Trixie Pix

Talk about being up the creek without a paddle :shock:

Skid Plate #062401, Please constructive criticism only

Phil

ugh kimosabe, hobot is not new at this - just the digital age is - so Trixie has on a factory steel skid-splash plate from the get go and Ms Peel an alloy copy. "Skid" plates for every one else are really just heavy duty splash plates a mud flap would work better. They only ever function as skid plates when large stones, big dogs or small goats get up behind tire or hung up by lack of thrust over a log fall. They have some hazards hassles too, they trap stones and branches that skew-wedge to transmit vibes like you threw a rod or aims objects to remove wiring or operate cables and stands w/o pilot help.

Just checked Trix's skid plate to see its mostly just cleaner than started out but there is a lack of full coverage - the front cross tube curves below the lip of the plate. Plate has a tab that slides over top of the cross tube, so its the bending bind of higher frame attachment [by clamps or zip ties] that hold it on. Only bike damage is hair line scratches on the new $60 muffler. The other side has 2 iron stains d/t blood spots from a wrenching slip.

Steve, great stuff; you know of course that knobbies and lower gearing would help in that kind of work.

dear xbackslider I didn't have a motorcycle growing up to get the whewee lesions and reflexes like you and most the rest so having to catch up fast as I can. In case ya ain't noticed about each new ride brings in new escalation of extremes of one sort or another. Can you believe it, in my split brain case a part of me freaks out on where my next ride may take me...

This stream bed was the maximum a bald tire factory Combat + me can do, just short of point of no return that only pure manhandling and dragging could make any head way, ugh like my only escape route at the end.

I'm not sure what I really think here. ugh. Never thought about taking a Commando up or down the stream, but I've got a good stream with lots of cow shit in it, a little deep for the Commando though. Runs into the Rappahannock, Chesapeake Bay watershed. I imagine hobot's runs into the Arkansas river and eventually ole' Miss?

Dave
69S

Well if there is enough moosh one could call ssomewhat muddy then have at it but I sure won't as any mud at all is always an instant crisis to me. That's the only thing that prevented me climbing up the mild stream bank. With cleated tire might of dug in, maybe, but not on mere tire cords. I much prefer clean predicable glare ice thank you very much. In my mad state of affairs this stream play is not the toughest rough stuff, as safe & slow & able to put feet down. Real tests happen rather faster when run off the path into ditches or into THE Road Grader's unfinished cuts just over a crest or around a bend with oncoming filling the sane path. If I'd not already been thrown into crazy stuff to know what a C'do can take I'd not risk dropping 1 over the edge.

Here's the slightly muddy path I took to turn around to fuel before the stream beckoned me. Not a constant radius turn as one does on a planted tire that's not just spinning and spinning soo freely.

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2688280 ... 1179EPnjSH

I think this is what you and Wes need for your off road excusions, Hob.







OR, one of Robin Rhind Tutts Wasp frames, they take a Norton engine perfectly.




Two men one bike = big fun.
That way you could hang off the side and bulldog a Deer.
"Head em up and move em out Roudy."
AC.

Excellent post Steve, just beautiful shots that almost take me back to my youth in the midwest.

No white lightening or Daisy Mae for me though, just Linda, Anne, Nancy, etc., and cheap larger.

Hehe a side car is in Peel's plans as only way my S.O. might join me but no way would that side car got out of my spring branch w/o a sky hook or dismantling, at least single handed to turn it around. The main difficult thing about this stream were the slots and gaps between-below the slabs and ledges. Pissed me off when bike just dropped flat out from under, sheeze. Last flood sure cut up its texture. I have eye balled that tree bridge stop many times thinking how I could cross it, or not, on Peel. Its bark is barely hanging on though, ugh. Those knobbies look inviting until you lean em on dry Gravel and pavement. I think flat track tires may be best all around for me except for their expense. Hehe I did strain some back and arm and leg muscles so they feel pumped up mildly sore today.

This is looking down stream at 'path' Trixie came up and out at. Looked fine with the leaf cover.

BTW just for some rational perspective while judging my Ozark sense, this little stream run is not a terrorizing as Wesley's steep creek bed drive way nor another friend I've not had nerve enough to visit yet whose drive is steeper rougher than some hill climb events. I have only dared visit Wes once since I got Trixie going in early dry summer. When it rains there is no way I I'd dare do Wes's steeple chase event down it or back up it. When I last visited Wes he came up to greet me at his gate on his knobbie tired 100 cc off road only bike. Wes has filled in the deeper gaps with Gravel but its still risky to hi center a C'do or put a hole in a sedan's bottom.

