12 Mile ride on Hawg-Ty at Oak Flats, New Mexico

[Rapidrob]

A few days ago I took my modified Hawg-Ty back to Oak Flats for another ride. It was about 12 miles on the mountain in Cebola Nation Park, a park larger than the state of Delaware! I took over 600 photos, now edited down to 75 images.
The Hawg-Ty, as made, was a good off-road mini, but it needed upgrades to make it better, safer and much more fun off-road.
Here is what I've done so far:
Engines carb re-jetted for high altitude running. A heavy-duty AC alternator was bolted on. (6 amp). A torque converter drive was installed. The phony gas take is now holding a battery pack of 18650 cells, a voltage converter/regulator, a power strip with fuse, a voltage display with cell phone charger, and an On/Off switch for the DC power. An LED head lamp and switch, as well as flashing brake lights added. A heavy duty rear rack was modified and mounted as well as a modified front rack to carry water. The foot pegs were raised four inches. I made a heavy-duty kick stand. This was really needed for off-road riding! Top speed is 30 MPH on hard, flat roads. Brake pads upgraded to much better material for longer wear. Tires are original and inflated to 6 PSI. A very nice ride. The mini as of this writing now has 3,000 miles on it, all off-road.

The head light at night

Brake lights

Voltage display and cell phone charger (engine off)

Foot pegs raised

kick stand

Rear rack, cut and welded to fit the rear frame/fender





Both front and rear racks installed. Steel basked added to hold goodies for a safe ride.(basket lined with conveyor belt material)

Here she is after a 50-mile run at Gordy's Hill Off-Road Park, a huge area for all things off-road!



End of 1/7
Lets get riding!

 

[Harquebus]

Wow, beers to you!

Are you riding in long-ish sessions of more or less steady throttle? I'd love to hear estimated MPG on a tank of gas (which isn't a gallon, I forget how much it holds).

 

[Rapidrob]

Oak Flats is about 15 miles East of Albuquerque, NM. A huge park with many miles of trails where engine, off-road vehicles are allowed.
I have ridden here many times and posted vids of the rides.
The weather was nice, still cool. Still too early for the forest to bloom, no snow left and dry! I'm going to ride 12 miles on several interconnecting trails. All but two can be done on the Hawg-Ty. Still, there will be steep climbs, arroyos, and rocks, always rocks and lots of them.

The entrance gate. The park has not been opened to the general public for 15 years now...no money to keep the building in shape/safe. What a shame.

About 1/4 mile to the first trail head. A nice ride in the pine trees as you start to climb.




No Park Rangers these days, the trails need to be closed and moved over to allow the land to heal. I have not seen wear like this here over the years.



Most of the trails are away from the rocks and boulders, a lot of horse back riding is done here. I always avoid any of these riders, or, if I do meet them, I shut the bike down. We here, are a long way from medical facilities.

I always talk to the hikers. This lady did not approve of me and my mini. I paid my permit fee. I carried on. Furthermore, I'm having too much fun for a curmudgeon. HA!

This early in the morning, I'll go East first. The sun felt good. Were at 7,000 feet ASL. It was a cool morning.

Some of the grasses are waking up for spring. I'm climbing up to the summit of the plateau, a mile or so.

Ah yes, the rocks have grown out of the ground already. Much.much more to come..


The low pressure tires really do a great job of smoothing out the rocks. The springer front suspension really helps as well.

Some ares are open, and you can "let 'er rip!"
End of part 2 of 7

 

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Part 3 of7 The 2D camera did not pick up this 18" drop-off. I had to go off the right, the frame would have bottomed out, not good.



The trail went back to normal soon after.




I went to the right, South. The trail to the left is nothing but boulders. Lots of bike parts are there on the ground. Not this kids bike parts!


Motor driven cycles are allowed here.

This trail also leads to a path-of-stones you can barely walk over.


Cactus, not something you want to run into. This plant is a living bayonet factory.

Still climbing, ears a popping, sun is getting warmer. I'm a few miles from the trailer now.


It's going to be a nice day riding.

I'm getting closer to the boulder field.
End of Part 3of 7

 

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Part 4 of 7


"Feed Me Seymore!" There was blood on a couple of spines. A nasty plant to be sure. Here comes the rocks...oh joy.


Most of my riding is at 1/2 throttle. Off-road I'm getting about 12-14 MPG.


I know what is just around the corner. They are waiting for me. They are calling my name.


This is where you swallow your pride. No time to crazy throttle blasting. A lot of cussing is awaiting and bruises are awaiting.

