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

Hey Mr. PitDog. Will a 110/100/18 Tire, Pirelli interchange with a 100/100/18?  I had someone pick up a tire for me at the races and came back with the 110/100...while we are at it, can you explain the what these numbers represent on the tires?  Thanks, A Beginner!   

Pitdog: This information comes from the Dunlop Web Site.
Section height. The vertical distance from the bead edge to center of the crown in an unloaded tire.
Section width. The distance between a tire's sidewalls measured at the widest part of the tire.
Each size of tire is measured on a specific rim width.
The first set of numbers should be the height and the second set the width. I believe they are measured in millimeters. The last set is the rim size in inches. Weird huh?
Tire manufacturers don't make the exactly the same size tires, like on cars, because the casing and tread design are so different. The numbers are the end result of the development.

Dear Pit Dog, What is your take on the progressive Vs straight rate spring debate for off road applications? I have a new KTM and many say that a straight rate spring will work better than the progressive shock spring which comes stock, what gives?

Pitdog: Hum, what's the best way to describe spring design? Picture this, a progressive spring has a lot of space between the top coils of wire but as the windings go down the space gets smaller. Therefore, the spring has less mass in the area where the space is large compared to where the space is smaller. Less mass equals lighter action, more mass stiffer action. A progressive spring will have lighter action in the initial part of its travel which is good for those small sharp edged bumps common in rocky areas and hard dirt. We don't have much of that in Florida. What we do have is whoops that use up a lot of travel and move a lot of energy. A straight rate spring does give up some ride plushness in its initial travel but since we are talking mostly sand here, who cares! Your set up with a straight rate spring will allow you to hammer those big whoops displacing the energy of the shock action instead of using up yours. The spring will require different dampening rates so be sure to test some other settings.

Why can't we all pit ride at the races if we just go slow, because some of the finish lines are so far away from where we start. It's just to far away for my mom/dad to walk sometimes. Like at Deep South, it was like a mile away to the finish line from the start. If you could talk to everyone at the rider's meeting and maybe just hand out some flyer's when everyone pulls in, telling them they can pit ride if they just go real slow and respected it. That's all I'm asking. If you could do that for me it would be appreciated. Thanks for all your help. And if you would, could you please right me back ...Thanks

Pitdog: You sound like a fine young person just wanting to race and make it easy for the folks to get around. Believe that most of us want the same thing. The problem is just like on the street, some people can't control themselves with respect for others. Open the new rule book you just got with your latest magazine and read the rules on pit riding. The FTR president has made new signs for posting at the events to further our enforcement of the pit riding rule. Besides, if I stood up at the riders meeting, no one would understand me but the other dogs so the signs are a good thing. I can only point and bark. If you are under 16 set an example for your friends and support the rules. The Pitdog goes to almost every event and is always watching.

Here doggy. Can you tell me why a brand new Banshee overheats so fast. From what I hear the only fix for it is the cool head. Do you have any other suggestions for me. I can't understand why they haven't fixed this problem yet at Yamaha. It's been around for a long time. I did not see too many Quad riders asking you questions. I hope you are as knowledgeable about Quads as you seem to be about M/C.     GOOD BOY!!!!GOOD BOY!!!!!!!!

Pitdog: The Pitdog surely can't know all, but when he doesn't he knows where to find the answer. Your answer is, you need to control your combustion temperature. A Coolhead and radiator mods do help to control engine temperature for high performance duty, but the stock system can work fine for fun riding if you understand what drives up combustion temperature. Your solution will come with proper jetting and oil viscosity. Reading the spark plug any time your performance is off will always be the gateway to finding smooth engine operation and temperature control. Yamaha does know that engines will overheat if not set up correctly and  covers proper jetting in the owners manual. It might be worth looking at again. Please read some of my other answers concerning plug reading because they apply to all engines in general. Also keep in mind that the engine itself was designed for a moving street motorcycle, not putting slowly down a trail.

Dear Mr. Pitdog. I have a 89 KDX200. When I hold the throttle at half way there is a noise coming from the carb. What could it be? Also, when I pull in the clutch there is a vibration and noise from the clutch what could this be?

Pitdog: Believe it or not, an 89 KDX200 is something of a race bike and race bike motors are only designed to last for so many hours. After their time is up, it will start making noises from the crank, piston, clutch, and the noise keeps getting louder. What you have is a time bomb waiting to go off. The bottom line is that the repair is much larger than the whole worth. If you want to race, buy a race bike. If you want to play buy a play bike.

Hey Pitdog, I have a 87 KDX80 dirt bike and it won't stay running when I get it started. I tried keeping the choke on but it doesn't help. Do you know what I can do?

