Super Sherpa Tires

Original equipment stock tires for the 2002 Kawasaki Super Sherpa (KL250) were Bridgestone Trail Wings (TW301 and TW302). The Trail Wings are categorized as 50/50 dual sport tires (generally averaging 50% trail and 50% highway). Factory specification for tire sizes associated with the model are:

• Front: 2.75-21 (Loosely converted, On-Road 90/90-21; Off-Road 90/80-21)
• Rear: 4.10-18 (Loosely converted, On-Road 120/80-18; Off-Road 100/100-18 or 120/80-18)

Of course, 50/50 tires aren't suitable for the southeast rally circuit, nor were they at least as to the rear for the prior owner. When I took delivery the little trailblazer, it had a 90-dirt/10-highway Dunlop D606 120/90-18 stuffed in the rear. The original OEM Trail Wing, now over 18 years old and showing its age, was still holding air up front.

The category of tire that I need for the kind of riding I have planned (sand, mud, clay, gravel) is in the 90/10 category. While the D606 is in that category and had a good deal of life left, it was way too big for the little Sherpa. In fact, the left knobs had worn the strangely shaped swingarm and the mudguard that sits at the top of the swing arm was smashed to smithereens!

I considered a number of options, but the tires that I landed on were Kenda's K760 Trakmaster II in the sizes of 80/100-21 and 100/100-18. The price tag at RMATV was $45.88 for the front and $46.88 for the rear. 

The bad thing about motorcycle tires is that the published sizes often don't equate to the tape readout when measured. That can be a problem from a "width perspective" when you measure the width in the swing arm to accommodate a size only to find that the actual width is more! The "height perspective" can equally be an issue when a tire that's too tall doesn't fit under a fender or offer enough room for trail media to channel through. These issues are both present in the Super Sherpa. This is well know and require that I get the ruler and the caliper out.

As it relates to the Trakmasters, the actual width measurement at the widest points of knob at full "in-use" inflation front and rear are 90mm and 116mm, respective, where the published widths were 80mm and 100mm. I faced this very same issue (albeit worse) when spooning Michelin AC10s on the old KLX250 where a published 110mm tire measured out to a whopping 130mm installed!

I got the Sherpa home, pulled the rear wheel out and put my ruler to work because I was much more concerned with the rear than front clearances. The first thing I noticed was that the swing arm was not symmetric such that it made width decisions very difficult because the distance from the center line to the swingarm was a different number on each side. 

Note that the left side of the swingarm is straighter than the right. Also note the size and shape of the corners. 

The photo angle causes depth perception issues that might seem like the lengthwise measurements are off.

Bottom line the measurement up in the forward section of the swingarm is 130mm, but you can't get 130mm of tire in there because of the shape. That's what the prior owner experienced trying to stuff a 120/90-18 D606 (126mm wide) in there. The only way they got it to fit was by angling the axle ... yup, the alignment markers were NOT the same on each side; bet you've never seen that before. I haven't.

The good news is that the 100/100-18 Trakmaster (116mm wide) fits in there just fine, although with very little cushion, particularly on the left. 

Unfortunately, my obsession with the rear tire fitment caused me to miss the problem up front ... fender obstruction. Yeah, the 80/100-21 Trackmaster fits fine between the two forks, but doesn't allow use of the low fender. It will will bolt on, but provides almost no space for channeling trail materials like dirt and sand. That's actually dangerous.

OE Front Trail Wing Installed with Fender

Essentially, the issue is the tire's section height as reflected in the aspect ratio. The 80/100-21 Trakmaster has a section height equal to the width of 80mm (80mm x 100%). The spec of 2.75-21 or 90/80-21 (off-road, knobby conversion) calls for a max section height of 72mm (90mm x 80%). Those 8mm make a big difference!

