Mythbusters: Test Rider Edition

“Keefer, I want to be a test rider”. Of course you do, but do you know what you have to do once off the bike? Do you know what the correct way to do things when you’re on the bike testing? I hear this statement all the time, but I end up asking these questions above every single time I get asked. To me I don’t think a lot of people understand the ins and outs of testing. From the outside, a gig testing for Keefer Inc. or any other motocross media outlet appears to be one of the best jobs in the industry and it is! Where else do you get to ride the latest bikes, sometimes on private tracks while wearing new, free riding gear? Yet, despite all the apparent perks, being a test rider is actually a tough job that requires dedication, being a good person, persistence, honest and more than a little luck. The purpose of this article is to fill you in on some of the false notions surrounding the gig of being a test rider and to tell you how to become one, if that is, what you are looking to do.

Falsehoods That Surround Being A Test Rider:

There are several components of being a test rider that aren’t exactly understood by those trying to get this type of job. Here are some things that I put together that you all may think happens in the testing world, but are simply just falsehoods.

Fiction: Testing is easy work. While you may think that bike tests involves simply cruising out to the track, hitting kickers and getting free shit, you couldn’t be more delusional. Testing is hard work and those that do it right, do a lot of it! Most of my test days begin early in the morning to take advantage of the quiet time I have at home to type and typically don’t finish a testing day until the evening. Don’t get me wrong, it is fun, but becomes more like a real job the more you do it. The toughest thing about being a test rider would have to be the long days I put in at the track and only to return home to start typing an article. I am mentally fried by the time I am ready to hit the sack. Sorry Mrs. Keefer, you’re not getting any tonight! To evaluate a motorcycle in a comparison situation you have to make sure you give equal time for each bike, and that could be up to six motorcycles at times! So, it is definitely a full day. Your body is tired at the end of the day right up to that last bike you get on, but you have to make sure you’re in the right frame of mind (and in shape) when you are testing at 5:30 in the evening. You have to make sure you are fair and not in a rush to leave the track just because you’re tired. Being in shape is sometimes over looked with other test riders. I take pride that I try to stay in as good as physical shape as I can be for a 40 sotting year old. You’re only going to ride as much as your body allows so having this base of all these years riding has helped.

Fiction: Test riders get paid a lot of money. Believe it or not, I don’t pay my test riders (I only have a couple) a whole hell of a lot for their services. While this may seem unfair, consider the flip side: My test guy gets to ride the latest bikes, gets parts and gear to test and keep. Your hobby is work, but at least you don’t have to pay for your hobby. Not only that, but they end up getting a lot of time on each bike, which makes it a great gig for aspiring pros or those who desire a lot of training. When I started at Dirt Rider years ago, I got paid nothing for years until a check showed up for a couple hundred bucks after a shootout. I had to put in my time and pay my dues in order just to get a couple hundred dollars. When you test for a manufacturer (think durability testing) you will get a set amount per day, but it is usually only a couple hundred bucks per day for a 12-14 hour day.

Fiction: You have to be fast or a pro to be a test rider. Being a high-level racer type certainly makes someone a good test rider on paper, but this isn’t always the case when it comes to track time. Many pros are very adept at gauging what is going on with their equipment; conversely, some pros can’t even tell if they have a flat rear tire. Trust me, I have seen it! Speed is not directly related to having a good sense of what a bike is doing and as such I try to use riders of every skill level. When I test for manufacturers I have to be conscientious of the fact that these bikes need to perform for a wide variety of riders, not just what I like. When doing stuff for Keefer Inc. shootouts I have multiple opinions in which helps broaden the evaluations I bring to readers, since not everyone out there is a Supercross Pro. This is also why you’ll see mid forty year old, blue collar guys testing in my 450cc shootout alongside 240 pound weekend warriors, not just 170 pound fast guys; diversity only enhances the value of testing.

Fiction: Test riders get to roach out bikes. While I can’t say the same for other testing sites, there is no denying that I ride a lot and spend almost as much time in my garage as I do on the track. Why? Because I adhere to one simple rule that my dad preached to me when I was young: treat anything you ride as if it was your own. One look around my garage and you will find clean bikes, lubed chains, fresh filters and fresh engine oil in the machines. I take great care to not only keep the test bikes in solid shape, but also to know what makes them tick and this transfers into getting the correct feedback to you all. On the track or on the trails, I encourage my test guys to ride a bike to its full potential, but this in no way includes thrashing it. All of the manufacturers are great dudes and if I trash a bike and give it back to them like that, I would feel like shit.

So now that I brought up some common myths about test riding, how the hell do you become a test rider?

Be Persistent And Available:

If you really want to test rider, the first thing you need to do is to make yourself available. Like “I don’t have a life” accessible and on short notice. I usually like to get the information out to the people ASAP, so I often have to plan test sessions without much warning. As a result the guys I have used earned their test riding moments by simply being in the right place at the right time. I have literally talked to riders at the track and I could tell by just the way they treat their bike, how they ride and what type of attitude they have, offered them to try out test bikes. I am a huge people person and can tell a lot about someone by just talking to them. Some of those guys came off articulate when it comes to explaining how a certain bike performs on the track. Sometimes being lucky and in the right place at the right time helps. This isn’t a slam dunk and doesn’t mean that you’re going to be a test rider, but it helps to have a good presence at the track. Say hi to people at the track and look like you’re enjoying yourself instead of hiding out in your van all day, like I am guilty of at time. Ehhhhhh…

Knowledge Of Dirt Bikes:

Please for the love of all that is holy know which way to turn a clicker to speed up the rebound? What does a bike do if the mapping is off? How does the bike react if the sag is set wrong? Do you know what sag is? Or shit, did you even check your sag?These questions-and more like them-all need to be answered by a test rider before getting the job. No one is looking for super freaks when it comes to bike knowledge, but a test rider needs more than an elementary idea of how a motorcycle works and how certain changes affect its performance on the track. A test rider needs to be picky enough to know how he or she likes their setup, yet open-minded enough to be able to try something different (I to can struggle with that last part at times). He (or she) cannot be afraid to try new settings, setups and has to be vocal enough when something isn’t working. If you don’t know or can’t feel a difference between bikes or settings, then it is OK to say “I can’t feel a differnce”. Most importantly, a tester needs to distinguish between what effect the track is having, what the bike is doing and what the rider or his technique is causing. This comes with either a natural ability to know a dirt bike, or lots and lots of seat time.

Confidentiality:

A lot of my work is confidential and if I screw that up, I wouldn’t have a job. If you can’t keep a secret, don’t even think about trying to become a test rider. If you give up a secret before it comes to production, you risk getting blackballed from any type of testing! The word “embargo” is gold with the manufacturers. Some people think it’s no big deal and I am being too intense, but I take my testing extremely serious and that includes not talking about things until they are in production or the embargo has lifted. The best test riders are not only great at breaking down each machine, but they would have to be pistol whipped before giving up the goods of a new bike or part. Being part of Pulp MX means that Matthes will try to get the goods out of you, but you have to be resilient and tell him to “suck it” from time to time. Mums the word Steven.

Be A Good Person And Professional:

As most of you know I like to have fun just as much as the next guy, but when it comes time to start busting ass and working, I am all in. Playtime is over and work mode kicks in. There is such a thing as “Work Kris”, just ask some of my friends! As a test rider I am representing myself and am expected to be professional at those times. This includes not riding like a jackhole at intros, treating people with respect, not looking like I just woke up on the beach the night before, not showing up to the track late or in old, thrashed riding gear and not typing up a second grade opinion of something on an iPhone. Being able to formulate a solid opinion is not only helpful, it’s essential; what good is a rider who can feel what a bike is doing, but can’t put it into words. Or if a rider just starts making up shit to sound like he or she knows what the hell they are talking about. Being punctual is also key when turning in reports on time. I get so many kids that just want to ride the bikes and then go home to throw up an Instabanger to pull chics. Go home, get the report/opinion done and send it in. That is how I got more work. It’s surprising how much of a big deal that is to companies. So many people want to do the fun shit, but not the hard stuff afterwards. Lastly, if you don’t know how to spell at least 90 percent of the words on your report, go take a college course, so you can have the complete package or “The Quan” as Jerry McGuire would say.

Be Consistent:

As with many things, consistency in testing your own stuff is key. Know what you like and stick to it, but again, don’t be afraid to be flexible and try new things. Don’t ever use the word “perfect” in the testing world. There is nothing perfect because everything can get better through testing. An old saying goes “you’re only as good as what you try”. I try to live by that motto when it comes to testing. When I work with manufacturers, consistency is also important because it provides a common goal to work toward. We always have a baseline setting that we are looking to get better than and sometimes we will re-visit that baseline setting along our testing path. Consistency on the track plays a big roll to making bikes better as well. When on the track make sure to hit the same line every lap when you’re testing, so your feeling on the bike never sways one way or the other. If you pick a smoother line one lap and miss the bump you were hitting, you’re not getting an apples to apples comparison.

Be Transparent:

Yes, I get paid by advertisers, but those advertisers are companies that I would personally spend my money with! I have refused money from several companies just because I personally don’t believe in their product. I would rather make less money than take money from a product that is half assed or simply doesn’t work. I built my business on being honest and I plan on staying that way. You should as well! Being honest is a rare thing these days and when you’re honest, you’re going to piss some people off, but in the long run, you will be a great tester.

Boxo 103 Piece Moto Toolbox

The Boxo MotoBox toolbox has been in the ol Sprinter van and going to the tracks with the family and I for a few months now. It is basically the first complete toolbox specifically made for us Moto guys. The 103-piece Boxo set comes complete with many of the tools you might need for just about any dirt bike brand. Plus, the tools and the box itself comes with a limited lifetime warranty.

I am not a top mechanic by any means and I am not ripping apart engines at the shop here in the high dez, but growing up, my dad was always either a Craftsman or Snap On guy, so I was a little leary about the Boxo tools up front. Pops always told me “don’t buy shit tools son”! With that being said, I haven’t seen any one tool brand market a toolbox to the moto community, so giving this box a fair shake wasn’t that difficult. Each tool is encased in an EVA foam tool storage solution tray making tools fit securely in drawers to keep organized and no shifting during motion. I was impressed by the laser-cut foam tool cutouts and etched size markings as I didn’t feel embarrassed opening up my toolbox at the track now! Pops would be proud! What matters most is if the tools last and if the complete set was worth the $750.00 price tag. 

The things I look to use the most when it comes to working on bikes are T-handles, Torx bits, wrenches/sockets (especially odd sizes like 11mm and 13mm), 30/32mm open end wrenches, screwdrivers, air fork pumps, tire psi gauge, and hammer/punch. The Boxo 97 piece set doesn’t come with a fork pump, t-handles or a punch, but does have almost everything else I need for a day at the track. 

The three-drawer toolbox is made from heavy-duty 20-gauge steel. It features ball-bearing drawer sliders and a smooth latch locker drawer system that retails for $160 if you want to buy it without the tools. The Boxo set comes with 1/4-inch and 3/8-inch ratchets and a 1/2-inch breaker bar. There are 24 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch metric drive sockets (with nine extensions and adapters) from size 4 to 32. For KTM/Husqvarna/Gas Gas dudes, Torx sockets from T15 to T55 are included with a set of hex sockets as well. Boxo desn’t quite have the “normal” T-handles that you usually use, they are build your own slide T-handles that you put together with the included extensions and sockets. There are 17 open-end metric wrenches from sizes 6 to 27. With those come a 7-piece foldable hex key wrench, three sets of pliers and six flat/Phillips screwdrivers.

