Lots
have happened since my last post; some good but mostly bad. This will probably
be one of my wordy posts so reader is warned.
Good:
Tank
Bag - I received my GL tank bag and installed per the pictures below. I really
like this tank bag for a number of reasons:
1
GL bags are excellent quality and are
constructed to last. External bag should be water resistant but they provide an
internal dry bag if you really need to ensure everything stays dry. BTW it
appears you only get the dry bag insert in basic cost if you buy direct from
GL. Be sure to ask if you buy from another source because it is an extra $30 in
some cases.
2
Mounting system is very user friendly. Mounting
straps stay on bike with access to gas tank cap while bag is easy on/off using
zipper on both sides.
3
Bag top zippers work smoothly, unlike a $70 bag I
bought from CycleGear that has a very stubborn zipper.
GPS – During my AK1 and AK2 rides I used a pretty expensive
Garmin 665LM GPS. It had lots of capability including XM radio and weather (Wx)
maps. I only discovered after crossing the Canadian border that the XM Wx maps
don’t work in Canada and where did I have most of the bad Wx, CANADA! I still
loved that GPS because it had a great mounting system and the GPS is waterproof
plus had a bright display for day viewing in the sun. I sold the 665LM with my
Yamaha Super Tenere after I completed AK2.
In addition to my Garmin GPSMAP 64st (off road and TAT
tracks), I have been using my car GPS while on roads and to find gas, food and
motels. Problem is my road GPS isn’t waterproof plus it has the typical USB
power connector that doesn’t last long on a motorcycle. In addition, it is
useless in bright sunlight. I recently had a little extra money to spend on my bike
so decided to get a real motorcycle GPS to replace my car GPS. I’m a Garmin
loyalist so after a quick search found a good price on the 660LM which is a
cheaper version of the 665LM. Primarily no XM capability but it uses the same
mounting/power system with most other capabilities the same. I installed the
660LM on the CRF yesterday and include pictures with this post.
Bad:
A week ago I got out of bed in the middle of the night to go
to the facilities and passed out. At that point I took a nosedive into some
piece of furniture and was knocked out and received a concussion. I now have a
big scar on the top of my head. My wife rushed me to the ER but I have no
memory from Friday till sometime Saturday afternoon. Even when I did start to
get my memory back I could not tell you what year it was or many other details
for a couple of days. Really pretty scary to not be able to recall the most
basic information. After many tests including MRI I was released on Sunday but
told to not work and to “rest my brain” for at least a week and maybe two; even
got a doctors note I sent to my boss. I just finished setting at home for a
week doing absolutely nothing. My headaches have stopped but I still feel like
a drunken man sometimes when I get up to walk. That is getting less and less so
I plan on going back to work on Monday.
Cause – I’ve been dealing with mild hypertension (high blood
pressure) for several years. I’ve actually had several episodes of passing out
after standing up quickly and the Dr has changed my meds several times trying
to get it under control. This latest incident was actually a good thing if you
don’t consider the concussion, headaches and feeling like a drunk anytime I
walk. It highlighted that I was on the wrong meds for the wrong problem. I am now
dealing with specialists who are focusing on getting my blood pressure under
control so I can continue with my quest for adventure. Prognosis is that I will
be back to normal, whatever that means, in time to continue with our TAT-2016
adventure.
This brings me to the third subject of this post. For those
easily agitated by anyone doing the TAT in anyway not considered traditional,
please stop reading now and save yourself further aggravation. Traditional in
this post means end-to-end non-stop using fire breathing hard core dual-sports
with mega power and suspension. Throw in
camping only and no motels. It also means taking every hard route along the TAT
and never backing down from any challenging mountain pass.
I have to say that if I were 40 or even 30 years younger I
would be with you on that difficult TAT ride. Anyone doing it that way has my
full respect and envy but I must face reality. I’m 68+ years old and I know my
limitations. I’m still doing long distance rides (AK1 in 2012 and AK2 in 2014)
but my days of hard-core all out riding are over.
As result of my last post I received several scathing
comments from one reader on my TAT-2016 approach. Just an observation, if you
start out a comment with “Why would anyone spend money on a cheap, low powered
Honda CRF250L with terrible suspension, blah, blah, blah” you aren’t looking
for a response, you are basically calling the writer a dumbas_. I actually
tried a simple response and received another attack so quickly decided his was
a rhetorical comment and did not require a response. Something in my Blog
clearly agitated this reader and I’ve spent way too much time trying to figure
out what it was. Therefore this is not written to the one blog reader out of
193,000+ views that felt it necessary to provide negative comments but to all
the rest of the silent majority.
