My wife and I recently retired from the Air Force with 54 combined years of working fighter aircraft. Our last assignment was at Edwards Air Force Base supporting the F-22 Raptor. The name was one of the reasons I originally bought the Yamaha. I retired because of nagging health issues. Those same health issues have screwed up the last two years of winter dune riding.

After being inspired by the Raptor Family (who coincidently live here in Tucson), their CR730 build and the confidence that I had found a local builder I felt I could trust (Kenz), I dropped the bike off at Kenz Cycle Tech. I did this just before I went in for knee surgery. I’m still hoping that this year I’ll get to ride.

I wanted a mild build that would work for a long time.

The surgery on my knee was only a couple of weeks ago, so when I picked it up Saturday I had my son load it and unload it from the truck. We put it up and didn’t touch it again until today.

After work I stopped to see my doctor I was feeling pretty good when he told me I was ready for physical therapy. I had my own thoughts on physical therapy. I grabbed the keys and took it for a spin around the block. I rode it a couple of laps before my knee started cramping up.

Although I didn’t run it hard, I still loved it. I will report more when I feel more comfortable riding it. At one third throttle I felt more torque than before at WOT.

I tip my hat to Ken and the crew. Speaking of the crew, Randy was running my quad on the dyno in the “crazy hot” Phoenix heat and humidity getting it ready for me, thank you dude.

Chet

 

im sorry but...I HATE YOU!!, i feel real bad about your knee though [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

with that knee you may want to spend some $$ on Elka shocks [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
good luck with the rehab.

 

Or better yet a pair of the Fox air shocks and you can do a report on those too.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
I have Elkas on the front and they're a little stiff for my old bones. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif[/img]

 

Yeah, I'm curious about those fox air shocks too!

 

I'm going with the Fox Shox, Ken is talking with the Rocky Tucker Distributer to work it out for me.

 

Cool[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-cool.gif[/img]

 

SWEEEEET! [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

You think you're happy now. Wait until you line it up with that TRX450R of yours. I was exstatic after racing my buddies piped YFZ450. I can let him get near the half-way point up Olds hill before I leave, and I can still beat him. And that's even with me having a solid 40 pounds on him.[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

I normally won't ride at ludicris speed through the woops on olds. So when my 16yo son lined up with me (I also have 40lbs on him) I couldn't accelerate enough to pass and beat him. It depended on how willing I was to push on through the woops or if he screwed up shifting.

This was after I lowered his countershaft sprocket one tooth and put shorter diameter paddles tires on the 450R. Those changes really woke the 450 up.

I could beat him in a sand drag race. On the hill, his skinny butt had a chance.

My wife yucking it up at the bottom of the hill didn't help the situation and has cost ($$$$) her dearly. I've run out of things to put on my Raptor.

My boy loves his Honda but, ever since he heard my Yamaha on the dyno he has either worn the Kenz T-shirt Ken gave him or one of his Raptor T's.

Chet