Should I Join the Club?

[Daniel627]

1 hour ago, Cerk said:

Haha, well definitely not on the MX track, but in the woods for sure!

I'm obviously not trying to say it's a ripping fast bike or any of the like..but it's plenty fast for what I'm using it for and I had a big smile on my face all day.  It's so easy to ride quickly.  It's just a great little bike.  That simple.

LoL I was just giving you a hard time. I know exactly what you mean, because I only ride an XR200R and I love it. It's enough for me to have fun on 

[Cerk]

Just now, Daniel627 said:

LoL I was just giving you a hard time. I know exactly what you mean, because I only ride an XR200R and I love it. It's enough for me to have fun on 

I'm with ya!  ?

[Daniel627]

11 minutes ago, sneaky98gt said:

And no offense to you or your friends, but if a stock 230 is outperforming other full-size enduro bikes, then either your name is Graham Jarvis, or there are some horribly incompetent riders on said other bikes. 

Not everyone that rides a bigger or better bike, is a more competent rider. 

When I was taking my cbr600rr to the drag strip running with my friends, there was another guy there one gsxr 750. I spanked his ass many times. He should've beat me every time, but I was better at getting off the line than him. 

If Cerk raced motocross in the past and was any good, he just might have better riding abilities than some of the guys riding where he is. 

[Cerk]

Yeah, just a casual comment...no finger pointing or saying the 230F is better or faster than anything.  It's just fun to pass people on bikes that cost 5x what mine did...more often than not those bikes are passing me, but not always...not that I really care either way, because I'm out for grin factor anyway.

I'm not particularly fast, but I'm a competent rider...now a few of my buddies, yeah they'll blow the boots off of some of those guys no matter what they're on.  Skill is the great equalizer.  ?

[sneaky98gt]

19 minutes ago, Cerk said:

I'm not comparing it to anything but itself...what I was trying to say is that even with the stock, harsh, soft stock suspension, it STILL got through everything I aimed it at...which was quite a bit yesterday.  That said, so did a 250L...so I'm not saying it's a world beater, just that even in stock form it's an amazing capable motorcycle.  I can't wait to see what it can do when I upgrade the suspension.  I'm 220lbs, so I had that thing maxed out weight wise, and it got air on the MX track and chugged me up really steep, rooty, rocky climbs without a hiccup (save for when someone bombed down without looking and forced me off the side...not the bike's fault).

...incompetent, no...just guys not going so fast.  ...and I passed them. 

Fair enough.  

FWIW, I used to love doing the same thing on my 230.  With the Triplett suspension mods, and being uncorked, it was quite the capable little machine, and I CONSTANTLY got the, "Holy crap, is that a 230?  On this trail?  Lol.  

And then one day, I graduated on up from the 230, and my eyes have been opened to a whole new world of trails and obstacles and speeds that I never would have dreamt of on a 230.  It's an awesome bike, but don't mistake it for the baddest machine in the woods.  ?

 

3 minutes ago, Daniel627 said:

Not everyone that rides a bigger or better bike, is a more competent rider. 

When I was taking my cbr600rr to the drag strip running with my friends, there was another guy there one gsxr 750. I spanked his ass many times. He should've beat me every time, but I was better at getting off the line than him. 

If Cerk raced motocross in the past and was any good, he just might have better riding abilities than some of the guys riding where he is. 

That's basically what I meant.  

But the difference between a stock 230 and, say, a KTM 300XCW is so massive, that it takes a LOT of skill difference to make up (assuming the person riding the 300 has any riding ability at all).  It's not like your 600rr vs GSXR750.  It's like saying a Ninja 250 is going to outrun a CBR1000 at the dragstrip.  It just ain't happening unless the rider on the 1000 has absolutely no riding skill whatsoever.

[Cerk]

Yep, I'm with ya...no illusions that the 230F is a more capable machine than the bigger, badder enduro bikes.  Just that the 230 really impressed me, a lot, for what it is.  ...and man is it fun.

I had a bad injury a little over 10 years ago, and got out of serious off road for a long time after that...not just cuz of the injury (that was part of it) but also diminishing public places to ride, family, work, etc...getting back in to it over the past number of years, bought a 250L for dual sport stuff and ran an enduro and did some legit off road with it, which it's just not really designed for.  Decided on the 230F to get going out there again...I'm trying to change my approach from the bigger badder machines, feeling like I needed to rail, to just having fun and getting my skills developed again.  Sunday was the first time I had had a day of just pure joy off road in a LONG time...and it was wonderful...mostly due to the little 230's character.  Just loved it.

Triplett dampers go on this week, along with a Hagon shock.  ?