Everything I write here is repeats of my previous Blogs but
I figure most readers aren’t going to read all my previous posts so here are a
few stats.
I’m no novice to motorcycle riding or long distance
adventure rides. In 2012 I rode to the Yukon Territory on a Harley Davidson
Ultra-Classic from Arkansas; 6500 miles in 15 days (AK1). We didn’t make it to
our destination Alaska only because the Alcan Highway was washed out due to
heavy rains.
We were finally successful in 2014 when I rode a Yamaha
Super Tenere (1200cc) to Alaska and up to the Arctic Circle on the Dalton
Highway; 7700 miles in 23 days (AK2). AK2 included getting the Iron Butt; 1037
miles in 16.5 hours, St Louis, MO to Rawlins, WY. BTW I was 66 years old on
AK2.
I’ve made numerous other long distance rides over my 50
years of motorcycle riding and have owned too many different motorcycles to
even remember.
Another key fact is that I’ve worked my whole life including
9 years in the military through most of the Viet Nam War and raised 4 fabulous
kids to adulthood. Most of that time I worked paycheck to paycheck so know what
it’s like to not have money to spend on the best or even 2nd best
motorcycle and gear. For those who still do adventure riding on minimal income,
I feel your pain but admire your persistence. You’re the real deal.
What I am now is one of those senior citizens you see riding
down the highway in a bus size RV pulling a Toyota going from RV park to RV
park on an “adventure”. The difference
is that I prefer to see the world from a motorcycle seat as long as I’m still
able. I’ve finally reached a point in my life where I have surplus income to
spend on my adventures so the cost of the motorcycle isn’t even a factor on
what I elect to ride.
I say this because the primary point of the negative
comments was that the Honda CRF250L is a cheap, low powered, terrible
suspension dirt bike so why spend money equipping it for the TAT when a KTM is
the only bike worthy of making the trip. The funny thing is all his basic
comments are true. The CRF250L is the cheapest dual-sport on the market;
someone will say there are cheaper but you get the point. It is underpowered
and I even commented on that in a previous post. The suspension is mediocre at
best and has no adjustments. I clearly know the limitations of the CRF250L but
for my TAT ride, it is perfect.
As part of my pre-TAT research I looked at every dual-sport
and adventure bike available including BMWs. I could have afforded any one of
those bikes so price was not the deciding factor. I have to admit I did not
consider KTMs past an initial look because of several reasons but primarily
because I have no experience with them. I understand they are great bikes but
they do much more than I will ever attempt so I eliminated them early. Plus I
couldn’t even reach the ground from their seats! I focused on the 4 Japanese
manufactures of which I’ve owned many.
I actually wanted the Yamaha WR250R but none were readily
available so I picked the Honda CRF250L. I originally had chosen the Kawasaki
KLR650 because of its excellent reputation but eliminated it as soon as I sat
on one. My key concern was weight. I’ve ridden heavy touring and adventure
bikes in less than ideal conditions and I decided I wanted a bike that I could
man-handle through mud, sand and rocks without dealing with the weight of a
450lb + gear bike. The CRF250L is considered a heavy 250 but at 300 lbs it is
something manageable plus it is so much fun to ride.
As for all the gear and modifications I’ve made on the CRF,
I do it because I enjoy upgrading my bikes and I can afford it. In the end I
may have several thousand dollars of add-ons on a cheap Honda but that is my
choice and most of the gear is transferable to my next bike. A Sydney to Perth,
Australia ride has been discussed as a possible follow-on to TAT-2016.
As a side note, I’m not loyal to any one bike or
manufacture. Even when I had my Harley Davidson, I sold it because I knew it
wasn’t the best bike for my AK2 ride. If halfway across Oklahoma on the TAT,
the ole CRF gives out I will replace it with something else, maybe a DRZ400. If
at the end of the TAT when (not if) we make it to Oregon and the CRF is too
worn out to have it shipped back to Arkansas, I will sell it cheap or give it
to some deserving young rider who can’t buy a bike of his own. Of course I will
keep all my expensive gear.
