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Hi Mark, The short answer is no. However, I use six straps for each bike in the following configuration: 1. One strap to each fork tube using axel straps to go around the tubes. I compress the forks to prevent bouncing. The forward angled straps hold the bike in the upright position in the chocks. 2. Once again, I use axel straps around the frame near the foot pegs. I then strap rearward to prevent the bike from going forward under heavy breaking or a crash. These straps are the heavy-duty ones. 3. I finish with straps attached to the rear rack or high up on the bike. I cross strap these and compress the shock. This prevents the rear of the bike from bouncing sideways. The bike is now locked in and can not move in any direction. In a rear-end collision, the front straps prevent the bike from moving rearward. In a head-on collision, the frame straps prevent the bike from being launched into the truck, and finally, the crossed straps prevent the bike from moving sideways in side impact type crash. Unless the force exceeds several thousand pounds, things will bend before multiple straps fail. The reason I compress the forks and mono shock is to prevent premature wear. Even though your bike is secure, if it's bouncing, the shocks are absorbing this energy. I've seen bikes that were transported hundreds of miles, and upon arrival, the rear shock was leaking. The non-stop bouncing caused the shock to overheat, and the seals failed. If you take short trips, no problem. If you take long trips, compress. Tie-down points only need to be slightly wider than the bike attachment points to work. However, the wider the tie- down angle, the better. I hope this information helps. Take care, Mike

@@aegismotoadventures1616 Mike, thanks for the quick response. I like your approach to securing your motorcycles. Six straps is the the way to go. Your videos have helped me in deciding the set up of my new trailer. Thanks again.

Safe travels and take care, Mike

Hi Clint, Thanks again. The kind words are really appreciated. Happy New Year, Mike

rmoran113, Thanks for checking out the channel. I hope you have a wonderful and safe vacation. Take care, Mike

Merry Christmas to you as well. Mike

Hey venunair06, Thanks for stopping by the channel. You are correct. There seems to be a new breed of adventure bikes coming out. I was able to see the CF Moto. It's a very interesting bike. I am happy that the manufacturers are finally starting to fill in the void of a lightweight dual sport suitable for long-distance travel while being off-road capable. Take care, Mike

Sir Robin, Yes, Gord had contacted me with the news. I followed along with updates and was relieved when the firefighters finally got the upper hand. When you have mandatory evacuation, you know it's getting serious. Thank goodness the town was saved. On our recent trip to Alaska, as we headed to Edmonton, unfortunately, Jasper wasn't so lucky. Are hearts go out to this community as they start to rebuild. Take care, Mike

Thanks, Clint, Merry Christmas

Hi Tony, I'm sure some would still enjoy the beauty in a winter setting, but I can also see your point. A weekly work routine would certainly reduce the wow factor. I suffer the same malaise about Florida. When I first moved here, everything seemed so beautiful. However, over the years, I have taken a lot for granted. With the caveats out of the way, the ride through the Rockies is wonderful, and I believe it would take a long time to get tired of it. Thanks for stopping by the channel and your comment. Take care, Mike

Hi tinyknight, I no longer have the XT250 manual on my phone, but you can locate it through a Google search. Once you download it, you can scroll through the section on setting up your display. I don't specifically remember that capability, but you never know. Goodluck. Take care, Mike

Hi Clint, Thanks for stopping by the channel, and thanks for the compliment. We really do appreciate our viewers. Take care, Mike

Hi Bingobee, I'm sorry your experience didn't match our experience. I would like to explain. The tire change was arranged months prior. Gord ordered the tires from another company and had them shipped to Riverside, who cordially stored them for us. Months in advance is the operative words. The sprockets and chains were a recommended repair, which we agreed to. Those items are commonly kept in stock because they wear at a predictable rate. Them having a spare engine for parts was pure luck. So where does my high praise come in? Well, as travelers, we don't have the luxury of waiting days, let alone weeks. This means they kindly moved us to the top of the list. Many dealers would not have done that, but they did. I'm grateful they did, and the least I can do to repay that kindness is to express my gratitude publicly. Now for the cavit. I would never expect a dealer to do that for me if I wasn't on the road. I don't mind waiting for my turn or waiting for parts in the normal course of workflow. Thus, I still stand on my recommendation. Take care, Mike

Hey Flexible Toast, On my early videos, I didn't include parts in the description. Sorry. However, I may be able to locate the part information by checking old documents. It will be a while, though, because I'll have to search for those files. I'll give it my best. Take care, Mike

@aegismotoadventures1616 don't worry about it if it's a hassle. I'm just looking for something like this to fit under some saddle bags.

