Should of - Would of
Dec 14, 2005 | 09:04 PM
#1
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Should of - Would of
During my brief 36 years on this planet I've learned a great deal about life, love, sadness and joy. I've learned more than I wanted to about some people and not nearly enough from others. As with each of my hobbies over the years, it seems that me being a moron tends to be somewhat of a constant. No matter how clear and perfect the information in front of me seemed to be, I always took what I wanted out of it, and molded into something that I wanted to hear. Many of you are probably in the same boat as I am. And for some reason, it's one of the hardest boats to disembarc.
During my search for the ultimate hobby there has always been a set of constants that seem to orbit my feeble brain.
Constant #1 No matter how fast you're going now, you'll always want to go faster.
Constant #2 No matter how many times you plan your budget you ALWAYS go over it.
Constant #3 No matter how good you think you are, there is ALWAYS someone better.
Constant #4 There aren't too many people smarter than you or dumber than you, it's how the knowledge that they have is applied.
The first three constants are what I would like to address in this blog. I've called it a personallity flaw in a previous piece and I'd like to hold true to that, even though it tends to be more prevelant among men my age.I don't care if I'm driving my Cummins Dodge, my quad, a sportbike, boat, a race car etc. etc. I always think that I should be going faster. I used to think that I would be completely at peace pulling my Toybox up Baker Grade at 50mph. After achieved 50mph, the next step was 65mph. I thought that if I could do the speed limit, I would never want for more. Well the green grass of the 70mph club looked much greener than my pueny 65. I have now hit the illusive 75mph barriar, and believe it or not,... I want more. The difference between me and EVERYONE else is that I dump money into a project and not listen to those around me. I tend to drift into my own fantasy world of "I know best". And over the years that has cost me a great deal of food money for the kids. Now to be fair to myself, some of the duplicate purchases through the years were due to technology. That first Tape Deck that I bought from Nakamichi (The Dragon if I remember right) set me back over a grand, only to be replaced two years later with a $200 cd player from Service Merhandise. The latter of the two played better, sounded better and had NEVER went bad. Those are the easy ones to swallow.... some are a little more difficult.
I've been into sand sports for about 3 years now, and at first glance, I've made some pretty good choices. But if the Sand Police ever looked deeper into my skeleton-filled closet, they'ed be horrified. The basic problem here is that we all want everything for nothing, and the compramises that we make along the way end up costing us twice as much. I can count no less than 12 cheap flag/whips that I've purchased over the years just so that I would have to spend the money on the lifetime warranty whip w/quick release. I'll chalk that up to about $150.00 in that short 36 months just on sticks with flags. I've purchased carbs, pistons, pipes, bars, gaskets, and I'm sure a pint or two of snake oil... trying to go fast for cheap. I've paid for countless dyno runs and tuning sessions just to find out that I maid less than I had hoped for or that I had produced prior to the big wallet drop. I've tried different fuels, different tires and better cloths because they were the newest, lightest or garanteed to make me king of the hill. And while I'm a stones throw away from being a moron at any one second during the day, I think that I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I recently wrote an article about HPR's 730 kit (See "The Big Easy") trying to give my genuine account of how the kit came together, performed as well as how easy the process was. And I'm glad to report that I have not had the buyers remorse that I'd had so often felt on past purchases. After a month of playing with the motor and dialing my monster in, the light is not only shining, but's it's blinding me. No matter how much I'd like to ignore it, the fact is that I am 6'10" and 310lbs. I will ALWAYS be slow!!!!! No matter how much money I dump into the mighty DS, I'll always be the big freak on the "little quad". While I'm in therapy for just such reflections, the help I've recieved over the last couple of months has put some spring into my step, and a little pep in my pipe.
Have you ever had that feeling of bliss when everything seems to have come together? That feeling that "oh, that's right on the button". It's more of a feeling than anything else. More than just thinking that your on target, it's KNOWING you hit the mark. With my latest additions to my quad, the feeling is there. Unfortunately it has me sick with a bad case of the "WANTS". I had an opportunity to install some of HPR's HR3 cams in the mighty Rotax the other day, and what a difference a day makes. I had previously ran a 110 grind, 109 ginds an A1/A2 combo and had been mildly happy with each. The HR3 cams have given me that "on the button" feeling once again. I'm not going to sit here and lie to my Sand Sport brotheren and say that my BigDaddyDS is 10 lenghts faster or that I'm the fastest 4-stroke on the west coast. I wouldn't do that to ya.... I will say that my DS has NEVER ran better. While my other cams and combos worked, they only worked to an extent. Never across the entire RPM band, and never so smooth. As big as I am, wheelies were never a real problem. I ONLY got the front end up when I wanted and in first and second gear. That has changed, and fairly dramatically I might add. First gear seems to be rather unchanged from the 730/combo before, but second through fourth is a different ball game all together. The wheels come up in everything but fifth, and do so VERY easily when thumb pressure is applied. Note that this was without re-tuning the Lectron HV48. I'm sure that the results will change yet again with a quick tweak here and there. I also noticed that the smoothness to which the RPM's ramped was most impressive. At no time did I feel like I shifted to early or late. Idle was extremely steady and the pulling from 2k to 8.5K never changed. I didn't get a chance to hold the beast wide open due to break in recommendations. To be honest though, I probably would have but once the quad get's into the 60mph range, you start to run out of room real quick on straight patches of road. I'm sure through testing and tuning and HPR's support, 730 is capable of much more. For now, I have to settle for the fact that I'm not 5'2" and 130lbs. I have to realize that I'm never going to have a fair chance against the 13 year old on the hopped-up Raptor. But little victories like mine have gone a long way to achieving happyness. I just wish that I would have spent the money once instead of 4 or 5 times.