In summary, our TAT-2016 ride is 3 middle-age and 1 senior
citizen riding across the country on cheap dual-sports and having a great time
doing it. We have nothing to prove and not trying to impress anyone. We will
not be taking unnecessary risks and have all agreed that if it gets too tough
we will find an easier way around the obstacle. At our age even a minor injury
could end our motorcycle riding forever.
Anyone who feels that our TAT approach makes us posers or
whatever else comes to mind, let it go. Nothing in my post says ours is the
best answer or even the only answer, it is our answer based on many factors. I
share my blog with like-minded riders because I’ve gotten lots of great ideas
and incentive from reading other folks Blogs. Maybe someone will get something
useful out of my experiences. I welcome questions and even constructive input
but out right attacks are not welcomed so please save yourself a heart attack
and go find someone else worthy of your criticism.
As for the CRF250L selection, I read a lot of blogs and the
best response I read to the question “What is the best bike for the TAT?” was
“One with two wheels”.
Forget the nay-sayers; the Honda 250 will be a great bike for the TAT! Just make sure you have low enough gearing when you hit the high passes in CO. A fully loaded 250 will have to work hard to pull up California Pass at 13K. I'm also 68+ and going back for a second TAT (Western) this year. It's a great ride; enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI also love the CRF250L. Light duty Adventure biking is more like biking, less like driving a car IMHO. I also preferred the WR250, but none were available.
ReplyDeleteThe small bikes are awesome for this kind of travel sort sure. Definitely easier to handle when it gets rough. My choice is the KTM 500EXC, but then again it is not as easy on the budget as the 250. Enjoy and have fun!
ReplyDeleteAs a 70 year old myself, your approach makes complete sense to me. The young guys don't realize that our age our bones don't bend. They break & take significantly more time to heal. We have limited time left & want to enjoy it injury free.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your ride.
Small bikes are so much fun. I fell into the trap that bigger was better and kept getting bigger touring bikes until I finally realized I enjoyed smaller dirt bike riding more than highway miles. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy my big bikes but that little Honda never fails to put a smile on my face.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this blog. Love the time you have spent putting it together . I find it supper informative for when I do the tat in 2017 on a crf250l.
ReplyDeleteNaysayers are just trolls with pathetic sad lives that need attention to justify themselves .
Keep up the great work ! Thanks!
Great post!!! I will be doing the TAT on a 2005 BMW F650GS that I'm modifying, and I've gotten mostly positive comments. Yeah, there are other bikes and better bikes. My reason for my choice is I live in St. Petersburg, FL and must ride several hundred miles on Interstates before starting the TAT. Once I arrive in Oregon, I must ride it back. No, it's not the biggest and best, but at 62 yrs of age, it was cheap and a lot easier to pick up when (not if I drop it) than my R1200GS Adv. I look forward to reading more of your posts and learning from you. I've only been riding 45 yrs, so I'm relatively inexperienced compared to some people that are doing the TAT. One difference is that I'm doing it solo as I can't find a riding partner. Oh well... See You on the TAT!!!
ReplyDeleteReally appreciate all the positive comments. It reinforces my opinion of the small elite group of riders I meet on the trips. As I stated in my blog I think there is no single answer to the bike or the approach to an adventure trip. Each trip is unique and part of the fun is determining the best approach to solve the many decisions during the planning phase. Just sorry I didn't start this years ago because there are so many places I would like to ride.
ReplyDeleteHappy to see another senior dirt rider out there! I am 72, and just did half the TAT in Sept. 2015 on a KTM 500 EXC. I chose this bike because it is super light (240 lbs) and fast enough to do stretches on the highway when needed. I don't have a lot of experience on dirt, but love doing it. BTW, I had the bike lowered 2" and still can barely reach the ground with my short legs (29" inseam). My trip ended in New Mexico when I fell off and broke a couple of ribs, but I will do it again. Thanks for the interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteI ride a GS Adventure and had planned on doing all these adventures on it. As I am going to be 53 next month wisdom, if not reality, has taught me a thing or two how I break a bit easier than I used to so I bought a CRF and am equipping it to do the TAT. I feel much more comfortable riding it in rough terrain. I plan on upgrading suspension a bit but for what I want to do it's perfect. Also when I do break a bit on it it doesn't cost 1000 dollars like the Beemer. I am enjoying immensely your blog and look forward to gleaming knowledge from your ride as I have with your preparations. All the best and thanks for a great read!
ReplyDelete