One of the biggest things for me now is the grips. I got injured in the military and have nerve damage to my right hand thanks to the surgery. I am more susceptible to vibration because if it. I change to a pair of Odi Rogue grips in the softest compound available. They are a game changer since using them I don't loose grip with my right hand and don't have to worry about not being able to use the front brake either.
Nice breakdown, good stuff and a few things that I've never really put much thought into. Definitely got me thinking on a few things I may need to change 👍
Switching to SXS flags after always running full wrap arounds was a game changer. I’m bending way less bars and I’ve found that now I actually can feel the flex in the bars.
Interesting! What bars were you bending? Were you crashing every time they bent? What full wrap bark busters did you have on? I've been running the EE Open Guards and really like them. They deflect less, and do the job needed. I have smashed a pinkie or two, but a defection from a full-wrap there would have had me off in the bush.
Great info. Check out the carapac pegs, I put them on my 25 Sherco, 5mm back and 5mm lower. I'm 6' and I've never had a bike that going from sitting to standing to be so easy. I also have the Mako. The oem bars are pretty low so I'm leaving them. It hasn't rained in about 6 months here in the SW and it's unbelievable how how well this bike turns and hooks up on our marble covered concrete. Love this bike. Arc's are the best. Good luck on the 4S.
Ohhhh, will do! I was looking for other pegs to mention but didn’t have a good one. Thanks for offering up a recommendation! 🤘🏻🤙🏻⚡️ REALLY hoping to get on a 2025!!
Agreed with your suggestions. A more expensive part/change I’ve found made the most difference in my confidence/speed/results was suspension on my 2021 300 XCW. But lever and fastest pegs were big helps as well. Love the videos and see you at races. Keep it up!
I'm currently running a Scott's damper on my 23 Husqvarna TE300. Raised the bar height way too much I think. I already had the Scott's damper, so I went with the BRP mounts. But now that I'm getting more experienced with the sport (off road Enduro racing) Mako mounts seem to be much more popular. I don't live in Southern California anymore, I'm in the southeast where everything is super tight single track in deep woods. Most people don't run a steering damper. I was thinking about ditching the steering damper and going with a low Mako mount...OR trying to find a ultra low bar (22mm he said) with my current setup. Are the 22mm rise bars still available? I'm 6'3" long and lankey, I'm using lower pegs which helps some, but I don't want to run a tall seat. I think lowering the bars as much as possible with help, because at the moment I don't like how the front end feels. The stock WP Xplor forks sucked, so I had a local guy replace the cartridges with another kit. I'm not fast enough to justify spending $4k+ yet... Maybe I will in the future. I come from roadracing and understand spending several thousand on Ohlins suspension for example means everything. Any recommendations on offroad suspension brands/kits?
I would work on one thing at a time, so you know what part/change affects what feeling. Step One: Remove the damper. Do you feel like you still need/want it? Step Two: Try lower rise bars. Astra has the 27mm Gemini's & ProTaper has the Low Bend. Step Three: Possibly a MAKO360, with lowered mounts, if you want some vibration dampening and wrist/hand help for riding soreness. Step Four: We're now overthinking this and we need to ride more.
What is your GoPro setup? I like the field of view in your video, and am curious… 1. Which GoPro model (or maybe DJI) are you using? 2. What are your settings? In particular, which “field of view” setting are you using? 3. Any other non-default settings? …I am trying to get the view you’ve achieved, where you can just barely see the fender and even the bars at times but also far enough up the trail that you aren’t wishing the rider would raise their head. Thanks for any suggestions! PS agree with you on bar, pegs and levers. I tossed the stock pegs after 20 minutes. Pegs with a cant vs OEM flat should be first upgrade!
Crazy you should ask. I just released a shirt with setup. Best GoPro Mounting for Dirt Bike Riding Footage #dirtbikes #gopro ua-cam.com/users/shortsNjcu419ztZU?feature=share
I use the Mini, SuperView 4K 60fps. It’s also in the export settings though as well for YT. You want to export bit rate between 20000-30000, and no smaller resolution than 2560x1440. This gets YT using their high end compression, not their low end one.
