RollinHusky
Husqvarna
AA Class
After a successful first attempt at cross-country racing at River Ranch earlier this year, I set my sights on racing in the FMSQ 2012 season...well at least round 1 anyways. Not having a championship title in mind and not having a cross-country bike to run with left me only with the desire to go out, do the best I can and most of all have some fun with family and friends.
Back up the truck 3 weeks earlier. On a regular day of riding at my local mx track, I took a little tumble and cracked, of all things, the airbox! Nothing else, just the airbox. Between then and the race date, I had zero time on the bike. Heck I only rode it once we got going at the start.
In the amateur 30+ class, we were 41 riders who signed up to race. It was so tight at the start line that the 2 other guys beside me were staggered somewhat. One slightly ahead and the other slightly back, just so our handlebars didn't touch. I have to admit that I did not expect much from my TC449 as far as a good start goes. Seems that for most of the time I've had it, starting has always been an issue. Not this time. When the flagged dropped, I pressed the button and off we were down the very short start straight and out of the first corner in 4th. Two corners later I was in second. It must be noted that the race starts on an MX track, so the TC was just flying!
For the first 2 laps it was me and some guy on a KTM battling for 1st position. I would pass him in some spots and then he would pass me back maybe 30 seconds later, all the while going by traffic from the 4 rows of machines that had started before us. My speed was there and I wasn't pushing myself to the max, so I knew I could make a run for the win...if I could keep it together.
The first sign that something was wrong was a feeling that I had a flat front tire. I'm not dirt bike expert but I knew something was off. The ride got really really rough and the bike was just going everywhere. This was on the first lap, midway into the bush. When we got back to some flat sections, I looked down, and the tire was fine. Getting on the MX part of the track again, it was clear it was the forks. Just gone.
That sucked, but I was there, so I kept going. Next thing I knew, the bike was stalling everywhere. Especially in the slow, rough and rocky sections. I just couldn't seem to keep it running. Then I noticed my shifter was stripped and that it would 3rd gear for me the rest of the way. Good thing it was 449!! Luckily for me I had a very good pit crew. I pulled in the gasing lanes, and Mark from Quad Expert tried to get the shifter going but it was done. By this time my KTM rival was long gone.
I kept going for the rest of the race in 3rd gear. Never noticed anyone passing me, but they must have when I took a few falls and stopped in the pits. Last lap around, the machine marked me in 5th, a position I kept until the end. Not fun when you were running at the front, but better than a DNF.
My bike ended up with a broken rear brake pedal, blown fork seals, broken chaine guide, stripped shifter and worn out brakes. I haven't washed it yet so that's all I can think of for now.
On the other side of the coin were the pros. Guy Giroux came out swinging with a commanding win, followed also on Huskies by Philippe Chainé in 4th and Samuel Rousseau in 5th.
It was an overall great weekend for Husqvarna. Next race in the FMSQ circuit is on May 19th in LaTuque. Most likely I will not be there, so good luck to all!!
Back up the truck 3 weeks earlier. On a regular day of riding at my local mx track, I took a little tumble and cracked, of all things, the airbox! Nothing else, just the airbox. Between then and the race date, I had zero time on the bike. Heck I only rode it once we got going at the start.
In the amateur 30+ class, we were 41 riders who signed up to race. It was so tight at the start line that the 2 other guys beside me were staggered somewhat. One slightly ahead and the other slightly back, just so our handlebars didn't touch. I have to admit that I did not expect much from my TC449 as far as a good start goes. Seems that for most of the time I've had it, starting has always been an issue. Not this time. When the flagged dropped, I pressed the button and off we were down the very short start straight and out of the first corner in 4th. Two corners later I was in second. It must be noted that the race starts on an MX track, so the TC was just flying!
For the first 2 laps it was me and some guy on a KTM battling for 1st position. I would pass him in some spots and then he would pass me back maybe 30 seconds later, all the while going by traffic from the 4 rows of machines that had started before us. My speed was there and I wasn't pushing myself to the max, so I knew I could make a run for the win...if I could keep it together.
The first sign that something was wrong was a feeling that I had a flat front tire. I'm not dirt bike expert but I knew something was off. The ride got really really rough and the bike was just going everywhere. This was on the first lap, midway into the bush. When we got back to some flat sections, I looked down, and the tire was fine. Getting on the MX part of the track again, it was clear it was the forks. Just gone.
That sucked, but I was there, so I kept going. Next thing I knew, the bike was stalling everywhere. Especially in the slow, rough and rocky sections. I just couldn't seem to keep it running. Then I noticed my shifter was stripped and that it would 3rd gear for me the rest of the way. Good thing it was 449!! Luckily for me I had a very good pit crew. I pulled in the gasing lanes, and Mark from Quad Expert tried to get the shifter going but it was done. By this time my KTM rival was long gone.
I kept going for the rest of the race in 3rd gear. Never noticed anyone passing me, but they must have when I took a few falls and stopped in the pits. Last lap around, the machine marked me in 5th, a position I kept until the end. Not fun when you were running at the front, but better than a DNF.
My bike ended up with a broken rear brake pedal, blown fork seals, broken chaine guide, stripped shifter and worn out brakes. I haven't washed it yet so that's all I can think of for now.
On the other side of the coin were the pros. Guy Giroux came out swinging with a commanding win, followed also on Huskies by Philippe Chainé in 4th and Samuel Rousseau in 5th.
It was an overall great weekend for Husqvarna. Next race in the FMSQ circuit is on May 19th in LaTuque. Most likely I will not be there, so good luck to all!!