5 Manufacturers are on the list: KTM (4), Yamaha (2), Beta (2), Sherco (1), Kawi (1)

Only 3 of the original bikes from the 2018 video are still on my list!

7 dropped dropped from my list: 2018 Husky TE250i, 2015 KTM 300 XC, 2017 Sherco 300SEF, 2016 KTM 250 XC-F, 2015 YZ250FX, 2017 Beta 300RR, 2017 KTM 150 XC-W

1. 2020/2021 KTM 250 XC
2. 2020/2021 KTM 300 XC-W
3. 2017 KTM 250 XC
4. 2020 Yamaha YZ250FX
5. 2019 Beta 390RR Race
6. 2020 Sherco 300 SEF
7. 2020 Beta 200RR
8. 2021 Kawasaki KX250X
9. 2017 YZ250X
10. 2012 KTM 300 XC-W

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• Thanks to Sam Bennion for joining me in this discussion today!
• How do we mentally prepare to hit bigger and bigger obstacles and challenges so that we grow in our abilities?
  • Incremental Growth - Baby steps
  • small logs, small drops
  • Stop for a moment and realize the bike can do this
• How do we draw the line to know when to stop or when we really are out of our ability?

Peer pressure?

• Going back to an obstacle later and conquering it is really rewarding

Leave the obstacle on a high note if possible

• How do we face the mental challenges of an obstacle we are afraid of or a trail we have heard about and we are afraid of trying?
• How do we deal with failure, when we try and fail? How do we deal with getting hurt when we ride?
• Does being too timid or cautious actually make it easier to get hurt or get hurt again?
  • having your mind in the right place
• How do we find riders and riding groups that push us and is that a good thing to be in a group where you are being pushed?  On the flip side, are we in a group that does the same rides over and over and we are stagnant in our growth because of the group we ride in?
  • Are we rushing through the ride for the Podium at the end?
  • Are we looking for fun things to do along the way?
  • Are we messing around and working on skills?
• We need to STOP telling ourselves that we can't do that and stop taking the easiest line!
• It means we are indeed willing to fall and fail, even in front of others!  It means we are willing to scratch up our bikes and brake parts, that is part of the price to be paid for higher confidence.
• What about the sheer satisfaction of overcoming a fear or obstacle that has troubled us?

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Fuel/Oil Ratio vs Fuel Air/Ratio

• Fuel/Oil ratio is the amount of oil you are mixing in the gas.  It's in your gas can
  • 32:1 is a lot of oil - thick fuel
  • 50:1 is less oil - thinner fuel
  • 80:1 is even less oil - thinnest fuel
  • Pick something that works for you and stick with that.  We'll fine tune the mix with our fuel/air Ratio
• Fuel/Air Ratio is fine tuned inside the carburetor with Jets and needles. 
  • I've got oil running down my silencer and I"m running my bike 32:1. I guess that I'm running it too Rich, right?
    • Well yeah, but it's not because of your oil mix.  You are too "rich" but you need to take fuel away from the bike by allowing less of it to enter the cylinder of your bike.

Denser air (more of it) makes your bike fuel lean (less fuel) because now you have more air/pressure but the same amount of fuel

Density altitude is what we are really tuning for.

• Aviation - Density altitude is pressure altitude corrected for nonstandard temperature. As temperature and altitude increase, air density decreases.
  • Air pressure is reduced at higher elevations - Elevation goes up - bike runs " fuel rich"
  • temperature effects  our carbs - temp goes up - bike runs "fuel rich"

Pilot Circuit - idle up to about 1/8th 

• air screw for fine tuning
  • 3/4 of turn out to 2.5 "turns out" is a fine range
  • If you have to run the bike at less than 3/4 of a turns out, you will need a bigger pilot jet
  • If you need to run it more than 2.5 turns out, then you need a smaller pilot jet

Needle Circuit 1/8th to 3/4 throttle - Where it's at!

• uses clips to fine tune here
  • Moving the clip UP the needle will allow it to drop down further in the carb which restricts fuel (makes it leaner)
  • Moving the clip DOWN on the needle keeps the needle higher which add fuel (makes it richer)

Main Circuit 3/4 throttle and up

• there is certainly some cross over here and I'm not saying that it will ONLY effect you at 3/4 throttle, but this is where it mostly comes into play.