For me the lower bars indeed helped with attacking the slower corners but with more weight on the hands / arms + feeling more of the hit = increase in Hand and arm pump fatigue
Ohhhh, interesting and solid point to think about!!! I didn’t notice that before the MAKO360, and obviously not after the MAKO 🤣 . Did you get more hand wear or blisters, or did you just feel it in your hands more?!
More weight on the hands Similar in some ways to raising the forks through the clamps gain in one area to sacrifice through another . If you can go lower and still maintain pace only a good thing
Easy pull levers have been a game changer for me. I cannot believe how much less fatigue and arm pump I experience as a result! Secret tip: buy steering damper pro taper bars for lower bars and save some money!:/
The midwest levers you removed! I agree clutch issues can result from poor adjustment, but I’ve never had any. I do disagree with your point regarding aggressive riding. I think they’re great for it. You use less energy and can ride harder longer.
I have been wanting to try the R-duro levers. I do have arm pump early on. I found with enduros I was always better after gas once the arm pump disappeared. I thin the R-duro thing might help. I felt one, not sure how that would play with slipping the clutch. It does have a breakover point where it gets easier. I have a under mount damper with the Mako. Using the stock nekken bars. I have thought about a flatter bar to compensate. I didn't know that protaper actually made one. My have to give that whirl before swapping out levers. In my 50s and pretty resided that I'm never going pro, but being a better rider is never a bad thing ;-)
I've seen them, but now that I have removed the MWE levers and have felt the gains from well placed "traditional levers", I don't think I'd use one for racing. I would have to try it of course, but I don't know how it'll work for true racing performance. Arm pump is a fickle beast. The best thing that has helped me start an enduro at 100% this year is a proper warm up. Get the entire body warm and limber, including the forearms, then find a spot for figure 8's.
Did you go for the aluminum or the "memlon" ARCs? I've had my "memlon" ARCs on for about a year and a half, and I like everything about them except that as I'm working on some slightly more advanced techniques, which require both throttle and front brake at the same time, the flex of the brake lever is starting to bug me. Reason is that I have to run the dead position a bit further from the bar than I'd like in order to be able to apply enough pressure on the lever to lock the front wheel, since that pressure is enough to flex the lever 1/4" or so. Granted this is with a Braktec front brake on a GasGas, which isn't as grabby as the Brembo.
Aluminum, I wanted to try the "normal" levers before getting any of the other features/options, etc. For the front brake pressure, have you tried running the lever perch in on the handlebar a tad more and then adjusting lever reach? This could possibly give you more leverage on the lever itself.
@@SeatTime yep, I run my levers pretty far in so I can get more leverage. Pretty much to the point where I can just get my pointer figure on the end of the lever comfortably + a little bit in case I need to use two fingers. A really good rider recommended it years ago, and I'm amazed with how much difference it made to hand fatigue. So leverage isn't really an issue, it's the resting position I have to run the levers at and where the engagement needs to start. Both are about 1/4" further out than I run on my KTM with stock aluminum levers. Not a problem in regular riding/enduro, but for some hard enduro trickery it becomes a bit harder, since I don't have the longest fingers (wear "M" sized gloves typically). I'm going to give the aluminum ARC a try I think, even though I have been liking the temperature consistency of the plastic ones.
Great video and tips! Im looking for a little advice on my bar set up on my FE350. Iv got 250+ hours on the bike, all with the mentioned fastaway drop/back pegs and tusk 15mm bar risers. As I have raced more and gotten more confident with aggressive riding, Im looking to get more handling aggression back out of the bike as its very tame and "easy to drive" at the moment. The stock bars are Pro-taper's with a 80mm height (+15mm so 95mm total). Im thinking of removing the 15mm risers as a starting place to get more over the front end and get more steering bite. Maybe better climbing ability too? When you mentioned 35mm and even 22mm bars, your multiple inches lower than my current set up, thats a lot! Im 6 feet tall and feel comfortable on the bike. Do you think removing the riser will have a noticeable feel and should I try a lower bend? Maybe the bar mount on the Sherco itself is higher then the KTM/Husky. Thanks!
