Biktrix Brake Upgrade

The 2-piston brakes on the Biktrix were not meeting my expectations. They were also real load on very low speed braking, like walking the bike down a steep hill. I decided I needed an upgrade so I bought so I bought Zoom 4-piston brakes off Amazon. I ended up just using the calipers. The tube ends were a bit different so I have to do some work there. I bled them and went for a road test. After breaking them in, they improved stopping power significantly. 

Ranger Dual Camera Install

My 2019 Ranger does have a backup camera from the factory. I have the basic stereo with a tiny display but it works. Except when I haul bikes with the tailgate down. The rear camera is in the tailgate so when you drive with the tailgate down the camera points at the ground. I considered making some sort of adjustable camera mount so I could flip it out when driving with the tailgate down but I could not come up with a decent implementation of that concept. Of course I scoured the internet to see if there were any good solutions and found none. 

The other problem I have is seeing right in front of the truck when offroad. For instance, as you crest the top of a hill, you are totally blind in front of the truck. 

I decided I wanted 2 cameras, one in front and another in back. I wanted to keep the display small, yet visible. I needed a place to mount the display as well.

I chose this camera system.

I modified the mount to use a standard Ram 1" ball mount.

I also mounted to Ram mount 1" balls in the top dash tray to mount this display, and a phone or my Garmin Xumo XT2 navigation. This makes it easy to remove or reposition the display as desired.

I acquired a 7-way trailer adapter (which I wanted anyway) and use the power and ground circuits from that top power the rear camera. I wanted it on at all times the key is ON and this served that purpose. This way I could tap into this adapter harness and not modify the factory wiring. 

I power the front by adding a fuse tap to the USB charging fuse.

The system works good. Initially I had a terrible rattle in the display. I found the buttons on the back of the display were loose and rattled. I applies electrical tape over them to secure them and prevent the rattle.

Ranger Front Level Kit

 

My 2019 Ford Ranger Fx4 needed a lift. These Rangers are about 2 inches lower in the front than in the back when not loaded. When I was out rescuing a motorcycle I did put some miles on the skid plates. The front was dragging on rocks at times. I needed to get the nose out of the dirt. 

There are many kits in the aftermarket to correct for this, the most popular being simple spacers you install above the struts. 

I was not happy with that approach. Also, my Ranger has 93k miles on it so the original struts and bushings are due for replacement anyway. I decided to go with Rough Country 2" lift strut/spring assemblies. 

The install was about the same whether you are doing the spacers or the struts. It took me about 3 hours to complete. I also had to make a trip to the store to get a 36mm socket I did not have.

The picture below shows the new versus old strut/spring assembly.

You can see the length difference. I also shot a short video showing the comparison.

Here is the truck before.

and after

Before

after

The height from the ground to the bottom edge of the trip went from 34.75" to 37.5" with the exact same tire pressure.

Here are the struts installed.

Short video driving off-road after the install.

Compare that to this video before the upgrade.

Off-Road Incident Response Strategy

If you venture off-road you need a rescue plan. If you are off-road with a vehicle, SxS, bicycles or motorcycles you also need a rescue plan for the vehicle. Don't break down or get injured with no way to get help. I always ride the motorcycle in groups, or with at least one other. I ride the eMTB alone at times but I always have communications and a plan. 

Communications

 I wrote a blog post a few years ago about rider-to-rider communications: https://jimroal.blogspot.com/2023/11/rider-to-rider-communication.html . After riding a few years more, both on the motorcycle and the eMTB, I realized that communication when off-road is very important. This includes communication with friends and family, and with emergency services. Too often we have accidents or break something when off-road. When this happens, we need a reliable way to contact people for help. 

Satellite

The best way to communicate with people anywhere when outdoors and out of cellular service is via satellite. Some newer cellular phones have emergency satellite communications, and some even have broader use than emergency. Of course you can get a satellite phone but that is expensive. There are several satellite communicators made for outdoors activities from Garmin, Motorola, and others. I use the Garmin InReach Messenger for its relatively low cost, crazy long battery life, small size, and the InReach SAR rescue plan. It is important to setup and test this to make sure communications get through to the people you need them too. I have seen many with Garmin InReach but they have not set it up to communicate with family and friends. I highly recommend doing this! The InReach is not just for emergencies. 

Garmin InReach has a feature that includes the GMS coordinates in every message. I highly recommend keeping that feature ON. It comes along for free with the messages you send.