Pitdog: Since you say it starts, I would say the basics are covered. When it won't stay running fuel distribution usually is the culprit. The fuel pilot jet is very small on that carburetor and can clog easily. First make sure the petcock flows gas consistently then remove the carb and it's fuel bowl to get to the fuel jets. Unscrew them and check if you can see through the hole. You will need very small wire to help remove dirt in the jets. Air pressure helps to clean them completely. Clean the fuel bowl while it's off. This is very basic approach but it matches your bike.

Howdy Dog. I have a 97 CR250 and I love it. My problem is that I find it fairly unreliable.  It's hard to start, many parts have been replaced or fixed... I've only had it since August of 99 with little riding time because of this.   I really like having the speed and suspension but is there another bike out there that would be lower maintenance with nearly the features?          Thanks Willy

Pitdog: Willy I'm surprised. Riders buy Hondas because of their legendary reliability. From the dates, I can tell you bought this one used? Maybe it was rode hard and put away wet. I'm thinking once you get by these initial failures things will get better. Being hard to start definitely means there is something not right about the scoot, that needs your direct attention. As far as looking for another unit that has nearly the same features, that depends on your limits of "nearly." Honda's own XR series are known to the most dependable off-road bikes ever made but will never be on the same row as a CR. You most realize that your CR is a world class race bike demanding lots of attention and some repair. The older they get the more the repair.

Dear Pitdog. I have a 2000 KTM380. The last time I rode it the kick starter stuck about half the way down and broke a piece off inside. What can I do to stop this from happening?

Pitdog: Fortunately the failure was probably the strength of the part when it was made and it just broke. The part probably broke first and then jammed the lever. Race bikes are designed to be as light as possible and therefore have limited life, but a 2000 model should not be near that stage. My 96 kick lever broke at the starting line one time but hey, it's a 96! Keeping your
scoot clean, lubed, and inspected for loose parts is your best prevention on any failure before it's time.

Dear Pitdog. What makes the AA riders so much faster? Is the way they ride standing up or just all around skill?

Pitdog: Ah, the preverbal off-road question. You are correct in both of your statements, however, it includes much more. Sure it takes lots of practice, strength, coordination, and a good scoot to be AA. There is one secret ingredient that the Pitdog will now reveal to the world, and that is desire! All the training and preparation for anything in life will do no good unless you have the focus and desire to be the best. This ability comes from inside. When your mind is confident on an objective, it will command your body with super strength to succeed in winning. All the preparation in the world is only a the stepping stone to being the best. If you are wanting to race AA, do your training, get your scoot ready, and focus on the objective like nothing you have ever done before. These are the what make AA riders so much faster.

Hey Pitdog. Do know if any company makes black shrouds for a KDX200 or if KLX shrouds could possibly be worked to fit?  Without major mods of course.

Pitdog: Black Huh. Sounds to me like you've been pitting near Mike Shank. I would think that KLX shrouds would be very different from KDX shrouds so that's out. For the latest in after market items, contact Dorsey at Motorcycles of Apopka, (407-422-2383), (Dorseycycle.com), to get that stealth look.

Hey PITDOG, I have a 99 KTM 300 in which I run Maxima Super-M at 32:1. My sled is jetted perfectly, starts easily, never fouls a plug, and runs crisply ....However, when I do my filter service I always find Super-M in the air boot between the carb and reed block. I know it is premix because it is orange in color, not blue like the filter oil I use. How does this oil residue get there and is it something I should worry about???
Thanks,Glenn

Pitdog: The Pitdog doesn't have one of those tricky light-scopes, so I can't look past my slide to the area between the carb and the reed block. But what you see anywhere near the carb of oil film is definitely normal. Ever notice that there's a film of oil near the outside of your air filter on the fender? How'd that get there? Naturally 2 strokes don't have mechanical valves so that the cylinder compression is mostly held back from the intake. With reed plates, some of the compression is blown back up the intake. This is the same reason 2 strokes have very little torque at very low RPM. I think the oil in the carb actually helps to keep a 2 stroke carb slide from binding compared to a 4 stroke. Anyway, looking around when you do your regular service is one of the best ways to avoid problems down the trail. Keep it up.

Dear Pitdog. My bike just does not want to start in the morning when its cold out. I ride a 91 RM250. What suggestions do you have to get it to start early in the morning?

Pitdog: So many things come to mind I got dizzy and fall off my doghouse.(Snoopy didn't start that gag.) My first guess would be is the choke circuit working. Pull the air filter, when it's cold and won't start, and spray some gas in the air boot. If it lights right off, wala! Clean the carb and check the jetting. If it doesn't then the plug was already wet and the compression or spark is weak. Now you're getting into so many diagnosis parameters that it becomes a question of is it worth it. Your next step will be one of those palm reading places or a scooter mechanic.

