Alaska to Patagonia in a Ural??

DiverDown,

A sidecar would be a blast following the western U.S. coast. Never done it on a bike, but it was even worth it in a car.

I can't see why a nice rig like this wouldn't work:
http://toledo.craigslist.org/mcy/4025741809.html

You'd just have to have a rack for the boards made, so they lay flat over the top of the sidecar. You should also find a way to lock them on. Unfortunately our country here does have a few thieves.

Also, If are doing the trip in the winter make sure to surf "Wind and Sea" near Point Loma, just North of San Diego. It can get big..... When the winds are blowing..... Have fun on your trip.

i got to say, "I like that rig!" if i weren't working toward a dual sport rig, i think i'd be heading to Ohio.

good luck with your trip!

ked

I think you can easily find a heated debate on here as to whether a Ural is right for the trip, but no matter what you choose, nothing is going to be 100% reliable. I don't think I'd attempt a trip like that on any rig without having at least a basic understanding of motorbike mechanics, and in that regard, it doesn't get much simpler than a Ural. When something does break (and it likely will), rest assured that it'll be a relatively easy fix. There's plenty of support waiting for you along the US west coast to help you along the way. Once in S. America, you'll have most of the bugs worked out, and when something does happen you'll be in a much better position to address it. Whatever you choose, don't let percieved reliability issues deter you. Remember, no one bitches on the internet when their rig is running great, so there must be 1 or 2 on the road with no problems at all. It's all part of the journey, and you'll either deal with the problems as they arise or you won't. No one can know how you'll handle those issues but you. If you decide to embrace whatever your journey throws your way, it'll be an enjoyable and probably life-changing event that you'll tell your grandchildren about someday. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Thanks for all the info and links guys!

There's a Ural dealer not too far from where I live, so i'll hopefully be able to go and have a chat and a test drive sometime soon.

Having said that, after reading a reasonable amount of threads, i'm leaning towards hacking a KLR with one of those DMC frames that I could then bolt a large security box to (similar to the pics drone has posted). I'm only going off what i've read, but it seems it'd hopefully be a more reliable and powerful (highway cruising too) option the Ural - the couple from http://bugsonmyface.com/ started on a Ural and by the look of it consistently had major issues and so are now continuing on with BMW instead...

Either way its good to have options and to know that I should be able to pull something together within my budget.

Figure i've got about 10 months to get things organised - in the meantime i'll post a little update here and there, but if anyone has any suggestions or ideas (this thread has been a big help already) i'd be stoked to hear anything or see pics etc...

Cheers!

Matt

Here is a nice rig ready to go at a good price. $8500
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=492526&page=126

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HmcGOXwthC4n3WmVCGI769MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1wFa3h7gJEE/UkgQ24pF_TI/AAAAAAAALGY/8WOHLfGW6VA/s800/Kaw%2520hack1.jpeg" height="640" width="480" /></a>

Add another bent pipe at the rear of the car like the one in the front and you have your surfboard rack.

In "05" a buddy of mine did a north - south trek in an old Subaru....:eek1



Don't think he went as far as you intend to go, but he had a dry place to sleep when it rained....

Spoil Sport! Quit making sense.

Yeah i'm tipping there'll be the odd occasion where sleeping in a tent is going to be less appealing than usual - rain, hail, snow and ice... might have to sneak the odd cheeky hostel stay i'm thinking!

That's awesome the Suby made it that far!

Barnone - I think I may have seen that outfit in one of the other threads - it sure is a beast. However, i'm starting to develop some pretty specific custom ideas for setup (with boards etc).. cheers mate..

..now back to the spanish study..

Yep that's my old KLR650 Rig, had a blast in Mexico with it.

If your going to surf in Alaska, you can catch the bore tides in Turnagain Arm. Dangerous but some do it. The other place is Yakutat, but you have to fly into it, but the waves are awesome.

Keep us posted.

I do know a couple that rode to South America on their Ural. Miles is happy with it, so much so he still rides it.

http://smilesandmiles.com

I wouldn't worry about trying to find the perfect bike, there isn't one. Find one that you like, research it's good points and bad points. Then accentuate the good and nullify the bad.

Mike

Hey guys,

Well time flew by, and now here I am in Alaska, a month into my journey. I went with a wild styled hack from DMC sidecars on a KLR 650 in the end - its not fast, but she holds all the surf equipment I need...

Just wanted to say thanks to those of you who replied to this thread with great info and help. Really appreciated.

If you're interested I have started a little ride report here:

Thanks again and enjoy the riding...

...

That looks to be a really sweet rig for what you are doing!

I like the looks of that!
It might not be fast, but it'll keep up with traffic, most of the time. Good enough fuel capacity, locking storage, suspension to take dirt roads. I like it a lot!

Terrible, disgusting.....deplorable! What a ridiculous trip!





Seriously? I'd trade places with you in a heart beat. All the best on you adventure / journey!

Cool Motodude, tell us more about the breaks and the boards. More pics also!

Saline immersion therapy is a good thing.


Don in Nipomo

Damn!