I needed tyres on my CB750 when in Turkey countryside but was not able to get any that fitted my bike. I ended up getting new set fitted in Athens. I try to stop and camp by about 2pm even if staying in hotel as I like time to look around and relax. Generally I am not into early starts when tent camping. I only averaged about 150 miles a day and only put in a big one when necessary. This way I rode for 12 months around Europe and North Africa in the late 90's.
I like the early start when it's going to be hot. You are smart to plan shorter days. The problem in North America is that distances are so far. For me to visit Utah going 150 miles a day would have pushed the trip closer to 3 weeks, which I would love, but other factors in my life make it hard to find that kind of time. I'm starting to think about next year's trip and I'm going to try to plan much shorter days.
Good Morning from India🇮🇳. I am also retired from service. I bought a bike, Hero Xpulse 200 4v for leisure rides after retirement. I saw your video on my Laptop and clicked the like button and subscribed to your Channel on my phone. I wish, you have a safe drive and enjoy your ride while giving time for the mother nature🌿🍃❤👍👊🤛🤜👊👍💪.
Take spare straps. Whether it's for tieing the bike down on a ferry, securing a pannier with a dodgy lock, fastening Stuff on the rack/panniers/seat or even for something when camping, they're small and can be VERY handy.
You're not kidding about being re-tired. I had a shock camping (solo) out in the wastelands of Northern Illinois. Gas stations were few and far between, and my fuel gauge showed 3/4 empty, but soon I discovered it was only 1/4 full. Panic set in, until I found a liquor store. So, that's my survival tale.
Live and learn... Glad you shared these experiences. There are so many things to try to stay on top of while doing this thing that we do... Sharing this with others may help with the mindset and preparation needed for a safe AND fulfilling adventure. Safe travels and cheers.
Im a long distance bicycle rider and you are absolutely correct Getting tired on a motorcycle is dangerous IF there is a gas stand , fill up and ALWAYS keep water and spare food been there done that!
Haven’t had to change tire on trip but always change my own at home and use the tools I will carry on a trip to do it. This way I’m ready if trie trouble hits.
12 l fuel tank; believe me, even if there is still 3/5 of fuel, I stop for full refuel. Mandatory too before stating off road sections. I always refuel too before next morning if I can and have light back up food in case SHTF;)
In our quest to carry the absolute minimum especially for adv riding we sometimes defeat ourselves. Carrying a can of food is an easy way to give yourself some flexibility and actually keep yourself from pushing past where you should be because of food. Regarding tires unless I’m absolutely sure of my remains treadlife I start my trips on new tires, however there is nothing wrong with planning a tire change day.
At times I have carried a freeze dried dinner, which is light and takes up little room. I was waffling on whether or not I was going to take this trip because of other things in my schedule. Even though I planned most of the route 6 months in advance, I didn't make the final plans as carefully as I could have.
It's a hard balance to get right, I recently headed into a remote bush track, with only 1/3rd of a tank of gas because it was only a 50km round trip and there were lots of steep rocky sections so didn't want an extra 10kg up high. I thought about ditching all my camping gear and spare clothes etc as I was camping elsewhere but ended up taking the lot in case I had a breakdown or something and had to spend a cold night out there. A pack of freeze dry and snacks are always handy too.
Too many issues w/ phone- not charging/overheating/no service. Going to just use my (older) Garmin as my primary. I set up a splitter adaptor from my dash 12v outlet to inside my tank bag so I can charge other devices ( phone-power bank-camp headlamp while riding w/ navigation on next trip. Buying snack stuff before trip and dividing into daily baggies save time and money at fuel stops, while making sure you have fuel for energy. Carry liquid IV packets and do one at a fuel stop. Hydration pack for water during ride. Don't just gas and go-get off bike have a snack/drink-check your gear is secure-glance at your tires-check a map. I need to get out of camp sooner (planning tomorrows ride the night before). I enjoyed your series.
All good advice. The key is to slow down and be mindful of the details. The more I hurry, the more mistakes I make. That's been true in every aspect of my life.
On any bike trip, the tires should be in good condition, don't try to get ever last mile out of them before you replace them. I always get gas at about 100 miles, not because I need gas at that point, but for piece of mind. I also use my trip meter for when to get gas, not a gas gauge. My question is, why push a trip if you don't have to?! I would rather explore and make another trip back to see the rest than rush through everything.
