"GS"ing a Scrambler

Scrambler vs BMW GS

Scrambler vs BMW GS

It all began, like so many unintentional & ill-thought out plans do
- in the early hours and in a bar.

Two of the most skilled riders here in Northern Thailand were up for putting these two beasts through their paces for promo shots for the upcoming Bangkok MotorShow.



Mark Rossi is an Australian Motocross champ who has his own race team & school.
Along with a Supermotard touring company here in Northern Thailand. www.transmotosport.com


teaching my son some rudimentary skills

David Curtis is a quiet spoken Kiwi who, for those in the know, is the best bike mechanic and one of the best superbike riders in the country.
Nearly 20 years ago he rode from London to Singapore in only 3 months – “I was kinda in a rush" – on his R100GS.

This need for great distances and speed had him popping down to Singapore from Chiang Mai -2645 kms- on his Ducati 998, in less than 24 hours to see his Gal.



In the warm and fuzzy light of day, I wondered what I had let my bikes in for…

The shoot began inauspiciously with attempts at getting some "air"
on a small bridge on a dirt road

David looking sheepish -for a Kiwi- having bellied the GS into the dirt
and ripping the sump guard off.

So we went to tarmac road and began again...


Mark was getting the feel of the Scram - a little heavier than his Suzis.


a little higher


David wasn't taking it easy, despite the lack of a bashplate...

Mark & David


We decided to head off-road
Well the boys did, I had to follow


negotiating past some ATV buggies


with the 16T front sprocket on Mark was finding the Scrambler ever-ready to wheelie.


Oh dear this beginning to look like serious off-terrain road
where even the buggies won't venture...

Mark letting one rip down a jungle trail


followed by a slide


and another...




"This is a hoot - I hope he doesn't expect us to clean & fix them..."

Oh no...


The Fonze decides on his line

slides in


splashes out


He's lovin it and get's Tiger riding Ian's [another Kiwi] help

reverse gear

Top post

That triumph looks the "Puppies Plums" well done!

And you're a brave man to let others Trash (ooops sorry) Thrash it about.


Shep

again


and again




David not to be out done


The light was going but David got one last run through in


before heading back


a bit of a race back - Mark & the Scram were really eating this up


emerging into emerald green paddy


bamboo & banana


back on hard top


first bit of traffic since the buggies


"Hey Rhodie! I've got an idea - follow me."

Uh-oh...


Mark had been having a blast on the Scrambler & wanted to really try out the bike on terrain he knew best.
Before I realised what he was planning, both he & David had turned off back on to dirt and disappeared into a cloud of dust.

Mark surveying his MotoCross track.


He grounded out on the whoopies, but swung back on to a section with a jump that would give some air...


You may notice in the background David on the GS gingerly negotiating the track.
The Beamer's OE rear shock was shot, awaiting new YSS springs that were being sent out from Europe.


initially he was taking it easy


before pushing a little harder each time.

Again & again he attacked the jump, revving the engine like a 250


The Scrambler was beginning to respond to its beasting


Before finally getting some "real air"

The landing was hard and we decided to call it a day.

But both Mark & David had enjoyed it so much
that we decided to reconvene the next morning
and attempt a few more 'skills' on hardtop.

The Scrams first attempt at getting air that morning
had been off-road coming off a bridge, where David had come a cropper.

Mark felt he could & would do better on the morrow...

to be continued...

Day Two

The plan was to improve on the roadwork stunts from the day before
and so it was back to the bridge we were riding yesterday.

Getting Air

Mark, as usual is having a blast and rips down the road off a small bridge.


Again & again the Scram roars down the road the Thunderbike pipes giving a pleasing sound


David gets some speed up


But the shot BMW rear suspension is not giving him the confidence to really go for it


Wheelies

Using the bank of the bridge, Mark has the Scram popping wheelies easily


This is just too much fun...


David pulls the GS up with ease


But the back end is far from firm and the GS squirms



Back Scrambling in the Dirt

Mark wanted to end the day in the dirt he loved.



