Save the trip to Baker

[R6Richard]

Went to Mount Baker today. It is absolutely gorgeous up there and not busy at all. There are still many patches of snow and the heather is in perfect bloom now. I saw the usual bear and ravens. Unfortunately, you can leave the sport bike at home: the only sporty riding is on the newer pavement at the top (I took the R6). (Actually, there was an abandoned Gold Wing on its side in the bush on the way back, whatever that means. There's a fresh bag lunch with it, too.) Crews are working on over sixty (60) culverts and you can expect gravel crossing the road at each one. There are numerous "Motorcycles (sic) use extreme caution" signs and just as many candles. Some of the signs where the gravel crosses the road just say 'bump.' It turns out they don't have nearly enough signs and local kids are throwing them down ravines. Don't procreate; ride a motorcycle. Additionally they will soon be digging up bad sections of asphalt (up to three feet thick, purportedly) for repair. The work is scheduled to end late October. That means you can have a nice sporty ride up there in just over a year's time: the paving won't BEGIN until summer 2005.

[Kwota]

hmmm sounds like the '99. its just a bad time to own a sportbike in vancouver. earl's cove is a good ride; take the ferry to gibsons from horseshoe and go for a day rip, although for me its just another reason to go to the darkside and motard! i'm just waiting on some final parts before i too can savage the streets...

[R6Richard]

It's a bad time because I got two tickets in the last little while. Also, one of my favourite turns near Miller Road, the one that sweeps back toward the swing bridge, just got oiled badly by paving equipment.
Hwy 99 is fantastic compared to the Baker road.
The pavement on the highway between Lillooet and Lytton is really rough, too. I recommend the Lytton - Cache Creek - Lillooet route instead.
Thanks for the Earl's Cove idea. Ferries aren't my favourite, though.

[Kwota]

Just another reason to get on the track ;)

Well, over to the sunshine coast you only have to pay one way I think, and bikes are great to take on since you always get on the next boat.

I'll stick to dirt though for savagery now. I just got the most air I've ever got in my life yesterday in some gravel pit up in Squam. 16 full paces long, ~45-50 feet; I'm cursing the fact that I forgot to bring my camera. It was this pretty gnarly line up this step up ridge with a totally blind landing, and as you cleared this ridge, the ground would just drop away on the other side, although there wasn't really much of a landing (I've got an elbow to show for my troubles from trying to one-up my second launch off it. hitting that thing at the rev limiter in second... whee. riding on the street is pretty tame now unless i'm being a savage. oh well.

[R6Richard]

I sort of agree about the track part. I was at Mission june 21 but had to convert back to street duty; I'm finding it a hassle changing the bike back and forth. Next year I want to have the bike track only BUT there are so few track days here. I'd like track days every weekend. Oh well. Did you fix your second gear?

I didn't know the CR's had rev limiters. For your next jump have a buddy video it for review when you're 90 years old.

[Kwota]

Yeah, the motor's fixed but now I've broken down from a wheelie gone wrong:

[R6Richard]

Do I see a two-piece racing clavicle? Sorry to hear. Some people make wheelies on the R6 look easy; I'm not one of them. Is the bike more broken than you? When do you expect to be on track again?

[Kwota]

actually theres a 3rd piece in the middle that looks like a piece of pizza. the r6 is pretty easy to wheelie for long perriods of time, but i've changed my gearing to 16/51, same as 15/48, stock is 16/48. it helps give you some grunt out of the corners and loft that front wheel easier. i think i still have a lot to learn about wheelies, but to give you some indication of where i am i popped one up on my r6 last week at 30km/h in first and holding a consistant angle on the bike, ran it up to 155km/h in second or third (?) dont remember which, where i basically decided that that was fast enough and brought the front end down smoothly. i've been working on my throttle control in a wheelie, and just learned that when the front starts to come down, instead of chopping the throttle, you aggressively roll it on to wot; the front will kind of float down gently and you'll add 30+ feet to your wheelie. my neighbour is a bit of a savage on a bike and can turn corners in a wheelie, so thats what time trying to learn, or will be when i get back on a bike.

this happened on my crf450, i went a little past the high balance point on a wheelie and as i was fighting to throw my weight forward i started veering towards the corner post of my neighbours new sturdy fence. i tried to hit my rear brake twice and missed the lever both times and had to chuck the bike into his carport to throw myself out of the way. i just missed the corner by a few inches, slid about 10 feet on my back, and hit my head on a speed bump's sharp edge. it was my dumbass fault i was only wearing shorts and skate shoes, and i've got a lot of sweet rash. the bike just has a bent handlebar and a couple of very minor scrapes. dirtbikes crash very very well compared to the r6. my seasons over for a minimum of 8 weeks, asnd probably wont be riing for 3 months minimum; i'm going to get strong first so dont just get back on and brake it again cause its weak.

[R6Richard]

Sorry to hear you're off the bike for so long. It makes me think of Hacking, how he recrashed in Superstock. Did you see that? Pain. What is the pizza slice bit? You'll be spending a lot of time on this board!
I've never been any good at wheelies; I guess it's pyschological. Part of it is that I don't like high rev's with no load, even if breif. Sounds like your wheelie skills are pretty good.
I remember my first street bike crash: totalled the bike. Very different from dirt bikes, which you just get back on after kicking the levers straight. I felt cheated. What a difference, eh? Especially in cost.
So when do you expect/hope to be on the (roadracing) track next?