Pit Dog answers questions about Dirt Bikes and Trail Riding in Florida - where to ride, how to prepare, bike setup.

Wanting to get started in hare scrambles and Enduros, I   would like to obtain a copy of rules, plate colors, etc., for events. Hopefully the rules and colors are consistent. Is a copy available for new puppies climbing up on the porch?  Mike

Pit Dog: The FTR business manager - Dan George - can coordinate the information you need concerning rule book, plate colors, and race schedule. The FTR phone number is 407-668-9700.
For Enduros the only item needed on your scooter is your row number on your front plate. Clubs make up a stick-on number that comes in your rider packet for your convenience. Whatever color is on your scoot will do. Enduros do require some off-road equipment like a spark arrestor. The list changes depending on the event.
Harescrambles require different plate colors for different classes, and you must have one front and two side number plates. Race rules are fairly simple compared to Enduros. You will be instantly competitive in your class if you understand the in and outs of Enduro racing before hand. Puppies grow up fast!

Two questions for Pit Dog:
1.   If ATF is used in automobiles and trucks for a wet clutch transmission with gears, etc. is it OK to use in a two-stroke transmission?  It seems odd that a motor oil is spec'd for the transmission of a dirt bike, or am I missing something?
2.   Will Walmart type two stroke oils work in a dirt bike?  The rumor in the pits is that Honda HP2 is just repackaged Quaker State synthetic oil sold in Walmart for $18/gallon.  And you know what they sure do look and smell the same (that's about the limit of my testing ability).  In fact a HS A class champion used QS is his bike for the whole season with out problems.  Are we brainwashed into such a scam?   I'm sure Yamalube isn't made at the Yamaha refinery but is purchased in bulk and repacked.  What does PIT DOG recommend?

Pit Dog: On question 1, ATF is used in wet clutch auto transmissions because most of the work is done at the friction plates that are paper. ATF does have some film strength for the gears, but mainly its job is to allow the paper plates to hook up with the metal plates as they apply. You will see engine oil specified in scooter manuals because it is more important for the oil to protect the gears than it is to allow the clutch to hook up. ( Some scooter clutches are as big as auto clutches)!
On question 2, have you been in a closet all your life about marketing? Any manufacturer will try to convince you that their product is worth buying over their competitor. Walmart is in the product numbers game. They make money by selling numbers of widgets not any brand in particular. If a major oil company sells its product to another, for sale as another brand, how are we to know? We don't. That is their choice to make more money with product production when they believe their name brand isn't all the money. Yes, the low price oil may be the same as the high price oil. You will find out with your personal results. The Dog has always used a full synthetic oil, no brand in particular, because of it's ability to fight temperature breakdown due to  clutch abuse. I have had amazing clutch life with no transmission problems over the years.     

Here's one to test the pedigree of the ol' dog. After my bro's Katoom sit for a couple of years he was rather shocked to find a hole had been eaten through the side cover where the water passage is. After a costly repair of replacing the side cover, everything is fine but the bike runs hot. Could it be that the radiator is scum-welded closed? It still holds the same volume but us non-pedigree dogs(trail riders) wonder if it's not flowing properly. Any ideas on how to clean out a plugged radiator and what could cause this?

Pit Dog: That's not a Dog mystery at all. Early KTM's had a metallurgy problem in that the engine coolant would eradicate metal in the engine casing, causing well you saw it. I would bet that there are other areas in the motor that have some serious water jack damage and since the motor still runs hot, that means a full inspection is called for. A tuner here in Central Florida that has full knowledge of this problem is Greg at K+P Cycles (407-656-9686). The radiator might not have been affected but your are right about reduction of flow. Do a hose flow test just to get an idea of its ability, as a base of diagnosis. Also remember to use motorcycle coolant in all scooters because they are all somewhat sensitive to automobile coolant.   

I understand that this years Pumpkin Run might have a small amount of standing water due to the recent storms. Does the Dog have any special secrets for water proofing his ride? Also is it best to heavily oil the air filter or lightly lube it so it wont hold the water? I don't think dust is going to be a problem. If the hot tips prove correct I'll make sure to throw you a bone. Swamping in Samsula

Pit Dog: The Dog can remember races in Osteen, at the Gator farm, when the water was up to my tail at creek crossings. Now that's just a tad wet. If you're riding a scooter you might tape the box shut to the seat frame rails. Make a place at the bottom where you can let water out then close it back. You could even make a snorkel, like most ATV's, if you feel really brave. Good question about air filter oil but just squeeze it out like you always do. Oil will not hold large amounts of water back, there's just to much vacuum. Seal your plug cap with silicone and rig your crankcase vent up high also. You might silicone shut your ignition cover just for this Pumpkin Run but open it back up after and check under the cover. On another subject, you will never have enough light. The Dog made a killer 12 volt helmet light he uses on his mountain bike. It last 2 hours. Bring extra lights!

