DB1k 08 - aka Dusty Butt 08

[Alpha Solo]

I'm free then so count me in, sounds like a job for the GS!

[far queue]

How many would be in for a Dusty Butt 1000 - Daylighter?
Run in parallel starting at the same place/time but overnighting at St Arnaud and doing the 2nd half in daylight on the 6th?

I'm keen on a 2 day version. But I wont be able to confirm until closer to the time due to xmas arrangements with kids etc being unknown at this point.

I may well do a run up or over the Mangatapu the afternoon before just to get my head in the game too.

I'll do a run over it this weekend

[Lugzy23]

Recomended tyre question? Knobbly or will dual purpose be ok

[NordieBoy]

Recomended tyre question? Knobbly or will dual purpose be ok

Really any tyre would be fine if you're comfortable on them in the gravel.

[NordieBoy]

It sounds good
I might even try it on the 250

But then again, it is peak season on the ferry so it maybe too expensive to do the South Island twice in one month

The Port Nelson Street Races are on the 2nd...
Dusty on the 5th...

[Transalper]

Recomended tyre question? Knobbly or will dual purpose be ok

Nordie and I have both done the Mangatapu on balding rear tyres (Nordie had a smooth E07, I had an old Trailwing).
So long as its not real slippery from real big rains, dual purpose will be fine although knobs will indeed make it easier. Was a little area of wetness up there last couple of times over but we were fine.
The Porika track is similar from memory to the Mangatapu but all else is pretty well groomed.
I'm now running newish E07 herring bone pattern tyres at the moment and have had no issues with the parts of the course we've been remapping and timing recently. However I have a new rear E09 knob waiting up there for the day to get a bit more power down and will have a half worn e07 on front.
I'll have around 19 to 21psi in both ends when we go.

[Balrog]

I'm in

Just finished booking the ferry tickets.
We'll be arriving on the 3rd, looking forward to it.

Won't be doing it two up this time

[cooneyr]

Really any tyre would be fine if you're comfortable on them in the gravel.

What he said. Lots and lots of gravel, about the same amount of seal, a little bit of dirt, a tiny bit of solid rock and a tiny bit of concrete.

The Port Nelson Street Races are on the 2nd...
Dusty on the 5th...

Thats the plan, may be a run over the Mangatapu in or somewhere in between. Just make sure you recover from the sun burn and dehydration in between times.

Cheers R

[Transalper]

I'm in

Just finished booking the ferry tickets.
We'll be arriving on the 3rd, looking forward to it.

Won't be doing it two up this time

Prey tell.... Thursday 3rd Jan 2008 - Boat to Picton 10:35am sailing???

[magicfairy]

Prey tell.... Thursday 3rd Jan 2008 - Boat to Picton 10:35am sailing???

Oops.
Bluebridge at lunchtime...in too much of a hurry to book online, we forgot about you guys.
Quite like the Bluebridge, they treat bikers better, are cheaper at that time of the year AND they let you book 2 bikes and 2 riders on one booking, Interislander you have to faff around doing 2 bookings, one for each bike/rider.

See ya soon

[warewolf]

Maungatapu is pretty chopped up at the moment, really whooped out in lotsa places. I came back that way a couple of weeks ago, Pelorus to Nelson, with MT90 A/T tyres and a little luggage. Bottomed out the 640 several times. I started most of the downhills idling in 1st due to the clay whoops, went bush a couple of times to get a half-decent line to the side. It's probably still doable in the rain on road tyres, for all that (uphill from Nelson, that is - Pelorus side is all rock).

[Transalper]

Oops.
Bluebridge at lunchtime...in too much of a hurry to book online, we forgot about you guys.
Quite like the Bluebridge, they treat bikers better, are cheaper at that time of the year AND they let you book 2 bikes and 2 riders on one booking, Interislander you have to faff around doing 2 bookings, one for each bike/rider.

See ya soon

Is ok, will see ya when we visit. Blueridge weren't taking bookings for that time when we arranged our trip, but yep, looks like we might have saved $30 each with them. Not worth changing the plan now. Will bear them in mind next time.

[marks]

However I have a new rear E09 knob waiting up there for the day to get a bit more power down and will have a half worn e07 on front.
I'll have around 19 to 21psi in both ends when we go.

If you have the e07 on the front when you have the e09 on the back I would be interested in how you find it on gravel.

I have a theory (based on my massive experience of 12 months on 2 wheels ) that a grunty back tire can overpower a modest front tire and cause more front end washouts. My xt660 certainly seemed to do that with an e09 on the back.

The back tire (dunlop 9..something) on my 450 is half rooted at 900k so I will try an e09 on that as I had great mileage out of the e09 on the 660.

[Transalper]

Isn't the answer to a front wheel washout in shingle to give it more gas.

On the Transalp I ran E07 front with E09 rear and it was great, really settled down the back in shingle where as with two e07s the rear would spin all over the place. Never had any problems with front wheel washouts with that set up on the Transalp. I guess in some circumstances it could happen like in real muddy conditions. May be that's a topic for another thread and someone more knowledgeable than me will tell us all a lesson. Until then I am happy with my choice but may stick my D606 rear on with the E07 front for a bit and push it to test your theory and see what happens.

Didn't your XT have a small fat 19 inch front, there were a couple of years in which i owned a bike with one of those fat 19inch fronts which indicated to me that fat 19inch fronts are prone to washing out more in gravel anyway regardless of tyre choices

[warewolf]

It's common on road bikes to fit a stickier front than rear, for better cornering feel but longer rear tyre life. The effect of doing this is to make the bike high-side prone... 'cos the rear is gonna let go first.

Adventuring, people often run a chunkier front than rear, particularly on the bigger tyre-chewing bikes, for the same reasons as the roadies. BUT this combination makes the bike low-side prone (on the seal) which is a good thing - at least, better than high-side prone. Dirt bikes are designed to be ridden with the rear spinning up, but do need a good front.

On my recent trip I used MT90 A/T fr & rr. They're nearly road tyres, I've usually got a semi-knobby on the front at least. I really noticed the bike not steering in the dirt, but got used to it and really enjoyed the balanced feel of the bike - both ends slid uniformly. I would be very interested to try a matched set of something aggressive.