Climbing Trips Via Motorcycle

mobley wrote: I'd worry more about the Buell than the Jap bikes myself. There is a reason they are so cheap.

Thats all I keep hearing but I have had Zero problems with it in the 3000 miles i've put on it, although I'm a maniac about keeping it maintained. I rode to Yellowstone with some guys this past summer and they kept saying the same things like i would end up riding bitch home and when it died we could sell it for scrap and i could get my money back. I was the only one that didn't have issues. Now one of them is trying to sell his Shadow to Buy a Buell. No respect haha. I have heard they have problems but I think its like anything else there's Lemons and theres Stallions.

Good point about the plugs we'll have to take some extra NKG's

KLR's are so under rated. They used to be ugly, but are perfect for world touring. I have done some relatively extensive traveling with a loaded down KLR, including climbing gear at times, and it is the shit. Way better than those BMW wannabees. Yeah, that's right, I said it. You posers.

Now as a plug, if anyone needs aluminum panniers, and just about any other accessory that goes on a KLR, contact me. I am keeping the bike, but am selling most of my touring/off road add ons.

For those interested in a real deal tourer, check out Dr. Gregory Frazier... Ewan McGreggor ain't shit.

Once on a trip up to RMNP from Salida, my truck broke down. I was supposed to meet a friend up there, that day. After getting it towed, and hitch hiking back into town. I loaded up my KLR with Backpacking and Climbing gear in a huge duffle bag. Had to use extra straps to keep the duffle bag above or behind the turning and tail lights. I was sitting on the gas tank the whole way, and got a lot of weird looks on I-70 and a few more while I was going over the top of RMNP pass while it was snowing.
I have since sold that KLR and a certain spot in my back hurts everytime I think about it.

You will have a blast, after hitting Price head south and ride through Castle Dale.

portercassidy wrote:. You will have a blast, after hitting Price head south and ride through Castle Dale.

wouldn't we have to come back towards moab on I-70?

From Castle Dale, if you want to check out some easy dirt road action through the San Rafael Swell, you can take buckhorn wash either back to highway 6 about 10 miles north of Green River, or out to I-70 close to highway 24 turnoff. Or continue all the way down to I-70 on paved roads. All worth it, considering all the cool views and cool roads on motorcycle you will take.

From there Head East on 70. Plenty of signs pointing the way once you hit Green River.

that sounds awesome! our goal this year is to see alot of the country without using any of the freeway system besides my friend rides 250 dual sport. I'll definitely have to look into it.

You said it Glime. Those BMW posers can spend all the money they want and still not be the bike my lowly KLR is (mine's an "ugly one").
I mean, so I have an aftermarket seat and suspension and a high-compression piston (oh yeah!). . . and I had to replace the doohickey lest the motor be damaged. I still only have half of what a Beemer has into it ($) - and, I can smoke their prissy machines!!!

cameron wrote:You said it Glime. Those BMW posers can spend all the money they want and still not be the bike my lowly KLR is (mine's an "ugly one"). I mean, so I have an aftermarket seat and suspension and a high-compression piston (oh yeah!). . . and I had to replace the doohickey lest the motor be damaged. I still only have half of what a Beemer has into it ($) - and, I can smoke their prissy machines!!!

on half the gas too. my friends dad had one of the huge BMW "couch" bikes not exactly sure of the model but that thing was a guzzler and i swear it had a six or seven gallon tank. Although i'd love to have his 49' Indian with suicide shift.

The furthest I have been with only bikes was only around 2 hour drive away with 2 other people on bikes. I have a zx6r, one of my friends had an old classic harley, and the other a honda cruiser. My friends were able to carry alot of extra gear compared to me with saddle bags but all I had was a 32L backpack which even not being huge was still a pain to ride with on (probably if I was not on a crotch rocket it wouldn't have been so bad but the pack made it so it was hard to pull my head back). We ended up only taking some sport climbing gear, hammocks, and other basic gear. You really need to go minimalist if you go and I would plan to go and carrying food can be tough if you plan on going for more than a day or 2. Plan on picking up food after you reach your camping spot and drop off some gear.

I have been on a 15 hour away trip but on that one we had a car carrying most of the gear which made it much easier.