There are also other tools that you may need from time to time like a hammer, scissors, digital tire gauge (which I tested with three other gauges and it’s accurate), safety-wire pliers, spoke wrench, axle step-down tool and two tire irons (that have box-end 32mm and 10mm wrenches on their ends and include 17mm and 27mm inserts. 

A couple things that I would have loved to have within the Boxo set is a air fork pump, pipe spring puller, valve stem remover, and yes maybe some standard mini t-handles. The build your own socket T-handles are fine but do take some time to put together instead of just grabbing an 8 T maybe at the bottom of a fourth pull out drawer? What do you say Boxo? The spoke wrench worked on the KX, CRF and RM-Z spokes but wasn’t quite right for the rest of the test fleet. So what did I do with the tools that weren’t inside the Box 103 piece set? I simply just took my FASST Co. Torque spoke wrench set with me, some shorty t-handles, slapped a fork pump inside as well as a punch and valve stem remover. There is some extra room to put some loose tools in without having them slide all over hell so that was a plus!   

I mean we are only a few months in so I can’t really talk about how durable this box is, but so far so good! I chose a white box because it looks the cleanest, but Boxo does offer black as well. Boxo offers many different toolsets in all shapes and sizes with prices ranging from as high $9000 for roll-aways if you want to get serious! Boxo also even lets the customer completely customize your toolbox. Boxo will even laser-cut the foam to your custom order. To me, this 750.00 track box has been one of the best investments I have made. If there is one thing I use everyday, it is this box! 

Bolt It On Bike Rack

I just got a new Mercedes Sprinter van and I don’t know about you, but when I spend the kind of money I did with my new van, I want to make sure my bikes are secure and not going to fall over and ruin the sides of my new Sprinter. After I sold the ol’ trusty 2016 Sprinter, I purchased our new 2021 version and was looking for a bike rack to secure my test bikes. Some of you may be asking why not just build out the back of the van Kris? Well, it’s called money and I seemed to have spent a lot of it when I got the new van so I can’t exactly afford to build out a custom van right now. After doing some research, I wanted to try a different bike rack company than the previous one I used, so I decided on Bolt It On. Bolt It On is a family owned and USA operated business out of central California. After scouring their website and the tons of options they give you, I decided on the three dirt bike kit with 60 degree chocks with a 4 inch middle chock for my 170 sized van box. 

Installation literally took me 10 minutes and required zero tools. I began by locating the long square tube known as the crossbar. This is the body/base of your rack. I began by loading the chocks onto the crossbar, then installed each support leg as well as a tie down hook on the inside or outside of each support leg. Lastly, attach one j-hook on the left and one on the right of the corssbar. Each j-hook should line up through a hole positioned directly above each D-Ring. That is it! Boom! Done. No tools required! What’s even better is that the whole system feels and looks quality. No crappy welds or burrs, the cuts on the crossbar are clean and even the paint on the kit has a nice finish to it. 

Initially I was going to install the Bolt It On rack to the D-Rings directly behind the bench seat but noticed that the crossbar stuck out over the side door step so we relegated the crossbar to the  set of D-Rings that are set back one row. After speaking with Scott (the owner of Bolt It On) he mentioned that they offer a shorter 144 box version of the crossbar that can be installed directly behind the seat, which will not affect the clearance of the step. So, if you’re in the market for a bike rack from Bolt It On, make sure you kind of know where you would like to install it before making your purchase. Loading bike into the chocks is easy and what I like most about having that 60 degree bend is that the bikes we load up will not sway back and forth when tied down. In my previous van I had another bike rack that had chocks that were straight and had some nightmare-is moments with the bars hitting the sides of my van when hitting bumps in the road (no matter how tight we got them). Adding a third bike through the middle was a breeze and even though we mounted the Bolt It On rack back a little inside the van, we still had enough room to throw in toolboxes, gear bags, gas cans, etc. 

The benefit to this Bolt It On rack is that I can disassemble and reassemble in minutes if need be. I don’t have to drill into the frame of my rear bench seat and my bikes are more secure with the Bolt It On rack, with the 60 degree angle of the chocks! Bolt It On makes these bicycle and dirt bike racks for all different makes and model trucks/vans and if you want a custom crossbar size, Bolt It On can cut the bar to your specific size. You can visit them over at boltiton.com or call Scott at 805 975 8280. Prices range from $400-$500 for a complete 2-3 dirt bike kit.  If you have any questions about this test, please feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com.

Pump Replacement Fuel Comparison

We decided to try three brands of pump replacement type fuels to see how they stack up against pump fuel and one another. Below is a detailed breakdown of each fuel as well as what I am currently pouring into my test bikes.

Renegade MX4:

Renegade may not be as much of a household racing fuel name with normal blue collar folk as VP Racing. With that being said, I think some of this is because it’s tougher to find Renegade fuels than VP and lets face it, VP has some pretty damn good fuel. However, Renegade offers several different kinds of fuel for the two wheeled enthusiast at a competitive price as well. I wanted to try a pump replacement fuel, similar to VP’s T4, so I asked a Renegade dealer Stan Benson Racing (located in up in Northern California) to supply me with a pale of MX4 (we also will be reviewing Renegade’s SX4+ in a future article). This high-performance four-stroke-specific fuel has many of the same technologies as Renegade’s popular SX4+ fuel and is also used by many top AMA Supercross teams. In most cases, MX4 is said to not require jetting or fuel mapping changes when transitioning from pump fuel applications. Renegade’s in house testing has shown up to 4-5% gains in power over popular comparable fuels on the market and their exclusive additive package is said to inhibit dreaded gumming and performance-robbing deposits. Much better than our crappy California blend fuel! 

The biggest advantage of MX4 over pump gas is that our current California crappy pump gas contains ethanol, an alcohol-based alternative fuel manufactured by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted to simple sugars. This is not good for the lifespan of valve trains, fuel pumps, and top end gaskets on small engines like those found in dirt bikes. Ethanol in the fuel can leave a gummy substance that clogs fuel pumps (or jets on carbureted bikes) and causes early deterioration of head gaskets and o-rings, shortening the life of your engine. Another major problem is phase separation; if water gets into the fuel, this can cause the water/ethanol mixture to sink to the bottom of the tank where the fuel pickup is. Water inside your engine can cause the fuel pump to stop working and also can make your bike miss and sputter.

Is the on-track performance gain from MX4 worth the added cost from pump? For the average guy screwing around on open land, maybe not so much. For the true enthusiast who rides/races hard and wants a reliable power gain? Yes, it is, at least to me. Renegade’s MX4 comes in an easy-to-pour 5-gallon pail or a 55-gallon drum. I ran a pale of MX4 through a KTM 450 SX-F, YZ450F and CRF250R and it took me less than two laps to feel the added throttle response compared to pump fuel. When I came out of corners, while rolling the throttle on in second gear, each machine had more pull down low as well as throttle response with the MX4. In third gear, I felt a better pull and each machine ran crisper/cleaner throughout the rpm range. I didn’t feel too much gain through the top-end as most of what I felt was down low and up through the midrange. An added benefit was that the bike was easier to start (this especially is great because the YZ450F was the hardest to start out of all the machines I tested the fuel with). Riding longer motos on a sandier-type track, I also noticed that the bike kept consistent power. Usually when I test at this type of track, the power falls off a little as the bike gets hot with pump fuel—but not so with MX4. I also liked that I didn't have to change my ECU mapping in either a stock ECU’s or a previously mapped Vortex ECU.
Compared to VP’s T4 I feel like both are similar in performance on the track except for one area. Renegade’s MX4 does give a better low end rpm response and pulling power down low feels slightly better. Renegade has a slightly cleaner feel on low rpm, but I wouldn’t know that everyone would be able to feel the difference when going back to back with each fuel. 

For $94.00 for a five gallon pale of MX4, it is a little more expensive than that of T4, but there is a small performance advantage. Is it worth it? That will have to be left up to you, but it’s nice to know that the consumer has another option when it comes to pump replacement race fuel. Check out renegaderacefuel.com .

VP T4:

Designed for stock or slightly modified four-stroke motorcycles and other off-road vehicles used in competition, unleaded/oxygenated and ethanol-free T4 is a direct pour-in replacement for premium pump gas. Since pump gas has a short storage life and could cause greater need for repairs in the motorcycle industry due to its ethanol content, T4 100 octane rating (R+M/2) provides greater protection against detonation. Compared with more expensive performance parts that increase power along only a small slice of the power curve, T4 claims to add 2-3 percent more power and better throttle response across the entire rpm range. I wanted to see if that “claim” was true and have been running it in several test bikes I have here. 

The biggest advantage of VP T4 over pump gas is our current pump gas (especially California pump fuel) contains ethanol, an alcohol-based alternative fuel manufactured by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted to simple sugars. This is not good on the life span of the valve train, fuel pumps, and top end gaskets on small engines like a dirt bike. Ethanol in the fuel can leave a gummy substance that clogs fuel pumps (or jets on carbureted bikes) and causes early deterioration to head gaskets and O-rings and possibly shortening the life of your engine. Another major problem is phase separation; if water gets into the fuel this can cause the water/ethanol mixture to sink to the bottom of the tank where the fuel pick up is. Here’s a tip: If you are using pump fuel and you’re at a gas station and see a fuel truck filling the gas station’s tanks, go somewhere else, because chances are they are near the bottom of the reservoir. Water inside your engine can cause the fuel pump to stop working (seize up) and also can make your bike miss and sputter. 

 Is their a on-track performance gain from T4 compared to pump fuel? For the average guy putting around on weekends, maybe not so much. Pump fuel is just fine. For the true enthusiast who rides hard and wants a reliable power gain, yes, it is. I ran five gallons of T4 in the Yamaha YZ450F and it took me less than three laps to feel the added throttle response (compared to pump fuel). Coming out of corners and rolling the throttle on in second gear I felt like the bike had more pulling power down low. Shifting in third gear I felt a better pull and the Yamaha actually ran slightly cleaner throughout the rpm range. I didn’t feel too much gain through the top end as most of what I felt was down on low rpm and up through the mid range. However, riding longer motos on a sandier-type track I noticed that the bike kept consistent power. Usually when I ride this type of track with this bike the power decreases a little as the bike gets very hot – but not so with the T4. If you’re looking for a little more bottom end snap/pulling power, VP’s T4 is the real deal. If you’re in the market for a lower cost race fuel (versus some of VP’s higher-end products) that gives you some power gains and helps your bike just run better, then for around $85.00, a 5 gallon pale of T4 is a good choice. You can go to vpracingfuels.com to check out what other options VP has.

F&L “Pure 93” Racing Fuel:

F&L has been around for several years in the off-road world, but you just don’t see it a ton around the motocross tracks. That has changed because F&L has introduced several new motorcycle specific fuels and the Pure 93 is an ethanol free pump replacement unleaded racing fuel. 

Formulated as a direct pour in replacement for premium pump gas, Pure 93 uses the same high end chemicals to be refined as a racing fuel which can mean better performance and a cleaner, more complete burn in the combustion chamber. 

Pump gas has a shorter shelf life and contains ethanol, which will eventually gum up fuel system components such as carburetors, injectors, pressure regulators, etc. Pure 93 is ethanol free and has a shelf life of up to 24 months. 

Applications that Pure 93 is good for are motorcycles, marine engines, agriculture equipment, generators, lawn equipment. Basically any engine where you would want to have a better performing fuel with a longer storage life than pump gas. 

