Has anyone ridden the 04 byerly and how would you compare it to the previous years byerly's?

Look under gear and wakeboards - they rate that board there with comments about it.

someone else wrote this... <BR> <BR>Comments: 1. Ollies/Bunny hops-- <BR>This board ollies like mad! The 01 was weak, the 03 better but the 04 is awesome at ollies. Like 2-3 feet with almost no effort. <BR> <BR>2. Predictability-- the 03 was very predictable. It turned slow, held its edge fairly well and was too sticky, unless finless. 04 turns much faster. Good. Except if you weight the board heavy on your back foot on a quick turn the tail slides out and you start side sliding. Fix by either shifting more weight to your front foot or using a deeper fin than the stock .8 When you sideslide its really fast and gets away much easier than 01/03. Pop is better than 03 and very predictable. I also ride 142’s even though I’m only 150 lbs and this 04 feels shorter. <BR> <BR>3. Tracking/stickyness -- Like I said above you will either need to adjust how you distibute your weight or add more fin to keep the tail from sliding out. I chose a little of both. I put the 1.3" fins from the 03 byerly on the 04 and got about the same feel as the 03 with no fins. I got better tail hold and still was way faster into a turn than the 03. This board is loose compared to 03, about like an 01 with 1.5" fins. <BR> <BR>4. Design -- Good and bad. the flow through tail really works and this board carves like mad. It may slide out on a hard rail cut in the flats, but in the trough and up the wake, it holds well. The ears-tabs-wings are VERY SHARP AND THIN! At the end of my 2nd day an off axis 3 gone bad caught the handle on one and tore it badly. Also plent of scrapes from methods, slobs, etc. <BR> <BR>Overall, I really like this board and will continue to ride it, but I’ll keep fiberglass repair materials handy. <BR>

Check the archives. There has been a ton of discussion already about this. For me, I found that the 04 rode more like the 00/01 and less like the 02/03, but only after I took the fins off. With the fins, I found it to be way too slow on the cut and way too sticky on the release off the wake. I thought it rode great finless, and having the tail slip out was only an issue for me in really choppy water. I found it to land surprisingly soft, and it really locks in on the landings. I'll probably buy one, but I may wait and see if there are any durability issues that need to be worked out. <BR>Again, check the archives for more info.

want mine?

my old board was an 01 bylerly.. I loved it... if it rides like that... i'm sure i would love that one...

I have the '04 Bylerly and have also had the past two shapes. The '04 is very similar to last years model, but now I like to ride it finless because of the side cutouts. If you use a nice progressive edge this board gives you huge pop. You don't have to cut hard at all go really big. It's also real easy to break loose when you ride it finless. I love the board and I'm going bigger than I ever have before.

Oh by the way, I agree with doctor octagon that the '04 byerly really allows you to stick landings.

Just a heads up, I know 3 people who have owned this board and broken it. One person has broken 4 of them already.

Good thing Hyperlite guarantees them and replaces them

i just rode it yesterday... bad azz board! very nice cut... It does seem that it would be easy to break!

I think i will stick to my 03. i pass the handle very low on my backside spins. I would not want to stik the handle in that can opener. that would be a wierd landing! last year i wrapped my laces of my bindings around the handle in the air, ripped my overlay right off!

I love mine, I didn't care much for the byerly bindings (traded them for the parks) but the board is great. <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/84114.jpg" alt="">

lance, u must really like the board a lot if you got 2 of the same. are they diffrent sizes or do you have too much money?

No the second board belongs to my friend, we got a pretty good deal buying two at the same time (and at the end of the season didn't hurt either)...

I wrote the long review that was quoted here. Just to let you all know, its been three weeks since my board broke and no replacement. I'm hoping another week, but.....winters here now anyway.

Hey Bonnie. What part of the board broke? Was it the side fins near the back of the board?

The most recent one that I know of actually broke down the middle parallel with the board...which is wierd. I am not sure if any of the others broke near the side fins...but I can find out for you.

