Yessirree, I'm experimenting with suspension settings on the ol' WR-250FP once again.
Although the setup I've been riding with for nearly a whole year worked pretty well and was a decent compromise between the firm feel I really like and plushness for sharp bump absorption, I felt compelled to mess with it, again, to see if it could be improved.
Tom from Nasin Machine was given the forks to try another modification to the valving, and this time I told him to go for mega-plushness without worrying too much about the results feeling too soft.
The results did, indeed, feel softer overall (along with the front of the bike riding a bit lower, as expected) and more plush over small to moderate bumps, but performance over sharp bumps seemed little changed, if at all.
Tom believes the base valve pistons are the limiting factor with them not flowing enough oil quickly enough when hitting a sharp bump and thinks new pistons that come with bigger holes in them would be the thing to try during the next revalve session.
That very well may be the case, although I'm going to try, before the next ride this coming weekend, installing the next stiffer fork springs to get the front of the bike back up where I like it along with dropping the oil level in the forks to the allowable minimum in order to reduce the natural air spring effect as the forks compress.
Hopefully, I'll get the chassis balance back that I like along with damping that will not feel any firmer than what I already have over the sharp bumps.
We shall see.
Otherwise, the bike is preforming well and holding-up just fine and dandy.
Yesterday's Sunday ride was just that:
A sun day with plenty of sunshine making me squint all over the place.
I rode my longer route which means I included what's known as the Southern Loop, and although I took much of it slow and easy due to vision, it felt pretty good, all-in-all.
Total mileage yesterday was 55 miles, so not too shabby.
Off to jerk,
-John
Monday, September 30, 2013
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Gasoline for $4.29 a Gallon
I went for my latest Sunday Pachaug enduro loop ride today and it was done with the WR-250FP running the stock camshaft timing, the setup that gives more low-end torque at the expense of harder-hitting midrange and top-end power.
It was a good trade as far as I'm concerned because the terrain that makes up the Pachaug loop doesn't require (or allow, unless you are either very lucky or an expert rider with eyesight like a hawk) warp speed in most spots but does reward good low-end torque and tractability.
So, all is well again with the satisfaction regarding the engine's character.
At least this experiment showed me first hand how the bike runs in each specification.
Today's ride was decent, with partly cloudy skies and dry conditions, although there were the few minor water spots that seem to take forever to dry-up.
If I hadn't felt a bit down on mental energy, the ride could have been rated a solid "great", but since I seemed target fixate (stare at) on a few obstacles in the trail that weren't there the last ride instead of simply riding around them, I felt a bit clumsy a few times and had to come to a brief stop to regroup and then carry on.
Nothing bad happened, but it was a bit annoying at the same time.
At least I did have a good run through the pine-needled-whoops-through-the-woods section and at another shorter pine-needled section later in the ride - these did feel good and I rode well.
There was a pesky tree down across the trail mid-way through the first pine-needled section, right where you can jam across some whoops.
I was able to hop over it without taking a detour off the trail, but it is obvious that I have a tree-clearing project for this coming Saturday. ;)
-John
It was a good trade as far as I'm concerned because the terrain that makes up the Pachaug loop doesn't require (or allow, unless you are either very lucky or an expert rider with eyesight like a hawk) warp speed in most spots but does reward good low-end torque and tractability.
So, all is well again with the satisfaction regarding the engine's character.
At least this experiment showed me first hand how the bike runs in each specification.
Today's ride was decent, with partly cloudy skies and dry conditions, although there were the few minor water spots that seem to take forever to dry-up.
If I hadn't felt a bit down on mental energy, the ride could have been rated a solid "great", but since I seemed target fixate (stare at) on a few obstacles in the trail that weren't there the last ride instead of simply riding around them, I felt a bit clumsy a few times and had to come to a brief stop to regroup and then carry on.
Nothing bad happened, but it was a bit annoying at the same time.
At least I did have a good run through the pine-needled-whoops-through-the-woods section and at another shorter pine-needled section later in the ride - these did feel good and I rode well.
There was a pesky tree down across the trail mid-way through the first pine-needled section, right where you can jam across some whoops.
I was able to hop over it without taking a detour off the trail, but it is obvious that I have a tree-clearing project for this coming Saturday. ;)
-John
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
428 Bullshit Stories
This past Labor Day weekend was a complete waste as far as riding my WR-250FP went, and it was a bummer because I could have salvaged a day of riding out of it, too.
