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Offline VintageBlueSmoke

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A day on the 4$.
« on: November 27, 2011, 11:05:31 AM »
So I have to go mark the trails for our clubs annual 4x4 event and decide that since it is such a nice day, I'll do it on a motorcycle. However, since I will have to traverse public roads, it has to be street legal (not really, my riding partner was on a motocross bike with false license plates - and he's a cop) so for the first time in 2 years, I rode my 2006 CRF-250X...and I remembered why I parked it.

Our terrain here is steep, rocky, slimy and wet. The rocks are often loose and covered with a fine film of algae and the mud is much like north Georgia - reddish, shiny, and slick. Even in the best of times, a simple trail ride will be extremely difficult and in the winter, after several days of rain, downright painful.

Started off my getting the ol' girl out of the back of the garage and firing her up. I recently put a new crank and top end on it so the fuel was still good and she started right up. I knew I had a lot of miles to ride so I went to top off (the still running bike) with fuel and melted my pant leg of the header. Nice. Second pair this year. Now the complaining starts.

I call my buddy and we decide to meet at the top of the mountain - the halfway point of our event since both courses loop back to there. For me to get there, I can take the road but there is a really cool (read difficult) trail too and there is where I plan to go. The beginning is a steep, rocky, slimy and wet climb for about a 1/4 mile but then it becomes fast 2-track. I never got to see the fast part.

Third gear entered the trail and launched the first rock, ricocheted off the next to make the first switchback...bogg....downshift into second but now I'm too high in the gear and the rear end steps out but the front end comes up and I can muscle it into position for the next big rock step. Shift to third  but overshoot the next switchback and have to let off...bogg...downshift to second, wheelie over the next two big steps but fighting it the whole time (it's like I have to carry the pig!) until I reluctantly have to put my foot down - and the bike falls over. It is just too top heavy to my vertically challenged body to support. I'm a third of the way through the tuff part so I pick it up, hit the start button (thank gaaawd!) and take off, quickly shifting but second is still too low and third is too high and I pin-ball my way up the next section until again I reluctantly have to put my foot down - and the bike falls over...again. Now the clutch lever is wrapped in a loop but still usable with one finger.

Screw this. I still have the whole 70 miles to go! So I point her down and ride on out, back to the road and the easy way to meet my friend. My only saving grace is that when he pulls up he immediately complains that it is slick out there and he fell down already. I didn't mention that for me it was twice! (Though I did bitch about my pants).

So up until nearing our third check point it is uneventful. The day is nice and we are enjoying the trail. We approach a particularly difficult rocky downhill section. It is large boulders with the final one being about the size of a school bus. It wouldn't be all that hard but it is slick. Like Ice. Like you couldn't WALK across it. It is on about a 25 degree angle and my plan was to just wheelie onto it and hold everything as straight as possible, then when I got to the end, make any corrections that might be necessary to keep going. Nope. Front wheel touched the rock and slid right out from under me. Now the front brake lever matches the clutch! Fortunately, my buddy dropped his machete so it gave me time to get going without him knowing I fell...again.

Everything went well from then on. Shortly after the 6th checkpoint, we found a large tree had fallen across the trail so we aborted and went back for my Jeep and the chainsaws (Dolmar and McCulloch). We cut the tree up and finished the trail in the truck. We started at 5 in the afternoon and finished at 2 in the morning. All in all, I'd say I had a pretty good day since I got to play with my two loves (bikes and trucks) but also it made me remember the other reason why I hate my 4$ (the cost of ownership) and why I am posting here. It's not that it is too heavy. It is similar to some of my other bikes on the scales. It is that all that weight is on top! I am 5' 7" and weight 140 lbs. I am just too small, too weak and too old to hold that thing up past about a 10 degree lean.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »
08 Speed Bird Quad 110, 08 KTM 144, 04 Suzuki LT-Z400, 03 Gas Gas EC, 300,97 Honda CR144, 96 Husky Boy 50, 88 Husky 400WR, 86 Honda CR125R, 80 Can-Am MX6 400, 75 Husky 360CR, 75 Husky 175CC, 73 Penton Jackpiner 175, 72 Husky 250CR, 72 Husky 125, 72 Rickman-Zundapp 125, (2) 71 Bultaco Pursang Mk

Offline SachsGS

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2011, 03:54:28 PM »
I recall when those things first came out that I'd always encounter them stuck on the side of a hill.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »

Offline citabjockey

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2011, 05:25:05 PM »
The chain saws are 2T right? Thank the gods!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »
Yamaha CT3, RT3, MX125, SC500, Toy Prius, Diesel F250 (it all balances out)

Offline VintageBlueSmoke

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2012, 01:01:38 PM »
The chain saws are 2T right? Thank the gods!


Yes they are. And a funny story with that...

I had a Husqvarna chainsaw, I loved it and it worked great. Then I moved to the Azores for the first time and I was weight limited coming over here so I left it with my father. After getting settled I need a chainsaw for the firewood so I called him and asked him to send me my Husky. What arrived in the mail was a new McCulloch. He refused to give me the Husky back, he liked it so much.

