Pretty weird riding with no front fender. It makes the bike feel really short, and lets a lot of crap fly up and hit you in the face.
I’m starting to feel bad about beating the ever loving crap out of the bike. I’m having fun though, so what the heck. No first gear makes it hard in a few spots. I really had to feather the clutch on some of the hills. Glad to have the extra umpf of the 351cc. Pretty soon I realize I’m nearing the enduro cross section again. I’m really not looking forward to it. I’m wore out, and even when I was fresher I didn’t feel like I handled it very well. I come in and get over the big log ok, and then proceed to hit the first set of tires with out nearly enough speed. I get the front wheel up on top of the tires and stall. At this point the bike is about straight up and down and coming over backwards. I bail off the back and take a few big steps backwards as the bike does a somersault at me.













Amazingly this time nothing broke. I did the rest of the logs and the second set of tires without touching the ground or killing the bike.

 

Yeah pretty ugly.
Thought that I would like a switch but never got around to it. I'll probably do it on the replacement headlight I'm planning on getting.

 

I finished up my second lap, and they told me the race was over. I rode my beat up machine back to the trucks and found my riding buddies huddled in the trailer. The experienced guy had taken 11th place. The other two both had stopped after their first lap.
Because I left my fender out in the woods they gave me 36th place. Someone actually brought my fender in. It had the scorecard on it, but the card didn’t have my second lap time. Without that time, they cant score you correctly. I forget exactly the explanation, but it made sense when the organizer explained it to me. He said “Oh are you the guy on the Kawasaki?” He grinned and handed me the front half of my fender and then he handed me a trophy. No kidding. It must have been for the most broken stuff on a bike. My buddies and I walked down and watched the A class guys ride the enduro cross section of their race. Most of them made it look real easy. Honestly I’d love to go play around on those big tires again. It would be great to get the technique down. I think a big part of my trouble was in my head. My first harescramble was a blast, and I think I’ll go back next year. I may not push myself as hard, maybe just treat it as a ride? I doubt it, it’s pretty hard to hold back
Well looks like I have to search out the best replacement fender for the KLX. I think I’m going to get the TrailTech X2 to replace my headlight.
Blah blah blah blah boy I do ramble don’t I ?
Hope you liked my report.
Dan

 

Great write up and great job as there are better bikes for the job but you did good. It reminds me of my first race many years ago I left pieces of a 1983 CR125 all over the course. Just reading what you wrote brought back some of the neverousness of that first time. Thanks for sharing.

 

Great to give us such a fine report! Congratulations, too!

 

Interesting report by any means, congratulations on your results.

The diagonal trees is what would scare me the most. How did it look to the pro racers, do they stop and pass each wheel while walking the bike?

 

Great report, Dan! Nice job, and heck yeah on having the fortitude to enter the race and the first place and not quit like your buddies did. I think you've been bitten by the bug and I'm pretty sure you'll be back for the next one. The first one is the hardest - they just get more fun after that.

 

dan, those pics of your bike just floating along there upside down are awesome. How old are you? However old you are, it's a good thing you don't break as easily as your bike. Great writeup.

 

WOW! That's hardcore. Don't you just hate diagonal logs. Especially when they're wet, it's treacherous. I like that you kept on going even as your bike was decintegrating on the course. I'd love to see some of your helmet cam video. Great report on a ballsy ride.

Mike

 

Good stuff. Inspiring!