I didn't take any of my Husqvarnas up to the Kern Plateau a couple of weeks ago, but I have always wanted to take my 32 year old plated KDX up there at least once, so this was the time to do it. I was supposed to meet up with a couple groups of friends, but the first group didn't wind up at the planned campground, and with cell service out of reach, I couldn't call to find out where they ended up. My friend Thomas from the second group found me on Saturday evening. He had ridden over from Troy Meadows to find me. The following morning, I pulled up stakes so to speak, and headed over to where he and the gang were. Our group consisted of about a half dozen riders and we had a good day on Mahogany and Rattlesnake trails, but my bike was a bit doggy on power coming up the connector to the afternoon trail, so I headed back to camp on jeep and paved roads. When I got back to camp, I found that my toyhauler battery was just about dead. Not sure if it was because I accidentally left one pee-ant sized overhead light on all day, or if the battery is just old and not holding a charge very well. At any rate, I didn't bother to lug my generator along on this trip because I never had to use it before, so of course..... Because of this, I decided to pull out the following morning, what with a funky engine problem on my old bike and no power to run the water pump and furnace fan....sigh. At least my brand new truck was a great joy to haul with....even though when I got home and went to disconnect, the hitch pin was nowhere to be found! And it was brand new one, too. The hitch was right where it was supposed to be though, hadn't backed off even a millimeter. A quick check of the KDX power valve, back in the garage showed that it was gummed up and not opening fully and that was what was causing the bike to lose power. The little machine was overdue for a fresh top end anyway, so it got degunked and a fresh piston kit. I'll probably make one more trip up to the plateau before autumn sets in, and will most likely take the WR125 next time around. View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqFsxOMIqQ4
Your a great Gal DD for posting those ride. Thank you. Looks like a top bit of riding country. Like your pick up truck as well. They cost an arm and a leg over here. Cheers.
Hey DD, What is that Thumper Rotax powered bike your friend has ? Is it an ATK ? What a wild frame that thing has. I've never seen anything quite like it.
We all refer to it as Frankenbike. It started out as an ATK, later was modified so that the gas tank was in the downtubes of the frame, later on it got the Rotax engine. It had a sprint car shock absorber on it that the body cap unscrewed from during the course of the day also.
Wow, now that's crazy. I thought I saw a shock damper up in there on the left side. It was too big to be a reservoir? So the shock damper let go that day? That is one crazy looking bike there.
wait a minute.... WTF!!?? are you saying you towed your trailer all the way back to southern SoCal without your hitch being pinned to your receiver?? down from Kennedy meadows and (what, 250 miles?) home?? did it go up that way too (what's that road called? 13 mile canyon or some such). I'm guessing you don't have trailer brakes either- a good thing it turns out. holy shit. God obviously loves you. ...and maybe someone else doesn't?? and nice ride report too- thanks.
Not sure when the hitch pin disappeared, but it must have been on the trip home. Not even sure how the pin could go missing, unless it was defective and just snapped in half. And the trailer has brakes, also the emergency breakaway brake back up.
I'm thinking it was more likely some a-hole in camp while you were out on the trail. Seems like any force great enough to shear the pin would've pulled or pushed the hitch or left a buncha marks on it. Maybe a locking pin would be the best solution.