Okay, from the people who have broken 4 of the '04 Byerlys...this is how they broke: <BR> On the 04' boards two have been broken length wise and Ty broke one cross ways under each foot. <BR> That is all the feedback I could get so far, but it doesn't sound like any of them cracked near the side fins. <BR>

<img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/clipart/crazy.gif" border=0> <BR>Hi riders, <BR>I need quickly help. <BR>I'm a beginner and 03 was my first season. Wakeboarding is the coolest activity I did in my life. except sex of course. <BR>anyway. I choose to buy the byerly 04 for my next season and I ordered at my shop in 137. <BR>My weigh is 63 kg or 140 lbs. <BR>Do you think I need the 142? <BR>Please don't tell me I'm crasy to take the Byerly for my second season, I know that I am.

<BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/84516.jpg" alt="image"> <BR>

well we have very similiar cases, 03 was my first season, i am 13 as well, and i bought the 03 byerly for my first board. if i were you i would stay at a 137. i am 165 lbs and i choose the 142.

I am 210 lbs and if I were to buy an 04 Byerly, I would get the 137. I have a an 02 142, but it collects dust. while I ride an 00 137 and a 01 Finless 139. I prefer the feel of a shorter board. if you are worried about being too heavy, don't. If a 137 will throw my ass into the air, it will certainly do the same for you. <BR> <BR>Stu

p. o. s. bigtime. i broke my 04 in two weeks and hardly ever rode it cause i like the 03 way better. the 03 and 04 ride completely different. the 04 will only be offered this year because of the problems they have had with them breaking. hyperlite made a bad decision with this board. they will definately lose money on this board. it does have pop but it won't break free finless or otherwise without a lot of effort. the release off the wake is super slow making spins nearly imposible. don't buy it.

I think Hyperlite made a bad call with the Premier too. They took a highly successful board and renamed it (the Temet) and used the name Premier for a new board that rides different and a lot of people dont like. <BR> <BR>However, if the Byerly would have stayed in one piece, the gimmick would have worked - look how much we are talking about it.

I think the O3 Premier turned into the Era, the Temet is the Asym board. <BR> <BR>I cannot stand the graphics on the Era. The last thing I want is some psychadelic cartoon guy wearing tight clothes on the bottom of my board. I own an O3 Byerly and like the death skull flame graphics, only thing I don't like is that when I look down, Byerly is looking at me through his gas mask while he incinerates some skulls. <BR> <BR>Stop looking at me, I know I suck!!! <BR> <BR>Seriously though, I don't care all that much about graphics, unless they really suck. I considered buying the Era because it is the Premier and that board rocks. I am not all that vain, but those graphics really blow, no way I buy it. I will look for an 03 or something, or at least check the shape on the new Premier, but those graphics are Butt too. I would rather have evil oriental god of doom on the 03. <BR> <BR>Sorry kind of off the subject.

If you really want an 03 Premier, go to EBAY. They sell them new and since this is the off season they are going for about $250 brand new! I am considering buying a second one just in case something happens to mine.

if you break it they will replace it right?

I just looked at EBay - there are 3 up for bidding right now - 2 135's and 1 DNA 140 that has 5 hours left and is going for only $230 right now. New boards not used. <BR> <BR>Of course the only time I have been looking for this particular board there are only 3 of them - usually there are 7 or so. Good luck - I wouldnt want to look down at a clown in tights either.

Thats their guarantee Aaron - may take some time though (assuming of course that there arent tire treads over the top of it)

jim and flux- you are both misinformed on the hyperlite boards. first off...the 04 premier has been redesigned it is an 1 1\4" wider at the tip and tail and the molded in fins are about an inch longer. the sizes are 136, 140, i believe. the graphics are butt ugly but i got it anyway. the old premier is now called the era and the nyx 135. i guess you haven't seen all the era's. they aren't cartoon figures, one has jim morrison and the other is jimmy hendricks. the temet is murrays new board with a continuous rocker and pointless fin setup. I do think that it has the best graphics though. hope this helps guys. <BR> <BR><img src="http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65919/84784.jpg" alt=""> <BR> <BR>(Message edited by otiswunguy on October 02, 2003)

If I read your messages, Byerly 04 sucks because he breaks regullarly. For my second season it will be more intelligent to buy Temet. Isn't it?

