Boy oh boy. While I got the first rides of the season out of me, between the week before the x-mas holiday, then x-mas weekend, followed by New Years, then today, well, today topped all the days before today.
I had mentioned to my BIL-who got himself a 2008 CRF450X, and that I put another 2018 Camso DTS 129 kit on, with a Thermobob, PST engine jacket, and the Trail Tech temp guage, and he is happy as the bike and motor are all there. A review on that bike either later in this thread or in another thread altogether.
It is late but I felt like writing so I can go to bed sooner. I would have liked to go riding again tomorrow but it is going to warm up thru Saturday so today was the very best day and was the best day or riding I have ever had. Why? We had to break trail every where we went and we both got to ride so many new places and the powder was about perfect. Really deep in places but always more than enough powder to have nothing but fun with the Camso's.
It is true, true, true, that as long as there is snow, and nothing under the snow to hang the track up on, the bike will go up and through the snow. We have both been amazed at how easy it is to point and shoot, and we also agree that the power of the 450, his the CRF, and my 478cc Beta motor. As his bike is a 2008 and mine a 2017, I think that everything about my bike is better. At least the two or three biggest things and here they are, in no order:
I can't stand a full-turn throttle. I have a G2 quick turn throttle and also have the same quick turn throttle, cam and Jimmy Twister-the sealed ball bearing insert so that the aluminum throttle tube has as little friction or stiction, and the shortest turn possible. I L-O-V-E, love, luv, the quick turn and Jimy twister, did I mention that already. Everything else feels both sloppy, slow and crude by comparison and I know that the throttle control is that important to me.
Next up, the clutch, hydraulic vs cable, adjustable pull/reach vs fixed reach/pull. I'm spoiled with the adjustable hydraulic clutch. It just feels right. The massive pull and accompanying slop on the Honda must be the difference between just ok and really fine.
The last is the gearbox/gearshifter. My gearbox is close ratio and the throw is short and precise. The Honda's box, while it might be a close ratio box as it is an X-model, doesn't feel as close but this could be the clutch making me think that the box is not close, never mind what seems like a long travel in the shifter. It could be that I have a shorter gearshifter on my bike that is making the difference but it makes a huge difference to me and I know that all these things could easily be corrected and that the CRF is not my bike, but those happen to be the differences today. Powerwise, they both have enough power but as the CRF has a Yoshimura pipe, the bike doesn't feel as powerful as it is down some 29cc's to my bike, and the 450X is also carbureted whereas mine is FI, the nod is for the FI, 478cc'd powerplant FTW. Still, both bikes had more than enough power for today's riding.
More tomorrow, ok?
I had mentioned to my BIL-who got himself a 2008 CRF450X, and that I put another 2018 Camso DTS 129 kit on, with a Thermobob, PST engine jacket, and the Trail Tech temp guage, and he is happy as the bike and motor are all there. A review on that bike either later in this thread or in another thread altogether.
It is late but I felt like writing so I can go to bed sooner. I would have liked to go riding again tomorrow but it is going to warm up thru Saturday so today was the very best day and was the best day or riding I have ever had. Why? We had to break trail every where we went and we both got to ride so many new places and the powder was about perfect. Really deep in places but always more than enough powder to have nothing but fun with the Camso's.
It is true, true, true, that as long as there is snow, and nothing under the snow to hang the track up on, the bike will go up and through the snow. We have both been amazed at how easy it is to point and shoot, and we also agree that the power of the 450, his the CRF, and my 478cc Beta motor. As his bike is a 2008 and mine a 2017, I think that everything about my bike is better. At least the two or three biggest things and here they are, in no order:
I can't stand a full-turn throttle. I have a G2 quick turn throttle and also have the same quick turn throttle, cam and Jimmy Twister-the sealed ball bearing insert so that the aluminum throttle tube has as little friction or stiction, and the shortest turn possible. I L-O-V-E, love, luv, the quick turn and Jimy twister, did I mention that already. Everything else feels both sloppy, slow and crude by comparison and I know that the throttle control is that important to me.
Next up, the clutch, hydraulic vs cable, adjustable pull/reach vs fixed reach/pull. I'm spoiled with the adjustable hydraulic clutch. It just feels right. The massive pull and accompanying slop on the Honda must be the difference between just ok and really fine.
The last is the gearbox/gearshifter. My gearbox is close ratio and the throw is short and precise. The Honda's box, while it might be a close ratio box as it is an X-model, doesn't feel as close but this could be the clutch making me think that the box is not close, never mind what seems like a long travel in the shifter. It could be that I have a shorter gearshifter on my bike that is making the difference but it makes a huge difference to me and I know that all these things could easily be corrected and that the CRF is not my bike, but those happen to be the differences today. Powerwise, they both have enough power but as the CRF has a Yoshimura pipe, the bike doesn't feel as powerful as it is down some 29cc's to my bike, and the 450X is also carbureted whereas mine is FI, the nod is for the FI, 478cc'd powerplant FTW. Still, both bikes had more than enough power for today's riding.
More tomorrow, ok?