A couple weeks ago I acquired a 2015 Scorpa 300 and made my first post on here requesting suspension setup advice. I was told to report back on how things went. So before I get started, a little history on how I got to this point.
I've ridden dirt bikes since I was 14 years old, motocross, hare scrambles, GNCC's and trail riding. At 55 years old I decided to try trials. I've always been a fan of the trials rider-the masters of balance and throttle control-and after attending the AMA Vintage motorcycle days at Mid-Ohio the last half a dozen years and watching the trials events on Sunday morning, I said to myself: "I could do THAT...". So I found my Scorpa two weeks before Mid-Ohio. I immediately bought a flywheel weight and went over the old girl before practicing on it. I have a small grove of pine trees that I weaved in and out of, a rock pile behind the barn to climb over and a long off-camber hillside covered with white pines and deep pine needles. I spent approximately and hour total ride time practicing before going to Mid-Ohio.
If you have never been to Mid-Ohio for vintage bike days you are missing out! Road racing, hare scrambles, flat track (off site), motocross, pit bike races and the infamous campground run-what-you-brung barrel race. A group of my friends and I go down and camp and take it all in. Good times! This year it rained. Hell, it's rained in this area nearly everyday for the last 3 months! It rained everyday at Mid-Ohio and turned the place into one giant mud pit.
Now when I say I've ridden since I was 14, that's not completely true. The last time I rode my dirt bike other than around the yard was in 2008. All my riding since then has been on the street and I ride often. I ASSUMED that my off road riding ability was still intact. I knew that my constant diet of cheeseburgers and cheesecake would effect my endurance, but trials is so laid back, you just ride section to section, get off the bike, walk your line then ride through it. Easy-peasy, right?
Boy was I wrong.
It was so muddy (and I'm so rusty) that it was a work out just traveling the loop! First section wasn't too bad with 2 dabs. Second section my feet were off the pegs more than on them. Getting to the third section was a complete workout for me and had a big rutted/tree-rooted downhill that had guys lined up building the nerve to go down it, and this was just to get to the next section!
Section 5 looked easy and the scorer dude (or whatever you call them) talked me through some options. "My Grandma could ride through this blindfolded." I agreed. But somewhere between agreeing and halfway into the section the wheels fell of the bus, I floundered, put my feet down and got stuck on a pathetic little hill. after rolling backwards and attempting another run I fell down. A few guys pulled/pushed me up the hill and after thanking them I fell down on flat ground! Here's where the cheeseburgers and cheesecake kicked in. I picked up the bike but I was totally exhausted and breathing heavily. I rode a short distance and pulled over and sat on a log to recoup. Burning up and gasping for air I pull off my lid and emptied my drink system. As I sat there on the log, an unbelievable amount of steam rolled off my skin, in fact, one guy stopped to check on me and said: "I've never seen anybody steam like that!" Yeah, tell me about it...
From there it when downhill. After the sixth section I was just hoping to get back to camp before my heart burst. I've always consider myself a decent rider, not very fast or talented but can hold my own. Not so, now. I floundered, flopped, dabbed and cartwheeled more times yesterday than I have in the last two decades combined! Humbled is not a strong enough word. I have a new found respect for guys that do this sport well. I'm not giving up though, I've been chomping at the bit to get more practice in all day today. More practice, less cheesecake. wish me luck....
