few races. I feel like I left some points on the table last week. If I can collect a couple more podiums and have some luck who knows? Definitely feel like my riding has improved along with the mechanical improvements I’ve made to the bike this year.
I still have a long way to go to do this bike justice though. I just need more seat time to build confidence and competence.

My son drove out to the race in my old Suburban with his GF early Sunday morning (just got his license), so I brought my wife Annie along with me in the truck. It was a beautiful day (sunny and low 70’s) and the course was in prime condition.

After warming up with no fouling issues I headed for the start and parked my bike against a tree in the shade and checked out the scene. Most of the guys were already in line at their selected positions, and baking in the sun. I walked out the first 1/8th mile and spotted the land mines on the course (holes, wet roots, sucker lines) and decided on what line I’d shoot for.

The dead-engine start did me no favors, slipping twice, the 3rd attempt on the old tweaked kicker fired her off (upgrade time!) and I slummed off the line next to last out of 9. The guys ahead had jammed up some in the first corner so I managed to rush in and sneak through a hole, passing a few guys before the second turn.

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My pre-race scouting paid off though and with some aggressive moves and line choices I quickly found myself in 3rd place going into the long power straight coming out of the creek. I’d salvaged a decent start from another inauspicious beginning. The course was tight and technical, with lots of steep ups and downs ideal for this green machine. There were some shorter lines with decent logs to pop over, applying some new skills I took advantage of most of them.

It wasn’t long before we caught up with the tail end of previous waves and had to make quick decisions to get through the self-imposed log jams. Never could figure out how they got stuck in these places, but decisive moves helped me put riders between myself and everyone chasing me. I always feel like the target is on my back, I’m on the only green machine in my class.

After a decent first lap I found myself in fourth going through the scoring tent. I knew I had work to do and set off after 3rd. My second lap felt really good and overall I was really happy with it. However, in one section a guy was plugging up the entrance to a rutted hillclimb with his bike sprawled across the best line and I had to go high around setting me up for a less prime angle to accelerate for the vertical attack.

Feeling someone right behind me, I got cross rutted and got passed by one of my classmates near the top. I ended up chasing him down and getting by again later in a technical section with some logs. I didn’t know it then but was in second place.

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Dropping down into a long dry creek bed I heard my rear tire carcass making some noises that weren’t reassuring. Did my tire puncture? Was I getting a flat? This worry caused me to back off my pace and I nursed her on my way through the last couple miles to the scoring tent. Going through they waved the white flag as I looked up at the monitor and saw I was in third. Maybe I just had a slow leak? It didn’t feel terrible, I decided to press on and see if I could manage it for seven and a half more miles. No way was I going to stop and fool with it.

On the way through the taped areas leading back to the woods I promptly dropped the bike on some wet roots going into another creek in front of a bunch of kids, and then dropped it again in front some more spectators. If I was going to finish I needed to do better than this!

By now I knew the lines and was able to be more aggressive on the faster sections, but still made a few mistakes in some other places, I was a bit faster through some technical spots and felt like I was averaging a decent lap. Still found myself passing riders and so far hadn’t been lapped by my son or any of the usual fast guys. Dropping down a steep rutty chute into that dry creek bed for the last time near the end of the lap I caught a glimpse of a guy that I thought might be in my class.

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He was right there and I knew I was within three miles of the end. Clearly faster, I just had to get by clean, I worked to get in position. The tire still felt soft but seemed to be working okay. I looked for my chance as the rough and chocky creek bed widened and narrowed. I was almost in position to take my shot… when suddenly I felt the rear slide violently right as the front tracked left. My left foot instinctively reached to the deck as the rear came back left and the front shot off to the right. I sensed my leg going backwards and twisting out when I felt/heard a pop in my knee as I crashed face first on top of the bike looking down at my headlight. My hand was squeezing the clutch and the motor was still running as recognition of my plight swept over me.

Had I just blown my knee again?
Was that my ACL?
Was I going to be able to finish?
Hey my bike didn’t stall!
DON’T LET GO OF THE CLUTCH!
Can I get back up?
Can I ride out of here?
Can I finish and save my placing?

I pulled my right leg forward, it wasn’t trapped, I pushed down and got my foot under me and squatted up pulling the bike up with me. Cautiously, I tried to bring my tingling left leg forward and my foot up onto the peg. Revving the throttle I asked it to toe the shifter down, it complied. Maybe I could at least finish my lap and ride out of here?

Pulling on the throttle, I slipped the clutch and pushed off with my right foot, it found the peg and I stood up using my right leg, some pain from the left, but I needed to stand to ride the rest of the way down this dry creek bed. As I went along my confidence quickly grew and I picked up speed. I don’t remember being passed, I felt like I a could make it.

I was pushing seventy-five percent and focused on making it to the checkers. Some technical spots almost got me, but I slummed through and pressed on. Finally entering the scoring tape and a waving checkered flag I rolled under the tent and saw my name flash up on the monitor.

99T - Position 3.

I could hardly believe it, but at what cost? I knew I was in trouble when I got home. Oh wait, she’s actually at the truck, I’m in trouble NOW.

Back at the truck, my wife was surprisingly pretty chill at the news. I found 800 mgs of Motrin and started hydration while sitting with my leg over a cooler. Walking wasn’t fun. After finally getting changed, but leaving the brace on, I was able to pedal my buddy’s e-bike over to watch the main start. By the time I was ready to load up and go home it was okay enough to ride the KDX up into the truck.

Fortunately, I was wearing my knee braces when this happened and I’m convinced they prevented my injury from being much worse. I’m certain they’ve protected me from other potential devastating injuries many times this year.

After a few days of just being careful with it and keeping the brace on, it was feeling much better. Over a week later and my limp is nearly gone, just a little tight. I think I got lucky with a mild sprain.

The points situation improved for me too and I moved up into 4th. Third might be out of reach, but I will go for it anyway.

My son pulled off another second place finish, and thrillingly was only 2 seconds out of his first win against the kid he’s been chasing all year. Both of us are gaining confidence and that is pretty fun!

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[KDXGarage]

Glad your knee is OK! Great write up as always. Keep at it.

[SS109]

That's the racing spirit, keep pushing! Congrats! Glad your knee seems to not be something more serious.