Issue 56
April 2021
KISKA.COM Photo: R. Schedl
how sandstorms begin
It’s time to adventure even harder. The new KTM 890 ADVENTURE R is here – a true offroad travel specialist. With class-leading handling, rally-like agility, and boosted power and torque figures, you can be sure you’ll never eat dust, except in the sandstorm you create.
FIND OUT MORE AT WWW.KTM.COM Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scene. Always wear protective safety gear and ride in a responsible manner. The illustrated vehicle may vary in selected details from the production models and may feature optional equipment available at additional cost. European specification model shown for illustration purposes only.
Ténéré 700. The Next Horizon is yours. YamahaMotorsports.com Professional rider depicted on a closed course. Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long sleeves, long pants, gloves and boots. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. ©2020 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.
ISSUE 56 April 2021
INSTA-ADV Instagram Travelers
Issue 56
April 2021
y information: These drawings contain information y to Upshift. Any reproduction, orCover transmittal of this on without expressed written consent is prohibited by Cudby se partial or complete of theSimon sord marks is prohibited hable to the full extent of the law.
Design Chris Glaspell
LOGO SHEET
THE INSIDER Strength In Numbers
GEAR
Photography Editor Simon Cudby
The Latest
Contributing Writers Tim Burke Chad de Alva Scot Harden intotheworld.eu motomorgana.com
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Contributing Photographers Tim Burke Chad de Alva Olivier de Vaulx Intotheworld.eu Motomorgana.com Michnus Olivier
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Views Through The Lens
SOUTHERN COMFORT
Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
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RIDING ARIZONA
Story Editor Stefanie Glaspell
Catching Up With Destry Abbott
Business Development Brandon Glanville
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
Want to advertise with us? Contact: Brandon Glanville brandon@upshiftonline.com Join us on Instagram at @ upshift_online
PMS 021
A Solo Ride Into East Russia’s Interior
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STAND AND BE COUNTED
Tips On Becoming A Better Rider
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Dunlop Trailmax Mission
SPOTLIGHT Doubletake Mirrors
Upshift Magazine is published monthly by Upshift Online Inc. 2021. Reproduction of any material requires written consent from the publishers. All photos, editorial contributions and advertisements are accepted upon representation that they are original materials by the author and or advertiser. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and may not reflect the views and opinions of the editor, staff or advertisers of Upshift Online Inc. Advertisers assume full responsibility for the entire content and subject matter of their advertisements.
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SOUTH AMERICA A Country by Country Review
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ADVENTURE TRANSFORMED
THE BENCHMARK FOR MAXIMUM OFF-ROAD ADVENTURE. Versatile and agile, with a premium specification, the Tiger 900 Rally range delivers incredible off-road capability, with phenomenal power and performance, and a dominant adventure-focused stance for maximum off-road adventure riding and all-road comfort and style. The Tiger 900 Rally and higher specification Rally Pro both feature a lightweight adventure chassis, advanced technology and premium equipment, plus a high capacity 900cc triple engine, delivering impressive torque low down, with overall peak power at 94 HP. Find out more, visit TriumphMotorcycles.com
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scene. Always wear protective safety gear and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations. The illustrated vehicle may vary in selected details from the production models and may feature optional equipment available at additional cost. European specification model shown for illustration purposes only. Photos: R. Schedl, H. Mitterbauer
husqvarna-motorcycles.com
E
The road quickly disappears behind you as you turn off the asphalt and engage off-road ride mode on the fly. the mighty single powers you smoothly along the trail. With its cutting-edge electronics and nimble chassis, you’re ready to take on any terrain you choose.
n d u r
701 o
Lean angle traction control 2 ride modes
21"/18" wheels
Versatility without compromise.
