Woodside whispers

crazyfaze · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 17

Hi All,

As I've mentioned in my post on the Woodside Whispers forum I'm new to the area, the club and offroad racing so I have a whole bucketful of questions to ask. I'm really interested in taking part in Enduros and I'm planning on entering the Lossiemouth Baja as my first event, as I don't want to waste the entry fee I'd at least like to finish it and not fall foul of something silly:

- Does anyone know of a good guide to doing your first enduro?
- Where can I get the full regs from? I was having difficulty finding them on www.scottishenduros.co.uk.
- Where can I buy race numbers locally?
- What sort of problems have you had on race day that could have been easily prevented?

That's just the tip of the iceberg Wink

If any of you are up for a chat about all this then let me know and I'll stump up the beer/tea/coffee Wink

Cheers
Richard

old git · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 227 Location: Aberdeenshire

Hi Richard

Welcome to club and area. It's good to see somebody interested in enduros. I've only been doing them (badly) for a couple of years and my first one was also at Lossie in 2005. I didn't do it in 2006 as it was BEC round.

Regulations will be available a few weeks before each event...Keep an eye on http://www.scottishenduros.co.uk./ (Make sure you have a race licence..should get form with club membership ..day licences can be expensive.)

Race numbers: I'm just north of Aberdeen & usually get numbers mail order from Racespec though Dennis Irvine does them. Sure some of the local guys can advise you for local source.

Preventing problems: I've made a checklist of everthing I need to take with me on the day. Licence, fuel, spares, armour, tools, watch, helmet etc.. Forgetting to take something as basic as riding boots could ruin a day!

Lossie enduro is a great event and if I finished it then most people should be able to. The biggest problem for me, by a long way, is riding the dunes. Riding deep sand, if you haven't done it, is very tiring and seems to require an all out riding style. The experts make it look easy and MX riders used to riding on sand seem to manage no problem.

I'm probably not the best person to be advising on how to complete enduros but here's my tuppence worth.

Choose what class you want to ride, sportsman, clubmen etc.. Sportsmen normally have the slackest times and if you have any doubts about your ability to finish then I would choose this class.
Being physically fit certainly helps but bike fitness is probably more important. I don't manage enough time on bike to maintain a decent level of bike fitness but I do keep myself physically as fit as possible...pulling a bike out of a bog for the 5th time in as many minutes after hours of hard slog isn't easy.
Having the right bike also helps and I suppose this comes down to personal choice and what you're comfortable with. Everybody crashes and stalls bikes at some point and I don't think many will disagree that 4 strokes are more prone to stalling and are generally harder to start in the event of a stall. Struggling to start a bike close to the end of a hard event is exhausting. I rode my first enduro on a WR400F and struggled with stalling and starting...mostly down to my lack of ability..I changed to 2 stroke after that and things improved a great deal. Lighter, better low down power, no crazy engine braking, easier starting and much less prone to low rpm stalling.

The night before..don't drink a lot (alcohol) as no matter how good you feel in the morning, it will catch up with you, usually when your struggling to pull bike out of mud or "run" it up a slippy hill. Same goes for eating too much though if you make the Selkirk enduros I would highly recommend the Indian Restaurant in Selkirk. Laughing

As with any physically demanding sport the advice is to eat plenty of carbohydrates beforehand. Bananas are a favourite with most riders at fuel stops...easy to eat and almost instant energy.

Drink plenty of water throughout the event as you will sweat bucketloads and will de-hydrate really quickly especially at warmer summer events. Most riders use camelbacks.

Don't over dress...enduro jackets are great for gentle trail riding but in my experience are way too warm especially when worn over body armour. Body armour is a personal choice....I crash a lot Embarassed

so much as I dislike it I always wear it.

Make sure your bike is in as good nick as you can have it before the race and remember to take enough fuel to get you through. Bear in mind that you will very likely use a lot more fuel than you expect. Not finishing due to running out would be the ultimate nightmare. Some riders carry spares and tools and it is not unknown for riders to change inner tubes on the course. A lot of people use mousses which eliminates puncture risk. I carry a spare set of levers and the tools to change them and that's all.

When on the going try to ride steadily and read the conditions as far ahead as possible. Don't always blindly follow the existing line, it may not be the best. Don't hold up faster riders but by the same token don't put yourself in danger to allow them to pass. In difficult sections if there are quick riders in front watch them and wherever possible copy them. This really has helped me through some difficult bits.

The only advice I can give regarding the special tests is don't fall off. Crashing on the going is one thing but crashing on the test can lose you loads of time and places in the results (see photos on forum of me at Lumsden enduro test). Laughing

Other than that just keep going and try to finish. I find the first 20-30 minutes the hardest...arms get badly pumped up, bike never feels just right but this passes and I settle into a rhythm... ride a bit then crash, ride a bit then crash etc.... Laughing

Seriously, there will be times when you may think "why am I doing this? Who said this was fun? Never again!" but no matter how tired and battered you are at the end, by the time you are out of your riding gear and stuffing into some junk food you will find yourself thinking about the next one. Shocked

Riding enduros is addictive Laughing

Don't be afraid to ask people on the day as most are very keen to help.

Any queries PM me and I'll get back to you.

Cheers
old git Wink

crazyfaze · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 17

Thanks for all that info, I'm grateful for all of the (good) advice that I can get at the minute. I have a KTM 400 EXC which I'm hoping isn't too powerful for me as I was originally planning on getting a 250!! Shocked

I've got a small son yelling for my attention but I'll try to drop you a PM in a bit.

