T7 at Metcalf Park

[cstatman]

SO!  I shot some gopro of the T7 in the durt, Saul (the kid) promises to edit out the boring parts and make a better video.   

Then he looked at it and claimed "its all really boring"  -- here is a photo - that makes me wonder why some fat old man is sitting on my motorcycle...

IF i can get any video out of it, I will share

The T7 aboslutely hauls the mail on wide trails.  Single track capable, but!  I am worried the whole time "if I fall, I'm screwed"   -  which leads to going too slow, and makes it wobbley
It jumps beautifully, you can even throw some whip --- BUT!   the landings are harsh.   

Evaluation:
Suspension is a total fail.   I knew I'd have to buy, but wasnt sure what, till I got it in the durt.  Prolly the Rally Raid - prolly ned to ask my guru (Cory @Camel ADV) what he likes for dirt
Stock tires work in dry, dusty, rocky,   dropped PSI to ~ 18. - but?  I want the Moto-Z now, and some rim locks -- (anyone know who makes big rim locks?)

Steering Damper - would absolutely help when you set the front wheel back down at speed.
Bash Plate - well, now I crunched up my stock one --- I need to buy the Camel

Power is awesome - smooth and deliverable (till tires break free) - super easy to 'float' the front wheel over ruts and whoops
Weight - rider needs to lose the covid weight he put on

If ya in NorCal?   Metcalf is a fun "gym"  smallish park with many different tracks, rails, and rider challenging options - but the parking lot is alwasy only about 10 mins awasy... 

Metcalf Motorcycle County Park - Parks and Recreation - County of Santa Clara

---

Motorcycle County Park webpage includes; park acreage, basic information, history, directions, activities, regulations, hours, fees, and ADA accessibility. Motorycle and Off-Highway Vehcile (OHV) park.

Edited March 29, 2021 by cstatman

[POLISHADAM82]

stock tires suck big time get rid of them asap Motoz is the way to go imo also stock suspension is not bad get a heavier rear spring and front from touratech makes a big difference if you don't want to spend big bucks on suspension mods just my .02$ 

[Camel ADV]

1 hour ago, cstatman said:

Evaluation:
Suspension is a total fail.   I knew I'd have to buy, but wasnt sure what, till I got it in the durt.  Prolly the Rally Raid - prolly ned to ask my guru (Cory @Camel ADV) what he likes for dirt

 

Metcalf Motorcycle County Park - Parks and Recreation - County of Santa Clara

---

Motorcycle County Park webpage includes; park acreage, basic information, history, directions, activities, regulations, hours, fees, and ADA accessibility. Motorycle and Off-Highway Vehcile (OHV) park.

Guru, LOL, I'm just a guy on a bike  I don't have much suspension input for the stock stuff. Suspension 101 in Alpine, CA set-up stock stuff up before I swapped to the TFX shock and KYB SSS forks. They did an amazing job with the tuning, I was very impressed. George @ https://www.suspension101.com can get you set-up very well.

 

[cstatman]

hmmm - for some reason I tohught you partnered with someone else to figure it out a bit

well, ya know,  for the majestic ice-ride of 2021!  (hilarous video, thx)

I have a few suspension guys here in the valley, I am just trying to figure out which componenets to slip in and begin adjusting

Did I menion how silly it looks kicking tail whips off a tabletop on a T7????
but over-anticipating the landing was not fun...

 

[POLISHADAM82]

Just now, cstatman said:

hmmm - for some reason I tohught you partnered with someone else to figure it out a bit

well, ya know,  for the majestic ice-ride of 2021!  (hilarous video, thx)

I have a few suspension guys here in the valley, I am just trying to figure out which componenets to slip in and begin adjusting

Did I menion how silly it looks kicking tail whips off a tabletop on a T7????
but over-anticipating the landing was not fun...

 

Whos the suspension guru in the valley?

[cstatman]

either Phil Douglas or Jason Hauns

i mean, there are others - the guys at Evolutoin are okay,  but I've ridden desert with Phil, and Jason was his last protege...
Phil is supposedly retired, but last week he was talking to me about the T7 -   Aftershocks built some of the most amazing suspensions in the AFM

Jason?  is more "these componenets work, lets buy em, install them, and I'll tune them"
JPH Suspension

[POLISHADAM82]

7 minutes ago, Camel ADV said:

Guru, LOL, I'm just a guy on a bike  I don't have much suspension input for the stock stuff. Suspension 101 in Alpine, CA set-up stock stuff up before I swapped to the TFX shock and KYB SSS forks. They did an amazing job with the tuning, I was very impressed. George @ https://www.suspension101.com can get you set-up very well.

 

I heard many good things about George and susp101, he did my buddys T7s and other bikes he knows his $h..t

[Camel ADV]

Just now, POLISHADAM82 said:

I heard many good things about George and susp101, he did my buddys T7s and other bikes he knows his $h..t

I've used 5-6 well known tuners and George is hands down the best yet.

[cstatman]

5 hours ago, POLISHADAM82 said:

stock tires suck big time get rid of them asap Motoz is the way to go imo also stock suspension is not bad get a heavier rear spring and front from touratech makes a big difference if you don't want to spend big bucks on suspension mods just my .02$ 

I'd rather spend the $$ than have it "hard klank" as it bottoms, and springs me off the seat.

whooped out sections are difficult, jumping doubles is flat out painful.   Will put together decent suspension 

Will absolutely be swapping tires.

bash plate...   etc etc

[Camel ADV]

7 hours ago, cstatman said:

hmmm - for some reason I tohught you partnered with someone else to figure it out a bit

 

 

@Suspension101 has done my stuff for the last couple years. I'm very happy with the his service. He has "Gobblers" out now for the open chamber WPs (T7 version coming soon). It's spring loaded based valve with high and low speed adjustment. I've had a prototype pair in my 790R for about 18 mouths and the production version in my KTM 350XCF-W too. They are simply amazing. I don't know when the T7 version will be out but it was close the last time I spoke with him.

