Chapter 2: The Research

 
Trip reports are a great place to start your research. They can provide you with a wealth of knowledge and get you pointed in the right direction. There are a few things I didn't have to research. What Bike I will be taking is one them. I will be making the 8500+ Mile round trip on a 2011 DL650 V-Strom . It will have a fresh oil, new chain and sprockets, new brake pads and fresh tires before I set out. It has a super comfy Russell day long seat with a  pimp ass 1970's sissy bar style back rest for the long days, Scotts steering Dampener for the rough ones, and hand, engine and radiator guards , happy trails panniers,  and skid plate for the bad ones. I will be riding in full gear and I will have heated jacket and gloves for when needed. I will be tent camping a majority of the time. My girlfriend has no interest in riding that much dirt. Her weekday boyfriend,  my drinking buddy, showed interest in going but reneged due to work . My childhood friend is too busy with track day stuff. My cruiser buddy isn't ready for a trip like this and so on and so forth.  Since no one wants to play with me I will be making the trip solo. Maybe 16 days alone with me is just too much. Life moves on. If I am lucky I will meet some riders near Dawson and can strap hang with them into the Circle.

Routes:

One of the first things you realize is there are only 2 roads that cross the Arctic Circle in North America. Although they are both called “Highways” neither are paved. They are both hard packed gravel and are built on Permafrost. The road surface on both highways can become very muddy and slick and are subject to wash outs when storms pass through. There is also a fair amount of 18 wheeler traffic on both highways as well. 

   The Dempster Highway is A 460 Mile road that starts in the Yukon Territory East of Dawson City and winds its way through two mountain ranges and crosses the continental divide 3 times before ending in Inuvik.

   The Dalton highway is a 414 mile haul road that follows the trans-Alaska Pipe line system. It begins North of Fairbanks Alaska and ends at Deadhorse near the Arctic Ocean.

After some more in-depth research and accounting for my limited time of 16 days I will be heading into the Circle via the Dempster. To get there I will slab it north from Texas to make Canada as quickly and as safely as I can. Once I make Canada I will head west to the Icefields Parkway and then north towards the Circle. On my return , if time permits, I will take the Top of the World Highway into Alaska before heading home.  Hell, At this point why not set your sites high.

Time and Weather:
 It appears the best time to ride that far north, on 2 wheels, is during or slightly after the summer Solstice in late June . Going and coming through Texas may be brutal in full riding gear but the extreme weather up North is nothing to mess with. If you go too soon or too late you run the risk of severe temperature,  snow, rain, an continual darkness.  In June and July the Temperatures will most likely range from 40's-60's. The Polar Circle will provide me with days that are 20 hours long.  

Tires:

Because you have to take paved roads to get to the dirt roads a lot of time was spent on the thought of what to do about tires. Off road tires, perfect for the Dempster Highway, won’t make it the entire trip. Street tires, perfect for getting to the Dempster, aren’t good for the gravel/ dirt sections. To make matters worse you are in the middle of nowhere with a higher than normal probability of a flat. In addition, if it rains the road can become muddy and extremely slippery.

 I looked at 4 different tire options. None of my scenarios include spooning tires on my bike while on the road. Although this eliminates the mounting fee I have no intention of doing it.  So, when calculating cost I have included putting the new knobbies on before the Dempster ($120) and then putting the old street tires back on afterward (another $120) to make the ride home..

1)      Buy tires in the US and ship them to a shop in the Yukon .Have them changed out when you get there.  A set of TKC80s Tires cost $289 state side.  Plus Mounting $240. Ship quotes from TX to Yukon range from $200 to $350. Shipping through Customs to Canada is Expensive. Estimated total $729

2)      Buy the Tires in the Yukon. I was quoted $546.39 for a set of TKC80s Tires. Plus mounting $240.  Total $786

3)      Buy TKC80 tires $289 and carry them with you for 8500+ miles on the motorcycle. Plus Mounting $240.     Total $529

4)      Try to find tires that will last the duration of the trip and be sufficient for off road. Mount them at my friends house for a sixer of Rasputin Imperial stout. Be willing to buy tires in route if needed. Total $339 and a six pack with possibility of unlimited additional cost.

