Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

actual cummulative mileage to each turn on the course, and to gas stops, as measured by the organizer. Each turn is numbered consecutively, as well, and the turn arrows out on the course should be identified with these numbers. The information already on the route sheet is enough to keep you from getting lost if some arrows are missing, and it gives you an idea when to expect the next arrow . But the route sheet is not really complete without notations on it of the elapsed time at which you should reach each turn if you maintain the average speed or speeds announced for the enduro. Occasionally, these times are printed on the route sheet , but most often you'll find only white space to the right of each column of mileages . Then it's up to you to write in the times in minutes and seconds. In the back of this book is a table to help you get these times for a 24 mph average if you don't have a better way . Copy the table and take it with you to each enduro. If eliminates a lot of figuring. No need to write the time to every turn on the route sheet unless you want to - you probably won't look at it very much while you're an enduro novice anyhow. But when writing in the elapsed times be sure to start from zero again after the noon gas stop if the mileage leaving there starts at zero , as it often does when the course is laid out in a morning and afternoon loop from headquarters. Once you 've written down the elapsed times, cut the sheet into strips and tape them . end -t o -end in sequence, then roll them into a route sheet holder fastened to the handlebars of your bike . If you don't have a holder you can tape the route sheet to you r gas tank , but unless you completely cover it with plastic sheet or clear tape don't expect it to be readable very long, especially if the weather's wet or the trail is muddy. . The start The number you 've drawn tells your starting position in minutes after key time , the start of the enduro. If the key time is 10 a.m. the first riders with numbers like I -A, I-B , I -C, or 101 , 201. 301, would leave the line at exactly 10:01. Numbering ' syste m s vary, but if you draw 15 or 215 or 15· B, you'll start. 15 minutes after key . time with several other riders. With the latter two minutes you know you are the second rider on that minute: Confusing? You 'd better believe it! Take the case 'o f 108 ·A, 108-B and 108·C , These riders were in the staging area behind the starting line of a state championship enduro waiting to leave on the eighth minute. If their numbers had been 108 , 208 and 308 that's when they would have started. But with letters after the numerals their starting time was really on the 108th minute - one hour and 48 minutes after key time . They were so mad they almost quit the run before they started. Only the fact their gas cans had been taken to the gas stops kept them . The morning of the event dress for the weather and try to eat a normal breakfast so you won't get hungry too soon. Fire up your bike and get - it warm if you think that's a good idea', . and maybe ride it a bit to smooth it out. Then top it off with gas and make sure everything else is set , Line up with your minute well before the start so you won't be late. This will give time to set your odometer to zero and let you set your 'wa tch accurately as the riders ahead of you leave. Set it so you'll start at exactly 12:00 or at key time on your watch no matter what real time it is, Then it will correspond with the elapsed times you put on your route sheet and the key times posted at checkpoints. At the signal to go, get away quickly but not like you're trying to win the holeshot in motocross racing. Often endures begin with a dead-engine start, and this separates the riders a bit right away . There are never more than five of you on a minute, so it's not much of a problem anyway. . If there are riders right in front of you you 'll have a tendency to follow them, but follow the arrows instead , and tryto ride fast where you can, The reason for not following other riders blindly is you might pick up a group of Sunday trail-bikers not even part of the enduro. It 's happened plenty of times. Use your brain as well as riding skill when you encounter obstacles. There's more than one way to get to the top of a sandy hill or reach the other side of a bogl Just don't bypass any checkpoints. If the riding's easy for awhile and you have a free hand, roll your route sheet ahead and try to use it. Each turn arrow should be numbered and have the mileage to that point on it. If you lose the trail, backtrack to the last arrow and read the mileage, then reset your odometer to this figure and follow the route sheet carefully unti l you pick up arrows . Kee p movin g Probably the most important thing for a beginner to remember is to keep moving and don't lose the course. Seconds spent standing still are hard to get back, If you have trouble you 'll have to gas it to get back on schedule or avoid disqualification remember, you 're out if you're more than an hour late at any timed checkpoint, Often you get a layover at noon gas , which you can use to make up lost time. But if you fall too far back you should