I’m Rick Sieman, and Sieman says, Don’t Ask!
Go ahead, but if your question is stupid, you’ve been warned…
If you choose to email a question to this forum, then you must conduct yourself accordingly. Therefore, the following rules are in order:
1. Do not write your email to me IN CAPS. If you do so, I will print out your question and do terrible things to it.
2. Do not request a personal e-mail response. Since I get thousands of questions each month, trying to answer them all would cut deeply into my leisure time, which I value more than your current state of confusion.
3. Try to spell at least in a semi-correct fashion. If you choose to mangle the English language, expect no mercy from this quarter. You might be mocked severely.
4. Do not ask for me to send you copies of my many manuals and literature. I am not in the library business, nor do I want to spend the bulk of my day at the copy machine just because you’re too lazy to ask your dealer, or look around a bit.
5. Don’t bother me with truly stupid questions, like how to get 50 more horsepower for a buck and a half
6. Now that you know the rules, think carefully and have at it!
SUBJECT: WHERE TO RIDE IN THE WEST
Hey Rick,
It has always been my dream to ride in the west off road. My riding experience consists of the steep and muddy mess that is the Appalachians as a youngster to some extended U.S. highway sojourns on walkabout to my current southern maritime pine forest/sand flat lands weekend fun rides. Question is what do you think would be the most worthy spots west of the Rockies to look to hit for max enjoyment? My machine is a fairly old plated in South Carolina ’04 E-XC 300 that I don’t see ever having to replace. Is there a problem in California or anywhere else out there for me to drag her out of the van and rip, or will the government send me packing? Where would you head for if you had that chance to explore, camp and ride?
Thanks. You are a jewel.
Garbanzobean Wilson
Right now, riding a dirt bike in most of California is a real problem. Most of the areas are now shut off. There are still a few places to ride … One of them being the actual Barstow to Vegas course which starts in Barstow, California and ends up in Nevada. You can get a map of this course from me on my website at superhunky.com.
All things considered, you might consider riding in Arizona or Nevada. Just stop by any dirtbike shop in Phoenix and ask where they ride, and chances are you’ll get the answers that you need. For example, there are some great trails a little bit southwest of Maricopa, Arizona. Contact me if you decide to come out and I’ll give you directions.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: OLD RUSTY MAICO RESTORED
Not sure whether you saw this on your Facebook page, but here it is now, complete. It took the owner 6 months’ work. With no hope of finding another tank, he replaced it with a period piece from an unknown source. Looks better now, right?
Thanks.
Tony wilde
United Kingdom
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SUBJECT: GEARING A 1971 KAWASAKI F7
Hi Rick,
I recently got me an old ’71 Kawasaki F7 175, and while doing some digging for parts, etc., I came across your page and was quite intrigued by your mention of putting in a 38-tooth sprocket, but both of the pictures you have on that page show the right side of the motorcycle. So do you have any pictures that show the sprocket? If yes, I would greatly appreciate it if you could email me a pic. If not then of course… 🙂
Thanks,
Ian Langan
Here you go, a photo of the conversation sprocket and the rear sprocket. With these, you should be able to figure out most anything.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: 2003 CR250 STRANGE NOISES
Hey buddy when you can answer this question for me be greatly appreciated. Bought a 2003 Cr250, and the top end makes this whomping noise. The faster I go the quicker the whomp sounds. It sounds like every time I get a complete stroke it’s whomping, so at top speed that stuff sounds insane. You don’t get the crisp two-stroke sound you get with, well, two-strokes, lol. It will do it at a lower rpm, the two-stroke sound, but once it’s near or at powerband it’s whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp whomp but fast as hell. I bought a new air filter, spark plugs and ordered a Wiseco top end for the bike. So everything should be fine, Hopefully, lol. The has V3 reeds and all that other stuff as in aftermarket pipe and that stuff. Pretty sure it’s an FMF pipe. Any help is great help.
Thanks,
Raymond Ramirez
We turned to Keith Lynas for this particular question. Keith works on a lot of older bikes, and he can be reached at Klynas@aol.com.–Rick Sieman
“Well, if the “top end” is making this loud noise, the engine should be completely torn down, inspected and the “noise” will likely be obvious. Sometimes a particular noise can be deceiving… and be coming from a place we normally wouldn’t look. I suggest replacing the drive chain. Bbe sure to get a good one (use a DID NZ520 type, good quality and not too expensive–any chain under $60 will have a short life).
“It is likely the chain has one or more “tight” spots, which at speed will become a noise similar to what is described, and can cause the suspension to “pump”. It is easy to check. With the rear wheel elevated, spin the rear wheel half as turn at a time, each time you stop check chain tension. If it is tighter at one position than at another position, you may have found the trouble. Many ignore chain quality. It is very important!”–Keith Lynas.
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SUBJECT: PUCH 125 ENDURO?
Hi, Rick,
I wonder if you could help. am in the UK, and have just got hold of a Puch 125 endur. The problem is i can not find any photos of it at all on the net. I wonder if you may know what model it is. I have an old photo taken from an English motorcycle mag, but it does not say what model it is. Would it be okay for me to send you the photo?
thanks,
Shaun Wright
Right on the steering head of your motorcycle, you’ll find some numbers stamped in the metal or placed on with a metal tag. These numbers rather make model and year of manufacture. I hope this photo is of some assistance. It’s from a 1976 model.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: LOSE WEIGHT BY SLEEPING?
Rick,
I got great news for us who may be “weight handicapped.” I saw this thing on the news about, the more you sleep, the more weight you lose!
Think of the possibilities, Rick!:
“Honey, I’m going to take another nap.”
“Dear, why don’t you walk off that big meal?”
“Doctor says I’ll lose more weight if I sleep!”
I know it works! Since I started taking two naps a day, I’ve lost 7 pounds! I’m now a svelte 269 pounds! It works!
Easy,
David “Slim” Fruhling
Great idea. So instead of me goofing off and taking a nap, I consider this a part of a serious workout. Not bad.–Rick Sieman
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SUBJECT: NEED HELP PRICING A BIKE
I need help pricing my bike. I have a 2002 Honda XR200R not running and without a title. The engine is in pieces, but it comes with an XRs Only exhaust. I am only asking because I cannot find anything on the internet related. Thank you much.
Austin Jones
Even if the entire bike is in a bunch of pieces and everything is there, it’s certainly not worth as much as a bike that’s all together and not running. What you’re looking at is a parts bike, and you should probably ask between $300 and $400 for the whole works. Perhaps a bit more because of the trick exhaust system.–Rick Sieman
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SHAMELESS PLUG
My new book, THE LAST RIDE, is now out. It’s fiction and starts in 1969, when an 18-year-old kid just out of high school gets a chance to ride his Yamaha 250 DT1 from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles–all off-road. His adventures are truly amazing. The book then jumps 40+ years where the same person, now in his 60s, wants to get that old Yamaha back in his possession and return it home by riding it all off-road across the country again. The book is $15 plus $2.75 for mail anywhere in the U.S. and for more information:
Email: superhunky@gmail.com
Paypal address: superhunky@gmail.com
Website: www.superhunky.com
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