There are numerous ways to lighten the pull of a cable clutch.
Are there any tricks for a juice clutch?  Tried lubing the pivots real good for a little improvement but don't know what to do next.
Help Pit Dog!

Pit Dog: My first thought would be how much money (or in my case dog bones) do you have? Starting at the lever, you could get one of those tricky clutch perches because they are heavy duty and reduce drag. Terry Cable also makes clutch cables that have a different design and could help with your particular scooter. While I'm on clutch cables, do you have a cable luber? All the bike shops sell then and I use mine almost after every clean up. Use a Teflon spray lube. You also could install a cable ratio box but it might cause the clutch to drag. Factory tuners polish all the moving clutch parts inside the motor to reduce drag and use a performance basket of course. The Dog has all factory original parts on his scooter however he cuts his levers for two finger action and fabric tapes the ends for extra good feel. If your scoot has Barnett springs inside, they could make the clutch tougher than most but I would put my money in the cable.    

Excuse me for the slang.  Juice clutch refers to a hydraulic clutch, no cable is involved.  I don't think there are aftermarket levers that change the pivot location as it is integral to the clutch slave cylinder. No cable to lube.  Maybe let some air into the system?
Your thoughts,  er barks!

Pit Dog: Oh, OK my bad. The Dog took the word juice to mean tricky or rad. How old is your scoot? Maybe the cylinder pistons are binding. When assembling hydraulic parts, Assembly Lube helps to maintain smooth action. Also, the contact areas  inside the case could benefit from polishing just like any other clutch type. Adding air to the system won't reduce effort, it will just reduce action distance making the clutch not want to disengage. The Dog uses high temp synthetic lube on all the pivot areas on his scoot because it stays in place better than regular grease. The Dog would also snoop around the pit and check out the other scoots on race day to see if his problem was normal. After reading the reports on "juice" clutches in the Mags, the Dog can see that "feel" has been the down side of these systems.

I recently decided to take a ride on my wife's old bike that she hasn't ridden in quite a while.  Before I left the driveway, I applied the front brake and found that it wasn't working.  When I removed the cover to the master cylinder reservoir, I discovered that the fluid had turned to jelly!  What's up with that? The local shop said it was moisture.  Why hasn't this ever happened to my other bikes or my car or my truck?

Pit Dog: You ask why did the fluid turn to jelly? Well, it was full of that yucky stuff we breath, it's called atmosphere. I'll bet on close inspection of the master cylinder cover gasket you could see that it did not fit tight on the cover anymore. Brake fluid has an alcohol base which absorbs moisture, even from the atmosphere. Because air has humidity in it, when even the smallest amount of air got past the cover seal over time it mixed with the brake fluid and turned to jell. Try the same test with brake fluid and water and you will see what I mean. It might be possible to clean the reservoir with brake cleaner and then fill and flush the system to get them to work again. If it was mine I would disassemble both brake systems and clean everything. Finding a new cover seal may be tough but the Dog always comes up with something.
Finally you ask why hasn't this happened to your other vehicles? IT IS! Just on a smaller scale. Just about every scooter manual I've ever read recommends flushing the brake systems periodically. It's even in some car manuals. Brake fluid goes bad in everything, even the can! The bottom line is flush the brake systems in older scooters and cars, and don't use an opened can of  fluid. Dispose of it, the stuff is cheap.

I got a new 400 Yammie but my buds say it's a joke cuz it doesn't have a power band. The folks at Spaceort laugh at me and say I can't get one installed. Answer the age old question Dog, WHAT IS A POWER BAND?

Pit Dog: I'm afraid the joke and the roost may be on them. Back in the old days when we first starting talking about a motor having a power band, parts guys would hang a very large rubber band on the wall with a sign saying, POWER BAND $9.95. In reality, 2 stroke motors develop power slowly at low Rpm because they need the wave action of the pipe to pack the cylinder since they don't have valves that shut. When they finally start to produce power it is so strong that people have identified it by calling it a power band.
Look at a horsepower chart from a 2 stroke, it's very distinctive. 4 strokes have the advantage of valves that shut at all Rpm's so they can contain the cylinder charge at any time. This is why they really don't build power like a 2 stroke. This can be very good for competition, like outdoor nationals, against 2 strokes. The only place you will give away time is when things get really tight and you have to muscle that extra weight around. Take advantage of what the bike does better and find solutions for what the bike doesn't want to do.  

