By:cpmodem
I first put the Dunlop 908RR's on my '03 950 back in the summer of 2006. I, like most of you, had experienced the OEM Pirelli MT90 Scorpion A/T's lack of traction in the dirt very early in my ownership. The first week I had the bike, I went out into the desert to my old stompin' grounds and attacked some of the trails I have ridden for years with my dirtbikes. After a little tentative puttin' to get used to the weight of the big Katoom, I blasted into a sandy berm at a speed my ol' Husky desert sled would easily groove through. Well, after pulling myself out from under my horizontal Lippizan and spittin' out a mouthful of high desert sand, I looked at my beautiful silver steed layin' there on her side. She looked so pitiful. The thing I remember most was how utterly flat the 950 laid in the sand. There was no light showing between the bodywork and the ground at all. Next thing I noticed was this MF'r is fooking hard to pick up. My 2-smoker dirtbikes just popped up to the vertical with a quick jerk. All that popped when trying that method on the Ninefiddy was my lower back vertebra. I tried the well known BMW LT/Gold Wing "back into the bike, put butt under edge of seat, and walk the bike back up with the legs trick." Didn't work, of course, cuz the beast was layin' so flat, I couldn't get my butt under the edge of the seat, even with me sitting flat on the ground. Any ways, I finally got the silver stallion back up vertical at some expense to my lumbar. Despite "knowing better" I managed to to get into similar situations a number of times over the next year.
I was just starting to think (I know I'm a slow learner) that the Big Twin just wasn't much of a dirtbike, and maybe I should just stick to pavement. Then I read on the OC that there was a new tire out that worked really well on the 950. It was even "recommended by the US Red Bull Team." None other than Scot Harden was
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purported to have said that the 908RR was the best tire they had ever tried on their 950's. "That was all they were using now," the report went on to say. That was good 'nuff for me. I ordered up a set from SWMotoTire and mounted them up for my next cross country adventure, then took 'er out for a little test ride on the street to make sure I tightened ever' thing back up properly. Well...that was an "interesting" experience, to say the least. I was expecting a "knobby tire feel" like my dirtbikes have on the pavement. What I got was rather bizarre. The bike's handling was transformed from a solid as a rock but still "flickable" feel with the Scorpions, to a skitterish like riding on ice feel. I wasn't too concerned 'cuz Inmates had reported a certain "break-in time" was required before they became solid. Ahem...
The next day I loaded up the 950 with everything I was gonna need for a six week adventure expedition to the Outback. Trouble is I was only gonna be gone for three weeks and "civilization: would never be more than 90 or so miles away. But hey, "better to be prepared" is the motto, right? Especially with all of the chatter on the "Net" about reliability problems with the 950's. Heh heh.
I hit the road with a full load of fuel (11.5 gallons with my new BLM fuel cell on board). I know, butt I wanted to test it offroad before I rallied with it. I'd already put ~ 1000 miles on the cell with the Scorps and it worked great. The rallies I
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partake in (compete is a bad word with the LD crowd) are usually a "point A to point Z kinda thing with all the letters of the alphabet(and then some) as stops (Bonii). These rallies are usually on paved roads. Butt, the rally bastards usually throw in a bit of dirt/gravel to keep things "interesting" for the LT and GW crowd. GS riders have always had an edge on these bonii, and I wanted to change that. The 950 was to be my "secret weapon."
My trip started, outta necessity, on the Interstate to get out of the city. Right off, I noticed a nasty weave from the rear end that wasn't there with the Pirelli's and the same load. It was present from ~60 mph and got progressively worse as the speed increased. This wasn't gonna work. My next three weeks were gonna be miserable if I was limited to under 60. It was totally unacceptable for rally work, as speeds need to be err..."considerably higher," to be compet... uh, I mean to "finish." Yeah, that's it. I pulled off the Interstate several times on the way out of town to change the air pressures. I tried everything from 20 psi up to the max sidewall pressure. The weave just got worse at the lower pressures, so I left them at the max for the rest of the highway part of the ride and wobbled my way up north to meet my friends.
The first part of my three week sojourn was to be the 2006 Buckaroo III Rally in Elko, Nevada. In Bridgeport, California, I was meeting up with 1/2 dozen friends from SoCal, led by George Swetland of Red Hot Riders m/c. There, we would double the group size with a contingent from NorCal, led by Scuderia owner Don Lemelin.
As I made my way through the Mammoth Mtn area, I encountered some of the SoCal bunch as they entered the highway from Mammoth Ski Resort. I had been traveling pretty slowly for the 180, or so, miles up 'til then. I wanted to ride with the group so had to up my speed to ~70-75 mph to keep up. Well the 100, or so miles into Bridgeport were quite wild, to say the least. The rear of the beast was all over the place. The steering damper was having no effect. Probably because it wasn't the front forks wobbling, it was the rear end yawing, then rolling from side to side. The forks were just following along staying inline with the frame. Pretty much, the whole bike was pivoting on the front tire's contact patch, as near as I can tell.
