Sibirsky Extreme 2012 - The Toughest Ride of Them All

[levain]

Originally Posted by GB

Sibirsky Sticky this thread time!

YeeeeeeeeeeeeeeHawwwwwwwwwwwwww

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by vander

I see Terry's bike is using Mitas E09 tires.

How did they worked? Mileage compared to yours?

I use the Mitas myself and they do the job, but I'm not sure those would be the ones I'd choose for a muddy trip like this could be expected to be.

Yes Terry used the E09 Dakars - with the yellow stripe. They seemed to have incredible mileage. There was not too much mud, so I think he made a very good choice.

I was using Michelin Deserts and designed the route around the mileage I get from those. I had scheduled tyre changes at the start of the off-road at the Poland - Ukraine border, then another at Astana in Kazakhstan and a final one in Irkutsk in Siberia. Each of the three tyre legs was approx 6000 km. I think Terry could have done with one less tyre change, using two sets for 9000 km each ... thats how durable they were.

He got a little less grip than me on the Deserts, but not enough less to make a noteable difference in the speeds we were riding. For the little money they cost, they are an impressive tyre for this kind of work.

[Colebatch]

There was one other guy who planned to ride with us from the start, all the way, a good friend of mine who goes by the nick "ClearandLock". Sadly, ClearandLock had to pull out as he needed to go into training all summer long for the 2013 Dakar.

But he had his bike all prepared - here next to mine:



And been on a shakedown ride to Morocco at the beginning of the year in preparation:





Now his beautifully prepped X-Challenge layed idle all summer, while his Dakar bike, a 450 RR, got all the riding.

Mate, I hope you dont bomb out early in the Dakar, cause you sure sacrificed a fantastic ride for it. Bon Chance !

[Riteris]

Originally Posted by Balkan Boy

Why are you torturing us with tea spoon servings?
Is this going to be 1001 night affair?

I hope so!

With winter coming, less riding, more desiring.

[Jooka]

[tee bee]

Hi Vanda, yes the e09,s are a great tyre, i would use them again, although they are not the best in mud .

There was probably only one day they really bombed out and with my low front fender, caused a very "eventful"
days riding.

[Tracks1]

Originally Posted by tee bee

There was probably only one day they really bombed out and with my low front fender, caused a very "eventful"
days riding.

I've been considering a low fender for improved cooling as I ride Nevada, Cali, Arizona most of the warm/hot months.

How do you rate it?

Would you do it again?

Thanks

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by Tracks1

I've been considering a low fender for improved cooling as I ride Nevada, Cali, Arizona most of the warm/hot months.

How do you rate it?

Would you do it again?

Thanks

I have switched to a low fender a couple of years and 60,000 adv km ago ... and wouldnt go back. I am fully converted to low fenders. I have specifically used a very good adventure bike low fender, the KTM 990 unit, which has loads of clearance both above the tyre and more importantly, to the side of the tyre. The main drawback to this fender is you need 190mm (KTM / Husaberg) spacing between the forks to fit it properly, and it should be longer at the back.

Terry used the stock X-Country fender and raised it a bit to fit his larger 21 inch wheel, but the problem is still that the fender is too narrow, so jammed up at the side in the one session of super sticky clay we encountered on the ride. Nothing a few minutes with a stick or tyre lever couldnt fix tho.

My advice is choose a fender to fit the forks, then add some spacers to give it a little more vertical clearance. KTM tends to space their forks 190mm apart. The Japanese often use 200 mm, and BMW typically uses 210mm. In the pictures of ClearandLock's bike higher up this page, he has 200mm fork spacing but still fitted the KTM 990 low fender successfully.

[Dorsland]

Subscribed!

[Calgary-Yogi]

Can see my employer paying me for lots of reading instead of working over the next few weeks

[enumclaw]

Another Colebatch gem, sure to not disappoint! 5 stars from the start!

[Tracks1]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

I have switched to a low fender a couple of years and 60,000 adv km ago ... and wouldnt go back. I am fully converted to low fenders. I have specifically used a very good adventure bike low fender, the KTM 990 unit, which has loads of clearance both above the tyre and more importantly, to the side of the tyre. The main drawback to this fender is you need 190mm (KTM / Husaberg) spacing between the forks to fit it properly, and it should be longer at the back.

Terry used the stock X-Country fender and raised it a bit to fit his larger 21 inch wheel, but the problem is still that the fender is too narrow, so jammed up at the side in the one session of super sticky clay we encountered on the ride. Nothing a few minutes with a stick or tyre lever couldnt fix tho.

My advice is choose a fender to fit the forks, then add some spacers to give it a little more vertical clearance. KTM tends to space their forks 190mm apart. The Japanese often use 200 mm, and BMW typically uses 210mm. In the pictures of ClearandLock's bike higher up this page, he has 200mm fork spacing but still fitted the KTM 990 low fender successfully.

Great information...Thanks for being so willing to share!

I've read all your RR and really do appreciate the artistry of your writing and how you've re-engineered the Xch.

[mait]

And again I find myself checking this thread here every hour to find an update!
Keep it coming!

Very interesting to see how that old-school oil-cooled DR kept up with modern bikes.

Terry, did you run Mitas E-09 130/80-18 or did you find one of 140/80-18 size? Our local dealer said 140/80-18 is not available although it is listed on manufacturer's website.

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by mait

And again I find myself checking this thread here every hour to find an update!
Keep it coming!

Very interesting to see how that old-school oil-cooled DR kept up with modern bikes.

Terry, did you run Mitas E-09 130/80-18 or did you find one of 140/80-18 size? Our local dealer said 140/80-18 is not available although it is listed on manufacturer's website.

I will help, since Terry isnt online at the moment ... He used 140/80-17s (Terry was still running 17 inch wheels at t he back)... and he used the Dakar model (about 2 quid a tyre more). The Dakar model has stiffer sidewalls and an extra belt inside (4 ply instead of 3 ply for the rears). That extra strength reduces traction a tiny bit in very technical terrain, but increases durability, strength and increases puncture resistance. For this kind of long distance trip (where the terrain was mostly open) the E09 Dakar model makes sense. For local enduro riding, the regular E09s would make more sense. Terry couldnt get all Dakar models (out of stock), so he did have to use the regular E09s for the second half of the trip.

As for the DR ... wait and you shall see :)

[Mr Pif]

at last Colebatch,after all this time of absence i thought you retired from adventure riding!
another Siberia ride report is for sure ''good for the eyes'' as a friend of mine claims all the time.
but just a couple of questions if you don't mint.
is your jet styled helmet suitable for such rides? i remember you also used this helmet in Marocco.do you feel safe enough?
how many km of range you have with your tanks? basically what is your average speed in all types of road you ride(ok i know you can't go flat out on mud!) ?
by the way subscribed and looking forward for updates!!!!!!!!!!!!