On The Pegs June 2019 - Volume 4 - Issue 6 | Page 71

On The Pegs
Vol. 4 Issue 6 - June 2019
71
Grant Baylor is one of the few talents who can get the most out of a 450 in
really tight woods, along with his brother Steward. Charlie Mullins and Mike
Lafferty also won on 450s.
Grant started riding a big bike in the Kenda AMA National Enduro Series the
same year he rode the XC2 class at the GNCCs, so that year he was swithing
back and forth between a 250 two-stroke and a 450. The year before, he had
ridden a 250 two-stroke in the enduro series.
We spoke to Grant at the 2019 Cajun National Enduro to find out the benefits
and the shortfalls of riding a big bike in really tight woods.
It was my last year on the KTM before I went to the Yamaha, I ran the KTM 450. I
was just a KTM support rider. That year it was for me, I knew I had to move out of
XC2 because I had already won the championship. So that was my second year in
XC2. I knew I had to move out the following year, so I got the 450.
For me, it was to help me learn how to ride the bike for the XC1 class and to get
used to the big engine. It takes a lot on your body to riding a 450 compared to a 250
two-stroke, but I just kind of got used to it then and kind of just fell in love with it.
I tested with the 350 as well before I even got the 450. I just knew the 350 wasn’t
the bike for me as soon as I jumped on it. The way I ride and the way I wanted the
power to hit and everything, it just wasn’t what I was feeling. I’m a little heavier than
most guys. At the time I was probably 230 pounds. Really a 450 to me is like any of
those other guys on a 350. I just love the way the power on the 450 is. It’s a lot of
power. You know it’s there. You got to respect it. Whenever you need it it’s there. It’s
the real smooth power, where the 350 I felt like was just a little inconsistent on the
power. Some guys love it. It’s more like a 250F, which I never rode a 250F so maybe
that could be why. I’ve just always loved the 450 and I’m a bigger guy so I’ve never
had issues with holding it down.
I have ridden a 350 in the really, really tight stuff and riding a 350 in the really tight
stuff is where you can really tell the difference on the weight. The 450 really is only
I believe a pound and a half or two pounds heavier than the 350 on the scale, but
when you’re riding the bike, the way the power and the motor is, the way that all
makes it feel, it makes it feel half the weight of the 450. So going through the tight
woods you can definitely flick the 350 back and forth really quick, where the 450 it
takes a little bit more to get it pulled up and over. It’s a little heavier of a feel.
On the 450, for me, I think it’s an advantage just because of the bottom end power,
the torque to get out of a corner and just really blast out of there like a rocket and
get to the next corner. That’s what all the national enduros are about.