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The SoCal bunch all stayed at the Virginia Creek Settlement, south of Bridgeport about five miles. It's a charming little place with rustic cabins that sit on the edge of Virginia Creek. Here's George "Pointman" Swetland outside his cabin. You can see the Gobi beer cooler on the porch. He was generous and shared with his mates. Good lad!
My cabin, "The John Wayne Room", overlooked the creek, and I could sit on the rustic wooden deck and enjoy the ambiance of nature. Very peaceful. Each cabin had a different theme. I don't know what the other's were, but I imagine they were different Westerns actors, like Tom Mix, William "Hoppy" Boyd, Clint Eastwood (?). Maybe...
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We all went to town for dinner, where we joined up with the NorCal bunch who were staying in town. It was a fine get together, and it was great putting faces and names together with Inmates, many of whom I had only communicated with via the "Net." Great buncha guys, and as usual, they were quite different in person. I've found this to be the case with every Internet group I've been in. Once you get them away from their impersonal computer screens and keyboards, they are invariably very fine folks. Even more true with the bunch from ADVrider. Besides, it was quite a sight seeing twenty big Ninefiddys lined up across the street from the pizza joint.
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The next morn' after a restful night next to the babbling brook, and a great breakfast at the Virginia Creek Cafe, good B&G (biscuits & gravy), BTW, we all headed for the start of the dirt at Bodie Ghost Town, a few miles down the road.
For the next 300 miles we avoided pavement as much as possible. We rode a lot of jeep trails through wet and dry river beds with lots of "baby head" size rocks thrown in, some twisty mountain gravel and dirt roads, and many many miles of long straight un-paved roads with gravel, some deep sand and deep dried ruts, and talc thrown in. Another words, typical Northeastern Cali and Nevada high desert stuff.
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Photo by: Don Lemelin |
My bike was still heavily laden with gear for the trip, but I left the extra fuel cell empty (it got me to Bridgeport without stopping), as our range was limited by the stock 950's in our group, anyway. The 908's worked great on the dirt. Way, way better than the Scorpions. There was still a pronounced weave on the hardpack, but we were keeping our speeds down and I was keeping way back to avoid the dust. Still hoping to make my air filter last for the whole trip. Unfortunately, UniFilter hadn't produced the 950 prefilter yet. We threw in a few short blasts on US 50 (The Loneliest Highway) to get from one dirt track to another. George Swetland did a great job of keeping the pavement to the bare minimum and not getting us lost in the backcountry.
We met up with about 1/2 of our original group at the Toyabe Cafe in Eureka, NV for lunch.
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The food wasn't as good as I remembered it from past rides, but the company was excellent. We also made our second fuel stop of the trip here to top up for the final leg of the ride into Elko. The first stop being just before the border in Luning, CA.
This leg of the ride picked up the Ruby Valley Road off US 50 just East of town.
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It started out with more of the same type gravel and dirt roads as we did in the A.M. but soon changed as we laced our way up the north-south running valleys that make up much of northern Nevada.
Gaining altitude with every mile, the scenery became more lush as the barren chaparral and sagebrush of the lower elevations gave way to long green valleys with horses and cattle.
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George somehow got us through the mountains to join up with Railroad Pass Road in the valley to the West of Ruby Valley.
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The rest of the ride north to Elko was on well graded and maintained gravel road, for the most part. We did run into a few areas of washboard and a couple of washouts after cresting rises at far too high a speed. Reckless you say? Hell yeah, butt it's FUN to let the silver stallion "have his head" once in awhile. We all survived, and the 908's paid for themselves in spades on this part of the trip. But nothing like they would later on in the trip.
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We pulled into Elko in the early afternoon and got settled into our rooms. Folks were just starting to arrive. By the next day, there wasn't a place to park in this lot. It was a bit weird seeing all of the bike trailers. I thought the idea of an "adventure" motorcycle was to
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ride it to the adventure. Not drive in a tow vehicle with your adventure bike in back. My pals in the IBA would get a big kick out of that. Might have been enough room in the lot for all the bikes to park, if the trailers weren't there. Just sayin'.
After getting my rally packet, and removing my panniers and extra fuel cell (5 minute job), I wandered around the KTM pits and ogled all the trick bikes. Most of the USA Red Bull Team was there as well as Team Rally Pan Am. Scot Harden and Chris Blais were on hand to welcome everyone and answer any questions about the Dakar Rally, and just shoot the shit with us. The Harden Offroad Adventure Tours bikes were also there.
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Scot's LC8 Red Bull bike on the left above. Chris Blais's LC4 is on the right.
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There were even a few 2-smokers. Look at the chain; THAT is the proper tension for a dirtbike. Go out and check your 950. Nuff said.