He had roared up a 5 metre berm or bank landing with a heart-stopping crunchhhh.
Which had me too shocked to photograph - and I wasn't going to ask him to repeat it!

Throwing the bike around a patch of dirt ground


Around any natural obstacle


In Mark;s professional hands the Scrambler appeared as though it was a dirt bike less than half its weight.


Kicking out a Rooster’s Tail


David didn't want to subject the GS to anymore punishment and jumped on the Scram as well.


And he was soon leaving a dust-storm in his wake.


Mark & David had a blast throwing these bikes around.
Both were surprised by the abilities & agility of the Scrambler
so much so that Mark said he would even consider adding one to his stable of beloved DRZs.
Both have promised after action reports which I'll post soon...

Post # 24.....second Scrambler bridge air shot and the "rooster " shot..........great images , superb photgraphy.

Have been watching this thread from the start, a very , very nice bike ......black is best

Appreciate the generous words Rushy.
Yeah we had some fun over the two days.
It helped that both Mark & David were top riders.
We'll try & shoot some video soon.

Agree with you the Scram looks purposeful in black and not just chromed & purty!

So that's where Chris Tarrent went after his devorce!

Shock Press

In this month's Thai M/C Mag


The bikes have made an impression...

Due to the implosion of a triumph website the pix were removed

Will repost them soon tho... In the meantime ...

The last two days have been some of the most enjoyable riding in spite of the weather
and more surprisingly only a few hours away from Chiang Mai centre.



It started with Silverhawk showing me & the Scrambler the stunningly beautiful 1252.

Dense & overgrown with partial road collapses to negotiate
it partially runs through the Chae Son National Park before rejoining the 118.



River fords are part of the obstacles that one negotiates.



Silverhawk was being a trooper as I was looking for an action shot for a 2009 calendar shoot.
Tho I believe I got a little more damp than the rider!

Joe had another idea going up to Mae Taeng and "just beyond the elephant camps there's some dirt road river crossings".
Silverhawk gamely agreed to accompany us believing -as did I- that it would be a short jaunt.

Joe had other ideas bringing along a mate of his...


in his Kawasaki Vulcan side car combo.

Now I was still under the impression that we were in for a tame little foray that may involve a bit of dirt ...



Joe set off up the 107 @ a blistering pace
and then hung a left to the elephant camps



here things got a little sticky
and it was becoming clear that we may well not be back by 6pm - Joe's estimate...



The mud was eastern front thick but the Teutonic duo powered forward



The Scrambler didn't have the benefit of an outrigger and was finding things a bit slippery...



Splash !


Joe was in his element

Returning a few days later the rains had largely ceased
- or so we thought...

The aim was to shoot the GS but we had some fun with the Scram as well.

But Dave aka The Snail [he normally pilots a Ducati 998] was truly in his element


Here's some Scrambling 'surfing' a ford






But this is what the day was all about

Well, we got the shot we wanted of the GS for the YSS 2009 Calendar



But things went a bit pear-shaped on the way back....

However... a funny thing happened on the way back...



A clever bit of riverside parking - I think not.

Well this Muppet manque managed to follow a rut over the edge,
and was rather fortunate, insofar that the gully arrested my downward descent to the white-water rafting river below!
Had I not fallen to my left I don't believe I would be making this post.

Some kind South Africans on their way to river raft, when they had finished laughing,
retrieved the lump of metal which fired up first time and got me going.
But a subsequent rainstorm put paid to further progress and the Samaritan services of fellow GT Rider biking brother, Silverhawk,
brought me back to Chiang Mai a little chastened and with two cracked ribs.


On the way back the sight of a dead elephant being hoisted onto a truck
was a little too poignant - on a number of levels.
The crane hire lads nearly had a twofer!

The bike 's headlight brackets were a bit bent & the rims dinged,
but apart from that & the wet-weather electrical hitch it was good to go.

I will get around to fixing the photo links to this thread as others have asked.

In the meantime MCN did a piece