Morleys 6-hour Cross Country

**NordieBoy** · 18th September 2007, 20:05

Another Honda rider.

S'pose you won't be there either

**Buddy L** · 18th September 2007, 20:11

it's so true,
im going to be at my Sisters/Friends/Dog bite the postmans fishing trip.

**NordieBoy** · 18th September 2007, 20:13

Looks like I'll have to uphold the dignity of the mighty Honda myself then.

What's the correct torque settings for the trainer wheel mounts again?

**Buddy L** · 18th September 2007, 21:03

just firm enough, (hand tight) should do the trick

**NordieBoy** · 18th September 2007, 21:17

Do they come in Honda pink?

Oops, Honda red...

**warewolf** · 18th September 2007, 21:17

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Looks like I'll have to uphold the dignity

mwahahaha chortle chortle

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

What's the correct torque settings for the trainer wheel mounts again?

Tighten till it begins to strip then back off a quarter turn.

**NordieBoy** · 21st September 2007, 15:41

I feel like a Honda rider.
Anyone else I can pass this can of dignity on to?

Looks like my brother who was going to marshall is now going to race and I'm going to be marshalling and photographererering.

Probably for the best as we'll be putting my new shocks on the bike 30mins before the start of the race and won't have any time to set them up.

Next month is pretty full on with a Classic MX on the 7th, 2-hour on the 14th, North V South Classic MX on the 21st, Final 2-hour on the 28th.

**warewolf** · 22nd September 2007, 00:18

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Probably for the best as

...there's 60mm of rain forecast.

**NordieBoy** · 23rd September 2007, 20:13

Originally Posted by warewolf

...there's 60mm of rain forecast.

Didn't seem to slow you down much though

Great ride.

Looking on the computer and saw the name "Chris Birch" amongst others.

**NordieBoy** · 23rd September 2007, 21:06

The perfect bike for the day...
A Super Sherpa doing the IronMan

Good thing it didn't rain or it could have got really messy...

**warewolf** · 24th September 2007, 19:29

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Didn't seem to slow you down much though

Great ride.

Cheers, I really enjoyed it. I didn't think I'd be able to ride for 6+ hours. In the end I was disappointed to come in at 6h10m and not get another lap in!

I was struggling to stay coordinated after about 4 1/2 hours; coming into corners carrying full-pace speed, but not being in the correct body position etc. Haven't seen my results, will they post up the spreadsheet on the web?

The rain wasn't really a problem until later in the day. The last two laps there was standing water on some of the gravel roads and they became very slippery in places - as opposed to just a bit slippery like they were all day. The boggy clay section that the ATVs were supposed to bypass was getting trickier, so I used the bypass on the last 3 laps. For the experts who could blast through the boggy clay, the long way round was a huge time penalty. I reckon for me they were about the same time, but the bypass took a lot less effort.

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Looking on the computer and saw the name "Chris Birch" amongst others.

Oh yes. Guest of KTM/Thunderbike, riding the new KTM 300 EXE/E. I only saw him twice; first was going up that snotty rocky pinch they later cut out. He was slithering everywhere just like me! but I dare say he went straight up it first time every lap, unlike me!

The second time he passed me near the bottom of a long descent, he was flying as I was beginning to brake before the really rough stuff. The back of the bike kicked up and sideways, kinda like an mx whip, it must've been nearly vertical and on the lock-stops

He commented afterwards that the bike had soft fork springs for a fast rider, touch the brakes and the front end dive was a problem, particularly on the steep descents... from what I saw, I can understand his point!

The guys commented how relaxed he seemed to be about everything, calm in the pits, disappointingly smooth from a spectator's perspective - never looked like he was going fast. He passed people easily leaving them plenty of room, even in the really tricky stuff. They were well impressed. Paul got a really neat photo of him airborne off one of the steep ramps in the last section, I'll see if I can get a copy to upload.

**NordieBoy** · 24th September 2007, 19:59

Originally Posted by warewolf

For the experts who could blast through the boggy clay, the long way round was a huge time penalty. I reckon for me they were about the same time, but the bypass took a lot less effort.

Shane was saying he was going to do the bypass after lap 4 as it only needed 1 rider blocking you on the boggy clay to loose all the time and as you say, less effort.

Your group was the last up the hill before they bypassed it.

Got a good series of Simon (NMCC President) heading up sweetly, drifting left and going off into the gorse

**warewolf** · 24th September 2007, 20:30

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

Your group was the last up the hill before they bypassed it.

I figured that, judging by how well used the new bypass was when I used it for the first time.

Pity it wasn't before my last pass, I wasted a lot of time on that 4th lap. I helped 6 or so riders up it, then had to have a rest. Should've done like I did on the 3rd lap: rolled back down after the first failed attempt, caught my breath, then blasted straight up.