Cheers
Richard

Wolfe · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 11 Location: Dallas

Richard,

I'm also toying with the idea of taking up Enduro racing so your posts and replies are as interesting to me as they are to you! I've yet to join GMCC and get a license but I'm getting closer to it by the day. Being able to use the track and adjoining wood is a bonus.
I use a KLR on the road which I'd also use for the Lossiemouth Baja (you've got to use what you've got).

Best of luck

Iain Smile

Elginboxer · Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 2:57 pm Post subject:

Just to let everyone know the Lossie Reg's are now available by following the link http://www.gmccsite.com/Regs%20Monaughty%202007%20Master.doc

old git · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 227 Location: Aberdeenshire

It's still a couple of months away but getting first regs of the season makes it seem a bit closer. Really looking forward to Lossie Very Happy

Cracking day yesterday at Woodside...mud was great fun. Drove through snow to get there, rode all day with weather ok, then drove through blizzards to get home. Laughing

Woodside seems to be an oasis away from lousy weather...or are we just lucky?

Wink

crazyfaze · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 17

Thanks for the chat on Sunday, you certainly answered a lot of my questions. I'm really excited about Lossie as well and can't wait to get stuck it...probably literally Wink

Cheers
Richard

stucinabog · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 60

Try not to get injured in the first lap... thats my favourite trick!!

Never think - 'this seems to be going OK' because something will happen to make it not OK!!

If it's your first enduro then try and treat it like a day out trail riding and don't put massive amounts of pressure on yourself to go as fast as possible. Take it easy, if you come off or stall then relax and carry on. You might just surprise yourself. (sometimes I wish I listened to my own advice)

As old git says try not to fall off on the test if possible, you've got plenty of opportunity to fall off on the going. Sometimes it is better to slow down and have a look at an obstacle and others it is better to just blast right through them. Being able to decide which option is best definately helps!

It is best to be organised as much as possible. Learn how to fix a puncture quickly - or replace a tube. However, riding an enduro is the best way to learn what you will need.

Maybe see you at lossie in March...
_________________
If it aint broke keep trying.

crazyfaze · Joined: 24 Dec 2006 Posts: 17

Thanks for the input received so far, my race license appeared today so I'm all set to enter the Lossie Baja, but I have a couple more questions before the event:

How much spare fuel do you take with you and how do you decide when to top up during the event?

Stucinabog you mention fixing a puncture, what do you carry for doing this on the day? I'm trying to decide what to carry with me, so far I'm leaning towards minimalist but I'd be gutted if I got a puncture and had to quit my first event.

Cheers
Richard

stucinabog · Joined: 21 Jul 2006 Posts: 60

I just leave my tools and a couple of spare tubes back at the pits. If I got a puncture I would just ride back and change the tube.

If you have time to spare it is always a good idea to put petrol in your bike (or even if you don't). I would be gutted if I ran out of petrol. A few times I have had 10 - 15 minutes to spare at a check and I have just filled my camel bak and had something to eat and a bit of a chat and then gone back out to realise I forgot to put petrol in and spent the rest of the lap wondering if I would run out...

Once rode past someone at the selkirk enduro who had run out about half way round the second lap. When we were loading our van at the end of the day the guy appeared back after spending a couple of hours pushing his bike back. Not ideal.
_________________
If it aint broke keep trying.

old git · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 227 Location: Aberdeenshire

I generally start with a full tank and have 10 litres spare. Even on the Selkirk course with long laps, high speeds & big climbs I've never used it all. I agree with Stucinabog....refuel every lap....better to be safe.

I wouldn't worry too much about punctures...they do happen but if you were to carry spares & tools for every eventuality, you would end up with a trailer. As Stucinabog says, have spare tubes in pits and if it does happen you can limp back. I did nearly half a lap of Selkirk course with a front puncture last year and still managed to finish on time. If you are very concerned you could always fit mousses. I'm happy enough running on Michelin 4mm tubes.

As you know, I ride a 2 stroke,.. and don't even carry a spare plug. All I carry is spare levers and spanners to change them. Spend time on preparing bike properly before the event and it will pay dividends.

The Hooker · Joined: 26 Jul 2006 Posts: 16 Location: Nairn

I ran out of fuel on day one at Selkirk last year half way round the special stage on lap 2, I had filled up at the pits after first lap but the bike was upsides down so many times that I lost a load of fuel. Sad

thankfully the ladies at the start of the special stage radioed a marshall and he lent me enough fuel from his own bike to take a direct route back to the pits.

In my bum bag I always carry sparkplug, sparkplug spanner, side cutters, pliers, spare split link, a load of cable ties and a mars bar.

old git · Joined: 13 Dec 2005 Posts: 227 Location: Aberdeenshire

gentlemanracer · Joined: 17 Mar 2006 Posts: 2

Good to see new riders getting in to Enduros. As I run the ScottishEnduros website I try to see what people want on it. There are a couple of pages for beginners - and I am in the process of updating with toolkit photos etc. Your idea on what a beginner should bring etc is great - hope you don't mind if I add some of these ideas on to the beginners page.

The SACU has now got some qualified trainers and we are keen to get new riders trained before their first event. Speak to the Grampian club and ask if they will organise a training day - it will give you a flying start to the year.

When you do events all you need to do is finish - you even have an hour over your time to get a finishers award. Then try to get in on time. The sport is tough - but if feels great when you come in on time.

Feel free to e-mail ScottishEnduros! if you have queries.

And Lossie was a great start to the season !.

Wolfe · Joined: 17 Jan 2007 Posts: 11 Location: Dallas

A training day sounds exactly what I need!
Or maybe even two!

Any takers????