On after the fact hind sight reflection, even with that bald tire, you might have been able to "walk it out" by letting some air out of the tires, down to maybe 5-10 pounds to get a more compliant tire carcass bigger contact patch. Then start her up and walk/push beside her in 1st gear while using lots of clutch to ease her up and over and down and around the obstacles.

Hopefully mine will look like yours someday.
I cant wait to ride the darn thing.
Next summer it WILL run.
MikeM

oh yeah The Air The Air The Air. After the fact that little detail smacked my ass on its tea kettle over sight. I really thought I'd just drop in, rattle/bounce across the the rocks then at end with a couple bike lenghts start shoot it up the bank and out. Lazy didn't want to stoop to air back up for the road use right after. Air is always on my mind and Ms Peel has air station service, duh. Don't intend to do it again on Trixie. Wes's drive way is always available to test my mettle w/o getting stuck down in ditch like condition. Wes's drive is pure solid bed rock head size knobs and ridges/ruts sloped about 30'.

Must remember to put head steady back on as there's extra whip back wobble w/o it, but only when over doing it a bit past normal flings and surfaces.

Mike my first Cdo Ms Peel took me over 5 yrs after biting bullet I had to do it or just have one to ride. It tested me to infantile levels but ended up with better self image as a mechanic and Norton ticket to adventure.

Shoe'd on two new old stock tyres with the nubbins still on the centers to find another fine British Engineered item dropped by the way side. [ my guardian angel bailed decades ago] Upper 60's F, 30-40's mph gusts made leaf fall flow like sheets of surreal water this way and that.

Rising rays add to the yellar glint. New front is flat to slip into fender the night prior. Had not started yet so the smoky cloud is a photo artifact


Made to highway my entry


Took a 20 mile side trip home from our village square. Buffalo River Steele Creek portage canyon. 3 miles now paved of steep switch backs the new tires loved.



Some signs and scenes on the way to/from the above tight steep Steele Creek.
Inner rails get knocked down by trailers or medium long trucks.




And made it back my turn to git home.

I'm liking the big ole windshield, upper 50's had to take off a sweat shirt on way into town for Christmas Spirits for my 93 yr old aunt Alice. Vodka and Rum, 3 n half gallon sizes so also liking the biggish luggage rack. Might be enough to be guilty of boot legging.

Alas after the shots, almost home one of the lowers snapped off, which I just blew off for a mile or so then thought might be able to hillbilly it back on so turned around to see it mid lane and a semi oncoming with me stopped on my side, changing mind about walking out to get the pieces I nailed er to shoot across road giving the plate size piece a side kick to leave the lane with me some few yds to spare. Other than that a smooth sailing outing and back. Of course THE Road Grader spread an even stone layer on smooth clay like hard pack under so had to ski it in and out, ie: take turns by making/letting bike fall on its own to lean and resist fully falling over by straight steering so the constantly slipping front tends to slip out into the turn and then just lock body > wrists to butt to hold bike posture no matter what it does til the buffeting snatch downs relieves into the straights.





Btw if you ever try road object polo Do Not Use toe, use bottoms or side of sole and if bigger than a fist rock, use only heel contact. You must have a good sense of where boot extends, if you connect with pavement solid it can drag under bike or fling foot over head from behind, well beyond human hip joint tolerance.

Steve, any trouts in that there crick ? Pedro el Pescador.

Oh my yes sir these woods are full of fellas that just live to jerk fish faces off setting the hook.

http://www.fishing-arkansas.com/byspeci ... trout.aspx
The popularity of Arkansas fishing has grown in recent years due in part to a number of world record trout catches. Most notable are the world record brown trout and state record rainbow trout catches that have occurred in Arkansas's lakes and streams.




But Ozarks Mts are one of the oldest hi lands on the planet so we got these throw backs too Paddle fish or Spoonbills.

I practice catch n' release within legal limits so don't be showin' those pics to Brooking 850 shooter or he will fly there in a wink with spearage.

I think there's some spear fishing here. Some the bass are big enough for it.
I use a Hawaiian sling for small stuff in our big creek in front of home, not the little spring branch next to home. Motorcycle recovery has taken a notch out of my fishing time.