From what I noticed when running the Pure 93 F&L fuel in my KTM 450 SX-F test bike is that you will not necessarily feel more low end pulling power or rpm response like you do when using VP or Renegade, but you will feel a cleaner burn. With pump fuel, I can feel some dirtiness associated with the ethanol we have here in California and that can make your throttle hand feel disconnected with your rear wheel. Unlike the other two brands, F&L is going for a lower cost with a cleaner burn in mind. This cleaner burn is better for the life of your motorcycle as well as not has heavy on your pocketbook ($45.00 for 5 gallons) when purchasing 5 gallons. The Pure 93 is a true pump replacement fuel that you may not feel on the track, but could feel in your wallet over the lifespan of your machine. Pure 93 is not on F&L’s website yet, but it is available. Visit racefuel.com to see where your local F&L dealers are or simply email info@racefuel.com. 

So What Should You Use?: 

I am not the type of media outlet to push something down your throats and tell you this is what you absolutely have to use. I will say that if you’re a weekend warrior looking to spend as little as possible and get more life out of your engine, the Pure 93 is a good choice as it is almost half as expensive as the Renegade MX4 or VP T4.  Just know that raw performance advantages are not super noticeable on the track like the others.

If you’re racing on the weekends and want more power, then to me, the Renegade MX4 as well as VP T4 is hard to beat. I have ran both fuels in the same machine, with the same ECU map, with great results. I will say I do get more low end RPM response and slightly more pulling power out of corners with Renegade MX4, but it’s a very minute difference. It would be difficult for me to tell you which one is best for you as I see positives in both Renegade and VP. I will say that my son and I split fuels between our machines, as he has been running Renegade in his 250 four stroke (for slightly snappier response) and I have been running VP T4 in a couple of my 450 test bikes here (for better rear wheel connection). My suggestion is if you’re looking to run better fuel than pump gas without performance advantages, but want cleaner burning fuel, go with F&L. If you’re looking to get all of that plus power advantages felt on the track, go with VP or Renegade. Just know that with performance advantages comes a heftier price tag.

Motosport Products Starting Blocks

Are you having trouble touching the ground or maybe having trouble gripping the bike behind the gate? Or maybe looking for an advantage on getting your feet back on he pegs as soon as the gate drops? Aden and I have been experimenting with start blocks for quite sometime and have made our own out of wood and even purchased a few different styles of blocks for him in order to try and get batter starts. 

We ended up purchasing a set of Motosport Products starting blocks and have been having some better starts as of late. The Motosport Products blocks are adjustable and can be adjusted from 3 inches tall through 9 inches tall. The cheese grade surface works great for cleaning mud off boot bottoms as well. The blocks are stackable with a single carry handle and are made from high quality aircraft aluminum. 

If you are able and your racing sanction allows it, try running the blocks as high as you can/desire to your footpegs, so that the distance from the blocks to the pegs are almost flush. This can help the rider get his feet back on his pegs soon and on the throttle harder/sooner than the competition. The key to this technique is that you need to squeeze the bike as much as possible and get your feet back on the pegs as soon as you cross the gate. After several tests back to back with and without the starting blocks the starting blocks gave my son more consistent exits out of the gate. If there are big enough ruts behind the gate (pending if you’re on dirt starts) and you have somewhat average to long legs, you will not need the blocks as you should have a small amount of distance between the dug out dirt and the footpegs. 

If you’re on a grate starting gate this is where the blocks are really beneficial. With start grates there is maximum amounts of traction at the rear wheel so locking your feet in font of the pegs is crucial. Getting “that lock” in is made much easier with the Motosport Starting Blocks than with out. You will just have to dial in the desired height for your rider and make sure they are placed correctly near the bike before the start. Overall this has been a huge game changer for my kid’s starts. I personally have tried them and have seen improvements in my starts and I am 6’0. If you’re looking to get some more leverage for your child (especially on mini bikes) or maybe for yourself look into these adjustable Motosport Products Starting Blocks. 

Get your starting blocks here:

https://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/riding-gear/motorsport-products-mini-moto-starting-blocks-p

Renegade SX4+ Racing Fuel

Renegade SX4+ is a four-stroke powersports race fuel for those who are serious about racing or have engine modifications done that need to coax the absolute most performance out of their race engines. I did a review on Renegade’s MX4 pump replacement fuel and was so impressed with that fuel that I decided to try the SX4+ (for reference, it can be the equivalent of going to VP’s MR Pro 6). Now when I talk to some engine builders that use this fuel, they tell me that Renegade SX4+ burns quicker than Pro 6 and that can mean that the ECU needs to be remapped. For the sake of testing, I decided to try the Renegade fuel against VP’s MR Pro 6 in a KTM 250 SX-F and a Yamaha YZ450F to see if I could feel any difference between the two fuels.. 

On a 2021 KTM 250 SX-F (with an FMF muffler system and Vortex ECU) the Renegade SX4+ gives me a little more low end RPM response than the Pro 6. I noticed better pulling power down low and an overall feel of just more low end excitement. Mid to top end pulling power felt the same between the two fuels, but once I ran through a couple tanks of SX4+, I could tell that I needed to richen up the ECU setting as well as advance the timing a little. Once we remapped the Vortex ECU for SX4+, I could feel the KTM pull more through the mid range without any de-cel pop. I also noticed that after a 20 minute moto the Renegade fuel was slightly lower (visibly) in the tank than that of the MR Pro 6 fuel. I feel like if you’re looking for maximum gains out of your 250F then the SX4+ is a great fuel to maximize horsepower. 

On a 2021 Yamaha YZ450F with a FMF muffler and Vortex ECU, I preferred the VP MR Pro 6 because the Renegade fuel gave me too much throttle response which caused me to not have a much control though my corners. That same throttle response that I liked so much on the KTM 250 SX-F, I didn’t really care for on of my Yamaha. The MR Pro 6 felt like it gave my delivery more control on low RPM situations and to me that was beneficial on the 450. Now since I felt like I had too much throttle response with the SX4+, I decided to play around with the ECU mapping to see if I can tune it out, which I was able to do, but once I tuned the hit out a little, it just seemed to me the SX4+ wasn’t any better than the MR Pro 6 in my 450. To me there was not advantage between either fuel on the track, which meant it was a sideways move for me. 

The Renegade SX4+ does deliver more low end rpm response and pulling power, but to me this may only really benefit 250 four stroke riders who want the most front side power they can, or gnarly 450 guys that want more low end. I guess I am not that gnarly of a 450 guy! This fuel is for racers who understand that you will have to get a reputable engine builder to tune your ECU to SX4+, so don’t go thinking that you can just pour S4+ in and enjoy all of its benefits. Simply pouring it in and expecting it to be magical is foolish and you will be wasting your money. However, if you plan on building a race machine and want a fuel that burns clean and quick, the Renegade SX4+ is some of the most responsive racing fuel we have felt. Maybe too good for you 450 riders! If it was me and I was running Renegade Fuels on a 450, I would stick with the MX4 fuel. I typically run MR Pro 6 HT in my race engine 450s for the simple fact that it doesn’t burn as quick as the SX4+ and the “HT” doesn’t boil in hot conditions. This MR Pro 6 HT helps RPM response and mid range pulling power (over standard pump fuel), but doesn’t give you so much hit that it makes that big girl hard to ride! Speaking of boiling, the SX4+ withstands boiling fairly well and I didn’t notice any issues during warm California motos that ranged in the low 90s.

The huge downside to this SX4+ fuel is that it’s expensive and can cost anywhere between $180.00-$200.00 per 5 gallon pale! Ouch! You can check out all of Renegade’s fuel over at www.renegaderacefuels.com. 

RP Moto Watch Mount For Crossbar-less Handlebars

I do get some people from time to time that walk up to the Sprinter van and elevator pitch me on some products they have come up with that I should try. While I was at an amateur national recently I met Ben Wilson who runs RP Moto and he mentioned that he makes watch mounts for dirt bike and mountain bike handlebars. Now this may not seem like a big deal to some but for a guy like me who wears a heart rate monitor watch 24/7 this was kind of a big deal for me. I also like to support people who actually ride and market their products in the same place they are at every weekend. 

The RP Moto Watch Mount is a Flexible 3D-printed 95A thermoplastic polyurethane mount that is easily strapped on your handlebars with no hardware. Keeps your watch in a convenient location while also protecting both the the underside of the watch and the handlebars. Specially-designed part infill and flexible material also reduces the transfer of vibration to your watch, which could potentially damage its delicate electronics (which I have experienced).

Now this isn’t revolutionary product or anything, but it is nice that this mount is easy to slap on and allows the watch to be viewable while moto’ing. If I don’t have to wear my watch while doing motos, I try not to and mounting the watch on crossbar-less handlebars is a pain in the ass as well as risky for an expensive watch. I have been using the RP Moto Watch Mount for a while and it has made my life a little easier when doing motos with my kid. For $12.99 you can get a few of them and spread them around your two wheeled machines in your garage. RP Moto has mounts for all different types of watches and you check out their website to see if they have one that fits yours! www.rp-moto.com.  

Deposits and Withdrawals in the Bank of Motivation – Keeping the Stoke Alive

By Seiji Ishii

 It’s February, and it’s common for recreational athletes to come out of the gate hot, bent, and determined to charge into training for the year. But the stoke can often diminish, reduced to smoldering embers after pushing through work and family commitments, the heat of summer, and countless hours of bike maintenance. So how do you avoid being a “shooting star” in January, only to disappear into the horizon later in the year?

 The Bank of Motivation

You can view your current level of motivation as a bank balance. Some things withdrawal motivation, while other things can add to the balance. This balance may fall at times, maybe even get overdrawn, but the trick to long-term motivational sustainability is to run a positive balance consistently.

Withdrawals are the things that sap your energy and drive. Training in severe conditions is certainly one, like cycling in the rain or riding when it’s 100 degrees. But so are lifestyle-oriented things, like a stressful day at work, arguing with a family member or spouse, or financial concerns. How much of a withdrawal each of these is personal. Some may not be as affected by weather, while it can mentally crush others. Some can solider on with minimal impact from a family issue, which can obliterate many. And often, athletes will “nickel and dime” themselves into insolvency. Unchecked, little habitual, and motivational drains can be more damaging than large hits. 

 Deposits are the opposite; they add energy and vigor. Massages are typical, as is a date night with your romantic interest or a great day out with your kids. Anything that brings joy, relaxation, and happiness can count as a deposit in the Bank of Motivation. And just like a real bank, consistent deposits, even if small, accumulate wealth. 

Keep a Ledger, But it’s All Personal

When I was racing road bicycles, I was fortunate to have the guidance of successful coaches. One of these coaches suggested I keep an actual handwritten checkbook to track these deposits and withdrawals. I initially thought it was nonsense, but over the long haul, it did help. 

 I would assign my dollar value to every “transaction.” Massages were huge for me, so they would get a +$15 valuation. A date with a funny (and let’s be honest, attractive) person would also get $10. (Yes, a massage was worth more at the time.) But a movie would only be $3 because staying still and paying attention for that long was frustrating, so it wasn’t as valuable to me as a recovery activity. 

The same logic applied to withdrawals; things that negatively affected me significantly were assigned the larger negative values. Emotional setbacks were the largest for me then, so an argument with my girlfriend might even get a -$20 entry (I know better now, lol).

 Over time, I ferreted out lifestyle decisions and actions that consistently degraded my running balance and motivation and took active steps to solve those problems. One time it meant breaking up with a girl, and another time it meant getting another dog, lol. I had data that supported what I felt and the actions required to maintain a better tally.

I also understood lifestyle and recovery efforts that consistently kept my balance positive by a more considerable margin. I knew then, and still know today, that massages are incredibly therapeutic for me, both physically and mentally. In contrast, some things that others thought were huge weren’t for me. Many of the cyclists I trained with would give a “cheat meal” huge weight, while I found them only worthy of a $5 deposit.