I really contemplated carrying the tires with me but was worried about the hassle and added weight. After much debate and research I will go for option #4. I will be installing a new set of Heidenau K60 Scouts before leaving. $339. They are Dual sport tires and should handle the road as well as the dirt. I will monitor the tire wear and will have enough funds for another set of tires anytime during the trip should the need arise.

 Safety:

I can tell you that neither my Mom nor my Dad is very happy about me taking this trip. After convincing them I wasn’t on drugs , that I didn’t hit my head on the way over, and that they didn't fail as parents (as far as their only son is concerned ),I explained to them some of the extra safety precautions that I was taking .   These are in addition to my regular health insurance.

1. I will not let my goal overshadow my riding ability and common sense. If I am too tired to ride I will pull over regardless of mileage. I will slow down , change routes , or call it a day when and If needed.
2.  I will be in full gear, riding boots, riding pants, riding jacket, gloves and full face helmet.
3.  I contacted my Motorcycle insurance to ensure I am covered in Canada. They sent me a Canadian Insurance Card in case I get stopped. 
4.  I have purchased a SPOT3 Satellite Messenger. This is a satellite beacon that allows friends and family to see where I am on a map. It also has a S.O.S button that can be hit in life or death situations. Responders will come to your location. I also bought extra insurance through SPOT to cover the cost of any rescue up to $100K a year.
5.  I signed up for Med Jet. This covers you after an accident . It doesn't cover medical cost or rescue cost.  If you are hospitalized it covers getting you to a Hospital near your home. It also covers getting your motorcycle home should a doctor deem you are unable to ride.
6.  Although subject to slight change I will supply my girlfriend and folks with a basic itinerary, route, and timeline for the trip. 
7.  I will be carrying tools and feel I am mechanically inclined enough to address most issues that may arise. 
8.  I will be carrying an emergency contact card with information about me and emergency contact information. It will be clearly visible. It will also state to push the SOS button on my spot if I am incapacitated. I will also be traveling with a basic first aid kit. 
9. The mosquitos and black flies are brutal. I will be treating all gear with promethean.  
10. There are 20,000 + bears , 50,000+ moose, mountain lines , wolves , and Caribou in the Yukon . When possible I will try to camp next to elderly or over weight people. Should a bear show up and things go south I want to have a fair shot at out running those around me.

 

Explaining to my parents  that I have made preparations to get me and the bike home in the event of an accident didn't seem to ease their concern, Hell , it may have made it worse. It's not a conversation you want to have with a loved one but lets be realistic, It is very much a possibility. All though no one leaves the house looking to get into an accident preparations should still be made in case it happens.  To some these steps may seem excessive while some may feel like they are not enough. I feel like these are the minimal steps that should be taken to help ensure that I have a safe trip. I did investigate renting , as well as buying, a satellite phone. For me it was not feasible.  Finding a reputable company with a decent customer feedback is a chore in itself. The contracts , rules , regulations, and terms of agreement make my IPhone contract look like kids play.

Fuel:
The distance between the fuel stations at the start of the Dempster and the fuel station at Eagle Plains is  230 miles. That would be cutting it close on my bike. To make matters worse I was told the gas station recently burned down. Now you must get gas in Dawson prior to heading north. If this is true there is a 254 mile stretch of road with no gas stations. Some people opt to hard mount auxiliary fuel tanks on their bikes while others fill various containers with fuel and use them as needed. I know that I am not going to chance running out. I will have some type of container with 1 or 2 gallons to use if needed.  


I didn't capture every single bit of research I did but the above was a good start. It addressed some of the major issues I read about. The trip is getting close quickly and I am getting antsy. I can't wait!



CH 3: View My Current Location SPot link