Codrive or rallymoto for sandblast?

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Cosworth

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john vanlandingham

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Perry
But I do recall being at the end of the day at SBR and thinking what a long day it must be on a bike. Especially on some of the rainy/chilly weekends a few years ago.
Perry

Remeber though that it IS in the end a day spent on sandy roads with the actual SS miles amounting to around an hour and change--but spread out over a full day.

The "work" comes from "self imposed problems"----guys very probably in "average" shape (bearing in mind 50% of Americans are overweight) choosing bikes like guys choose turbochargers ( bigger is always better).

Somehow, some of us managed to do 120-140 miles IN the woods, on skinny trails with rocks and bumps and roots averaging around 24mph--so 8-10 hours and do this into our mid 40s no problem..

Of course we weren't on bikes weighing ---for no good reason-----450 lbs.

Sandblast is not like other rallies John, the behaviour of the vehicle (if driven at speed) is diabolical and like Mark Bowers said, you have to constantly be sawing at the wheel to keep it from catapulting into the trees.

I've looked at tons of in-car for that event---and driven bazillions of miles of sand, both cars and bikes, smooth or rough, slow to blinding fast...was considered by some "a sand specialist" (thanks to leg strength and condition)

I know cars do NOT like ruts, sketchier than hell when you start climbing the edges...

But bikes, come on Paul, only reason it could be tiring is wrong bike---and that's a rule thing, and things related to that: fighting the weight. Fighting the road compromised weight distribution, and rake.....pooor bastids... Such a shame they're not allowed good bikes.

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John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
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Thanks for the tips John. I haven't ridden in sand a whole lot, I have spent a lot of hours on bikes starting as a kid. I think part of the issue with sandblast is that it's sand and clay. some places it's beach sand, some places it's hard clay.. and it changes all the time. That's the part i worry a bit about, in the course opening cars it was often hard to tell when you went from hard pack to tire sucking sand before you were in it. And if it rains then the clay is ice..

Whatever it is, it's not like we're talking about DAKAR here.. if memory is correct, it's 180 miles total with 60ish stage miles. A few friends and I have done a half dozen or so local woods rides that span 10 to 12 hours at average 15 mph or so in the thick woods around here with lot's of steep hills. I can hack it. Just don't wanna get hurt.

My bike is about 300 lbs and 35 hp if anyone wants to know.

I'm leaning more and more towards entering on the bike.
Perry

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Perry

FE570s course bike
KTM 950 ADV
74 Beetle turbo-efi etc..
72 Beetle stage rally project WRX powered
Attended about 15 rallies, usually a volunteer in a course car.

The drz has nice squishy suspension, it'll soak up ruts and imperfections great. Imagine riding on a cloud, with a really bad seat (that's my only complaint about the drz... the seat sucks).
With sand, you have to stay loose and let the bike float. If you try and fight the bike going every which way, you will get tired out really quick. You can also just drift everything, just don't get buck'd
I'm not sure about the roads, but clay is usually a bit darker than sandy soil. But with not so perfect vision it's hard. I have raced a few times without my glasses, that was terrifying. Smith (my preference) Over The Glasses goggles are a great investment!

i put a seat concepts seat on my drz400 world better

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I would rather drive a slow car fast as a fast car slow!
first rule of cars: get what makes you happy, your the one paying for it!

Mine has a Moose racing seat on it. It's not bad at all. I was kinda fortunate that the previous owner did a lot of work to the thing but left the engine stock. it's resprung and revalved for a heavier rider, all setup for a bigger guy like me with bar risers, big foot pegs, longer shifter, etc... It's the only bike I've had that is just as comfortable riding standing for long distances as it is sitting. I really like the thing. But eventually it will get sacrificed to fund the rally car completion.

A riding buddy has a KTM 500exc. That thing is worlds different than mine, and I like riding it sometimes. But in the end I can go everywhere he does (although not as easily) and I don't get beat up as much because a little weight on the bike can be helpful. Except maybe when I lay it down at the top of a steep hill and it wedges itself tank down against a tree... which happened 2 or 3 times last year.

I respect those who ride the rally big bikes at sandblast. I wonder if Braden will bring the scrambler.

Perry

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Perry

FE570s course bike
KTM 950 ADV
74 Beetle turbo-efi etc..
72 Beetle stage rally project WRX powered
Attended about 15 rallies, usually a volunteer in a course car.

Part of the problem at SB for all vehicles is that the ruts get pretty serious and all scattered all over the road. You can let the bike move around some (or car for that matter) but within a few wiggles, you will be pointed way off in the wrong directoin and you'll have to slow and struggle to get re-pointed. To make any speed, you have to be constantly making directional corrections, and they have to be exaggerated to 'take'.

The only bikes that ride well over this are the very ligthest. Gage Gregory was fast on a light bike; I watched him deaprt a 90 left and he just hopped over the tops of a lot of the ruts, while the heavy bikes had to wallow through. (And his skill did not hurt....) Any sort of heavy bike is tough, and a lot of them fall over in the corners from going to slow and catching in sft sand. The same goes with cars for that matter; the lighter, the better at SB. Only 4WD makes up for this. Someone needs to come up with a 2WD bike for SB......I wonder if a sidecar would be better!

they have its on my to get list
http://www.christini.com/bikes/christini-awd-450-ds

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I would rather drive a slow car fast as a fast car slow!
first rule of cars: get what makes you happy, your the one paying for it!

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starion887
I hope so too, Ozgur.

Hey, Grant, if you don't mind sending me an email with your recipe for the knees, I am all ears. Got past the heart thing and now something else is slowing me down.....Old guys...... Sheesh....

Got anything for shoulders? Heart problem 24 years ago at 43 is now the least of my problems. Knees are okay. Hands are always sore too (good old arthur, I guess).

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Don Kennedy