Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1970's

mark. Check the nag on the inner speedo cable to note its initial position, then count the revo lutions as you push your bike over the entire distance. Count the partial revolution at the end , too , and be sure to stop with the same part of your motorcycle over the finish mark as was over the mark at the start. Write down the result , then repeat the whole procedure two more times , jotting down these results , too . This is what the manufacturer or speedometer shop needs to know to calibrate your instru m ent, or if it can't be done, to tell you how far off it is. Just include the test results when you take or send the speedo to get the work done. Preparing the route sheet Championship Enduro Timekeeping to win Basic enduro instru ments Even before you start to master the techniques of riding widely varied terrain under all sorts of conditions at anything close to the posted speed average, you should also be learning the rudiments of the art of. timekeeping. Although an enduro is supposed to be an endurance run to test both you and your motorcycle, it is also a mental game in which you strive to stay exactly on time , all the time. The way the game is played varies markedly from one part of the country to the next, and the rules may be different , too . But if you have the basic timekeeping instruments and know how to use them you can compete anywhere. What do you need to start with? Not much . An accura te speedometer with resettable odometer, a wristwatch or handlebar-mounted clock, and a route sheet ho ld er. The speedo already on you r bike will prob a bly work fine while you're getting experience as long as the odometer can be reset bot h forward and reverse ' a nd it see ms fairly accurate. You aren't so m uch interested in whether it reads the correct miles per hour as you are in the exact distance travelled. If you wear a wristwatch that's shockproof and water-resistant and has a clear, easily read dial with second hand, that's fine . Or you can use a reaso.na~ly case designed to mount on the handlebars and cushion it aga inst shock , or in a special wrist case sold by many enduro suppliers. Each rider has to decide which is easiest for him . Several brands of route sheet holders are available , and they all work about the same. You wind your route sheet backward onto one roll inside the holder and attach the beginning of the narrow sheet to the other roller. As you ride, you roll the rou te sheet forward so that the next turn or speed change or known check is shown through the magnifying window , With these three instruments you can learn to keep time on the trail and even become adept and accurate. There is more sophisticated equipment , of course . You see it at every enduro. We'll ta ke a look at it later in this chapter; after we've gone over how to prepare a nd use the basic tools of tim ekeeping . Speedometer calibration As you really get into timekeeping the accuracy of your speedometer becomes more im port a nt. You may have already noticed the odometer seems to be off a little so you 've been doing a little correcting in your head to compensate for the error. Or you ma y have really thrown it off by putting on a larger front wheel or tire than stock. Perha s ou 're using the speedo off another bike. The only positive answer is calibration. Not all motorcycle speedometers can be calibrated, but it still helps to know the error. If you don't like the accuracy of your Japanese speedo, for instance, you 'll probably have to get a European one, like VDO , which can be calibrated and completely serviced by the factory distributor or any good speedometer shop. To have your speedo calibrated precisely you first have to do a ratio test of your bike. Experience has shown that even if you haven't made any changes in your bike or its speedometer, the original calibration is not always accurate enough for enduro timekeeping, The ratio test determines the relationship between distance covered over the ground by the front wheel of your motorcycle and revolu tions of the speedo drive cable. First, on a fairly level surface measure out a distance of y'•• th of a mi le , which is 52 ft. 9 1-2 in . (16.09 meters), and mark the start and fin ish clearly. Next, unscrew the speedometer ca ble fr om the speedo head, and fasten a small paper nag, strip of tape or a paper clip to the inner core to .... indicate its revolutions when your bike is moved . Now position your bike at the start of the measured distance, with a low, easily seen part of it (front axle or shift lever, for instance) directly over the The route sheet you receive with your riding number and scorecard at sign-up usually looks like the sample anywhere but parts of the far West where a schedule of speed changes may be handed out instead. A real route sheet always tells you four thi ngs (1) Identification of all kn own checkpoints, including Sta rt , Gas, and Finish . (2) The number of each tum on the course. (3) The direction of each turn or rapid sequence of turns, by abbreviations. (4) The accumulated mileage at each known check and turn on the run, beginning with 0.0 at Sta rt , as well as at any point designated for speedometer reset on the sheet, In addition, the speed average to be used is usually printed somewhere on the sheet, as are speed changes .and layover periods, In New England, information on whether the section is trail, din road or pavement is also included right in the main part of the sheet with the known checks and turns . And once in awhile the accumulated riding time to each point is listed alongside the mileage , in hours , minutes and seconds, saving you from doing it. Bu t don't count on such a luxury. Normally, the first thing you do after picking up your route sheet is to sit down and write ' in the time you are supposed to arrive at each mileage listed. You don't have to do them all, but you should have the time figured for a ll kn own checks a nd every third or . fou rt h turn so you 're prepared to keep I ta bs on your progress. There's usually blank space to the rig ht of the m ileage ' colum n to do this . Use the Speed Time -Distance Chart in the Ap pendix, if you don't have one. It makes this tedious job go faster , With accumulated time added to the route sheet, it's ready to cut into strips the width of each complete column, then fasten together end to end in sequence with Scotch tape. Tape the tail end to the bottom roller of your route sheet holder and wind it on . Then tape the head of it to the top roller, tighten it up and close it in the holder. As you ride your have directions, mileage, and scheduled time at your fingertips, ready for comparison with your speedometer and watch , Getting a good start The two most important factors in a good sta rt are being ready and on th e line when your minute is flagged away, a nd having your speedometer zeroed and your watch or clock set properly. It's am a zing how often a rider is late for his sta rt . If you get in line early you know you won't have trouble ge tting' you r bike in positi on in the starting ch ute, an d you have a cha nce to check the officia l cloc k and set your watch carefully . T here are two ways to do this, and each system has its advocates . In both, your watch is not on loca l time . What you want to do is make the time on your watch read the same as the accumulated times you wrote on your route sheet, if you're on schedule ,

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