Greetings from California

Well I'll start off with I have been ridding bikes/quads since I was 13 (YZ80/banshee) neither were mine. I finally bought my first bike when I was 17 the cr125 I still have after ridding that for years and fixing a lot of Honda parts I thought I should upgrade so I bought a 07 white YZ250f in early 08 it was a leftover on sale. Finally after the first of this year I was able to convince my wife to let me have a bike for the street. Wishing for a wr450x to come out I figur that won't happen any time soon so I took a stroll to the local bike shop to look around and saw a lonely 09 wr250x sitting in the corner and saw the tag marked down a grand and figured I could give it a good home and park it next to the YZ, LOL. well that is my bike story and just to say I found this site trying to figure out a problem with my programmer (I think it's fixed). Thank you guys and gals for this awesome site.

Welcome to the pack! Feel free to jump on someone if you have a question; there's a lot of good info free for the pickings.

Cool.... Nice collection too. Let's get pictures of the ole girl out here.

Oh, and if you have any of your bike let's rock those too !

I noticed alot of Canadians on here, I was just over in Ukraine on a work trip and ran into a girl about my age from western Canada. She was born in Ukraine and moved to Canada so she was like a translator for us when we would meet with her. I know that it has nothing to do with the price of tea in china, but I had never been out of the country before and she was soooo nice and helped us out alot. I guess it was like a shock to me to have some one hold the door as your leaving a store kind of attitude all the time, I guess it's just cuz that is lacking around here in California.

California cultured has definitely changed. ...for the worst I hate to add. This evolution isn't recent. It's been that way (degrading) for three decades. ..or more.

No one (not many) in CA is from CA (anymore) and the "Say Hello to everyone" and wave to people out there in the middle of nowhere, stop and check people stopped on the road has left CA protocol.

In fact when you do wave and are polite and do share a smile people think you are up to something. ~ whatever ~

Just an observation, but people from Canada, Mexico and Texas are the friendliest people you'd ever want to meet.

There are exceptions everywhere obviously and friendliness breeds friendliness.

I don't get out much so my perception and experience is limited. There are very nice people everywhere. I seem to find them...

People ask me (usually when snowboarding in CA) where I am from. My first answer (because I know they are not) is "North America", which is obviously responded to as a funny face. "Big place". "Uh huh..."

Next question, "Where in North America ?" Answer: "Santa Monica" Response "Oh ! " It usually gets quiet after that. Yea... I'm a local. Yeah, you are in my place that I've been all my life. Yea... You're not adding to my experience. Yea... You and your boisterous friends act like we owe you something for being here. Yea... You can go home anytime.

Next question: "Where are you from ?" My distaste is usually apparent by now. ...and usually the response is NOT from somewhere not in North America.

So my "generalization" is somewhat "hasty". Probably not a valid argument for finding nice people.

In spite of my cultural endowment and moreso the external influence, I am always smiling and happy and welcoming.

We all live in this world... We had better learn how to maintain and share it.

Long response to your observation. I agree.

X-Racer wrote:

Just an observation, but people from Canada, Mexico and Texas are the friendliest people you'd ever want to meet.

There are exceptions everywhere obviously and friendliness breeds friendliness.

Not sure where New Hampshire fits in. This was recently near its Southern border, not far from greater Boston.

I was stopped at a slightly busy intersection of 2 medium-large back roads, and writing down a 'note this' landmark clue answer on my directions sheet for the Magical Mystery Tour, when a no-lid no-riding-gear big badass Harley rider going in the other direction slows and genuinely asks "Are you OK?" I smiled and gave a thanks.

welcome! my R is parked next to a YZ .. they get along fine .. no problem

It seems like every where I go I find nice people, but it like every donkeys rear has moved here and won't go away, but there is a few here and there.

I had to separate the cr and YZ a while back, I don't think they like each other, (home made stand a friend gave me broke) and the cr fell into the YZ lucky it was against the wall and it did no more damage than what I have done to them. LOL!!!

We must live an otherwise harmonious life...

A Suzuki, a KTM, two Yamahas and two Hondas in the garage.

The cat and dog even sleep together !

