I always thought it would be cool to share the notes that I create after a race with the reader. 98% of the time I will input notes about each test bike/part I decide to race any given weekend. The part as well as the bikes change from time to time, but I always like to have a log of what I ran as well as the conditions of each race. Below is a brief breakdown on the bikes, parts as well as notes on how each performed or felt. Last weekend we brought two bikes to race (Yamaha YZ450F and KTM 250 SX-F). Below are two breakdowns of what was on each machine and how each machine fared in race conditions. Each time my son and I race, you can check back here to keeferinctesting.com every Tuesday (when we race the previous weekend) for “The Weekend Race Set Up”.
Aden Keefer (Age:15)
Track: Fox Raceway
Terrain: Very deep loam in AM with hard pack chop in ruts PM
Start: Dirt
Avg Lap Time: 1:58
Total Number Of Motos: 4 motos (Four 5 lap motos)
Weight At Time Of Race: 130 pounds w/o gear
2021 KTM 250 SX-F:
Engine Hours 8.9
Mods/Parts:
Tires: Dunlop MX3S/MX33 13.5/12.5 PSI
Bars: Pro Taper Evo Suzuki Race Team
Grips: Pro Taper 1/3 Waffle Race Cut
Levers: Stock
Throttle: ZRT Grey Cam
Rider Triangle: Stock
Gearing: 14/52 Sunstar Sprockets/DID ERT3 Chain
Engine Mods: Head Mod XPR Motorsports, Custom HC Piston, Vortex ECU Mapped By XPR/Akrapovic Slip On
Engine Oil: Blud Racing 10/40 Pro Series
Fuel: Renegade SX4+
Holeshot Device: WC
Graphics/Seat: Throttle Syndicate
Suspension: REP Racing Test Fork/Shock Spec #AK3
Air Filter: Twin Air Power Flow Kit
Results: 2nd250B and 2ndSchoolboy 2
Change Points/Notes:
Gearing went from 14/51 to 15/52 for the deeper/tilled dirt. Going to 14/52 helped with getting into third gear quicker off the gate.
• REP AER setting was set at 9.90 bar but we increased to 10 bar for hold up on de-cel due to very deep conditions. Once set at 10 bar the front end had better hold up but rider complained of deflection when fork was higher up in stroke (on throttle out of corners/initial stroke)
• Fork comfort on bigger braking bump was not as good through mid stroke with air at 10 bar, but hold up was necessary for balance of bike entering corners.
• Shock felt low on accel after fork change so turned HSC in 1/8 turn. Helped balance on throttle out of corners.
• FMF 4.1 system was installed for race and noticeably more bottom end/low end rpm response was noticed by rider over HGS system. FMF gave rider increased low end to pop over bumps and get out of corners more efficiently than HGS system. However, top end/over-rev was not as good as the HGS system.
• 120mm holeshot device setting was retained for Fox Raceway start. Aden technique needs to improve off gate.
Suspension Setting:
Fork: (Spec #REPAK3F)
C: 15 (softer clicker setting than last race)
R: 11
Height: 5mm
Air: 10 Bar (stiffer air setting than last race)
Shock: (Spec #REPAK3S)
LSC: 12
HSC: 1.25 (stiffer air setting than last race)
R: 12
Sag: 104mm (higher setting than last race)