I assume you were using a GoPro. I'm curious to know what your camera settings for ISO Min and Max were, as well as the EV Comp and Shutter Setting. Thanks.
New sub from a cold and cloudy Scotland! Isn’t it wonderful being able to see the life’s of other riders around the world. You have some fantastic riding territory out there! Most of our wilded areas are private land, and vehicular access denied. Keep bashing the vids out, and we’ll keep watching them! Cheers, Stevie
Thanks Stevie! TH-cam makes winter much more bearable here in the Saskatchewan Prairies. All of these adventures are 1000's of km from home unfortunately. SK is much the same all privately owned farmland.
Great effort. I recommend 50/50 tires and a dryer season of the year. My brother and I rode the BDR-x 9/3-6 without all the super muddy roads you experienced. There was some mud and ‘widened’ roads where the shoulder became the road with everyone riding around the giant/deep occasional puddle.
Coming from a guy who raced/ride off-road on a Honda 450, short of a full knobby tire you work with what you have. Also, sometimes speed is your friend in the tough stuff. Four years ago I traded my Honda for a Yamaha Super Tenere, one day riding down a dirt I decided it wasn’t a good idea, I turned around and got the 600# bike stuck standing up. First and last time. I changed out the tires to a more street tire. Since then, multiple out of state rides. I love my ST. The (T7) lil brother is my next ride. I’d love to ride to Alaska from Arizona on the T7. Have fun, and be safe.
Man what an adventure. I know you said it wasn't tires, but a skill issue. It sure seemed like the reverse to me. Although being in eastern KY where some stuff never dries out, even knobbies won't save you from some of the mud that just keeps you from having any grib at all. It seemed like that's what it was here. Just unfortunate timing with the weather. Definitely sub'd, can't wait to see more!
Thanks a lot for sharing -- plenty of great lessons and reminders in here, such as the need for appropriate tires but also that slow speed in this kind of mud just doesn't work (and to fix that you need confidence based on skills built up through experience). Also, just looking at the luggage loaded up high on a bike that is already extremely top heavy make me feel exhausted... which is another reminder of the need for strong physical condition for this kind of riding!
@@traineeadv Have been in the same situation too... in mud and especially in deep sand, and I just don't have the confidence/experience to tackle these properly. Trouble is the pros make it look easy... and this reminded me I really need to work on my own skills! After a few pick ups of my KTM 690 I get exhausted.... I wouldn't have liked it with the Tenere!
@@traineeadv When I did Bret Tkacs’ course we spent a fair bit of time walking the bikes, turning them quickly with a lot of lean while walking next to it, mounting it from a standing or walking position and dismounting while moving into a walk. Very useful skill. Gotten me out of a couple mud holes and a creek with tons of algae that was slippery AF. Nice going!
That was a bad place to be... solo on a big ADV bike. When it rains in the west, some places will have miles and miles and miles of knobby clogging mud. Have read about multiple ADV groups getting stranded out in the back country. Bike were so clogged with mud they couldn't move... other riders burned out their clutches. You do carry an InReach/SPOT/Zoleo... yes ?
Your attitude is great and I admire your determination. I just bought a T7 this year and the technical stuff scares the crap out of me. Im also a Canuck!
Thanks for watching! The top heavy feel of the bike and my short inseam don't give me a lot of confidence.. seat time is helping but it's still a struggle.
Yes you need more practice riding muddy conditions. You found that getting off the trail got you into a bunch of trouble. wet grass and mud, oh boy. Maybe staying on the high side of the trail would help and just bull your way through it all . oh, and Dont let that big bike man handle you. One last idea , Get some good tires on that monster. Ride On.
I am reading a lot of comments that are saying you should have done this or don’t do that and get different tires, but all I see is a guy who kicked some serious ass and had a adventure of a lifetime.I rode on some of the same roads you did but without the mud this summer, I have to ask how do you deal with some of the comments I ride solo for most of my riding trips and would love to share some of the footage but the comments keep me from doing it. Keep up the awesome videos
Thanks for the kind words! I suppose I am my own worst critic and know that I don't know what I don't know. I can accept any criticism for how it was intended and objectively see if it has merit and would help me learn. Upload your stuff! If not for you now.. your future you when you need a bike fix. (Turn off comments if you like too)
Lets all face it, the you tube is chalked full of newbie "ADV" riders naively attempting to ride off road on bikes that are not intended for such extremes. Only in rare circumstances of extreme athleticism and strength, and extensive off road experience, are these journeys doable.....with a reasonable degree of calculated risk. Its not the tires, its not the so called "top heaviness" ( all bikes are top heavy to one degree or another, if not they are too low and too wide...etc), its not any of that...its the experience reading terrain, the ability to know when to stop and turn around....reassess. It appears that the go for it, and when you break a leg from an overloaded bike ( at a stand still), its part of the adventure. Itchy boots finally broke her hand from the simple mistake of riding in tall grass and dropping into a camouflaged hole...that is off road 101 in my view...So lesson's have to be learned in this growing swamp of dropped, injured, stranded, rescued, riders showing their adventures to the world...doesn't look like fun to me. And lets all be honest about the chit chat while riding....the key to successful riding particularly at this beginner trainee level is to focus focus focus....keep your thoughts internal, and think...think and read the trail...learn in the process....chatting away and dumping your bike over and over does not make a good off road video. Leave that to the pros.....ARiemann1 for example...same bike often in the videos he makes and i don't recall him once mentioning the topic of top heaviness.....He praises the bike.....and teaches the art of off road riding...by not crashing out over 5 meters.