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STRENGTH IN NUMBERS By Chad de Alva There is no greater tool for trail advocacy than the local motorcycle club and their boots on the ground presence. Yet different clubs enjoy varying degrees of success in their trail advocacy efforts, as each club faces a unique set of challenges surrounding their local trails. Different user groups, different land managers, and different advocacy strategies all impact what a club is able to accomplish. Operating in their own little worlds, some clubs produce impressive results while others struggle just to keep their existing trails open. In an effort to increase the impact of local clubs, and to further improve riding opportunities in Colorado and the surrounding states, the Colorado Trails Preservation Alliance (TPA) recently arranged for a meeting of the minds. A chance for clubs that work with the TPA to get together to compare notes and share lessons learned. Clubs typically operate on a tactical level, engaged with their local land managers on efforts in their backyards, where the TPA supports strategic-level efforts across the state in addition to backing local clubs. By working with so many different clubs on a diverse set of advocacy issues, the TPA is a unique resource in that it can help clubs with everything from grants and legal challenges, to getting the equipment and resources that clubs need to get work done. This combination of local club and state level trail advocacy is powerful, and the value in getting involved with other advocacy organizations near you can’t be overstated. If you are not part of your local club, you need to be. If you are part of a local club, determine what other clubs are in your state and make a plan to trade notes. The challenges your club has surmounted may hold the keys that another club needs to get a new trail project in the ground. Likewise, another club may have the additional resources that your club needs to accomplish its goals. Trade notes. Seek out opportunities to support each other. When it comes to preserving and creating the trails we all love to ride, we’re strong alone – but we’re stronger together.
WIN THIS
BIKE
& SAVE A TRAIL
Enter today for a chance to win this special 2020 TPA Edition KTM 690 Enduro R fully outfitted for your next adventure dream trip!
Last Chance!
Sweepstakes Ends April 8th WinTPA690.com
Use code UPSHIFT20 to get 20% more tickets Rocky Mountain ATV/MC donated this one of a kind bike to the Trails Preservation Alliance (TPA) and chose parts and accessories from the best companies in the business; Butler Motorcycle Maps, Motion Pro, Trail Tech, 3-Step Hideaway, Scotts, Big Agnes, Eline, Motominded, Tusk, Dunlop, Doubletake, BRP, KTM, Dicks Racing, Seat Concepts, and Attack Graphics!
Your purchase of a sweepstakes ticket is a donation and will help the Trails Preservation Alliance, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, continue to protect and expand off-highway riding opportunities for trail and adventure motorcyclists. Learn more at www.coloradotpa.org.
Dunlop Introduces the Street-Legal K950 Trials Tire Rancho Cucamonga, CA: Dunlop Motorcycle Tires has expanded its off-road tire line to include the new DOT approved K950 trials tire. Trials tires are popular among off-road riders who also enjoy a dose of pavement on their rides, and for that the street-legal K950 is ideal. The K950 delivers the kind of performance trials riders and off-road enthusiasts are looking for, with additional durability and on-road capability. The K950 features bias-ply construction, and compounds and tread pattern designed to tackle tough single-track terrain and challenging conditions. In both wet and dry conditions, the K950 excels when the course or trail turns hard-packed, rocky, or littered with tree roots. For dual-sport riding, the K950 provides a smoother ride and longer wear than a traditional knobby tire on the street, while providing a high level of grip and bump-absorbing compliance in the dirt. Available from your local Dunlop retailer, the Dunlop K950 comes in a 4.00-18 size and joins the premium-performance D803GP™, Dunlop’s competition trials tire. For more information, visit www.DunlopMotorcycleTires.com.
Yoshimura KTM 500 EXC-F 20-21 RS-12 Stainless Full Exhaust, w/ Aluminum Muffler One of the most popular Dual Sport bikes on the planet, the KTM 500 EXC-F, now has the ultimate exhaust option with our all-new RS-12 full system. Packed with features, the RS-12 Enduro Series offering comes with a USFS approved spark arrester and massive gains in power. The KTM 500 EXC-F saw gains of 21.8% peak HP and 15% peak torque on the dyno. On the trail this translates more raw grunt when you need to get up that rock or over that log. On the street it provides more get up and go to get to the next trailhead. Our Machined Joints will provide a more exact fit and longer durability between those muffler removal intervals. The RS-12 provides great tire and brake caliper clearance to make an overall superior exhaust system. Aggressive intelligently designed, the RS-12 asymmetrical shaped muffler allows maximum capacity and incorporates a resonance chamber for managing sound and increasing usable power. RS-12’s unique profile also provides more clearance for tire and brake caliper. Proudly designed, developed and made in the USA! MSRP: $899.00 www.yoshimura-rd.com.
