Author Topic: Holding Lines  (Read 6038 times)

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Offline hughes

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Holding Lines
« on: May 23, 2005, 04:19:10 PM »
Hey, Guy's I have been riding at my local moto park that has 11 miles of off road hare scambles. I am trying to get in riding shape and learn as I go. My question is how do I hold my line going into these turns through the woods :?: there are usaully no lines or ruts until they run a big race. I went this weekend and watch the lines form in the turns during a big race. I am going this weekend to ride there and I know there will be lines and ruts. Do I just need more practice or is set up that important. Thanks.
Open Class 2-Stroke Kawasaki KX500
Yamaha 2005 YZ250
Richard Hughes
Dirt Hammers - Online Off-Road Journal
hughes@dirthammers.com
http://www.dirthammers.com

Offline KXcam22

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Holding Lines
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2005, 05:34:00 PM »
Hughes,
  Is your difficulty finding the best line, or holding in once you have found it. I'll make some asumptions here. In hare scrambles, often once the lines and ruts are formed you actually want to ride next to them but not in them.  Generally by then it is too rough to make time.  Speed in hare scrambles comes alot from making your own smoother lines that thread in and out of the rough ones that already exist.  For an example, given a long LH corner (say about 3rd gear worth) there will generally be a whooped out line, possibly a rut, that follows the arc of the corner.  Following the normal line is slow and rough.  A better plan for these is to "square" off the corner.  That is to enter the corner to the inside left of the line, aimed at the apex of the corner,  turn tightly at the apex then steer inside to exit to the left of the line again.  This way you spend most of your time on smoother ground.  A couple of tips:

1. always concentrate and look exactly at the line you want to ride. Your bike will always steer where you look (even if it is at a big rock).

2. KX loves to be steered by weighting the pegs. Try railing those corners standing using all your weight on the inside peg. Play with peg weighting a bit, you will be surprised.

3. People will ride the rough line all day when a smooth line is 12" away.  Use your smarts and always look for the smooth line, generally the sides. Faster with less energy. The KX steers well at speed. Use its abliity to thread in and around the rough stuff.

4. If you get a chance, walk the course.  It is much easier to get an idea of where the smooth lines are. In my MX days I would walk up to 10 laps, studying each corner to find the best apex, lines in and out etc.  Good luck. Cam.

Offline hughes

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Holding Lines
« Reply #2 on: May 24, 2005, 02:45:54 AM »
Thanks KXcam22,

That's some good info. I will try somthings this weekend.
Open Class 2-Stroke Kawasaki KX500
Yamaha 2005 YZ250
Richard Hughes
Dirt Hammers - Online Off-Road Journal
hughes@dirthammers.com
http://www.dirthammers.com

Offline KXcam22

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Holding Lines
« Reply #3 on: May 24, 2005, 04:23:01 AM »
Hughes,
  Another thought. Don't hesitate to pull the forks up in the clamps to tighten the turning. Try 1/2".  Makes it easier to tuck into the corners. Hope this helps. Cam.

Offline hughes

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« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2005, 05:24:07 AM »
That's a good idea. I not tried that. I am setting at 1/8 inch. right now.
Open Class 2-Stroke Kawasaki KX500
Yamaha 2005 YZ250
Richard Hughes
Dirt Hammers - Online Off-Road Journal
hughes@dirthammers.com
http://www.dirthammers.com

Offline hughes

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Holding Lines
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2005, 04:00:37 AM »
What is a good natural grass track tire :?:  I run miles of grass track before we hit the woods. I am running the Maxxis IT right now one misstake I made was getting the 110 rear. I like how durable this tire is little wear after many rides. But it likes to slide on grass. Would the 120 rear help this :?: Thanks
Open Class 2-Stroke Kawasaki KX500
Yamaha 2005 YZ250
Richard Hughes
Dirt Hammers - Online Off-Road Journal
hughes@dirthammers.com
http://www.dirthammers.com

Rick

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Holding Lines
« Reply #6 on: May 28, 2005, 02:31:54 PM »
I also add preload to my rear shock to raise the rear.  So, I drop the forks to 1/2", and add 2 full turns of preload in the rear.  The goal is to trick the bike into riding like a 250.  Since I am now back in North Carolina for a few months (normally in Idaho with high speed desert), I will change the bike setup until I go back.  I'm also thinking about adding a KX250 to the van so I have a bike that handles better in the really tight terrain.

Rick