Just to clarify, rise is different than total bar height. You mentioned 80mm height bar, and I mentioned 22mm rise. I'd have to do some napkin math to get the total height of the Astra Gemini bar. Adjust one thing at a time, so you know what each change does, and feels like. Step One: Go with stock bar risers (remove the +15mm). What do you feel? Does this give you what you wanted? Step Two: Lower rise bars, proTaper low or Astra Gemini. What do you feel? Does this give you what you wanted? Step Three: Ride it and adjust accordingly.
As someone who is tall (6ft 6in) you’re very wrong.😂 it makes them very twitchy when you put big risers in your bars. Personally I run odi 828 rolled forward some and that’s it. When you talk it’s almost hard not to end up to far over bike. I have to remind myself to stay loose, hang my ass off the back and use my long legs to my advantage. Suspension and tires are the only thing I’ve ever seen make a difference in speed. Everything else I can get used to in a couple minutes.
Yes, risers drastically raise the lever point, creating that twitchy feeling your describing. A higher rise bar without risers would minimize that twitch some, but not a ton. Fork height in the triple clamps, as well as not enough sag, can also cause twitchiness at the front end. Have you tried lowered pegs or your bike without the taller risers?
@ I don’t run risers or lowered pegs. They are just bandaid for bad technique and being out of shape. I’ve tried both and bike always feel better with stock heights with bar in forward position. Both mostly just feel better because they reduce fatigue. As soon as you’re in ok shape and take them off bike always feels significantly better. That being said my fatass hasn’t got to ride much since August. so I might pop the riser on for a month or two here soon just to reduce fatigue till I get back in shape.😂
One of the biggest things for me now is the grips. I got injured in the military and have nerve damage to my right hand thanks to the surgery. I am more susceptible to vibration because if it.
I change to a pair of Odi Rogue grips in the softest compound available. They are a game changer since using them I don't loose grip with my right hand and don't have to worry about not being able to use the front brake either.
Have you tried the MAKO360 or a set of FlexxBars to help with the nerve pain?
Nice breakdown, good stuff and a few things that I've never really put much thought into. Definitely got me thinking on a few things I may need to change 👍
Heck Yeah! Let us know what they are and how the learning goes so we can all keep evolving.
Switching to SXS flags after always running full wrap arounds was a game changer. I’m bending way less bars and I’ve found that now I actually can feel the flex in the bars.
Interesting! What bars were you bending? Were you crashing every time they bent? What full wrap bark busters did you have on?
I've been running the EE Open Guards and really like them. They deflect less, and do the job needed. I have smashed a pinkie or two, but a defection from a full-wrap there would have had me off in the bush.
+1 on that comment. They are strong enough to handle impacts and have just enough flex to contact objects without moving the bars.
Great info. Check out the carapac pegs, I put them on my 25 Sherco, 5mm back and 5mm lower. I'm 6' and I've never had a bike that going from sitting to standing to be so easy. I also have the Mako. The oem bars are pretty low so I'm leaving them. It hasn't rained in about 6 months here in the SW and it's unbelievable how how well this bike turns and hooks up on our marble covered concrete. Love this bike. Arc's are the best. Good luck on the 4S.
Ohhhh, will do! I was looking for other pegs to mention but didn’t have a good one. Thanks for offering up a recommendation! 🤘🏻🤙🏻⚡️ REALLY hoping to get on a 2025!!
Agreed with your suggestions. A more expensive part/change I’ve found made the most difference in my confidence/speed/results was suspension on my 2021 300 XCW. But lever and fastest pegs were big helps as well. Love the videos and see you at races. Keep it up!
What kind of suspension adjustments did you make? I feel like sometimes I struggle with my 2020 stink bugging and pulling me forward.
THANKS! I appreciate the kind words!🤘🏻🤙🏻⚡️
Do you regularly check your sag?
Great and well put togethe vid, man! Cheers.
THANKS! Glad you dug it. 🤘
I'm currently running a Scott's damper on my 23 Husqvarna TE300. Raised the bar height way too much I think. I already had the Scott's damper, so I went with the BRP mounts. But now that I'm getting more experienced with the sport (off road Enduro racing) Mako mounts seem to be much more popular. I don't live in Southern California anymore, I'm in the southeast where everything is super tight single track in deep woods. Most people don't run a steering damper. I was thinking about ditching the steering damper and going with a low Mako mount...OR trying to find a ultra low bar (22mm he said) with my current setup. Are the 22mm rise bars still available?