For those of you who are contimplating motor mods, do your research. There is more than one game in town, and make sure that you are getting the answers you are looking for. Make sure that you will get the support that you have paid for. Don't make the mistakes I've made. Buy smart, be smart and ride smart.
During my search for the ultimate hobby there has always been a set of constants that seem to orbit my feeble brain.
Constant #1 No matter how fast you're going now, you'll always want to go faster.
Constant #2 No matter how many times you plan your budget you ALWAYS go over it.
Constant #3 No matter how good you think you are, there is ALWAYS someone better.
Constant #4 There aren't too many people smarter than you or dumber than you, it's how the knowledge that they have is applied.
The first three constants are what I would like to address in this blog. I've called it a personallity flaw in a previous piece and I'd like to hold true to that, even though it tends to be more prevelant among men my age.I don't care if I'm driving my Cummins Dodge, my quad, a sportbike, boat, a race car etc. etc. I always think that I should be going faster. I used to think that I would be completely at peace pulling my Toybox up Baker Grade at 50mph. After achieved 50mph, the next step was 65mph. I thought that if I could do the speed limit, I would never want for more. Well the green grass of the 70mph club looked much greener than my pueny 65. I have now hit the illusive 75mph barriar, and believe it or not,... I want more. The difference between me and EVERYONE else is that I dump money into a project and not listen to those around me. I tend to drift into my own fantasy world of "I know best". And over the years that has cost me a great deal of food money for the kids. Now to be fair to myself, some of the duplicate purchases through the years were due to technology. That first Tape Deck that I bought from Nakamichi (The Dragon if I remember right) set me back over a grand, only to be replaced two years later with a $200 cd player from Service Merhandise. The latter of the two played better, sounded better and had NEVER went bad. Those are the easy ones to swallow.... some are a little more difficult.
I've been into sand sports for about 3 years now, and at first glance, I've made some pretty good choices. But if the Sand Police ever looked deeper into my skeleton-filled closet, they'ed be horrified. The basic problem here is that we all want everything for nothing, and the compramises that we make along the way end up costing us twice as much. I can count no less than 12 cheap flag/whips that I've purchased over the years just so that I would have to spend the money on the lifetime warranty whip w/quick release. I'll chalk that up to about $150.00 in that short 36 months just on sticks with flags. I've purchased carbs, pistons, pipes, bars, gaskets, and I'm sure a pint or two of snake oil... trying to go fast for cheap. I've paid for countless dyno runs and tuning sessions just to find out that I maid less than I had hoped for or that I had produced prior to the big wallet drop. I've tried different fuels, different tires and better cloths because they were the newest, lightest or garanteed to make me king of the hill. And while I'm a stones throw away from being a moron at any one second during the day, I think that I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I recently wrote an article about HPR's 730 kit (See "The Big Easy") trying to give my genuine account of how the kit came together, performed as well as how easy the process was. And I'm glad to report that I have not had the buyers remorse that I'd had so often felt on past purchases. After a month of playing with the motor and dialing my monster in, the light is not only shining, but's it's blinding me. No matter how much I'd like to ignore it, the fact is that I am 6'10" and 310lbs. I will ALWAYS be slow!!!!! No matter how much money I dump into the mighty DS, I'll always be the big freak on the "little quad". While I'm in therapy for just such reflections, the help I've recieved over the last couple of months has put some spring into my step, and a little pep in my pipe.
