Thanks Gents
With my limited knowledge and experience and from what little stuff I can find on t'net, I was wondering about a 400exc..... purely based on the daily distances involved?
As I say though, what would I know!
I was also thinking about doing various rallies in the UK as good preparation?
Unfortunately work demands means 2010 is a no go and I'm quite keen on it being a goal and a challenge for my 50th year in 2011....
The WRF 250 Brian E talks about would be ideal, but if you fancy a 400exc why not - My recomendation would be buy a bike soon and spend a year getting to know it and bike fit by just riding it a lot.
UK rallies are OK but diffrent to the Alto because there you'll have to navigate and tackle some tricky terrain - Do some rallies and plus some trail riding in Wales but most off all get your local OS maps out mark up all the byways and ride alot and if that means doing the same stuff over and over just do it - Start riding 6 plus hours on your own in crappy weather and get use to knocking off the mikes and it will soon all come together.
lebowski
Registered user
I only thought of the exc as it seemed reasonably light, from reports easy to ride and being a larger cc perhaps easier to handle the distances.
Am I wrong in thinking that size doesn't matter so much?
Do none of the rallies in this country use road maps?
'tricky terrain' what kinda stuff?
Sorry for all the q's
All the advice is being stored though!
You'll here reports that WRF250's are easy to ride as well.
125's 250's 400's 450's 525's 600's 990's 1200's manage to get round the Alto in general bigger bike's make it harder work.
400 exc's seem light but are heavier than a WRF250.
size does matter in these event's when your carring a bike up a climb bigger bikes are hard work.
no none of the UK rallies use road book's they never took off in this country.
Tricky terrain tend's to be rock's rock's and more bigger rock's then if it rain's slippy mud on rock's.
Best practice i do is/are long day's trail riding I'll happily ride to the Lake's from Newcastle do a day's trail riding picking the hard lines on the hard trails and trail ride home ideally you need to be prepared to ride 180miles a day. I start with a group in a couple of weeks and starter day's out will be 120miles then build up to weekends of each 180/200 mile long day's.
A lot of what you ask depend's on if your going to do the easy route or the hard route allthough the easy route is not all easy it cut's out a lot of the harder track's.
lebowski
Registered user
Thanks Brian
I was thinking that having 400cc would've been better than 250cc from a wear and tear (of the bike) point of view and whilst I understood that having a lighter bike would prove less tiring, didn't think that the difference between the two bikes would make that much difference.
I suppose though when you are looking at the distances involved and the terrain, the biggest consideration has to be tiredness.
Thanks for the advice (both of you), it's been very helpful. Fitness and 'bike fitness' is something I hadn't placed enough importance on in my thoughts, so plenty of work to be done there!
I also take the point of getting the bike early enough to get used to it....
Ok, last dumb question (for now)
Brian, I see you offer a 'support service' what does this consist of?
Easy route... I think it's called the elder gentlemans route
Eligable to those over 50 or on a 650cc plus - Being on old git on an Airhead thankfully I qualified
lebowski
Registered user
Easy route... I think it's called the elder gentlemans route
Eligable to those over 50 or on a 650cc plus - Being on old git on an Airhead thankfully I qualified
Oh......oh......
Easy route for me too please!
Thanks Brian
I was thinking that having 400cc would've been better than 250cc from a wear and tear (of the bike) point of view and whilst I understood that having a lighter bike would prove less tiring, didn't think that the difference between the two bikes would make that much difference.
Brian, I see you offer a 'support service' what does this consist of?
Suspension goes up and down on a 400 as many times as a 250.
wheels go round as many times on a 400 as many times as a 250.
book a off road day i'll take a WRF250 and a WRF450 along and you can see the difference for yourself.
several versions of support i have some all i do is get there bikes and gear to the event then never see the bike again other want the bike serviced every night. some just want to rent the bike + navigation equipment so nothing is a worry to them.
guidance with the navigation, GPS waypoint download and generally keep you on the straight and narrow (cause i'm well known to be able to keep myself out of trouble
).for most people they want somebody who'll have there air filters cleaned ready for when they get back, will have a bike stand ready, a working area sorted out and washing gear ready to go straight for a shower will have a hot cuppa ready on a wet day or a cold beer on a hot day, will make sure your bum bag has fresh biscuits in every morning, somebody who will tell you your ridding great when you know your having a shit day, will keep you on the ground when some dik head is pissing you off, will make sure your camel back is filled with water.
lebowski
Registered user
Could very well be taking you up on that Brian, think I'm going to need all the help and advice I can get!
several versions of support i have some all i do is get there bikes and gear to the event then never see the bike again other want the bike serviced every night. some just want to rent the bike + navigation equipment so nothing is a worry to them.
guidance with the navigation, GPS waypoint download and generally keep you on the straight and narrow (cause i'm well known to be able to keep myself out of trouble
for most people they want somebody who'll have there air filters cleaned ready for when they get back, will have a bike stand ready, a working area sorted out and washing gear ready to go straight for a shower will have a hot cuppa ready on a wet day or a cold beer on a hot day, will make sure your bum bag has fresh biscuits in every morning, somebody who will tell you your ridding great when you know your having a shit day, will keep you on the ground when some dik head is pissing you off, will make sure your camel back is filled with water.
Not that much then.......?
Ok, enough of the dumb questions, for a while, thanks for all the advice and patience guys.
Time to get riding methinks.....
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