At a ready-to-ride weight (all fluids) right at 330lbs., my 2017 KTM 690 Enduro R is at the max. weight capacity of the Fly Racing Lift Stand. It's simply too heavy for me to lift onto a fixed position stand, so I took my chances. Outside of its lifting capacity meeting my needs, the key feature that made me want this stand was the damper shock that eliminates your bike coming down with a crash landing and the jack pedal snapping upward like a catapult.   Out of the Box The Fly Racing Lift Stand requires some assembly, but just a few nuts & bolts with basic hand tools and a few minutes of your time. No instructions are included, but honestly, they are not necessary. You'll also need a 3mm Allen to lock the adjuster shaft into place that is not included, but I don't know a self respecting dirt bike owner who doesn't own a set of Allen wrenches.   Fit & Finish While the stand isn't blow-you-away well made, for just under a hundred bucks retail, there is nothing to complain about. The welds appear strong, the body finish is powder coated, and the thick rubber top is held on with countersunk wide-head rivets. The jack pedal hardware is substantial, using nylon locking nuts, and its foot pedal pad is covered with stick-on, slip-free grip tape. The rubber feet are pre-installed and look burly.   Function Once assembled, you'll need to adjust the height of the lift pad for your bike's stature. It's adjustable from 10" to 14", listed as fitting "most" dirt bikes, including my somewhat lower 690 Enduro R.  To set the lift height, simply loosen the threaded shaft set screw and rotate the top counter clockwise to the desired height. The top measures 11" X 6.5" and can be locked into whatever orientation suites your application. I do wish that the lift pad footprint was a couple of inches wider so that it made full contact with the entire width of my skid plate. The Fly Racing Lift Stand lifts my portly dual sport without having to jump up & down on the jack pedal and letting the bike down doesn't require a whole lot of force either. As a frame of reference, I live in Florida, we wear flip-flops much of year, and I can operate this lift stand wearing them. In terms of the damper shock, it does a good job of not letting the bike come crashing down. Yes, it's faster/less controlled than say, a car coming down from a hydraulic lift, but I think it works as intended and it met my expectations. In the up position, the rubber footed base is rock-solid on the shop floor, but there is a little play in the threaded shaft assembly. So, the bike doesn't sit quite as securely as on a good fixed stand. Tighter shaft thread tolerances would be appreciated. However, I managed to get a a little "wow" in my front wheel and the bike sat on the Fly Racing Lift Stand with the front wheel removed for a few days without issue. Proof's in the puddin'; the bike didn't hit the floor, including when working on it, so the little bit of play in the shaft assembly hasn't been a material issue.   Bryan's Bottom-line My goal was a lift stand for the shop that allowed me to get the big girl's feet off the floor for various maintenance & repair tasks and the Fly Racing Lift Stand has done what I've asked without issue or complaint. And considering that I'm maxing out its lifting capacity, not too shabby.

STACYC, the innovator of the 12” &16” eDrive Electric Balance Bikes is ready to launch it’s Rider Creation Program to dealers in the US. The brand has successfully tested the market for this amazing new product by selling direct to the consumer since Christmas. The response from STACYC riders and their parents has proven that the “idea” was more than just one dads quest to build the ultimate training tool for his two year old son, it’s a movement that will change the way kids learn to ride their first bicycle or motorcycle. STACYC has been able to help parents Share the Love of Riding with their kids earlier and safer than ever before. “We’ve engineered an electric balance bike that has redefined the process of getting kids Proficient on two wheels. The days of adding training wheels to a mini-moto or bicycle for the 2 – 5 year old are over. Our new bikes will engage kids in riding more often. The STACYC can be ridden in the backyard, the cul-de-sac or in the dirt anywhere they would ride a pedal bike. Waiting for the weekend for dad to get off work and take them to the off road park is not necessary any longer. Our vision is to help develop young riders earlier and safer than ever before. The seat time possible on a STACYC is the key. With hours of riding each week, kids begin to challenge themselves often and improve their riding almost instinctually. The skills they learn on their STACYC translate directly to bicycle and motorcycle riding, in turn giving them more confidence in their riding and better chance at pursuing a lifelong, lifestyle on two wheels.” – Ryan Ragland Co-Founder & CTO Checkout the video: https://vimeo.com/223400194 Mike Dettmers, Director of Sales, STACYC, Inc.: "At STACYC we believe that we can help combat the trend that seems to be the hot topic industry-wide. The lack of new blood coming into both the motorcycle and bike industry is not something to take lightly. At STACYC we are a group of parents that are dedicated and passionate about bringing the two-wheeled lifestyle to our kids and others around the nation. Our goal is to bring these new riders and their parents into their local bike and motorcycle dealerships so that they can become part of a community that supports their new passion for riding.