Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/125974
Above: So this is ho w Dirt Bike does it! lie didn't fall off. Top center: Finning is I4rgely cosmetic on the welded extender caps. The caps add some 70cc to fork leg oil capacity, and act as an ex tra heat sink in addition to increasing travel. A t right: Neat trick on Gaylon s bike for surviving handlebar-draggers, this spring-loaded shifter end prevents popping out ofgear when things drag the ground. Far right: Gaylon: "I never bottomed them all th e way. " lie sure tri ed. By Lane Campbell It had to come. With rear suspension travel approaching eight inc hes at the axle, somebody had to figure o ut h ow to extend the travel of the already-legendary Maico forks in order to cope. In this case, the "somebody n is machinist Bob Ottow t doing b usiness as HOltow's Dirt Bike Werks." Bob makes a concentric-finned pl ug which is welded to the bottom of the fork slider and then machined so that t he fo rk leg can drop down into it un der full co mpression. The kit includes new fork spri ngs, as th e stock springs would coil-bind with the increased travel. Sh ut height is four-and-a-half inches on the stock springs, three-and-a-half on the kit springs. The Ottow kit adds about one-and-a-half inches to fork travel. bringing the Maico's total travel to about eight-and-a-half inches. Greg Smith (Wheelsmith Engineering) has been doing the on-track development of the kit, working with Bob Ottow and Wheelsmith rider Gaylon Mosier. These pictures were taken at a test session set up to finalize the choice of a fork spring rate to market with the kit. According to Greg: " We 're checkmg out 26, 28, and 30 pound springs. Stock is 27 pounds, but most racers have been using 30 pound S&Ws. We hope with the extra travel to go back to a softer rate ." On the track, GayJon appeared to be do' to throw the motorcycle away. with ae wheelstands and near-horizontal ber.m sho DAYTONA or BUST! Our man 's gonna get t here, come hell or high gas prices. With such dedication , how could we help but be the first with the news? Since there's precious little water between here and there, you' !1 save money and energy if you SUBSCRIBE! There, now - wasn't that easy? r - - - - - - - - -- ~ - - - - - - - - - - - - I , , , DEPT. SUB. P.O. BOX 498 LONG BEACH. CA LI FO R:liIA 90801 0 0 CYCL E NEWS WEST (1 yr.) . •. .: • • $12.50 CYCL E NEWS WEST (2 yrs.l . . . . • . . 22.00 CYCLE NEWS WEST (3 yrs .l 30.00 Via 1st class ma il f or one year • ..• • . • 40 .00 V ia air mail f or on e year .... . • . • • • . . 50 .00 0 I enetose check Dr mo ney Drder •• • • • • • • . • . 0 0 0 This is a Renewal • . . . . .. . . . . .. . • . . . • • . . 0 Please bill me •• . • . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . • . . • .. 0 I I I I I I I I L ... 32 N ame IPle 3S& prinl legiblv) ~ Add rMI City Stat. Z ip ~