Derrick Adams
05-04-2009, 02:43 PM
This is the first installment of a ten race series. After each race I will make an effort to write about it and provide insight and feedback on racing a 250R in todays modern MX world.
Here's my background and credentials. I raced MX way back in 1991-1994 when 250R's were all the rage. Back then the tracks were layed out alot different than they are today, at least in my opinion. I raced a full tilt MX Tecate-4. Before that I raced my ATC250R. After a ten year absence I came back to MX, racing vintage 3 wheelers (here in Ohio its extremely popular). Last year I picked up a TRX450R and ran the season on it. That gets us to the 2009 season.
My bike is an 89 with a Halls Performance 330 big bore, running LT Houser arms and Works PRO series shocks. The bike is an on going project and parts will be added as funds show up. We built the engine with tons of low end torque in mind to help compete against the 4 strokes.
I am running at a local outlaw track and they are allowing me to run in their 400cc 4stroke class. This puts me against 400EX's, Z400's, etc.
ROUND ONE:
I skipped practice to watch the competition and entered the C-class as well (which I used for my practice!) My competition for the day was a fully built 400EX, a mildly built Z400, a mildly built LT250R, and a fully built Hybrid 426. They all looked FAST.
As it turned out the Hybrid quad just ran C class, and he must have been a beginner because he was very cautious on the track.
FIRST MOTO:
I lined up last against the 400EX, Z400 and the LT250R. I took the best line that was left off the gate, but it had a 15ft stretch of deep mud right in the middle and I was on the outside.
When the gate dropped I came off in 1st gear, hit 2nd immediately and by then I was hitting the mud stretch. I clicked 3rd, gave the clutch a little feather and leaned back. The damn bike flew right over the mud! Never even bogged it down! I kept it pinned until I passed everyone and then grabbed all sorts of brakes. Pitched the bike sideways into the first turn and BAM, I had the holeshot! I layed down 2 good laps out of 4, holding 1st place. Then I started to fatigue (1st race of the year, lol). Also, I wasn't landing everything clean and was getting beat up.
** I have to interject the story hear for a second to give some feedback on the 250R. Remember I have never raced one of these before, so this is all new to me. Let me first say that this bike jumps 10 to 15ft further than my 450R when hitting jumps at the same speed. It also shoots higher due to the light weight. This bike is a BLAST to jump. Sails thru the air beautifully! The biggest problem is compensating for the lack of engine braking. **
Back to racing. I lost my lead in the 3rd lap to the LT250R when I overshot a corner. Then I cased the first double of a twin pack, which allowed the Z400 to close the gap. He was pressuring me pretty hard for the last lap and then it happened. I knew he was going to try to come inside of me on a corner so I rode in the middle of the track to block as best I could, but he still managed to get in there. Then he did what I would have never seen coming. He ran right into me and pushed me right off the track. Right at the worst possible place. 3rd gear, throttle pinned, and I hit a tree head on. I flew off the bike and landed in a fence.
The next thing I knew I was looking around and the flagger had the medic flag up. I jumped up and said "what are you doing? It takes more than a tree to stop me!" She was flipping out. Obviously she had never worked an MX race before. I jumped on the quad, gave it a quick inspection and finished the race. Turned out the 400EX had some problems so I was left finishing 3rd.
MOTO TWO:
I got third gate pick, but this time I got a sweet line on the inside. I left the gate in 2nd with the throttle pinned and walked out the clutch. I'm not sure if this bike can be beat in the holeshot! It pulls incredibly. I only held the lead for 2 turns in this moto, before I was visited again by the Z400. He hit me again and shoved me into the tree line. This time I was able to stop before I hit the trees, but in the mean time, the LT250R snuck by. So I tucked in behind them, waiting for a mistake or crash I could take advantage of. 2 laps in, the LT threw a chain on an uphill double and I sailed right over top of him. Then I layed the hammer down to try to catch the Z400, but it was not to be. By then I was getting worn down again and he just had too much of a lead. So I ended up finishing 2nd.
This gave me 3rd over all out of 4. In talking with my friends afterward, it seems that I have enough motor to pull the other guys by a couple bike lengths in the straights but they're gaining ground in the corners. Which tells me that I need to work on smoothing out the power delivery. I felt like I had to work the clutch ALOT to keep the bike moving out of the corners and I was coming into them too hot. So I plan to add a flywheel weight to the bike this week, in attempts to smooth out the hit. As well as bump up to a 14 tooth front sprocket. Then PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.
