Winter Riding

Stickman Graphx

The racing season is right around the corner.  This past weekend, I got to ride with 3 AA riders, Ben Smith, Glenn Cordova, and Des Conboy.  I have always been intimidated when riding with faster riders, but I now enjoy the challenge.  For the past year, I have treated it as a game when I ride with faster riders and each time I try to stick with them for a longer period of time.  Early in the day, I was getting left behind by the AA riders, but was able to stick with them by the end of the day.  It was nice to get on the bike, make some suspension changes, and shake off the rust.

In addition to riding, I have been working hard on designing graphics with Alex Engle over at Stickman Graphx.  I am waiting for responses from two sponsors and then I will get them printed.  In the last week, product has showed up from Kriega USA, Acerbis, Mika Metals, DT-1 filters, and G2 Ergonomics! I can't wait for the first enduro.  And lastly, I have recently joined forces with offroadviking.com so check them out for some articles I will be writing this coming season! BRAAAAPPP!

Ebay Deals

I am one of those people that loves to find good deals and recently came across a deal on two different wheels.  Since KTM wheels are now silver, it is hard to find any black wheel sets with polished hubs.  I came across this wheel on ebay and couldn't pass it up.  The wheel showed up at the door today, and I took the time to clean and polish it.  Next step is to get some rim decals from Stickman Graphx.  This will help keep the rim safe from rocks and keep it from getting marked up during tire changes.   I am now looking for another black 18" rear wheel so I can have a spare set during the season.  When you travel as much as I do, you don't want to go home from wheel problems.  If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

2013 Sponsor: Kriega USA

I am happy to announce that I will receive support from Kriega USA in 2013 and will be wearing their  Kriega Hydro 3 enduro pack and R8 motorcycle waist pack as well as using their haul loops.  They offer the ultimate hydration systems and I am excited to use them in 2013.  With the long enduros and sometimes not seeing a gas stop for 40 miles, the 3 liter pack is the ultimate package.  For more information, go to http://www.kriega.us/products/.

Another Day in Paradise

Hand-built tire rack with storage area

For 2013, I am hoping to make my blog more involved and informational so that people who follow it will come away with some good ideas that they can start doing of their own.  One of my biggest pet peeves as a rider and mechanic of my own bikes is a dirty shop.  I will never work on bikes if they are dirty or if the shop is dirty.  It has become a regular thing for me to clean the shop twice a week by vacuuming and wiping down the surfaces.  In addition to keeping the shop clean, I also like to keep everything organized so it can be easily found. This past weekend, I rearranged the shop again and put my home-made tire rack in the middle of my work benches.  Previously, it had been hidden by the family trash cans but now it's easily accessible for storing wheels and tires.  I also added two more shop lights so that it isn't as dark when working at night.  My next plan is to make a suspension holder that will stand on the side or front so that I can safely store forks and shocks.

Pit Posse Bead Breaker and Tire Changing Stand

Another thing I have gotten recently is the Pit Posse bead breaker and tire changing stand which will help with making the dreaded Techtube/Bib Mousse change.  To make things easier, I mounted mine on a 5/8" thick piece of plywood which keeps it weighted down.  A more intensive route would be to mount the tire changing stand to the cement floor and have quick-release pins so that you can easily pop it on and off.  That is all for today, but I am going to try to document more of the day-to-day shop and race preparations for the 2013 season.  Pictures are always cool so I will take more!

2013 Sponsor: Motorex

I have been lucky enough to be sponsored by Motorex for about six years now, and have never thought about leaving the brand.  Motorex products are of the highest quality and make my life easier as a racer.  The Motorex filter cleaner may be my favorite product as it makes filter cleaning a breeze.  Thankfully, Motorex has stepped up even more for 2013 and I can't thank them enough.  For more info go to http://www.motorexusa.com/.

2012 in Review

First race of 2012- Tri-County HS

It's hard to believe that 2012 has come to an end.  2012 was very good to me as I put in all of the hard work and came out with my ultimate achievement of an A-200 Championship.  I plan to take what I learned in 2012 and apply it to 2013 so that I can reach my goal of qualifying for AA.  After a lot of thinking and trying to get some bike support for 2013, I have decided to stick with my 09 200 XC.  Although the 200 has its negatives as it can be a little slow in the open terrain, it excels in the tight, rocky conditions and is a very light bike.  When comparing to the 250, it turns so much better and provides a lot of stability on the front end.  I am going to change some gearing and engine characteristics for 2013 so I can utilize the strength of the motor.  I have a year's worth of recorded suspension settings which were developed with the help of Drew Smith at Works Enduro Rider.  I am confident that I can come into the season with confidence and start it off right.  I have never come into the season completely confident, and I want to change that for 2013.  The first race of the year will be in Georgia at the first NEPG enduro.  I would like to currently welcome some new sponsors for 2013 which are Stickman Graphx, G2 Ergonomics, and Pit Posse.  I will announce the rest later but most sponsors from 2012 will be returning for 2013.  Bye 2012 and hello to 2013.  Thank you to all those that made 2012 an enjoyable year!