I rolled the dice and kept to my usual routine of going on Sunday, but, that turned out to be a rainy day.
Monday, Labor Day, was then hoped for, but that, too, was wet.
If I'd paid more attention to the weather forecast (put more faith into the prediction, actually), I would have gone Saturday afternoon and enjoyed dry conditions.
I didn't, so no riding for me this past weekend.
The bike is still waiting to go out for it's first ride since putting the exhaust cam timing back to stock specification, and it will be interesting to feel the comparison to how it was the ride before.
From here on out, I'll hope to remember that Saturday afternoon riding is better than no riding at all on the weekend.
What do you think about all of the blabbing about the US wanting to war it up with Syria?
I know what I think:
It's another bullshit cover story meant for the profane, and the real story is that the initiates, the illumined ones, the ones with the only truly mature minds on Earth, such as the rich and powerful men of the United Nations, continuing with knocking the shit out of those nations in order to get them completely on board with their plans of destroying all of the old-fashioned religions and old-school morality, getting on with their plans of a one-world government, and demolishing a country's own monetary set-up and getting them dependent on a one-world financial system.
All controlled by them, of course, the tight-knit secret society of those who secretly believe in and live by the Luciferian philosophy, the one which teaches that man, through the gift of intellect and the use of this intellect, shall evolve to the point that he, himself, is god.
Gift?
From who?
Well, why is it called the Luciferian philosophy?
-John
I rolled the dice and kept to my usual routine of going on Sunday, but, that turned out to be a rainy day.
Monday, Labor Day, was then hoped for, but that, too, was wet.
If I'd paid more attention to the weather forecast (put more faith into the prediction, actually), I would have gone Saturday afternoon and enjoyed dry conditions.
I didn't, so no riding for me this past weekend.
The bike is still waiting to go out for it's first ride since putting the exhaust cam timing back to stock specification, and it will be interesting to feel the comparison to how it was the ride before.
From here on out, I'll hope to remember that Saturday afternoon riding is better than no riding at all on the weekend.
What do you think about all of the blabbing about the US wanting to war it up with Syria?
I know what I think:
It's another bullshit cover story meant for the profane, and the real story is that the initiates, the illumined ones, the ones with the only truly mature minds on Earth, such as the rich and powerful men of the United Nations, continuing with knocking the shit out of those nations in order to get them completely on board with their plans of destroying all of the old-fashioned religions and old-school morality, getting on with their plans of a one-world government, and demolishing a country's own monetary set-up and getting them dependent on a one-world financial system.
All controlled by them, of course, the tight-knit secret society of those who secretly believe in and live by the Luciferian philosophy, the one which teaches that man, through the gift of intellect and the use of this intellect, shall evolve to the point that he, himself, is god.
Gift?
From who?
Well, why is it called the Luciferian philosophy?
-John
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Valve Cover Off 427 times
Well, I took the WR-250FP out this past Sunday on the ol' Pachaug enduro loop with the exhaust cam retarded to YZ specs.
How did it go?
Fast.
On the trails that allow you to get going with a decent amount of speed, the bike ran strong, with the newfound power making it easier to go fast on fast trails.
Once the revs get into the lower part of the midrange, the bike simply takes off like a shot compared to how the bike runs with the stock cam setup.
If you keep the throttle open, it pulls through the revs with authority it did not have previously, launching you out of corners and leaping over whoops like never before.
On my favorite pine-needled-whoops-through-the-woods section, it was my fastest run through the whoops to date, I do believe - the bike was really in it's element here.
The trade-off to get that power increase was that torque and pulling power way down low in the revs was lost in the process, and quite frankly, it was torque that was missed out on the trails.
This is because 90% of the mileage on the Pachaug loop is not fast like a motocross track through the woods (if only, huh?), but more like...woods.
And rocks.
And woods and rocks going up hill and down.
So, During the past couple of mornings before jerk, I actually set the exhaust cam back to the stock WR-250FP setup in order to restore the power characteristics to how they once were - lacking the harder-hitting snap and rev that was fun (in the few places it made sense), but returning the bottom end torque that is, really, needed out on those trails much of the time.
It only makes sense to me.
-John
How did it go?
Fast.
On the trails that allow you to get going with a decent amount of speed, the bike ran strong, with the newfound power making it easier to go fast on fast trails.
Once the revs get into the lower part of the midrange, the bike simply takes off like a shot compared to how the bike runs with the stock cam setup.