“ The first dealers creating new riders in their local community are – Malcom Smith Motorsports – Riverside, CA Berts Mega Mall – Covina, CA Escondido Cycle Center - Escondido, CA Incycle Bicycles – 4 locations in Southern CA AD Farrow Co. Harley Davidson – Columbus, OH WMR Competition Performance – Stuart, FL PH Extreme – Miami, FL Cycle Barn – Marysville, WA Innovation Cycles – Derby, KS     For more information about STACYC visit our website and social media channels www.stacyc.com and @ridestacyc on Instagram and Facebook.   For Dealer Inquiries reach out to miked@stacyc.com 

Last year during the Red Bull Straight Rhythm, Alta Motors unveiled their Redshift motocross bike proving to critics the electric bike is no longer a novelty.  Recently, I had the opportunity to test ride the Redshift bike and tour Alta Motors.  I was blown away by the power of the bike and thought if someone replaced my gas powered bike (KTM350SX) with the Redshift I would not miss a beat.  The Redshift is comparable to any modern gas powered 250cc four stroke motorcycle, minus the noise pollution and emission of exhaust, but this article is not about the breakdown or the technical aspects of the bike.   There are quite a few articles out there that already do an exceptional job of reviewing the Redshift, you can find the information at www.altamotors.com.  Having a competitive Electric Motorcycle that offers comparable or superior performance to a gas powered machine can open new opportunities to the Motocross world and ultimately expand the industry, key word expand not replace.  Electric motorcycles are the future, opening doors to new riding areas and attracting a fresh generation of enthusiasts. Ripping in the city, causing no disruption. As city populations grow, riding areas and racing facilities continue to decline. Racing facilities are coming under fire for noise pollution, and in some cases are pressured to close or relocate to a further distance.  This problem began with 2 Stroke motors but 4 Stroke motors have significantly amplified the issue.  Electric bikes are not completely silent, but they are quiet enough to ride in highly populated areas without disturbing neighbors.  Anyone with land can have their own track, it doesn't matter if it's next to a library, the bikes does not cause noise disruptions.  With quiet motors and no exhaust, indoor riding facilities become a possibility.  Earplugs and giant industrial sized fans will no longer be required to make an indoor facility bearable.   Having fun while not bothering anyone. This is not to say electric bikes will not encounter their own challenges, run time was my main concern.  With that said, I hammered the Redshift (as fast as a 42 year old B rider can) on a motocross track for a solid 45 minutes and 18.9 miles before the battery was done.  It takes 2.5 hours to recharge, so if I had plugged the motorcycle in during my water break (about 30 min) I could have added approximately a quarter of charge back to the bike.  If I had charged the motorcycle it would have outlasted my fitness.  Alta Motors explained the bike would decrease power as the battery ran down, but I hardly noticed the difference.  The Redshift is the first generation of Alta Motors and motorcycle performance, and battery life will only improve from here.  With simple updates to your motorcycle’s software Alta motorcycle owners are constantly receiving the latest upgraded technology.  Rather than rebuilding your ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) motor, you can install an update. A look inside the Redshift motor I often ask people at motorcycle dealerships their opinion of electric and I receive instant resistance that is eerily similar to the past when motorcycles changed from 2 Stroke to 4 Stroke.  I remember the first 4 Stroke motorcycle I owned, it was a 2001 YZ426 and after 4 months I decided I was done with Motocross.  It was hard to start, it flamed out and handled like a bread truck. As gearheads we sometimes struggle with accepting change. For example, how much attention does any 2 Stroke event receive these days?  In 2004 after a few years of not riding, I was convinced to try a Honda CRF450 and to my surprise it started easy, had trackable power and handled like a motorcycle. I was back riding and hooked on motocross again!  If electric follows a similar development curve, bikes in the next few years are going to rapidly improve as the starting point is further developed than 4 Stroke motorcycles were in 2001.  Electric motors are simple and leave opportunities for manufacturers to create a plethora of bikes to suit all rider’s needs and budgets.   The guys hard at work in the assembly line.   Today's kids are not riding motorcycles because they have iPads, Drones, Xbox and many other electronics to compete for their attention. If electric motorcycles create more urban riding areas and motorcycles with less bike maintenance, electric has potential to grab hold of the next generation.  My kids enjoy riding but don’t like the extremely loud sounds of 4 Stroke motorcycles and the 1-2 hour commute to our nearest track.  