Ask Ping

Tate,

If I had the ability to produce magical pills that eliminated arm pump, I would be a rich man. Not as rich as if I developed a pill that would let people shovel an endless amount of cheeseburgers into their faces without gaining weight or skyrocketing their blood pressure, but you know, I'd still be well off. My point is that there is no such pill, so motocross riders and fatties around the globe will continue to struggle. Since everybody else is giving their two cents, I'll chime in with mine as well. Feel free to write back and tell me to blow it out my rear-end if you aren't interested in my theories.

Arm pump is the result of holding on too tightly with your hands. The best way to combat that is to spend more time on your bike, which will help you to ride more relaxed. Also, try to focus on squeezing the bike with your legs more. I try to clamp on with my knees, but for some it is easier to use their feet to squeeze the bike. Either way, having a better grip on the bike with your lower half will allow you to relax the death grip you have on the handlebars a little bit, hopefully slowing the onset of arm pump. Another trick is to allow your muscles to warm up slowly. Some riders fire their bike up, head onto the track, and start laying down fast laps. That isn't good for your bike, and it isn't good for your muscles. Ride two or three laps at a very slow pace and allow your body to warm up. Once you are warm you can stop and stretch your arms out briefly and then see if you can get your five laps in. As your friends likely mentioned, generally improving your cardiovascular fitness will help, as will eating better. If none of this helps, you can always start your own race series that features three lap motos. Good luck.

PING

 

Ping,

After watching the final round at Utah, I think everyone saw a different Canard.  It seems like the switch to KYB conventional forks gave him a huge boost in confidence.  Then after reading articles on Barcia’s switch to JGR, it also seems that there was a battle among that team to finally be able to use the conventional forks.  It seems to me that a factory team’s number one goal is to win races and championships. If Factory Honda would have switched suspension brands at the beginning of the year we could have been looking at a different 2014 national champ.  Why sacrifice the comfort of your rider for sponsorship deals?  How much influence does the suspension brands really have on these teams? Are air forks a step backwards in professional motocross as well as the consumer market? I’m a big fan of Honda, but I’m not about to go out and buy a bike with air forks anytime soon.

Thanks,

Anthony

Anthony,

There are a lot of politics involved at that level, and I don't pretend to know all the ins-and-outs and what-have-yous regarding Honda's suspension selection. However, you are wrong about one thing: It is not the factories’ main goal to win races and championship. Their main goal is to sell motorcycles. If their CRF450R comes standard with a Showa air fork, which it does, then you better believe they are going to do everything they can to have their riders using it, even if it is a factory version. By switching to the KYB unit, they are basically saying that the Showa TAC doesn't work—at least that is the public's perception. The truth is that bike setup and suspension settings are all about feel. What one rider likes another rider may hate. It's always been that way. Clearly there are some riders who don't like the feel of the air fork, but there are others who really do. Cole Seely, for instance, is using the latest generation of the Showa TAC, and he couldn't be happier. For Canard, the feel of the spring fork was exactly what he was looking for. Honda did everything they could to make the Showa stuff work for him, but he couldn't come to terms with it. Air forks are cheaper to make, they are lighter, and they offer an easier and wider range of adjustment for the user. For those reasons, they are becoming the standard in the sport. Some will love them and others will hate them. But I wouldn't write a bike off because it has air forks, or you may soon find yourself competing in a vintage racing series.

PING

 

Ping,

I've been checking out videos of Kevin Windham's Party in the Pasture and I just have one question… How the heck do I get invited to this?? The track looks amazing and the party with the bonfire looks legit. Get me on the gate list, Ping!

Jordan