2 up to Alaska on a wee, who has done it?

[Mambo Dave]

Subscribed - I want to read up on the accounts of Wee riders who threw their bikes away on gravel roads.

Hey, there very well be merit to it if he's read of a lot of suck accounts. Certainly the Wee is a quasi-adventure bike, no doubt there... but are they really that much worse on gravel roads for any design reason?

[eemsreno]

I'm not trying to start anything here, I have a Wee that I ride to work everyday. Might be the best commuter bike ever, Just last year when we were on the Alaska trip I know of 4 V Strom riders crashed bad enough that 3 had to be flowen out and one was dead on the Dempster. Think what you want. I have a 990R KTM [son's] and a Tenere and the Wee that I can ride any time and there is so much differance that the Wee should not even be mentioned in the same paragraph. Do what you want to.

[sect8dr]

Originally Posted by eemsreno

I'm not trying to start anything here, I have a Wee that I ride to work everyday. Might be the best commuter bike ever, Just last year when we were on the Alaska trip I know of 4 V Strom riders crashed bad enough that 3 had to be flowen out and one was dead on the Dempster. Think what you want. I have a 990R KTM [son's] and a Tenere and the Wee that I can ride any time and there is so much differance that the Wee should not even be mentioned in the same paragraph. Do what you want to.

sounds to me like operator error. Unless you witnessed these crashes, you have no evidence that it was the fault of the bike.

[swimmer]

Originally Posted by sect8dr

sounds to me like operator error. Unless you witnessed these crashes, you have no evidence that it was the fault of the bike.

And don't forget about the countless individuals who have ridden their cruisers, goldwings, sportbikes, etc.... to Alaska without crashing.

[Pecha72]

Remember that the world's most travelled motorcycle is not a GS1200, SuperTenere, 990 Adventure.. or a V-strom for that matter. It is one Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic, that's been to over 190 countries, mostly two-up.

Someone ought to tell those guys that you cannot do trips like this on a bike like that

[Mambo Dave]

Originally Posted by Pecha72

Remember that the world's most travelled motorcycle is not a GS1200, SuperTenere, 990 Adventure.. or a V-strom for that matter. It is one Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic, that's been to over 190 countries, mostly two-up.

Someone ought to tell those guys that you cannot do trips like this on a bike like that

The issue was gravel roads, and I'm not convinced an Electra Glide (since you're using it as an argument) is a worse gravel-road bike. Really.

I'd have to really ride the two, or ask someone else to, but the Wee for its height mixed with its suspension may make it worse, or at least a more dangerous ride, for all I know.

[glasswave]

Originally Posted by eemsreno

A Wee is a fake adventure bike , Street bike, Track bike, commuter bike,
Outright dangerous on gravel.
If there ever was a study made on how many guys have been hurt or killed trying to ride V Stroms to Alaska the Canadian government would probable make them turn around at the boarder.

Originally Posted by eemsreno

I'm not trying to start anything here, I have a Wee that I ride to work everyday. Might be the best commuter bike ever, Just last year when we were on the Alaska trip I know of 4 V Strom riders crashed bad enough that 3 had to be flowen out and one was dead on the Dempster. Think what you want. I have a 990R KTM [son's] and a Tenere and the Wee that I can ride any time and there is so much differance that the Wee should not even be mentioned in the same paragraph. Do what you want to.

In your first post you state that the vStrom is a "fake adventure bike , Street bike, Track bike, commuter bike." In your next post, you say it's one of the best commuter bikes ever. Is this due to poor English skills, hyperbole, trolling or BPD?

Anybody that cannot ride a vStrom down a 2wd gravel road has some serious technique problems, this trip (Al-Can to Prudhoe Bay) has been made on Goldwings/scooters/cruisers for heavens sake! Do consider any other ADV marketed bikes to be literal death traps on 2wd gravel roads or do you simply hate your vStrom?

Also, to what do attribute this insta-deathtrap type handling? Geometry, suspension clearance, balance?

If you had hoped to make the point that the vStrom was not nearly as good on gravel as other bikes you've ridden, you might consider not spewing such outlandish bullshit!

[bisbonian]

Not exactly what you're asking for but I think it's close:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=810189

[Denalidirt]

I own a Wee, I live in Alaska, I've ridden the Wee to Cancun Mexico, I've been on the Alcan 20+ times, I own a KTM 950adv and I hate the Wee. As much as I dislike the Wee as a daily rider/commuter/pleasure bike it is a sold machine. In the hand of the right person it can keep up with and pass 990 riders. It is a great bike. It will take more effort, more time and more attention to the road than a GS rider will have to put in but at the end of the day you will sleep under the same stars as anyone else on the road.
Be careful and know yours and the bikes limit.

Denali National Park

[glasswave]

Originally Posted by Denalidirt

I own a Wee, I live in Alaska, I've ridden the Wee ....I own a KTM 950adv and I hate the Wee... In the hand of the right person it can keep up with and pass 990 riders.... It will take more effort, more time and more attention, but at the end of the day you will sleep under the same stars as anyone else on the road.
Be careful and know yours and the bikes limit.

Seems like a fair assessment. Who wouldn't start hating their wee 200km into washboard gravel road when they were thinking "I could be on my KTM ADV and going 20% (or more) faster?" OTH, if you can't afford a KTM, a strom can be a decent gravel/tarmac cruiser, given a competent rider. Some suspension UG's can help tremendously tho'.

[vtwin]

Originally Posted by Mambo Dave

Subscribed - I want to read up on the accounts of Wee riders who threw their bikes away on gravel roads.

Hey, there very well be merit to it if he's read of a lot of suck accounts. Certainly the Wee is a quasi-adventure bike, no doubt there... but are they really that much worse on gravel roads for any design reason?

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252582

Mine.

[Mambo Dave]

Originally Posted by vtwin

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252582

Mine.

I'm glad you weren't hurt too badly.

[vtwin]

Originally Posted by Mambo Dave

I'm glad you weren't hurt too badly.

Thanks Dave. I think a set of TKC's would have helped a lot.