also know when to drop out if mechanical trouble, injury or certain disqualification makes finishing next to impossible. A sign at the headquarters of one - enduro seemed to pinpoint what enduro riding is all about .:... "W hen the Going Gels Tough, the Tough Get Going." But even this doesn't mean you have to finish at any cost , or that you won 't get a trophy if you make a valiant try and still fail to reach the finish line. Maybe the other riders will do worse. so always check in back at headquarters. . One reassuring thing '- if you break down or are hurt back in the boonies somewhere, you'l\ get help. Other riders and their crews will assist you if you're injured, and if your bike won 't run the pick -up crew riding the course after the last rider will find you and get both you and your machine back to headquarters if you haven't already found a ride with someone's gas crew or the people who 've been manning a nearby checkpoint and are headed home. \ And don't get uptight if the trophies elude you for awhile. Even if you're a good rider, they're hard to come by. How to choose the right enduro, bike for you Experience affects. choice What makes a good enduro motor. cycle, anyhow? Ask riders that question, and you'll get about as many answers as there are brands of dirt bikes . Some can't even rate in order of importance the factors that make an off- road machine good or bad. The reason for the variety of opinions is that what an enduro rider prefers is affected by his experience, his height , weight and strength, the terrain and Last 'check at a mini-enduro, A big welcome f or every rider, weather in the areas where he competes, and the class he wants to ride in . What he buys, of course, is limited by the price and the amount he's willing to spend. If you 're an A rider , you 'll choose a bike for different reasons, and you'll prepare it differently , than a B rider because your experience on tight forest trails, giant power-line whoops and at nasty water crossings gives you skill and confidence he probably doesn't yet have, If you're small, you're more concerned about the weight of your motorcycle than a 6 -foot , 200 · pounder, who can lift or drag his machine out of trouble when it gets hung up in rocks or mud . Mountain enduros require lower gearing or more low-end power than events held in flatter country; where high top speed may be more important. And the factors making a good small-bore enduro bike are quite different from some of those most important in the Open class , What's im portant? There are, however. three things at the top of almost every enduro rider's list of what makes a good bike reliability, good handling and rider comfort, Reliability - If your motorcycle doesn't run the distance you can't possibly win against those who finish . This means more than just holding together to the last check. It's got to perform well consistently for the duration of the event. Good handling - Through the tight stuff, over rough and twisty trails, hopping logs and rocks and pushing along through deep sand or mud, an enduro bike needs good handling if you 're going. to be able to make the speed you need to maintain the posted averages. Rider comfort - The fresher you feel near the end , the better your chances of scoring well . Your bike should feel comfortable and natural even after hours on the trail , and the longer the event the more important this becomes. The other factors - speed , low-end power, light weight and easy maintenance - are of almost equal importance to most riders. And of course a provision for lights is essential for all national championship enduros and reliability trials ,a nd for most state and local enduros, these days, since part of almost every long-distance, off· road event includes some road and highway running between sections of trail, and a bike needs lights to be licensed for the street. Once you 've been to an enduro or two or read the lists of winners and what they ride, you'll begin to realize quickly what the top enduro bikes are. For several years . H usq va rn a and Penton /KTM have shared the limelight and the trophies in this country, with about equal numbers of each brand entered at all events. All the other competitive machines not long ago from AJS to Zundapp, but presently from Bultaco to Yamaha, make up the third group that takes' its share of wins, The Spanish cycles have their strong and loyal advocates, and now the Japanese manufacturers are making true enduro bikes and supporting factory teams to prove them in competition, The mix of machines used in the sport is constantly changing so don't let the numbers fool you . Just because there are no more than a handful of one brand entered against the more popular bikes · doesn't mean the minority machine isn't just as good. With the right shaping and pre·race preparation, and with the right rider, it may have just as good a chance of winning. . • (To be continued) "Championship Enduro," copyright © 1977 by Steve Booth and Brian Palermo, is available direct from the publisher, Paragon Publications, 3106 Sweetbrier. Lafayette. CA 94549 for $5.95 postpaid. California residentl add 6% gift talt. 11

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