[sneaky98gt]

On 6/5/2018 at 9:52 AM, Cerk said:

...to just having fun and getting my skills developed again.

There is no question:  the 230 is #1 for that, especially the skills development.  ?

 

[Cerk]

Holy moly, what a difference.

[kkim]

This link is invaluable for 230 owners. Have fun!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mEsw891e5HUdLIrq4yYQzm2QCsRgK-ihDkrL_fu7_iA/pub#h.fjc0qb83l6oe

[LeftTurnOnly]

So Cerk, how do you like it with BT forks and Hagon shock? I had Bruce set up my 04 last fall, same as yours. Love how it rides. Love the Little Red Pig overall! Way too much fun, oinks around like it's 200 cc bigger... awesome [emoji122]

[Cerk]

On 7/24/2018 at 9:49 AM, MarkandtheBRP said:

So Cerk, how do you like it with BT forks and Hagon shock? I had Bruce set up my 04 last fall, same as yours. Love how it rides. Love the Little Red Pig overall! Way too much fun, oinks around like it's 200 cc bigger... awesome

Missed this somehow!

It's funny, because the first place I took the 230 with the new shock is a deep sand trail system we like to frequent out this way...it has a section with some fast, rolling sand whoops that were a little scary prior to the upgrade...HUGE difference with the Hagon.  Amazing.  I was strictly a passenger prior to the swap...feel planted and in control now.  Also noticed a pretty good difference on hill climbs as well...keeping traction.

I've honestly not put in the fork dampers yet!  Wanted to do the seals at the same time and kept procrastinating ordering them.  ...well, they're here...along with a bunch of other refresh and upgrade items.  It's going to be a fun week.  ?

[Cerk]

Here she is currently...many upgrades, more to come.  

[VortecCPI]

Just wait until you try Bruce's Magic Rods...  That doesn't sound right...  Sorry...

[Cerk]

15 hours ago, VortecCPI said:

Just wait until you try Bruce's Magic Rods...  That doesn't sound right...  Sorry...

Haha!

Got everything apart last night before bed.  I'm putting new seals in while I've got the forks open.  Hopefully I'll have some feedback this weekend!  Trying to get everything put back together tonight so I can ride woods tomorrow.  ?

...also, I'll be throwing one of Bruce's stickers on one of the fork legs...which I understand is worth 2hp-4hp alone.

[Daniel627]

Cerk, 

Where the hell ya been?

Looks like you have a nice little stack of parts ready and waiting. Hope everything goes smoothly and the you get the bike ready to go for the weekend 

[Cerk]

9 minutes ago, Daniel627 said:

Cerk, 

Where the hell ya been?

Looks like you have a nice little stack of parts ready and waiting. Hope everything goes smoothly and the you get the bike ready to go for the weekend 

Kids.  Work.  Craziness.  Haha, the summer sort of got away from me there for a bit!

[Daniel627]

16 hours ago, VortecCPI said:

Just wait until you try Bruce's Magic Rods...  That doesn't sound right...  Sorry...

???  ??   ? 

[Cerk]

On 9/20/2018 at 6:10 PM, VortecCPI said:

Just wait until you try Bruce's Magic Rods...  That doesn't sound right...  Sorry...

...so I got everything in the above pic installed and dialed...along with Bruce's new dampers and springs.  Finally had a chance to ride this thing in a place I had a fair amount of prior experience with the 230 over the weekend and WOW!  ...I mean wow what a difference.  We rode sand trails over the weekend.  Lots of deep ruts, sand whoops and good climbs and the difference was just night and day from the way I had to ride previously.  I had grip all over the place, even in the real soft stuff, and was able to carry so much more speed comfortably.  I can't say enough about the shock/fork upgrade.  That was the most fun I've ever had there.  Every little thing I did to this bike had a part to play, but those two items along with a good set of tires and the Rox bar risers had the biggest impact.  

I basically gave the whole bike an overhaul beyond that (chain/sprockets, bars, grips, levers, rotor/pads, fork seals, seat cover, greased linkage and cables, carb rebuild, throttle tube, spoke tension adjust, filter, oil, etc etc) and I'm so happy with my 230.  Let my buddy ride mine yesterday (he's got a stock 230 that needs some TLC) and he came back to our pit area basically saying he's got a lot of work to do over the winter.  Haha.  

I need to put lights on next (running some enduros) and need a new battery.  The one that's in there is not the right size and it struggles to give enough juice, even for just starting.  Any suggestions on lights?  I may just get a battery pack set up.  Also, want to put steel braided brake lines on.  Still not happy with the front brake, even after all new bits.