They would rather commute 10 minutes to the nearest BMX or skate park.  Imagine if parks could convert into an electric motocross track, far more kids would try motocross.  We need to involve younger kids in the sport we love or risk losing it.  I would love to see motorcross as a high school sport. Electric motorcycles will not take over all aspects of motocross, the electric motorcycle’s battery life may not be suited for sand tracks or long rides for quite some time.  There is definitely room for both electric and gas motors to coexist.  Motocross riders, myself included typically have more than one bike.  I would love to ride an electric track in town during the week and then hit the Sand Dunes on the weekend with an ICE bike.  Both can exist and compliment the industry and lifestyle. I got the guys to smile for a pic, then right back to work. I am a gear-head at heart and love the smell of burnt 2 Stroke oil, the vibration of an ICE motor and the sound of a full gate of motorcycles wide open waiting for the gate to drop.  These sounds and smells will never be replaced for me because they invoke memories that make up my entire life.  While electric bikes do not offer the sound or smell stimulations as and ICE bike they will open up new opportunities.  Have you ever wondered what Supercross riders say to each other after a dirty block pass?  With Electric bikes there is a good chance you will hear the conversation.  Will the electric generation of racers use trash talk?  No more need for pit boards, just yell!  The same joy I receive from the smell of 2 Stroke oil or hearing a bike roar will be what the electric generation receives from a buzzing sound similar to an RC car along with the sound of tires spinning.  Yes, I said the sound of the tires on the dirt.  About 5 minutes into my Redshift ride I stopped and checked to see if I had a flat.  Chad at Alta Motors erupted into laughter as almost everyone who rides the bike assumes the same.  Dirt Bike tires make a lot of noise, but the motorcycle usually drowns out the sound.  Hearing your tires might lead to advancements in tire performance, who knows? Chad from Alta showing his Endurocross prowess.   The team at Alta Motors received homologation for FIM North America competition in the 250 class.  This unlocks Canada and propels them halfway closer to AMA Supercross, where they really want to race.  They have big plans this offseason.  Alta Motors is returning to Red Bull Straight Rhythm and including additional European Supercross events.  While racing with gas bikes proves they are not a novelty, attention should be focused on an electric only event too.  If the Electric bike is as fast as or faster than an ICE motorcycle the sport could expand to unthinkable territory.   All the major manufacturers have purchased Alta Redshift motorcycles to study and dissect.  They see the future and it’s ELECTRIC! Another shot of Chad.   Here are some other articles and podcasts out there with information about the Alta Redshift: https://www.altamotors.co/redshiftmx#redshift-mx https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/rocky-mountain-atv-mc-keefer-tested-podcast/id1245516386?mt=2&i=1000391436611 http://www.cycleworld.com/alta-motors-redshift-mx-electric-motocross-bike-full-test-review#page-3 http://motocross.transworld.net/videos/first-impression-2017-alta-redshift-mx/#eiydtZMiphJBuSgs.97    

If you are unfamiliar with the topic, it is worthwhile for you to read my article about Base Fluid Types. Knowing the basics beforehand will help you understand this article more easily. I often see or hear the statement about how “full synthetic” oils are not really synthetic and they are actually highly refined group III (Grp III) petroleum oils instead. While it is certainly common these days for “full synthetic” oils to be made using Grp III base oils, it is not always the case. There are brands making full synthetic products utilizing group IV (PAO) base oils as implied by the “full synthetic” moniker still. I refer to these products as “true synthetics”. Group V (ester) base fluids are another type of synthetic but they are uniquely different from both Grp III and PAO oils. Grp III and PAO are extremely similar in how they are utilized in lubricating oils. They can often be directly substituted for one another without major formulation concerns. So the comparison of those two is where I am focusing this article. Most synthetic oils use some amount of esters in them regardless of whether they use Grp III or PAO as the main base oil, but I’m not going to go in too much depth about esters in this article. The Differences The big difference that most people focus on is the price and rightly so. True synthetics are just plain expensive. No matter which company makes it or how it’s made, PAO and ester base fluids can be 1.5 to 4 times more costly than Grp III oils. True synthetics just cannot compete on price with Grp III oils and even with the economies of scale, that can’t be helped. As refining technology has improved, Grp III oils are now extremely close to PAO oils in many performance categories. However, Grp III base oils can only approach the performance of PAO base oils so much because refining processes can only change the molecules so much. Since no process is perfect, there