So after all these months all my general life crap out the way...I get the 550 finished, registered and on to the dirt at Dayboro (Brisbane).
Bit of everything to offer trail wise but it was always the fast single track that had me going back...albeit almost 5 years since my last dirt expose on my prized 520..so the 550 is kitted up:
Forks serviced with 125mm oil height clickers just hard of standard
New rotors and pads
Hyde bash plate
Barret pipe
New tyres on stainless respoked rims
High seat
GPR steering stabilizer set on 5
Rider and static set as per manual with just a touch extra load for personal taste.
New Chain / Sprockets 14 / 50
Everything lubed, anti seized, loctited, torqued
New tyres front and rear @ 15 psi
06 tank because it looks cool and I can fit a thermo under it if required
Engine serviced and running very nicely
Set up with SX bend Maguras a little high and a lot forward..(I don't sit to ride much)
So off we went for my first bush blast in almost 5 years. With an XR 600, 300EXC, CRF 450. WR 250F, EXC 380 in tow for good measure
First impressions..feels very sure footed even on loose gravel transport sections, cockpit area feels the same but more forward in relation to the KTM. Phuck this bike has some balls...will go back to 48 rear when I wear out this rear....
No need to ring it's neck, short shifting and grunt through the first 30 minutes was the go...loft the front over anything at any speed...even tho I've done little / nothing but go on gut feeling for settings... the suspension is tits (see great)..soaks up harsh hits, big ruts and feels pretty plush right through the stroke front and rear. Bars feel steady even at speed over crap terrain and at about 40 minutes in I'm feeling very good about the way the bike feels so I up the anti a little and start to go a bit harder.
I'm surprised at the technical speed I'm carrying so early on..I've ridden good bikes for many years but it'd been almost 5 I'd been away riding nothing but Harleys...and I was already home...I up the anti a little more and it just keeps getting better
So I start letting the guys go before me and coming up from the back of the pack...maybe it's that I'd been up front and I had an advantage...I pass a few more and see the crf that'd pulled away he's only 8 or so bike lengths in front as we start up a wide trail snaking it's way tightly up a ravine with cutbacks every where, diversion drains and as we get closer to the top... **** loads of gibbers (see big loose snotty rocks)..I remember this track....and I remember the line
So it sit on his hammer and watch him get a little more loose...seems to be gettign pounded...poor bugger should've bought a berg...as he brakes I count to 3 then brake after him... a few more corners and I'm on him like flies on stink... we roll a bumpy uphill right and I pick a tight ***** line with ruts and rocks and dial the gas to the go mode and pull past and into the front...pin my ears back and go like hell
It's been over 24 hours and I still can wipe the smile off my face...thought it would be months before I got any real pace / bike confidence back and no doubt there's a lot to come but after a four hour ride it felt like I'd only been off for a month..not 5 years...man I love that bike..fantastic power and tons of it...suspension that kicks it...skinny as a greyhound in a meth lab and turns like a cat on carpet, leaving the others crying like fat kids with skinned knees as they see the blue tail piece disappear in the dust....oh happy days
Few things I noticed
Better than expected fuel range...at least initially
Noise from the chain was more than I was used to but who cares
Didn't seem to run too hot...it was a hot day
Re-starter come in handy..but it's easy as ***** to kick not on a 60 degree incline tho I'll bet
My new Gaerne SG 10's are just the perfect length to wear the bottom of the seat where I grip the bike with my knees and wear through the cover at the same spot perfectly on both sides sucks on a brand new seat....anyone come up with a fix on this..?
Haven't screwed with the jetting and running the barret pipe it barely pops, no flat spot and the sweetest power delivery you can imagine so I think it's best left alone.
The guy's who ride the 650 must be nuts...I think I better get one and see
I'm sure this is a bore to many..but I had to get it out, I've been waiting weeks to finally get it all together and go for a ride with the boys...to see just how the monster would really go, would it be as good as the Kato, would I like it and was all the hype on the money...well the jury in...it goes tits...it's better than the 520 on a totally different plain....and the hype...***** ride one for yourself it's way to hard to explain.
