[James RookyardMember]

My mates rode up via Birdsville and the Simpson. Then stayed for the race and did my pit crew. They had a great couple of weeks. I am bringing one of their XR650’s home with me. There are lots of ways to enjoy Finke. Just being in Alice Springs for race week is enough! Every one gets behind the race. It’s great to see a community pull together like this!

[James RookyardMember]

We payed between $1.60 and $2.30 a litre for fuel to get there!

[James RookyardMember]

It was around $600 entry plus you can choose to use club fuel stops for an extra $200 or so. But it costs most to put fuel in your car to get there unless you are reasonably close to start with. I live around 2400km away. So fuel was the big cost. We camped and did nearly all our own meals.

[James RookyardMember]

Hey Wolfie a good alternative is to per ride the track on your bike and not race. Then watch the race and enjoy the atmosphere.

[James RookyardMember]

That was a bloody hard race!!! Happy with the result for a first effort.
I am going to do it again….next year hopefully. I finished the last 100 Km each day well but started badly.
One good stack on day 1 at 50 km mark. Broke the peak of my helmet.
The Berg flies when I actually maned up and rode it.
Those whoops are mind altering.

[James RookyardMember]

All set to race tomorrow. They had some issues with the transponders and the top 20 had to re-run the prologue. Could have had some effect on the results.
Anyone who is interested I am bike 753.

[James RookyardMember]

Stroker kit should give more torque and bottom end as opposed to a cam and oversized piston that will give more top end.
Normaly longer stroke will reduce the redline of the engine.
It should turn it into a great engine.
I wonder what they would call a Ballards XR250 these days if a CRF250X is a begginers bike lol.

[James RookyardMember]

Cheers Gibbit, I will try a couple of teeth smaller on the rear as well.
I am planing on riding from Finke to Alice on the way up. A couple of mates are riding up from here and we are going to meet at Finke and do a pre run together.

[James RookyardMember]

Thanks for the links Gibbit.
I have just pulled the forks and shock off the berg to get them set up with heavier springs and have fitted a steering damper. Any suggestions for gearing? I am still running one tooth bigger on the front from yellow mountain. Thats good for 140km or so without ringing its neck. Will this be tall enough for fink?
Fitness is going to let me down.

[James RookyardMember]

I would go for a good old fashioned o-ring. Are x-ring the same as a crf450x uses?

[James RookyardMember]

The X definitely has them. I read something on the net years ago on putting heavier oil in them to make them a bit more effective.
I would put the money towards a scott one though.

[James RookyardMember]

Don’t forget about Husaberg. They have the 350 as well now. The 12 FE450 I have is the best bike I have owned and I know the KTM350 is a cracking bike, so the Berg 350 should be as well.
Such a shame they went away from the upside down motor though. It made air filter access second to none.

[James RookyardMember]

Nothing better than watching someone who can really ride a bike in the scrub! Best bit is a good rider that has nothing to prove and can whip everyone on a 125 lol.
Sounds like a ride you will remember for a long time!
I like reading his results and seeing the good old Northern Inland results way back in the beginning.
Dirtbikes are just the best!
Actually that reminds me of seeing Jeff Liesk riding at our local track Bullindah years ago. He was years past his prime but he just blew the fastest local rider into the weeds. its a sand track so was just like the WA tracks he would have grown up riding. I just stood there and wondered how some people can just make a bike do a track in a gear higher than everyone else and not even raise a sweat?

[James RookyardMember]

Nice stack Troy! Made the shot of the day
They had better give Fish the lead ride next year on that team.

[James RookyardMember]

11:1 compression is high! No room for error there. Sounds like its running lean under extreme load. Bigger main jet might help. Apparently a bigger main jet would have helped reduce the chance of my 450 doing its big end bearing as it also used to ping under load.

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