If you keep the throttle open, it pulls through the revs with authority it did not have previously, launching you out of corners and leaping over whoops like never before.
On my favorite pine-needled-whoops-through-the-woods section, it was my fastest run through the whoops to date, I do believe - the bike was really in it's element here.
The trade-off to get that power increase was that torque and pulling power way down low in the revs was lost in the process, and quite frankly, it was torque that was missed out on the trails.
This is because 90% of the mileage on the Pachaug loop is not fast like a motocross track through the woods (if only, huh?), but more like...woods.
And rocks.
And woods and rocks going up hill and down.
So, During the past couple of mornings before jerk, I actually set the exhaust cam back to the stock WR-250FP setup in order to restore the power characteristics to how they once were - lacking the harder-hitting snap and rev that was fun (in the few places it made sense), but returning the bottom end torque that is, really, needed out on those trails much of the time.
It only makes sense to me.
-John
Saturday, August 24, 2013
I've Got a 426
Yamaha once made YZ and WR models designated 426 from 2000-2002.
That's a nice, well-rounded figure, eh?
It is catchy-sounding, and is probably why it was used.
It's Saturn's Day morning, and this past week each morning before jerk, I spent time checking the WR-250FP valve clearances (they were just fine and dandy and, in fact, I believe measured at the same specs. as they were when I first checked them a year ago) as well as retarded the exhaust cam one tooth, giving the bike what guys on the In-Toe-Net call "YZ timing".
This means the WR comes with the exhaust camshaft advanced a tooth compared to the cam timing of the 2002 YZ-250FP, the bike my 2002 WR-250FP is based on.
Why?
Opinions vary a bit, but I believe (and nobody from the Yamaha factory in Japan is sitting me down to explain the whys) it's to do with reducing exhaust emissions by advancing the WR exhaust cam a tooth in order to have the exhaust valves close sooner, reduce valve overlap (when both intake and exhaust valves are slightly open at the same time), and reduce those exhaust nasties that are killing all the birds I ride past, no matter how far away they are.
The reason the WR gets subjected to tougher EPA regulations is because the bike is sold with intent of being used on public lands open to legal off-road riding, where the YZ is sold in a closed-course-use-only state (like a local motocross track that's privately owned).
The side effect of this EPA tuning is less power.
Now, that's not anything new, is it?
So, tomorrow's Pachaug enduro loop ride will be the real acid test to see just how I like this new setup.
I took the bike for a 2-mile putt up the street before jerk yesterday morning just to ensure that all was well after putting the bike back together, and I immediately could tell the bike does indeed have more power, pulls stronger, and pulls through the revs with more force.
Easily noticeable, so there's no question the bike runs stronger like this.
The experiment is to see if low-end torque (especially way down just above idle) is effected and to see how I get along with it in the tricky, ugly, tight sections of the rocky Pachaug loop, of which there are more than a few along the way.
Stay tuned.
-John
That's a nice, well-rounded figure, eh?
It is catchy-sounding, and is probably why it was used.
It's Saturn's Day morning, and this past week each morning before jerk, I spent time checking the WR-250FP valve clearances (they were just fine and dandy and, in fact, I believe measured at the same specs. as they were when I first checked them a year ago) as well as retarded the exhaust cam one tooth, giving the bike what guys on the In-Toe-Net call "YZ timing".
This means the WR comes with the exhaust camshaft advanced a tooth compared to the cam timing of the 2002 YZ-250FP, the bike my 2002 WR-250FP is based on.
Why?
Opinions vary a bit, but I believe (and nobody from the Yamaha factory in Japan is sitting me down to explain the whys) it's to do with reducing exhaust emissions by advancing the WR exhaust cam a tooth in order to have the exhaust valves close sooner, reduce valve overlap (when both intake and exhaust valves are slightly open at the same time), and reduce those exhaust nasties that are killing all the birds I ride past, no matter how far away they are.
The reason the WR gets subjected to tougher EPA regulations is because the bike is sold with intent of being used on public lands open to legal off-road riding, where the YZ is sold in a closed-course-use-only state (like a local motocross track that's privately owned).
The side effect of this EPA tuning is less power.
Now, that's not anything new, is it?
So, tomorrow's Pachaug enduro loop ride will be the real acid test to see just how I like this new setup.
I took the bike for a 2-mile putt up the street before jerk yesterday morning just to ensure that all was well after putting the bike back together, and I immediately could tell the bike does indeed have more power, pulls stronger, and pulls through the revs with more force.