Mosko Moto Introduces Limited Edition Orange Collection For the first time in Mosko’s 8-year history, we’re excited to introduce a new blast of color to our luggage lineup with this limited edition orange collection. Backcountry 35L Pannier Kit (V2.1) The Backcountry Pannier is our flagship product, designed for long-distance adventure touring, hardcore enduro-style riding, and camping from your bike. This kit includes two 35L bags, for 70L of total capacity. This is the system for long distance travelers and people living off their bikes. Guides, instructors, and RTW riders: this system was designed for you. $870.00 Backcountry 25L Pannier Kit (V2.1) The Backcountry Pannier is our flagship product, designed for long-distance adventure touring, hardcore enduro-style riding, and camping from your bike. This kit includes two 25L bags, for 50L of total capacity. $850.00 Backcountry Offset Pannier Kit (V2.1) The Backcountry Pannier is our flagship product, designed for long-distance adventure touring, hardcore enduro-style riding, and camping from your bike. This kit includes one 35L bag and one 25L bag, to accommodate your bike’s exhaust offset. $860.00 Backcountry 40L Duffle/Pack (V2.0) This moto-duffle does it all: it’s a duffle, a backpack, and a quick-stash spot during the day. It’s a way to keep your wet jacket separate from your dry sleeping bag. It serves as a clean food prep surface next to the campfire and a convenient tool tray for roadside field repairs. Pair it with our Backcountry Cinch Straps for rock-solid attachment to your bike. The newly updated Backcountry Duffle is available in two sizes, a 40L version and a 30L version. $279.00 Backcountry 30L Duffle/Pack (V2.0) This moto-duffle does it all: it’s a duffle, a backpack, and a quick-stash spot during the day. It’s a way to keep your wet jacket separate from your dry sleeping bag. It serves as a clean food prep surface next to the campfire and a convenient tool tray for roadside field repairs. Pair it with our Backcountry Cinch Straps for rock-solid attachment to your bike. The newly updated Backcountry Duffle is available in two sizes, a 40L version and a 30L version. $259.00 Check out the Limited Edition Orange Collection at www.moskomoto.com.
2016 - 2021 Husqvarna 701 Enduro GEO CAMO Graphics Kit Heavy duty 3M matte vinyl material. Includes graphics for tank, fairing, front/side panels, rear/side panels and front fender. Designed and manufactured in the USA with USA sourced materials. $175.00 www.upshiftonline.com/store
TIME TO HIT REFRESH.
Fresh NEW 2021 Luggage @ WOLFMANLUGGAGE.COM
FOX LEGION 2021
EXPERIENCE THE V-STROM AT
SUZUKICYCLES.COM/ADVENTURE
Along with concerned conservationists everywhere, Suzuki urges you to Tread Lightly!® on public and private land. Suzuki, the “S” logo, and Suzuki model and product names are Suzuki Trademarks or ®. © 2021 Suzuki Motor of America, Inc.
STAY FULLY CONNECTED
Behind a big, bright LED headlight is a large, multifunction instrument panel that displays the information you want on a bright, LCD screen. The adjoining USB power port and mounting bar is ready for your favorite navigation or entertainment accessories.
GO ANYWHERE ADVENTURE PACKAGE
Choose the V-STROM 1050XT Adventure to take the gear you need and ride in comfort with Suzuki’s quick-release, aluminum pannier set, heated handgrips, and a set of LED fog lamps.
RIDE WITH COMFORT & EASE
Ride-by-Wire dual electronic throttle assemblies provide light, precise response for tight roads and trails while the Cruise Control system helps you make short work of long miles. Takeoffs from inclines are a breeze with the Hill Hold Control system.
SUZUKI’S INTELLIGENT RIDE SYSTEM
Tame any road or trail as you tailor the power delivery through the multi-mode Drive Mode Selector and Traction Control* systems, while tuning braking response with the two-level adjustable Motion Track Anti-lock Brake** system.
BIG V-TWIN POWER
The 90-degree, V-Twin engine has more peak power than ever before while maintaining its strong pull off the bottom and superb fuel economy allowing you to go the distance.
