OzVMX Forum
Marque Remarks => Other Makes (CanAms, Coopers, etc) => Topic started by: firko on July 18, 2011, 03:31:57 pm
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It's been a while (at least a month ::)) since Jonesy's bought a bike from the USA. Wanting a modern dirt tracker but being unable to bring himself to going over the the Japanese dark side and buy a YZ/CR/F type thingy, he's purchased a cherry CR Axtell, Ron Wood equipped ATK600. The new Aussie rules call for a production based frame so the ATK fits straight into the mix. I reckon he'll show a few YZ and CR 450 mounted young fellas the way home on this beauty.
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1062154/atk%20jonesy%202.jpg)
(http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2005-8/1062154/atk%20jones%201.jpg)
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should turn a few heads at the track. There'll be a few 'what's an ATK?' questions floating around
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I am so envious, I would love one of those!
There was an enduro version converted to motard for sale in victoria a while ago that looked tempting but you can't beat the FT version, lucky bastard!
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Those Ron Wood motors are suppose to put stonking ponies, easy see off a CR 450 in a strait line.
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I've got the enduro version of that bike. They're very nice. Frank White had sold the company and the new owners decided to redesign the ATK. The previous model was very tall and at 6'2" I had trouble touching the ground. The new design was to address that problem. According to Lee at the factory the new owners were business people and not into bikes. But they did a great job with the new design. They subsequently sold the factory back to Frank White. I was at the factory talking to Lee during the first change over period.
The cross over frame model has a low seat height and feels like an old school motorcycle. Yet with long travel suspension. It slides and mono's very easily and has very quick steering, It was designed as a woods model where the older model was more of a desert bike. The later models of the cross over frame came with Ohlins PDS shock and Paoli forks which by reports are a much better setup than the earlier white power forks and shock. They're a somewhat unique bike and very unusual and cool in my opinion. The way the bike handles I wasn't surprised when they bought out a dirt track model as it would lend itself very well to that application. They are also quite a light bike, but feel a bit heavy to ride because of the heavy flywheel of the motor. On the scales my '95 (The old design) surprisingly came in 5 or so kg lighter than my KTM520 yet riding it the gyroscopic forces tend to tire you quicker.
If you ever consider buying one you would be pretty happy with it. Ron Woods can get 70 horses out of those motors, but you do lose reliability and like all race motors they can grenade. But those Rotax motors are strong and over engineered. When I did the clutch in mine, the clutch hub ran on a bush on a bearing and then another bush on the shaft. Roller rockers in the heads, etc.
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Those Ron Wood motors are suppose to put stonking ponies, easy see off a CR 450 in a strait line.
This bike reportedly has the full Ron Wood setup and has spent a lot of time on CR Axtells dyno researching cam profiles. According to the owner, the bike easily hammers even hotted up CRF and YZF late model 450's. The bike was loaded in the it's container yesterday along with my Champion and dunger DT2MX. It'll be like Christmas when they arrive!
I've bought two ATK's (a 605MX and a 406 enduro) in recent years but neither have ever made it home to Oz as I'd sold 'em on for a quick buck in the USA. I look forward to having a skid on Jonesy's ATK DT.
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Klub Kevlar "its all about style" and taking the piss about yourself...lol
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Lee at ATK still campaigns a couple of these with full Ohlins suspension in desert races and does very well on them against modern bikes. There's an ATK forum run by ATK that you can find info out on them. Lee gets on occasionally and is a wealth of knowledge. There not good at answering emails but you can call the factory and Lee is happy to answer any questions. I rocked up at the factory in 2000 and Lee gave me the 20 cent tour, a couple of caps and sew on patches. Said If I ever came back to let him know and he could arrange a bike and take us riding in the desert. Not many factory's like that. Just a shame Rotax stopped making those engines.
Can't wait to hear how Jonsey goes campaiging the ATK.
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There is a real push at Sydney's Nepean to develop the Flattrack/Shorttrack competition and this beast will fit in perfectly.
I'm actually riding my old banger at Nepean this Sunday, against the moderns, in "Rookie" class of all things.
A 51 year old rookie.
I look forward to seeing AJ pedal the ATK around, he goes hard.