First race next weekend - dropped tooth sprocket

[Roscoe26354]

So next weekend will be both mine and the RMX's first race, a two day rally in Llandovery, Wales. It consists of 3 28 miles laps and then reverse on the Sunday. I'm doing it with a friend of mine who has raced it a couple of times before and says it is a good mix of technical enduro style riding with some fast rally style liaison sections.

I have had a few days race training this year as I have only ever ridden trails (although some of them have been pretty gnarly) and was worried because I crashed quite a bit.

I seriously considered selling the RMX and getting a KTM 350 in the hope that it would be more manageable for me at speed (which is probably true) but I dropped two teeth off of the rear sprocket this week and the RMX is back in my good books! What a difference in the delivery. The power delivery is so much more suited to my riding style: smooth and progressive low down but as it's a big 450 still pulls whenever you want it to.

I've already started planning what upgrades I can do with the cash I put aside for the KTM!

So all is forgiven RMX. I'm sorry I thought about selling you. I do wish someone would make a larger tank than the 8 litre IMS one though.

So upgrades/work I'm looking at doing in the next year (cash flow permitting):

Check piston and replace as necessary

Suspension set up by professional

New radiators (miamoto braced ones)

Black rims

Happy riding everyone.

[Roscoe26354]

Whoops, Misimoto not Miamoto!

[farmernz]

Great to here gearing has worked well and you still enjoying the rmx, I hope you have a great weekend racing it next weekend, I was going to get in touch while I'm over your way but unfortunately I have a busy week and fly out on Sunday.

[farmernz]

how did the racing go?

[Roscoe26354]

Hi FarmerNZ

 

Apologies for not replying before.

 

The race was fantastic. It was the perfect first race for me. About 5 hours riding in total (3 laps of about 1 and a half hours and 20 minute break in between), riders of all different abilities so not hugely competitive, everyone was really friendly, tough course but not too tough, it was perfect!

 

Me and my mate did wuss out and didn't ride on the second day because it rained from 5pm on the first day all night and all the next day so we decided to give it a miss because in the wet it would have gone from a tough course to a very very difficult course.

 

The RMX was brilliant throughout. Dropping those teeth from the rear sprocket has made it an excellent ride. I finished 46th out of 90 in my class so am pleased but got stuck behind a slow rider on one section and slowed down for what I thought was a badly injured rider lying on the floor on another section but it turned out to be a marshal just taking a break so lost about 15 seconds in all I reckon which would have put me a few places higher. But next time......

 

I loved the mind set that suddenly comes over you when you know you are under the gun. Instantly you step up your riding and go a lot faster and take more risks than when you are trail riding. You kind of surprise yourself how quickly you can go and how well you can actually ride when you need to.

 

Below are a few photos from the race. The ones where I have a jacket are from the 2nd lap after it had just poured with rain. The sun then came out half way through and it was boiling!

 

All I thought about for the couple of weeks afterwards were racing. I think I've got the bug!

 

Roscoe

[zig06]

Just a quick FYI, but the tank that IMS lists for the RMX is 9.8L not 8L (if it makes a difference).

 

It's a bummer that Suzuki can't figure out how to sell this model in the US, your bike looks great!  Glad you enjoyed the race.

[farmernz]

thats a great report!  roscoe, cheers.

[burstcasino1]

Did you use a RMZ450 spocket?

[MatimotoF1]

On 9/13/2014 at 3:23 PM, Roscoe26354 said:

Hi FarmerNZ

 

Apologies for not replying before.

 

The race was fantastic. It was the perfect first race for me. About 5 hours riding in total (3 laps of about 1 and a half hours and 20 minute break in between), riders of all different abilities so not hugely competitive, everyone was really friendly, tough course but not too tough, it was perfect!

 

Me and my mate did wuss out and didn't ride on the second day because it rained from 5pm on the first day all night and all the next day so we decided to give it a miss because in the wet it would have gone from a tough course to a very very difficult course.

 

The RMX was brilliant throughout. Dropping those teeth from the rear sprocket has made it an excellent ride. I finished 46th out of 90 in my class so am pleased but got stuck behind a slow rider on one section and slowed down for what I thought was a badly injured rider lying on the floor on another section but it turned out to be a marshal just taking a break so lost about 15 seconds in all I reckon which would have put me a few places higher. But next time......

 

I loved the mind set that suddenly comes over you when you know you are under the gun. Instantly you step up your riding and go a lot faster and take more risks than when you are trail riding. You kind of surprise yourself how quickly you can go and how well you can actually ride when you need to.

 

Below are a few photos from the race. The ones where I have a jacket are from the 2nd lap after it had just poured with rain. The sun then came out half way through and it was boiling!

 

All I thought about for the couple of weeks afterwards were racing. I think I've got the bug!

 

Roscoe

Hey ROSCOE, 

Great to hear from your experience on the race. Great job!

 

The last Race I entered was in 2016 in a 2009 Honda CRF450R ( great fun experience in overall ) although I really struggle with that bike on a Hare and Scramble race. 

From the pictures I can tell a "Rekluse" clutch cover.. you run a Rekluse auto clutch?  how was the fuel consumption? did you have some mpg data? 

Cheers

Matimoto

[burstcasino1]

 I dropped from the stock 51 to a rmz450 49 tooth sprocket. I like it. 1st gear was really unusable except maybe a dead stop on a hill. With the 51 I would use 2nd to get going. Now 1st seems about right. I get more drive out of 2nd and 3rd. I need to get some testing in super tight conditions to give it a 100%.  I like it so far.

Edited April 14, 2021 by burstcasino1