vehicular

iTrader: (3)

Tuono>*

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

I like the Tuono.. at first glance it reminds me of a buell in a way (not that they look at all similar). Definitely not your typical looking bike, almost ugly at first glance. The tank looks HUGE. Then you really look at it for a while. ****, i stared at yours for a good 5 minutes before i determined it was a work of art and I love it. Props

Meeners

iTrader: (1)

Thanks guys It's a great bike... You should see the new project I'm working on I'll post up when I get a chance.

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

First test ride with the new soft luggage, loaded down with all the gear.
Tent, sleeping bag, bed roll, gallon of extra water, MRE's, butane stove, extra butane canister, first aid/trauma kit, tools, full size tire levers,cool and hot weather base layers, goggles, tube, spares, 1000# rated tow rope, battery powered air pump, and miscellaneous other bits. Handled pretty decent. Took it on a local forest service road/jeep trail to 5700' Santiago peak. Caught a little air off the 3' water bars. Everything stayed in place, nothing melting. Surprised at how transparent the extra weight was. Not as flickable but no surprise there. Zero wallow or bad habits though.

2.5gallon Rally Raid side mount auxiliary tanks go on next, where the radiator shrouds are now. That will add another 22# up front. From there, we should be ready for the 2 week CDT trip this summer.

We'll ride form here to Banff. Down CDT. Camp most of the way but hit a few motels and towns along the way. Turn right at Mexican Border and head back to LA. CDNST Interactive Map | Continental Divide Trail Coalition



Halfway up main divide on the way up to Santiago Peak. This is right out my back door here in OC.



[img]

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Do you usually go with a group of other riders, or all solo? I'm super jealous, but i don't have any buddies to go on crazy trips like that with.. so even if i had the bike/gear/skill i'd be solo riding which is probably not safe.

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

I assume this is in response to my post..

Local trips are usually solo, sometimes with a friend, sometimes with a local club (10-20 riders). The CDT trip with is the first motorcycle camping trip I have done in about 30 years and the first ever with extensive off road sections. I'll do the CDT trip with my buddy Tom, who I have known for about 25 years.

As much as I like riding with a friend or small competent group, I also like the solo trips out into the Socal mountains and deserts. Just stopping to take in the view whenever you like, alone with your thoughts, exploring all the weird dead end trails and semi-legal stuff.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

Yeah, my reply was directed towards you Emilio.

Reminds me very much of some of the MTB day trips I've done solo. Tons of time to yourself to just think, explore new trails, get lost, and explore nature.

Of course on a greater scale, because you can cover 50+ miles instead 15-20 in the mountains on a mtb.

Ryan_G

iTrader: (8)

So I have been trying to figure out what all of the goodies are that have been installed on my new Buell by the original owner because the kid who had it before me only had it for about a month before he decided he needed the cash more and he had no ******* clue what was on the bike. So far I have determined that there is a factory racing kit on it which includes the full exhaust, ECM, and open airbox. There is some sort of steering damper on it but it has no markings so I am unable to identify it.

I did find something funny while I was researching the exhaust to figure out if it was any good:





This just confirms that this is the best site on the internet.

I was pleased to find out that the factory race exhaust is one of the best you can get despite the mid range dip from 3800-4500. I might throw up some pictures of the damper to see if someone on here can help me out. I went for a night ride two Fridays ago and I realized that the stock headlight sucks dick so I ordered a 55W 5k HID conversion from DDM which seemed quite popular on the forum. luckily the firebolt has a projector with the ability to utilize the 55W kit without blinding oncoming vehicles or so I'm told.

Fireindc

iTrader: (13)

I do believe you have me to thank for that. Get us some pictures of everything and I can confirm, I'm actually curious what a factory "open air box" looks like (or more likely, if yours was modded what it looks like).

The race pipe is definitely one of the best out there, short of like a full micron system or something that is just way too much $$ for 4-5whp. And firebolt + hid and yes, with their cutoff you should be able to aim them well enough. Also might want to look in the dual headlight mod, you basically swap two wires on your controls and it makes the low beam stay on when you switch to your high beam. Actually helps a ton with night riding.

Also, please let me know how that HID install goes, as it's something i would be interested in myself.

Landrew

iTrader: (2)

Did you actually mean Banff, Alberta Canada? If so that's way up there for you.

I've never dual sported. Most of the mountain trails we take need something a bit lighter and more agile but it sure would be fun some of the times just to ride out there on the highway and not unload.

Way back from the truck, very windy up here and not cell service for 2 hours at least from where we are past the tree line.




Don't want to Solo into Muskeg, took both of us and had some nasty stinky boots afterwards.



Before it ever hit the dirt

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

Yup, Banff, CA. The 690 is kind of a tweener. Solo only really, not enough mass or power for two up riding. It's won the Dakar a few times so clearly it's power/agility balance is perfect for hauling *** across open terrain with lots gear on board. Most hard core adventurers on 690's do the super light Rally Raid fairing. I'm OK with the wind blast and I'm a weight weenie so I'll run it as is. So it ends up being about the smallest bike you can comfortably run for long distances with mixed highway and offroad if packed light.

When I do local trails, it's stripped down and quite agile. My bare bike is about 290lbs and 11" travel. It's happy on all but the tightest single track.

I'm shopping for a sat phone or communicator. Thinking about a Delorme hub that bluetooths to your cell phone to send text messages via the Iridium sat network.

Landrew

iTrader: (2)

From reading your thread here I can see why 949 has great products. You research and know your stuff, sweat the details etc.

450s might be able to get to say 150km'hr with tall tall gearing but that's peaked at redline. Even cruising at highways speeds it would be revving so high and not be a happy camper. Not something I would want to do to the bike for more than a few minutes. Your 690 must be a hoot at under 300lbs and almost full moto travel.