I'm 6'3" long and lankey, I'm using lower pegs which helps some, but I don't want to run a tall seat. I think lowering the bars as much as possible with help, because at the moment I don't like how the front end feels. The stock WP Xplor forks sucked, so I had a local guy replace the cartridges with another kit. I'm not fast enough to justify spending $4k+ yet... Maybe I will in the future. I come from roadracing and understand spending several thousand on Ohlins suspension for example means everything. Any recommendations on offroad suspension brands/kits?
I would work on one thing at a time, so you know what part/change affects what feeling.
Step One: Remove the damper. Do you feel like you still need/want it?
Step Two: Try lower rise bars. Astra has the 27mm Gemini's & ProTaper has the Low Bend.
Step Three: Possibly a MAKO360, with lowered mounts, if you want some vibration dampening and wrist/hand help for riding soreness.
Step Four: We're now overthinking this and we need to ride more.
What is your GoPro setup?
I like the field of view in your video, and am curious…
1. Which GoPro model (or maybe DJI) are you using?
2. What are your settings? In particular, which “field of view” setting are you using?
3. Any other non-default settings?
…I am trying to get the view you’ve achieved, where you can just barely see the fender and even the bars at times but also far enough up the trail that you aren’t wishing the rider would raise their head.
Thanks for any suggestions!
PS agree with you on bar, pegs and levers. I tossed the stock pegs after 20 minutes. Pegs with a cant vs OEM flat should be first upgrade!
Crazy you should ask. I just released a shirt with setup. Best GoPro Mounting for Dirt Bike Riding Footage #dirtbikes #gopro
ua-cam.com/users/shortsNjcu419ztZU?feature=share
I use the Mini, SuperView 4K 60fps. It’s also in the export settings though as well for YT. You want to export bit rate between 20000-30000, and no smaller resolution than 2560x1440. This gets YT using their high end compression, not their low end one.
For me the lower bars indeed helped with attacking the slower corners but with more weight on the hands / arms + feeling more of the hit = increase in Hand and arm pump fatigue
Ohhhh, interesting and solid point to think about!!! I didn’t notice that before the MAKO360, and obviously not after the MAKO 🤣 . Did you get more hand wear or blisters, or did you just feel it in your hands more?!
More weight on the hands
Similar in some ways to raising the forks through the clamps gain in one area to sacrifice through another . If you can go lower and still maintain pace only a good thing
Easy pull levers have been a game changer for me. I cannot believe how much less fatigue and arm pump I experience as a result!
Secret tip: buy steering damper pro taper bars for lower bars and save some money!:/
Which "easy pull levers" have you tried or do you use?
The midwest levers you removed! I agree clutch issues can result from poor adjustment, but I’ve never had any. I do disagree with your point regarding aggressive riding. I think they’re great for it. You use less energy and can ride harder longer.
Thanks for the suggestions, and the explanations.
You got it, thanks for watching! 🤘🏻🤙🏻⚡️
I have been wanting to try the R-duro levers. I do have arm pump early on. I found with enduros I was always better after gas once the arm pump disappeared. I thin the R-duro thing might help. I felt one, not sure how that would play with slipping the clutch. It does have a breakover point where it gets easier. I have a under mount damper with the Mako. Using the stock nekken bars. I have thought about a flatter bar to compensate. I didn't know that protaper actually made one. My have to give that whirl before swapping out levers. In my 50s and pretty resided that I'm never going pro, but being a better rider is never a bad thing ;-)
I've seen them, but now that I have removed the MWE levers and have felt the gains from well placed "traditional levers", I don't think I'd use one for racing. I would have to try it of course, but I don't know how it'll work for true racing performance.
Arm pump is a fickle beast. The best thing that has helped me start an enduro at 100% this year is a proper warm up. Get the entire body warm and limber, including the forearms, then find a spot for figure 8's.
Did you go for the aluminum or the "memlon" ARCs?
I've had my "memlon" ARCs on for about a year and a half, and I like everything about them except that as I'm working on some slightly more advanced techniques, which require both throttle and front brake at the same time, the flex of the brake lever is starting to bug me. Reason is that I have to run the dead position a bit further from the bar than I'd like in order to be able to apply enough pressure on the lever to lock the front wheel, since that pressure is enough to flex the lever 1/4" or so. Granted this is with a Braktec front brake on a GasGas, which isn't as grabby as the Brembo.