So I used the Mac (happily) for about 2 years and then I moved again and it went into storage...for the next 15 years. This year, I took it out, filled up the chain oiler and added premix. Pumped the bubble on the carb and pulled....braaaapppp! Fifteen years and it fired on the first pull. Honestly, it don't cut for crap but it is dead reliable!
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »
08 Speed Bird Quad 110, 08 KTM 144, 04 Suzuki LT-Z400, 03 Gas Gas EC, 300,97 Honda CR144, 96 Husky Boy 50, 88 Husky 400WR, 86 Honda CR125R, 80 Can-Am MX6 400, 75 Husky 360CR, 75 Husky 175CC, 73 Penton Jackpiner 175, 72 Husky 250CR, 72 Husky 125, 72 Rickman-Zundapp 125, (2) 71 Bultaco Pursang Mk

Offline eprovenzano

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2012, 02:15:12 PM »
15 years ago I needed a saw to remove and cut up some fallen limbs. I went cheap and bought a remanufactured McCulloch for $40.00.  It had some issues running when I got it. The carb air screw and idle were way out of adjustment. Nothing a turn of a screw driver couldn't fix.  I have beat the saw to death clearing fallen trees on the trail. It's been ejected from a quad, smacked trees etc.  . It can sit for years with zero maint including old stale gas and it will alway fire by the 3rd pull. Its safe to say I have gotten  my money's worth out of it.  :)
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »
Eric Provenzano
2019 KTM 300 XCW TPI
2000 KTM 300 EXC (Son's)
2001 KTM 380 EXC
Sold 1991 KDX 200... fun play bike
Sold 1999 KX250
Sold 1999 YZ125 (son's)
Sold 2001 Yamaha TTL 125 (son's 1st bike)
Sold but never forgotten 1974 Honda Elsinore CR250M
Sold 1974 Honda Elsinore CR125

Offline SachsGS

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2012, 03:18:53 PM »
I wonder when We will see a Honda 4T chainsaw?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »

Offline cnrcpla

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2012, 05:44:56 PM »
Hopefully we wont...
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »

Offline citabjockey

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2012, 06:06:13 PM »
When Honda convinces the EPA to limit the CC's of the 2T saws to 1/2 the size of their 4T saw.  ;D
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »
Yamaha CT3, RT3, MX125, SC500, Toy Prius, Diesel F250 (it all balances out)

Offline TMKIWI

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #8 on: January 31, 2012, 06:39:12 AM »
Honda already make a 4 stroke weedwacker.
A guy I know thinks it's the bee's knee's. :<img src=" title="Roll Eyes" class="smiley">
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »
If you don't fall off you are not going hard enough

Offline eprovenzano

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #9 on: January 31, 2012, 01:53:00 PM »
Let me quess, because he doesn't have to mix the gas...  >:-D
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »
Eric Provenzano
2019 KTM 300 XCW TPI
2000 KTM 300 EXC (Son's)
2001 KTM 380 EXC
Sold 1991 KDX 200... fun play bike
Sold 1999 KX250
Sold 1999 YZ125 (son's)
Sold 2001 Yamaha TTL 125 (son's 1st bike)
Sold but never forgotten 1974 Honda Elsinore CR250M
Sold 1974 Honda Elsinore CR125

Offline cnrcpla

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #10 on: January 31, 2012, 02:09:59 PM »
I had to work on one of those four stroke weed whackers... They are so annoying. They also have like no power at all, but that shouldn't be a surprise. 
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »

Offline factoryX

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #11 on: January 31, 2012, 02:23:54 PM »
lol, the neighbor got one a while back, kept blowing it up.  ;D
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »


I ride an 03 yz250, wait 04, wait 05, what ever, they're all the same #$@% YOU!

Offline Stusmoke

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2012, 12:39:18 AM »
I don't understand how anyone could like a 4t chainsaw... My old man is the manager for a vegetation management company in Australia called ASPLUNDH. Basically they keep trees away from powerlines. So yes you've got blokes climbing trees with saws and maneuver them while up there. I ask how a heavy ass dumper of a chainsaw is going to be any use to the blokes that hold them above their heads, twisting it round all over the place etc. I used a... 26 cc saw I think last weekend. I was trimming the bushes we had loaded onto a tray truck so it could be taken on the road. I don't mind saying it wasn't exactly light especially when you're holding it to chest height with the kickback. I really do not think, and hope I'm right that we will be seeing any major four stroke saws. Christ I bloody hope not
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »

Offline SachsGS

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2012, 04:11:30 AM »
Chainsaws are all position and modern saws so high output I don't think we'll see any 4 str$ in the near future. The little saws are bad for kickback.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »

Offline Stusmoke

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A day on the 4$.
« Reply #14 on: February 03, 2012, 07:31:30 AM »
Its a cracker of a saw. pretty easy to fire up but its got a majorly oversised bar on it. thats where most of the kickback is coming from. It jams up mid cut alot too but having said that it probably isnt helping that its bar and chain lubing system is buggered and it needs to be done manually. bit of a pain but the saw is super reliable.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 04:00:00 PM by ' »