Now, this is by no means the end of the world. First and foremost, these are aggressive knobby tires that, as you well know, have ridiculously short lifespans. Between now and the inevitable, I have two options. One is a simple square set of brackets that raises the fender; easy fabrication. Another is a plan I was already working on which is installing a high fender.

As a former Sherpa owner, in addition to being a current Sherpa owner, I already knew that the stock fender location wasn't going to cut it for dual sport rally conditions in the southeast. While I want to have the option of lowering the fender for some riding activities, I need a high fender for the rally work.

I had a raised fender on my old 2009 Sherpa as shown in the photo below. It's a UFO SuperMotard fender that costs under $25 and is easy to install. I have another on the way and will figure out what to do with the low fender between rallies this year.

In summary, the Super Sherpa is a bugger to source more aggressive DOT knobbies for. That's due to the strangely designed swingarm and the low fender. Essentially, fitment calls for saying at or below the true "in-use" tire widths below.

• Front Max Width 90mm
• Rear Max Width 116mm

The maximum section heights are:

• Front Max 72mm
• Rear Max 100mm

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Note:

It should be noted that some tire manufacturers post actual widths on their websites. There are two different measurements. One is Static Width, which is the width of the unmounted carcass. The other is In-Use Width, which is the width of a mounted, inflated and warm tire. It's likely that the in-use width is going to be (at least) closer to the true width.

For example, I'd previously mentioned working with Michelin's AC10s on a KLX. The published rear tire width was 110mm. The actual measurement was 130mm. Michelin's website showed the in-use width of that tire as 120mm. Some help; not much, though.

2021 Trans-Florida Adventure Rally

The 2021 Spring Trans Florida Adventure Rally, hosted by C.A.D.S. is now on the calendar for March 6 and 7. Normally the route is Palatka to Yankeetown and back over two days. So far, they've only committed to the launch out of Palatka. They're asking us to be patient with the details but would like a headcount.

The last time I rode the Trans Florida, in 2019, we were beaten relentlessly by Tropical Storm Nestor the first day. The second day, I broke a foot and bruised a rib rolling out of Yankeetown. 

I'm in. Hoping for a better experience in 2021. 

Update:

The west end of the Trans Florida is in Homosassa. That sets up "Sandy" Citrus WMA as a possible target for their rally plans. I know Citrus well. Bring it on.

2002 Kawasaki Super Sherpa

I took delivery of my 2021 Dual Sport Rally Equipment. It's a 2002 Kawasaki Super Sherpa (KL250G6) and it's not the first Super Sherpa I've owned. 

The Super Sherpa is fairly hard to find (both usable and parts bikes). In fact, it can be considered a "cult-bike" to some. It was manufactured and sold in the United States for six years from 1999 to 2003 and then one more year, 2009. During many of those years, it was sold side-by-side with the more commonly known and available Kawasaki KLR250. An interesting history, indeed.

After the disaster we'll call the 2020 rally season and my focus more on moto-touring (again), I was a little late replacing equipment and missed a great rally in January. No, I wasn't waiting on a Super Sherpa to show up. In fact, I'd pretty much decided to purchase one of the new Honda CRF300L models; until I found that they weren't to even be delivered until May, which given my powersports retail experience, probably means more like August. However, I found this bike early one morning freshly posted on Facebook Marketplace.

As mentioned, I previously had a Super Sherpa, a 2009 model that I purchased off the showroom floor. I used it for minimalist adventure touring and my son used it for commuting to/from high school after he got his endorsement. Together we had some nice rides. 

2009 Super Sherpa; South Florida Adventure

Bottom line, I know the Sherpa well. I know it's strengths, I know it's weaknesses.

The 2002 model that I purchased is a 5,572 mile Pennsylvania bike and it's bone stock, except for the rear tire (D606). It starts and runs amazingly well. I paid $2,800. 

I now have a month to put the motorcycle into rally condition; shouldn't be too hard.

Watch for updates.