Deliberate Deposits

It may seem “out there” to place so much value on these “deposits” or “withdrawals,” and maybe to some, it’s too “soft.” But for the athletes I’ve trained alongside and train or coach today, these things have a significant impact over a training year and throughout careers. 

 Elite athletes with long careers, and lifelong recreational athletes, understand that all of this matters. Successful, seasoned athletes placed more emphasis on these deposits and being aware of the balance kept them performing at the highest levels for longer. Maybe we aren’t at that level, and our income isn’t dependent on riding performance. But it’s equally essential to maintain motivation, for no other reason than to keep moto fun over the long haul.

And isn’t that the reason we all threw a leg over a bike? Long live the fun.  

Renegade MX4 Racing Fuel

Renegade MX4 may not be as much of a household racing fuel name with normal blue collar folk as VP Racing. With that being said, I think some of this is because it’s tougher to find Renegade fuels than VP and lets face it, VP has some pretty damn good fuel. However, Renegade offers several different kinds of fuel for the two wheeled enthusiast at a competitive price as well. I wanted to try a pump replacement fuel, similar to VP’s T4, so I asked a Renegade dealer Stan Benson Racing (located in up in Northern California) to supply me with a pale of MX4 (we also will be reviewing Renegade’s SX4+ in a future article). This high-performance four-stroke-specific fuel has many of the same technologies as Renegade’s popular SX4+ fuel and is also used by many top AMA Supercross teams. In most cases, MX4 is said to not require jetting or fuel mapping changes when transitioning from pump fuel applications. Renegade’s in house testing has shown up to 4-5% gains in power over popular comparable fuels on the market and their exclusive additive package is said to inhibit dreaded gumming and performance-robbing deposits. Much better than our crappy California blend fuel!

The biggest advantage of MX4 over pump gas is that our current California crappy pump gas contains ethanol, an alcohol-based alternative fuel manufactured by fermenting and distilling starch crops that have been converted to simple sugars. This is not good for the lifespan of valve trains, fuel pumps, and top end gaskets on small engines like those found in dirt bikes. Ethanol in the fuel can leave a gummy substance that clogs fuel pumps (or jets on carbureted bikes) and causes early deterioration of head gaskets and o-rings, shortening the life of your engine. Another major problem is phase separation; if water gets into the fuel, this can cause the water/ethanol mixture to sink to the bottom of the tank where the fuel pickup is. Water inside your engine can cause the fuel pump to stop working and also can make your bike miss and sputter.

Is the on-track performance gain from MX4 worth the added cost from pump? For the average guy screwing around on open land, maybe not so much. For the true enthusiast who rides/races hard and wants a reliable power gain? Yes, it is, at least to me. Renegade’s MX4 comes in an easy-to-pour 5-gallon pail or a 55-gallon drum. I ran a pale of MX4 through a KTM 450 SX-F, YZ450F and CRF250R and it took me less than two laps to feel the added throttle response compared to pump fuel. When I came out of corners, while rolling the throttle on in second gear, each machine had more pull down low as well as throttle response with the MX4. In third gear, I felt a better pull and each machine ran crisper/cleaner throughout the rpm range. I didn’t feel too much gain through the top-end as most of what I felt was down low and up through the midrange. An added benefit was that the bike was easier to start (this especially is great because the YZ450F was the hardest to start out of all the machines I tested the fuel with). Riding longer motos on a sandier-type track, I also noticed that the bike kept consistent power. Usually when I test at this type of track, the power falls off a little as the bike gets hot with pump fuel—but not so with MX4. I also liked that I didn't have to change my ECU mapping in either a stock ECU’s or a previously mapped Vortex ECU.

Compared to VP’s T4 I feel like both are similar in performance on the track except for one area. Renegade’s MX4 does give a better low end rpm response, but pulling power down low feels similar. Renegade has a slightly cleaner feel on low rpm, but I wouldn’t know that everyone would be able to feel the difference when going back to back with each fuel. 

For $94.00 for a five gallon pale of MX4, it is a little more expensive than that of T4, but there is a small performance advantage. Is it worth it? That will have to be left up to you, but it’s nice to know that the consumer has another option when it comes to pump replacement race fuel. You can order your Renegade Race Fuels right here:      

https://stanbensonracing.com/collections/renegade-race-fuel/products/mx4

Blendzall Ultra Racing Castor

By: Michael Allen

The senses of the human body are incredible, especially the sense of smell. I have always found it fascinating that you can smell a certain scent and your mind has the ability to take you back to a specific time your life. When I got my order of Blendzall I didn’t recognize the packaging, nor the scent of the raw oil itself. It wasn’t until I mixed it into my YZ 125 and started it, that the scent took me back to my first time at a motocross track in the late 1990s. You see the reason I didn’t recognize the packaging, or the raw smell is because when I was growing up we used to just get our two-stroke mix from the local chevron gas station because it was the cheapest thing around and it was on our way out of town to go ride. Keeping that in mind, I remember my brother taking me to the motocross track for my first practice (around 96’ or 97’) on a bitchen 1994 KDX 200. The first thing that stuck out to me when we got there was the smell of castor oil coming from the exhaust that seemingly everyone was using to mix in their two-stroke fuel. There is just something about that smell that brings back fond memories of a simpler time when life was less about Instagram and more about sitting on tailgates and talking smack.  

Like I said, I had never tried Blendzall or any other castor oil for that matter until this month when I got my shipment. Blendzall has been in business since 1959 when Ray Hook turned his passion for going fast into a racing oil business. The name Blendzall was used to describe how the oil will blend with all types of fuel. When doing some research on the company I found that Blendzall set the speed record for a go-kart with a top speed of 152 mph (holy shit). Over the past 60 years many factory teams have relied on Blendzall, in fact rumor has it that factory Yamaha was dumping out Yamalube, and re-filling the bottles with Blendzall when Kenny Roberts was road racing in the mid 1970’s.

There are multiple reasons people prefer to use castor oil instead of traditional petroleum or even synthetic oils. Castor oil is a clean burning oil and wont foul spark plugs, nor will it puff out blue smoke from your exhaust. The viscosity of Blendzall stays consistent from -30 to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Blendzall’s formula is designed so that the oil will flow to higher heat areas to help cool, and prevent metal galling. 

I’ve never been a big fan of flip flopping two-stroke oils because sometimes different oils won’t mix together properly causing poor lubrication. In fact when I was younger and borrowed my brothers KX 250 on my birthday and told him I couldn’t find the same oil he used so I just used what I could find he was less than thrilled. To this day I will never forget the time my brother kicked my ass on my birthday for mixing two different two-stroke oils in his bike. When I got my Blendzall shipment I made sure to drain my tank of any remaining fuel as well as the bowl of the carburetor. The first thing I noticed was that there is no color to the Ultra Racing oil, which in my opinion is a negative because I (along with many other riders) don’t just have one gas can in the garage. I had to make sure I clearly marked the gas can “mixed” since the fuel inside that can looked just the same as the other non-mixed cans in my garage. For the last 10 years I have been using Amsoil synthetic pre mix at a ratio of 40:1 and have never had an issue. I emailed Blendzall to ask what ratio I should mix to since it was a completely different oil and they said to keep the ratio at 40:1, which was great because one Blendzall bottle mixes five gallons of gas at 40:1, so you don’t even need a Ratio Rite. 

With a couple kicks my 125 was fired up and the first thing I noticed was the less smoke coming from my silencer. Every two-stroke I’ve owned puffs blue smoke when it’s first fired up as well as being slightly loaded up while it’s cold and getting to operating temperature. To my surprise that wasn’t the case with Blendzall; there was almost no smoke coming from the silencer. Instead of feeling lethargic and loaded up, the bike was crisp as soon as it came to life. The bike had the same sensation when out on the trails, it felt crisper and I felt like the throttle response was slightly better as well. No matter what the terrain or elevation, the overall sensation was that the bike ran “cleaner” and was more crisp, which made it that much more fun to ride to me.

 The only thing I didn’t find on my trail ride were long hill climbs where the bike would be held wide open for prolonged periods of time. I’m sure there would be no issues, but I simply didn’t get the chance to put the bike in that scenario. After years of using traditional oils for my two-strokes, Blendzall has made me re-think what kind of mix I put in my 125. With a price tag of $8.53 per bottle, not only will I be constantly reminded of childhood memories, but I’ll be saving money as well. Blendzall makes oils for almost any application and they all smell fantastic! If you have any questions about this test, feel free to reach out to me at Michael@keeferinctesting.com, also check out Blendzall’s website at https://blendzall.com/.

Monitoring Exercise Intensity

What do heart rate monitors do, and do you need one?

By Seiji Ishii

Heart rate monitors are ubiquitous for almost anyone training for nearly anything. Yes, they measure heart rate, but what does this mean, and what do you do with this information? And do you need one?

The intensity of Exercise and Fuel Sources

Training efforts are programmed and described by three parameters: intensity, duration, and frequency. Intensity is the most important, and a lot of effort, technology, and study is aimed at determining the best way to test and monitor it. 

Athletes and coaches manipulate aerobic training to improve fat utilization, as it is in almost unlimited supply, and it’s the most efficient way for the body to produce energy. Even skinny chumps like Keefer have enough fat stores to drive almost indefinite movement. The more intensity an athlete can fuel with predominantly fat, the better, as muscular fatigue starts when the body switches to carbohydrates as the primary energy source.

So, knowing when the body switches from using mostly fat to using mostly carbohydrates is essential.  To bet better at burning fat requires, well, burning fat, so training at or under this breakpoint is a primary goal of aerobic exercise. And that’s where heart rate monitors enter the picture; heart rate can be an estimation of what the body is using for fuel – but it’s just that, an estimation and not a direct measurement. 

How the body reacts to fuel sources

When exercise intensity is low, it’s easy to carry on a conversation, and breathing is possible through the nose. At these levels of output, half of the energy or more comes from fat. When the intensity rises to the point where speaking in full sentences or breathing through the nose is not possible, the breakpoint is called the First Ventilatory Threshold (VT1) or Aerobic Threshold (AeT). It corresponds to a blood lactate level of 1mMol/L above baseline (or at 2mMol/L), indicating that byproducts of carbohydrate metabolism are accumulating.

As the exercise intensity increases, the body relies on more carbohydrates, and the associated blood lactate levels rise. But incredibly, the slow-twitch muscles of the body can aerobically utilize it for fuel. This ability to use lactate as fuel is why pure aerobic fitness is the base; it cleans up the “trash” produced by higher output. The more aerobically fit you are, the better you perform at higher intensities as you can remove lactate at a quicker rate.

As the intensity of exercise continues to increase, the ability to use lactate for fuel gets overrun by the rate of accumulation. This rise in blood lactate triggers deeper breathing as the body attempts to blow off excess CO2 produced by the higher rate of carbohydrate metabolization. This breathing breakpoint is evident and is the Second Ventilatory Threshold (VT2) or Anaerobic Threshold (AnT). After this deep breathing starts, the clock starts ticking, and the athlete is operating on borrowed time. Slowing down is an inevitability. 

OK, so do I need a heart rate monitor?

If your primary goal is to improve aerobic capacity, and it should be for the first 8-12 weeks of training at the very least, then no, a heart rate monitor isn’t necessary. You could just pay attention and stay at or below VT1. And remember, breathing is a direct reflection of what is going on inside the body, not an estimation. So in a way, monitoring breathing can be more accurate than a heart rate monitor. 

But – you have to pay attention. And – you don’t have an easily downloadable form of data. It’s a personal choice; can and will you pay attention to your breathing (which to me seems just as easy as looking at a heart rate monitor), and do you want or need that kind of data? 

