Ok, so I opened up the dirtsurfer today and put the wheels on. A screw is missing but on the way, but who needs brakes anyways? So I give it a try or two and can't get it stable enough to jump up on. Wexler gives it a try and has the same problem. I support Wexler and we get him moving. With that experience we go up on the hill (street) across from the house and Wexler makes it down the hill. Ok, speed is the key, so I jump on it with wild abandon and ride it down the hill. It seems really twitchy and I felt if the front wheel was a little less responsive, it would be a good thing. So I get some really light bungees and hook one between the front wheel frame and the chassis on each side. This makes a huge difference in being able to hop on but doesn't take anything away from its turning radius. Now my problem with it is that if feels like the turning is top heavy. Riding flat feels fine but the slightest carving turn makes it want to dive into the turn both directions. Anyone have similiar issues on their first rides and how did you overcome them?

Glad you got to try it out BeamerBob! The brake cable bolt is on the way (must have got lost during shipment).

I learned down a grass hill (not steep at all). After a few runs, I slowly started to get some turns in. It just takes some time to get the knack of it.

After you feel comfortable enough, add the kite in

No need for bungee cords – you just need to get moving a bit faster and it gets more stable.

thats awesome beamer. youll get the hang of it im sure.

Wexler rode it some more while I was gone last night and he says he doesn't notice the accelerated steering I'm feeling. I wonder if the geometry should be different for heavier riders? If I commit to much of a turn at all, it just wants to dive into it, like the center of gravity in the steering system is not pivoting on its axis but rolling from on top of it down. Maybe also it is a speed issue. I didn't get over about 8 mph with it and it might like a little more speed to lighten up the turning.

Sounds like its going to be fun

Ive thought about putting bungees on my front wheel, too. How did you do it, and was it that much different?

I bought a 4 wheeler to learn on, and will get back to the dirtsurfer soon enough. It was my first board, and pretty hard to learn on.

Here's a good way to start off (easy hill):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IhIu13QiTU

And then maybe this soon

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB-2u6m4drU&feature=relat...

Hey BB, here's a couple of pointers that should help get you started.

- Always look at where you are going, not at what the front wheel is doing. It's jut lke snowboarding. Look where you want to go and not where you are at and the mind will automatically avoid what's in the path of your sight.

- Stay relaxed. Keep your knees at least slightly bent. Dirtsurfers are designed to not speed wobble, and they won't, as long as you stay relaxed. Keeping your body rigid plus looking at the front tire is a recipe for speed wobble.

-KEEP YOUR SHOULDERS SQUARE TO THE BOARD. By this I mean keep your shoulders parallel to the board. Opening up you shoulders perpendicular to the board off-centers your balance and also opens you up to instability, especially at slower speeds and when crossing rough terrain. This a very common mistake for new riders.

- Many new riders find it more comfortable to have the brake lever as close as possible. You can flip the brake lever 180 degrees or tape a spacer onto it. After practice you'll find it annoying and remove it.

- This is tough to swallow at first, but speed equals stability. You really don't need bungee on the swingarm. If you are uncomfortable with the amount of swing it has adjust the pivot bolts on the swingarm all the way out for the least amount of play in the front tire.

- Remember to start out with your back foot on the board first! All the stability at slow speeds is in the rear tire until you gain momentum.

On that note, always run 2 straps or no straps at all. Some people will naturally want to remove the front footstrap for skating. DON'T DO IT! Leaving only on foot in the strap gives the board a tremendous amount of torque and leverage aganst your ankle. Imagine tumbling down a hill with only one ski on and the ski doesnt have a quick release and that's pretty much what you have, except the DS weighs much much more.

Also, when going downhill, do not put a foot down. This sounds self-explanatory, but trust me, it's been done. If you get scared slow down with the brake or ride it out.


Well that's about it for starters. If you have any questions shout them out. The DS is a little tricky at first, but very rewarding once practiced. Stick with it and you won't regret it. Also keep in mind that the 16 " has a slightly higher learning curve than the 20", so you are probably doing better than you think.


