Parklands sand learning

[Pleco]

Hello Guys and Gals.

Shredder and I have been playing around in the sand a few times, trying to tame the sand monster.

We decided to give the practicing a rest, and try a short sand trip between Parklands and the wastetech site on the N7.

I twisted Buzz's arm, and he joined us for his first sand run. I gave hime a few pointers, and off we went.

Shredder is on a KTM 950, Myself on Rubicon's KLR, and Buzz L Y on his Tenere 660z

I am new at posting vids, so if I get it wrong, patience please.

The trip is a very straight road, although we made quite a few zig zags on it. I never know how far to go along a sand track before I should turn around and come back. If you leave it too late, it would be a struggle back. This track, has escape routes along its length to the railway service road. So if you cannot anymore, then just hop out to the gravel. Gives it a nice newb friendly character.

We deflated front tyres to 0.8, and back tyres to 1.2.

https://maps.google.co.za/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&ll=-33.810532,18.535824&spn=0.111965,0.154324&t=h&z=13&msid=211489569151504177549.00049b0d39d54c1d05fd0

Clips to follow.

 

[Buzzlightyear]

[flash=480,385]https://www.youtube.com/v/8ZKretf6Lpk[/flash]


[flash=480,385]https://www.youtube.com/v/4nfNysC_rlY[/flash]

 

[Pleco]

Thanks Buzz.

Jy moet my tog wys hoe om daai te doen.

Besig om nog te laai. Sal URLs paste is eerste message.

 

[Buzzlightyear]

It was my first time on sand, I could not resist after everyone was hating sand so much  :ricky: I still need to get a lot of practice, but the feeling when the bike climbs out on top at about 30-35km is amazing. Had one minor fall in the soft stuff, no damage or injury.

Thanks pleco & shredder  8)

 

[Buzzlightyear]

Thanks Buzz.

Jy moet my tog wys hoe om daai te doen.

Besig om nog te laai. Sal URLs paste is eerste message.

https://www.mynameiswes.co.za/tools/youtube/  :thumleft: Paste die youtube URL, click convert, copy die forum code en paste in jou post  :thumleft:

 

[Rough Rider]

Lekker guys, we were in there too.

 

[Pleco]

Another clip:

[flash=480,385]https://www.youtube.com/v/n4aK-iG_Qyg[/flash]

 

[Pleco]

Here Buzz takes an "exit stage left" at the start of the clip. No harm done  :ricky:

[flash=480,385]https://www.youtube.com/v/oYYfevxEuNY[/flash]

 

[Pleco]

Here is Buzz coming along nicely.

[flash=480,385]https://www.youtube.com/v/_QQhKQLeaZ0[/flash]

 

[Pleco]

Pinging Kamanya / Michiel

After watching the clips, it seems that we are going too slowly. Although this is good balancing practice, it makes for heavy riding.

This trail is very humpy, which made it even more difficult.

Any advice from your side?

 

[Archangel]

Hoekom het ek nie 'n invite gekry nie 

ADDITION:

Those roads/tracks aren't too bumpy. Allow you're bike's suspension to do the work it was designed for. As long as you're standing, you should comfortably be able to absorb those bumps.

1st Vid:
If you approach a downhill/descent like in this vid, don't stop completely. Check it out, even if you have to stop 5 or 10m short and walk to check it out. You don't want to go riding off a 5m drop. But then, when you've decided to do it, you'll need a little speed to help you keep the balance. Buzz, check how much easier Pleco came down because he had a little speed.

PS. Moet nou nie die hoender ruk en 100kmph op die downhill af jaak nie, jy wil ook nie daar af ramp nie!

 

[Buzzlightyear]

Hoekom het ek nie 'n invite gekry nie 

Jy sou ons net laat sleg lyk het  ;D

 

[Cave Girl]

Looks like you had fun - my sand was nowhere near as thick as that! and I still managed to fall twice in very short sections  

 

[Archangel]

Hoekom het ek nie 'n invite gekry nie 

Jy sou ons net laat sleg lyk het  ;D

In daai 4rde video ry jy defnitief te stadig, dis hoekom jy wou gaan sit aan die begin. Dis 'n natuurlike reaksie, as jy te stadig ry, wil jy sit, sodat jou voete naby die grond is om te keer dat jy nie omval nie.

En bly weg van die middelmannetjie af... Hy's soos die tokkelossie vir beginners sand riders.  :deal:

As jy in 'n diep spoor is, moet jy basically net jou gewig in die middel van daai spoor hou. Jou baaik sal self in die spoor bly.

 

[Kamanya]

Perfect riding!

There's only one way to learn, precisely the way you are doing it. It looks like the sand was wet (or thick) which always helps.

Ultimately you should be going a bit quicker. Once you get confident you'll find a pace that is relatively easier. There is not an ideal pace or rev or gear; each patch has its own thing going and only by playing like you are will you learn.

Those whoops are a bitch and make it tough to ride, if you come across them try to ride on the side, the depth is less but the trees have more chance to pull you off. Once you get brave you can start to try double them or if you really get brave skip across the top. Heavy bikes don't do this so well.

 

[Buzzlightyear]

There was a nice patch at the start before we got to the 2spoor that was wide and flat, where the speed was higher, and the bike got to float on top, this was a great feeling. Ideally I would like to get lots more practice there, as the extra factor of the trees and the whoops are removed, making it more comfortable to up the speed.

Am I correct in saying that one has to open/close the throttle a bit when the bike is struggling to move to allow the tyre to get some grip, I think I got stuck sometimes because I did not do this?

 

[Kamanya]

If you've ever used an outboard on a hand throttle to get onto the plane, then that's how you should use your throttle.

Lots to get going, enough to maintain.

It's almost never going to work that you try spin less to get more grip. When traction is falling, whack it open. As the speed comes up let off.

Below a certain wheel speed, you are just going to dig in.

 

[BlueBull2007]

Nice videos, you guys are doing really well.

If you go faster you should be able to make light work of those whoops, but make sure your weight is back, because a front wheel digging in at speed is not a fun thing. Keep that front wheel light to skim the tops of them.

 

[Pleco]

We had lots of fun here. We took it in 200m stretches at a time, with alternating who goes first. The many rest stops helped, and we got turns not to ride in the other guys' tracks.

It is nerve wracking to go faster, as you know there is no way of preventing a fall if you go any faster. But faster feels so much more stable.  :ricky:

The idea is to get to a level where we can ride with you better guys, without holding the group up. The tweespoor with humps, seems the most difficult, and a good place to practice.

As buzz mentioned, we did a flat open piece right at the start, and that was easier to get to a constant speed.

After we manage these straight sections, we will be trying some winding tweespoors. Then some cones and large figure of 8s in the sand.

Unfortunately we can only ride on weekends. Either very early on Sunday (these vids were about 6h30 on Sunday morning) Or late on Sunday afternoon. The bikes take a beating, and the cooler conditions help to compact the sand a little as well.

The last 400m or so, we did not take vids, but the sand was very thick and very loose. Almost impossible to get going and fast enough to get on the pegs.

We will be there again on Sunday. Any takers welcome. This is primarily for noobs. We still need advice as well, so the experienced guys are welcome to come along. Just bring some patience. :mwink:

I will set the time on Thursday or Friday. So far it looks like a coolish day on Sunday, so most likely in the afternoon.

 

[Pleco]

The last 400m or so was very heavy going!


This clip shows how the balancing practice helps in the heavy sand. If you can get going fast enough to get on the pegs.

[flash=480,385]https://www.youtube.com/v/r2U6p0ow-ug[/flash]