Hi Lee, It is certainly understandable, but we hope you come back when things return to normal. SWFL has had its fair share of hurricanes the last couple of years, and it will be a while before things start to normalize. Construction and infrastructure have been changing to increase resistance to harsh weather events. Your chosen destinations are great, too. Thanks for stopping by the channel, and enjoy your vacation. Take care, Mike

Hi Tinman, I doubt anything has changed, but overall, I'm happy with the trailer. Thanks for stopping by the channel. Take care, Mike

Yes, we do, and we still use them. Take care, Mike

P.S. Sorry. I forgot the second question. The size works for us, but it would be a simple matter to make it slightly bigger if you choose to do so. We were trying to design it to the smallest and lightest we could get it and still be practical. I hope that helps.

Also - somehow missed Brandon MB, easily the biggest community on the ride from Winnipeg to Regina, about 50,000 people and a few nice bike shops

The ride from Winnipeg to Edmonton on Hwy 16 (via Portage la Prairie and Saskachetoon) is much more scenic

Thanks for your help.

I'm not sure how I managed to mis-label towns, but I do try to get it correct. Please feel free to make the corrections in the comments. It may help others who are making travel plans. Take care, Mike

Hey Dale, I'm no stranger to having commenters correcting my pronunciations. It's the #1 gig I receive. Ha. I have a better shot at getting my Spanish or French correct than I do on indigenous names. Oh yeah- my Newfie is pretty bad as well. My failures have given me a better appreciation for local knowledge. Luckily for me, my Canadian brothers are good-natured individuals and are only meaning to be helpful. We can laugh together over my shortcomings. Thanks for stopping by the channel. Take care, Mike

Hey Adam, I really appreciate you checking out the channel. Take care, Mike

All the times I done it, I never noticed there was a waterfall visible near Bob's Brook

Sir Robin, You reside in a truly special place. It's a trip I'll never forget. Take care, Mike

I should have gotten off the bike to film it better. I was afraid to take too long in a spot that wasn't very visible to other traffic. Everyone else missed seeing the waterfall. I guess I was looking in just the right angle at the right time. I'll consider it a hidden gem. Mike

Hi Barry, Thanks for stopping by the channel. I appreciate the patronage. Yes, you sure should. Canada is a wonderful place to explore on a motorcycle. One can do the fun tourist spots or lose yourself in the bush. Either way, there's more to do than you can fit in a lifetime. Canadians are great neighbors and decent folk. Their kindness will play out in my next two episodes when we suffer a major breakdown. Take care, Mike

Yes, Canadians are great neighbors and I’ve always wanted to visit! I’m going to the next trip I make to Michigan! I’m new to TH-cam and any and all tips would be appreciated! Thanks Mike! U r a true brother! From. Other country lol!! ❤

Hey Barry, The best advice is to do and film what you enjoy. I've never tried to be popular or create click bait. As time goes by, the filming and presentation have gotten better. Not every video will be hit, but some will do well. Finally, you are at the mercy of TH-cam. I produce videos as a hobby. If I get to the point where the videos will be monetized, then great. But if they don't, that's ok, too. So many TH-camrs come and go because they get burned out. Especially if this is their main source of income. It is no longer fun, but a job. As you know, work isn't always fun. So go to the places you're interested in, and enjoy the journey. A certain number of people will enjoy it as well. Last but not least, ignore the trolls. There will be plenty. Don't get upset about any personal attacks. Laugh it off because even the mean comments help your algorithm, which boosts your channel. Good luck and best wishes. I hope you smash it out of the park. Feel free to contact us anytime. Take care, Mike

@ u r truly aw Mike keep up the great work with ur motorcycle videos! I also ride as I have a 2018 Honda crf 250 L they don’t make that model any longer! That’s the bike I was hit head on on June 24th 2024 on. About killed me, had to be air lifted and spent almost 2 months in the hospital. 🏥 peace brother thanks once again

Reality Bites, I've actually researched the patent application process. It's overly complicated and expensive. For the average person, it simply isn't feasible. Over the years, I've built numerous things that are handy and one of kind. At my age, I've decided to share those ideas to help others. In this particular case, I doubt it would pass as a new idea. It's just a slightly different application of a screw jack. All the same, thank you so much for your kindness and recognition. Great minds think alike. In parallel thought, you came up with a fantastic idea to solve a problem. You are truly a smart cookie. Take care, Mike

Hey Burb, Thanks for stopping by the channel. The best long-distance tire we've used has been the Mitas E07. These things are tough, and we've been getting 9,000 miles or more out of the rear tire - much more out of the front tire. This is basically unheard of from dual sport tires. My other favorite is the Mitas E09, but I get about half the distance. Another surprise tire that lasted well was the Shinko, but that was just the front tire. Yes, we've had breakdowns. If you watch the Alaska series, you'll see what problems we've had. Spoiler alert- we had one bike towed in. Take care, Mike