Antoine, I think you should go back and play in your sand pit....... wakeboarding is not 4 u.

I wonder why hyperlite decided to put dead rockstars who died from drug overdoses?? <BR> <BR>"Hey Kids, Jimi and Jim were incredibly talented and would still be kicking ass if they had not have killed themselves by partying too much. So we put them on our wakeboards and made them look like they are all messed up on drugs and Jim is about to fall over because he ate a bunch of downers and has been drinking whisky all night. <BR>Don't forget to have fun wakeboarding!!!"

Flux, <BR>This is Ruck's signature deck now, and he is known for liking classic rock, so maybe there is a connection. Maybe they could not fit all the members of Led Zeppelin on one board. It is a shame, as you say, that so many great artists destroy themselves at a young age. <BR> <BR>As for the psychedelic graphics in general, get use to it, both Lost and Billabong are now incorporating retro psychedelic rock themes into their newest designs, maybe since "punk" has become pretty much meaningless apart from a marketing term. Sadly, I guess the term "punk" now has about as much meaning as "alternative" music or "extreme" sports. <BR> <BR>Otiswun, <BR>I find it interesting that you now are so vocal with your criticism of this board after you were the first person to be all on point with it a few months ago before it was released. What was that all about? Also, you invite a challenge when you say that this deck is nearly impossible to spin. I agree that it releases slower off the wake, but that was allowing me to get more lift on my spins and take them bigger, because it prevented me from initiating the spin too soon. Plus, it hooks up better on landings, which helps with the 5s and blind landings. <BR> <BR>Oops... and I promised my wife and friends I would try not to get into arguments with people over the internet anymore...

I dig it Doc. Just bustin a bit. Jimi is one of my all time faves, but I am too big to ride the smaller version so I would have to buy Jim. Jim ruled it too, but I just think it's weird. The sex pistols theme on the new Premiere has me guessing a bit too. Granted, I would gladly strap any of these boards on my feet. I just think the graphics are a bit odd, but graphics aren't what is gonna get you flying over the wake. i do dig the plain top sheet on the ERA. <BR> <BR>Anyway, when you are pro, you get what you want on your Sig model, props to the pros.

dr octagoner- i think you must have read my first 04 byerly post incorrectly. i got the board before it was released and paid a lot less than i could have sold it for if i didn't like it. i have an 03 byerly 137 dna that is my all time favorite board so i assumed that his 04 would ride similar. wrong! IMO there is nothing good about a board that makes you wait before it will release off the wake. i have no problem spinning on pretty much every other board besides the 04 byerly. on landings i don't want it to grip when i land. i very rarely slide out on landings when riding other boards plus i like doing spins with rewinds and nose and tail slides out in the buttery flats. the 04 won't do either. all i said about the 04 was that the notches were not a gimmick, it has pop, and it was grippy. i prefer a loose board. in case you haven't noticed, these are the boards i have had in the last 6 months. <BR>04 byerly 137 <BR>04 byerly 142 <BR>03 byerly 137 dna <BR>o4 premier biolite 136 <BR>03 tfd 142 <BR>o4 catalyst 116 wakeskate <BR>o4 gate 114 wakeskate <BR>o4 broadcast surfboard. <BR>I try to give my honest non partial reviews of all the gear i try. Good or bad, i will always give my honest opinion. i pay for all my boards so there is no obligation for me to only give good reviews of their boards. <BR>

Hi MIKE ........ <BR>I would be happy to get your comments on the TFD 142 ( how much do you weigh ?) and on the Gate...... <BR>Thanks

tfd is a kick ass board. i asked paul what it stood for and he told me that it stands for "tight f-ing deck". that it is. if you like the premier or the byerly then you may not like the feel of this board. it holds an edge well and has a more aggressive continuous rocker than the belmont but is easier to control than a three stage rocker. lands soft. nice board i like it. two people on our crew ride the tfd's and love them.