Easily noticeable, so there's no question the bike runs stronger like this.
The experiment is to see if low-end torque (especially way down just above idle) is effected and to see how I get along with it in the tricky, ugly, tight sections of the rocky Pachaug loop, of which there are more than a few along the way.
Stay tuned.
-John
Sunday, August 11, 2013
425 Well-Lit Rides
Went out for yet another Sunday Pachaug enduro loop ride on the WR-250FP this morning.
How was it?
Fair.
Not bad.
Not fantastic (like I would have liked it to be).
Just fair.
How come?
Two reasons:
I woke up feeling a bit down on energy and coordination, and the sun was out brightly, which screws with my vision.
Still, there were no crashes or other bad incidents, so, it could have been a worse one.
At least the rear tire, now two rides old, is still feeling pretty fresh, although that will gradually deteriorate with each coming time out there.
Typically, after the 4th ride, it's back to where the rear tire will get me by, but no longer feels as good as it does when fresh.
Next Sunday's forecast (if you feel like holding your breath on a weather forecast for a week in advance) is for a cloudy day.
Here's hoping it comes true.
I did make a decent pass through my favorite pine-needled-whoops-through-the-woods section, so that was one of the several good points of the ride.
When I washed the bike after today's ride, I removed the fuel tank and cleaned the area above the cylinder head cover because I am thinking about checking the valve clearances before next Sunday's ride since I've now had the bike for a year, and the only time I've checked them was before I even rode the bike last August.
Even though they're probably just fine, I like to do this once a year.
I'm also thinking about, since the head cover will be off to do that job, retarding the exhaust camshaft one tooth to put the cam timing as that of a YZ-250FP, Yamaha's motocross bike that my WR-250FP is based on.
Guys that have done it say it's a win/win situation because you get more power everywhere, from the bottom to the top, and they don't understand why the WR comes with cam timing that it does.
Myself, I don't feel the need of requiring more power, but, I am curious about the results, too.
We will see what I decide to do.
I wonder how the latest bullshit news story in the Middle East is going, the one where those sneaky 911-esque terrorists that just seem to thrive all on their own and pop up where and when you least expect them to all by themselves and without any help from any nation's Federal Government are supposedly wreaking more havoc.
I'd imagine this havoc is going to have to be dealt with by hurting some people over there as well as hurting some people over here.
The Great Work steamrolls on, Holmes.
-John
How was it?
Fair.
Not bad.
Not fantastic (like I would have liked it to be).
Just fair.
How come?
Two reasons:
I woke up feeling a bit down on energy and coordination, and the sun was out brightly, which screws with my vision.
Still, there were no crashes or other bad incidents, so, it could have been a worse one.
At least the rear tire, now two rides old, is still feeling pretty fresh, although that will gradually deteriorate with each coming time out there.
Typically, after the 4th ride, it's back to where the rear tire will get me by, but no longer feels as good as it does when fresh.
Next Sunday's forecast (if you feel like holding your breath on a weather forecast for a week in advance) is for a cloudy day.
Here's hoping it comes true.
I did make a decent pass through my favorite pine-needled-whoops-through-the-woods section, so that was one of the several good points of the ride.
When I washed the bike after today's ride, I removed the fuel tank and cleaned the area above the cylinder head cover because I am thinking about checking the valve clearances before next Sunday's ride since I've now had the bike for a year, and the only time I've checked them was before I even rode the bike last August.
Even though they're probably just fine, I like to do this once a year.
I'm also thinking about, since the head cover will be off to do that job, retarding the exhaust camshaft one tooth to put the cam timing as that of a YZ-250FP, Yamaha's motocross bike that my WR-250FP is based on.
Guys that have done it say it's a win/win situation because you get more power everywhere, from the bottom to the top, and they don't understand why the WR comes with cam timing that it does.
Myself, I don't feel the need of requiring more power, but, I am curious about the results, too.
We will see what I decide to do.
I wonder how the latest bullshit news story in the Middle East is going, the one where those sneaky 911-esque terrorists that just seem to thrive all on their own and pop up where and when you least expect them to all by themselves and without any help from any nation's Federal Government are supposedly wreaking more havoc.
I'd imagine this havoc is going to have to be dealt with by hurting some people over there as well as hurting some people over here.
The Great Work steamrolls on, Holmes.