I use the tracking feature in the Garmin InReach and I share every ride with my wife. Every 10 minutes it updates my location that she can see on a map. I also share my location with her on Google Maps at all times, which works great until I am in an area with no coverage (which happens often). If I even just stop communication (tracking) she will know my last location within 10 minutes. The blue dots on the Garmin Explore map are those 10-minute updates.

GMRS Radios

Many of us only have messaging over satellite, so it is good to also have a GMRS radio. For this to work, you need multiple people to have them. The radios can be inexpensive and the 10-year FCC license is cheap and does not require a test like HAM. The radio give you a way to have voice conversation with multiple people from a reasonable distance of each other (several miles generally).

Cellular Phones

Cellular phones are great as that is now our primary communication device on a daily basis. However, off-road coverage can be spotty so don't depend on this. Ideally ride with a group that has a variety of carriers so at least one might have service at any given time. Someday (fairly soon) coverage will expand through low-earth orbit satellite systems.

Helmet Intercoms

Helmet intercoms (Cardo, Sena, etc.) are very short range, about a half a mile generally. Some can use cellular networks but that of course has the limitations described above. These devices are generally not for emergencies, unless you happen to have cellular communications at the time. However, the best way to survive a crash is to prevent the crash in the first place. The great thing about helmet intercoms is you can engage in fully hands-free conversation the whole ride. This does not mean you have to spend the whole ride talking. You can easily mute/unmute. The rider in front can warn the other riders of obstacles and vehicles ahead. This helps reduce the chance of accidents. This is very useful in dusty conditions as the riders behind the front have dust to deal with limiting their vision. If a rider does have a problem, they can immediately let the other riders know. This helps prevent a pileup when visibility is limited. You can also communicate navigation to the other riders as you approach forks in the trail. This helps prevent people getting off-route and lost. 

Cardo and Sena have mesh systems which connect all the riders with their system making a daisy chain. This helps extend the communication distance as it hops rider-to-rider between the front and back. Unfortunately these 2 mesh systems are not compatible, but they are bridgeable. Each rider with a mesh intercom can also bridge in another rider with simple Bluetooth. It can be complicated to setup, and unreliable even when you get it setup. The mesh systems are the best so use that if you can. 

I have a Bluetooth GMRS radio that connects to the helmet intercom (Cardo in my case) so I can use the radio while riding. I added a Bluetooth push-to-talk switch on my clutch lever making it easy to talk even while riding.

Starlink

I don't have Starlink so I can't speak to it much but this is another alternative communications mechanism.

Navigation and Maps

Never go off-road without mapping and navigation tools. I have several I keep on my phone including Google Maps, GAIA, OnX, and Trailforks. I also have Garmin Tread and a Zumo XT2 motorcycle navigation device. All of these have the ability to download offline maps which needs to be done before you get out of cellular coverage. When I plan hikes or rides, I always download offline maps before I leave the house.

When planning anything off-road, share the route with family so they know where you planned to go.

Rescue Plan

Think through what you will do when things go bad. It could be you get injured or your bike is unrideable for a variety of potential reasons. What now?

I made a Google Doc of my emergency plan and shared it with my family. It explains how to contact me with InReach and GMRS. It explains how to find me as well. I bought a pickup with off-road capabilities and equipped it with everything I would need to recover a motorcycle or bike off-road. I have 2 loading ramps, a winch, and plenty of tie-downs to secure the load well enough to haul it on rugged off-road trails.

If you get injured in an area unreachable by ambulance (pretty much all off-road) things can get crazy expensive fast. Medivac can run well over $50k and may not be covered by insurance. I have the Garmin SAR plan for this. I personally have never used it but I have heard of many who have. It is $40/year. 

Rescuing

If you ever get that call or message that a friend is in trouble and needs a rescue, go prepared. Take the 10 minutes to clearly see where they are on a map and download any offline maps you will need (see "navigation and maps" above). Google Maps has some off-road navigation capability but it is not really good at it. I use OnX primarily for off-road navigation since it has much better coverage, and trail ratings. Next, get a clear communication plan with the person, including what GMRS channel they will be on and InReach address you can contact them on. Make a test InReach message to ensure you can communicate when you are offline. Have them share their GPS coordinates so you can navigate directly to them. Make the communication plan clear while you are in contact with them. Share this information with others before you go. Have a rescue plan for yourself as well in case you run into trouble yourself. Bring food and water for both yourself and the people you are rescuing. Also bring any necessary tools, parts, and first-aid supplies. Go prepared as you would when heading off-road. 

