Works Connection Jewelry!

Works Connection Elite Clutch Perch

 
Having just upgraded my clutch lever/perch from Brand-X to a Works Connection I made a few observations.
The Works Connection perch is well built and beautifully finished. While comparing it side by side to the aftermarket Brand-X unit I removed it occurred to me that the Works Connection perch was more like installing a piece of jewelry on my bike than a motorcycle part, it is that nice!
The color choice makes it even more appealing as I was able to choose Honda Red from the Works Connection line up as it was going on my CRF-X 450.
While I had both assemblies off the bike I compared the fit, finish and weight. The Works Connection complete assembly was 7.5 oz., while Brand -X came in at 8.5 oz. Not a significant difference until you look at how much money many riders spend on weight reduction on their bike.

With the install complete I think I overheard the Honda giggling between the two KTM’s knowing who was going out for a ride today!

Watch for a report following three weeks of Baja riding.

#33

Father of the Year

 Recon/F.O.Y.

Having just completed a week long shoot and ride extravaganza with my buddy Don, aka RECON, I think we both came away a bit more polished in our shooting and riding skills.

Recon was on a trip to watch his daughter play in a High school soccer tournament that required he go on a road trip. So like any good FOY (Father Of the Year) candidate he brought his guns that he has been teaching his daughters to shoot, so obviously they were for his family’s protection.  He also brought his WR 450 which I can only assume was to have a secondary mode of transportation should anything break down on his truck since this was a 1500 plus mile road trip. This guy thinks of everything, if he doesn’t win an FOY award in 2016 then Trump doesn’t stand a chance!

Recon made it to town safely and I introduced him to a few geezers at the local shooting range that also had a few guns, targets, metal gongs and a timer to record just how quick Recon was on the draw. They got along famously and proceeded to show him how well he can continue to shoot if he practices into his retirement. This group contained shooters ranging from the mid 60’s to the eldest at 80 years old. Recon was amazed when he found himself trying to compete with the 80 yr. old who was also named Don!  A good time was had by all and Recon left the range looking forward to coming back to whip these old timers.  The next time I shot with this group they were asking where my buddy Recon was and were very disappointed when I told them he had to go home to fulfill his FOY duties.

Between shooting and soccer, I got a chance to ride with the FOY candidate. We explored and logged some miles! On one day we did 200 miles off road and finished just before dark. We also participated in a regular Monday Taco ride that takes off each week and draws a wide variety of riders. It is broken up by a lunch stop at a roadhouse called Hooch’s that offer $1 tacos. Just for the record Recon can put away some tacos!

It seems Recon likes to explore new areas too, especially when they include high speed sand washes that let him open his Yamaha WR 450 up. One particular wash is named Maggie wash and does include some pretty impressive scenery when it narrows down from 60 mph and over 100 feet wide to just about 8 feet wide. There is sand, rocks and vertical stone walls while it twists and turns through a canyon that knocks your speed down to maybe 10 mph unless you intend to become a human pinball on those walls. It is always a ton of fun and is worth the two hours of riding it takes to get there. Recon was asking me how long would it take if we rode directly there so we could do it again tomorrow. I had to break it to him, 2 hours, but I didn’t see the grin dissipate.

We made our way to the gas and lunch stop and met an injured buddy, Montana John, who had ridden his KLR 650 out to the small town of Wikkieup to meet us.  After lunch It was time to head back because the sun was already starting to cast shadows. By the time we got home it was after 6pm and the odometers had just rolled 200 miles for the day. Some chain lube, put the bikes away, change out of our riding gear and get cleaned up was all we had time to do before heading off to find dinner. How much better can it get than riding from one eating spot to the next.  I think Recon is just starting to find out how to do retirement correctly!

The time came for Recon to pack up his stuff and head home while I was following him out of town in search of another ride somewhere around the town of Weldon. Which turned out to be such a great ride I couldn’t resist texting Recon pictures of the trail I rode there.  Recon, you left too soon homie!

#33

“teach your daughter how to shoot, because a restraining order is just a piece of paper”

Pirelli MT43 vs. Kenda Equilibrium

KENDA EQUILIBRIUM

Having used up 3 Pirelli rear tires and being lucky enough to have my buddy Montana John offer up his CRF 450X with a brand new Kenda Equilibrium rear tire for comparison, I am almost through his rear tire!