Dear Mr. Pitdog. At the Vero Beach H/S, on the first lap after the long water hole, my bike bogged down in the mud hole and stalled. What could I do to stop bogging and loading up? How can I water proof the motor somewhat?

Pitdog: The spark plug cap needs to have a good seal or be sealed with silicone during a wet event. You can seal your air box with duct tape at the frame rail to stop water up to there but after that you're done. Overall we must remember that our scooters are not submarines. If you got bogged down by the mud, then you didn't have enough speed to cross the area. My plan for deep mud has been to hit it at a good clip so that momentum will get me to the other side. If I lose control in the process, at least the scoot crashed on the other side! Different kinds of mud take different approaches. The real secret is, keep the bike driving through a mud area so it doesn't go down and take on water. Come out and ride one of our wet Enduros and you will instantly be a veteran mud rider.

What is the proper way to pull one motorcycle behind another and any pointers for getting a disabled bike out of the woods?

Pitdog: Oh has the Pitdog been there! Richard Argabright pulled the Pitdog out of the whooped trail of Crooms one time with a bike tie down. The tie down worked but just barely. Since then the Pitdog carries a 20 foot length of kevlar strap,( Apollo used it at their Harescrambles to rope off areas), because it can take much more than the weight of a bike but rolls up very small. I tie it to the frame rail under the seat, looped over so it pulls from the center, and then to the center of the handlebar. Five feet between bikes helps to keep things straight. For a scoot stuck in a mud hole, stand it straight up on the rear tire and rock it side to side until it flops over. Also carry a compass so you will keep your direction true. The trail looks very different when you go slow.

Pitdog; I would like clarification on what's meant by no pit riding at the Harescrambles. Can we ride to the starting position at a very low rate of speed? Is it just no fast riding? Must we walk our bikes?

Pitdog: This subject seams to be coming to the surface more than ever these days, and I believe it's just because of the greater number of people at our events which also means new members. Please observe that this column does not define the official rules of FTR. For that please contact DBJ@TOTCON.com. I will say however that most race promoters do not want any bikes to be ridden in the pit unless they are going to tech or the starting line. Riders of all ages must understand that the pit is an uncontrolled public area necessary for the logistics of the event. This means that the area is off limits to any casual riding. At this time we are in danger of loosing any operation of non licensed vehicles in the pits because of the numbers. Walking may become the only option.

Pit Dog. I am planning to run the Enduro at Relay on June,4. I am not a member of FTR yet but am planning to get it soon. I wanted to know if you needed to be a member of the AMA to race or not. I also wanted to know what you need to be eligible to race your races like a chest protector, stickers etc. Thank you for your time.

Pitdog: Use the club directory on this site to E-mail Daytona Dirt Riders and ask them about their June event because the flyer is not posted yet. For personal info on what you might need in an Enduro read down to some of my other answers in this column. For official information on riding an FTR Enduro contact; DBJ@TOTCON.com.

Mr. Pitdog. I have lost my AMA & FTR membership cards. How would I go about getting replacement cards?

Pitdog: Since this is the Internet, I would start with E-mail to both parties.
For the AMA go to   membership@AMA-Cycle.org
For FTR go to   DBJ@TOTCON.com

Pitdog; I would like to know of other Florida spots to ride dirt bikes other than Croom. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, Bruce.

Pitdog: In my area of Central Florida, we go to the Bigscrub area of the Ocala National Forest in addition to Crooms. Because there are limited public areas to ride OHVs, other spots that I know of are private. These spots are available to my family because we are active members of a local FTR supporting club. We also are privileged to be invited to other private areas because of our long time association with other members of FTR. Right now is a perfect time for new riders to get involved in the long time planing of OHV use on public lands. Your action will have the direct result in land that you are now looking for to ride on. In addition, your active membership in the local FTR supporting club in your area will open up possibilities for private land as your participation evolves. The bottom line is, riding areas will become less available to all of us unless we participate in the issues before us and support the clubs involved in organized off-road agendas. Please find out what you can do to help, and come ride with us.

Hello Pitdog. I just bought a pair of Cycra hand guards and the triple clamp mount attachment. The guard is to short to reach without cutting the bars to a shorter length. They are stock and at 30.5 inches. I would need to cut an inch off each end to fit them. Is there an average length most H/S and Enduro riders run the bars at?

Pitdog: I'm guessing that your scooter is a 80cc or 100cc because you say the bars are stock at 30.5 inches. Stock bars on 125s and 250s are 32 inches and this may be why the triple clamp mount set up doesn't fit. I don't cut my bars and you will rarely find them cut under 30 inches if it is also a H/S set up. You may have to go with a bar mount set of hand guards to fit your scoot. If you want smaller than 30.5 inches, try to find an old steel bar to test with so you don't undercut aluminum ones

Pitdog, Are there any instructional videos on dirt riding, (i.e., how to take on the whoops, mud, braking, etc.)

