The good, the bad, and the harsh truth!

[delphipro5]

So I finally got to bring this bike somewhere I could actually get some serious use out of it! The Greenville to Kokadjo/Moosehead lake region of Maine.






Which is only about an hour and a half from where I live. All in all there is about 300+ Mi. of fireroad and tight woods trails to explore in this area. Lets just say I had a wild time! Excellent fun! SO.. Thats the good.

 Now for the bad. Just 30 min. into my second day of riding I had a bit of a mishap... Unfortunatley I was not really even warmed up yet (It was about ten in the morning!) and was riding a woods trail I had never been on before. Long mud puddle under the shade of trees with my gold goggles played tricks on my eyes and I did not see the 8" granite straight edge that was square in front of me untill it was too late.. Saw the whole thing happen before it happened.. let go of the brakes pointed it straight toward it and gassed er hard... front wheel made it over but the rear took the whole impact... fully compressed the suspension like a wet sponge.... tossed me superman style onto the trail noggin first as the bike cartwheeled into the woods!! Luck was on my side.




All that happened to me was crackin the heck out of my helmet, mashing my heel, and taking a throttle grip to the gut HARD... Just a few black and blues but nothing signifigint. Dented the rim good, scuffed the muff, dented my P.C. Pipe real good. About 450-500 bucks to repair with better parts. Lesson learned I guess! Still I am amazed at what this bike and my body can handle! I rode for another 2 1/2 hours after that wipeout! No problems! I just bashed the dent in the rim back in best I could with a ball peen and went back out on the trails!

Which brings me to my final conclusion...The harsh truth... These bikes were not meant for this type of terrain! Fact is, the trails in the north woods are HARSH RIDING! They will beat the snot out of the best of em' And trying to manage this bike twisting thru the woods in 1st and 2nd is a LOT OF WORK! At 175lbs. this thing can toss me around real good too. The fact is the true woods trails out here are better suited to a small 250cc 4t as light as you can get! And even still you should be riding with someone who has a 4wheeler with a good whinch on it! Now I need a 4wheeler!

 BUT.. out on these fireroads nothing can keep up with it... I gotta wonder how fast I was going at some points this weekend? Felt like I was pushing about 90 at times! Don't get me wrong, I am NOT done with the 500! Now that I have it there is NO WAY I am getting rid of this bike... The power is truly addictive! It will be fixed and back up at kokadjo in Sept.! It just means I need MORE TOYS!!

[Friar-Tuck]

Dang,
  Sorry to hear about the wipeout D.Pro.   Glad to hear your O.K. Like you said, the bike can be fixed..
 I guess you'll be hangin' out with us abit longer ehh? 
     Tuck\o/
     

[Motorrad]

They can be made into WOODS WEAPONS...

Gotta play with your settings some..

Durring (winter) desert season.. I have one setup... as Im out in open desert all the time... racing etc..

Durring summer... I ride in the local mountains... (I compeete in trials comps here.. so that gives ya an idea of terrain....Not on the KX obviously.. thats what my Gas Gas if for..)..
But the big K5 does good...   on all the single track etc there.. (4' rock ledges you have to pop up like a trials bike) etc..

Looking at one of your pictures... you have the forks flush with the tripples...   great for desert.. not for what your doing..

Pull those babys UP in the clamps... you will be MUCH happyer...

Also pay attention to your tire sizes.... I change out my tire sizes for summer single track.....

Auto clutches help I hear also...   Not a fan myself... (I ride trials... needless to say I have clutch controll)

[The Flyin Hawaiian]

 (I ride trials... needless to say I have clutch controll)
This is probably the most effective way to tame the 500 for the woods! Mine only gets ridden in the tight with dirt roads thrown in here and there to connect the trail heads. High speeds on the dirt roads here would get me thrown in jail quick! Too many "other" people out in the woods. (enviros, treehuggers etc)