Didn't you say somewhere that you raced motocross? If so then I don't need to say anything more about bike handling/dynamics to you. Anyone that's raced has a firm firm understanding of all this.

I tell my wife I'd love to solo out in the rockies (instead of typical 2 or 3 man groups I go on) but with no cell coverage it could turn into a survival night/days and we ride in Grizzly country.

You'd better post pics of your ride. At least being a cyclist your butt is now a calloused mess, and you won't get to much monkey butt from hours in the saddle. I made the mistake of 2 days in a row of early season MTB'ing this year and the 2nd day was a pain in the behind. I rode an older KTM big bore SX once and the seat was a rock. I'm sure they've changed a lot since then.

Do you plan to take some dedicated off road excursions? I know of a few good spots in AB as I ride from the border in the rockies up to near Jasper. There's a decent ride up to an old plane crash you could swing in about 3 hours easy starting from near Crowsnest Pass.

Dakota Plane Crash | Mountain Biking in Crowsnest Pass - soistheman Digital Diary

MTB, Moto and Jeeps can do this so you'll whip up there in no time.

Once your done this trip you should plan something like what Obi-Wan Kenobi did in The Long Way Round. He even made it 3 hours south of me to Calgary, about an hour from Banff.

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

The 690 seat is actually pretty hard, enduro style but I'm OK with that. I want to traverse Australia and also ride to Prudhoe bay up the Alcan hwy. Africa skeers me :(. I'm handy with a pistol but would rather not get shot at by some 12 year old with an AK. That said, I would love to explore Africa. The people are beautiful, the land amazing.

I never race motocross. I rode a dirt bike as a kid a few times but was pretty much a dirt newb when I bought the 690 10 months ago. My background as multi national champion XC MTB'er and car racer has helped me learn moto fairly quickly. From a website deicated to the CDT:

80 percent dirt and gravel roads, 10 percent paved roads, and 10 percent single-track trails

I'll definitely post pics when we go in a month or two. Right now we're trying to work our two schedules around the seasonal road closures for the best window.

9.5L auxiliary tanks just showed up. I'll have to do a long *** ride this weekend and wee what my range is. So excited!

97miatanola

iTrader: (1)

My 2001 CBR600 F4i right before i sold it.
I have my eye on a brand new CBR1000RR within the next year... i miss wheelies. :/

turbofan

iTrader: (1)

r's err'whurr.

Ryan_G

iTrader: (8)

Leafy

iTrader: (1)

------. Here's a real electric motorcycle as defined by the state of california, its definitely not just an electric bicycle.


I wonder how much that bicycle is under andrew's road bike lap record.

williams805

iTrader: (2)

Nice wheels Emilio. I'm usually not into adventure bike because most of them or biased toward street, or at least HEAVY. But I would actually consider that bike. Looks light and fun for an adventure.

I just found this thread. I've been riding since I was 10 (about 23 years now)... Always dirt bikes up until 3 years ago when I finally picked up a '05 ZX-6R. I love it but my first and true love remains with the dirty bike. My current arsenal is a 2006 CRF450R, '93 CR500 (2 smoke), a Z50 and the Kawi. You can never have enough motorcycles.

Alright, crappy pics already...

CR500


Showing off my sexy body and one piece


50 NUTS


And a little double out at Gorman on the 450

emilio700

iTrader: (3)

Same here. If I ride offroad, I want to be agile in terrain that's difficult to walk through and I want to be able to pick up the bike if I dump it. I read stories of less than fit riders dropping their BMW GS behemoths and having to walk a half day to get a signal to call a friend to help them pick it up or tow it out. That's like taking a lowered car on a jeep trail and hoping you won't high center. It's just asking for trouble. The big bikes are great on road but then so is a Gold Wing. Personally, I don't understand the attraction of a 550lb, 120whp "dirt" bike that is nearly unrideable in sand with 50/50 tires unless you're a pro.

That said the 690 ain't great on the highway but then again, neither is a Miata

thirdgen

iTrader: (26)

I haven't been to this thread in months. I just saw dirtbikes in here. I recently bought a YZ250 off my buddy for $900. It's a '98. It was a little bashed up, but I replaced the grips, the footpegs, swapped out the Chaparral head pipe for a FMF Burly pipe from craigslist. I replaced the tires with Maxxis Desert IT's. This website sells them as a front/ rear combo for a good deal. Maxxis - 250R/450F Maxxcross Desert-IT M7304D/M7305D Front/Rear Tire Combo: BTO SPORTS
I threw a new pre oiled ebay filter in it. It has new chain and sprockets. I use Klotz super techniplate 2 stroke premix with 93 octane fuel mixed 32:1. 2 Stroke for life!
The bike runs great, I don't think it was ever bored out. Stock carb/ reeds as far as I know. FMF burly pipe, FMF powercore silencer. Unsure of the jetting, NGK 8 plug? I'd like to know what jet it should have in it/ what plug should be run. Like it said, it runs great and since it has new tires, it goes through stuff now. I bought it cause I wanted to get back out on the trail, and I wanted something simple and cheap. I hooked my buddy up with a 2007 YZ 450 that was mint and real done up, my reward was getting his bike for $900.
Here's a vid of me and a bunch of buddies riding near my house before I put my new tires on. I'm the only 2 stroke in the vid. The hill at about 1:39, you can barely walk up. 3:18 is where I come in, and do nothing but throw some silt around. This was also the first time I had that bike up there EVER, and the first time in about 4 years that I rode a dirtbike.
If anybody figured it out, yes, that is supercross all star Slick Ryan on the green KX 450.