@SideQuestStijn I replaced the Anakee wild with these... they were a good tire but horrible treadlife. I live 600 miles from fun public lands so I have to compromise somewhere. Maybe next time I'll truck down with something more aggressive
I have the trail max missions on my cb500x,no good in mud,but they are a 50/50.However,I have 606's on my little xt250,love them,they hang in there through everything.Going to replace the 50/50's with the motoz tractionator next.Have some friends using them good reports. Cheers from Australia.@@traineeadv
At 11 mins, you should have left it in gear, pull out the kick stand, face away from your bike, grab frame or HB with both arms and lift with your legs! Nice vid but please “bleep” out superlatives in your next video. Ride On !
@@traineeadv exactly. I've seen Bret Tkacs have trouble picking up a GSA in the mud too. I don't think there's any amount of training that makes picking up a motorcycle on ice an easy endeavor. But I do keep a green chili recovery system just to pull the bike out of the slippery stuff because I usually ride alone, I'm old, and my back already hurts :p
As soon as you hit mud . Knobby tires are king. Sooner or later it always rains. If your in an area that just had heavy rain , I would stay on the blacktop without knobby tires.@@traineeadv
Take this FWIW (not much) but if you leave with pretty fresh off-road tires, they will most likely hold up fine on mixed surfaces for 4500k. I’ve ridden plenty of longer rides with a pal on a T7, fully loaded with 90/10 (off/street) and returned home with plenty of tread. I’m not joining the chorus of people criticizing what you did; just trying to save you some future grief. That being said, even with really good, aggressive tires, lots of types of mud will stop you in your tracks, period. That’s not user error or poor choice of equipment. I’ve been there and it totally sucks. Thank you for sharing your trip. Ride safe and have fun.
This is the 1st video of yours that I've watched.
I really like the unscripted commentary.
Makes it real and down-to-earth.
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!
16:30ish That looked like fun! lol You might of cut the trip a little early but I'm sure you had a great time!
Pretty dang cool adventure!
It is a trip for the ol memory banks for sure. It's fun to relive it here over the winter while I plan more for 2024. Thanks for watching!
Oh Man That mud section looked horrible!
Just a bit dicey!
I assume you were using a GoPro. I'm curious to know what your camera settings for ISO Min and Max were, as well as the EV Comp and Shutter Setting. Thanks.
Sorry I missed this! I leave it in auto usually. I haven't spent time to learn the nuances of video settings.
Do you have a lowering link on your bike?
Yes 20mm and a lowered seat
Great job riding muddy trail
Thanks 👍
mud beat you
New sub from a cold and cloudy Scotland!
Isn’t it wonderful being able to see the life’s of other riders around the world.
You have some fantastic riding territory out there!
Most of our wilded areas are private land, and vehicular access denied.
Keep bashing the vids out, and we’ll keep watching them!
Cheers, Stevie
Thanks Stevie! TH-cam makes winter much more bearable here in the Saskatchewan Prairies. All of these adventures are 1000's of km from home unfortunately. SK is much the same all privately owned farmland.
bad vid with bad language?????????????????????????/
Sorry, thanks for the feedback
Great effort. I recommend 50/50 tires and a dryer season of the year. My brother and I rode the BDR-x 9/3-6 without all the super muddy roads you experienced. There was some mud and ‘widened’ roads where the shoulder became the road with everyone riding around the giant/deep occasional puddle.
I gave you a thumbs up, then listened to the needless “F-bombs”, so I undid my thumbs up.
I ran into mud like that last year in Arizona riding solo definitely not fun on a big bike. Good job
We have "impassible when wet" mud here on the prairies too.. this was equally as challenging
Thanks for watching!
Coming from a guy who raced/ride off-road on a Honda 450, short of a full knobby tire you work with what you have. Also, sometimes speed is your friend in the tough stuff. Four years ago I traded my Honda for a Yamaha Super Tenere, one day riding down a dirt I decided it wasn’t a good idea, I turned around and got the 600# bike stuck standing up. First and last time. I changed out the tires to a more street tire. Since then, multiple out of state rides. I love my ST. The (T7) lil brother is my next ride. I’d love to ride to Alaska from Arizona on the T7.
