Committed to a 4th Bike

[Ray916MN]

Just committed to purchase a 4th bike. Picking it up next Sunday.

Gonna need to buy dirt gear.....

[Elk]

Details!

And pics!

(Congratulations!)

[nOOky]

Broken bones take longer to heal as you age... 

[Ray916MN]

Yamaha WR426F.

47hp in an under 300lb wet bike.

Been reading Charlie Coons trip reports here on on advrider.com for inspiration. Got a boat load to learn.

Charlie's group goes to Copper Canyon in Jan/Feb . No way I could do a trip of this magnitude so soon.

MSTA has a ride in Moab in April. Wonder if I can learn enough before then to do it. Thinking eventually Alcan highway and Hyder too.

A newb at 50. That's one way to keep feeling young. Hitting the ground will not be the way...

[mikey]

So is this a dual sport or more od an enduro off road bike?  Anyways congrats on your new toy.

[Elk]

Cool! 

You are going to have a blast!

[vince]

I glad to see that you are findly going off road. Should be a nice bike for you. But for me when you go off road with anything there is only one type of motor. TWO STROKE BABY. You seen my bike a KTM 200 EXC. 198 pounds wet and 50hp. Every time I let some one ride it that has a 4 stroke they buy a 2 stoke right after. Have a nice dirty ride. I myself will never be with out a dirt bike.

[Ray916MN]

So is this a dual sport or more od an enduro off road bike?  Anyways congrats on your new toy.

It is an enduro meets dual purpose bike. An enduro model, it has an oversized gas tank, and street tags to make it usable as a dual purpose bike.

I glad to see that you are findly going off road. Should be a nice bike for you. But for me when you go off road with anything there is only one type of motor. TWO STROKE BABY. You seen my bike a KTM 200 EXC. 198 pounds wet and 50hp. Every time I let some one ride it that has a 4 stroke they buy a 2 stoke right after. Have a nice dirty ride. I myself will never be with out a dirt bike.

Two stroke would be great, except, they can't be street licensed anymore, and many of the places I'm hoping to ride are difficult enough to get gas in, forgetting about 2 stroke oil...

Actually I was thinking hard about getting an air cooled bike, as many of the places I'm hoping to ride are places you don't want to break down in, so ditching water cooling is recommended. Couldn't get myself to have even less power. Hope this isn't a decision I end up regretting on some remote trail in Mexico with a smashed radiator or leaking water pump...

[flyinlow]

When riding in those remote locations, you'll want to take things like JBweld, radiator hose repair tape, liquid tape, tire plugs and patches, spoons for changing tires, basic tools to repair your bike, hose clamps, short lengths of steel rod, small mallet or ball peen hammer, first aid kit.

Other things to think about: satellite phone, emergency GPS spot tracking device,

I'm sure there are other things I'm not thinking of, but if others chime in, I'm sure we could figure out everything you would need to take with into some remote location so that you can get back out.

Helps to watch Long Way Round, to see what kinds of things can happen on an offroad bike trip.

[Elk]

Everything made sense except for "short lengths of steel rod."

What do you do with the rods?  Defend yourself against small animals with sharp teeth?

[flyinlow]

You can use the rods along with the hose clamps to brace things that get broken or cracked, kind of like a splint

[Elk]

Got it.  Clever.

[vince]

I have ridden out West and never carried any of that stuff. I did have a tool belt to do some repair like a flat or something. Only on one ride that was 150 miles between anything I did pack gas. I found that all that stuff just drags you down.

[flyinlow]

Yeah, but he's talking about riding in Mexico (I'm assuming Copper Canyon) and you are in no man's land there

[Ray916MN]

Already got a tool kit and spares list going. No big deal figuring out what you need to bring.

Frankly I thought the Long Way Round guys did it all wrong. Chose way too complicated and too much bike. Brought entirely too much crap and had to struggle with hundreds of pounds more than necessary. The proof was the failure of their cameraman's bike ABS processor and being forced to abandon it because of the problem. The success he had with the locally sourced Jawa, over 100lbs lighter, easier to repair and much easier to ride. Simple, light, easy to fix technology. Exactly why the guys I know who do this type of riding regularly all seem to say air cooled is the way to go.

Putting together a tool kit, bears the same kind of thought in my opinion. Light, simple, basic stuff. More focus on things like a spare master link, levers and cables and tools like mini-vise grips.