BBTR Big Bear Run

[Crawdaddy 96]

While MANY of you were riding in Ramona (nice to see such a big turn out!), DigDug and I headed up to Big Bear for a little practice session.....we rode a few of the "A" loop/nasty trails:

Gold Mountain

John Bull

Delamar Mountain

Heartbreak Ridge

Lightening Ridge

Onyx Summit

Ride was about ~100 miles

Only two short sections of the ride gave us some difficulty…..Delamar Mountain has a short ~50 yard/SOFT uphill dirt stretch that sucked (and it'll be on the ride again this year.....better start early or it'll be SO SOFT/torn up by the time you get there that you'll be bull-dogging it for sure)…..if you loose momentum anywhere in that short section you’re screwed……guess what, I lost momentum……”looped” the bike trying to climb up (couldn’t keep the front wheel down on an attempted restart)…..bent rear fender in half when the bike floated back down to earth (I just bent it back down )…….too bad Doug didn’t get a video/picture of that particular incident

Here I am in a futile "Delamar spin"......wound up doing a bit of bull dogging and a bit of riding to get to the top.....

Onyx Summit was the other tough stretch for both of us……lots of baby head rocks and steep…….hard to get any momentum if you stall out anywhere on the climb……it’s also up at 9,600’……I ran out of energy after a few restarts/drops/spin outs……I got the bike through most of the hard stuff…....then Doug walked down and offered to help so I put him to work .....had him ride up the remaining stretch since I was spent in terms of energy……though I think I made the wrong decision.......walking up the remainder of the climb was no picnic either

The combo of 13/52 sprocket set up allowed me to creep up/down some nasty sections without abusing the clutch……..ran the front tire at 16PSI and the rear trials tire at 11PSI……the trials tire worked great up there……

The views from the top of Onyx were worth the effort....

[ShocknAwe 0]

Chris, thanks for the report and pictures. I am in San Bernardino the rest of this week for work and might do some riding up there. Any GPS tracks or did you just use the maps online?

[Crawdaddy 96]

Any GPS tracks or did you just use the maps online?

The tracks we used can be found in this thread: http://www.dualsport-sd.com/forums/index.p...ic=2942&hl=

More photos of area can be found in these old threads:

http://www.dualsport-sd.com/forums/index.p...ic=2971&hl=

http://www.dualsport-sd.com/forums/index.p...ic=2629&hl=

[Strega 0]

Looked like a really fun ride, can't wait till the end of June!!

[Bagstr 288]

Chris,

Tell us how many years of offroad cycle experience you have to prepare you for running around the most difficult routes available.

Dave

It has taken me two years to tame this:

I just want to know how many more years of practice I need. And if I have enough years remaining to catch up!

[dirt dame 561]

That last shot looks like Deerpark road.

[Crawdaddy 96]

Chris,

Tell us how many years of offroad cycle experience you have to prepare you for running around the most difficult routes available.

Dave

I bought my 98 YZ400 dualsport in 02' and headed to the Bass Lake 250 Dual sport event......NO experience other than LOT's of Mtn biking and YEARS of street riding on motorcycles......I believe in OTTT (On The Trail Training)......that's why most organized dual sport rides offer easy and hard options......so ALL riders can enjoy it.....I'll ride most any trail/any time with a few other folks.....I don't enjoy trying to ride all the hard ways at the BBTR run in one day with the swarm.....it's not my cup of tea....I'd rather ride a few easy and a few hard.......and avoid the masses chasing a plaque......to each his own......one year you may only want to ride one hardway and the rest easy.....or ride all easy/hard.....many options available....

[Bagstr 288]

Crawdaddy,

Cool, I believe I have another five years riding in me. Now where can I find a YZ400?

OTTT, good to know that works.

You and Doug keep up the excellent work in Big Bear.

Dirt Dame,

In the neighborhood, Pine Mtn.

Time to head up there once more.

[Jaynen 0]

Well no bike will keep you from getting "old" but a smaller bike will definitely make exploring those more technical areas a lot easier. Have you started looking for a new home on the 990?