Yamaha Tracer 900 Suspension

Suspension evaluation is an important aspect of motorcycle ownership. The manufacturers don't offer a one-size, fit's-all option and, of course, we all ain't one size. However, the manufactures may have engineered tuning-options into their models and, to the extent those can be zeroed in, should. Beyond that, modifications may be in order.

Generally, when it comes to suspension evaluation on my new, off-the-floor motorcycles, I give the suspension around 5,000 miles to settle-in ... a number that I just tipped last week on my new 2019 Yamaha Tracer 900 that I purchased in July 2020.

To cut to the chase, the Tracer 900 suspension, with some fine-tuning, reasonably does what I need it to do. That means that the fine-tuning adjustments are sufficient and no 'spensive suspension parts are needed. That doesn't mean your outcome will be the same.

The table below is a screenshot from my records of the spec pre-load adjustments and where they stand, front and rear.

The rear pre-load is adjustable. At 5,000 miles the rear sag measurement (23% of travel) was inline with what I expect in a basic street bike. No adjustment needed. 

The front pre-load is also adjustable and was targeted much earlier (at 2,000 miles) as needing adjustment. Early on, I was experiencing the same sloppy front handling, principally diving in corners and turns at speed, as many Tracer owners have reported. What I found was that the factory pre-load is way too low at 20% of the allowable service range. Adjusting the pre-load to 50% of the service range improved the front end handling.

The other fine-tuning adjustments are limited to rebound dampening, front and rear. No compression dampening is offered on the base model. The dampening adjustments are the finer of the fine tuning adjustments. The factory settings are being used.

Overall, I'm finding that the Tracer 900 suspension, as adjusted, is reasonable and suitable for my use of the motorcycle. That hasn't always been the case with my motorcycle purchases, for sure. However, while everyone's experience is bound to differ, the take away is perhaps to hold off on running to the expensive aftermarket suspensions shops until an evaluation of the factory offering has been completed using the manufacturer's guidance and good motorcycle wrenching judgment.

Wild Bear Safari

The 2020 organized dual sport and adventure rides were significantly disrupted due to the pandemic. Many started off being deferred to later in the year only to be cancelled come fall. Will 2021 be the same? Well, we'll see. I can't say that it's looking good given that the AMA has not released 2021 schedules for their Dual Sport and Adventure Series.

However, that's just the AMA and many of their rides actually leverage off the local clubs that appear to be looking at "normalcy" in 2021. For instance CADS held their annual Polar Bear Ride just last week and Apollo has opened registration for their annual Wild Bear Safari that will kick off in April. 

I thought I'd just sit out the 2021 season and play with my six-month-old Yamaha Tracer, but I just miss the dirt. The KLX and the KLR are gone and I didn't have a dual sport for the Polar Bear so I missed that. I'm signed up for the Wild Bear so I needed to get on it.

I pretty much decided on one of the new 2021 CRF300L models ... until I was told they won't even be shipped to dealers until May! Having worked in powersports, that means prolly August. 

Looks like my fall back will be picking up a used-something to ride temporarily until later in the year when I can circle back on the CRF.

What will that be?

Stay tuned.

GIVI EH2139 Hand Guard Extenders

I so did not want to be dumping a bunch of money into my 2019 Yamaha Tracer 900. In the bigger scheme of things, it's a cheap bike with the Yamaha seal of quality behind it and with all the things one should need in a sport touring model ... like a screen that needed replacement and now the hand guards that need correction.

The hand guards on the Tracer 900 are simply of an underwhelming design that is both too narrow and too low to protect the rider from cold and rain. Further, because the inner mount position is the mirror perch, adjustment upward of the guard isn't sufficient to correct the problem. 

So, after a very chilly trip mapping loops in Ocala National Forest last week, I broke down and purchased the GIVI Hand Guard Extenders.

