Jetting for Colorado

[bondo]

We just picked up a sweet '08 300 which we'll be taking to Colorado next month for a week in the Taylor Park area.

The elevation there is between about 8000 ft up to 13000 ft.

Anyone on this forum jetted for that altitude? Or know someone who rides at that elevation?

The jetting database has info only up to about 9000 ft.

Help would be appreciated.

 

[hudson_hollow]

Taylor Park is well below 8000' and has lots of straight, flat roads to sieze bikes. If you climb to the top of Antero, that's over 13000'. That presents huge jetting issues. We rode there last July and I was on my 04 300EC. I normaly run a 175 main here at sea level. I put in a 165 main and did nothing else and the bike did great. That leaves the bottom end a little fat so that it gets a little extra gas at off throttle on those road streaches to the trails to avoid leaning out and trouble. It will be a little fat on Antero and some of the high passes, but that is way better than being lean on a straight road.
BTW Best trail there is to go in by Dinner Station and ride the Gunnison section of the Colorado Trail. Ride it down to the camp ground (I think North Bank) on the road that leads from Taylor Park to Gunnison and you will not be dissapointed.

 

[Ud_luz]

I run a 162 on my 07 300 with good results. Hudson's recommendation is a good one. The trail is called Doctor's Park (Spur) and is probably the best trail there. I would also ride Timberline the full length. It's about 60 miles of interesting trail, especially at the Pie Plant end. Most of the really good trails are on the west end of the park. Don't miss double top, especially if you are a bit nervous of heights.

ABSOLUTELY carry extra fuel if you don't have a larger tank. Plan on carrying enough fuel for the very minimum of 60 miles, preferably 90. It is nothing to string together an 80 mile loop. Primus makes a 1.5L fuel bottle. I carry 3 of them plus extra oil in 3 oz bottles in case we ride somewhere that has gas.

I'm headed out there July 30 for a couple of weeks or until we're tired of riding. We'll be glad to show you around if you haven't been there if you're out at the same time. Make sure you have new rear pads or a replacement set and I highly suggest Bridgestone or equivalent UHD tubes. You MUST carry some kind of rain gear too, at least a rainjacket. We pick up the cheap ones at WalMart. You WILL run into freezing rain or sleet and it's entirely possible snow. Last year we got caught in the worst lightning storm I've experienced in my life with the added attraction of 4 inches of sleet and hail on top of Taylor Pass. When we finally were able to ride again after hunkering down flat on the ground for an hour it was 90+ degrees in Aspen.

 

[53belair]

I run a 40 pilot and 165 main on my 08 300 and get 80+ miles on a stock
tank. Thats riding mixed roads,two track and single track.
This jetting works great all over Colorado with a slight adjust. of the air screw now and then.

 

[hudson_hollow]

We are headed to the Creede area July 31. We'll be staying at Blue Creek camp ground at Wagon Wheel Gap the first week in August. I'll be taking the 04 300EC as well as the 04 300 Wild HP. The Wild HP is an absolute hoot on Pool Table Mountain Road!!!! Can't wait!

 

[hudson_hollow]

One more trail suggestion in Taylor Park. Gold Creek trail leading from Union Park to Gold Creek campground is a great ride! You can refill the tank in Pitkin and look up Eric Batman while in town. He knows all the good local stuff and is often looking for someone to ride with. Good guy and great guide. I run the Clarke tank and have no trouble making 100+ miles of mixed single track and nasty Jeep trail.

 

[bondo]

Thanks for all of the great feedback!

We've ridden the Taylor Park area several times (the Gunnison / Crested Butte / Aspen triangle). Timberline, Doctor's Park and Double Top are all familiar trails. All of the suggestions about being prepared for weather, rocks, extended fuel needs are appreciated - and well understood from past experience.

We'll often plan our rides so we can get gas at Taylor or Crested Butte
(this year we're staying in Almont).

We usually hit Fossil Ridge, Star Trail (going down, not up!), Block & Tackle (if it's open), Roaring Judy, etc . .

We'll be driving out on 7 / 27. (there should be about 5 or 6 in our group.
Two of them being teenagers who will be experiencing Colorado for the first time!

Maybe we can hook up and do some riding together
(please bear in mind, most of us are old, slow guys).