Tires are the cheapest safety insurance ever…..I ride a middle weight ADV bike in central TX….I replaced the tires couple years ago with IMO were C+ quality. I checked the pressure/ wear fairly regularly. During the summer my garaged bike sat idle due to near constant 100 degrees. One slightly cooler summer day I decided it was time to ride and catch the eclipse out in the hill country. Way home I decided I wanted a water crossing ( in much of TX water crossings are over secondary roads and not necessarily streams)….crossing I suddenly felt the bike whipped out from under me and looking down to see concrete surface covered in 3-4” of water….a microsecond later I heard a zipper sound of crunching….the impact knocked the wind out of me but my adrenaline had me up on my feet, dusting myself off and thinking I was OK besides what I thought was a deep rib/chest bruise. 2 hours later at a hospital I was told I fractured 5 ribs on my left side….I was allowed to go home because the nurse and DR observed me in the waiting annex just to observe and decided I didn’t look to be in extreme pain….I wasn’t because my adrenaline hadn’t subsided yet, but the next 2 months proved more pain than my open heart surgery the year before. Good quality tires with good tread is a must.
Thanks for your comment. If anything, I want to remind everyone how critical tires are. I mentioned in the video that I changed the tires when I bought the bike because the old ones, while looking great, were past the expiration date, and I wanted to be safe; this is a street bike capable of well over 100 mph (don't ask me how I know). So my blind spot in allowing the tires to deteriorate so much is so much the more shocking to me. I'm normally very careful about safety and maintenance. All it takes is one slip. Another commenter called it "get-home-itis." BTW, I've cracked ribs off-road as well, but it was during COVID, so the doctor told me to avoid the hospital. He said if it got better in a week or so, it was just a bruise. If cracked or broken, it would take six weeks. I couldn't lie down for four weeks because it hurt too much to get up! And a couple more weeks of not being able to bend in certain ways.
I lived in SW Wyoming 2021-2023 and now live in central Arizona, so I spend a lot of time riding in Utah. Have probably ridden allthe primary and secondary roads. You gotta know your gas situation for sure. As example, Scenic Hwy 95 between Hankesville and Hwy 191 (south of Blanding) is 121 miles long with no stores. So unless you have more than 3/4 tank on a 5 gal tank, you better fuel up on either end. BTW, what BMW model are you riding?
I took my eye off the gas situation because the night before I rode from Hanksville to Blanding, I was running around looking for a place to camp, and that morning I could have filled up in Hanksvile, but I was focused on finding a shortcut to 95 from my camping spot and I just missed going through Hanskville again. I'm riding a 2017 R1200RS. I love this bike, and I've done two long trips on it since I bought it last year.
What tires do you run onnyour RS where you can have 16000km/~10000mi on them and still have them look good enough to go on a trip? I've got the R as opposed to the RS but the best I've done so far is 7000mi to the wear bars...
Those tires were Michelin Road 6. I've just replaced them with Road 5 tires. When they were brand new, I did a 5000 km trip to Colorado in July 2023, but everything since then has been on local roads, which are way less hot and I'm generally riding at less than 55 mph, so that probably helped extend the life.
Bought 2 new tires before an Alaska trip test drove the same tires commuting got 18 k miles front 14 k rear figured the trip would be 10k miles 8 k rear tires delaminated had to buy whatever they had in Alaska front looked fine at that time. Front tire delaminated 1 k miles later bought a front what ever they had available it got me home found out at home the front tire I bought it Alaska was 9 years old. Oh well s--- happens.
I have a Rotopax on my dual-sport, but on this trip, it was only poor planning on my part that left me short of gas. There was no lack of service stations in this area, like there is in northern Canada, where I also ride. An external gas container looks cool on an adventure bike, but on a sport tourer it's a bit of overkill.
I needed tyres on my CB750 when in Turkey countryside but was not able to get any that fitted my bike. I ended up getting new set fitted in Athens. I try to stop and camp by about 2pm even if staying in hotel as I like time to look around and relax. Generally I am not into early starts when tent camping. I only averaged about 150 miles a day and only put in a big one when necessary. This way I rode for 12 months around Europe and North Africa in the late 90's.
