RTW with Noah on a KTM 690

Hi there Noah!

Looks like you had yourself a good winter. I'm about to undertake a few of the same maintenance items you mention yourself. I have electricity though.

Can't wait for your travels to resume so I can follow along.

Cheers from Washington.

GET ON WITH IT!

On the road again...

Yes!

Well, parts came today and bike is running like a champ. sounds like a brand new beast.

I lied about the last day snowboarding. It was dumping snow when we left Gudauri this morning... so now that the bike is ready and in a safe garage, we are going back to snowboard for a few more days

Cheers!

You didn't lie, you were misinformed by the weather.

HELLO Where are the pics of all the shiny new KTM parts, the old worn out ones, the greasy bloody fingers?
I think Noah is stringing us along and has been out playing in the snow all the time and not even sending us any pics of the snow bunnies.
Busted

Yeah Noah, send us some snow bunny pics.

are you sure you remember how to ride, its been a while ...take it easy out there

looking forward to you continuing your journey!

March brought some warm weather and not as much snow as we would hope. Since the road trip to Mestia, powder was not lasting past midday. Spring skiing in heavy wet snow was here. In the start of April my friend and I volunteered to shovel and shape jumps for a snowboard camp that lasted from April 10 to April 17. Some of the kids from Moscow could really ride park. I can hold my own but I don't do cork 900s. I landed some things I haven't done since I was in college so that felt good. Its been so long since I rode away from a backside rodeo 540. After the camp closed they left the jumps up. I think they were too lazy to take them down. Gudauri turned into a ghost town in April. It is summer in Tbilisi 120 km away and here it is still snowing. Since no one is riding, the wet spring snow doesn't get tracked and it is quite fun to ride when it is fast.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/noe0gAg96gInPqkzhS8rCr-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-C1Yn3hBEylI/UXfHZEKvqmI/AAAAAAAAbRI/17EBvSlF1G4/s800/DSC06854.JPG" height="328" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/kCu95B2YhIP_pSmTrQIQYL-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-qh1Ft0j4oz8/UXfHkUQ2ztI/AAAAAAAAbR8/BB_LAU2mLGQ/s800/DSC07073.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>


<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/O-2XnAeAFbSsY_YPpKFeuL-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iLEcfm5bI7E/UXfHm1eBJ2I/AAAAAAAAbSM/CfQkzXk0yHk/s800/DSC07246.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>
My friend Brent from North Dakota spinning a nice frontside 360

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nT5kRuWyeqNOGgIEvYkriL-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8uP2a7jfwfI/UXfHoPPRZMI/AAAAAAAAbSU/jOS084lGHJs/s800/DSC07279.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/XGS53zvkUoGzu95c0kXL3L-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PJDOjATq-6Q/UXfHuvTGczI/AAAAAAAAbTA/pqxMsjaxnSA/s800/DSC07482.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>
Notice the sign. haha. like i'm gunna listen to that.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/5SgB2GcVEyio3KR6FyNH-7-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tz98AuurTaI/UXfHvvEv4yI/AAAAAAAAbTE/NXbeZf4kFI8/s800/DSC07494.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jUUhITBlUvo3-s1kXgL0Fr-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gz94EmYACjY/UXfHw4x_3pI/AAAAAAAAbTM/GgDRw5r-O0o/s800/DSC07500.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jI3QVbOSEOm5I3Dhw3WaGr-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-SSvVlPMFqCs/UXfH0Zlhp3I/AAAAAAAAbTc/--PVQIPwvBw/s800/DSC07529.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>
This girl can shred.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/01l97bKh4MZxcTTwaOl3Gb-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DESTGUlbH6M/UXfH4e5H3CI/AAAAAAAAbT4/Lm6al4Ty3Ns/s800/DSC07563.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>
Backcountry fun.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/6Jz2RqUTJJbankTJ0BpQxb-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-YV4_jMnDUp8/UXfH_sskkWI/AAAAAAAAbUc/gMQaqnN4nOc/s800/DSC07597.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mc4R0-dyCynBTmF5t5m-lb-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jIdlu6p4iJw/UXfIBvIKLBI/AAAAAAAAbUk/vxvVRZa-dWk/s800/DSC07657.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>
Riding out of snow.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/jvJs6ZOgSQJS98FDtidUnL-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Ikzv0uY2lks/UXfIDZErteI/AAAAAAAAbUs/OpA8wmWsKBw/s800/DSC07665.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>
Time to hitch hike.

