TE/TC What'a Y'all After?? I'm curious

[robertaccio]

What is it that powers the strong urge to chase modifications. What are you all after (many many answers here) I am curious. Do you fancy yourself as a tuner? You want better rideability for your skill level? You want your machine to feel faster? Be able to ride the machine to better lap times and or special test times?
As for me I want my 300 easy to ride as fast and as slow as I want to ride/race her under control. to me that means soft but firm smooth power delivery, suspension plush but resistant to bottoming for these 2 important to me items I mostly depend on professionals to get me where I want to be.
I look at what the top guys use, what the test data shows for the testers in the media.

Then move into what I want to accomplish. #1 I stick with OEM engine setup. And in the TX case OEM stock suspension with personal settings, FMF Gnarley/Turbine core 2 as required/ Ti 2.1 mostly, V Force 4 for extra quality and solid baseline, JD Jetting to ride James' R&D coat tails, because all testing has been done. Carb splitter in this case the Thunder Products quad wing for smooth power, especially from lower rpm, OEM Twin air filters in OEM cages ( 4 in my pool). IX iridium plug, seems to start easier. Maxima products all except Spectro Zinc chain lube.
Flag type hand guards, less stuff as possible, plastic TMD skid plate with Obie link guard add on. Rekluse 3.0 EXP not as a crutch but as a bonus item for both acceleration and deceleration.

I probably meant this more as an engine power thread, because I constantly see here in the Café and on the other sites so many changes being made from carbs to PV springs to heads etc etc.
and my bike is minimally adjusted in comparison and works great in all regimes. So I'm curious what everyone is after?

 

[Motosportz]

1. Protection. I ride gnar and need full coverage skid plates, hand guards, pipe guards (sometimes), rotor guards, heavy tubes and correct tires (Usually Goldentyre)
2. Suspension and handling. Setup to stay planted in rocks and roots and adjusted to track like I like them.
3. Motor, I usually do not do motor mods as modern motors are so good. I do like Lectron carbs for the set and forget nature and smooth reliable power. I also like v-force reeds for the bottom end power if the bike does not come with them.
4. Steering damper. On some bikes I really like them. KTM/Husky is one such brand that seems to "need" them.
5. If its a 4 stroke in the woods I like Rekluse clutches.

 

[daloof]

less is more....

im close to motosportz.... #1 Protection, #2 Suspension/Handling, #3 Tires & brakes... I find it's more important to gear myself up correctly & to train to ride better, than modifying the bike.

man its been a while since i posted in here! ...and damn, that TX300 is so tempting i might just have to do it.... ha

 

[dartyppyt]

I say! It's the garage of dreams!

If you build it! It will run!

I like protection, suspension, looks and pure horsepower......

 

[LandofMotards]

I don't really do to many mods. Mostly replace what I break. Prefer having two bikes

 

[oldbikedude]

Horsepower is fun

 

[FatDaddyMX]

I like having the bike handle well for what I am doing.
I feel if the bike is set up right, I can ride harder/longer.
Not one to hop up motors.
I like solid, no surprise motors.
My biggest quirk is fresh tires.
I feel with fresh tires and the suspension sorted, I can push harder/longer and can make up any HP differance.

 

[95jersey]

Protection is a must, don't really consider it a mod, as it is done to all my bikes and often bought before the bike is in my garage. As far as actual mods, chassis set up is the first thing I do (bar position, pegs, fork height, brake and shift pedal, chassis sag, tire pressure), second is jetting, 3rd is suspension, and last is motor. I try to work with what I have stock then move on from there and see if an aftermarket part would add value or is required to fix a known issue. Fix the things that are required first and then move down the list if money is available and the part adds value (exhaust, suspension valving, motor mods). On my TX300, fortunately the suspension is great, but I have spent a lot of time with jetting, which caused me to buy a reed cage, head mod and carb mods.

 

[rockdancer]

To me the feel of the power of the motor is so important.
Its not necessarily about more power but how and when the power comes on
Having the power and just enough when you need it

Its a personal thing .

I like a motor that feels like you can ring its neck and it wants you to .
With the bigger ktm motors 200/250 /300 I haven't ridden one that has that right feel yet
Maybe its a trade off for the extra torque compared to a 125/144

I have found changing to a shorter silencer for example made it just more aggressive and less rideable.

I want the bike to run clean and feel responsive.

I think many people who are used to Japanese mx bikes ( eg YZ 250) get on the Husky /ktm and feel it isn't as crisp , its a bit dull.

I guess its the whole enduro packaging but its a balancing act between enduro and MX setup to suit your skill level and taste .

 

[sned2502st]

I can barely afford to keep fresh wear parts on mine, tires, chains sprockets, pads. Only aftermarket parts I have are when I break the stock one and the aftermarket is better and cheaper to replace it. With the different levels of bikes Husky makes there will be one that works for me right off the floor.

 

[Cosmokenney]

First and foremost is ergos. I don't adjust well to different setups. So I usually just rotate the lever's down some. Try to get them to about 45 degrees down, but usually am a little up from that due to the giant master cylinders on these bikes.
Then cockpit position. This is another thing I really don't adjust well too. So for this I put on a lower seat, lowered footpegs (I'm 6'1"), move the bar clamps to the forward position if they stock ones do it, like the last three huskys I've owned, and that usually gets me pretty comfortable, if something is off with the hand position, I'll chase better bars.

