RR: Full Moon Ride

[jfsh]

First off I have to admit that this was not a mountain bike ride. It was one of the most fun things I have done on 2 wheels in a while.
My family and I went camping in Keysville over the Thanksgiving weekend. We all brought our travel trailers and dirt bikes. As the number of kids in the family has grown so has the number of Honda 50s. Anyone who has ridden one knows that these are great for the kids and the adults. Out in the desert we have been known to do a little 50 racing after the wives and kids have gone to bed (beer has nothing to do with it). This trip we took it one step further.
We went for a late night full moon Honda 50 ride around the Keysville classic. By the time we left camp we were 8 strong. The moon was strong and we didn't need any lights. I did not stop laughing for an hour and a half. At times I had to pull over I was lughing so hard. We would ride by other camps that were along the trail. I can only imagine what they were thinking when they saw 8 Honda 50s go by at 10pm. We must have looked like a bunch escaped circus bears.
It was such a spur of the moment ride I didn't bring my camera. I do have a few pics that show a little of the 50 obsession. I counted 15 Honda 50s at camp.

[CalEpic]

That brings back memories.

We used to have pit bike races at our place at the river for years before the BLM shut us down. My brother even built a 50 track in his backyard complete with a table and mini-double that claimed more than a few casualties. It's amazing no-one ever went to the hospital considering we were usually in shorts and flip flops and maybe a beer or two in us.

We need to get together for a moto ride soon.

C

[jfsh]

I know what you mean Craig, you just can't help but race those bikes. It started out as just a crusing ride but when you get 8 people on identical bikes, the racing will begin. There is nothing you can do to stop it. The guy in front does not want to get passed. The guy in back doesn't want to get left. The guys in the middle don't want to lose their track position. It is amazing to see the cannibalistic nature that comes out when a rider crashes or bobbles. All the riders behind see that as an opportunity to pass. You ask if they are alright as you grab full throttle. If you slow down to ask you are going to get passed.
We were going as fast as we could with little light, horsepower, and suspension. Momentum was key. During of the regroups as we were retelling a few of our heroic saves someone said, "If only these bikes could talk."
Someone else said,"They would say read the f&#^n owners manual. I was not designed for this."
Lets get some riding in. The next time you have to give your Bakersfield Dealers some love just bring your bike and let me know. This very spot is about 45 minutes from Bako.

[surlygal]

a Honda 50 is next on the list for Maddie - How easy/hard is to teach the young ones how to brake and shift? or is there not shifting?

Looks like a blast! thanks for sharing

[CalEpic]

Originally Posted by surlygal

a Honda 50 is next on the list for Maddie - How easy/hard is to teach the young ones how to brake and shift? or is there not shifting?

Looks like a blast! thanks for sharing

The Honda is auto clutch with 4-speed tranny. Front hand brake, rear foot brake. Maybe switch her bicycle brakes to moto style to help eliminate f/r confusion. Another to look at is the Yamaha TT50. It has electric start. The Honda is kick start only.

C

[jfsh]

They are easy to learn on as long as the child is tall enough to touch with both feet. My son is 5 and he is not tall enough yet. I have rigged up some training wheels and he loves that. It does have 3 speeds but when they are first learning they don't need to shift. Just take them to an open field or dirt parking lot where there is nothing they can run into. The 50s also have a throttle stop so you can limit how fast they can go.
The Honda 50s went through a redesign in 2000. The newer ones are a little lighter and IMO better for kids. The older ones are better for adults because they have wider tires and a wider seat.

[coldbrews]

Oh yeah, the kids love their 50's. We try and make it out to the desert once a month. The kids are always asking to go riding.

- Surlygal, there is a company called http://www.wheels4tots.com/ and they make the best training wheels in the biz. However, since she can ride a bicycle she shouldnt have a problem. Just keep her in first gear and adjust the throttle down, she'll be shifting in no time.

[surlygal]

Neils big worry is she'll never want to pedal again..I think it'll just give her more confidence..

[coldbrews]

Riding a mountain bike is the next best thing to riding motocross. The thing I worry about is having to buy bigger bikes as they grow. $$$