Since October 1 started the "Red Sticker" riding season in California, I was eager for a ride on my Honda CRF250R offroad motorcycle. The CRF250R is a "Red Sticker" bike by California standards, so I can only ride from October 1 to May 30 in most local SVRA areas.
It was getting very crowded when I arrived at Hollister Hills SVRA on Saturday, October 1, 2016. It looked like a lot of other riders had the same idea.
Once I unloaded my bike, I tried to start it. It has been sitting idle for a long time (since May), so it took a few attempts. The CRF250R only has a manual start, so it requires patience to get it going. It took me half a dozen cranks to get the engine started (even with the choke out).
Once I started it and ran it for a while, I rode a few laps on the nearby Classic track to familiarize myself with the controls. Unlike the Honda CRF150F, I rode at the Intro to Dirt class with Brian Garrahan the week before, the CRF250R is heavier, taller, and more powerful. It took me some time to adjust to its power and sensitivity. The brakes on the CRF250R are far more powerful (and sensitive). Locking up the rear wheel is really easy now.
After some time, I headed to the TT track to ride a few laps (to practice all the bike handling skills Brian taught me last week). Applying body movement, bike lean, and smooth shifting techniques took me a while. It's incredible how quickly one forgets everything!
Here is a GoPro 4 Silver video I shot of my first ride at the TT Track. The TT track is a great place to practice all Motorcycle handling techniques.
After getting some water (it was getting a bit hot), I returned to ride on the following tracks:
It was getting very crowded when I arrived at Hollister Hills SVRA on Saturday, October 1, 2016. It looked like a lot of other riders had the same idea.
Once I unloaded my bike, I tried to start it. It has been sitting idle for a long time (since May), so it took a few attempts. The CRF250R only has a manual start, so it requires patience to get it going. It took me half a dozen cranks to get the engine started (even with the choke out).
Once I started it and ran it for a while, I rode a few laps on the nearby Classic track to familiarize myself with the controls. Unlike the Honda CRF150F, I rode at the Intro to Dirt class with Brian Garrahan the week before, the CRF250R is heavier, taller, and more powerful. It took me some time to adjust to its power and sensitivity. The brakes on the CRF250R are far more powerful (and sensitive). Locking up the rear wheel is really easy now.
After some time, I headed to the TT track to ride a few laps (to practice all the bike handling skills Brian taught me last week). Applying body movement, bike lean, and smooth shifting techniques took me a while. It's incredible how quickly one forgets everything!
Here is a GoPro 4 Silver video I shot of my first ride at the TT Track. The TT track is a great place to practice all Motorcycle handling techniques.
After getting some water (it was getting a bit hot), I returned to ride on the following tracks:
- Old Ranch Road to the Traffic Circle
- Four Corners
- Fault Line
These roads were a lot of fun, and I rode them multiple times to get more familiar with the terrain. They are all intermediate trails, and nothing was complicated. I managed to stall the CRF250R a few times, and restarting it is always a pain. How I miss the electric start!
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