Pitdog: I don't believe I've ever seen an instruction video on any kind on motorcycle riding, much less off-road. I do know that the local MX tracks have Saturday morning classes that cost $, and you would probably want to be at least a beginner to take such a class. I didn't start riding off-road until I was over 30, and by that time all my friends thought I was out of it to try and learn. Riding straight down a dirt road seemed impossible. I was so determined that I went to a small dirt area every day after work to just practice the basics. What I recommend is to get the simple things like braking and accelerating down first. Start with a figure eight and think of an image of what you see on TV. For braking and turning you need your head over the bars, elbows out, knees tight, gear selection made. For whoops you need to extend your arms and legs and balance your weight for traction to either tire. For mud you need to be centered over the bike standing low with an understanding that the bike may instantly go in a different direction at any moment. Finally, try some different settings on your scoot so that your particular style will evolve with your set up. Always focus on the problem section you know you can do and don't try something you know you can't. 

Tell me about chains. Should I buy a new chain when I don't have any adjustment left or take a link out of the chain?

Pitdog: I would imagine that when your chain gets that loose, your sprockets are toast too. If your chain and sprockets are still in fairly good shape, then you probably mounted them to long in the adjustment from the get go. Taking a link out would work in that case. I have found that using a high quality O-ring chain with quality sprockets, saves me 10 times the money and time over conventional. You can be sure that using an O-ring chain is the only way to go for off-road racing. Cleaning it lightly with soap and water and then coating it with WD40 is the Pitdog way to no chain maintenance.

Hey dog, got a tuff one for you. Having a problem with fouling a plug every now and then, not all the time but at odd times. Like after I got a few miles into practice it wants to foul. It is cleaned out and it runs strong, but once in a while it just loads up for no reason. It's got a BR8EG, and I replace it after two races. I run Maxima 927 at 40:1, 93
octane gas, always a clean filter, (not over oiled), it's been re-jeted two sizes leaner on main, one leaner on pilot, one and three quarters turn out on the air screw, and one position leaner on the needle. It doesn't use any tranny oil so I don't think it's sucking around the crank seal. It's got a fresh top end, and the motor is stock except for a FMF pipe. It runs great, has good response and bottom end. It also runs clean all the way through the rpm's. The exhaust is pretty dry and almost a brown color. So what's happening here? Float level off, vent hose restricted, what else is there? It does not matter if it's cool or hot weather wise. Can the old dog come up with a new trick? See you at the starting line.

Pitdog: Sounds like all the stuff I'd do to make a sweet running scooter except for the Maxima. I've never tested with it. Since you said the fouling happens during practice, I would have to guess that you still have to much fuel at part throttle with is mostly the needle. You may be able to go down one more step or possibly need a different taper. At this point, you need to be very careful about being to lean. The main might have to go back up with the needle changes so be observant of the over-rev. Read some of my other answers concerning plug reading so you can test effectively. Reading the plug, before it fouls or seizes, will also be your best approach to perfection.

Dear Pitdog. I live in Charlotte County (Port Charlotte). My sons and I are new to trail riding. Can you recommend some state/national forests, or other good riding locations in our area. Steve W

Pitdog: I'm sure you know about the Crooms Off-Road Park near Brooksville don't you? I-75 and SR-50. If not, it's one of the best areas in the Southeast. Other than that, contact Southwest Florida Trail Riders at 941-574-7788 for local info, and ask if you could help the club. You know, we have beginner and kids classes at our events and your family would have world class fun times in the FTR Hare Scrambles Series.

Dear Pit,
  I've got an XR 400 that I enjoy greatly. During the races (scrambles) I can stay near the front of the pack until the dreaded wipeout. When trying to restart the beast.....it doesn't. I do everything I've read to do with the manual decompression lever, but it doesn't seem to make the task any easier. And by the time I get going again I'm near the back and out of juice. Now I know everybody with a 4-Stroker has the same problem but I would still appreciate it if you could give a few tips and/or express your views on an electric starter. Thanks Dogg  -#11 B-4stroke

Pitdog: If you, or anyone else, can hang an electric starter on a XR400 then you will have made the better mouse trap. Dual Sport bikes have them because it doesn't matter much about the weight and maintenance. Race bikes need to be lean and simple. As I have said before, Four Strokes tend to spill fuel in the intake when on their side so the next kick attempt is flooded. Hold the decompression lever and kick the bike through as least ten times before setting it up for restart. It may still want a little open throttle compared to normally it wants none. My tuner Greg at K&P Cycles, (407-656-9686), has major performance development time in XR400's and could set yours up just for you. Or a new XR650 with electric start would be nice!

More Pit Dog