Group, Just got back from The Penton GNCC held in MUD-Field...I mean Millfield. Wow! what a race. I finished 19th in class and 63rd overall out of 248 entered. I'll take it, 38 years old, only my 3rd GNCC , first race on the V-Force, and/or major race in 12 some years.

I got a bad start, actually felt like I was stuck for about 2 seconds off from the starting line. Once I got going I got T-boned in the first turn and spun. I think by the time we hit the woods I was pretty much towards the rear of the class. The first lap was going good at first as I started to make up lost ground, but around 1/2-way thru the lap I endo-ed big time on a whooped out section in a field. It was one of those slow motion type endo's, rode the front wheels for a second or two, then the quad settled back on all four ...and so did I, just not on the quad though. I thought at first I broke my RH wrist , but it still moved so I got going again. The wrist swelled bad, but really no pain, I was about six minutes off the leaders on the first lap. The second and third lap were total "chaos...there was quads stuck everywhere, on the trails and hills.... "Just to finish" this race was an accomplishment, I feel good that I did finish and on the lead lap also, but way down on time. I was one of the last few to run the total 3 laps. I got caught up in several bottlenecks. I was running allover trying to "find or make" alternate routes to get thru...total chaos...I don't know what the heck those winning riders like Penland, Howell and the rest of those guys/gals do to get thru these jams....they know something I haven't figured out or learned yet. The track was the deepest, rutted out, slimiest, and smeary mess I think I have ever ridden on. By the 3rd lap the small streams turned into gushing streams and I went thru one that almost floated me down the stream and also almost turned me over, ( while I was looking for alternate route at a major jam up). My eyes were full of muddy water and mud during and after the race. Today they are still burning, swollen, and red.

So how did the V-Force do....awesome! I did not get stuck "once" or have any trouble climbing anything at the race. Other than my over the bars trip and all of the bottle necks that I encountered, I had no problems with my V-Force. The V-Force was much less fatiguing to ride then my C-Dale in this type of race. The suspension faded real bad by lap 2 and I am going to definitely get some new front shocks. Any type of deep rut or ditch crossing had my fronts thumping and bottoming out. I ran them on their second setting. I thought I had the front and rears adjusted fairly well, they did feel good at first , but just seemed to go away...mainly the fronts. I also had some problems with the front end pushing, but I think this was caused from the smeary conditions. I did manage to get left arm pump...and how is, I thought after riding my new V-Force for the last several weeks that I had trained myself that the left hand lever is a brake and not a clutch...., DUH!! It took me until about 1/2 way thru the first lap to re-make a mental note about this/that, I caught myself feathering the brake while climbing a hill..."LOL". I guess old habits are just hard to break.

However, for all those that ever second guessed this auto tranny thing, man I'm telling you, "this is the way to go" for these long endurance races, and add in the "reverse" and I did not have to get off my bike, but only a couple of times, and that was to move other riders quads out of the way.

My two sons age 11/15 also did a great job pitting for me, and got me all set with new gloves, goggles, and fuel in about a minute after lap two. They loved the job and it allowed them to be part of the race too.

I am completely convinced that with some better suspension that this V-Force is and was the right choice for me!!! Very very satisfied. Good job Kawy...great quad!! Heck Japan/California Kawy reps even came over to talk to me after the race, took some pictures and asked for my impute...cool

Now if I could just learn a few secrets/tips to get thru the jam ups/bottle necks, I might actually be able to keep those fast riders in site....hhhmm is there some secret alternate routes that maybe only a few select teams or riders know of??? LOL...how about it Team Green what's the secret??....yeah right like they are going to tell me/us. Probably just good old fashioned "ride your a$$ off tricks".

I have some pictures I will post to my page later, gotta go clean the mud from the Big V and my gear.

Had a blast and if my schedule allows I will be at Virginia and if not there, I will definitely runn the Wisp....later Tarrat

 