[Crawdaddy 96]

Now where can I find a YZ400?

The hyper active, 5 speed, close ratio, kick only bike was a fun ride but it's not the optimum bike for the dual sport mission...........ample discussion elsewhere in this forum regarding more suitable 6 speed, wide ratio, electric start, sub <300 pound (wet) options.....

[Bagstr 288]

Sorry for the thread hijack

Well no bike will keep you from getting "old" but a smaller bike will definitely make exploring those more technical areas a lot easier. Have you started looking for a new home on the 990?

Mentally, I've already made the shift to a thumper. The 690 with long service intervals and more street-ability vs a 530 EXC.

The plan is to be on the thumper by fall and sadly move the 990 to someone lusting for POWER.

Regardless of what Randy and Cameron can do with a twin, sand and single track are work.

Who says a bike can't keep you from getting "old". I am counting on it!

[Crawdaddy 96]

Mentally, I've already made the shift to a thumper. The 690 with long service intervals and more street-ability vs a 530 EXC.

Schwinn is the only guy I know that might be able to handle all the stuff we rode on Monday on his 690.......I couldn't......I wouldn't even attempt (some) of it (Delamar/Onyx) on a bike bigger than my 520........but that's just my $.02.......some folks enjoy the challenge of pushing the big bikes beyond comfortable limits.......I sometimes push it on my 620, but I don't think the "A" loops of Big Bear would be any fun on that big of a bike......I may have a slightly different perspective because I'm a fat/50yr. old not some ~25yr old hard charger :curtsey:

If possible, I'd suggest you keep the 990 and set set your sights on a smaller/lighter bike if you want the ability to attack more technical terrain once in a while......if long service intervals are important, I'd take a hard look at Jaynen's WR250........that bike combined with your 990 might be a good mix to have at your beckon call........there is no such thing as a "do it all" bike.......I'm struggling to get by with just a street/sport bike (Superchicken), ADV bike (620), and Dualsport bike (520) .....I'd like to add a 2 smoker desert bike, a trials bike, etc., etc.

Dang it, forgot to buy a lotto ticket again last night........ :dance3:

[Jaynen 0]

My bike is comparable in weight to a DRZ-400 slightly lighter but I don't think there is anything technically where I would feel like it was the bike not me that was going to keep me from riding it. With the new seat on it I feel a lot more comfortable on the bike, I am actually starting to debate if I get a second set of wheels and a few other things of just holding off on my "get another bigger bike" plan altogether.

Bagstr if you ever want to borrow my bike just let me know I would be glad to let you take it out.

If I was looking at the KTM 690 I would consider the Husky TE-610 over it. The huskys powerband is broader and the gear ratio is a wider spread for better highway cruising and low speed maneuvering. There is a big thread about it over on ADV rider

But while I love my bike it has issues too. Like small gas tank. Suspension won't compare to some other bikes, doesnt have the power of the 450s etc etc

I just ordered this rack for my bike though to help on that front

[DigDug 0]

Thanks for keeping me company. I had a great time!

You've got all the good pictures posted, so I'll just say that it was a good day on the mountain. While I've increased my confidence level for the event hardways, I realize that I need to keep the pace up. We averaged right at 15mph moving and 10mph overall - at 10mph, a 160 mile course (that's what it was last year, the year prior was more like 180) that's 16 hours - too long!!! (of course it helps of we don't get lost and have to backtrack I guess!!!) I see I need to hit the gym a little harder and more often over the course of the next month!

If possible, I'd suggest you keep the 990 and set set your sights on a smaller/lighter bike if you want the ability to attack more technical terrain once in a while......if long service intervals are important, I'd take a hard look at Jaynen's WR250........that bike combined with your 990 might be a good mix to have at your beckon call........there is no such thing as a "do it all" bike.......I'm struggling to get by with just a street/sport bike (Superchicken), ADV bike (620), and Dualsport bike (520) .....I'd like to add a 2 smoker desert bike, a trials bike, etc., etc.