Cheers
Pilot
Bit of everything to offer trail wise but it was always the fast single track that had me going back...albeit almost 5 years since my last dirt expose on my prized 520..so the 550 is kitted up:
Forks serviced with 125mm oil height clickers just hard of standard
New rotors and pads
Hyde bash plate
Barret pipe
New tyres on stainless respoked rims
High seat
GPR steering stabilizer set on 5
Rider and static set as per manual with just a touch extra load for personal taste.
New Chain / Sprockets 14 / 50
Everything lubed, anti seized, loctited, torqued
New tyres front and rear @ 15 psi
06 tank because it looks cool and I can fit a thermo under it if required
Engine serviced and running very nicely
Set up with SX bend Maguras a little high and a lot forward..(I don't sit to ride much)
So off we went for my first bush blast in almost 5 years. With an XR 600, 300EXC, CRF 450. WR 250F, EXC 380 in tow for good measure
First impressions..feels very sure footed even on loose gravel transport sections, cockpit area feels the same but more forward in relation to the KTM. Phuck this bike has some balls...will go back to 48 rear when I wear out this rear....
No need to ring it's neck, short shifting and grunt through the first 30 minutes was the go...loft the front over anything at any speed...even tho I've done little / nothing but go on gut feeling for settings... the suspension is tits (see great)..soaks up harsh hits, big ruts and feels pretty plush right through the stroke front and rear. Bars feel steady even at speed over crap terrain and at about 40 minutes in I'm feeling very good about the way the bike feels so I up the anti a little and start to go a bit harder.
I'm surprised at the technical speed I'm carrying so early on..I've ridden good bikes for many years but it'd been almost 5 I'd been away riding nothing but Harleys...and I was already home...I up the anti a little more and it just keeps getting better
So I start letting the guys go before me and coming up from the back of the pack...maybe it's that I'd been up front and I had an advantage...I pass a few more and see the crf that'd pulled away he's only 8 or so bike lengths in front as we start up a wide trail snaking it's way tightly up a ravine with cutbacks every where, diversion drains and as we get closer to the top... **** loads of gibbers (see big loose snotty rocks)..I remember this track....and I remember the line
So it sit on his hammer and watch him get a little more loose...seems to be gettign pounded...poor bugger should've bought a berg...as he brakes I count to 3 then brake after him... a few more corners and I'm on him like flies on stink... we roll a bumpy uphill right and I pick a tight ***** line with ruts and rocks and dial the gas to the go mode and pull past and into the front...pin my ears back and go like hell
It's been over 24 hours and I still can wipe the smile off my face...thought it would be months before I got any real pace / bike confidence back and no doubt there's a lot to come but after a four hour ride it felt like I'd only been off for a month..not 5 years...man I love that bike..fantastic power and tons of it...suspension that kicks it...skinny as a greyhound in a meth lab and turns like a cat on carpet, leaving the others crying like fat kids with skinned knees as they see the blue tail piece disappear in the dust....oh happy days
Few things I noticed
Better than expected fuel range...at least initially
Noise from the chain was more than I was used to but who cares
Didn't seem to run too hot...it was a hot day
Re-starter come in handy..but it's easy as ***** to kick not on a 60 degree incline tho I'll bet
My new Gaerne SG 10's are just the perfect length to wear the bottom of the seat where I grip the bike with my knees and wear through the cover at the same spot perfectly on both sides sucks on a brand new seat....anyone come up with a fix on this..?
Haven't screwed with the jetting and running the barret pipe it barely pops, no flat spot and the sweetest power delivery you can imagine so I think it's best left alone.
The guy's who ride the 650 must be nuts...I think I better get one and see
I'm sure this is a bore to many..but I had to get it out, I've been waiting weeks to finally get it all together and go for a ride with the boys...to see just how the monster would really go, would it be as good as the Kato, would I like it and was all the hype on the money...well the jury in...it goes tits...it's better than the 520 on a totally different plain....and the hype...***** ride one for yourself it's way to hard to explain.
Cheers
Pilot