Joe

BB

Also just thought of this. If I am reading it right, it sounds like you are experiencing the same problem I had. Overall weight should not matter, where you put that weight does. If the above suggestions don't work for you, try shifting more weight onto your back foot when turning, much like a surfboard.

There's also one more thing you can try, even if the above suggestions work.

If you move the swingarm adjustment bolts closer to the pivot point, you effectively raise the nose clearance during your turns. This means that the swingarm has less turning radius, so you make up for it by leaning harder and making the wheels have a cambered effect. I don't know how well it will work with a GP because of the low deck clearance, but I know it works with the Flexi's. This is called the "Mad Mike setting"

Good luck

I didn't get to try it yesterday. Wexler put the rear stirrup back on and he is stepping on it with no fanfare at all. He was going to put the front stirrup on it today. The problem with sharing with him is he is regular foot and I'm goofy footed. This thing shows promise. I will get a chance to play again today. I'll try the new position for the swabs and see if that tightens up my carves. On the other hand, that eagerness to turn could be an advantage when leaning back against a kite.

The bungees I used were the loops with a ball at one end. You pull the loop over the ball and it holds. The ones I used were red ones about 8-10 inches long. Wexler took them off and like I said, he is starting to look fine. That grass hill looks easier than the roads and sidewalks we used. A tribute to the powder coating. You can imagine two people learning on this on asphalt. Not a scratch anywhere on the coating.

Excellent tips kiteboarder!

Beamer - the powder coating does hold up well.

However, don't worry about scratching it - they always seem get the typical scrapes on the side rails

I am heading for the beach this afternoon with a full day of beach time with mild winds tomorrow. We have a demo Montana III 7m to try with the land board and the dirtsurfer. I am determined to build some confidence with both toys tomorrow and Sunday am. I think I am going to print the tips above so I can look at them after trying tomorrow morning. Wish us luck!

O.O I am so jealous. Sounds like a great time :P Have fun man!

Since you'll be harnessed in here's another coupe tips.

- Keep your footsraps parrallel instead of duck-footed. Since it's directional, duck stance is not needed and keeping your rear foot parallel with the front makes twisting your body around for toeside riding MUCH easier.

- If you have a waist harness, use it, a least to start with. If you keep the harness a little loose than you can shift it around when riding toeside so that it pulls from the side the kite is on.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes

I was hoping my climbing harness would have less crowding with me leaned back and the kite not at zenith. I also thought of trying some means of lessening the pull from the thighs either by hooking a biner along with my D ring or not hooking into the thigh strap at all. I'm all about experimenting to make things better so I'll report on what I worked out. Wexler isn't having to suffer at all. He has a brand new HQ waist harness that also has two straps that go down around his thighs. Worked great for him yesterday on his maiden flight with the 7m. When we get the Montana III, I'll have to get me a proper harness as well.

My first harness was an old 5 point full body. I cut the upper half off and made the lower to convert between waist and seat. I now have a proper seat harness, but I still unbuckle the leg straps and leave the harness loose enough to travel around my waist if I plan on riding toeside hooked in.

New progress on my harness. I again tried my climbing harness because I really wanted to fly the Montana III yesterday. I hooked up my climbing harness again without the QR or pulley and this time instead of connecting the lower part of the harness with the upper with just a D ring, I used a D ring and a biner. This put less pressure on the lower part of the harness even with the kite directly overhead. This transfers most of the pull to the waist portion of the harness. This will work and it is very low profile for the buggy (when I actually get my own).

I had the dirtsurfer at the field but couldn't get enough steady pull to step up on the DS. I'll watch for wind. I want a go with this thing but I'm starting to feel some self induced pressure to get this thing on its way.

I'm going out on mine, today. Its been since January that I tried it, but as I had a blowout on my 4 wheeler, the DS is my only landboard,, and winds are 15 for the first time in a while. I'll let ya know how it went.

Last time I tried it, it was mandatory to have a little speed built up before bringing the kite down. Toeside still scares me, but I have more pads now, so I may try harder today!


HOW IT WENT: ANYONE WANT TO BUY A GP 16?? I THINK I LIKE 4 WHEELERS BETTER