Aluminum, I wanted to try the "normal" levers before getting any of the other features/options, etc.
For the front brake pressure, have you tried running the lever perch in on the handlebar a tad more and then adjusting lever reach? This could possibly give you more leverage on the lever itself.
@@SeatTime yep, I run my levers pretty far in so I can get more leverage. Pretty much to the point where I can just get my pointer figure on the end of the lever comfortably + a little bit in case I need to use two fingers. A really good rider recommended it years ago, and I'm amazed with how much difference it made to hand fatigue. So leverage isn't really an issue, it's the resting position I have to run the levers at and where the engagement needs to start. Both are about 1/4" further out than I run on my KTM with stock aluminum levers. Not a problem in regular riding/enduro, but for some hard enduro trickery it becomes a bit harder, since I don't have the longest fingers (wear "M" sized gloves typically).
I'm going to give the aluminum ARC a try I think, even though I have been liking the temperature consistency of the plastic ones.
Great video and tips! Im looking for a little advice on my bar set up on my FE350. Iv got 250+ hours on the bike, all with the mentioned fastaway drop/back pegs and tusk 15mm bar risers. As I have raced more and gotten more confident with aggressive riding, Im looking to get more handling aggression back out of the bike as its very tame and "easy to drive" at the moment. The stock bars are Pro-taper's with a 80mm height (+15mm so 95mm total). Im thinking of removing the 15mm risers as a starting place to get more over the front end and get more steering bite. Maybe better climbing ability too? When you mentioned 35mm and even 22mm bars, your multiple inches lower than my current set up, thats a lot! Im 6 feet tall and feel comfortable on the bike. Do you think removing the riser will have a noticeable feel and should I try a lower bend? Maybe the bar mount on the Sherco itself is higher then the KTM/Husky. Thanks!
Just to clarify, rise is different than total bar height. You mentioned 80mm height bar, and I mentioned 22mm rise. I'd have to do some napkin math to get the total height of the Astra Gemini bar.
Adjust one thing at a time, so you know what each change does, and feels like.
Step One: Go with stock bar risers (remove the +15mm). What do you feel? Does this give you what you wanted?
Step Two: Lower rise bars, proTaper low or Astra Gemini. What do you feel? Does this give you what you wanted?
Step Three: Ride it and adjust accordingly.
The part that transformed my riding more than anything is a 2024 250 XCW, all stock, except the #1 gripper seat cover.
HAHA, new bikes are alwats the bike!!! I also enjoyed putting the Seat Concepts gripper seat cover on the Sherco this year.
As someone who is tall (6ft 6in) you’re very wrong.😂 it makes them very twitchy when you put big risers in your bars. Personally I run odi 828 rolled forward some and that’s it.
When you talk it’s almost hard not to end up to far over bike. I have to remind myself to stay loose, hang my ass off the back and use my long legs to my advantage.
Suspension and tires are the only thing I’ve ever seen make a difference in speed. Everything else I can get used to in a couple minutes.
Yes, risers drastically raise the lever point, creating that twitchy feeling your describing. A higher rise bar without risers would minimize that twitch some, but not a ton.
Fork height in the triple clamps, as well as not enough sag, can also cause twitchiness at the front end.
Have you tried lowered pegs or your bike without the taller risers?
@ I don’t run risers or lowered pegs. They are just bandaid for bad technique and being out of shape.
I’ve tried both and bike always feel better with stock heights with bar in forward position.
Both mostly just feel better because they reduce fatigue. As soon as you’re in ok shape and take them off bike always feels significantly better.
That being said my fatass hasn’t got to ride much since August. so I might pop the riser on for a month or two here soon just to reduce fatigue till I get back in shape.😂
I'm guessing you're going to get one of Cody Webb's bikes.......??
T'would be nice, but probably not.
Astra don't produce that bend anymore.... so I believe the lowest version will be the Jarvis at 27mm
Yup, that's why I had to get the Gemini 27mm bend for the next build.
He would attach the hand grips to the forks if he could.
Go on . . .