This is a great thread! I have an 1150 GS also, and the description above is perfect. Did the OP ever make the trip back in '09? Wondering how it turned out!

I'd love to reopen this thread! I'm thinking of a solo cross country trip on a medium /small adventure bike BMW gs650 or the like. Would love any infos from experienced climber riders. Planning on hitting the creek, valley, western states, etc over about 3 -4 months next spring/ summer. I've traveled internationally and camped for extended periods of time and lived fairly minimalist. I realize a bike is certainly not a lot of space and I dont want to feel weighed down while riding for extended times and especially off road. People tell me I should just save the misery and get a van, but I've always dreamed of the bike idea. Would love to be able to enjoy the desert and the Cali roads on said motorcycle. Is it feasable to carry a rope and rack? Should I look into shipping gear ahead, skip bringing a rope entirely and rely on others? Is it easy to find camping spots along the way? Load distribution? What kind of tools are necessity for an extended trip? I could go on with questions forever  being as I have no touring exp . Bike recommendations? Tire recommendations? Routes...

Get ye a bulletproof Japanese dual sport thumper, learn how to adjust your idle for moderate changes in altitude (or carry different jets if going from one extreme to another), and DO NOT WEAR A HEAVY BACKPACK on the bike for longer than 20 minutes, in the name of Jesu Cristo, just don't. It's misery. Get some waterproof saddle bags, bolt a milk crate to the back and strap your backpack to that. You can fit an extraordinary amount of junk on a bike, just beware the added load on the rear suspension -- set it up for a little more than just your butt weight. I hauled everything but the kitchen sink through both Africa and Central America -- heck at some point I was even hauling a full grown man for a week. Carrying your stuff will be a breeze, ride safe and happy monkey butt season to you.

PS: 600/650 is a great size, I did all my touring on an XT600 and an LC4 640, although that was not on good, American roads. You might find yourself wanting more speed on the long stretches, but then again why rush? You do want some basic motorcycle skills -- changing tires, lifting a tipped bike on your own, jump/push starting, etc. Full-face helmet, rain gear in your tank bag, windshield. If going through Cali, pull over as soon as rain starts and wait 20 mins for the oil to wash off the freeway. 

Your fine if you have saddle bags and plan on only doing sport / top roping. All you need is warm enough weather so you need a rope, draws and hammock. Depending on your bike and where you can put gear a light blanket or small pillow can be nice. I highly recommend not doing it where you have to stuff the gear in a backpack. I have done a 16 hour drive on my bike and at least on a crotch rocket a backpack that carries alot of gear will kill your neck. My friend has an old harley so he was able to carry alot more gear than me.

I ride a 650GS and have used it for longer road trips, including climbing trips (also rode an Enfield around India for a month).  The F650GS is very reliable bike and comfortable to ride long distances, and I would chose it over a more dirt-oriented dual sport (like my WR250R).  Note that the F650GS has varied over the years in terms of height/center of gravity, so make sure whichever bike you get that you can pick it up by yourself when fully loaded.  If you expect to be riding a fair amount offroad I would select/configure a bike where you can be mostly flat footed on both sides when you stand over the bike.  KTMs tend to be tall, btw. If you end up with a more dirt-oriented bike (like the J bikes) you will likely need to install a larger gas tank.

The big thing about a motorcycle versus enclosed vehicle is that you're fully exposed to the elements and it can be exhausting at times especially if it's windy and you have a lighter bike.  It's generally more pleasant to avoid the main trucking routes (e.g. I-70) in case of cross winds. Right now is t-storm season in southern Utah and the Sierra (as well as the Rockies) so if you go this time of year plan accordingly.  Also, unless you're in the iron butt club it's likely going to take longer to get there by bike than by car.

Get some sort of locking hard cases.  You can strap a pack or duffel bag across the side cases behind you.  A rope and a single rack (to a #4) is reasonable with your other gear.  As others have said ensure the weight is balanced and that you experiment with riding a weighted bike. Also practice riding in sand.    Tire-wise you'll want a hybrid dirt/road tire, not so dirt oriented that it'll be annoying on the road.  I like the Heindenau dual sport tires for my BMW. I have riding gear that has both zip out rain liners and ventilation panels and wear dirt bike boots for longer trips.  At a minimum use a helmet with a face protector; full face is better for road trips IMO.  Protective gear (and luggage racks) saved my ass when I got hit on 101 in LA. Bring tools/equipment and know how to do basic repairs, including at some way to at least temporarily deal with a flat.   Advrider is a good resource for everything dual sport.