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A photo of a GPR V2 steering damper. Just like mine, except his is Orange.
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Team Pan Am's ultra trick, ultra fast new desert racer, with saddle tanks.
On the right is Scot Hardins new 950 Super Enduro.
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More shots of Scot's SE. I like what he's done with the cockpit.
The next morning I got up before dawn and ate breakfast in the Red Lion's excellent restaurant, then got suited up for a group ride, led by Scot, to Jarbidge, up near the Nevada-Idaho border.
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We picked up the first dirt road out of town and headed east on a dusty trail that loosely paralleled I-80. It was very dusty with that many bikes, so I soon searched out a shortcut that went under the Interstate and headed north toward Jarbidge. Ah, clean clear air. I'm reminded why I usually ride alone.
There was some gorgeous scenery on the way to Jarbidge. A couple of the mountain passes were, literally, breath taking. The mountains surrounding Jarbidge are very rugged and deep valleys and towering mountain peaks abound. I was too busy enjoying myself to take any photos. Elk season was opening soon and hunters dotted the road into town. Wouldn't have minded joinin' them. The Katoom would make a great "off-road hunter."
At about 5 miles out, the road became very twisty. Since it was recently graded red clay dirt, I just had to take advantage of the situation and played flat track racer for those last miles into civilization. This road is where the 908's really showed their stuff. I over cooked a couple of corners and, though I thought I was surely going down. The Dunlops hooked up, and I grooved the corners without incident. Put a few more wrinkles in the seat cover though. The Pirellis would have put me on my ear in a flash, under the same conditions. BTDT.
I eventually caught up with the truck and camping trailer who's tracks I had been tracing from the top of the mountain just before Jarbidge town limits and putted the rest of the way into town. Jarbidge is a tiny little place, but it's still kind of an enigma as to how or why even this many people are living way up in the mountains with nothing but dozens of rough dirt roads between them and "civilization.
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The old gal who owned the only filling station in down, told me she "didn't cotton to no city life." and "they could keep civilization right where it was." Seemed to be the general concensus of everyone I talked to from Jarbige.
I was way ahead of the Harden group by then, so I gassed the 950 up before the clamoring throng arrived. I got 3 gallons for $10. Not bad for the remoteness of the place. Notice the stock Pirelli Scorpion on the 950 in front of me. A few of those guys actually made it to places like Jarbige. Good on 'em! They'll appreciate a good knobby more when they get one. For the record, the Dunlop 908RR's transformed the 950 into an amazing dirt machine. The difference is like night and day the way it handles in the soft stuff. An actual pleasure, no "A BLAST" to ride now. Bring on Dakar.
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The food in this place (the only place in town) was pretty good, but the service was excruciatingly slow. And that was before the big group arrived. Three of us waited over and hour for our cheese burgers. I hate to think how long it took the 20 or so riders from the Harden group to all get served.
I had to do some creative riding to get the Silver Stallion out from behind this group of Orange.
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I rode out of town ahead of the throng, who were still no doubt waiting for their burgers, with a couple of guys on big single dual sports. I think they thought they were going to ditch me. They looked more than a bit surprised when I was still with them after twenty miles of rough jeep trails and dirt ranch roads. We then buzzed up the pavement 10 miles to the obscure 'berg of Owyhee, NV to top up with gas. The 950 didn't need any, butt the little tanks on the EXCs didn't take them far. They were on fumes as we rolled into the Sinclair station in Owyhee.
We headed back to Elko late in the day on some obscure little chip seal farm roads. The singles were having a bit of a rough time keeping the pace on the pavement with the Big Twin, so when they pulled over to for a "nature call" I waved goodbye and let the big Lippizan "have his head" as he tore the road up getting back to the barn. The 908's were having no problem holding tight lines on the tarmac this day without the loaded panniers. The nasty weave I experienced on the trip into Bridgeport when loaded, was not evident at any speed now without the load. I tested this thoroughly every chance I got the next few days of riding without luggage. They also stuck pretty well in the twisties, and I had no problem staying with other bikes, even in the drizzle.
Scot hardin hosted a party at the Buckaroo Museum in town, and most of the group showed up. It turned out to be very educational, as Scot had invited an "old timer local " to recite some of his cowboy poetry for us. I enjoyed the show immensely, and most of the others looked like they did too. I've been a fan of cowboy poetry since my time in the mid 80's on the OX Ranch in the Mojave Desert of California with Dennis Casabier and the Friends of the Mojave Road.
Chris Blais of Blais Racing and member of the US Red Bull Rally Team, and The Pan Am team members each put on very nice slide shows and answered questions from the audience afterward. Good stuff.
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The next morning I was up early again. This time I started out by myself and headed east out of town on gravel farm roads toward Ruby Valley and the Ruby Valley National Wildlife Refuge, and points south.