Have fun, and be safe.
Pretty much that whole area and Wyoming is unrideable if wet.
I'll agree!
Kudos to you for getting out there!!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Being fit when doing these things is a matter of safety. It’s crazy hard exercise, especially with a big ADV bike. You did so well.
THis is why the Pan America is a fail. Too big and heavy for old fat pot bellied bikers.
Thanks! Fitness is definitely something I need to work on
@@jellydick5839 I can pick up a GSA all day though. Even my Tiger 900 was so much harder.
Man what an adventure. I know you said it wasn't tires, but a skill issue. It sure seemed like the reverse to me. Although being in eastern KY where some stuff never dries out, even knobbies won't save you from some of the mud that just keeps you from having any grib at all. It seemed like that's what it was here. Just unfortunate timing with the weather. Definitely sub'd, can't wait to see more!
Thanks for watching! I'm looking forward to redemption this summer. It's nearly riding season again here in the frozen north so I can't wait!
SD mud can be bad, bad, bad! Gumbo mud in the south is treacherous!
Looks like your really enjoying yourself, 🙄 ill
Wow, this trail looks really sketchy after a good rain. Way to power through it. Great video, thank you for posting.
I appreciate the response! The clay in the dirt is pretty brutal when wet. I'll definitely be watching the weather before I go back.
@@traineeadv as will I if I do this BDR someday. I definitely need more experience before I attempt something like this though.
Thanks a lot for sharing -- plenty of great lessons and reminders in here, such as the need for appropriate tires but also that slow speed in this kind of mud just doesn't work (and to fix that you need confidence based on skills built up through experience). Also, just looking at the luggage loaded up high on a bike that is already extremely top heavy make me feel exhausted... which is another reminder of the need for strong physical condition for this kind of riding!
Thanks so much.. that experience prompted a few changes this winter.. lower luggage.. took some weight off the bike and me lol
@@traineeadv Have been in the same situation too... in mud and especially in deep sand, and I just don't have the confidence/experience to tackle these properly. Trouble is the pros make it look easy... and this reminded me I really need to work on my own skills! After a few pick ups of my KTM 690 I get exhausted.... I wouldn't have liked it with the Tenere!
Solo riding in areas like this is just not a good idea.
I have a spot tracker if it goes bad.. and for the most part it's a well used trail. That said I can admit that I took risks throughout the trip.
I carry a dirt napper, it works great.
So I have to ask- How did you change the display to show dark back ground?
Look up my other videos color Clusterz
@@traineeadv just found it! super cool upgrade
I feel like whoever I get stuck like that and I stand next to the bike pushing while giving it the beans and rocking it, it always moves forward.
It worked... the worry about it blasting off into the trees was real. But there wasn't enough traction for that lol
@@traineeadv When I did Bret Tkacs’ course we spent a fair bit of time walking the bikes, turning them quickly with a lot of lean while walking next to it, mounting it from a standing or walking position and dismounting while moving into a walk. Very useful skill. Gotten me out of a couple mud holes and a creek with tons of algae that was slippery AF. Nice going!
@ryanmalone2681 good practice! Thanks
That was a bad place to be... solo on a big ADV bike. When it rains in the west, some places will have miles and miles and miles of knobby clogging mud. Have read about multiple ADV groups getting stranded out in the back country. Bike were so clogged with mud they couldn't move... other riders burned out their clutches.
You do carry an InReach/SPOT/Zoleo... yes ?
Most of my trip was out of cell reception and I was happy to have my Spot tracker. I'm going to upgrade to an inreach however for next season.
Your attitude is great and I admire your determination. I just bought a T7 this year and the technical stuff scares the crap out of me. Im also a Canuck!
Thanks for watching! The top heavy feel of the bike and my short inseam don't give me a lot of confidence.. seat time is helping but it's still a struggle.
Yes you need more practice riding muddy conditions. You found that getting off the trail got you into a bunch of trouble. wet grass and mud, oh boy. Maybe staying on the high side of the trail would help and just bull your way through it all . oh, and Dont let that big bike man handle you. One last idea , Get some good tires on that monster. Ride On.
I definitely need more practice! We went out locally on Monday and had similar luck.
Luckily we had a quad to help pull bikes out.
That mud looks slick as ice!