Welcome to CA, now please leave.

Except all of you. Y'all can stay. * chuckle *

The yamahas out number any other at my place but three are friends that I store for them cuz they live in town in apartments. but I don't mind too much. But why can't we all just get along and ride. Lol!!!

X-racer wrote

Subject: Re: Greetings from California Sun Aug 21, 2011 9:31 pm
California cultured has definitely changed. ...for the worst I hate to add. This evolution isn't recent. It's been that way (degrading) for three decades. ..or more.


I agree California is changing for the worse, especially in LA "how could hell be any worse"........ I grew up there (El Segundo, Manhattan Bch, and San Diego). But So cal is not the only place in Ca. I just went on a 1000 mile ride (all in CA), didn't see many people at all..... nothing but good times and uncrowded roads, with amazing views.......

You're right...

Night and day definitely.

If you are ever up this way, let me know, and I can take you on some nice uncrowded rides.......just don't tell anybody.....(it's not hip enough....... YET!)

Let's share... I have my own NoCal secret spots. My buddy lives ON Eagle Lake. ...and from there it's pretty much wide open to ID and MO. ....which is a trip next summer I think.

Last Sept we (The girl and I) rode from there, across to the coast down to 'The entire town smells like pot (Garber) ville' down through Eureka and the Redwoods. It was way cool.

We were going to take the dirt roads down through the area, but not having been through there before, and with just her and I, and no cell service anywhere you go I was a little cautious.

We still got in ~ 700 miles or so.

So yea... We'd love to pack the horses and get right down to the the real nitty-gritty. ...as long as I can plan an overnight stop-over for her in a no-tell mo-tell and we go out a day or so elsewhere.

This year I'll hell-bent on getting a house sold and moving what is left out. If that happens real soon then maybe we'll get that way this year still.

Thanks for the invite !

X-racer...nice!

I just got my girl a Honda 230 m (she is too short for the X)...just did 160 miles yesterday along the Kalamath and Trinity rivers. Awsome ride and she was keeping up!!

Funny comment about riding through Humboldt.......Yea, riding up here in September, you get to smell the flowers!! We actually live part time in Arcata....and part time in Chico.....I am still trying to check off all the rides I want to do...they seem endless!!!

Yea, cell service here sucks, but I switched to Verizon, now it works almost everywhere....

So, hell yea. pack up and get up here!!!

My girl is from ID, so we have been wanting to ride there too. Let us know if you guys want more company!

Keep in touch

...and my girl is from MO, so yea. we gotta GO !

Mine had the CRF230F and it was a good off-road learner bike.

Her dirt bike is a fully squatted CRF250X.

She's only 5-3, so I fully squatted the WRR down for her as well.

Wow! I didn't know you could slam those bikes down so much.....is it hard?

I had a hard time finding a bike for her, but I think the crf230m (with shinko 244's), is a good start. I was thinking about getting her a crf150, but now that I know about your girls cfr250x, I gotta see pics!!!!

And, yea...let's ride!! I see that you have a 450. Do you ride tracks? Looks like we have similar riding habits!

Well the big cut in height is the lowering link.

We lowered both her WRR and CRF.

Next you cut the seat, lower the forks...

Reduced some pre-load on her spring.

Pretty easy. Add boots and that adds leg-reach.

The rest is having them ride enough to get comfortable to slide their arse off the side of the seat and then know where NOT TO STOP so they get low-centered ( harder than you might imagine in some cases).

Yes.. I have the 450X. we ride mostly in the So Cal desert. I'd like to go ride on tracks, but I don't know anyone who does and I'd probably forget I'm old and stick my foot in a rut.

There is a track out where we go and it's really fun. I think if I do ride on a track I'll bring my 99 CR250 back from mothballs.

Right now life, in the way of getting a second home sold, is getting in the way of doing most anything.

I think we're good for a week out in the desert about Halloween W/E. C'mon down if you want. I'm hoping to have a Rhino set-up by then too...

thanks for the info! She is loving the 230m right now....we just got back from the Sierras (did 300 miles in 3 days!).

But, I know she will want to upgrade soon...so thanks for all the tips!

Keep in touch!