I don't know. Sorta toying w/ the idea of building a Triumph Scrambler hack, but that would mean I'd have to sell the GS outfit. I've got a MTS, but I'd hate to fall down on that thing. Too pretty. You gonna ride one of those plain old KTM things again?
Win, lose, or draw, it's great to ride w/ the same bunch of folks every day. You don't have the kind of hassles that you have on a less organized trip. W/ set time schedules, there's no waiting for someone to comb their hair or rearrange their gear for the 20th time. After finishing a TSD section, it's time to put on some miles!
Well...I have a new 690R , but my Yamaha WR250R is in AZ already and it has a big tank. I think I'm going to ride that. Jerry and a couple of his guys gave me a little flack about that, but I know it'll keep up on the transits. I guess the DRZ's struggled back in 2004, but my little 250 is faster than a DRZ. I can cruise it high sixties all day. How could you sell that beautiful GS rig?
This looks like my kind of ride... 2014 is a long way off, :eek1 but I'm enlisting some of my riding partners for tentative entry...
I'll figure out something. If I fall off of the Ducati before then and get it all scratched up, I just might ride it. Fast enough for the transit sections to be sure. I'll wait for you.
Hi All, This looks like and absolute blast!!!! I was wondering about the border crossings. Do they check background really hard?? I have heard they (Canadian Customs) have gotten snippy since 9/11. I have a blip in the way back time. To those that have participated, will a KTM SXC 625 be able to do it??
I have never had any issue returning to the USA...I have had more trouble going into Canada. Last time I went I had to pull over, they looked through the van, asked me a series of questions, made me wait for 1/2 hour, and then sent me on my way. I had camp gear and a motorcycle in the back of the van.
The last three events had a few older KTM singles. I think one was a SXC 625 in 2006 and he made it just fine. There were one or two 640A's that didn't finish, though. My recollection is that for some reason they cruised them under 60mph on the transits, so they were slow getting to their start times. You would know better than me. If we have a 500 mile day that includes three TSD sections, you are going to have about 400 miles of transit and much of that might be pavement. Can your SXC do a 400 mile highway day? and what is your best speed to avoid a mechanical? The other thing is you'll need to run heated gear. Can your KTM power a heated jacket liner and grips? The KLR riders kept their speeds under 70. Apparently they burn oil at higher speeds. The twins rode the transits as fast as they dared. BTW, the speed limits up there are around 100km I believe. That's about 60mph. Most of the dirt is maintained roads. The roughest will likely be the North Canol to Northwest Territory Bivouac. Smaller bikes haul ass on that road. It's narrow, bumpy, has a couple water crossings and make you feel like you are on a roller coaster. Very fun use of your middle gears.
I Ned and I followed you in 2006 on the Denali. We had a hard time keeping up with your GS then! The pot holes beat us up pretty good as I recall.
No - the North Canol is about 140 miles one way and we have to come back out the next day. The rest of the miles is the Campbell Highway, which is a good road unless there is mud.
Geez Bob. You're doing a great job stirring up excitement about this thing. In 2006, loadedagain blew up his 640. There was a 950 on the trailer too, but that might have been from a rider injury. Just after this shot, loaded mooned the paparazzi.
Cheers 21 months to wait...lots of time to get a bike ready and save some pennies. A buddy is gonna enter as well, we're gonna make a 6 week trip out of it. Can't wait
Roger - The KTM 950 was ridden by Fred Baldridge. He was my riding buddy until late on the South Canol. I think Bob Lisey, Ned and Jimmy650 were parked on the outside of a blind turn. Fred was following me. I rounded the turn at a good clip and skidded to a stop past Lisey. Fred rounded the same turn and got her woah'd up just in time to plant his front wheel on top of the outside berm. Fred is a tall fellow, but not that tall! :huh His left foot whiffed air and over he went right there, and broke his collar bone. He had us tie straps on his shoulders to cinch his back straight. He got on and rode the rest of the way to Ross River, where he boarded the sweep truck. He finished the rally in the truck. Tough guy.
Oh yeah. I remember now. I didn't go up there. I had that leaky access plate gasket on my gas tank. Spent the day fixing that thing in Whitehorse & watching crankshaft & loaded polish off a big bottle of an adult beverage.
Putting together my team! I'll be moto, with two additional lady motos, and a pair of boys in a Suby WRX. Time to get some funds into the ALCAN committee!
You are going to have sooo much fun on that bike. It's perfect for the event. I'm going to check your grin after every section I know you'll excel at. The nice thing is that the Canol will not have any TSD's and the cars won't use it. That means you can flat haul ass. Your ride back out the next morning will be scintillating! It will ride differently, though... Then you'll have the TOW to smoke too. I don't know about the Haul Road, but if it is like the Dempster it will never be straight and rarely twisty. Boring at 50mph, but you'll be using 4th-6th gear high in the powerband. Not boring at all there! Last is the Denali Highway. It was rough in 2006, smooth in 2010 (3rd-5th). I hope it to be somewhere in the middle in 2014. The Blackwater is really great too, but we tend to be a little timid early on learning roadbook and all. The Kispiox run was a forest service road that deteriorated enough to be hard on the cars. I bent both rims on it from hitting washouts too fast. Your women will love it too. They'll be a monster hit on the motos, and have company too. Several women crew the cars and Ace' daughter crewed his hack! Too much fun...
I faxed in my registration last week Now to decide on the big GS or the Dakar ... or the 800GS my friend wants to sell me. Decisions decisions
I was entered in 2006 with a KTM 640A but had to withdraw due to a surprise back surgery. I helped my riding partner prep his 625SXC and met him with it at the start. His bike handled the speed and the road fine but he broke a rear hub towards the end of the event. The lesson for us was that if you ride a 625SXC be sure to use a cush hub in the rear wheel (like the 640A). I wish I hadn't have stumbled across this thread. Now my wheels are turnin' about entering for 2014.
Thanks for the update Ken!! I was leaning in that direction and have begun saving my dough for one!! I am still thinking about faxing my reg. in on this ride, sounds like a real blast!!!