It was less than ideal lol
I am reading a lot of comments that are saying you should have done this or don’t do that and get different tires, but all I see is a guy who kicked some serious ass and had a adventure of a lifetime.I rode on some of the same roads you did but without the mud this summer, I have to ask how do you deal with some of the comments I ride solo for most of my riding trips and would love to share some of the footage but the comments keep me from doing it. Keep up the awesome videos
Thanks for the kind words! I suppose I am my own worst critic and know that I don't know what I don't know. I can accept any criticism for how it was intended and objectively see if it has merit and would help me learn.
Upload your stuff! If not for you now.. your future you when you need a bike fix. (Turn off comments if you like too)
Big Vertical Rock, It's only "Devil's Tower National Monument" In Wyoming.
I said big erect rock 😜.. referring to the prior photo lol
Thanks for watching!
Lets all face it, the you tube is chalked full of newbie "ADV" riders naively attempting to ride off road on bikes that are not intended for such extremes. Only in rare circumstances of extreme athleticism and strength, and extensive off road experience, are these journeys doable.....with a reasonable degree of calculated risk. Its not the tires, its not the so called "top heaviness" ( all bikes are top heavy to one degree or another, if not they are too low and too wide...etc), its not any of that...its the experience reading terrain, the ability to know when to stop and turn around....reassess. It appears that the go for it, and when you break a leg from an overloaded bike ( at a stand still), its part of the adventure. Itchy boots finally broke her hand from the simple mistake of riding in tall grass and dropping into a camouflaged hole...that is off road 101 in my view...So lesson's have to be learned in this growing swamp of dropped, injured, stranded, rescued, riders showing their adventures to the world...doesn't look like fun to me. And lets all be honest about the chit chat while riding....the key to successful riding particularly at this beginner trainee level is to focus focus focus....keep your thoughts internal, and think...think and read the trail...learn in the process....chatting away and dumping your bike over and over does not make a good off road video. Leave that to the pros.....ARiemann1 for example...same bike often in the videos he makes and i don't recall him once mentioning the topic of top heaviness.....He praises the bike.....and teaches the art of off road riding...by not crashing out over 5 meters.
Great stuff! We drank at the bar in Nemo until this shit dried up, what a difference a couple days made.
I could have used a drink that night lol
Hello Dolly...and rider! From Dolly. Great Video!
She says Thanks!
Would different tires make a difference?
Mud is the great equalizer but something more aggressive would be better though. Not better for the 4500km this entire loop was though
Going somewhere like that get a 50 50 tyre you would have found it much easier nice video good look with your adventure's from the uk
I'm on a 50/50 trailmax mission
Thanks for watching!
That’s a 80/20 tire tops. Try Motos Rallz or Bridgestone AX41 AdventureCross or Michelin Anakee Wild.
@SideQuestStijn I replaced the Anakee wild with these... they were a good tire but horrible treadlife. I live 600 miles from fun public lands so I have to compromise somewhere.
Maybe next time I'll truck down with something more aggressive
I have the trail max missions on my cb500x,no good in mud,but they are a 50/50.However,I have 606's on my little xt250,love them,they hang in there through everything.Going to replace the 50/50's with the motoz tractionator next.Have some friends using them good reports. Cheers from Australia.@@traineeadv
Thanks! Ride safe
At 11 mins, you should have left it in gear, pull out the kick stand, face away from your bike, grab frame or HB with both arms and lift with your legs! Nice vid but please “bleep” out superlatives in your next video. Ride On !
Thanks for the tips 👍 I edited out the first few "proper" attempts haha. Too bad the gopro died before the SxS showed up
People keep buying bikes they can't pick up when they are alone,
Oh I picked it up 3 times that week.. don't worry. But the mud was difficult one I'll admit!
@@traineeadv exactly. I've seen Bret Tkacs have trouble picking up a GSA in the mud too. I don't think there's any amount of training that makes picking up a motorcycle on ice an easy endeavor.
But I do keep a green chili recovery system just to pull the bike out of the slippery stuff because I usually ride alone, I'm old, and my back already hurts :p
Why dont you put nobby tires on your bike?
Riding in mud with street tires seems foolish to me.
Knobby tires wear out fast, this trip was 4500km and mixed terrain so compromises had to be made somewhere I guess. Thanks for checking it out!
As soon as you hit mud . Knobby tires are king. Sooner or later it always rains.
If your in an area that just had heavy rain , I would stay on the blacktop without knobby tires.@@traineeadv
Take this FWIW (not much) but if you leave with pretty fresh off-road tires, they will most likely hold up fine on mixed surfaces for 4500k. I’ve ridden plenty of longer rides with a pal on a T7, fully loaded with 90/10 (off/street) and returned home with plenty of tread. I’m not joining the chorus of people criticizing what you did; just trying to save you some future grief. That being said, even with really good, aggressive tires, lots of types of mud will stop you in your tracks, period. That’s not user error or poor choice of equipment. I’ve been there and it totally sucks.
Thank you for sharing your trip. Ride safe and have fun.