Other zones of training exist outside of VT1 and VT2, and they are useful tools to enhance training further. There is also a relationship between ventilatory thresholds and heart rate that is informative. I will delve into these subjects in the future here on Keefer Inc. But for the majority of aerobic training, the only “zone” that matters exists below VT1.

The Bottom Line

Most of your off the bike, aerobic training should be focused on raising the ceiling of your aerobic capacity and should at or below VT1. Remember that the mechanisms driving this low-intensity work also play a pivotal role in how well you do at higher intensities. And to know during training when you are approaching the threshold of aerobic capacity can simply be done by monitoring breathing. So a heart rate monitor is not an absolute necessity.

But heart rate monitors can provide data that can be helpful, and they can help determine other factors when combined with ventilatory threshold monitoring. 

So, don’t let the lack of a monitor stop you from working on the essential part of aerobic training, and tune in for future installments where I will discuss testing to determine what heart rate corresponds to VT1 and more. 

Questions About Av Gas Answered

A Bit of Information About Aviation Fuel

Aviation Fuel has been used as a low-cost substitute for high octane fuels for decades. This was more common in the hay days of 2 strokes, due to higher probability of detonation, and thus the change to 4 strokes has seen a decline in the popularity of “aviation race gas”. The reason for aviation fuel, once all the folk lore is stripped away, is simple; The most common aviation fuel (100 Low Lead) has a high-octane rating, is low cost compared to store bought race gas, and has a higher resistance to detonation than pump fuel. The relatively high (compared to pump gas) octane rating is achieved using a chemical tetraethyllead (TEL) (the lead in leaded fuel) which increased the resistance to detonation.

Detonation in an aircraft is a very bad thing. Imagine sticking a ring at 8000 ft, makes Mt. St. Helens look like an ant hill when you fall from that high. In a motorcycle, especially a two stroke, the balance of compression ratio, cylinder temp, air/fuel ratios, and the like can push a machine to the limit of detonation. A two stroke seems to love life at the edge, a 125 seems to run the best right before it stops running completely. An increased octane rated fuel resists detonation more than a lower octane rated fuel. This is the definition of the octane rating, notice the lack of power in that definition. A father of an aspiring 125 champion could make a high compression, lean running, crisp feeling engine, and run practice with Aviation fuel to lower the fuel bill. The fuel by no means produced the same power, throttle response, or any of the key characteristics of a good running machine, but it would allow the bike to run with a longer service life for less money.

Octane Rating

I used the phrase “octane rating” earlier. This was chosen instead of phrases like: “the octane in the fuel”, “has more octane”. Octane is a physical molecule, has physical properties, even has a very easy chemical formula:

Octane = C8H18

However, in modern applications, octane is not what makes a fuel more or less powerful, more or less resistant to detonation, or better or worse race fuel. The “octane” in a fuel is a simplification of “octane rating”, which is a test of the amount of compression alone that will cause fuel to combust. I will briefly describe the test, to hopefully clarify what the number means, and make clear that “octane rating” does not correspond to increased/decreased engine power.

Octane Test:

If you take pure octane (C8H18), vaporize it in air, and compress it rapidly, eventually it will combust on its own. This is equivalent to detonation in a real engine, in that there is no spark required to start combustion. You can do the exact same test with heptane (C7H16) which is similar in chemical composition, physical properties, but it will self-combust at a lower pressure than pure octane.

If you blend octane and heptane with a ratio of 50 parts octane and 50 parts heptane, the mixture would have an octane rating of 50. This is the definition of the octane rating. The mixture would self-combust at some pressure given the test described above. Any fuel mixture (diesel fuel and pump gas, 50:50 race gas and pump gas, vegetable oil and nail polish) that self-combusts at the same pressure in this test would have an octane rating of 50. You can imagine these mixtures would make different powers, but the fuel would have identical octane ratings. 

Octane ratings are independent of power output.

Most pump gas has an octane rating of 87 to 95 depending on where you live. This means that the fuel coming out of the “87” hose at the gas station will self-combust at the same pressure as a 87:13 mixture of octane to heptane. The pump does not, however, pump out pure octane and pure heptane in that ratio. The fuel we buy is a mixture of near countless chemicals designed to meet environmental, storage, transportation, and performance requirements for the lowest possible costs. I will skip the rating methods and different octane numbers based off the test, but just know that the number on the pump in Europe vs the US does not tell the whole picture. Crossing international borders makes comparing fuel octane ratings difficult due to laws that govern what goes into that number on the pump.

 This may then beg the question: “What is 110 octane rated fuel, you can’t have 110% of something in a fuel”? This is true, and the simple answer is the rating is just plotting self-combustion pressure past 100% octane test fuel. The chart below illustrates this.

Back to Octane Rating:

The octane rating is crucial, as it allows a consumer to know the fuel they are purchasing will not cause damage to the engine by detonation. One of the more practical ways to think about octane rating is the amount of energy needed to start the combustion process. This energy comes from 3 main sources, each adding on top of one another to eventually reach the threshold to start combustion. The main sources are:

1. Engine Temperature

The hotter the fuel is when entering the combustion chamber, the less energy needed to get the fuel to combust. Likewise, the higher the temperature of the components that make up the combustion chamber, the less energy required to start combustion. This is due to the thermal energy in the hot engine parts transfers to the fuel while the fuel is in the engine, waiting for the spark. These no doubt play a role in meeting the minimum combustion energy level, but if you pour gas on a piece of metal at 1.5 times the temperature of the cylinder walls, it will not self-combust. The temperature of the incoming air and temperature of engine parts can push an engine near detonation over the limit, but typically cannot combust fuel just by touching it.

Compression:

This is the main perpetrator in detonation, and the main reason why people think race bikes “need” high octane race gas. When you compress any gas, the temperature goes up. Do this fast enough, and the increase in temperature can be substantial. If you have a can of compressed air, you can run this process in reverse. Spray the can against a piece of material and the air leaving the nozzle is ice cold (never point this at someone as it can cause frost bite even through clothes). Compressing air is the exact same process in reverse, so heat is generated rather than lost (exothermic vs endothermic for the nerds out there). The more you compress air, the more energy that is generated. Compress it enough, and enough energy is generated to combust the fuel without spark. This is the main source of energy when detonation occurs.

One additional note: compression is not uniform in the combustion chamber. The shape of the combustion chamber has a drastic effect on detonation risk. This comes from some areas of the head getting very close to the cylinder head, and the air struggles to move away fast enough when at high RPM. This causes local high pressure areas, which causes local higher temperature, which can push a small amount of fuel over the combustion limit. A small area detonating can spread the flame to the whole air fuel mixture, causing complete detonation. 

This is part of the reason why a two stroke on the limit will have some small damage at the edge of the piston when running correctly, the pressure is highest, and some small detonation happens, pitting the surface. This is also why you typically only get detonation at high RPM. At low RPM, there is enough time for the air to have a more uniform pressure (and the heat generated by compression can bleed out through the cylinder). Without local high pressure spots, detonation is less likely.

Spark Plug:

In a perfect engine, the spark is the last little bit of energy needed to start the combustion process, which is where you get the power from an engine. I won’t delve too deep into this, but just know that the spark is designed to start combustion in the center of the combustion chamber to allow for an even, non-damaging, pressure wave. When detonation occurs, it is typically not at the center, very uneven, and causes much higher cylinder pressures than what the engine was designed for. Lastly, a cooler or hotter spark plug is used to give a little extra energy for quick, even burning. A hotter plug means the porcelain piece is physically at higher temperature due to some design differences. The increased temperature, like cylinder or air temp, can be enough to push the engine into detonation.

There are many, many sources that engine designers consider when developing an engine for power character, running temperatures, RPM ranges, etc. that all factor into how the combustion process occurs. A paper on these items would be a great PhD thesis, and more than any sane person would be willing to read. These 3 are the simplest, and are the largest contributors to detonation risk.

In simple terms, a higher number octane rating means a higher energy level needed for combustion. When doing any engine modifications, you need to consider these factors and consider higher octane fuel if some change (typically compression ratio) will push the machine into detontation risk. You do not, however, get more power from higher octane fuel. In a stock machine, switching to a high octane fuel can sometimes decrease engine power output.

A Brief Word on Combustion

Combustion is very complicated when trying to design parts to optimize power. The concept governing it is simple. The commandments in the bible of power are rather simple:

“Get as much air and fuel, in the right ratio, into the cylinder as possible.”

“Thou shall not detonate”

“Achieve the maximum possible cylinder pressure as soon after Top Dead Center as possible”

The first comandment is for another conversation. The second we have already talked in detail. The third is what seperates the men from the boys, the cats from the dogs, and the good fuel from the bad. The power in race gas is the way that it builds pressure in the cylinder, increasing the power. Again, I want to make it clear that this is not because of the octane of the fuel. The simplified principle is that race gas burns quicker than standard pump gas. The faster a fuel burns, typically, the lower the octane. Defying this trend is what you pay for in race gas. 

When fuel is too high octane, combustion starts later than it should (because the energy requirement for combustion is not met until more cylinder pressure is built up) and the burn rate of the fuel is slower. The chemical properties that make a fuel resistant to detonation also make the fuel burn slower once the combustion has started. An engine in a motorcycle is just a mechanism that turns pressure (from fuel combustion) into mechanical motion. If the pressure of the cylinder is high, it gets the engine moving faster, and making more power. If the fuel takes a long time to burn, the pressure is lower, and less power is generated. 

Final Thoughts

There are a lot of extra pieces to this puzzle, but for simplicity, this is what fuel designers must balance.

1. Fuel needs to not combust prematurely (detonate), so an octane rating is needed to achieve this. Some bikes need 110 (turbocharged drag bikes), some bikes need 100 (modified two strokes), and some bikes need 93-95 (4 strokes, modified and standard).

2. Fuel needs to combust in a controlled, consistent manner so that cylinder pressure can be very high on the power stroke to get maximum power from each molucule of fuel. This is used for efficiency on road cars, and power in racing aplications.

3. Fuel needs to have an appropriate cost for the application. Pump gas makes some sacrifices in area 1 and 2 to achieve a cost. Race fuels sacrifice much less, but have a price that goes with it.

I hope that this offers some clarity on the complex liquid that is fuel. When buying fuel, you need to be realistic about your application needs, your desired cost, and have realistic expectations for what to expect when you pour it into your tank. 

1. Don’t fall into the misunderstanding that the “octane” is in the fuel, or that you can add octane out of a bottle. 

2. You don’t always need the highest octane for every application (sometimes it can undo power gains you probably paid good money for). 

3. Octane rating does not cause power. Filling up the 1998 E350 with 91 won’t help my quarter mile time.

4. Race fuel cost what it does for a reason. It is high quality, engineered fuel that will actually give you power (not from the octane rating though).

Taking it Back to the Start, “What about av gas, is it good?”

Av gas, like any specialty fuel, is great for it’s application. It resists detontation, resists evaporation at low pressures (8000 ft), and is a decent price. However, av gas is designed for planes that run at 2800 RPM, not 14000, so it burns slower, and unless you have some wicked step up skills, the fuel evaporation probably won’t be a problem. If you have a two stroke that is detonating, I would ask yourself 3 things:

1. Do you need the compression ratio you are running? 

2. Is your jetting right? You may need to richen up a bit to get the ‘ol race YZ490 to sing all day.

3. Don’t you work hard to play hard? Treat yourself to some high quality fuel, designed for motorcycles, with the appropriate octane rating. Don’t forget the last commandment of power (and first of lunch meat):

“Compromise Elsewhere”

CCR Sport Sprinter Pro Track Moto Kit

People always ask me “Hey Keefer, when you going to build the inside of your Mercedes Sprinter Van”? I always come back with “I am not rich and I don’t have that kind of money”. Sure I would love to get some cabinets for chemicals and a tire rack in there, but I am not to sold on installing a partition behind my rear bench seat quite yet. I have been basically putting my bikes against my bench seat for two years! Yeah, I know…That’s not very professional. I at least wanted to install a rack with wheel chocks just so my bikes can be locked in more securely. I called Chris Cooley of CCR Sport whose been in the motocross industry for a long time. I worked with Chris when he was a test rider at Dirt Rider and MX Racer Magazine. I told him I just wanted some sort of moto rack in my van so I can get my motorcycle tires off the back of my bench seat. Chris sent me their Sprinter Pro Track Moto X-3 Kit for my Mercedes and I thought why not put up a review. 