Have you ever had that feeling of bliss when everything seems to have come together? That feeling that "oh, that's right on the button". It's more of a feeling than anything else. More than just thinking that your on target, it's KNOWING you hit the mark. With my latest additions to my quad, the feeling is there. Unfortunately it has me sick with a bad case of the "WANTS". I had an opportunity to install some of HPR's HR3 cams in the mighty Rotax the other day, and what a difference a day makes. I had previously ran a 110 grind, 109 ginds an A1/A2 combo and had been mildly happy with each. The HR3 cams have given me that "on the button" feeling once again. I'm not going to sit here and lie to my Sand Sport brotheren and say that my BigDaddyDS is 10 lenghts faster or that I'm the fastest 4-stroke on the west coast. I wouldn't do that to ya.... I will say that my DS has NEVER ran better. While my other cams and combos worked, they only worked to an extent. Never across the entire RPM band, and never so smooth. As big as I am, wheelies were never a real problem. I ONLY got the front end up when I wanted and in first and second gear. That has changed, and fairly dramatically I might add. First gear seems to be rather unchanged from the 730/combo before, but second through fourth is a different ball game all together. The wheels come up in everything but fifth, and do so VERY easily when thumb pressure is applied. Note that this was without re-tuning the Lectron HV48. I'm sure that the results will change yet again with a quick tweak here and there. I also noticed that the smoothness to which the RPM's ramped was most impressive. At no time did I feel like I shifted to early or late. Idle was extremely steady and the pulling from 2k to 8.5K never changed. I didn't get a chance to hold the beast wide open due to break in recommendations. To be honest though, I probably would have but once the quad get's into the 60mph range, you start to run out of room real quick on straight patches of road. I'm sure through testing and tuning and HPR's support, 730 is capable of much more. For now, I have to settle for the fact that I'm not 5'2" and 130lbs. I have to realize that I'm never going to have a fair chance against the 13 year old on the hopped-up Raptor. But little victories like mine have gone a long way to achieving happyness. I just wish that I would have spent the money once instead of 4 or 5 times.
For those of you who are contimplating motor mods, do your research. There is more than one game in town, and make sure that you are getting the answers you are looking for. Make sure that you will get the support that you have paid for. Don't make the mistakes I've made. Buy smart, be smart and ride smart.
Dec 14, 2005 | 09:14 PM
#3
Extreme Pro Rider
No Mercy Racing! Got NOS?
No Mercy Racing! Got NOS?
Joined: Mar 2003
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Should of - Would of
MY BROTHA, Reading between the lines, Are you POSSIBLY saying you wished you had a KFX 700 (red) Drag bike???????
I kinda get that feeling cause I have the same.
KEN IS THE MAN!! you know what im talking about. I know what your thinking. And being bigger has more UP sides (no pun intended) then down. When I get Better I can Pilot your Bike to the max. Until then we can just drool over what we shoulda coulda done.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] See ya tomorrow, Get ready and bring your gas mask!!!!!
I kinda get that feeling cause I have the same.
KEN IS THE MAN!! you know what im talking about. I know what your thinking. And being bigger has more UP sides (no pun intended) then down. When I get Better I can Pilot your Bike to the max. Until then we can just drool over what we shoulda coulda done.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] See ya tomorrow, Get ready and bring your gas mask!!!!!
Dec 14, 2005 | 09:59 PM
#6
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 303
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Should of - Would of
bigdaddy331, you are right about the hpr 3 cams i just put a set in mine with ported head and big valves and 14.1 piston all from the hpr guys. have not got it on the dyno yet but had it out the other night. and i can say wow. it pulls hard all the way up past sevengrand have not went to much high on the rpms yet just letting it break in. i have read quite a bit on here and have learned alot from all you guys. and would like to say thank you.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]
Dec 14, 2005 | 10:15 PM
#7
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Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,074
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Should of - Would of
Bigdaddy331, it sucks to finally grow up doesn't it? At 48 I'm still working on it myself[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]
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Dec 14, 2005 | 10:40 PM
#8
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Should of - Would of
for those of you that don't know what the heck Mario is talking about, he's talking about a Vforce that we know of. However that's not what the piece is about. Although, yea.... I'd sell my quad in two secon... make that one second to have Ken's new beast.
thanks for the emails guys. For further info on Lectrons, HPR cams and other mods, talk to the pros. Give Randal a call. They can do their stuff much more justice than I can. For those that have already emailed. I'll get to your questions as quick as I can.
BD
thanks for the emails guys. For further info on Lectrons, HPR cams and other mods, talk to the pros. Give Randal a call. They can do their stuff much more justice than I can. For those that have already emailed. I'll get to your questions as quick as I can.
BD
Dec 14, 2005 | 10:49 PM
#9
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 263
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Should of - Would of
[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] Glad to know I'm not the only one who feels that way Bigdaddy. Never fast enough, not enough disposable income to get to carried away. I too have made some "bad" purchases, before I found this forumn of course[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] At least the other DS owners in my family have learned for my little mistakes and saved alot of cash[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
Dec 14, 2005 | 11:17 PM
#10
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Should of - Would of
Bigdaddy we call the first 3 builds practice. I could of swore that im the one who posted this thread. Im 6ft 3in and 305 next to me you would look skinny. After all my hard work sweat and tears building a bike that you were so proud of and having your wife just crush your happiness. my first build i was so impressed and proud of myself til my wife beat me on a stocker 1 ,2 ,3 i was ahead of them all 4 i can here something coming ,5 dang there she went. i have never seen a bigger smile on her face. You talk about eating some crow pie. After the 3rd time of do it myself she said enough was enough. send the motor all to one builder not 6 different ones. Im about to complete my second 730 build with race everyting and i could not be happier. If you enjoy the power of your bike now throw a 25 shot of nitrous on it unbelievable the only time my 05 x gets ridden is when my wife wants to play on the big bore. We are all in the same boat everyone has had to do it more than once.