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/cD_eL7T_1B5G2GJ9W6H8gL-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rnWR0SivCs8/UXfIFM-BEPI/AAAAAAAAbU0/dH0pBGKtd0E/s800/DSC07668.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vs0pW5tWqIhIBiCOZN391b-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_RBHRw74HkI/UXfII5WlCII/AAAAAAAAbVE/Ef8BzOtcaME/s800/DSC07670.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0PwTeBjVQuVv6WwGk7Az4r-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-eMT7qhjfUDo/UXfIKzpeZ7I/AAAAAAAAbVM/RRX72K-YSWA/s800/DSC07680.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LBrlfGSyi-BEukHELcXv-b-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-iVb3Mw1pHI8/UXfIMt9kraI/AAAAAAAAbVU/J_rG1GHZXaM/s800/DSC07681.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/DskOfGAOWQWsK3hkX7MVA7-T3xG9uBGxOIJ60MrjKqc?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BM4oHX31dsk/UXwG9Xd1VYI/AAAAAAAAbWE/lSgVDxnqYW0/s800/DSC06343.JPG" height="532" width="800" /></a>


Every good day needs to end with a good meal.




So. this is a hole in a hood of a car from an ax. My friend was dating an Ukrainian girl and she cheated on him with this french guy. He saw this car when we were drinking one night and put a hole in the hood before we could get the ax from him. Woops.



In the start of April I ordered parts for the moto. They arrived about a week ago. On the first day within 2 hours we discovered that the camshaft can't be pulled while the motor is in the frame. 1 hour later we had to come up with a way to pull cam bearings. The large cam bearing we were able to tap out with a punch and hammer. The small one we had to get creative. Unfortunately I don't have any picture of the creative tools we tried to use to get the small bearing out. We tried using a concrete anchor that expands when you tighten to hold the bearing and pull it out. Unfortunately it slid out and didn't pull the bearing. Finally we through the bearing so we just had to pull the rase out. A washer that fit perfectly into the bearing race was filled on one side so it could be turned sideways and slid into the bearing. Then we threaded some rod in and turned a nut to pull the bearing race out. The new bearings went in way easier. We rebuilt the rear suspension while the motor was out so it was easier to lift the bike. The hardest part of putting the bike back together was installing the rod through the swingarm and motor. Now the bike is back together and it sounds amazing. Like a brand new motor. No more ticking from the cam and the starter motor doesn't make me cringe every time I start the bike. I will take her for a day trip of a couple hundred km on Monday then change the oil again. The motor should be cleaned out by then if any dust got into it. Tuesday I will head toward the border of Azerbaijan and the adventure continues.


Niko. He was a great help. If anyone needs a good contact in Georgia, you should give this guy a call or email. nickamoto@gmail.com




Necked bike.


Cam bearings removed. Finally. My cam bearings, Cam chain were good. But I figure since I was replacing the cam.. do it all.






Shiny new starter

Thats about all for now. Tomorrow will be my last day snowboarding this winter... the lifts close. Last night the moon was so amazing and it was great to get some night pictures.













Thats all for now. Thanks for following along and giving me shit for snowboarding to much and not riding moto. The next 5 months should be pretty epic.

This is a great report man, love the snow action mixed in with the RR. Your pics are cool, can I dig up the exif info on them somehow? I'm a bit of a settings geek :)

I think when your eventually done with your trip on that ktm, it needs to go to ktm as a museum piece

Noah

Not sure if this was asked/answered

But how did U pick Gudauri, Georgia as the place to board this winter?

All the best going forward

Good man Noah. Great to hear both yourself and the bike are ready to continue on your journey.

Best of luck.

Google? I had heard there were mountains in Georgia and great snow. A few years back I saw a film about some skiers from Bozeman MT who went to Georgia and did some heli skiing out of ex-Russian Helicopters. That got my curiosity going. I also met a girl a few years back who was teaching english in Georgia and she said it was amazing. All in all it was a good winter.

Thanks man. I'm looking forward to getting away into the middle of nowhere again.

PM sent.

I don't think I can ever get rid of her if/when she makes it back home.

Cheers man

I received the new Siskiyou panniers and dry bags from GiantLoop today. They are too clean and I can't wait to get them dirty!





Also, After 4 months in Georgia, I finally had my special lady friend sign the moto.




Tomorrow is my last day here. Then I'm on the road again!

Looking forward to reading about these next few months, looks like you got the 690 sorted well for the next go round

Those paniers look pretty sweet! Are they mounted to the RR luggage carriers? Do they/ will they make refuelling stops any easier than the Great Basin?

Thanks, and can't wait for more of your ride report!

Those look sweet!! Good luck.

JG