 

[svt2224]

Hey guys, my wife and I are planning our first trip to Co. I had intended to go to Creede Co. and we are leaving on 7/30. My wife if a descent rider but for my sake I would like to steer clear of the more difficult trails and lean more towards scenic trails. Any info that you guys could give would be greatly appreciated. My wife will be riding a kx100 and I will be on my trusty 04 ec 250 so any jetting help will be great as well.
Thanks
Jason

 

[hudson_hollow]

I know the trails around Creede pretty well. Where will you be staying? Will you be trailering or riding from camp? Will you be wanting to ride single track? Jeep trails? County roads? There are great examples of all in the Creede area, from easy to extreme.
Good Jeep roads would include Pool Table Mountain rd. up to Wheeler Geologic area. Stop by Blue Park and ride out to the cliff. If you hike, prepare for at least a short hike up to Wheeler and a hike around the area is also good. After the first creek crossing on the way to Wheeler there is a tee in the road. Left to Wheeler and a right will take you to some breath taking scenery. The trail is easy and climbs up along the creek until it comes to another tee on the crest. Take a left and the trail takes you along the crest of the LaGarita mountains. 360 degree views of the Continental Divide and goes up to the top of Bower Peak. Beautiful with lots of elk and deer. The road from North Clear Creek Falls (spectacular) to the top of Bristol Head is also a good choice. Amazing scenery! Stony Pass is good and a side trip to Bear Town is a good ride.
The Batchelor Loop is a good easy ride that a car would make with no problems.
She can ride those roads with only a Colorado sticker or a sticker from whatever state you are from. No tag required. Just stay off 149 and out of Creede city limits
If you want some single track info, let me konw. Have fun.

 

[hudson_hollow]

Hey Bondo, I rode the Block and Tackle once. Never again!!!
Cement Mountain and Dead Man Gulch are more my speed in that area! (read old and slow)

 

[svt2224]

Hudson,
We will likely be staying at either RC guest ranch 16mi, north of Creede or in Lake city. Our trip has come together kind of last minute so lodging is a little hard to come by. Even if we stay in Lake city I would still like to ride the trails near Creede and we will most likely trailer to the trail heads. As for the sticker, Oklahoma does not require any so will I need to register in advance? Thanks alot for your help.
Thanks
Jason

 

[hudson_hollow]

We usually buy our stickers at Rainbow Hardware in South Fork. That's a long way from Lake City. There is probably a place in Lake City to purchase them. Also, look into a Colorado search and rescue card. Very cheap and a ride out on a Chinook beats being bounced around in a 4X4 anyday if you have something broken.
The Forest Service in Creede has a neat travel map of the area. Our favorite trails are; West Alder, Middle Alder, West Bear (one fairly steep hill), Bear, Embargo Creek.
Closer to Lake City and Spring Creek Pass is West Lost Trail Creek and Pole Creek. Good stuff that makes a loop from Stony Pass road and back to it. Fern Creek trail is a little South of those and is near the big bend in 149 that takes it around Bristol Head mtn. The ride across Snow Mesa and then down Miners Creek into Creede is beautiful.
Pallisades and Cathedral Rock are similar to Bondo's Block and Tackle near Taylor Park.
We will probably do a little riding south of South Fork this year. Anyone ridden in that area?

 

[bondo]

Well guys, we did our Colorado trip and it was fantastic as usual. We missed some of the tougher trails in the Taylor area (Timberline, for instance) because we were close to Crested Butte and didn't want to ride roads any more than necessary. That notwithstanding we had good rides all week and only got rained and hailed on a couple of times.

Back on topic, the jetting we finally used came from the folks at SunSports in Gunnison. They always know exactly what jetting to use on any KTM, so I asked for their recommendation on the GG 300.

Their standard 2-stroke jetting is: Pilot Jet - + 1 size from stock.
Needle: Raise the clip to the top notch
(drop the needle).
Main Jet : minus 5 sizes from stock.

On the '08 DE 300 that meant we went from a # 45 pilot to a # 48 and on the main jet from a # 178 to a #165.

The pilot thing seemed counterintuitive, but an engineer friend on the trip hypothesized that because there is less air at that altitude, there is less air pressure to draw fuel at low throttle opening, hence the need for the larger pilot.

Regardless, the set-up worked like a dream. Easy starting hot or cold, good response from idle to wide open, plenty of power (it's already a strong motor), no plug fouling and about 100 miles on a three gallon tank.

I'll post this set-up in the database, but believe me, it works!