Quote:
Originally Posted by west aussie gas 450
We have a lot sand tracks nth of Perth Western Australia an some limestone in between, the problem is do you go flat out or steady steady? I try flat out at a local free style in the bush it can get pretty hairy but geez what a rush having a 450 flying around the park ,worse thing is old wheel tracks i tend to become pretty air tight over them& control is lacking any ideas?
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Bazz, being new to WA, i have also had to get to grips with the conditions you describe. I had never ridden in sand before coming to Perth 12 months ago and when out with my mates round Alkimos/Yanchep/Barbagello pines etc, you can really tell who was brought up on it. Just a couple of bits of advise from me, for what its worth as a Sand novice. Look and plan further ahead than you would do on other terrain, giving yourself the best chance at getting a good line round, in the the right gear and with the front as light as possible. I find if i get right up close to another bike and be on the brakes late into the corner, it all goes pear shaped. I cannot get a good run through the corner and the front wants to dig in and not steer where its pointed.
On the straights, where there's soft sandy ruts and tyre marks, being positive is the only way. Stood up, Lent back and with at least a steady throttle on. We rode up the beach at Wedge on Saturday and it amazes me still that just rolling the throttle off has such a big effect. At one point i rolled off and started to dig in. It took 2 down changes to get the front back up and off i went no problem. That just proves the point of keeping the front light. The ruts shouldn't faze you if you are on the gas, as the front wheel can just blow through them. Again i find them harder when going slow, as they tend to want to make the front wheel track where they are pointed, or cause me to become unbalanced. That whole Alkmos bowl/dune area should give you plenty of practise at the ruts and whooops tho
The limestone we get here gets treated like whoops, where i lean back to lighten the front and try and stay at least on a steady throttle, if not try and accelerate. I am slightly fortunate in having a damper on my KTM450 and moouses in both wheels, so deflections of the rocks are not so bad and i don;t have to worry about punctures.
Try a Lancellin to Cervantes ride with the Crustys and you'll get to grips with the limestone