I'm going to have to side with Crawdaddy here. Keep the 990 and find a cheap 250-450 sized plated dirtbike (go used - it won't hurt so bad when you drop it). The 990 is a great street bike (I commute every day on my 950), and and excellent adventure bike. It's perfect for that Ramona loop we did a few weeks back(My 450 would have not been very comfy on it - although I've done it). But it definitely isn't the best tool for the rougher stuff - not for a rider at my skill level at least. The 690 is still a 320 plus pound bike - ready to ride. Contrast that with my 450 - according to my trusty bathroom scale, it's 260 - ready to ride. That's an extra 60 lbs to maneuver, push, and lift - quite a bit!!! That same trusty bathroom scale says my 950 is 520 lbs, ready to ride (with crash bars installed, etc) - interesting tidbit, double the 450 (in weight, displacement, and horsepower).

My suggestion is to start cruising craigslist to try and find an older, plated dirtbike (one that came from the factory as a dirtbike and was plated before the Kaliforniastan cutoff date) in the 250-450 cc range and add it to your stable. You should be able to find one easy for under $3000, and with a little effort (and maybe a little work or money spent after you buy it to "freshen" it up) around $2000 or even less. I'm sure there are MANY riders here that can attest - there is NO ONE "do it all" bike. Some get by with 2 (I'm happy with my setup), and some need more.

[Jaynen 0]

I would agree unless the long service intervals is of high importance. But that depends on how much riding of technical terrain Bagstr plans to do. And for some of us 2 bikes just isnt an option be it storage or wife or whatever else. 2 bikes will definitely cover the bases better than one however. If only Yamaha was making the WR450R. The other advantage to a used bike is of course you won't lose much money on a resale.

My daydream bike would be to find a somehow legally plated KTM300 2 stroke with E-start as a more hardcore bike, keep the WRR setup for the longer dual sporting and get some SM wheels for commuting or fun, and then get a V-strom or something for 2up longer trips with the wife etc. But the 300 2 stroke would not be a tons of miles long maintenance bike.

[bikeslut 1]

Here I am in a futile "Delamar spin"......wound up doing a bit of bull dogging and a bit of riding to get to the top.....

fake name to the white courtesy phone... GUYS! CAMERA should be plumb to gravity!

regarding multiple bikes... ONE bike can not do it all... unless you are just trying to prove a point

SLUT

WR250F

DRZ400S

XR650L

and i'm still missing a smoker, and a big bike

Jason; if the wife is an issue, PM Orangeblood... he has a supersecret cache of bikes in a storage unit somewhere... OOPS! I've said too much

[DigDug 0]

fake name to the white courtesy phone... GUYS! CAMERA should be plumb to gravity!

Don't be a hater because you had to work Monday...

Sheesh man - I thought I did pretty well considering I left my bubble level at home!!! :curtsey:

I'm a professional navigator, but I don't go whining about your GPS skills now do I??

[bikeslut 1]

fake name to the white courtesy phone... GUYS! CAMERA should be plumb to gravity!

Don't be a hater because you had to work Monday...

Sheesh man - I thought I did pretty well considering I left my bubble level at home!!! :curtsey:

I'm a professional navigator, but I don't go whining about your GPS skills now do I??

You know I have NO gps skills! My GPS is just there for reference when I call 911... :dance3:

and you're right... I was jealous that I couldn't go... I would've slowed you guys up anyway. Glad you had a good ride.

[Crawdaddy 96]

GUYS! CAMERA should be plumb to gravity!

It's a pretty steep climb....a pic of my rear wheel only wouldn't have been as interesting.... :dance3:

And Doug, hey man - don't be bitching at me about our slow pace :curtsey: .......you were the one setting the pace in terms of riding time .....well, except when I followed the wrong track once , and except when I looped it on Delamar , and except when I was cursing/panting like a dog on Onyx :heat: :dance: .......and........and..........ok, nevermind......