I like the early start when it's going to be hot. You are smart to plan shorter days. The problem in North America is that distances are so far. For me to visit Utah going 150 miles a day would have pushed the trip closer to 3 weeks, which I would love, but other factors in my life make it hard to find that kind of time. I'm starting to think about next year's trip and I'm going to try to plan much shorter days.
Good Morning from India🇮🇳.
I am also retired from service.
I bought a bike, Hero Xpulse 200 4v for leisure rides after retirement.
I saw your video on my Laptop and clicked the like button and subscribed to your Channel on my phone.
I wish, you have a safe drive and enjoy your ride while giving time for the mother nature🌿🍃❤👍👊🤛🤜👊👍💪.
Take spare straps. Whether it's for tieing the bike down on a ferry, securing a pannier with a dodgy lock, fastening Stuff on the rack/panniers/seat or even for something when camping, they're small and can be VERY handy.
You're not kidding about being re-tired.
I had a shock camping (solo) out in the wastelands of Northern Illinois. Gas stations were few and far between, and my fuel gauge showed 3/4 empty, but soon I discovered it was only 1/4 full.
Panic set in, until I found a liquor store. So, that's my survival tale.
Live and learn...
Glad you shared these experiences. There are so many things to try to stay on top of while doing this thing that we do...
Sharing this with others may help with the mindset and preparation needed for a safe AND fulfilling adventure.
Safe travels and cheers.
Im a long distance bicycle rider and you are absolutely correct Getting tired on a motorcycle is dangerous IF there is a gas stand , fill up and ALWAYS keep water and spare food been there done that!
Always gas up when gas is available even when you have over half a tank. Don't count on the next station being open or having gas.
You are absolutely right!!!!!
Haven’t had to change tire on trip but always change my own at home and use the tools I will carry on a trip to do it. This way I’m ready if trie trouble hits.
12 l fuel tank; believe me, even if there is still 3/5 of fuel, I stop for full refuel. Mandatory too before stating off road sections. I always refuel too before next morning if I can and have light back up food in case SHTF;)
In our quest to carry the absolute minimum especially for adv riding we sometimes defeat ourselves. Carrying a can of food is an easy way to give yourself some flexibility and actually keep yourself from pushing past where you should be because of food. Regarding tires unless I’m absolutely sure of my remains treadlife I start my trips on new tires, however there is nothing wrong with planning a tire change day.
At times I have carried a freeze dried dinner, which is light and takes up little room. I was waffling on whether or not I was going to take this trip because of other things in my schedule. Even though I planned most of the route 6 months in advance, I didn't make the final plans as carefully as I could have.
It's a hard balance to get right, I recently headed into a remote bush track, with only 1/3rd of a tank of gas because it was only a 50km round trip and there were lots of steep rocky sections so didn't want an extra 10kg up high. I thought about ditching all my camping gear and spare clothes etc as I was camping elsewhere but ended up taking the lot in case I had a breakdown or something and had to spend a cold night out there. A pack of freeze dry and snacks are always handy too.
proper planning & preparation prevents piss poor performance.
Not stopping before 5pm and not bringing zip ties.
😂
Too many issues w/ phone- not charging/overheating/no service. Going to just use my (older) Garmin as my primary. I set up a splitter adaptor from my dash 12v outlet to inside my tank bag so I can charge other devices ( phone-power bank-camp headlamp while riding w/ navigation on next trip. Buying snack stuff before trip and dividing into daily baggies save time and money at fuel stops, while making sure you have fuel for energy. Carry liquid IV packets and do one at a fuel stop. Hydration pack for water during ride. Don't just gas and go-get off bike have a snack/drink-check your gear is secure-glance at your tires-check a map. I need to get out of camp sooner (planning tomorrows ride the night before). I enjoyed your series.
All good advice. The key is to slow down and be mindful of the details. The more I hurry, the more mistakes I make. That's been true in every aspect of my life.
On any bike trip, the tires should be in good condition, don't try to get ever last mile out of them before you replace them. I always get gas at about 100 miles, not because I need gas at that point, but for piece of mind. I also use my trip meter for when to get gas, not a gas gauge. My question is, why push a trip if you don't have to?! I would rather explore and make another trip back to see the rest than rush through everything.