Ideally the group needing a rescue would have shared their route plan before the ride. We generally do this with a Facebook event, sharing the OnX or GPX route, or both. It is best to follow their route to navigate to them and tell them the route you plan to take before leaving home.

I got that call from a friend who was on a group ride where one of the riders broke their leg. I was about 3 hours away. In my haste to get their quickly I did not properly prepare. He had shared the route but I did not download it, not did I download the offline maps of the area. Instead I just navigated to the GPS pin he shared using Google Maps. I quickly glanced at the route and it seemed correct (when zoomed out). I had ridden in that area a few times before but the area does have a bit of a maze of roads and trails. Luckily I brought my Garmin InReach and I always carry 2 GMRS radios in my truck. Google Maps took me off the more main roads, onto a rugged trail that became impassable (red detour road to the East of the main blue route in the map below).

This wasted precious daylight and time. Lesson learned: Make the communication channels clear. Make your rescue plan clear. Give updates along the way if/when you can. Follow the proper route and clearly explain the route you are taking. Download offline maps and use the right navigation app for the route you are taking. In my case I should have switched from Google Maps to OnX once I got off maintained roads. I should have used the Garmin Zumo XT2 to navigate the route since it has a larger, brighter screen than the phone. I also lacked a phone holder. 

A rescue is bad enough, don't make it a double rescue! Leaving someone waiting with little to no communication is a big problem. At what point do they need to get out before dark? How long do they wait? They are left wondering if you are still coming at all. Ideally have at least 2 people at the location where the rescue is needed. Don't leave a person waiting there alone. 

Bike Hauler

 

I ride my electric mountain bike (eMTB) and my Husqvarna 701 Enduro motorcycle primarily off-road. I have now explored most places within reasonable riding distance from my house, especially in the case of the eMTB (about a 20 mile radius). I want to explore much farther, including taking the motorcycle to the Colorado San Juan mountains. I have a receiver rack for the bikes that I can use on my Cayenne but that is my wife's car and I don't want to leave her without a car. I also have a Porsche Cayman S but that is a manual transmission which she can no longer drive. I have friends with trailers and that is great but does not work out consistently. So, I bought a 2019 Ranger FX4 so I could haul my bikes. 

I have had incidents where a bike was disabled or someone was injured so I also wanted an off-road hauler that could go as close as possible to the injured rider and/or disabled bike to rescue them (or me). Last year we were up near Caliente, many miles up a rocky hill climb when a person in our group was injured and could not ride back out. Luckily he had a Jeep Rubicon with a receiver rack which we were able to use to retrieve him and the bike. I realized I needed this capability.

Trailers are great, and MUCH easier to load a motorcycle into for sure. However, there are downsides. You can't drag a trailer up an off-road trail. The receiver rack is functional, but not very robust. They make me nervous on a nice paved road. Hauling in the bed of a pickup with the right points to retain the wheels and bike firmly works better off-road. The bad part about this is the truck (especially a 4x4) sits high and it is precarious to load a heavy bike in there. 

I concluded that the Ranger with 2 ramps, E-track with wheel chocks and additional points to secure the bikes, and a winch to help load heavy bikes, would solve the problem. I started by adding E-track to the front of the bed, along with additional E-track sections for better points to strap the front of the bike down. I added additional E-track single mounts in the bed itself. I also added strap loops to the tailgate to strap the back wheels of the bike in place so they cannot move side-to-side. 

 I added mounts and straps to secure the ramps in each side of the box. I have cables to lock the ramps in with the tailgate, which locks with the truck door locks. I keep the ramps in the truck all the time. 

I setup an electric ATV winch, mounting all the components together on a mount that connects to the E-track. It has a wireless remote control so I can even load bike alone with ease. I ran 6AWG cables to the battery with a 120A fuse. It has 120A connectors so I can easily connect and disconnect the winch, stowing it in the cab of the truck. While the winch can pull up to 3,000lbs, pulling even large motorcycles into a truck is far less force than that. 

I also have a class IV receiver hitch on the truck. I have a shackle. I carry tow straps and other pulling equipment as well. My winch bracket supports a sling strap that can be used to connect to this receiver shackle for pulling bikes our of precarious areas. The winch wiring is long enough to reach for this.

I can easily add another electrical connector in the front of the truck for this too.