Thanks for watching, and you're welcome. Take care, Mike

You're welcome. If one enjoys the outdoors, Michigan has something to offer in all seasons. We definitely have fond memories of our time spent there. Because we lived only about six miles south, we often went to Coldwater, MI. Near the airport was an old outdoor movie theater. We would make that a family night out with everyone sitting in the back of the pickup. Fun times. Thanks for stopping by the channel. Take care, Mike

Good choice. Thanks for stopping by the channel. Take care, Mike

That's an interesting question. Generally speaking, the speed limits are slightly lower in Canada than in the US for a given designed road. And the speed limit signs are in kilometers per hour and not miles per hour. This conversion was easy for the KTM's because you can change the settings in the digital display. Mighty Quinn, Honda CRF 300 Rally, is not so easy to toggle between KPH and MPH. Also, the Honda is most comfortable at about 62 MPH at the high end of speed. Therefore, we tended to be right at the posted speed limit. We got passed by the locals all the time. One could go faster than we did, but keep this in mind. If you're on vacation, what's the hurry. Two, if you crash, you are a long, long way away from help. When you are on a motorcycle in remote places, you should operate like your life depends on safe and good choices. The Trans-Labrador Highway is scenic and easier than ever to visit, but caution rules the day. Take care, Mike

@@aegismotoadventures1616 be: Thank you for your answer, keep making cool videos about your travels.

Thanks Adam, It's coming soon. I've started sorting hours of video. Take care, Mike

Hey Leo, Thanks for stopping by the channel. I'm sorry it took so long to reply, but we were getting ready for Hurricane Hellene. Luckily, we were in the Tropical Storm zone. Currently, she is directly 150 miles west of us. Our thoughts and prayers are with our Big Bend and Georgia neighbors. Take care, Mike

Hi Dani, No. We sailed from Saint Barbe to Blanc Sablon. I really enjoyed NL, and I wouldn't mind returning some day. It is truly a beautiful place with welcoming people. Take care, Mike

Hi Jeff, I'm sorry you've had such a hard time of it. Sometimes, despite our best efforts at good maintenance, things break. One thing I can agree with you on is that I wish I had a longer ramp. I believe if memory serves me right, you can order a longer ramp. I highly recommend that feature. Well, if you're anything like me, your repairs are better than the original. Thanks for stopping by. Take care, Mike

Hey Dexter, Thanks for stopping by the channel. I hope one day you'll be able to get one. It's a great motorcycle. Take care, Mike

@@aegismotoadventures1616 i have a XR150L and have 3400 miles on it now and ride it to work every day but its all back roads ..some day i will upgrade

Hi Kathy, Thanks for stopping by the channel. It's heartbreaking to see the damaged homes and stores, but I was encouraged to see how far along they were getting in the rebuilding and recovery process. At some point, we will plan on an outing and spend some money to help get the stores and restaurants up and running. I hope others will plan a visit, too. Take care, Mike

You're welcome. I hope you have a wonderful vacation. Take care, Mike

Hey Ninke, I suppose one could do that, but it is, in my humble opinion, safer to just grind the pins. Let me explain. Cutting the link at a right angle risks tool kick or a blade breaking. Tool kick could cause one to grind something you didn't want to grind, and a grinding disk fragment flying at high speed is also bad. Grinding the pins off is easy and easy to control the grinder. This boils down to personal preference somewhat as well. Grind the least amount needed to complete the task, and firmly maintain control of the tool. Did I mention that grinders are notoriously dangerous. Take care, Mike

P.S. Always wear safety glasses.

P.S. Better yet, wear an approved face shield. A pretty face deserves to stay that way.

Hi Juicy, Fruity????? Best Regards, Mike

Thanks for stopping by the channel. I hope you have a wonderful vacation. Take care, Mike

Hi Wendy, Thanks for sharing a bit of the local history. I really appreciate learning more about the places we travel through. And yes, the Canadian North is proving to be the beautiful and enchanting place they say it is. Take care, Mike

Hi Judy, Yes and no. We took one small section that would require high clearance and off-road tires. However, there were 2 alternative ways to go that are probably ok. When you get to the top, you've 3 options- left, straight, or right. Don't turn left. Take care, Mike

Thanks . Take care, Mike

That's nice to hear. That should help boost the local businesses. I'm cheering for a full and speedy recovery. Take care, Mike

The load limit was listed in the manual under specifications. The load limit is listed as 353 lbs. total. This means the total of rider, passenger, accessories, and gear. I believe the XT250 could handle more, but that would require heavier fork and shock springs. It is lightly sprung to begin with. Anything much heavier than 380 lbs. would not be wise. If one needs more capacity, then a larger motorcycle designed for your load requirements is in order. I hope this helps. Take care, Mike

@@aegismotoadventures1616 Thanks. Just what I needed.

