The New And Improved Unofficial R65 Forum V2
Technical Discussion => Ride Reports and Event Reviews => Topic started by: Semper Gumby on July 11, 2008, 12:06:25 PM
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...is the Garmin distance from Key West to Prudhoe Bay. At first I was thinking about taking one of the BSA's but I really already have the bike for the trip - the R65. It's got the seat and the long range fuel (Tempo Boat tank) plus the alternator. I think I only really need a GS front end. What got this started was a family friend is thinking about buying a BMW 1200GS. He has a history of going long distances on two wheels in the past. I mentioned the IBA and the Key West to Prudhoe Bay thing and his eyes lit up. So I'm soliciting advise: my departure date is July 2009. IBA says it's a 30 day ride. My brain says this is quite doable. (My lizard brain is currently mum on the subject.) Anybody else interested in this kind of madness?
Hmmmm....
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My friend rode up there from WY with his brother and nephew but they were all on Airhead GS bikes. I'll ask him if an R65 could make it. I don't even like riding mine on gravel but I need to grow up someday.
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I went almost that far on a stock R100/7. Ft. Hood, TX, to Fairbanks, AK. Put on a little over 5k miles...
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Might want to consider what major spares you could have lined up in advance "just in case". Talking transmissions and final drives, really. Overnight shipping...
Make sure your splines are like new.
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Like I said, Bill...."Don't think I'll be into camping & trips at my age".......
You never know.. :o
Which one of us needs to pack a spare transmission?
Ed
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I checked with my friend Tom, who rode up there on an R100GSPD. He said no problem for an R65, and his experience with them is probably just mine. High speed street tires, etc.
There's still a lot of crud to ride through, but go for it if you want.
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Don't forget to clean the mud out from the bottom of your fins! [smiley=thumbsup.gif]
Don't want to over heat!
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pbase.com%2Ftomfarr%2Fimage%2F69664893%2Fsmall.jpg&hash=33669ac43c34c077eeadcf8c6b9c52cecba54ebb) (http://www.pbase.com/tomfarr/image/69664893/large)
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I was still digging mud out of places I didn't even know existed three years later... But, Rob speaks truth, I got on a particularly bad stretch and did have to stop a couple of times and rake mud out of the cooling fins with a screwdriver. I was also wearing so much mud that it became increasingly difficult to find a place that would rent me a room as it was too wet and nasty to pitch a tent.
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And when your front wheel/fender fills with mud ... watch out! You are no longer in control of your destiny! :-/
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Strangely enough I never had that problem. I guess I just removed the wheel often enough to fix flats that it never became an issue...
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LOL!
The only time I got in that situation was with my /2 sidecar rig (with which I was afraid of nothing!).
It didn't steer well at all!
And that /2 fender was hard to clean out with a stick on the side of the road, too!
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All useful advise!! I know about the Wheel fender having been "down" that road before. But the mud in the bottom fins is a new one on me. Thanks for the info.
What else Ya got?
TTFN,
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Take a bunch of inner tubes and patch kit and either a good pump or 12v compressor.
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Tubeless repair kits??? :-/
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Not everybody is blessed with a mono-shocker, Ed! ;) But, I carry one of those plug-gun kits from Cabellas and a 12v compressor in my '95 RT and feel quite safe. Only had to use it once, though...
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Neat.
I was only half joking. I'll check at Cabellas for the kit. Where did you find a small enough 12V pump?
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I got a very compact one at Harbor Freight and then added a cigarette lighter socket to alligator clip adapter. Works pretty slick...
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We carry these at Capitol...
(https://bmwr65.org/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cabelas.com%2Fcabelas%2Fen%2Fcontent%2FItem%2F52%2F19%2F44%2Fi521944sq01.jpg&hash=182397b81479babc3f2c4768c6ddb0e1591d02fb)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000ET9SB4?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=nextag-auto-20&linkCode=asn
I think NC Steve got a real good deal on his at one of the local auto parts stores.
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That's a little fancier than mine, but Slime? ;D
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Hey, one year I had FIVE flats - so I started putting slime in my tires. The mechanics loved me ... ;D
Now I have a mud flap on the front fender and I don't use slime anymore.
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Yeah, it's fun to clean out of the tire and rim! My neighbor uses it in his ATVs and it seems to work pretty well in that application.
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I saw the "Slime" pump and their tire additive (which I thought they meant for you to use when you had a flat) at the Cabelas website.
Do you always haul the pump with you? i was thinking that the CO2 cartridges might suffice, and take up less space.
I remember the Honda shop in Laredo pumping my Honda tires full of some kind of "flat preventor" when I had my 450 serviced before entering Mexico many years ago. Never had a flat after that...
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Mexico on a 450 Honda - that sounds like adventure! :D
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The ol' 450 was a real workhorse! I put a little over 20k miles on my '73 and made several cross-country trips of over 1000 miles each way. I kinda miss it and would buy another in a heartbeat if one ever crossed my path...
As far as CO2 is concerned, you can probably buy a compressor for what the several cartridges it would take to fill a tire cost! The slime is a preventative measure, not like the "spare tire in a can" crap. Ed, how much was the "Slime" pump? It appears to be considerably smaller than mine, it's a Campbell Hausfield from HF and it's abouit 8"x6"x3"...
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I have a 20 some odd year old Sears Compressor that I have spliced an SAE dongle (electrical version of "hootus") into. I carry tire irons, Slime (6oz bottle?) and a patch kit. I have never used any of them. I did the whole 50cc and didn't check the tires until I got to Montana a week later. I picked up a screw once but it didn't make it to the tube. Love those Michelin Macadams. BTW the Avon 4.00V18 rear is starting to crack!!!! Does anybody know how to read Avon Date codes? I think I have only been using this tire for about 8 months. Meanwhile the Michelin Macadam on the front has been there since September 2006 and looks just fine!