I'll throw up some pictures later tonight! Round 2 is in 2 weeks. Boy am I sore. lol
Here's my background and credentials. I raced MX way back in 1991-1994 when 250R's were all the rage. Back then the tracks were layed out alot different than they are today, at least in my opinion. I raced a full tilt MX Tecate-4. Before that I raced my ATC250R. After a ten year absence I came back to MX, racing vintage 3 wheelers (here in Ohio its extremely popular). Last year I picked up a TRX450R and ran the season on it. That gets us to the 2009 season.
My bike is an 89 with a Halls Performance 330 big bore, running LT Houser arms and Works PRO series shocks. The bike is an on going project and parts will be added as funds show up. We built the engine with tons of low end torque in mind to help compete against the 4 strokes.
I am running at a local outlaw track and they are allowing me to run in their 400cc 4stroke class. This puts me against 400EX's, Z400's, etc.
ROUND ONE:
I skipped practice to watch the competition and entered the C-class as well (which I used for my practice!) My competition for the day was a fully built 400EX, a mildly built Z400, a mildly built LT250R, and a fully built Hybrid 426. They all looked FAST.
As it turned out the Hybrid quad just ran C class, and he must have been a beginner because he was very cautious on the track.
FIRST MOTO:
I lined up last against the 400EX, Z400 and the LT250R. I took the best line that was left off the gate, but it had a 15ft stretch of deep mud right in the middle and I was on the outside.
When the gate dropped I came off in 1st gear, hit 2nd immediately and by then I was hitting the mud stretch. I clicked 3rd, gave the clutch a little feather and leaned back. The damn bike flew right over the mud! Never even bogged it down! I kept it pinned until I passed everyone and then grabbed all sorts of brakes. Pitched the bike sideways into the first turn and BAM, I had the holeshot! I layed down 2 good laps out of 4, holding 1st place. Then I started to fatigue (1st race of the year, lol). Also, I wasn't landing everything clean and was getting beat up.
** I have to interject the story hear for a second to give some feedback on the 250R. Remember I have never raced one of these before, so this is all new to me. Let me first say that this bike jumps 10 to 15ft further than my 450R when hitting jumps at the same speed. It also shoots higher due to the light weight. This bike is a BLAST to jump. Sails thru the air beautifully! The biggest problem is compensating for the lack of engine braking. **
Back to racing. I lost my lead in the 3rd lap to the LT250R when I overshot a corner. Then I cased the first double of a twin pack, which allowed the Z400 to close the gap. He was pressuring me pretty hard for the last lap and then it happened. I knew he was going to try to come inside of me on a corner so I rode in the middle of the track to block as best I could, but he still managed to get in there. Then he did what I would have never seen coming. He ran right into me and pushed me right off the track. Right at the worst possible place. 3rd gear, throttle pinned, and I hit a tree head on. I flew off the bike and landed in a fence.
The next thing I knew I was looking around and the flagger had the medic flag up. I jumped up and said "what are you doing? It takes more than a tree to stop me!" She was flipping out. Obviously she had never worked an MX race before. I jumped on the quad, gave it a quick inspection and finished the race. Turned out the 400EX had some problems so I was left finishing 3rd.
MOTO TWO:
I got third gate pick, but this time I got a sweet line on the inside. I left the gate in 2nd with the throttle pinned and walked out the clutch. I'm not sure if this bike can be beat in the holeshot! It pulls incredibly. I only held the lead for 2 turns in this moto, before I was visited again by the Z400. He hit me again and shoved me into the tree line. This time I was able to stop before I hit the trees, but in the mean time, the LT250R snuck by. So I tucked in behind them, waiting for a mistake or crash I could take advantage of. 2 laps in, the LT threw a chain on an uphill double and I sailed right over top of him. Then I layed the hammer down to try to catch the Z400, but it was not to be. By then I was getting worn down again and he just had too much of a lead. So I ended up finishing 2nd.
This gave me 3rd over all out of 4. In talking with my friends afterward, it seems that I have enough motor to pull the other guys by a couple bike lengths in the straights but they're gaining ground in the corners. Which tells me that I need to work on smoothing out the power delivery. I felt like I had to work the clutch ALOT to keep the bike moving out of the corners and I was coming into them too hot. So I plan to add a flywheel weight to the bike this week, in attempts to smooth out the hit. As well as bump up to a 14 tooth front sprocket. Then PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.
I'll throw up some pictures later tonight! Round 2 is in 2 weeks. Boy am I sore. lol