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At one point in my ride I met up with Don Lemelin's group and loosely tailed them around the Ruby Valley. I "borrowed" a few of his photos to show you where we went, since his were much better than mine (I was really havin' too much fun to take any).
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Photo by: Don Lemelin |
Nice shot of some of the group crossing the Ruby Valley on the main road. Notice the dust.
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Photo by: Don Lemelin |
Glacier Overlook in Lamoille Canyon, Ruby Mountains, Nevada. Beautiful country. Hard to believe we were in the "desert" eh? Northern Nevada and Eastern Oregon are loaded with desert scenery like this.
I left the overlook before they did and continued down the valley on dirt ranch roads and single track through the dry lake bed north of Shantytown. It was in the deep powder covered ruts of the bottom lands that I came to really appreciate the GPR steering damper. I had installed it just before this trip. Several times I was enjoying the scenery of the vast Ruby Valley a bit too much while in the dry lake bed and allowed my speed to increase to a bit over interstate limits. Only to suddenly find myself rapidly approaching sections of deep powder that hid hardened, jeep caused, ruts of clay about 18-24" deep. Too late to slow or stop, I did what your supposed to do ... I gassed it. To my surprise, and relief, the big Katoom tracked straight through the whole mess each time without the slightest wobble. Even when steering from rut to rut. Very impressive. My ol' Husky desert sled woulda gone into a death dance that likely would of had me doin' a "flyin' W before I could get it back under control. Very capable dirt weapon this big bike. At times like this, it's hard to believe it's all of 500 #.
I turned west at the end of the valley onto a jeep road that followed the old Pony Express Trail. The sign says that U.S. mail was carried by horseback from St. Joe, Missouri to Sacramento, California over this trail during a 16 month period in 1860 and 1861. That was the total duration of the Pony Express. Amazing it was such a short time. The transcontinental railroad put them out of business before they really got goin' good. But they did fill a niche, and the brave riders (all of them young orphaned men) made a place for themselves in history.
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On the Overland Road, I came upon an infestation of Mormon Crickets. They're actually not crickets, but a type of flightless grasshopper related to the Katydid.
They have caused problems for farmers in this area for centuries. Much like its flying relative the Locust has in other parts of this country and the World. The Mormons credit the seagull with saving them from these nasty little creatures during one particularly huge infestation back in 1848. I've seen them when they covered the ground like a moving brown carpet that reached as far as the eye can see. Several years ago, my son-in-law and I were in Eureka, NV during Pioneer Days when hordes of these insects overran the town. Walls of buildings were brown with live moving crickets, and the roads for miles around were red with the blood of those crushed by passing vehicles. Slippery lil' critters when you run over them on a motorcycle. They are also cannibals.
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I continued over the Overland Pass on two track, past Johnson Cabin and through Cherry Spring Canyon to to eventually join the graded gravel of Railroad Pass Road north toward Elko. I stopped at Jiggs Bar just outside of Elko and hoisted a few cool ones with friends before puttin' back to the Red Lion Inn for the night.
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The next day I took an early ride over Harrison Pass and through Lime Kiln Canyon in both directions to pay my respects to The Maker. Too many four wheeled vehicles on that road on a Sunday, for me. Still, it was a very scenic ride and the dirt was sticky from the mornin' drizzle.The Big Lippizan was roostin' the 908, and crossed up wheelies 'n' power slides were the order for the day. Life is good.
I got back in time for the KTM service seminar back under the tent in the Red Lion parking lot. Scot and Fabio (Italian National Enduro Champ) covered a lot of info. Much of it very basic stuff for the newbies, like bike maintenance on the trail, but some real interesting pearls were passed out on stuff specific to the Big Twin. There was an engineer from KTM to answer our more technical questions. I picked up a few obscure facts and got an insight into the mindset of the Austrian company.
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At the end of the seminar, we had lunch on KTM, with all the Red Bull you could drink being passed out by the Red Bull Girls. I grabbed a few extra for the road.
After lunch we all got together for a group photo. Since I was in the picture, I "borrowed" one of Don's photos for this article. I'm to Fabio's right, sportin' the same "clean" haircut. Nice turn out, folks.
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By: Don Lemelin |
All in all, Buckaroo III was an outstanding success, and a very rewarding experience for me. One I'm very happy to have attended. I'd recommend every KTM dual sport rider attend at least one of these annual events. Better yet, do them all. Fantastic bunch of guys 'n' gals y'all.
The next day I was up by 2 a.m. to get an early start on the rest of my trip. My next destination was Death Valley and I wanted to get there before the hottest part of the day. It was August, after all. My destination for the night was Cedar Canyon.
The adventure will continue in the next episode: "Death Valley in the Summer; I Must Be Crazy."
Here's a couple of teasers:
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Catcha on the flip side...
-cp