Just when you think bigger...
Just when you think bigger is better and new rules, L.A. Sleeve shows up with an '06 debored to a 400. It works! Michael Vanderlip agrees.
As expected, the trail section of the testing allowed the 530 to shine brightly for Kramer and Finley.
Kramer: "I love these bikes, and I really like this one with the exception of the tank. The tank tester at IMS must be short, because this one is wide right between my knees. I thought the engine and suspension were a bonus over stock. I wouldn't say the suspension blew me away like the 250X, but for a big, powerful and relatively heavy bike, this thing rocks."
Finley is a light rider and as close to the average rider in size as you can get, and he isn't a big-bore guy usually, but he coped fine here. "The Rocky Mountain MC crew did a really good job with this bike," he began. "It had balanced suspension, ergos and the 530 motor is incredible. The bike turned well and just did everything right. For such a big motor, it didn't feel like a big bike on the trail." Keefer claimed the bike felt big and didn't want to rev on the Escargot test, yet he turned his second fastest (KTM 300 XC-W(e) was faster) time of the test.
Yet again we see the importance of clear communication with the company dialing in your race bike. Had we weighted the trail test more, the 530 would have been ranked higher, but most of the places the RM/Pro Cycle bike was rated down had more to do with the fact that the bike is essentially big, powerful and, while it's in fact lighter than the WR450F or the Honda CRF450X, feels big for a tight, closed-course race. Excessive power has that kind of effect. But if you have long miles to cover in a day, look for a gentle giant. -Karel Kramer
Mark Kalpakoff, Michael Vanderlip,...
Mark Kalpakoff, Michael Vanderlip, Justin Jones and Gary Jones.
#119 L.A. Sleeve
Honda CRF400X
Outdated Or Underrated?
One thing we do here at Dirt Rider is live in the real world. We know not everyone is living high on the hog and cashing in with a new ride every year, let alone dumping loads of dough into that ride. (Yes, that's why we call them Dream Rides!) So we got an interesting entry from L.A. Sleeve: They wanted to bring out the test bike from the 2006 DR 24-Hour, then a CRF430 but now debored to a CRF400X. We told them to come on out.
They'd redecorated the bike a bit from 2006 but it was the same tried-and-true '06 CRF under the pretty skin. OK, so the pretty skin cost a bit, just look up the price list, but L.A. Sleeve didn't want to bring an ugly duckling to the party. As far as true needed maintenance the bike was due for a head rebuild as it had been through a brutal 24-hour race at Glen Helen and its fair share of GPs. The piston got fresh rings while the cylinder was off and that was all.
It came armed with a seven-inch RTT HID Destroyer headlight for the duration of the test, and that was the first thing riders noticed and truthfully the first thing they felt through the bar. It adds a bit of weight and, combined with the steering damper, you can feel it.
 Taking a little boost away...  Taking a little boost away from a 450X added fun factor in technical riding. | 
Justin Jones | |
The Escargot was the only weak point of this bike through the whole testing regime as it fought the front end pushing and the weight in the bar on the flat bermless turn. Yet as soon as you get used to it, as test riders quickly did, it wasn't all that bad, even in EnduroCross. The one thing that was missing was a set of hand guards. This is what happens when motocross guys build off-road bikes, but they learned quickly in EnduroCross and out on our trail!
Being unpumped to a 400 made this CRF a very manageable ride in every other test. In the drag race it was, "a little soft and very . at compared to 450s. It pulls the third gear roll-on fine but is unimpressive, ditto in the drag race. Very little wheel lift, very little spin," is what I wrote in my notes.
Metzger was surprised in the EnduroCross: "It was very easy to get over the hard obstacles using the soft suspension with good rebound to bounce over the rocks and logs. Lighter to maneuver than expected. Great delivery on the clutch."
And the headlight even helped Robie Peterson on the hillclimb, "It let me get my weight back farther than the other bikes without the front end coming up."
Mike Metzger | 
Justin Jones | 
Michael Vanderlip |