Mud Proffing Your Bike

[Rick]

I have a cross country race on Saturday, it is looking like to be a real mudder. It has been raining since this afternoon and supposed to continue through the weekend. The facility is know for having heavy clay, part of the course will be ran on the AMA National Hangtown Motocross track which has sand and rice hulls mixed in with the clay.

I have compelted the following:
1. Panty hose over my radiator shrouds
2. Foam between the engine cases and skid plate.
3. Re-routed vent hoses.

I have heard from a late model dirt track racers that a light coating of vegtable oil will keep clay from sticking to the underside or inside the fenders? Anyone ever tried this? Will WD40 do the same thing? Pam cooking spray?

As for goggles, tear off or roll off's?

I wish I had a pair of those old High Point Elephant Ears hand protectors.

What am I missing? Looking for input.

Thanks

[2 strokes 4 life]

Cut up some 1 gallon milk jugs and wrap around your handgaurds for more protection, and seal the igntion cover with lots of gasket maker to keep water out. Not sure if the 98 had the side acess airbox but i tape mine all up for better water resistance. Thats about all i can think of. You might as well try the Pam on the fenders.

[JRDoz]

Originally Posted by Rick

I have heard from a late model dirt track racers that a light coating of vegtable oil will keep clay from sticking to the underside or inside the fenders? Anyone ever tried this? Will WD40 do the same thing? Pam cooking spray?

I have heard people use silicon spray under the guards..

[GMP]

Food grade silicone spray, or silicone mold release agent. Call you local industrial supplier or mcmaster.com. These work great. The spray silicone that used to be sold in dive shops for scuba gear and dry suit seals was the same thing, until it was replaced with a poor substitute in a pump bottle (looks like Armor All) to save the Ozone layer. Basically these are pure silicone with no petroleum carriers. Just the fallout from spraying over a tile floor is enough to put you on your ass if you walk on it, slick stuff! Also good for preserving rubber products on the bike.

[WoodsRider]

I've used butter-flavored cooking spray and the fumes coming off the pipe always made me hungry.

[BIG TOOL]

The best solution is to be in front of everybody else!
Short of that, nothing will stop the hangtown mud from sticking! Seriously, don't even waste your time trying... The best you can hope for is the mud might slide off for the first 1/4 lap then it sticks like you didn't do anything at all... The worst that can happen is you get some silicone spray on your brake rotors and mess up your brakes! ( that's bad! ) I have raced the liliputian h.s. a few times, it's a fun race and has it all from W.F.O. high speed sections to snotty 1st gear rock crawling. The mud can get VERY deep in places, so choose your lines carefully. Carry some fresh gloves and have goggles in your pit. Roll offs work pretty good, and you should be able to get some of those giant handlebar hand protector things from a snowmobile shop.

Good luck!
Curt

[SpeedyManiac]

Roll offs, plus duct tape a goggle lens to your visor to extend it (avoid roost) and seal your visor with duct tape so water can run down onto your goggles (this helps a ton). I used these tricks and was the only rider at my last race to keep goggles on the entire time.

[Rick]

Ok...

Dead engine start, straddling the front wheel might be tough getting a hole shot with all those electric start KTM's, since that is what make up 90% of the old fart class...but we'll give it a hell've try! From what I know the National track and practice track will make up sections of the course. Parie City will be open for riding while the race is going on. I also know that the rock pile sections by the entrance will not be used for this event. I know the mud holes can get deep and take you out of your lines.

Speedy, the helmet I'm using for this race has an extended visor so I should be in good shape. We'll give the extra lens deal a try...

Curt, thanks for the heads up, I did the PCGP last Jan and it was really nasty, so I was looking for advise to keep the mud from building up this time.

I guess we'll go with Roll-Off's since I may run out of tear-off's before the first lap is completed.

We'll see how it goes....thanks for all the input.

[SpeedyManiac]

If you have an extended visor already, don't worry about it. Extending your visor just means you don't have to duck as much to avoid roost.

I can't stress enough how much it helps sealing the visor to the helmet.

[coolum74]

I've used butter-flavored cooking spray and the fumes coming off the pipe always made me hungry.

Good luck with the race...sounds like you couldn't be any better prepared.

Just be careful of Woodsracer's comment...it might break your concentration

Go Hard
Cheers