DESCRIPTION

The Sprinter ProTrack Moto X-3 Kit is a cargo track that mounts to the back side of the passenger bench seat in your Sprinter Van. You can use the fully adjustable track to secure any type of cargo you may need to transport. The X-3 Moto Kit includes a couple of CCR Sport’s ProTrack wheel chocks for transporting two motorcycles, bicycles or scooters, plus the ProTrack third bike extender for adding a third bike for when three riding buddies is better than two.

HOW IT WORKS

Two uniquely designed seat base mounts easily attach to the factory seat base. The ProTrack is attached to the seat base mounts creating a very sturdy option for securing cargo to the rear of the Sprinter passenger seat. The Sprinter ProTrack assembly stays installed when you remove the seat from the van, so no extra work having to remove your rack when you need added space. Primarily used for transporting dirt bikes, the track has been used for our bicycles, scooters/groms, and just about any other cargo you need to secure for safe transport.

FEATURES

• Mounts to factory rear passenger seat bases creating a sturdy cargo rack.

• Stays attached to seat, therefore no removal needed for additional space.

• Fully adjustable and extremely durable tie down hooks.

• Great for securely transporting all kinds of cargo, including motorcycles, bicycles, scooters and much more.

SPECS

• ProTrack is manufactured from 6063 extruded aluminum and clear anodized.

• Seat Base Mounts are laser cut and formed from steel alloy and powder coated for an attractive and durable finish.

• Components are manufactured from high-grade steel alloy and are Zinc plated and powder coated for an attractive, long lasting finish.

INCLUDES

• (1) ProTrack

• (2) Sprinter Seat Base Mounts.

• (3) ProTrack Tie Down Loops.

• (2) ProTrack MC Wheel Chock

• (1) ProTrack 3rd Bike Extender

• (1) Required installation hardware kit with instructions.

• Additional components can be purchased separately.

THOUGHTS

The CCR Sport Protrack Moto Kit literally took me 45 minutes to install. I am not a great mechanic by any means, but this Protrack kit was basic and straightforward. I simply used a step drill and a 5/16 drill bit and then bolted it right up to the frame of my bench seat. I now can load up three bikes with ease and have them firmly in place without the front wheels moving around on me while in transport. I like that I can get a third bike in the van without having to load it backwards as the third bike extender makes it simple for easy loading and unloading. I know it doesn't seem like much, but this CCR Protrack kit makes my life a lot easier when going riding with my kid. At $399.99 this was a fairly inexpensive way for me to make my Sprinter less ghetto. 

Go check out ccrsport.com to see all the moto kits they have to offer.  

Garmin Forerunner 935

I have used the Garmin 910XT for years to keep track of my training, my lap times, and my heart rate, but Garmin has since discontinued my favorite training helper. The Garmin 910XT was bulky, but it was tough, accurate, and had an auto lap feature that was triggered “by position”, which comes in very handy to any motocross rider. I scoured the internet looking for a sports watch that had this feature, among others that I required, but came up empty handed. Heather sat around the house for months and listened to me bitch and complain about not having someone time my laps at the track, so she insisted that I find another watch ASAP. I decided on the Garmin Forerunner 935 because it had an auto lap feature as well as other important aspects that I needed being that I am a dirt bike rider and not just a runner, swimmer or cyclist. Below are some of the aspects of the watch the I have noticed while living with it for a few months.

The top-end Garmin Forerunner model has always been something of a bulky watch, stretching all the way back to the hefty days of my favorite Forerunner, the 910XT. I tried the 920XT, but quickly found out that it didn't have an auto lap feature, which made me pissed. It wasn't until the Forerunner 220 that things really started to feel slim, but even then I still couldn't get an auto lap feature. 

This leads me to the Forerunner 935, which effectively replaces the 920XT at the top of the Forerunner line and although it drops the XT branding, it’s still a fully-featured multi-sport device. The Forerunner 935's design, as compared to other Forerunner products is where the biggest shift is for this device. The influence of the parallel Fenix family can be clearly seen here, as the 935 is more like a watch and less like a small TV that was the 920XT. The Forerunner 935 has a plastic body, which is one area where it differs from the Fenix 5, which uses materials like stainless steel to enhance the protection further, but I have abused this watch for months and have yet to have a crack in the screen or bust a button. The 935 is waterproof to 5 ATM, so it's going to be happy with your water sports, mud, or when you're power washing your bike, and of course is packed with swimming functions as a result. I am not a swimmer, so I haven't tested these features, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

There's a 22mm silicone band, so you can choose to switch bands if you want, otherwise the watch comes with a black body and either a black or yellow strap. The silicone band is nice and comfortable while riding and more pliable than the 920XT bands. There's enough flex in the band to let it stretch a little to remain comfortable in longer motos. Like other Forerunner devices, the 935 has buttons to the left and right of the body and no touchscreen. We like this arrangement because it's easier to manage using buttons, rather than vague swipes while you're trying to ride with gloves. These buttons are metal too, so there's a premium feel in use and not some cheap plastic buttons that end up sticking up with mud over time. Not to mention it’s super easy to feel with gloves on as well.

The GPS and wrist-based heart-rate monitoring (as well as compatibility with Garmin chest straps if you prefer) provide the basics for activity tracking, but with those extra sensors giving you a lot more data. Compared to the 735XT, it's the addition of the barometric altimeter, gyroscope, and thermometer that offers more hardware features. 

Of these it's the altimeter that probably gives you the more interesting data, because it's that which enables 3D distance and speed, and accurate changes in elevation. For those like to cycle like me, elevation change becomes all the more useful than those just cycling flat roads. trail rider will also find the altimeter useful on longer trail rides. You have the option to turn 3D distance on or off, depending on your preferences. There's also Wi-Fi in this watch which will allow you to sync to the Garmin Connect App through a friendly Wi-Fi network without a phone. The Garmin Connect App is an awesome feature to have on your phone to view your laps on the way home or while sitting in the pits. Simply download your last activity to your Garmin Connect and view your progress throughout the day.

In addition to the sensors built into the watch, there's also full support for external sensors. I’ve mentioned the heart-rate chest strap, so I paired the 935 with an old strap for fun, to see if it worked (one from my 910XT) on the bike and it had no problem feeding in the data. So don’t throw away your old Garmin strap, just in case you lose your current one, which I have already done! There's full 24/7 activity tracking, monitoring your rest, which I love because I can track how much sleep I’m getting and if I am recovered from the previous day’s activities. Recovery is as important to me as lap times are because I ride so much I need to focus on my sleep patterns. 

The option to use the chest strap is something I almost always do when riding/training, but to see if the sensors on the backside of the watch were accurate I did back to back motos to see if my heart rate drastically changed and to my surprise, the sensors on the 935 were amazingly accurate without the strap. Using the heart-rate strap however is necessary to unlock the heart rate variability function, designed to measure your stress levels, which works well enough as an additional measure of your general wellbeing. Maybe you do need to take time off work and take that vacation!

 Course creation is really good (including elevation and the option to add average speed information so you know how long it will take) and well worth it for those trail riders heading out on long rides. If you're like me and are the person who wants to ride a route that draws a rude picture, then this is the watch to do it! 

Training status is one of the off the bike features that I like on the 935. Because I am a self motivated person, the idea that the watch can tell you what progress you're making, as well as guide you in hitting the right level of exercise, makes it easier not having to spend a crap ton of money on a trainer that yells at you everyday. The 935 looks at your training load and alerts you if you're training too much (most likely resulting in you getting sick and the having to stop for a week to get over it), or if you're getting it right. If you stop training, the 935 will politely tell you that you're losing fitness. If that doesn't get you out the door and of your ass, then nothing will. The 935 does all of this by calculating your stats and set against baseline data (I am assuming).

I also like the recovery measure, which tells you it will take, say, 48 hours to get over that epic mountain bike ride or motos you put in at the track. Again, it's data drawn from averages and won't suit those who are really fit, but it's a good general guide and a reminder that rest days are a hugely important part of any structured training program.'

You can also measure/estimate lactate threshold and VO2 Max without the need for a sports science lab. These performance measures are gathered from data that the 935 is being collected and even if they aren't spot on (they're algorithmically calculated from averages), you can at least aim to improve those scores and use that as a measure stick of your increasing fitness.

The biggest failing that I have come across on so called smart watches is battery life. If you can get two days from an Apple watch you've done well. Let's just say that the Forerunner 935 laughs in the face of any other smart watches out there, easily surpassing the endurance of anything from Apple or Android/Wear OS. The 935 lasts me easily over a week without a charge, while using all of its features daily. Being able see who is calling me as well as reading texts on my phone is just another convenient feature of the 935 that makes me want to wear it 24/7. 

On The Track:

The 935 doesn't have the auto lap feature “by position” that I would want for motocross, but has auto lap “by distance”. In order to get correct lap times with this feature you will have to start your watch at the furthest point of the track (so that the GPS logger doesn't double back on itself) and GPS/measure one complete lap in order to see how long one lap is. Once you figure out how long the track is you must go back into your bike settings on the 935 and change the mileage in your auto lap data field. Once this is set, your 935 will keep track of each lap for you. It’s a little more of a pain in the ass than the “by position” feature, but at least I have the auto lap function and I can view my progress per session. I am not going to bitch too hard about this. It’s not exact, but it’s damn close.  

I have customized my data fields so I am able to check my last lap time in the air. With each passing lap your watch will vibrate and then your lap time will pop up within 2-3 seconds of the triggered area. That lap will remain on the screen until the next lap. The watch face and its numbers are large enough for my old ass to read, so I am sure it will be bold enough for most of you out there. I also like that the 935’s heart rate monitor doesn't get interfered with the harmonics of the motorcycle while I'm riding like some of the other sports watches/heart rate monitors that I have worn. 

This is the first watch that I have actually worn all day every day. I like that it’s waterproof so it’s easy to clean as I can simply take it in the jacuzzi with me and boom! All clean! I paid $499.99 for the Garmin 935 Forerunner tri-bundle (with heart rate strap) and so far I have been happy with my purchase. It’s a watch that I wear everyday, doesn't look bulky, isn't heavy, and can do 99% of what I am asking it to do. If it had the “by position” auto lap feature this would be a review that I would give an A+, but I will instead give a solid A.  

Specs:

47 x 47 x 13.9mm; 49g

Plastic body and strap

22mm silicone band

5 ATM waterproofing

Wrist-based heart-rate monitor (HRM)

1.2-inch color display, 240 x 240 pixel resolution

GPS, Altimeter, Compass, Gyroscope, Thermometer

Mistakes Beginners Make And How To Fix Them (Part One)

No one comes out of the womb a professional motocross racer and knows exactly how to get around a track properly let alone fast. What about the basics of riding your dirt bike on a motocross track with other people? We all started out as lost beginners and were all squids at one point in time. There is nothing I hate more than when a good rider sees a beginner and talks trash on him/her because they aren’t as good. Or maybe they don’t have all the new gear and shit! Who cares! Instead of talking down to them or making fun of them, let’s help them! Go over and talk to them! Let’s make them feel welcome to our sport and make them want to tell their friends on how much fun it is to go to the track. We all make mistakes in our life and most of us had/have our parents there to help us through those mistakes (at least I know I did). 