EH2139 Smoked Plexiglass Hand Guard Extension (MSRP $95, @Twisted Throttle, $84)

The hand guard issue is well know in Tracer-Owner circles and there are only a couple options including the Pyramid and Powerbronze Extenders. I have never laid hands on either of the other options, but I think the GIVI is probably the better of the three.

For starters, the GIVI EH2139 adds 2.75' (70mm) in height, has a "full coverage" wrap-around design, is a thick 3mm and is more solidly mounted with four mounting points (new hardware is provided).

Powerbronze Wind Deflectors (US$55)

Starting with the Powerbronze, there are two main deficiencies. 

The first deficiency is that the deflector doesn't offer full coverage that one would expect from an effective hand guard. As can be seen above, the GIVI guard extends inward to the mirror perch and wraps around the outer side offering ample protection. The second deficiency is that installation is supported by only two center-mounting points (compared to GIVI's four mounting points) that would seem to set these guards up for flexing in the wind and ultimate failure.

Powerbronze represents the guards to be 3mm in thickness (same as the GIVI) and offers them in a wide range of options including smoke (shown) and 16 solid color options.

Further on the Powerbronze guards, I'm not sure they're available outside the U.K. because I don't even see them in the PowerbronzeUS site. Shipping from the U.K. could be cost prohibitive.

Pyramid Hand Guard Extensions (US$95)

The Pyramid is an upgrade over Powerbronze in terms of coverage (although not as much as the GIVI), but, like the Powerbronze, has the problematic two-point installation. 

Pyramid's hand guard extenders are made of Carbon Fiber which may, indeed, be a stronger material than the acrylic used in the GIVI and Powerbronze. However, bear in mind that the actual construction of Yamaha's base hand guard design, as discussed below, is a big factor to consider in deciding which guard is better to hold up in the wind.

So, what's up with the mounting points issue?

The Tracer's factory hand guard is comprised of two parts, sandwiched as shown in this photo of an installation I found online. The two parts are the actual hand guard and a forward facing plastic cover that are held together with a couple screws.

All three of the hand-guard extension options discussed in this post attach to the back side of the hand guard using the two "cover" mounting points. 

The issue is that cover is a flimsy, plastic, entirely cosmetic feature that will allow the extension to flex with the new "top end" pressure brought by the extensions. Further, as you can clearly see, those nuts in the cover aren't even real nuts; yet those are what the bolts screw into. While indeed convenient, very simply mounting into the cover is not a solid means to mount the extensions. Seriously, you'd probably be better off drilling holes all the way through the cover and mounting the extensions with a more appropriate nut and bolt arrangement..

The only upside among the three offerings is that the GIVI offers two additional mounting points that are at the more secure mirror perch as can be seen in the photo below. Certainly, those two additional mounting points will minimize the risk of excessive flex, but I couldn't tell you if it'll be enough.

Overall, I firmly believe that either an extender or a whole new model hand guard is in order for the Tracer 900. However, I think the pros and cons of each of these models discussed in this post should be weighed relative to each riders individual needs and desires.

Prices in this blog post were obtained from the vendors in mid-January 2021 and, of course, may change.

Black Bear/ONF

My first trip in 2021 was a two-day scouting mission in the Ocala National Forest to work up a loop in the Forest and on the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway for my new Moto-Touring Blog called Florida Motorcycle Destinations. It was a successful trip although dang cold for Florida. My second day I rolled out of Silver Springs at a temperature of 39 degrees. Typical Florida, it was 51 degrees an hour later.

So, here's a look at the loop beginning and terminating in Daytona Beach. It's called the Black Bear/ONF Loop. It'll be a good loop for folks coming in for Bike Week. A downloadable .gpx route is included in the Blog.

I published a couple videos from this trip on my YouTube Channel. The first is a short video of the 70 foot WWII era missile at the VFW in Sulfur Springs.

The second explains the origins of the very odd bridge on the north west border of the forest near Fort McCoy. 

I think I put together a real good street-bike friendly loop. Give it a try.