Finally..I'm a Gasser

[Bark3rd]

Racing 20+ years, Hare Scrambles and Enduros, raised on XRs on the trails of the central Florida piney woods and swamps. Most recent (and fastest) racing years at 44 yrs old (now in Texas), went from YZF250s in 02 to a KTM 200 in the C class, then a CR250 (couldn't ride it well) to a KX250, an 08 KTM 250XCW, a Beta 450, one season on a 125SX and most recently another YZ250F, then a 2013 RMZ 250F (the best of them all)-all in search of the elusive "perfect enduro race machine". All of these bikes heavily modded, mostly suspension, trying to erase their shortcomings. I have many racing buddies with the latest orange machinery, have ridden them all. The new KTMs just felt weird to me, like riding a long ironing board through the trees.

After years of jealously (and skeptically) lurking this forum, along comes a super cheap deal on a 2011 EC300 at my local shop, I couldn't resist.

All I have to say is wow! All of the things the Gasser men say about "RM turning", " smooth power", "goes where you point it", "more Jap like" etc, are all true. I really love this bike. I was lucky in that the former owner raced the same class as me (40+ B) at the same weight and already had it revalved, sprung, and dialed. What a joy after so much experimentation in the past to ride this thing and find it spot-on in every department.

After coming accross a couple of young "A" riders on pumpkins lost along a remote, technical loop this weekend, I was asked to lead them back to camp. After dusting them soundly most of the way (riding my ass off), when we stopped and the helmets came off, I believe they were shocked to see the grey hair crowning my temples. This is what its about for me boys, maybe you can relate. I've never felt better or faster.

[Stoby]

Congrats + good luck
Stoby

[Bandit9]

Welcome to the asylum. When I race TSCEC, I'll be in your class.

[Bark3rd]

Well then, I will hope that you will be on the WR. That is, if this confounded kickstand doesn't kill me first! My leg looks like hamburger but mercifully I broke the springs off in the rocks this weekend .

[Bandit9]

Originally Posted by Bark3rd

Well then, I will hope that you will be on the WR. That is, if this confounded kickstand doesn't kill me first! My leg looks like hamburger but mercifully I broke the springs off in the rocks this weekend .

Boooowhooohaahahahaaa! Your not an official Gasser until the horrible kick stand draws blood! You have been initiated.

I finished 3rd B40 on that WR at Cycleland in Jan. That was a pretty tough race. I hadn't rode but twice in the previous 12 months. I can make that WR move pretty good. I'm a bit quicker on the 300 though. I'm waiting for the next TSCEC season to start in Sep 2014, I'll be fit and hopefully will have the bike sorted by then.....

[Bark3rd]

Cycleland this year was one of only 2 DNFs I've had in 20 years of racing. I had too much under armour on, it warmed up, and I bonked. Maybe you saw me stripped and half nekkid with my boots off taking a nap on the side of the trail about 1/2 way through, lol. Last year I won 2 checks in the 200B class (non-age class) on my 125, I was flying through the whoops on that thing until i got tired and smoked the clutch.

[Bandit9]

I actually sort of remember that...

IMHO, all that Under Armor crap is good for nothing. Your body can't do what it wants to do. I guess you know that now...

Light riding Vest when under 30 degrees, and Sahara gear year round for everything else.

I actually had the unfortunate situation of pulling guys out the woods with severe life threatening heat exhaustion due to wearing Under Armor. I really thought one guy was dying on me. Scared the shit out of me. His eyes were rolling backwards.

[Bark3rd]

Yeah, heat exhaustion is no joke. Racing bikes with all the ventilation I've been fine but I got into NASA and SCCA auto racing a few years back and my first time out in August in a caged car with full fire suit on..not pretty and ended in an "amberlance" ride back to the pits and a cooler of ice down my back....

I've had some fireside chats with some old enduro dudes who yarn tales of old about West Texas enduros and finding dead bodies next to their bikes out in the woods....2 in one race one time...maybe this is what led to the series going offline during the summer months....

[Bandit9]

Unfortunately, I have too been to an Enduro where someone died next to their bike. It was a National in Tennessee in 2007. Freaky thing was the guy was actually from the same town I was living in at the time in La. He had some young kids too. Very sad thing. I never got the straight story but apparently it was either a head injury or heat exhaustion. It was hot, I got sick too. Only Non mechanical DNF I've ever had. In fact I was in the back the Ambulance getting an IV when they kicked us out bc they had a "serious" situation to tend to. Found out later what had happened.

You ride Enduros, you become an expert in hydration.

[Bark3rd]

This sport ain't for pussies, that's for sure. If my tombstone reads "Here lies #446 Williams, railed it on check 4" I'll be a happy man...

BTW, For years I've dumped everything from Gatorade to Pedialyte in my camelback but lately have gone to straight water with a twist of lemon and a dash of salt. This, along with one of those astronaut pickles from 7-11 at the gas stops seems to work better. Gets the Vicodan washed down easier too...

Look me up at Barnwell, I'll probably be over somewhere near Bill Gold's huge red rig, look for a black 2010 Gasser and my red 11 parked together (although if you're based out of LA I may only see you at the LA rounds Gilmer's pretty far east though..).