Russia,Mongolia,Ukraine.....Netherlands on a KLR

[Doogle]

I am planning to ride my '06 KLR650 from Cincinnati to Vancouver,Canada the last week of May. From there I want to fly the bike to Seoul,Korea. From there I will need to get insurance,license,and hopefully nothing else to ride in their country.I will ride it to a port on the Sea of Japan and put it on a ferry to Zarubino,Russia.I want to use this ferry instead of Vladivostok.The huge amount of traffic going to Vladivostok means you may wait 4 days after arriving,just for your turn in customs. The ferry going to Zarubino just started service March 17.So there is a possibility something could go amiss.

I know of several others going about the same time.Hope to meet up with any of them if possible. I was going to post my blog on Horizons Unlimited (never done that before) because they seem to be more oriented to Asian travel.But after looking at how to set it up,I threw in the towel. Way too complicated for my simple mind.

With 2 weeks to go,I am not looking too good.I have the rear shock apart waiting for parts.Last night I started replacing the fork seals and oil.With 32,000 miles on the bike,I thought I better replace the worn bushing also.All my parts should be here by Thursday.Below is what the bike looks like now.





I am not ready for this trip in any way. Schedule,route,things to see,language skills,or packing. I just bought a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 to replace my netbook.It looks like a year learning curve.So I won't be able to use it to full potential.It does have a translation app. Of course I know nothing about apps. I read that I could buy a hotspot and a sim card (whatever they are) when I get there,and use the tablet as an international phone.

[Throttlemeister]

Oh hell yeah Doogle

I'm so in for this one

[0theories]

Hey, I'm thinking of doing something kinda similar to this on my KLR in about a year. Korea, Russia and so on (maybe Thailand on the way there). Looking forward to a detailed report on how you pull this off... Good luck on getting ready! Sounds like an amazing trip that I'll be following

[Slowphil]

Your going to have more than one person who wants to do this trip watching you. Motorcycle travel is a bug that keeps biting you. Good luck with the bike and have an excellent trip.

Cheers Slowphil

[CharlestonADV]

I'm in.

[nightflyer]

Hey Doug,

good to see you are at it again!
Let me know if you plan to stop by Almaty, would be cool to catch up a bit... can't believe how long it has been since we last met!

[Doogle]

Originally Posted by Throttlemeister

Oh hell yeah Doogle

I'm so in for this one

You're in for this one? Does that mean you want to go with me? You could postpone your return to S.A. for a while.

[Doogle]

Originally Posted by nightflyer

Hey Doug,

good to see you are at it again!
Let me know if you plan to stop by Almaty, would be cool to catch up a bit... can't believe how long it has been since we last met!

I wanted to go to Kaz but ran out of time.Had to send my PP away to have $82 worth of pages added. Then the Russian visa time.I probably could have gotten it in time.But decided not to take the chance.Besides,I couldn't name anything there that I wanted to see.

I didn't know you were there.If you would show up at the ALARR once in a while,I would know these things.

[bwokentoof]

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[peter13]

Good luck mate. I ride a KLR and will be very interested in how you set it up and how it performs.

[Doogle]

My shock is back together with a new heavier spring.My forks are back on the bike with new seals and bushings.I replaced fuel lines and cooling system hoses.One old hose leaked antifreeze as I grabbed it near the water pump.I raised my front fender.I lowered it before my last trip after reading it would be more stable at higher speeds.

LEI is the freight forwarder that will fly my bike to Korea.Pacific Motorsports motorcycle shop will probably crate my bike for the flight.I will post costs later.

[blackcaps]

Originally Posted by Doogle

.. Then the Russian visa time.I probably could have gotten it in time.But decided not to take the chance.Besides,I couldn't name anything there that I wanted to see.

Don't understand what you are saying here. Without visa you cannot go to Russia. So what?

And please give a clue as why the Netherlands is end point.

[AlpineGuerrilla]

Originally Posted by blackcaps

Don't understand what you are saying here. Without visa you cannot go to Russia. So what?

I think he was referring to Kazakhstan, not Russia. Read the full text again in context:

Originally Posted by Doogle

I wanted to go to Kaz but ran out of time.Had to send my PP away to have $82 worth of pages added. Then the Russian visa time.I probably could have gotten it in time.But decided not to take the chance.Besides,I couldn't name anything there that I wanted to see.

[KiLO]

If you haven't yet, do yourself a favor and watch "Long Way Round". Amazing documentary series the BBC aired of Ewan McGregor and his buddy and fellow actor Charley as they travel east across Europe and the US. 20,000 mile trip through the countries you're planning.

In 2004 Ewan and Charley embarked on an epic Long Way Round challenge, to bike 20,000-miles, cross 12 countries and 19 time zones in just 115 days. Riding their BMW GS R1200s, they crossed Europe, Ukraine, Russia, Kazakhstan and Mongolia to ride the Road of Bones through Siberia, over to Alaska, through Canada, North America and finished in New York. The Long Way Round journey would challenge their view of the world and also test their physical endurance.

You can find it pretty easily on Amazon, or their website here.

[SeanF]

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