I was so impressed with the grip of the Kenda I purchased one of my own and installed it on my KTM 500 XCW. I wanted to use more than one of the same tire on two different bikes to be truly objective.

 

The Kenda was equally impressive on both bikes showing the same traction on the Honda or the KTM. It also showed the same wear on both bikes. I am almost through both Kenda tires and each one will last approximately 700 to 800 miles before being considered worn out. You have to remember I am Cheap so it will be really worn out! Conversely, I have averaged about 1700 miles on the Pirelli MT 43 rears.

I would give a slight nod to the Kenda grip when new, but the same bite seems to come from both tires with a little time and a few miles. I would give a slight advantage to the Kenda in sand but never had occasion to use it in the mud. The nod then goes to the Pirelli as it continues to provide the same traction while reaching closer to the 1700-mile life span than the Kenda’s 800 miles.

The Pirelli is a 400-18 while the Equilibrium is labeled a 450-18. The Kenda is marked ‘not for Highway use’ while the Pirelli has a DOT label, so if you plan to use it as a dual sport tire, as I often do, that may be a consideration in your selection.

Both tires work great and priced within a few bucks of each other where I buy them. So the deciding factor for me is the mileage between tire changes.

#33

“We tend to get what we expect”

Trail Riding Can Be Hazardous!

Ride Safe!!!

First ride of the New Year looked to be a fun filled day since I was riding with a group in an area I had never ridden. One of my favorite things to do is ride a new area.

The day started off on the wrong foot as we started to pull away from the truck I noticed one of the bikes was pouring a liquid out the bottom. First thing you think of is a stuck float causing gas to run out of the carburetor.  Not this time, after a closer inspection it was discovered to be a bad water pump seal, allowing coolant to pool in the skid plate. One down, four to go! So the remaining four riders, Peter, Phil, Dick and #33 decided to take the first ride promising to come back and switch off with Tim, since it was his bike with the problem.  We did exactly that and made shorter loops than planned and everyone got some seat time.

Everything worked out well until we were about ½ mile or less from returning to the trucks for the final ride. Peter was leading, with Dick, Tim and #33 following on a power line road leading back to the trucks. Unfortunately, there were a couple of younger riders on that same power line road going the opposite direction. The road was fairly straight but had a few hills and valleys. It appears that Peter met the two younger riders as he crested one of those rises, and as luck would have it they were not riding single file staying to their right as we were. With the two of them riding side by side the one on the wrong side of the road met Peter head on at the top of the rise.

Both riders were thrown from the bikes in the resulting collision and lay motionless for a few seconds. We checked the riders and they were conscious and responding without any immediate obvious outward injuries.

We had two riders return to the trucks to find the other boy’s father and notify him as well as getting a vehicle to pick up Peter and his Yamaha as it had been damaged extensively in the collision. The front end of the bike was torn off and the front wheel was destroyed.

Peter had an obvious concussion and a sore right hand, quite miraculous after looking at the bike! It was a long ride home and took 3 guys to load and unload Peter’s bike when we got back.  It is now the following day and I am wondering how Peter is feeling this morning, I think I have a pretty good idea!

Ride Safe!

#33

“Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes”

For more pictures of the carnage go to the photo section.

Tire Testing Your Buddy's Tire!

Another Choice

Having now gone through 3 Pirelli MT 43 rear tires as a crash test dummy for the MX43 readers, I figured maybe I should branch out. Fortunately I have a buddy, Montana John, who purchased a Kenda Equilibrium rear tire that mimics the Pirelli trials.

I mounted it on his bike (CRF-X 450) and was given the first ride honor. Well actually I have his bike because he fell and broke his collarbone. He was gracious or foolish enough to loan me his bike while he is injured to try the new tire. I am not quite sure he realizes yet how many miles it may accumulate if he doesn’t heal quickly enough!

My first ride impression was very favorable; it cushioned nicely on rough ground and seemed to hook up extremely well on cobby climbs. I will continue to thrash, I mean test, his tire until he repossesses his bike. I have ordered one for my bike to get a true comparison to the Pirelli. Also to see what kind of longevity I get from it. I have averaged about 1700 miles on the Pirelli in the crappy terrain I usually ride on.  Stay tuned!

#33