With my apologies for the lateness, we have the new ZOOM, Geckocycles!
Congratulations for winning the February 2009 Zuwharrie Owner of the Month!
How does it feel being honored along with the past winners?It is a great honor for sure and a complete surprise. You must be running out of names to pull from. LOL.
So tell us about you. Who are you, where do you live, and what do you do for a living?My name is Ken Beach. My friends call me “KB”
I live in my RV parked at my shop in Louisville, CO just outside of Boulder.
I now have a handy man business called Handy Ken.
www.handyken.com I have two IT certs in MSCE and CIW but don’t use them. I make more as a Handyman.
Tell us a bit about your family.My two sons, Jason, Victor and myself.
They are what I live for.
My Girl Friend Gina
How did you get started in Suzuki’s?I bought it as a light weight 4x tow vehicle for the RV and behind my work vans in Nov. ‘07 for $2000. I was totally clueless about these things and never heard of them before.
Day One…..
I went to SpiderTrax to see what they could suggest being I drove by often. That was when I discovered the potential of these things. Tom gave me a few suggestions and a handful of magazines.
I found out about the forums and bought a bumper from MY. What a deal!
The next week I was back at SpiderTrax and picked up my locker, gears and T-Case mounts. I was on my way!!!!
Where did you get your screen name?Gecko Cycles is who I am basically. Bicycles were my life after I got out of the motor thing in the late 70’s.
Your work on the GSXR Carb setup turned into one of the most followed tech threads on the board. Care to tell us a little about the experience?This is a setup that people can and do have lots of trouble with getting it to work. This is why the tread is so big.
I have had a good deal of experience tuning multiple carbs in the past. I worked in a tune up shop with 2 dyno’s . I’m glad to share my knowledge and helping get this setup to work on other peoples Sammy’s. I have two of my GSXR setups and they do work and will double the HP and increase MPG if setup well.
How long did it take you to build your Zuk to what it is today?Like I said earlier, I got it in nov of 07. It has been a work in progress ever since then.
Any changes in store for your rig?I am currently doing lots of changes to it. I am in the process of doing the front stock RUF SPOA.
I have the link parts for the panhard bar and need to design the mounting for that.
I just got a set of YJ’s for the rear and will be doing that change over soon too. I need a panhard for the rear too so far as I can tell. The soft springs I have on now are making for a loose rear end. Will see how it feels when I get the YJ’s on.
I want to take the 3000 Super Winch off the rear and replace it with another 5500 lb one like the front.
I just got a new Cad Cam program and am designing some new parts. An under drive is in the design phase. Looks like a 3.1 is what I’m shooting for.
I desperately need T-Case and Rocker protection.
A front locker
A full cage is also in the works as soon as I decide on exo or not.
35”s with a ton of fender cutting like Tim Hardy’s rig. This is a hard one being my Sammy is pretty nice still. I have a set of 5:12’s waiting for that day too.
My plan is to keep the stock Zuk housings in and get the HD axles for it. I want to keep it a Zuk. If I go to Toys I will start over with a new car.
If you could have anybody else’s Zuk, who’s would it be and why?Tim Hardy’s. I love the whole not too lifted thing and low CG.
I have to say I like Zukatudes also. It is a very capable rig and one of the nicest guys you will ever meet too.
What has been your best wheeling adventure?That is a hard one. They are all so great. I really enjoyed Holy Cross. That was the first time I had to use my winch for myself getting up French Creek.
http://rides.webshots.com/album/565653262bEXfaw?start=0My favorite trail to date is Chinaman Gulch.
I think one of the best times I have had are with our group at the Denver Zuk M&G where we had 12 Zuks show up in very threatening weather.
If you could go to any place in the world to wheel, where would that be?I really like it here. We have it all.
Just look at all the trails here.
http://www.traildamage.com/trails/I am looking forward to the Zukapoluza..
Who are you closest to in the Zuwharrie community?I think because he is so close to me it would have to be Jeff (Swath).
I am wheeling most with Andy (Flashboiler) and have found that he rarely turns down the opportunity to go out.
I most respect Paul (Zukatude) for he is the most caring man and I love his Zuk.
What other toys/hobbies do you put a lot of time into?Nothing much anymore. I find the Zuk is taking up all my time. I love the outdoors and camp and fly fish a ton. I’m finding myself wheeling to these destinations for over nights in the Zuk.
I used to race RC cars semi-professionally and still have about 8 of them. I traveled from Calif to Kansas. Mostly dirt oval and Losi is my car of choice.
I have a good selection of RC planes too but they just sit up in the rafters now. From really cool electrics to ¼ scale stunt planes.
What is it about the Zuwharrie.com BBS that brings you back for more?I like mostly that there are people here that are in need of advice and respect what I have to offer. I like reading about all the other builds and seeing how guys are doing what they do. It inspires me.
What about the Zuwharrie Event would you like to see changed?I have never been nor plan to either. Just too far away. I guess if there is something I would like to see change is that it is held in my back yard. Overall the ZU seems to be mostly east coast.
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