Playing in the desert

[ninja250]

Still can't figure out why my videos don't embed properly.
I use the youtube tags and they won't post right anyways.

Had a chance to play around a bit.
Removed a bunch of junk from my bike.
Still running stock gearing though and stock exhaust.

It's tough to keep the Ninja at BP in first gear while sitting down on the stock gearing for very long. It's not a power monger and can't power up the wheel so easy. The 600 is you just get the wheel up a bit, you can use the power to lift it more. With the 250 and the stock gears you kinda need to be very precise and pop it straight up to balance point if you want any chance of riding out the wheelie.

I'm still learning to do this on the Ninja. It was much easier with the power of a 600. I'm excited to try some new gearing to go slower and wheelie easier..
I also tried my first standing wheelie on the street today which I didn't video but it was quite a crazy experience. I plan to learn those more soon also.
I'm fixing on some rear flatland pegs from a bicycle first. I don't like standing on the spongy rear seat.

One or two of those wheelies I got to balance point but I find it hard to hold the ninja there for very long. Also, I did have a 30mph crosswind out there by the windmills in the middle of the desert so you have to give me some credit there I didn't fly off the bike sideways and had the balls to try in those conditions. Look at the bushes waving around like crazy.

Link to original page on YouTube.

Then it was up Idyllwild...
No knee scraping about it, just a spirited ride..

Link to original page on YouTube.

and then I flipped the camera around backwards on he way back down.
My iphone camera is behind the windscreen now and I get better quality.

Link to original page on YouTube.

Still frames from a secondary video.

[adri99an]

looks like fun dude~!

[Alex]

Originally Posted by ninja250

Still can't figure out why my videos don't embed properly.
I use the youtube tags and they won't post right anyways.

Fixed them. Just hit edit on your post to see what they look like now; all you need to do is put the video ID in between the youtube tags, and nothing else extraneous.

[ninja250]

Thanks. I used to be able to do it... guess I'm just retarded now.

[ManyCavies]

That is a fun road, just wish I did it in daylight.

[ninja250]

Originally Posted by ManyCavies

That is a fun road, just wish I did it in daylight.

Ah yes, and not after a long day in the sun wrenching on bikes too I suppose. Dusk really threw me off too.
Glad you guys made it through ok. As long as you have control of that throttle hand all is usually well. Then it's all the other weirdos out there at night crossing the lines you gotta watch out for.

I've been trying to find the ultimate angle to photograph the road from but haven't had much luck yet. I need to climb out on the hill some I think and look down to get several of the switchbacks into one picture.

Sure was hot out there in the desert too.
I was wearing all the water in my camel bak by the time I got home.

That long empty road I did the wheelies on is the first road to the right on the start of the 111.
Very long, nobody around for miles. I suppose if I learn tricks in the wind it will be easier with none!

[ManyCavies]

The wind comes with time, just ask Ken. As for the heat, you need to try the phase change vests that Ken and I wear. Just remind me to let you wear it next time.
As for the dark, I don't see so well at night. After all , I'm over 50.

[Kevin2109]

I kinda liked the night run at the end it got dark, then after you left (KC) it got SUPER scary dark, and I have no high beam so i took it super slow

[hinow41]

Looks like you had a blast. Wish I had roads like that around here.

[ManyCavies]

Kevin2109;
you must have thought you were following a Grandma! OOPS you were.
Sorry, I just couldn't see.