There's plenty of dispersed camping from the eastern Sierra to Utah. The Benchmark Maps are useful in route planning and figuring out where the public land is for camping.  

Last thing: if you don't have much experience riding take a motorcycle safety class.

good luck!

I ride a 2016 G650 GS, I'm not sure if reliable is the right word for it. I'm waiting for the dealer to fix the 5th warranty issue in 12K miles. 2016 was the last year that BMW offered a 650 single, they now offer a 310cc single cylinder adventure/dual sport bike. I've done a couple of moto-camping trips and a bunch of crag days where I strapped the crag pack with rope/rack to the seat behind me.

Lots of dual sport travelers suggest a locking top case and soft panniers, with a good sturdy rack for the panniers. The hard top case protects any fragile/valuable items, and the soft panniers are less likely to be damaged if/when you drop the bike when you're off pavement. Side racks make it easier to attach the panniers.

I have a 2003 F650GS, which I bought used after my 2005 was totaled in the accident. I've never had a single mechanical issue with either bike.

It's also worth asking yourself how much pure off-roading riding you're going to be doing. If you plan on doing as much backcountry riding as climbing, then a lighter bike will definitely pay dividends--easier to pick up when you fall, more flickable around tight corners, etc. As an example, if you're in the Moab area to climb the creek, are you just going to be climbing the creek? Or are you going to be doing the White Rim Road, Shafer Trail, or the off-roading trails through the Grabens and alternating between that and climbing? Put another way, is this a climbing trip through the western US that you want to do on a motorcycle, or is this an off-road motorcycle trip through the Western United States where you'll also be climbing? If it's the former, I would go with something heavy like a GS1200 or a Honda Africa Twin; those things can eat up freeway miles like Harleys and can more than handle any road a Subaru could. If the latter, go as light and simple as possible--KTM 525, KLR 650, maybe a KTM 790 on the heavy side.

TL;DR go heavy if you'll be doing more road miles than off-road miles.

Not long distance but still a classic...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXzVNFrLzk0 

So cool to get so many replies so fast. I have also been looking at the KLR and other J bikes in that range. Don't think i want bigger than 650. I'm tall for a lady and pretty strong but yeah picking it up is something I've thought about. This will be my first bike but I am planning on doing a fairly extensive course this fall  (cause Quebec) and having a shorter trial run to test out packing system before leaving in May. 

Honda Africa is top of my list but also wildly out of my budget. It's more of a down the road bike for me. Also those new Yamaha world raid bikes? Yikers.  I'll be looking at used bikes in good condition under $4000 cad. I know some people who can teach me maintenance and the like but yeah all of the travel hacks throw em at me.

The cases often come with the bikes on the used market, I'm thinking hard sides duffel over? Could change. Never considered riding with a backpack on, sounds like a way to change a three month tour into 3 days and one trip to the chiro. I've never done hammock. So was planning on small tent and visiting freinds when I'm not at a climbing destination. 

I'd like to hit the greater Utah area desert towers and such and Wyoming before heading to Cali and going north . Since I'm starting in Quebec the route  likely will look like a huge box when I'm finally home dirty and hopefully not dead.

In terms of riding to climbing ratio. Probably pack on the miles in between places and take some rest days to explore but climbing is a huge priority. I also hate hiking/long distance walking, backpacking and all that garbage. so if the motorcycle cuts down my approach thats a dream. Definately will need full (probably limited double?) trad rack for most if not all the places. I guess I'm worried about weight in that area. But it's encouraging to hear all the positivity. I'll test out my no rope idea when I go to Squam this fall via plane.

I've got a while to plan and research so this is super helpful and can't wait to hear more, and maybe I'll end up climbing/riding with some you awesomes next summer.

What kind of insurance do you guys recommend for adventure bike off-road long distance stuff? I guess I'll need out of country insurance since bike will be registered in Canada. Tires....  I think with a trip this long it will be impossible to completely avoid Interstates. But I've been known to try even in my car.