What is the real cure for "Monkey-Butt"

Pit Dog: Become a couch potato. As with all serious sports enthusiasts, anyone who sits down and sweats is going to get a rash. The Dog has a prescription to control skin flare ups or should I say manage. He also wears bicycle shorts because the fabric is slick against his fur went wet. I have seen creams in sports magazines that claim to offer the most relief. Some long time Enduro riders load up with Vaseline to repel moisture and protect the skin from binding against their shorts. But technically, you are sitting down to much! To ride fast you need to get up off that seat and attack. Get up over that bar and ride like Joey Argentine. He says, "If your head and shoulders are through, you're through!" Oh by the way, couch potatoes get monkey butt too. 

My new bike is fouling plugs at low speeds. Midrange and wide open seem fine. Will changing to a smaller pilot jet take care of my problem?

Pit Dog: I feel we are talking about 2 stroke bikes here so I'll present some questions and answer them so you can decide your method of action. What kind of oil are you using? What kind of gas? Are you just starting out on a 2 stroke or are you a racer? When you put in a new plug does it run crisp down low and then get worse? Is the fouled plug oil wet or gas black? What is the engine size?
Most 2 strokes come from the factory set up on the rich side because world wide, gas is generally not as good as the US of A. Full synthetic premix oil will not burn in the combustion chamber as well as a blend or petroleum base oil. Most manufactures recommend +90 octane fuel for modern 2 strokes. If you are just getting used to riding 2 strokes they hate to idle around. Just doing that will foul a plug in no time, even with perfect jetting. If the motor lags during acceleration at low Rpm's, then the pilot jet may be too large or the base timing too slow. Low compression can cause fouling too if you think it has been hurt already. Reading the spark after a test run is the best way to solve the problem and finally small motors are harder to tune than larger ones. Find an area where you can run the motor up in top gear as well as some first gear turns. Run the bike in that area as hard as you can for ten minutes with a clean plug and then do a chop (do not allow idle). Looking at the plug from the electrode tips to the bottom of the porcelain is like looking at fuel and air mix from the pilot to the main jet. The porcelain should be tan or gray while the tips should be dry as well as the bottom of the porcelain where it turns to the outer metal casing. A little trick I've learned is that a proper pilot will cause the engine to high idle for the first few moments of cold start up. Finally, a veteran engine tuner, like the Dog, can tell proper jetting just by touching and listening, and it can get very expensive if you experiment and do it wrong.    

I have noticed that quite a few enduro riders use very similar tires and tread patterns . What is a good tire choice . Also what items would you recomend keeping in your tool / emergency kit during a race .    Thank's Dog

Pit Dog: When the Dog went to The Little Brown Jug Enduro, in South Carolina, he just knew the sand tires he runs in Florida would not be the trick setup. Lo and behold, most of the local riders also had sand tires on! Basically if there are no major miles of rocks, then a sand tire will be the best choice for most of the conditions we see in the Southeast. Just understand that they will be sacrificed if you need to ride hard in a rock area. The Dog chooses the Michelin S12 for his scoot because they hook up well in a straight line as well as leaned over, and they have a lighter carcass design. They are slightly more money than their competition, however. As far as what the Dog carries in his fanny pack it's never enough. If it wasn't for Ashley Brewer at the Alligator several years ago, the Dog would have houred out. Ashley had a kitchen sink with him. The Dog  isn't much of a pessimist so he just carries things he has needed more than once like, a portable pull strap, a screwdriver, a spark plug and wrench, extra goggles, gloves, a face towel, and a power bar. Overall, my best advice is to prepare yourself and your scoot before you race, because you'll never carry what you forgot.  

Pit Dog
I was really hurtin' at Croom. Just after the gas my hands and hamstring muscles started to cramp really bad. How do you prevent cramps, and what can I do to make them go away if I do get them?

Pit Dog: The Dog rode as hard as he could at Crooms and he was real tired, but he did not get any cramps while his fellow riding buddies did. What's the Dog's secret? Well, you said you cramped after the gas. The main reason is you stopped and had to restart again. Very tuff for the muscles to do that but if you prepare next time your body won't rebel as much. The Dog rode his scooter twice the week of the race. You know what they say, practice, practice, practice. He also rides his montain bike as least once a week all the time. The Dog also drinks one of those super drinks before and during the event. Talk to the people at the nutrition store and check out Cytomax. To make cramps go away during a ride, drink all you can, breath deeply, and concentrate on being very smooth so you muscles can relax. The bottom line is the course took more out of you than you could give. Before next race do your training, correct your diet days before, sit and hum in front of one of those incense candles, and get on a row with the Dog. 