will always be some unstable molecules in the refined oils. This instability is mostly caused by unsaturated bonds in the molecules, which are openings for oxidationto occur. PAO synthetic molecules have fully saturated molecules making them less prone to oxidation. Although viscosity modifiers contribute heavily to low and high temperature viscosity performance, the natural viscometric stability of PAO is better than Grp III. So after being used for several hundred miles, the polymers may be sheared to a point that the natural viscosity characteristics of the base oil have a big effect on performance. When that is the case, PAO has an advantage over Grp III. There are two performance advantages that typical Grp III has over PAO that are not widely known. The first is most additives have better solubility in petroleum oils like Grp III so they mix more easily than they do in PAO. That is one reason why esters are so commonly used in synthetic formulations because the ester base fluids increase the overall additive compatibility. So it is rarely an issue in either type of oil, but the Grp III does have a better natural ability to keep additives from separating. The second advantage Grp III has is its sludge handling properties and it is a bit more complicated than the additive compatibility issue. Sludge is produced as an oxidation byproduct. So Grp III actually produces more sludge than PAO does. However, Grp III keeps that sludge from separating for the same reasons it keeps additives from separating. This dissolved sludge increases the viscosity of the oil but resists separating. PAO, on the other hand, does not dissolve sludge as easily. So even though PAO produces less sludge through oxidation, the sludge that does form has a higher tendency to separate from the oil. Similar to the additive solution, ester base fluids blended with the PAO can stop this from happening, but still, Grp III* has the natural advantage in this property. *As a matter of fact, it is actually the “impurities” of the Grp III base oil that help in this regard, so the less refined an oil is, the better this ability can be. A Group I or a Group II oil could actually outperform a Group III in sludge tests if the antioxidant performance is adequately high. One additional difference that true synthetics have compared to Grp III is the drain interval. Most PAO based full synthetics tout extended drain intervals that make the upfront cost more reasonable. By the time the extended interval has elapsed, it can be double the mileage in some cases; and having to buy oil (and do oil changes) half as often is a valuable consideration for many people. Which One to Choose On one hand, “close enough” is good enough for many riders, and taking that stance is unlikely to result in any problems for most people. The performance benefits of true synthetics are there, but most real world motorcycle applications rarely stress the oil enough to fully realize those benefits. Racing applications or extreme environments, like snow riding, mudders, or desert riding, will push the oil to its limits, but the average riding situation won’t be brutal enough to necessitate a true synthetic. On the other hand, some people just want the “real thing” and want to get what they pay for, which I can absolutely relate to. Since Grp III is much cheaper than PAO, that cost difference should show in the retail price. So if I were buying a Grp III oil, I would expect the price to be much less than a comparable true synthetic product. Some people simply want the very best product they can get; even if the benefits of it are hard to see or quantify. Peace of mind can be a powerful thing, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing you are using the best possible type of product can make it worth the added cost. A more tangible possibility is that the performance benefits of true synthetics may be the difference between an ugly failure and business as usual in a critical situation. Is a failure like that probable? No, but that isn’t to say it doesn’t happen. I’ve heard enough stories from customers and other riders about bikes running on the ragged edge, which kept going long enough to get into the shop before catastrophe struck to convince me that it does happen. So those extreme circumstance mentioned above (racing, desert riding, mudders, and snow riding) can definitely warrant the use of a true synthetic and sometimes a worn machine that is over-stressed can push the oil to its limits. It would be impossible to truly attribute the differences between Grp III and PAO base oil as the cause or demise of an engine in the case of a failure, but I would be surprised if it hasn’t been the case in more than a few engine failures and near misses. How to Tell the Difference: So how do you tell if a company uses “true” or Grp III synthetic base oils to make their product? One way is looking up the safety data sheet (SDS) for the product. SDS’s can be a bit cryptic and some companies just don’t include as much information in theirs as other do, but often you can gain some information from them. There are two areas of an SDS that can give you some clues, sections 3 and 15. Section 3 of most SDS’s is the composition section and section 15 is the regulatory section. Section 3 will often give you a clue as to the type of