However, I understand that some beginner or novice riders may not have come from the same “riding friendly” family background as me. With the un-written rules/ethics of motocross riding, it can be somewhat difficult to get solid information on what to do or maybe more importantly, what NOT to do. If we learn from our mistakes we can become wiser, safer, faster, and more efficient, but in motocross sometimes those mistakes come at the cost of an injury. I wanted to share some mistakes I have made in the past and some that I have seen over the years at tracks over my time. Riding dirt bikes is dangerous enough, so knowledge shared is usually a less painful way to learn than by making the mistakes yourself. So if you’ve been around a while in this sport and are decent rider, put your ego to the side and help those newbies out there, so our sport grows and we have less angry people in the world. If your a beginner/novice rider welcome to our sport and keeferinctesting.com! This website is fun and also a great stop to learn all things dit bikes! Read this “Part One” article and try to apply this wisdom to your riding and hopefully those mistakes that you’re making now will be less after you read this!

Note: I use the phrase “pull your head out of your ass” to my thirteen year old kid a lot! This phrase goes a long way when you ride a dirt bike as well. Staying aware and pulling your head out of your ass can save your life! Every time you get on the bike, have fun, but respect it and know your surroundings. 

Not Holding Your Line When Faster Riders Come Up Behind You

Travis Preston and I talked about this on my podcast (Show #124 Practice Track Etiquette). On crowded tracks, slower riders tend to get nervous and worried that the faster riders won't see them and will run into them or even land on them. To avoid the chances of this, stick to your line if a faster rider is closing in on you. The faster rider will see you and pick the best line to get around you—so if you are riding down the middle of the track, stay there. If you change your line to let them by, you're actually making it more likely that they will run into you. If you hear them coming up when you are getting ready to jump (as long as your clearing the jump), make sure to jump straight from where you take off. Definitely don't change lines up the face or cross jump, and if you're going to roll the jump, approach it at a speed that announces this, don't charge up to the jump and then get on the brakes hard. If the track is crowded maybe wait until it gets less busy with faster riders. Also, if you aren't jumping a certain jump and you have a busy track, try to stick to the side of the jump/track so that the riders behind you know that you aren't jumping this double/tabletop/etc.

Practice Breathing 

This really may sound super lame, but we actually can forget to take in enough oxygen while riding. It’s actually pretty easy to forget to breathe while riding since you're already focused, concentrating on not crashing, shifting, braking, rolling the throttle on as well as hanging on for dear life. So you need to pick "trigger points" (AKA sections of the track) where you will take a deep breath and try to relax your muscles. If you're comfortable jumping, they are the best trigger points; as soon as you launch, start taking a really deep breath and try to relax, hold it in for half a second, then let it out as you land. Do that on just two to three of the biggest jumps on the track and your heart rate will drop 10 to 15 beats a minute! If jumping is not your forte, then find two to three trigger points where you're the most comfortable and take take the deep breaths at those spots. Doing this will help you ride longer and possibly get less arm fatigue. 

Listening To Your Clutch

Yes, just like a woman, you must listen to your motorcycle as it’s talking to you. Didn't know bikes could talk? Yes, they can and sometimes they talk in the form of a burnt out clutch! This could cause you to crash on a big jump—you could come up short because your bike didn't give you the power you expected. Change your oil, then give it a sniff and a look for excessive amounts of clutch fiber particles floating in the oil. Inspect your clutch components for fibers that are out of spec or blued steels (heat damaged). And it's usually a bad idea to install softer clutch springs; they will speed up clutch wear. This is the number one thing I see when I look at a beginner/novice type of rider. I have even rode people’s bikes and have almost always have to tell them that their clutch is fried. Change your plates! 

Losing Focus On The Fun

If this dirt bike thing has bitten you like it has most of us you will be trying to improve your speed or your conditioning every time you ride. This doesn’t happen overnight, you will need to put in the time, do your motos, and work on your corners, but don't forget what riding dirt bikes is all about: fun, thrills hanging out with friends/family and enjoying life. Go out and find some cool jumps in the desert, go ride in the hills, or find some epic single-track. Forget about going faster at the track or getting in better shape once in a while, or you'll get yourself into a rut and your improvement will slow down. Don’t let the negative dirt bike people bring you down, you know who they are. They are the ones that tell you that dirt bikes aren't good for your health, that their death traps, or maybe even say you’ll never be pro. Clip those people out of your life. 

Gripping the Handlebars Improperly 

Many beginner and novice riders grip the clutch lever with all five fingers when shifting. The problem with this is that you lose control of your bike during the transition from grip to clutch/front brake lever, and if you're doing it while riding through braking bumps, you have a high chance of losing control of your bike. Train yourself to ride with one finger on the clutch lever so that you're always ready to use them while still keeping complete control over your bike. The index finger is popular with pro riders, but many riders prefer to use their middle finger on the clutch and brake. Unlike the clutch lever you will have to take your index finger off of the front brake lever while riding to use the throttle properly. Grabbing four fingers of front brake isn't a good thing because you will be hitting the deck mighty fast if that is the route you go. Try rolling the throttle off and using no more than two fingers to lightly pull in the front brake. The front brake contains more than 70% of your stopping power when you learn how to use correctly. 

Riding With the Controls in the Wrong Position

You need to be as comfortable as possible when riding, so make sure to set up your handlebars, front brake, and clutch lever correctly before you go out on the track/trail. Don't forget about the rear brake pedal height as well so you’re not stomping down too far or even dragging the rear brake around the track. I can't tell you how many times I’ve seen people buy brand-new dirt bikes and jump on them with no adjustments. Running the levers too low will have you riding in the wrong position and could prevent you from saving an avoidable crash. Rolling your bars too far forward will cause your cornering ability to suffer and you will not be able to dive into corners aggressively. Try and use a neutral position on your handlebar (run it at close to the same angle as the fork) so your body positioning doesn't suffer.

Getting Off of the Track Carelessly

Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Boy…….. This is a doozy. I have been a victim of this and it isn't fun for anyone. If you need to get off of the track, use hand signals to let the riders behind you know when you're exiting. When you arrive at a track, look for the exit and make sure when you do exit the track you leave on the correct side. We have seen numerous riders cut across the track to exit only to get center-punched by an oncoming rider. Use your head; look behind you before exiting, raise your left hand to signal that you're exiting, and never cross over a track in a blind section (right after a jump, hill, or high berm)! Pull your head out of your ass! It’s seriously a great phrase that I can’t use enough! 

Slacking on Your Technique

This is similar to riding for fun tip, but focuses back on a different way to develop proper MX technique: challenge yourself trail riding. It improves your bike skills to find tough, technical off-road sections to conquer, like super-steep uphills, gnarly downhills, ravines, logs, rocks, streams. Finding your own lines—and sometimes just a way through—forces you to think creatively, and insane trails will make those intimidating track obstacles look like child's play. When you are at the track make the most out of your time. Work on things you’re not so good at and have a plan. If you’re going to a track you already know, work on the parts that you’re slow in. Have that in the back of your mind when you pull up! 

If you have any questions about this article or anything on our site please feel free to email me at kris@keeferinctesting.com

OGIO Adrenaline VRT Gear Bag

There are a few off the bike pieces that are essential to me and my testing program. One of those things is a gear bag that fits all of my crap and isn't a huge/heavy monstrosity. I have used and gone through just about every gear bag imaginable, but only a couple have really held my excitement for more than a couple trips to the track. You may be thinking it just a freaking gear bag Keefer, but to me it’s something I use almost everyday and am in and out of. 

I have been using OGIO products since I started at Dirt Rider way back in the early 2000’s and absolutely loved the 9900 Rig Gear Bag, but that bag has been discontinued. The 9800 was decent, but I really wanted something more compact/smaller/lighter to travel with and take to the track. Enter the OGIO Adrenaline VRT Gear Bag for all us non lifted bro truck kind of dirt bike riders. AKA gentlemen truck owners. 

The OGIO Adrenaline VRT Gear Bag has a dimension of 30" H x17.5"W x 6.5" D has a EVA molded goggle/personal items pocket, two fabric slip pockets for gloves/tear-offs, a large main volume, two Internal mesh organization pockets, Internal top lid zippered mesh pocket, large wet/dry compartment to separate dirty or clean gear/clothes, a zip away divider allows use of entire volume or wet/dry compartment, an ABS molded tub, a reinforced replaceable wheel set, an easy to clean eco friendly PVC liner, two stage trolley handle helmet divider/changing mat, and a heavy duty 900D fabric with Eco friendly PVC backing.

So the short story to this test is that I have owned this bag over a year and haven't really wanted to try another bag since. I looked at my bag today and thought why haven't I did a review on this sucker yet? Well now here we are! The Adrenaline is small enough to fit in my Ridgeline trunk (no hate comms) yet big enough to hold three sets of gear, knee braces, socks, helmet, several sets of gloves, a pair of boots, several sets of goggles, snacks, tear offs, and still have room for other crap if I need it. Before the Adrenaline bag was introduced I was a 9800/9900 gear bag guy, but it was heavy (at 14.1 pounds) so I would almost always go over the weight limit (at the airport) forcing me to pay an oversized fee. LAME! I hate spending money on stuff that I feel is not warranted and the weight on the 9800 wasn't worth the 30-50 dollar oversize fee. The adrenaline weighs in at 10.2 pounds and allows me to sneak in some extra gear and I am still under the weight limit. SCORE! 

I love that I can separate my stinky gear from my fresh smelling gear with the wet/dry compartment. Mrs. Keefer likes this because she doesn't have to wash two sets of gear when opening/pulling out my dirty gear. The clean gear remains clean and doest have that stank on it! Yes, my wife washes my gear, so don’t be jealous. #HomeLife. Sometimes when gear bags come with side boot compartments it can be a pain in the ass to stick dirty/muddy boots, but with the ABS molded tube at the bottom of the bag, I can simply lay my boots down inside and zip up the bag. Boom! Easy! I also like that I can separate my knee braces from the main compartment as well as keep my goggles inside the EVA molded comportment and they don't get damaged (you Oakley Airbrake guys need this). 

Mrs Keefer’s Thoughts: Look all I know is Kris’s gear stinks up the laundry room up to high heaven and having to reach into that god forsaken bag to get his gear is not fun, but I do it. I like that this bag has the separation compartment because it doesn’t blow out his other clean stuff I put in there for him. I remember another bag he was using last year was horrible because his lazy ass would just throw his used/old gear in with his clean gear and all of it would stink. More work for me right? This OGIO bag makes my life a little easier and his bitching about all of his gear stinking before he even rides, just disappear. If your wife washes your gear, do them a favor and get this bag because it will actually be helping her. Thank you. -Heather Keefer

The OGIO Adrenaline is durable and is over a hundred bucks cheaper (at $219.99) than the 9800. If you’re looking to get a compact, durable, and useful gear bag take a look at the Adrenaline over at the ogiopowersports.com. OGIO has a designated moto site specially for their powersports products. 

Determining Season Goals

You Need A Map To Get To Where You Want To Go

By Seiji Ishii

Where are you going? How will you get there? These are questions that you should answer before embarking on a training program. You can buy all the nutrition products you want, but if you don’t have a plan or use them properly how will it work? Goal setting and creating training objectives based on these goals will allow you to always move forward instead of wandering in a random training pattern. Every training session should have a congruent purpose designed to keep you progressing towards your season goals. Knowing what you are doing and why you are doing it will also keep you motivated in the long term; you will always see that the actions you are taking today will ultimately lead to your goals in the future. 