Spares? Spare tranny? Where would you put it?
What was puncturing your tires Justin??? Are there Gremilins that throw nails about the roads in Canada and Alaska? :-/
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Spares? Spare tranny? Where would you put it?
Might want to consider what major spares you could have lined up in advance "just in case".
Talking transmissions and final drives, really. Overnight shipping...
;)
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Am seriouly thinking about Starting the ride in Deadhorse AL. Drive up there and then sit until the weather road conditions are right rather than starting in Key West and fiinishing the toughest part of the ride when tired out. When I get done with this ride I think I will sit on a beach for a day or two (perhaps with the wife!!). Now I am really liking this idea 8-)
My ride partner is not so hot on the idea but then he is not married.
TTFN,
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Sounds good!
And Alaska is AK.
But I'll bet you know all of the airport shorthand! ;)
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Here's the link to Cabela's:
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/common/search/search-results1.jsp?QueryText=slime&N=4887&Ntk=Products&Ntx=mode+matchall&Nty=1&Ntt=slime&noImage=0
$35 for the small pump. Cheaper at Amazon, unless shipping is free. Probably worth it.
$5 for the sealant.
Gumby has all sorts of room on his scooter. Could easily carry a spare transmission. ;D
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We carry these at Capitol...
(***Picture of Slime 12V pump goes Here...***) ;)
I think NC Steve got a real good deal on his at one of the local auto parts stores.
Yeah, I found mine at Advance Auto with a $20 rebate, so it only ended up costing $9.99 + tax.
It works great, and can hook to my Battery Tender leads for a direct feed off the battery, so no further power source is needed.
It's only about the size of a paperback book in its' case too...
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Bill, don't remember what caused all of the flats as that was almost 30 years ago. I just remember breaking tires down on the side of the road in the mud and rain. That part was "memorable" enough to make a lasting impression... ::) I was basically riding with the wheels in a deep slippery rut and using my feet as "outriggers". I started out with a new pair of boots and had to have new heels and half-soles when I got there... I would imagine that things are a whole lot better now as the worse spots were where they had it torn up "improving" things.
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Sounds good!
And Alaska is AK.
But I'll bet you know all of the airport shorthand! ;)
Yeah but not for Alaska. I thought AK was Arkansas?
TTFN,
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Alaska...Arkansas... why do you think I checked before I made my post? I can never remember.
http://www.usps.com/ncsc/lookups/usps_abbreviations.html
;)
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Sounds good!
And Alaska is AK.
But I'll bet you know all of the airport shorthand! ;)
I know nobody cares, but the three letter designator code for the Deadhorse, AK. airport is : SCC.
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I know nobody cares, but the three letter designator code for the Deadhorse, AK. airport is : SCC.
Cool!
I think a bunch of us should fly up there just before Semper Gumby arrives, so we can all be sitting around in lawn chairs and
Hawaiian shirts drinking Mai Tai's when he arrives! ;D
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Actually it would make more sense to be in Key West when (if?) I arrive and then spend a couple of days drinking Mytais and hanging out in lawn chairs. Chances are it might be rather cool in Deadhorse!
I think the ICAO ident is PASC.
http://adds.aviationweather.gov/tafs/index.php
If that link doesn't work then here is the weather this afternoon in Deadhorse AL
PASC 211753Z 05007KT 8SM BKN007 OVC012 08/06 A2946 RMK AO2 CIG 006V010 T00830061
The above which reads: Deadhorse 21st day of the month at 1753 zulu time, winds 050 magnetic at 7 knots, 8 miles visibility with a broken ceiling of clouds at 700 feet AGL followed by an overcast layer at 1200 feet AGL, temperature 8'C with a dewpoint of 6'C (its moist) and an Altimeter of 29.46 inches of mercury. Remarks: Ceiling variable (ragged) between 600 feet and 1000 feet AGL and the temperature for those that really care at the time of observation was really 8.3'C and the dewpoint was really 6.1'C.
PASC 211737Z 211818 02006KT 4SM -RA BR OVC005
TEMPO 1820 1SM -RA
FM2100 35009KT 5SM -RA BR BKN007 OVC040
FM0700 32007KT P6SM OVC007
Terminal forecast for Deadhorse issued at 21st day of the month at 1737Z for the time period 1800Z 21st day of the month to 1800Z on the 22nd day of the month - Winds 020 degrees at 6 knots with 4 miles visibility in light rain and mist with overcast clouds at 500 feet AGL. Temporary condition between 1800Z and 2000Z of 1 mile visiblity in light rain (with the same clouds as before). At 2100z winds 350 degrees at 9 knots 5 miles visibility with again Light Rain and mist, broken layer of clouds at 700 feet and overcast at 4000 feet. At 0700Z untill 1800Z 22nd day of the month, winds 320 degrees at 7 knots with visibility greater than 6 miles with overcast clouds at 700 feet AGL.
In otherwords, kinda bleary but improving tomorrow - sort of. Not exactly lawn chair weather :o
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Oh I forgot. Nathan and Dean have my 32/9 rear end. There was only about 10% of the splines left. I have from them a loaner 32/9 rear (with much nicer looking splines than mine) and a used 18" front snowflake so I can try an isolate the front end vibration I'm having at 75 MPH.
Gotta love Boxerworks! :D
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And Boxerworks has been known to sponsor Iron Butt riders!
http://www.boxerworks.com/phorum/read.php?f=1&i=180918&t=180918
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