Just shut up and deal with it! I did, the rocks and boulders won again. More paint lost, a few more dents and a sore butt!

I finely found a way out as others have done. The trail was gone, no more dirt just boulders and rocks. All systems go!

Just some "little" rocks left to deal with. Rock on, Hawg -Ty, rock on....


Oh, Crap! A last slap in the face. You earn the right to leave the Rocks.



Free at last, free at last, or so I thought....
End of part 4 of 7

 

[Rapidrob]

5-10 MPH would be my normal maneuvering speed. When the trail is wide open, with no rocks, 15-20 would be at hand.
The engine on the Hawg-Ty is pretty good for MPG. In the mountains I'm getting over 15 per gallon. That would be, every two and one half hours of riding non-stop, I'd have to refill. I have never run out of gas in the tank, no matter what type of driving I'm doing. Throttle is less than 1/2 open at all times, the torque converter is doing the rest. The spring in the centrifugal clutch is heavy duty, not original.(Ido not remember the RPM rating) This really stopped unnecessary slipping of the clutch.

 

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Part 5 of 7

A nice climb back up to the plateau, or at least I hope so.


These "ditches" are just wide enough to clear the foot pegs, just. The walls are steep enough that if you had to get out quick, your not to do so.
You can just see more, you know what up ahead...


There are two wide, large rocks in the path. You have to go over them. No way around them. This is where the clutch spring can really get you hurt.
If it digs in at the wrong time, hang on brother.

A nice easy ride.


A nice constant speed is required, the arroyo is deeper than it looks. Tracks show some went in.

I'm tooling along, climbing again and no rocks!


Loose rocks and gravel. The tires have never slipped on me. They grip like glue as long as the soil is dry.


Oh brother. No way out! There is no way I can even lift the bike over this Rock Ridge. The slope is very steep, you can barely stand.


I don't like riding off of the trails. Tire marks will last for years out here. The bikes low pressure tires did no damage. My knuckles took a beating though.

Back onto the trail, once again the rocks have the last word...


Blow out the carbon again, smooth sailing for a while.


Easy Pezzy.. not this time rocks. Up, up and away!


I hit a "flat" area. After all the surrounding bouncing, I needed to find a tree. The engine sounded great. Every thing looks normal.


You can see the light switch on the left, the cell phone holder on the right, the front rack and drinking water, and the volt meter /cell phone charger. The kill switch is the yellow button on the far right.


The shade fell good. The trail was smooth for a good distance.

End of part 5 of 7

 

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Part 6 of7
Back at the road. Lots to see and ride still. Trails all over the place.


A fast ride past the Jeep, all is good, ride on MacDuff!


A trail to the picnic areas. No one has been here in a very long time.


There seems to be a clearing ahead?


Oh, man! A large open field! I bet it is over two acres of nothing but grass. No, I did not cut doughnuts, I'm not an a-hole. I did race around for a few minutes.


The field went off to my left for a couple of more acres. I've never been here before. A great place for some kids games.

Just that fast, back into the pine trees. A nice smooth trail.


WTH! I'm telling you, the rocks have it out for me.


I turned around, the rocks went for over 100 yards. I'm not 28 anymore. Discretion is the better part of valor.


The rocks said I would have to roll over more of them. No way I was to leave without paying my dues....

End part 6 of 7

 

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Part 7 of 10


I rode around several new trails to me. All very nice and some fairly wide.


This trail was only a few hundred yards long. I ended back at one of the parking lots. Still more t osee.


The pavement went for a very long way. A time to play "Wild Hogs (Ty") filmed here just a few miles away.


I found a path to another open field! Man this went a good way too.


And then, back to another road. This is really nice to know.



What I thought was a path to the road was not. Never mind, I see a way to get there.


And it opened up into another field! This end of the trip was going to be nice and easy riding. A good change for the better.


There, at last, was the road to the Jeep. A fun diversion from my normal trails I've ridden many times.

Back at the trailer. Several hours later and about 12 miles in total. No blood lost, nothing broken in me or the bike. A fun ride. Gas tank is still 1/4 full.
Now I have to pull out the ramp and load up, tie down and head the 25 miles back home.
I always turn the gas off to the carb and ride around until the engine dies. That way there is never any gas being dumped into the engine cylinder on the ride home.
End of part 7 of 7

 

[Harquebus]

Absolutely stunning photographs, the fact they are all behind the handlebars really adds to the feel and like we're there with you or we are you, taking it all in.