Time to Race - Allen's Farm here I come - NOT!

[tooclose racing]

I'm posting for a couple of reasons.  First - I figure if I SAY I've got a race this weekend, then I had better show up - huh? [:I]

Second - I just miss the banter with y'all.

Can't exactly put my finger on it, but this weekend's Allen Farm MX will be my first ride this season. I still have some bike-building to finish up on Friday night (thank you Gary Ellis for the Care Package). I think I'm only going to race the MC5, may bring the Six Day along so people can admire the nice new paint job on the MX tank  (thank you Tony Friedel) and the WP shocks.

Been riding my mountain bike or swimming laps 2-3 times a week, so I hope I have some lungs and legs for this neat-O grass track in NE Pennsylvania.  But I've definitely let some other things take priority lately (work, wife, whatever....).

Good luck to the Pentonista heading to NC for the White Lightning round (yeh that means you, Ernie).  My hearts in CC and I'm looking forward to Malcolm and Mid-Ohio.

[tooclose racing]

Well..it's Sunday morning and I'm here...and it's probably because I did NOT heed the advice of one of the Wise Guys here at POG.

My tale of woe (grab your Kleenex Poggers...)

So basically I'm in the garage Friday night (after coming home from my long day at the factory..) to start putting my 250 back together.  Nice later KTM model, "new" glass-bead blasted 35 mm clamps on, legs slide in, wheel positioned..., axle pushing thru...WAIT -what's going on here? OMG..the distance between the legs is narrower. Like 1 " narrower at least.  What?  Am I blind?  Post-mortem discussion with G. Ellis is that these clamps cannot be from an 1980 125 KTM.  The distance between legs would have/should have been the same.  I review my options (there are none) for these eBay specials.  Bottom line was I had to back out and re-install the stock clamps.

Okay..FINE.  Done.  New bars go on (the Mini-High Renthals - nice bend!), new levers/controls (E-Z's, with the external adjuster) go on just okay (I had to "spread" the area where the cable goes into to accept the Terry Cable ends- sheesh!).  Pretty!

Now..it's 11 pm-ish.  Let's start that carb swap over to the 36m Lectron, baby!  I didn't have the right thickness of radiator hose handly for carb to intake fit-up, but I figured that was a no brainer on Saturday (you need  1 3/4"). In hindsight, I should have acknowledged the pressure cracks that I heard in the ice as I soon as I started....first, pulling the Bing out of one these bad boys is no small exercise  - or maybe I'm just accustomed to wiggling my nose at my 125 SD after the carb sitting on the ground ready for a post-mortem.  Pipe removed (I'm sure I can find THAT topic on here somewhere....) and I'm able to get the carb in.  Check that MC-5 air box boot mates nicely with carb - now let's see how this fits up.  F___k! There is like very little gap between carb inlet and air box opening. Maybe 1/2 inch.  I stare at the air box boot and think - well...just how flexible are you?

BTW  -I will humbly accept someone else's input after this write-up if it is along the lines of " hey Bob - there is a different air boot that is used with the GS bikes between the air box and carb..I can sell you one..".

At 1 AM I have successfully and exhaustively forced/figured out how to make the boot work (I think).  Time for bed.

Poor judgement, but I had committed myself to other activities on Saturday morning (physical, hot, activities..) and was home by noon.  In the garage at 1 pm to finish up.  Took care of some misc. items on bike and then stared at the carb and said "come to Papa...".  All I can tell you gentlemen is that in the Time Warp that was my Saturday afternoon..is was suddenly 5 pm and I was finally ready to turn on the gas to the carb.  I had spent a HUGE amount of time assuring myself I had a good fitup on the air boot, I ended running back to Tractor Supply to grab a bigger, beefier hose clamp for box to boot to help with my assurance, and I had to re-work the fuel lines to route nicely to the Lectron. The carb to intake mount up went pretty well (considering it is frickin metal to metal/inlet face to inlet face in "compression).

On goes the gas, out poors the gas from the overflow. I stare at the neat, clear Lectron bowl and note "you're full of gas, waaayy full of gas".  On a more inward-looking note, I think "I'm exhausted and feeling a bit stupid and low...".  A phone call to my Lectron consultant and we agree I probably have to adjust the float.  And of course he once again states.."I told you to wait till after Allen's Farm to do the carb..". Yep, yuh did.  I look over at the 125 SD - not prepped - and start thinking about what it will take to get it ready to motocross.  But I really don't want to moto-X the 125, at least not till Ohio.  The consultant recommends I should go ahead and see if she'll start.  Yea, that sounds good (the Lectron should not flood the bike like a Bing would with this condition).  At least I'll know I'm almost "there".  30 minutes later, a soaking wet ME has kicked, and pushed (hah! - it shows how mentally tired I am that I even attempt to do this..), and checked spark (good), and nothing.  Not even a bark.  

That exercise ends up being the true morale breaker for me.  And I got to tell you - I'm a cheerleader by nature.  I really don't ever "quit".  But I did at that point.  I knew that I had made a big mistake in going after the carb (and the clamps - still beating myself up for not putting a ruler on them).  A fellow racer called me to check in on my Allen's Farm readiness and I felt myself talking to him like as if I was talking to the CEO about why the factory is not running today.  Gawd!! [:I]  

I had a miserable Saturday evening -which ended by 9 pm when I crawled in bed.  

Oh well. Back to my Sunday morning.  I'm going to go work-out (swim and bike ride) - that will help me more with my mental than my physical, BTW. Later today, I will go back in the garage and go after that float adjustment - no pressure now.  Sad but true, I'll also work remotely (I.T. parlance..) to tweak some slides that I have to present in a meeting at the factory tomorrow afternoon.

[Mark P]

Bob
Make certain you have good bars so they dont snap off at the mounts like last year!!

[joe novak]

Well told story.  If you are intending to attend Mid-Ohio, I hope to meet you there.    Joe

[Ernie Phillips]

Bob,

You know better:  Time pressure, first time evolution, ...  science project.  Hope things are going better at the factory.  I had a long week at one of our factories also which played part in my not going to White Lightening.  At least you are good on your conditioning.  As for me, I'm doing a little trail riding on a modern Penton 200 EXC.  Modern = more ride, less work.

Ernie P.
Chattanooga, TN

[joe novak]

Bike riding, swimming, trail riding, et.al.   It is all good, and fun!  Keep the activity level from CASUAL to MODERATE to HIGH.  Ride safely.   Joe

[garrettccovington]

I'm Sorry TooClose,  I enjoyed the write up and I had to LOL, cause I think we've all been in that situation.  I'm not laughing at you, but, how that story brought back some memories.  I know this is a sin, but I have a couple of UNI sock Filters in reserve, just because of airboot problems.  

g  



72 six-day
79 KTM MC80 250

[marsattacks]

Nice story. How did you finally adjust/fix the Lectron floats?  This weekend I pulled my Lectron apart three times because it was flooding -- cleaned the float tab/needle/pin etc. -- the float seemed to work fine at first and it was totally fine and dry while riding :)even during rest stops (2 hours) but afterwards, sitting in the garage to test it again, it flooded and now won't "float" for anything. [B)]  Thanks!