Aright men...I've been an onlooker here for months gathering info and admiring knowledge. Now, I need to speak up and ask for some help.
My Stats:
185lbs, 6'1", 37yo, Between Novice and Expert, Trail rider only, Ex-250 4 stroke
I bought my 2008 700XX March 2010. Only has about 10 rides and 20 hrs on it.
I have 3 "usual spots" I go trail riding. Terrain varies from fast straights w/ mild bumps to narrow technical w/ rocks and ruggedness. 75% of my time is on the latter though.
We all know these 700's are beasts. I knew that when I bought it. What I didn't realize is how much of a bear it would to handle in medium to tight woods. I bought a 2008 400EX at the same time and it magic in the woods. I'm certainly not looking for my 700 to handle like a 400, BUT I am looking to make it more trail friendly.
My 2 issues are:
1) Suspension = Marshmallows
I love the IRS. It's plush and lovely on the straights at high speed, but when the going gets tough and daddy has to turn...this baby feels like it's riding on marshmallows.
2) At low RPM / speed, I feel like I'm "looking" for gears. It's like first it too low and second is too high. It's got gobbs of torque, but either the gearing is off or the fuel injector mixture is off.
Solutions I've tried:
1) I've preloaded my self to death and it's just not happening. It's like pogo sticks at 80% threads down on the front. At 20%, they are like marshmallows. Anything in between still doesn't feel right. I've played with the tire pressure too. No dice.
2) Nada. Haven't tried anything.
What you guys can help me with:
1) I know I need aftermarket shocks. Question is.....what to get? I'm pretty much sold on Elka. iShock and Elka both recommended getting Stage 2 for the fronts and Stage 3 for the rears. I'm not convinced I "need" that set up. My terrain is fairly consistant and if Elka can tune a pair of Stage 1's (front) and Stage 2's (rear) to my exact stats....why would I need to spend another $700 for cooler running fronts and compression/rebound rears when I'm not racing or riding long distances to where it would REALLY work the shocks.
Is anyone on here that rides similarly w/ the same gripes?
2) I'm an open book. If it's gearing, I imagine the cheap route would be to change teeth on counter sprocket. If EFI is the problem, how do I tell if it's too lean or too rich and what do I do to fix it....with in reason.
I know it's a long one....but I need to thoroughly explain myself.
Thanks for any insight or help.
Gene
My Stats:
185lbs, 6'1", 37yo, Between Novice and Expert, Trail rider only, Ex-250 4 stroke
I bought my 2008 700XX March 2010. Only has about 10 rides and 20 hrs on it.
I have 3 "usual spots" I go trail riding. Terrain varies from fast straights w/ mild bumps to narrow technical w/ rocks and ruggedness. 75% of my time is on the latter though.
We all know these 700's are beasts. I knew that when I bought it. What I didn't realize is how much of a bear it would to handle in medium to tight woods. I bought a 2008 400EX at the same time and it magic in the woods. I'm certainly not looking for my 700 to handle like a 400, BUT I am looking to make it more trail friendly.
My 2 issues are:
1) Suspension = Marshmallows
I love the IRS. It's plush and lovely on the straights at high speed, but when the going gets tough and daddy has to turn...this baby feels like it's riding on marshmallows.
2) At low RPM / speed, I feel like I'm "looking" for gears. It's like first it too low and second is too high. It's got gobbs of torque, but either the gearing is off or the fuel injector mixture is off.
Solutions I've tried:
1) I've preloaded my self to death and it's just not happening. It's like pogo sticks at 80% threads down on the front. At 20%, they are like marshmallows. Anything in between still doesn't feel right. I've played with the tire pressure too. No dice.
2) Nada. Haven't tried anything.
What you guys can help me with:
1) I know I need aftermarket shocks. Question is.....what to get? I'm pretty much sold on Elka. iShock and Elka both recommended getting Stage 2 for the fronts and Stage 3 for the rears. I'm not convinced I "need" that set up. My terrain is fairly consistant and if Elka can tune a pair of Stage 1's (front) and Stage 2's (rear) to my exact stats....why would I need to spend another $700 for cooler running fronts and compression/rebound rears when I'm not racing or riding long distances to where it would REALLY work the shocks.
Is anyone on here that rides similarly w/ the same gripes?
2) I'm an open book. If it's gearing, I imagine the cheap route would be to change teeth on counter sprocket. If EFI is the problem, how do I tell if it's too lean or too rich and what do I do to fix it....with in reason.
I know it's a long one....but I need to thoroughly explain myself.
Thanks for any insight or help.
Gene