Story and photos Karel KramerRandy Hawkins grew up in a small town in South Carolina called Travelers Rest. Even without his multiple national enduro championships, Hawkins would be well-known in the area thanks to his successful family and their various enterprises and industries. He can’t go anywhere in town without being greeted by name. The [...]
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By the time Anaheim One rolled around there was plenty of drama in the pits and on the track. Two of the major players–Chad Reed and James Stewart–were on new teams, and you could even argue that Kevin Windham and Ryan Villopoto were on new bikes since the Honda is so radically changed and RV [...]
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We hear so much about people on the internet that are mentally lost in cyberspace, but that doesn’t apply to the folks that frequent DR.com. Paul B from Montana makes an annual pilgrimage to his roots in the desert of California, and he threw out an open invite to any and all on the DR.com [...]
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You know those “They can take my guns when they pry them from my cold, dead hands” bumper stickers? I’m not actually ready to die for the KTM 450 XC, but they will have to pry my hands away from the grips. Honestly, after the initial introduction to the XC lineup, I felt they would [...]
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For many riders the joy of riding a Honda is experiencing the excellent riding position and control feel of the bike. This Honda, like so many others, excels at interfacing with humans. MSRP: $7499.00Claimed Weight (tank full): 269 lb. Actual Weight (tank full): 273 lb. Seat Height: 37.6 inchesFootpeg Height: 15.7Ground Clearance: 13.5Street Legal (y/n): [...]
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TokyomodsStainless Steel ValvesDedicated readers may remember the CRF450R engine rebuild story that Dirt Rider did working with Tokyomods (Oct. ’06). One facet of the story was the decision to install stainless steel valves in place of the stockers. We were looking for longer valve life, and we now have 150 hours on the Tokyomods valves [...]
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One of the good reasons to buy a KTM is the adjustability of the rider position. The exception would be if you wanted a different height bar. Enduro Engineering has come up with a $39.95 answer to the problem. The EE KTM bar riser kit is a set of precision-machined spacers to go under the [...]
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Wraparound hand guards have come a long way in terms of comfort, convenience and installation. Yet most brands still use some type of expanding wedge to secure the end of the guard to the handlebar. G2 Ergos has an innovative method of attaching aluminum guards to the end of an aluminum handlebar. The kit is [...]
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Calling a product an Arm-Pump Eliminator (APE) is a bold move.Now, I’m not sure whether handlebar ends have been straight for decades or centuries, but Nuetech has a product that curves the end of the handlebar-a shape claimed to better suit the anatomy than a straight bar-thus eliminating dreaded arm-pumpage.The first thing anyone asks is, [...]
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I’ve hit the garage to put fresh knobs on my bike many times, but these Pillow Top grips mark the first time the “knobbies” were for the handlebar. I like a grip that offers good glove traction, but many grips that have glove grip also irritate my hands. ProTaper’s Pillow Top grip has the cushion [...]
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There are a variety of choices for flag-style hand guards at the moment. A great new choice is the Universal Flak Shield from Pro Moto Billet. The guard is a combination of two parts. The shield part is a plastic flag offering good roost and weather protection with a molded-in, rib-reinforced socket on the back. [...]
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I’m a tool nut, and I had never heard of a rethreader. With modern bikes getting lighter and parts getting thinner, I keep metric taps handy to finesse messed-up threads. I even stock common sizes in my track box. But some boogered threads in a crank nut sent me searching for an odd size. Not [...]
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It is said that one man’s dream is another man’s nightmare. That saying makes a lot of sense when it comes to Dirt Rider Dream Rides. Some are full moto while others are dedicated off-roaders. Many look rad and different. What most have in common is bling. However, this rare and exotic Moto House YZ250F [...]
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At one time a Husqvarna four-stroke was the most prized off-road ride in my garage, and it would have been my first choice for any off-road race. But that was a long time ago. Now, not even the country of origin remains the same for this latest Husky. The machines come from Italy, as they [...]
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I was born into a dirt bike
These days when kids make the jump
HILLSDALE, Mich., (Nov. 7, 2011) – It’s
This is how Carson and his friends