Your welcome.

Hey Michael, Good information. I agreed with the short shifting. As soon as I figured out short shifting dramatically increased mpg, I implemented that tactic thereafter. There's no doubt that lower speeds and just a single rider without gear will create better mileage. Thanks so much for sharing your success and the potential of the Spyder RT. Take care, Mike

Hey Adam, Thanks for checking out the channel. And yes, it was. Take care, Mike

Thanks for stopping by. For the most part, the engine noise is generally louder than the tire noise. With that said, this particular tire seems quieter than others we've used. The Metzler Karoo 3's and BattleAx tires have proven to be quiet as well. Hope this helps. Take care, Mike

Wow, what a great adventure. Take care, Mike

Thanks Darren, That's good confirmation that we were in the ballpark. And thanks for stopping by. Take care, Mike

Hey starfish100, I'm glad you stopped by, and thanks for the input. I'm not sure why you're having trouble at the pump, but the automatic shut-off sometimes provides some grief. As for the sport mode, it costs a little extra, but it sure is fun. Take care, Mike

@@aegismotoadventures1616 The fuel pumps in my area at the gas stations have a spring loaded filler neck vapor seal upon them. If you fully insert the filler into the neck of the gas tank spring loaded vapor seal is compressed allowing the fuel to flow until the gas pump gets shut off as it rises and contacts the filler end. I have to barely set the nozzle into the filler neck and hold back the “fore skin” on the base of the nozzle to get it to fill. Even in the best circumstances the gas can only trickle in slowly. I can fill the tank up until two inches from the top but that still isn’t full. The tank will take another gallon and a half or so if I dribble the gas in very slowly. The distance to empty mileage reading is all over the place and seldom reflects what the actual level is. This problem is active on both model years I own and is rather frustrating for such a simple thing as a fill up. When I fill the tank completely and ride the Spyder the DTE may start off at 208 but will actually begin to climb higher the more miles I ride. At times I have been able to get a reading of 252 miles to empty. When checking the instrument cluster fuel economy it is often under 29mpg. In my experience the whole economy, distance to empty and fuel level readings are all a scientific wild ass guess that really aren’t accurate and to refill at another station to the same fuel fill point I started with is difficult to achieve which makes manual calculations inaccurate. I gave up on trying to find a better way and start looking for a gas station after 175 miles. I’m just curious if you have the same experience with filling up your gas tank too?

I see what you're saying. But no, I haven't had that issue. I'm with you on the calculations the display reads out. It seems so arbitrary that I don't trust it. I'm old school. Just give me an accurate fuel level Guage and a warning light when I hit the reserve level. We are currently using a safe range we calculate manually. Simply set the tripometer to zero at every fill-up. It makes route planning fairly easy. On some of our out of the way trips, we carry extra fuel. The extra fuel has saved us several times. The Spyder is a whole different beast than our bikes, though.

Hi Michael, Thanks for stopping by. This episode was filmed about 3 weeks ago. I don't recall the exact date, but it was fairly recent. My heart goes out to them. Many of the high rises appeared to be vacant and under repair. There are some bright spots, though. It appeared that many homes and businesses were fixed and back to somewhat normal. If considering a vacation spot, a simple phone call should be able to clarify if it would be available now or this winter. I'm sure they would love to have tourists back. Take care, Mike

My family & I just spent 2 weeks on Sanibel July 15 thru July 27. Still a beautiful island but the damage still lurking from Ian is very real and sad. My sister lives in Periwinkle Park and just this year finished rebuilding their small mobile home which was nearly destroyed by Ian. We all fell in love with Sanibel & Captiva. ❤

Hi Pam, I'm sorry to hear about your sister's trailer, but it sounds like things are on the road to recovery. Here at Aegis Moto Adventures, we wish you and your family all the best. Take care, Mike

⁠@@PamMorales-iz4cx Hello, glad that your sister’s place has been restored. We have been going to Sanibel for over 40 years and love it so much! Will be visiting again soon. How does your sister like Periwinkle Park? It looks like some people are building tiny homes there. Have a good day!

Hey Adam, Thanks for stopping by. We appreciate it. Take care, Mike

Thanks, James, That is really good information. Take care, Mike