We Can Listen, Too - Dirt Rider Magazine

We love to hear ourselves talk and read our own words. For a goof, every once in a while we listen to somebody else-in this instance by reading your letters. So keep the syllables down and Letter Rip!Letter Of The Month
Watts On Your Mind?
I appreciate Shane Watts' contribution to the BlueRibbon Coalition. In your Tear Offs section (March '08 issue) Watts was quoted as saying, "Riding is a privilege and we all must do our part..." That's a great quote, except for the word "privilege." In this great United States of America it is our right, not a privilege, to be able to use our public lands responsibly. Too many politicians and anti-groups would have us think of this as an allowed privilege. It's in fact one of our rights that we continually have to fight for. Public lands belong to us. I hope that all those we share the trails with will take pride and ownership in what's ours.
Jay Bangerter
Blackfoot, IDRight on! Jay, you just won yourself a set of Thor Pro Circuit riding gear. That's a privilege, and you don't have to share it. -Jimmy Lewis****YZ250...XC?
Why doesn't Yamaha make an off-road two-stroke? KTM pretty much owns the off-road world. YZ250s are still big in off-road riding (Barry Hawk, Charlie Mullins), so wouldn't an XC version of the YZ250 be a big seller? I would buy one in a heartbeat, even if it put me in debt.
Tyler BrumitYamaha did sell an XC version of the YZ250 for many years. It was called the WR, and if it had been a great seller, you can be sure that Yamaha would still be selling it. The sales numbers didn't justify upgrades as frequently as the YZ saw. As soon as the YZ platform was more trick than the WR, the WR didn't sell-even when it was clearly a better choice for an off-road race bike. Although KTM is clearly one of the big five manufacturers now, the company is able to function with model runs that are much smaller than the Japanese manufacturers. As a result, KTM can keep its off-road bikes right at the edge of technology, or at least on par with its best motocross models. -Karel Kramer****Lucky Guy!
I'm not going to get into Dirt Rider's separation of advertising and editorial here, but I had to write in after seeing the ad on the inside back cover of the March issue. I've been reading Mark Kariya's articles and seeing his awesome photos for as long as I can remember. I've seen him at work at several different off-road events and each time Mark was dressed the same-like he was ready for work! For all that he has done for motojournalism, it's good to actually see Mark sitting on a motorcycle, geared up to go for a ride!
Dave Edwards
Alachua, FLIt's really gratifying to know that dirt-riding enthusiasts appreciate the work I've done and continue to do, though I've never been in it to be famous. At times, it hardly feels like a real job and I consider myself extremely lucky to make a living doing it. On the other hand, it really cuts into personal riding time-a lament familiar to many in the motorcycle industry (racers and test riders being the exception, of course). While that photo was set up for the ad, be assured that I do enjoy any time I get to spend on two wheels! -Mark Kariya (Fulltime freelance photojournalist/part-time model)Two-Stroke/Four-Stroke Debate Fuel
I read with great interest the article describing Ryan Orr's attempt to qualify for a National motocross on the two-stroke RM250 (Nov. '07). And I have one question: Could Ryan have quali-fi ed if he had been riding a 450 that was equally as well prepared as the 250 he rode?
Dennis Eaton
Imperial, MO

Rather than guess, we went to Ryan Orr...and let him guess.
Here's what he said:
"The following Monday after the race, we did the bike test on privateer four-strokes ("National Caliber!" Sept. '07). The course prep was the same as for the Saturday qualifying practice sessions except that it had rained all Sunday night. The track was way more slippery and a little harder to ride. In the earliest sessions when we were able to put whole laps in, I was able to turn 2:14s on any of the bikes. That's without doing a few of the jumps. As the day went on, the track conditions got better, lines developed and I was able to do all the jumps, and my lap times dropped to as low as a 2:08. The slowest qualifying lap to make it into the main on Sunday had been 2:17.531. I know that on Monday no one was on the track to get in the way, and the guy with the stopwatch could've been getting whiskey thumb, but that still gives three seconds to spare on my worst lap. I also feel that the 450's power delivery as well as its torque gives it a big advantage, especially when having to power through the deeper, muddier course prep of an AMA National."Neck-ed Lies!
Your January '08 issue's "In The Next Issue" mentions a neck brace guide. Am I missing something? I cannot fi nd this article in the February or March issue.
Pete RichardHouston, TXYou aren't missing it because we haven't done it yet. Since we announced that, a lot of interesting data (and new neck braces) have come out, some of it good and some of it shocking. We want to provide readers with the most accurate and current information out there, so we put off that guide until even more new braces arrive and more testing information is released. Sorry we teased and didn't deliver. -Jimmy****How Big Is A Nugget?
hey whats up DR i've been riding sice i waz 4 and now im 12 and a half i race desert but I dont have a sponcer but all my friends do im in How Big Is A Nugget? the middle of one right now well i mean there thinking about it i waz just wondering if i could have like 4 or 5 DR stickers if u guys can. Rock on and ride red! thanx alot. Gunner CardinalSorry, but we only sponsor riders who can spell and capitalize six out of every 10 words right. And if you get nine out of 10, we'll give you a job here where all you do is ride brand-new dirt bikes. -Jimmyhey dude i wuz useing texting slang and 4 one i waznt asking 4 a sponcer i wuz asking 4 like a sticker or 2 like i see kids wrighing to you in your guyses mag but i wont see that any more cuz i wii NEVER buy or suscribe to it again cuz i thought u guys were nice not butt nuggets but i was wrong u guys r huge butt nuggets!!!!
Gunner CardinalI don't really think we're huge butt nuggets, per se. I think we're (at least Jimmy and Pete are) average-size your guyses mag but i wont see that any more cuz i wii NEVER buy or suscribe to it again cuz I thought u guys were nice not butt nuggets but I was wrong u guys r huge butt nuggets!!!! Gunner Cardinal butt nuggets. Besides, a HUGE butt nugget wouldn't really be a nugget. It'd be a butt chunk, a butt slab or maybe a butt loaf. But not a butt nugget. That seems like a small piece of butt stuff. Here's my point: It's impossible to be a huge butt nugget because HUGE and NUGGET contradict one another. That's all.
-Jesse ZieglerP.S. Gunner, your stickers are on the way!]Win This!
Next month's best letter writer will be covered regardless of their age with either this RXR Protect V1.0 Pro or an RX Kid protector.Please send all mail to drmail@sourceinterlink. com or Dirt Rider, Attn: Letter Rip!, 2570 E. Cerritos Ave., Anaheim, CA 92806. You must include your contact info if you expect to get the Letter of the Month prize should yours get selected. And no, we don't just pick letters without contact info so we can keep the prize! All letters may be edited at our discretion.