-John
Sunday, August 4, 2013
424 NSA Agents Reading My Stuff on the Internet
In the past month since my last post, there's been lots o' talk and news stories ("news" stories, perhaps?) about Edward Snowden and his ratting-out the NSA with their spying on what people write on the Internet and other spying stuff like that.
My take on it?
I basically feel that if you think this is news, buddy, you need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Just what would make somebody think there would not be somebody from some super-secret Federal government agency snooping around and listening-in on what every-day people write and talk about?
Shit, if I remember correctly, William Cooper, on his Hour of the Time radio broadcast from back in the mid-1990s (yes, folks, twenty years ago) reported that the purpose of the National Security Agency was to make and break coded communications, which meant that in order to do that, the NSA must be able to intercept and monitor (spy on, in other words) ALL communications WORLDWIDE.
Or, more plainly, the NSA is allowed to spy on all communications for the reason of protecting the security of the USA.
So, what in blue blazes should make somebody be surprised if some (probably bogus and made-up, or at least exaggerated in order to get people all riled-up) late-breaking, shit bag of a "news" story reports that government spook works are spying on the communications of the people of the USA?
Huh?
Why should you be surprised at that in this day and age, especially?
It should be more like the people of the USA say a great big, "I knew it all the time, you lying scumbags."
It should also surprise nobody that if congressmen can be bought and paid for by the NWO secret societies Mystery Babylon secrets of the ages Banksters and allow the Federal Reserve Act in 1913, if big shots in this country would take part in the giant scam known as 911 and the equally giant scam of Homeland Security, if United Nations legislation threatening to take people's guns away can be written and promoted and cheer leaded by those in United States of America public office, what on God's Green Earth would prevent people from suspecting that ALL communications from them, their families, friends and coworkers/employers are being intercepted, monitored, recorded, and saved for who-knows what?
It's for your protection from terrorists, don't you know?
Shifting gears:
I have been going out on my Sunday Pachaug enduro loop rides, as usual, and the one today was good because I just mounted up a brandy-new Bridgestone M22 rear tire.
Mmmmm-mmmm, traction today felt very good, indeed.
Things could have even better if it were cloudy and if I hadn't tweaked my bum wrist last Sunday, but, I backed it down a notch at times to baby it and all went well enough.
The bike performed well, as usual, and I basically enjoyed it.
Time for bed.
Got that, NSA (and who knows who else) spooks?
-John
My take on it?
I basically feel that if you think this is news, buddy, you need to wake up and smell the coffee.
Just what would make somebody think there would not be somebody from some super-secret Federal government agency snooping around and listening-in on what every-day people write and talk about?
Shit, if I remember correctly, William Cooper, on his Hour of the Time radio broadcast from back in the mid-1990s (yes, folks, twenty years ago) reported that the purpose of the National Security Agency was to make and break coded communications, which meant that in order to do that, the NSA must be able to intercept and monitor (spy on, in other words) ALL communications WORLDWIDE.
Or, more plainly, the NSA is allowed to spy on all communications for the reason of protecting the security of the USA.
So, what in blue blazes should make somebody be surprised if some (probably bogus and made-up, or at least exaggerated in order to get people all riled-up) late-breaking, shit bag of a "news" story reports that government spook works are spying on the communications of the people of the USA?
Huh?
Why should you be surprised at that in this day and age, especially?
It should be more like the people of the USA say a great big, "I knew it all the time, you lying scumbags."
It should also surprise nobody that if congressmen can be bought and paid for by the NWO secret societies Mystery Babylon secrets of the ages Banksters and allow the Federal Reserve Act in 1913, if big shots in this country would take part in the giant scam known as 911 and the equally giant scam of Homeland Security, if United Nations legislation threatening to take people's guns away can be written and promoted and cheer leaded by those in United States of America public office, what on God's Green Earth would prevent people from suspecting that ALL communications from them, their families, friends and coworkers/employers are being intercepted, monitored, recorded, and saved for who-knows what?
It's for your protection from terrorists, don't you know?
Shifting gears:
I have been going out on my Sunday Pachaug enduro loop rides, as usual, and the one today was good because I just mounted up a brandy-new Bridgestone M22 rear tire.
Mmmmm-mmmm, traction today felt very good, indeed.
Things could have even better if it were cloudy and if I hadn't tweaked my bum wrist last Sunday, but, I backed it down a notch at times to baby it and all went well enough.
The bike performed well, as usual, and I basically enjoyed it.
Time for bed.
Got that, NSA (and who knows who else) spooks?
-John
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