Dirt Bikes and Tundra

Added an XPLOR PRO 8946 shock and OXA pipe with a guard. Put the bike through its paces last week riding 5 Miles of Hell and Chimney Rock, in Utah.

The shock is incredible and should have come with the bike. Factory Edition comes with the XPLOR PRO cone valve forks but regular WP PDS shock, which left it feeling imbalanced.

I picked up the OXA pipe and guard on sale at Slavens for less than what it would cost to replace the factory pipe. It’s supposed to provide more clearance than most pipes (other than Mountain High Pipes).

Just a FYI for anyone considering OXA, I’m not sure the ground clearance is noticeable, but I can say the front tire occasionally clips the pipe guard when the forks are deep into compression. I keep two sets of wheels - one set of gummies and another set for the chipped granite bullshit along Colorado’s Front Range. The gummy front is a 90/100r21 fatty and the other is a 80/100r21 - both hit the pipe guard. Other than that, both pipe and guard are quality and no significant change in power.

 

This new Triumph 450 is so freaking cool.

 

We try to go to Durhamtown a few times a year. Still rocking my 2014 YZ250F. Here’s me trying to keep up with one of my youngins on the flat track!

 

Needed a steering stem tool so I made one, realized it needed to be a deep socket one which deflated my handyman high, persisted and won the battle.

 

Got a ride in on Saturday after getting some rain last week, still pretty dry but definitely an improvement.





GPR stabilizer started leaking it has 36 hours on it, I'll get it sent in this week and hopefully have it back by the weekend.

 

Also got a much needed ride in Saturday. Trying to get the old track on my folks place burned in and build some new stuff. Tough with a skid and tiny tractor tho. So we hit grassy bumps.

 

I have the MX Tech lucky spring conversion on my 300XC, love it

 

x2 on the MX Tech Lucky cartridges. I have them on my older 300xcw with 4CS forks.

I highly recommend Slavens valving for Front Range shenanigans. They also provided alternative shim stacks for a firmer ride, which has worked well for high speed desert.

I would say they are about on par with WP Cone Valves.

 

Looking for opinions on tires.

My yz250 2t is used for medium paced moto as well as creepy crawly, rooty, rocky, single track.

I have a dedicated 18” gummy rear but looking for an all around front to handle all the duties, will likely match the 19” rear for moto.

Michellin s5 soft was my go to but the replacement s6 isnt great in the roots?

Any opinions are appreciated.

 

I had Elias at Factory Edge revalve my 250sxf when I had it. Very knowledgeable and former off-roader. Would use him again if I still lived there.

 

I've been using Hall effect suspension in Albuquerque NM he's localish to me, He's pretty good with the WP suspension and his prices are really fair. He set up my last last 2 TE300's and we have Kreft on the FE350 the Hall Effect suspension rides better IMO. If I was in Colorado I would go with Slavens after riding a buddies bike in Alaska years ago.

https://hall-effect-suspension.mailchimpsites.com/

 

I have the Dunlop MX34 front on my 450 that’s used for all types of riding and the MX3SF front on the 300. The 34 is a little harder carcass but great traction and wears really well. The mx3sf is a similar tread pattern but a little softer. Love them both

 

For years I rode stock valving and only swapped the springs to be correct for my weight. I had no complaints, it worked for just about everything I was riding. I just recently started having my suspension valved as we ride a lot of mixed terrain, so we set it up for a mix of tech single track and desert. It fixed a couple things that I really could notice in terms of how the suspension reacted/functioned cut down deflection and made the WP's much more planted, it's definitely made my rides more enjoyable, a little faster and I don't get as tired beating rocks or whoops.

 

I sent my suspension to my go to suspension shop for a service and revalve for my weight, speed, and riding conditions. I’ve been really happy with it. When I first switched to KTM/WP I felt like I couldn’t tell when the front end was about to wash out, but I’m used to it now.

I weigh about 165 and have the 250XC, but I have the a new KTM 300 kit sitting here in case I ever want to do the swap. The kit comes with everything you need to completely convert it to a 300, ECU and everything.

I love the 250 though, I can’t believe how well it pulls at low RPM.

Mine is an 18’ which has the kickstarter and a carb. If you go with a carbureted bike and it still has the Mikuni look into replacing the jet block gasket. Easy fix for a known issue.

 

my friend has the same model 250 and replaced that gasket but the bike is still a jetting nightmare.
I always jest that KTM means “keep tuning man”
He is nascar pit level jet swapper at this point.

 

Wild. I still have the stock Mikuni, zero issues. I replaced the jet block gasket and installed a rebuild kit from JD as preventative maintenance. Keihin or Lectron/Smartcarb may do the trick for him.

I haven’t tried a TPI or TBI yet.

 

Nope, that makes perfect sense.

 

The lectron I had on my 300xc did pretty well at elevation changes, but FI is suuuper nice. My friend also has a lectron on his YZ125X single track bike and it does great at 6000 ft and -100 ft (big bear and Salton sea, respectively).

 

How did I just now find this thread?? I would love to see how you guys are tying down your dirtbikes. I have long thought that dirt bikers could benefit from my tie downs, and this is the perfect thread to pick your collective brains.

 

Picked up a 2022 500EXC with 1.2hours/24 miles on it. Came with full FMF exhaust and GET ECU,I did the rest

Here's when I brough it home and introduced it to its siblings....

 

I put the MX-Tech Lucky's in my 300 and the MX-Tech Raven's in my 500. I have a MX-Tech National shock I switch to whatever bike I'm gonna ride

 

Beautiful bike! 1.2 hours is nuts. I also have a 500 that I bought new in ‘22. I have something like 230 hours, 6500 miles. Valves are still in spec after all that time.