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Karen and Kyle talk about their perspective in the racing so far in this 2021 season.  Sorry it's taken 5 rounds before our first podcast this season!

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7.3 Hours

 I feel really comfortable on the bike - familiar

Love the electric start

Bike is really light - 220 lbs - feels like there is nothing there sometimes.  This is a blessing and a curse -  Can put the bike anywhere, but it's moving around down there and you have to flow with it. 

Swapping from KX250X and the 125 XC yesterday - made the KX feel heavy

Carbs - Used 3 carbs already on the bike - lot of tuning already - SC2 carb working the best of all of them so far.

It's got plenty of power.... as long as you stay in the power  - not much power down low

This thing rips in the desert and has no trouble lofting the front wheel over ditches as long as you are in the meat of the power.

Highly recommend this bike to several people

• Teenagers moving up to a full sized bike
• Newer riders wanting to refine their riding skills and clutch skills
• Seasoned riders looking to have a change of pace bike and sharpen the skills that might have dulled over time. - You have to get after it!

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Winterizing a dirt bike was on my topic list from listeners.  I typed out a few bullet points and then did a google search for this to see if I saw other others, and my video from 2 years ago was the first hit. I forgot that I even did a video on it!  I did see that Rocky Mountain did a video similar to mine a year earlier in 2017, but I didn't watch that until today.  I don't watch very many other dirt bike videos.  I try to avoid it when possible, but I do like to watch some of those RMATV videos.

Hope you enjoy the show!

Please use my links for RMATV!
https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/l/Dirt-Bike-Channel?ref=1017

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Here we go with my full review of the 2020 Sherco 300 SEF Factory.  It's certainly one of my all time favorite 4 stroke enduro bikes.  It's got the best fork valving of any of the bikes I've ridden in the last year.  In the video I will point out several things I really love about the bike and some things that they really need to improve upon.

Hopefully this will be helpful to many of you out there. 

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Here are the bikes that we've had over the years.  Many of these overlapped. 

Honda CRF50F (2)
KTM 50 SX (2)
Honda CRF110F 
KTM 65 SX
Yamaha YZ65
Honda CRF125F
KTM 85 SX

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First 1.5 hours on the bike.  I will have at least 5 more months with the bike so stay tuned, but here are some first notes.

Bike feels REALLY Narrow between your legs - like it's not eve there.  That is a great feeling.   Was wearing my knee braces and still could barely feel the bike. 

Once I turned the fork compression all the way out, the front forks worked pretty well for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th gear riding that I was doing today.  It didn't defect badly when I was in 1st gear for those few times.   Probably a good mix for a go fast bike.  

Took 3 clicks of compression out the the slow speed comp on the rear.  This seemed to give the bike a more planted feeling for the choppy rocks and braking bumps I was encountering. 

The motor is very snappy and "racy".  Feels might more high strung like the YZ250FX did.  Has decent torque down low.  Didn't stall the bike on technical climbs, but I was REALLY careful with my clutch work since it doesn't seem like it's got the grunt of the Sherco 300 SEF.  Makes the front end feel pretty light and playful.  More playful feel than the Sherco, although if I'm going to spend a full day in the slow stuff, give me the Sherco.

Loves to corner and carve around berms.  Gave me confidence in my front end.

Didn't feel the issue on the 5 speed

Fuel tank too small

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I want to thank my amazing wife Karen for joining me on this episode and giving us her reasons she thinks that riding dirt bikes is a good thing for many people. 

These are Karen's top 10 reasons to let your husband buy a dirt bike.  The first three were her top 3 reasons, the rest are in no particular order. 

1. It makes him a better man.  He gets to recharge and gives him something to be proud of. This translates over into other areas of his life.
2. Keeps him in shape!
3. It’s a great way for his to bond with the kids.
4. It keeps him mentally sharp.
5. He is less likely to be addicted to substances when he’s addicted to his dirt bike.
6. He gets to get out and appreciate the beautiful earth we live in and see things most people will never see. 
7. It helps him with problem solving, because that IS a skill.  
8. Dirt Bikes keep him young.  
9. It’s a good stress reliever.
10. It’s not as dangerous as you think.  

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