Definitely the lessons I should have learned by now. Wise advice.
You are absolutely right!!!!!
Tires are the cheapest safety insurance ever…..I ride a middle weight ADV bike in central TX….I replaced the tires couple years ago with IMO were C+ quality. I checked the pressure/ wear fairly regularly. During the summer my garaged bike sat idle due to near constant 100 degrees. One slightly cooler summer day I decided it was time to ride and catch the eclipse out in the hill country. Way home I decided I wanted a water crossing ( in much of TX water crossings are over secondary roads and not necessarily streams)….crossing I suddenly felt the bike whipped out from under me and looking down to see concrete surface covered in 3-4” of water….a microsecond later I heard a zipper sound of crunching….the impact knocked the wind out of me but my adrenaline had me up on my feet, dusting myself off and thinking I was OK besides what I thought was a deep rib/chest bruise. 2 hours later at a hospital I was told I fractured 5 ribs on my left side….I was allowed to go home because the nurse and DR observed me in the waiting annex just to observe and decided I didn’t look to be in extreme pain….I wasn’t because my adrenaline hadn’t subsided yet, but the next 2 months proved more pain than my open heart surgery the year before. Good quality tires with good tread is a must.
Thanks for your comment. If anything, I want to remind everyone how critical tires are. I mentioned in the video that I changed the tires when I bought the bike because the old ones, while looking great, were past the expiration date, and I wanted to be safe; this is a street bike capable of well over 100 mph (don't ask me how I know). So my blind spot in allowing the tires to deteriorate so much is so much the more shocking to me. I'm normally very careful about safety and maintenance. All it takes is one slip. Another commenter called it "get-home-itis." BTW, I've cracked ribs off-road as well, but it was during COVID, so the doctor told me to avoid the hospital. He said if it got better in a week or so, it was just a bruise. If cracked or broken, it would take six weeks. I couldn't lie down for four weeks because it hurt too much to get up! And a couple more weeks of not being able to bend in certain ways.
Thanks for the video.....🎉
I lived in SW Wyoming 2021-2023 and now live in central Arizona, so I spend a lot of time riding in Utah. Have probably ridden allthe primary and secondary roads. You gotta know your gas situation for sure. As example, Scenic Hwy 95 between Hankesville and Hwy 191 (south of Blanding) is 121 miles long with no stores. So unless you have more than 3/4 tank on a 5 gal tank, you better fuel up on either end. BTW, what BMW model are you riding?
I took my eye off the gas situation because the night before I rode from Hanksville to Blanding, I was running around looking for a place to camp, and that morning I could have filled up in Hanksvile, but I was focused on finding a shortcut to 95 from my camping spot and I just missed going through Hanskville again. I'm riding a 2017 R1200RS. I love this bike, and I've done two long trips on it since I bought it last year.
What tires do you run onnyour RS where you can have 16000km/~10000mi on them and still have them look good enough to go on a trip? I've got the R as opposed to the RS but the best I've done so far is 7000mi to the wear bars...
Those tires were Michelin Road 6. I've just replaced them with Road 5 tires. When they were brand new, I did a 5000 km trip to Colorado in July 2023, but everything since then has been on local roads, which are way less hot and I'm generally riding at less than 55 mph, so that probably helped extend the life.
Bought 2 new tires before an Alaska trip test drove the same tires commuting got 18 k miles front 14 k rear figured the trip would be 10k miles 8 k rear tires delaminated had to buy whatever they had in Alaska front looked fine at that time. Front tire delaminated 1 k miles later bought a front what ever they had available it got me home found out at home the front tire I bought it Alaska was 9 years old. Oh well s--- happens.
bring with you additionnel gas at least 4 liters
I have a Rotopax on my dual-sport, but on this trip, it was only poor planning on my part that left me short of gas. There was no lack of service stations in this area, like there is in northern Canada, where I also ride. An external gas container looks cool on an adventure bike, but on a sport tourer it's a bit of overkill.
@@RetiredAdventureRider in Labrador it was 450 km between 2 gas stations with 3 degrees ct . in july!
Well..well..well " Catchy vid intro/I could have" Went half way this vid... Honestly, you are a danger to yourself. Happy trails.