Congratulations on your result. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Great job on the race. I raced the round 6 in PA and had the time of my life. And yes the V-Force does awesome in these type of races. After my race, I came to a conclusion that the V-Force needs three things. 1) Stronger tie-rods. I bent mine on the first lap. I know some say Kawi made them this way so nothing more expensive would break. But you don't hear of any other stock tie rods bending, and those atv's aren't breaking anything else. At least make them as stong as the other makes. 2) A front bumper that covers the radiator, and stonger brackets. In my race, I just bump into a guy, and didn't think much about it, untill after the race. The black piece in front of the radiator was cracked, the radiator was shifted, and the front bumper was bent. If I hit the guy any harder, I would have taken out my radiator. I did all of this in the dark tunnel, in which I was only going about 2mph. For those that were there, know what I mean. The two little brackets on the side bent way to easy. Most other atv's front bracket is part of the frame, the 700 is held on by two 1" square tubing welded to the frame. Not much support there. Thats why I'm going with AC bumper, they put in a extra arms on each side to give the bumper more support. It didn't look like Pro Armor did this. It looks like they use the same brackets as stock. Again, not very strong. 3) Tarrat hit it right, the suspension. Right now, the 700 has more power then what the suspension can handle. You can have all the power in the world, but if you don't have the suspension to tame it, it won't do you much good. That's why my first major mod is new shocks all the way around. Other then these three things, the 700 to me has been the best atv that I have owned. I'm having way too much fun on this atv. I've allready fixed the first item, and both the 2nd and 3rd hopefully will be here by next weekend.

 

Tarrat ......... Thanks for the review ! I enjoyed reading of your adventure. I sometimes think
I would like to be in a GNCC race..... but at age 52, it might just be a dream.

I heard that someone there had a a rear motor mount problem .... do you know anything about that?

How did you keep the mud out of the radiator ???


Thanks again

 

Tarrat--Nice meeting you at the race, as far as secrets of getting through them I am still trying to figure them out. I was jammed up about every 5 minutes. They had the coarse screwed up on the second lap and I made the same little mile loop 4 times in one lap and dropped back to around 16th spot. I was just happy I still managed to get 2nd. That race was not about riding ability, it was about how you rolled your dice and got through the bottlenecks and partial luck, even though you typically make your luck. Hope to see you at Virginia!

 

Thanks, Guys.....

Cool 3TV, I would love to ride a desert type race. I think I am going to try and ride the 12 hours of America this year. I think that will be about has close as I can get to that type of racing. Good luck this weekend,...hope its on the Big -V, none the less fill us in afterwards.....

Thanks GE4x4, yep I agree, just buy yourself a V, do those three things and you can be a full blown GNCC'er with basically a stock bike. The heavy duty T-rods worked great, I didn't really hit anything too hard with my wheels, track wasn't really all that tight, but did smack a few dead quads in the way though....

HEY V-Forcer, don't let the age thing stop you, I mean come on anybody that buys and rides a V-Force in their 50's can't really be all that old. You should really try one. Just do it for fun like I do and do the best you can.

Yes, I did see the 2 broken frame welds on two orange V-forces there at the Kawi Booth. It basically looked like the welds themselves had cracked , but not the frame. From what I could see it looked like there was no frame separation ...just bad welds. I checked mine after the race and found nothing on mine, in fact the Kawi Reps had me wipe the area and it was inspected.

Note: the welds on the orange v-forces that were cracked , looked different than on mine. Mine are more of a bead type weld and the cracked welds were sort of cupped and dished out looking welds....I'm guessing this may have been a production run screw up on a run of quads. It would be interesting to know if the two v-forces there, were close in production dates.

The radiator...I made a bumper from some 4130 the night before, since my front IMS bumper wasn't ready yet. I then zip tied a piece of lexan to the front of it as a shield. Worked great....you can see the pix of it on my page.

I Put some pix of the race on my page...check-em out if you like.....

The GNCC Round 7 Mud Fest Pix

Thanks Team Green, nice to meet you to,

That race was not about riding ability, it was about how you rolled your dice and got through the bottlenecks and partial luck, even though you typically make your luck.

VERY WELL said....no wonder... you are a winning rider, and how right you are about making your own "luck" that applies to everything you do in life...now if I could just confince my kids of that....

I didn't mean to imply anybody was getting special treatment ( just sort of razzing)....you guys are just that good!

Yea, I plan on running the rest of the schedule as long as I can squeeze "em" all into my schedule. The next round and the one in PA. will be the most conflicting schedules for me.

Hey I know!!! I am going to take a rope and "when or if" I get close enough to one of you guys, I'll just tie on and learn....LOL!

Later...tarrat

 

Kawasaki's Doug D was a great guy and the japanese were very nice also at Millfield...I had broken rear mounts and they said they would take care of it! And also after the race they asked of any input i had for the V...made me feel special! Cant wait till the Virginia race...Hopefully its dry this time.

 

I am really pleased too hear how Kawi is supporting this new quad.

I think the Yamaha boys could take a lesson from this.

Tarrat .... I ran in a Hare Scramble a little over a year ago with my P650. It was
a blast. I may have to try that again with this KFX. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]