[Suspension101]

First thank you for the kind words.

Timing is perfect. We just tested the the first Gobbler prototypes for the T7 two days ago. Been working on them for over a year. First thing the owner of the bike said was. This is not the same bike. That was about a mile in.

We hit it out of the park guys. 

Sprung it and screwed in the Gobblers. A DIY job. Did not even drain the oil and bam. I want to thank Cory @Camel ADVfor the help on this project. Parts etc.  Have not spoken in months but here is your update Cory.

The T7 Gobblers are really plush in the small chop with zero deflection. Then I jumped the bike a solid 15 feet with front end high and did not feel the forks bottom out. The control is off the grid and the forks are not flexing as we anticipated.

When doing 35 to 50mph and hitting water bars with a dip or g-out before the jump is what it took to bottom the forks out. We actually had to put in an effort to get them to bottom out at lower speeds.

We expected to do at least a couple re-valves that day but we got lucky out of the box. Cory you know what we are capable of building, and this is every bit of the KTM I did for you. Another level.

I have turned down 99% of the T7 business until I could build something that surpasses. Those that I have done will be free to get an upgrade on me. That is how I roll.

The shock with a re-valve and custom spec variable rate spring is so good. Owner says the shock is a 9 out of 10 and we only made one adjustment at that point.

Traction was so much better. Really smooth in chop and small whoops when on the gas and absolutely no kick at all. None.

This set up is capable of winning a pro level enduro today.

For high speed such as Baja I would go in a bit deeper for more bottoming resistance for high rate of speed. When we got it above 50 or 60 in the rough and landing a jump into a dip I could bottom it pretty hard. Not wrist hurt hard and not a clank but it bottomed. So for that I would spring the mid valves and more. Basically a pro level build for that.

The WP Gobblers I have offered money back to any and all purchasers. Not one single set has been returned.

So I want to clarify again what I build.

If you are a sit down rider that wants plush when hitting pot holes I may not be the tuner for you.

If you are a stand up rider of when necessary and want to ride better at a faster pace in safety, then you will really like my suspension. My suspension has no relationship to the competitor tuners. We speak different language.

We build custom much of it hand fabricated, very high end performance that blows away most tuners but also surpasses the factory race teams. Arrogant, you bet, but put my money where my mouth and I deliver.

Engineers will do some fine tuning to the T7 Gobblers via cad and production will begin soon.

 

 

 

[mattinsanfran]

13 hours ago, cstatman said:

SO!  I shot some gopro of the T7 in the durt, Saul (the kid) promises to edit out the boring parts and make a better video.   

Then he looked at it and claimed "its all really boring"  -- here is a photo - that makes me wonder why some fat old man is sitting on my motorcycle...

IF i can get any video out of it, I will share

The T7 aboslutely hauls the mail on wide trails.  Single track capable, but!  I am worried the whole time "if I fall, I'm screwed"   -  which leads to going too slow, and makes it wobbley
It jumps beautifully, you can even throw some whip --- BUT!   the landings are harsh.   

Evaluation:
Suspension is a total fail.   I knew I'd have to buy, but wasnt sure what, till I got it in the durt.  Prolly the Rally Raid - prolly ned to ask my guru (Cory @Camel ADV) what he likes for dirt
Stock tires work in dry, dusty, rocky,   dropped PSI to ~ 18. - but?  I want the Moto-Z now, and some rim locks -- (anyone know who makes big rim locks?)

Steering Damper - would absolutely help when you set the front wheel back down at speed.
Bash Plate - well, now I crunched up my stock one --- I need to buy the Camel

Power is awesome - smooth and deliverable (till tires break free) - super easy to 'float' the front wheel over ruts and whoops
Weight - rider needs to lose the covid weight he put on

If ya in NorCal?   Metcalf is a fun "gym"  smallish park with many different tracks, rails, and rider challenging options - but the parking lot is alwasy only about 10 mins awasy... 

Metcalf Motorcycle County Park - Parks and Recreation - County of Santa Clara

---

Motorcycle County Park webpage includes; park acreage, basic information, history, directions, activities, regulations, hours, fees, and ADA accessibility. Motorycle and Off-Highway Vehcile (OHV) park.

 

Nice.   Been thinking about trying out Metcalf but havent made it down there yet.  

 

[doniv]

Have been riding at Metcalf to get comfortable with the T7 in dirt. Been there 3 times so far and have done the easy+intermediate trails. Hope to get some more practice in and wear out the stock tires quickly before switching to something better. Loving the stock tires on pavement, though!

[cstatman]

hollister?  is like "real" dirt riding...   Metcalf is like going to the gym.   You have so many tracks and trails to ride, but none of them are super super scary

I'm with ya on the "intermediate" -  i'm just not ready to see how difficult it is to pick the T7 up out of Creekside ditch, etc...
go, ride, get more comfy on the bike each time. 

[doniv]

Just waiting for the weather to get cooler before hitting up Hollister and Carnegie. I'm hugging the coastline until then. Temps dropped from 94F to 54F in about 20 miles/30 mins yesterday.