The first step in the goal-setting procedure is to determine your “A” priority events. These events are the most important and your fitness will peak for these races, trips, etc. All other events during the season will occur with fitness either being on the rise towards the “A” events or the decline after them. A seasoned athlete can peak up to three times per season and thus can have three A-priority events. These events can be series championships or a big trip to Baja, not your usual weekend event.

The next phase in goal setting is to determine your season goals based on your A-priority events. This step is arguably the most important action in planning your season. It is critical at this point to understand the difference between a dream and a goal; a dream takes longer than a season to accomplish while a goal is attainable within a season.

Example: A local racer is winning their classes locally; a dream would be to become a factory rider but a goal would be to win a local winter race series. Goals need to be challenging but they also need to be reasonable. If you set goals that are too high then deep down inside you will know that you cannot reach this goal and your commitment will fade. Goals need to be measurable (number oriented), under your control (“I want to win this race,” not, “I want to win this race if Joe crashes”) and they must stretch you.

Examples of season goals based on A-priority events; each A-priority race should have a corresponding season goal. 

1) Top 5 finish in x class at my state/region WORCS-style championship race.

2) Top 10 finish in my local winter series from x date to x date.

3) Top 15 finish in x class at the closest WORCS event.

Determining Training Objectives:

The final step in the goal-setting procedure is to create training objectives based on the season goals and your performance limiters. Limiters are specific riding techniques or parts of fitness/health are currently holding you back in the development of overall riding ability. A careful self-assessment from the prior season will determine these limiters. An example of a specific technique limiter would be “right-handed cornering technique.” An example of a fitness/health limiter would be “poor dietary habits.” Write down your limiters and write down your first season goal. Will any of your limiters prevent or impede you from reaching this season goal? The answer is probably yes so you will need to improve these limiters through specific training.

List these limiters underneath the first season goal and repeat this procedure for all your season goals. Now you will use each of these limiters to create a training objective. A training objective is a training goal that specifically addresses the limiter. When listing training objectives under each season goal, specify a way to measure improvement in each limiter and put a time limit on doing so. Here are examples:

Goal: A top 5 finish in x class at my state/region WORCS style championship race.

Personal limiters to this goal: aerobic conditioning, cornering technique, dietary habits.

Training objectives:

1) Improve aerobic conditioning: complete a 25-mile road bicycle ride in 1 hour and 20 minutes by June 30th, 2019.

2) Improve cornering technique: complete one lap on my corner track in 35 seconds by July 15th, 2019.

3) Dietary habits: track diet and change to 40% carbohydrate, 30 % protein, 30% fat intake ratios by August 15th, 2019.

When you have completed this procedure for each goal, you will have between one and three training objectives for each season goal and between 3 to 9 training objectives for the entire season. These training objectives become the focal point of your training activities. They can also be adjusted through the season as you improve upon the limiters and you can eliminate them through directed and purposeful training! Sitting down with the event calendar, going through the goal setting procedure and creating your training objectives may seem a far cry from carving through the trees, but it is no less important in the quest to improve your riding performance. This procedure is pivotal to ensure that training has direction and your efforts and dedication are always moving you steadily towards your goals.

Risk Racing ATS Adjustable Magnetic Stand

Matthes walked through my shop the other day and said “Keefer, you need more stands” with a lot of sarcasm in his voice. Yes, I have a lot of stands Steve, but I also have a lot of bikes in the shop as well. The tough part is to get a stand that works for every type of machine I have in the shop. Risk Racing emailed me and wanted to give them my honest opinion on their ATS Magnetic Adjustable Stand so I spent about three months with this sucker to see what its capabilities were. 

The Risk Racing ATS Magnetic Stand features two anodized, CNC, aluminum turnbuckles with locknuts, that allow the user to set the angle of the top of the stand and then lock it in place. This enables the user to match the exact angle of their bike chassis, bringing both tires level into the air. With both tires lifted, simple tasks like cleaning and servicing can be much easier right? 

When I work on my test bikes I often leave loose bolts around then Aden will come outside (into the shop) and kicks them across the shop. To eliminate this frustration, Risk Racing embedded magnets into both side panels of the A.T.S. Stand. Utilizing magnets on both side panels allows bolts from each side of the bike to be kept isolated and on the correct side of the bike.

The adjustable top features a large oil drain hole and an oversized, non-slip rubber pad that is chemical resistant, thick, and hard-wearing. The bolts sit below the rubber top meaning your bike only ever sits on the rubber. The A.T.S Stand chassis is constructed of powder coated steel and built to endure the abusive life that us dirt bikers can dish out to our stands from time to time. 

The turnbuckles are anodized aluminum and equipped with locknuts, so users can lock in their desired angle. The combination is a robust moto stand that can magnetically hold nuts & bolts! The Risk Racing stand isn't the lightest of stands, but that forces me to actually get out of the van and place it on the dirt instead of throwing my stand out into the pits like a lazy person. 

What I like about this Risk Racing ATS Adjustable Stand the most is that I can actually lube my chain on the Honda CRF450R without the rear wheel hitting the dirt. Yes, other stands have rubber blocks that you can put at the top of one end and the bike will balance, but what’s cool is that you can put your kid’s 85 on the Risk Racing stand and you can get the perfect balance (with either machine within seconds). Having the magnetic side panels makes for easier at-the-track part changes/bolt placement. No more looking for that one missing bolt in the dirt. Don’t act like that hasn’t happened to you or your riding buddy. The parts on the stand have been reliable and trying the occasional nose wheelie on the stand hasn’t damaged anything. Yet…

Just like in life, it’s the little things that really make me happy. Risk Racing did a great job of creating a stand that makes my life a little easier in the shop and at the track. The $139.99 price tag is steeper than other stands out on the market, but then again, this stand will accept any type of chassis. I think this stand is bad ass! Check them out at riskracing.com. 

If you have any questions about this test you can email me at kris@keeferinctesing.com   

Scosche PowerUp 700 Portable Jump Starter

I usually stick to dirt bike related things on this site, but since I recently used the Scosche Power 700 Portable Jump Starter on Lil D’s (Donnie Emler Jr.) brand new 2019 Husqvarna FC450, I thought I would give you guys some insight on why this is a great piece to add in the truck, car or van. The 700 Portable Jump Starter is a high-capacity 15,000mAh lithium-ion battery w/700 amp peak that can jump start vehicles up to 10 cylinders, is spark-free, and the 6-point safety protection system prevents any unwanted mishaps. It also has dual 5V (2.1A + 1.1A) USB ports for charging mobile devices, has a safety protection against any short circuits, a reverse connection/Polarity, ultra-bright LED flashlight, 1000+ charge/discharge cycle backwards that is compatible to work with smaller engines and the LED battery power level indicator works just fine on cars, trucks, boats, ATV/UTV’s and of course dirt bikes.

How many times have you messed around with jumper cables, only to have the positive and negative touch? With most other portable jumpers on the market, you can cause a short circuit and permanently damage the unit when those clamps come in contact. Plus sparks can be dangerous to you and the vehicle as well. The Scosche PowerUp was designed with Spark Proof technology, allowing you, your vehicle, and the unit to stay safe should the clamps touch. My wife doesn't like to jump start anything because she is intimidated by big jumper cables, but with this Scosche 700 Jump Starter, she feels safe enough to do it on her own! Boom! Score! 

What about when it’s dark outside and you need some extra light? This unit has you covered, with the built-in ultra-bright LED, you're provided with plenty of light to find your battery terminals, find your phone (in the loads of crap under your seat), in your carry bag or wherever you may need it. The LED also has a strobe and SOS flashing option just in case you’re in distress or want a portable rave unit.

This Scosche 700 also includes many other great features such as the ability to use it as a backup battery for mobile devices. Low on battery life and your kids are hogging the cords? No problem the Scosche 700 provides you with one 2.1A and one 1.1A USB ports so you can charge two devices at once! 

Most importantly it saved my buddy Lil D’s butt as his new Husqvarna FC450 waste charged enough to start. I simply whipped out the Scosche 700 Portable Jump Starter and the white beast fired right up. He let it idle for a few minutes and the battery was ready to rock! It also takes up almost zero room in your cab and I rarely have to charge it.

Go check out all the products Scosche has to offer at scosche.com and use the code SCOKT25 to save yourself 25% on almost every product on their site! 

VP MR-Pro 6 Racing Fuel Review

If you're on a budget and are happy with your pump fuel, just continue on with your day and don’t worry about this review. There is nothing wrong with pump fuel (unless you’re from California then you have ethanol problems). However if you do have some extra cash and want to see an improvement in your engine’s power delivery, continue to stick around and read all about VP’s MR-Pro 6 racing fuel. MR-Pro 6 is an unleaded fuel engineered to generate maximum horsepower in four-stroke applications while still conforming to the AMA rules for lead and oxygen content. MR-Pro 6 delivers more power (than pump fuel), thanks to its carefully formulated oxygen and octane content. It requires some jetting/mapping changes and also require some changes in ignition timing. This unleaded fuel is said to make the equivalent power of leaded MR12 on the dyno.

I have been testing the 2019 KTM 450 SX-F and 2019 Yamaha YZ450F a ton lately with aftermarket ignitions. With these ignitions you are able to have increased parameters and can really tune in a bike’s power delivery. To aid in some of this delivery, race fuel becomes very important, so I have been using VP’s MR-Pro 6 in both machines. Now before I tell you how it performed with these aftermarket ECU’s let me start off by saying that you “should” map your ECU for MR-Pro 6, but for testing purposes, I tried the VP fuel with a stock ignition without a re-map. By simply pouring in the MR-Pro 6 into your stock steed, you will see some benefits like increased throttle response and more bottom end. However if you're spending anywhere between $130.00-$180.00 a pail, you will want the most out of your money. Simply pouring this stuff into your bike isn't going to blow your mind with its performance on the track. Don’t waste your money! 

If you want to really benefit from VP’s MR-Pro 6 get your stock or aftermarket ECU re-mapped for this type of fuel. Once mapped you will feel all of the benefits of some good race fuel. You will notice you will have even more RPM response, bottom-mid range pulling power, and an increase in peak horsepower (over-rev). Even with a stock ECU (that is re-mapped for MR-Pro 6) I get all of these positive affects, but with less top end/over-rev. 

Our 2019 KTM 450SX-F test bike has lived on MR-Pro 6 for the past 20 hours or so.

With a GET or Vortex ECU and MR-Pro 6 the difference is huge on the track. I have spoke about the importance of ECU settings and what they can bring to modern four-stroke technology in my podcasts. It’s huge! MR-Pro 6 gives you an increase in horsepower everywhere on the track and gives your four-stoke a crisper throttle response that makes your machine feel slightly lighter feeling on the track. Yes, fuel with an aftermarket ECU CAN DO THIS! 

One downside to the MR-Pro 6 is that it can boil when the temperatures rise. I had better luck in the summer months with ETS Racing fuel than I did with MR-Pro 6. You will notice if the fuel starts to boil because you will feel the machine start to run dirty (or rich) feeling (and you will lose a lot of throttle response). In the winter months or on cooler days I have had no problems with MR-Pro 6 boiling. ETS was just more consistent when the temperatures were high. 

If you're looking for increased horsepower and throttle response, VP’s MR-Pro 6 is a huge advantage over many other unleaded race fuels out there. Just be sure to store it somewhere away from your living quarters because the MR-Pro 6 is pungent. The smell is quite strong and can really make your wife or neighbors mad.