WHAT CAN I DO TO MY SUSPENSION TO MAKE THREE FOOT WHOOPS FEEL LIKE PAVED ASPHAULT

Pit Dog: Is that asphault or asphalt? Have you ever seen one of those flying carpets on cartoons? Same thing! But seriously, for Florida whoops the best set up is lots of spring with very little compression dampening. Try to get the spring sag the same amount front and rear. Set the rebound to control the jitters on wash board areas and you have the perrrfect Florida bongers. By the way, the Pit Dog knows all the riders who write in caps, so watch that foo foo dog.
Aooowww

I'm fairly new to enduros. I like them. I don't really want to put out the big bucks for a computer. Can you give me some shortcuts or tricks to help stay on time.

Pit Dog: You just missed the CFTR Fun Enduro and School at Crooms in August. But the Pitdog makes all the major happenings so here goes. The Club will give you a roll chart for the event. It will have time and distant locations as well as type of terrane, jeep road, woods trail, stuff like that. Most beginner riders don't pay attention to that information and are not mentally ready for what lies ahead. Doing good at Enduros is much more than speed, you need to be savvy! Get a rollchart holder or just cut it out and clear tape it in a loop to your handle bar. Set your wristwatch so that when your row is due to start your watch will say 9:00 AM exactly to the key time. This way when you get to a mileage marker, or reset, you will be looking at the time and distance as shown on your roll chart. Most all of the faster riders, like the Dog, still run this simple system in addition to a computer in case their computer goes Y2K early. Enduros are made for riders to have fun and stay on time. This simple knowledge can make you very competitive in any class. The Dog has many other secrets but that might cost a few dogbones. See you at the start.

Can you tell why all of the fast guys always take those little short cuts when they race. Is it because they can see better than me , or is that what makes them fast! I've been thinking about that !   
Slow in Sebring

Pit Dog: A very good off-road rider has ability similar to a very good video game player in that his body can react faster than most to the brain decision. In addition, many fast riders trust their reaction to be old news and are already looking for the next obstacle. Therefore they can take that extra instant to see a cleaner line when a lesser rider is working on just getting it right. The Dog can hang with faster riders for only for a short time, not because they are faster but because the Dog's brain is very slow. You can be fast but you have to be gifted to be AA.

We were going on a long ride the other day so we were going to top off our tanks. I was out of gas in my 5gal can . So I borrowed some of my buddies gas , I use Belray and he uses Yamalube. They say your not supposed to do that but my motor ran just fine ! What do you think !! Will that hurt anything ?   
Mixed up in Macon

Pit Dog: It's not nearly as important to have the same oil as it is to have the same mix ratio. If your ratio was way different from your buddy, then it might run very lean or very rich. Lean can be a major problem but rich is only a fouled plug. In addition some premix oil companys will have a different viscosity so that even if your ratio was the same your correct jetting would not react the same with a different viscosity oil. It's always been the Dog's theory that a friends gas is better than no gas but I will ride with my ears up and my paw on the clutch.

My bike manual says to mix the fuel and oil at 28:1 and the oil I found says I can mix at 100:1. Why such a difference?

Pit Dog:The dog has worked with world class racing motors over the years and this what I've found. The more maintenance you plan on doing, the less oil you can run. Some race bikes only go two races before a complete tear-down, trail bikes can go for years. Some riders that may change elevations during their ride can change their jetting just by adding more oil, or more gas to their mix to compensate for altitude.
Here in Florida we jet and forget it. Just remember the more oil you add to your mix the leaner the carb will run. Also you are diluting your fuel octane. The dog has run 50:1 for years without ever having a crank problem, that's with a synthetic blend oil. A full synthetic oil like Amsoil might be OK at 100:1 for general purpose but I could not trust it for full on racing. What ever you decide just make sure your jetting is tuned to it. This is most important.

I'm getting back into racing and riding with my family. Were can I go for a short practice or a day with a group?

Pit Dog: Here in Central Florida we can practice motocross at Bithlo or Dade City almost every day. As far as group riding goes, Crooms motorcycle park at SR-50 and I 75, near Brooksville is one choice or the Ocala National forest at SR 19 and SR 42 in the Bigscrub riding area are both excellent. If you are a FTR member but not a Club member then you are missing out on some private riding areas all around the state. Find out which Club is in your area and become a member in good standing to enjoy the best in off-road riding and family fun. The Dog family loves it!