base oils are being used. If section 3 is too unclear, section 15 may have additional information. Here is a list of the commonly used words for the different types of base fluids in SDS documents: Petroleum (non-synthetic): Mineral oil Petroleum oils Petroleum distillates Hydrotreated Hydrocracked Naphthenic Paraffinic Naphthalene Severely refined Solvent refined Synthetic: Decene Dodecene Ester Polyalphaolefin Polyolefin Diester Polyolester Ambiguous (Maybe PAO or ester but possibly Grp III): Synthetic oils A good thing about most true synthetic base oils is that they are not often considered hazardous. That is great for our health and the environment, but it also means they are typically excluded from SDS’s since the document is meant to illustrate potential hazards. So they are not always listed on the SDS. However, petroleum base oils are rarely excluded so the lack of any base oils on the list tends to point to at least some true synthetic content. SDS’s can usually be found on either the manufacturer’s website or through a quick internet search using the name of the product and either “SDS” or “MSDS” (~product name here~ sds or ~product name here~ msds) There is another way to find out information about the composition of the products you are buying. This method should result in you knowing exactly what you are buying and answer all of your questions. Call the manufacturer! Call the technical service department for the brand you are curious about and ask them direct questions. Some companies may be guarded with their information and be reluctant to tell you anything, but I’d bet a fair share of them will be very forthright and answer your questions. The trick is to ask questions with yes or no answers or questions that require very direct answers. Questions like: Do your full synthetic products use group III base oils? Do your full synthetic products use Group IV or Group V (PAO or ester) base fluids? What types of base fluids are used in your synthetic products? If the responses you get don’t really answer your questions and you have people telling you about “synthetic performance” rather than synthetic content, you can be pretty sure that they are not using true synthetic base oils. Regardless, you will have learned something about the products and gained some knowledge, so it is worth the phone call either way. So Does it Really Matter? Grp III base oils have extremely good performance and really do compare well against PAO in a lot of performance categories. They are much more stable than their group I and II counterparts in the range of petroleum oils. They lubricate well and are very versatile for formulators to use due to better additive compatibility and lower costs compared to PAO. The performance benefits of PAO over Grp III mentioned earlier in the article are real and quantifiable in lab tests. However in a real world situation such as a motorcycle engine, those benefits are much harder to quantify and likely imperceptible to most riders. If you were hoping to have a clear and definitive answer by the end of this article, I’m sorry to disappoint you. From a technical standpoint a true synthetic is the better option. From a consumer standpoint, the added cost of true synthetics might not be worth it for the average rider. For racers and people riding in extreme conditions, I think true synthetics are the way to go. In the end, the only person who can decide what is right for you, is you; but I hope now you can make that decision with a better understanding of what you are choosing. This and more technical articles can be found at www.mototribology.com. If you have questions about this or any other lubrication related topics, feel free to PM me your inquiries.

I know that many of you remember the days when fuel cans had a simple filler hole with a screw on spout and a vent. I do. But, we now live in the days where product liability lawyers seem to be all too willing to pin personal responsibility on someone else for profit and governmental agencies that are good with fuel cans that don't vent into the atmosphere, even if they still leak all over your shoes.  Recently, I saw a press release on VP Racing's new "spillproof" fuel can, I liked their approach, so I reached out to see if they'd send one over for our review. We thought that a demo video was the best approach, so give it a watch... it's pretty short.   One question that came up that we forgot to cover in the demo video was if the spout pivot would end up leaking after some use. In talking w/ the VP Racing folks: Time will tell, but I would appear that VP considered this potential issue in the design of the SureCan. It was certainly leak-free during my limited testing. Since the demo video, I've used the VP SureCan to fill up my lawn mower and pressure washer. This has made me like it even more because I seem to always spill when filling up small tanks from a race can. They dump fuel pretty fast, so when trying to fill the tank to the brim, it's easy to overfill. In contrast, the VP SureCan thumb trigger gives me much better control over the flow. Like many, I've had some pretty poor experiences with supposedly "spillproof" fuel cans, but the VP can isn't one of them. It's built well and works quite well, if only if they could bring the price down a bit. The $54.95 MSRP stings a bit.