After that protection. I like plastic skid plates. So glad that SXS is doing their thing for our bikes. Hyde plates are bullet proof but the mounting hardware is a joke. But the SXS I have on the TX is really good. I'll probably stick with them on future bikes. I also like the stock flag style hand guards on the husky they've proven to be very tough.

After that the only thing I'll do is put tubliss on the wheels. In fact I've just moved the set I had on the WR to my TX. It's still going strong and a total game changer. I ran rad guards on the WR, but I haven't felt the need to on the TX the front louvers are pretty robust.

 

[daloof]

I agree that ergo's are super important so you can feel confident on your scoot...

 

[Huskynoobee]

The bike has to run right and the suspension can't suck. I never did much with suspension except change a spring or mess with preload and clickers. Now that my eyes have been opened to what a game changer having your stuff set up right is, I think it's key. I am very slow to change things on a bike for some reason. I always think that if I change a bunch of stuff at once, I won't know what really made it better.

 

[wrx]

I like to have my bike and myself well protected. In the event that I do cartwheel the bike through the scenery i'd like to be able to ride away unscathed. For northeast riding barkbusters and a bashplate are a must. the right tires for the job at hand helps also .

 

[ptkatoomer]

At this stage in my life I'm looking for things that can help keep me (somewhat) competitive and still rolling. For me that means a lower seat, tubliss so that I can run lower pressures for better grip in the rocks and protection to keep the bike going when, not if, I fall over.

 

[Huskynoobee]

These days, I can't afford to drop $10k +/- $2k on stuff to make it ready to race/ride to it's potential. I like to buy older bikes that are sorted and ready to go. Tweak the suspension to my taste and...done.

 

[scoott]

I spend way too much time & money making the bike fit me and my riding style. I am 6'3" and 230 lbs, 62 years old, fused spine and missing fingers on both hands. The bike has to be plush & smooth for me to ride GP/MX or desert or the rare trail run.
(1) Ergo's- ( tall seat, low pegs, twisted engineering composite bar, Boyesen left side twist grip, quickest cam action for least throttle movement, set brake pedal/shifter height & location) Some bike get steering dampers, some don't.
(2) Suspension-( spring both ends for weight, Ohlins shock on back of all my bikes since 1979 Husky 250 cr ( NOTHING works as well as a Ohlins, especially the new Ohlins FLOW), PC link and cone valves on my 2016 ktm 450sxf.
(3) Brakes-Front- Only one damaged index finger to pull front brake lever-( my 1980 Husky 435cr had a Yamaha twin leading shoe with hydraulic assist mounted on the 44mm fox forx. My 2016 has the Brembo SXS oversize caliper and master. Other late model bikes I have used oversize discs for easier pull and better modulation. Can't get oversize bracket for the sxs caliper unfortunately.
(4) power- some bikes I never messed with, others I spent years modding to get a smooth powerful delivery. Best/worst- 2003 KTM 250 sx. Added exc ignition, ported cases, barrel, cut cylinder base, modded head & carb, Gnarly pipe. All in an effort to add bottom and smooth delivery. Ended up the fastest 250 two stroke I have ever rode. To this day. Handles like a pig, but feels like a 300 SXS.
Four strokes mainly silencer/spark arrestor although my 2016 450 has the full FMF cause it was a great price.
I have a 2004 570 KTM ported,piped, bigger cam & carb and vortec ignition and yes too much is too much. Only time I ride it is when the dirt is moist & soft or a wet desert run.
Dirt bikes are my passion & business ( I own & operate two motorsports parks in Washington state. Overthebarsgang,com) . I modify to be able to ride because I can and like to.I started out modding my first real dirt bike, a 1976 RM 250.
I have a mill,lathe, wire feed for steel & aluminum, porting programs, and suspension tools/shims, parts. I enjoy making bikes work better. Stock is a starting point. When you can pass riders in a team race on modern bikes with an 83 500cr Husky 2-stroke they notice! They don't notice when you pass them with an 1986 500 Husky four-stroke. What they don't know is I build the courses and know the terrain like the back of my hand. And the bikes are built for those courses.
One of the best memories I have is winning the expert open class team race in 1992 in Millican valley in Oregon. I raced side by side for 2 laps with second place. We won by 100 feet. After the race I let the 2nd place guy ride my 1990 300. He raced a 1992 300. After he came back he told me " You wouldn't have beat me if I was riding your bike!" I told him I knew that and didn't it just burn his @$$! A week later he owned a Honda cr500 and I never beat him again.

 

[pvduke]

what am i after?

1- make sure bike throttle opens ALL the way to the stop, several times. (u know the drill WHAK WHAK WHAK))

2- go ride it til either it runs out of gas or i do.

3- that's it.

 

[pvduke]

Too true. I have all winter to make sure i'm not the one running out of gas. Can.

o brother im gona be in the hurt locker cuz im SOFT. ya know....next day, go to sit on the throne and WOW my buns er soooore! gota do a couple of ginger test landings first hahaha