I keep all the traps and accessories in the cab of the truck so everything needed to rescue a bike in the boonies is there. If I am riding and need a rescue, my family can simply go to my location with the Ranger and pick me up. I always carry a Garmin InReach as well so I can easily message them with my GPS coordinates.

This all works well. I was injured recently while riding the motorcycle. I was able to ride back to the truck. Having the 2 ramps and winch for loading really helped.

After setting this up to haul motorcycles, it is a bit overkill for the eMTB but works really well for them. My eMTB weights 90lbs so most traditional bike racks are inadequate. Loading is not as easy either. Having the ramps make this a breeze. Often I can park on a hill where I can easily load/unload the eMTB without ramps but there are also times it comes in handy if I am alone.

If I had to rescue a bike that requires traversing a rugged off-road trail, and can secure the bike like this with 4 straps and both wheels restrained. In this configuration the bike barely moves even while off-roading.

Securing the ramps with a cable to the tailgate latch. The tailgate locks with the truck.

Loaded with a Tenere and a KLR 650.

Crashed Again

 

We had a group ride at at Gold Butte National Monument. We had planned a large loop there. We ended up riding the loop below.

 The location of the incident where my calf got overextended.

Starting at Whitney Pocket (top of map), we rode to Little Finland and then proceeded down Gold Butte Wash Road to the old townsite of Gold Butte. All was going great. As we headed down Scanlon Ferry Road we were about 9.3 miles from Gold Butte when we had a mild but rocky climb. With all the loose rocks, I was knocked off-course and headed to the uphill side of the road. I could not get the bike back on course so I stuck my leg out to catch the bike from falling. Unfortunately my foot got caught between the bike and ground in a way that jammed my toes towards my shin, overextending my calf. It was bad enough at that point but I then fell off the bike overextending it much more. Here is the video (below) where the left foot get caught.

We had planned a loop back to Gold Butte. None of us had ridden this area before. After I rested a bit I got back on the bike to continue. We discussed going back the way we came or continuing forward. Unfortunately I chose continuing forward (very bad choice) so we did. At this point I was tired and of course my leg was in pain. It was hard to shift the bike with my damaged leg too.  Scanlon Ferry Road was in a sandy wash at this point forward. This is hard riding on a motorcycle. Our planned loop then turns into Twin Springs Wash. It was a less travelled sandy wash that got more primitive as we proceeded. It finally got so primitive it was deemed impassible by me, and some others on bigger bikes so we turned around and headed back. 

By now it was after 1pm. As I was quite tired at this point, I crashed another time on the way back, breaking a rib (video below). It was about 35 miles from where we turned around back to the truck. That was a long ride and it was getting dark when we finally got to the truck. 

After the foot issue, my torn calf muscle kept spasming periodically, which was quite painful. I took 3 electrolyte pills to try to help it but the issue persisted. I also drank all 3 liters of water I had so I borrowed some from another rider. The cramping persisted intermittently for the whole rest of the ride. 

I always ride with full protective gear, including motocross (MX) boots. MX boots are very thick and rigid, giving very little foot movement. Many riders complain they are so stiff they are hard to ride in. It makes shifting and operating the rear brake challenging for sure. However, they are thick and rigid for a reason: to save your feet and ankles. This could have been much worse. I also only ride with others, never alone. 

My last crash with injury was much worse: https://jimroal.blogspot.com/2024/02/oops.html 

Here is the GPX file of our actual ride: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bXsZSPlaBLX_1Mh3zX0Jv5bAT865_GAN/view?usp=sharing 

More information on Gold Butte National Monument: https://www.blm.gov/programs/national-conservation-lands/nevada/gold-butte 

Video playlist from this ride: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZ4ONVypz2fZV0UhmtEKwNnKysXBBxuaI

Stopping for a break on Gold Butte Wash Road at the intersection of Lime Canyon Road.

Little Finland

Whitney Pocket, where we met and parked

A few days after the incident, my leg still very swollen and now turning very bruised.

The whole leg actually. Bruising starts above the knee on the back and covers most of the leg and foot including the toes. The swelling was significant from the knee down. My shoe would not really fit that foot anymore so I bought some oversized Crocs for that foot until the swelling goes down. I had to wear my baggiest pants, or wear shorts as my calf was too tight in most of my pants.

As if that is not gross enough, here is a short video showing all the bruising at about a week an a half: https://photos.app.goo.gl/4oscVYM9S9t7zy9j7 (viewer discretion advised).