The Traction Control System is not a substitute for the rider’s throttle control. It cannot prevent loss of traction due to excessive speed when the rider enters a turn and/or applies the brakes. Neither can it prevent the front wheel from losing grip. **Depending on road surface conditions, such as wet, loose, or uneven roads, braking distance for an ABS-equipped vehicle may be longer than for a vehicle not equipped with ABS. ABS cannot prevent wheel skidding caused by braking while cornering. Please ride carefully and do not overly rely on ABS. Model shown with optional accessories. *
WIDE OPEN
ARIZONA
PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY
WIDE OPEN
ARIZONA
PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY
WIDE OPEN
COLOMBIA
PHOTO: MICHNUS OLIVIER
WIDE OPEN
COLOMBIA
PHOTO: MICHNUS OLIVIER
WIDE OPEN
NEW ORLEANS
PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY
OVERLANDER-S
YAMAHA TENERE 700
NEW OS-BASE TENERE 700 FIT
An 'over the seat harness' which allows OS-6, OS-12 or OS-18 ADVENTURE PACKS to be mounted as soft panniers. No additional frames or rear rack are required, this system provides a super-tough, lightweight carrying solution specifically designed to fit the Yamaha Tenere 700 with no drilling or permanent bodywork alterations to the bike. EQUIPMENT ILLUSTRATED: • 2 x OS-12 ADVENTURE PACKS mounted on OS-BASE • Bash plate by Outback-Motortek • Handguards by Barkbusters
KRIEGA.US
#RIDEKRIEGA
WIDE OPEN
OREGON
PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY
WIDE OPEN
OREGON
PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY
WIDE OPEN
SIBERIA
PHOTO: INTO THE WORLD
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COLORADO
PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX
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WASHINGTON
PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY
WIDE OPEN
NEW MEXICO
PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX
WIDE OPEN
IDAHO
PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY
TRIUMPH TIGER 850 SPORT We Ride Austin, Texas to New Orleans, Louisiana “We’ve got a couple of our new 850 Tigers in Austin. Can you guys fly down and ride them to New Orleans for us?” On the phone was our friend Gina D’Ambrosio at Triumph. Looking at the map, we realized that there wasn’t going to be much in the way of epic mountain passes on this trip. But that’s ok. For me, riding my adventure bike is about exploring new places and meeting some new people. As it turns out, this trip ended up being one of the best trips my buddy Randy Commans and I have done, even if it was all on asphalt.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY SIMON CUDBY
The new Triumph Tiger 850 Sport is listed on Triumph’s website as being “Built for road-going adventure, comfort, and capability.” We have had a Tiger 900 Rally Pro in the Upshift fleet for quite some time, so we had a good benchmark to measure the 850 against. Even though the 850 is more than a few thousand dollars cheaper than the 900 Rally Pro, it incorporates the same engine as the 900, albeit with a softer ECU mapping. As a road-oriented machine, the 850 Sport has less suspension travel as it is not designed for any kind of technical off-road riding, although we did venture down one or two gravel roads, and the bike did just fine.
SOUTHERN COMFORT
SOUTHERN COMFORT
DAY ONE After landing in Austin we met up with Alex Martens from Konflict Suspension, and writer/ climber/adventurer Seiji Ishii for dinner. The next morning, we arrived at Triumph of Austin and found our go-to person Nick from the UK. Nick was very helpful with bike set-up as he rolled out two fresh 850 Sports, complete with Triumph’s own Expedition Aluminum Panniers. We loaded up and headed south away from Austin’s busy roads and quickly found ourselves crossing flat Texas farmland on the way to the southern coastal town of Galveston. We finally rolled into the small beach town of Surfside Beach, TX, about an hour before the sunset, and rode our bikes straight out onto the hard-packed sand. The pastel-colored beach houses built on stilts were quite a contrast from the endless green farmland and small towns we had seen on the ride down. We shot a few photos, and then doing some basic math, we realized we still had an hour to go along the Bluewater Highway into Galveston. It was dark as we piloted our Tigers along the coastline, and even though we had Klim Krios Transitions visors, that didn’t help with the sea mist coating the inside and outside limiting visibility some. We took it easy and finally crept into the very touristy town, although at this time of year it was deserted, and found a great little beach motel to spend the night. We really appreciated how easy it was to travel with these hard cases, as they popped off in seconds, and we carried them right to our room.
SOUTHERN COMFORT
SOUTHERN COMFORT
DAY TWO After wiping down our wet bikes, we headed out early and worked our way slowly along the foggy seafront up to the Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry that would allow us to stay close to the Gulf of Mexico on the Texas State Highway 87. We loaded up with all the cars and trucks for the short two and a half mile trip across the bay, then continued along the Bolivar Peninsula into Crystal Beach. We cut off of the main road and found ourselves riding on the sand along the shoreline, looking at the many beach homes on stilts. Both Randy and I agreed that this would be a great vacation spot to bring our families one day. We continued past the huge oil refineries at Port Arthur and again found ourselves the only vehicles on the remote Hwy 82 literally riding next to the Gulf into Holly Beach. This was our first look at what was to come for the next few hours. Homes in various states of damage from the previous storms in September 2020. We took another smaller ferry across to Cameron, Louisiana, where the storm damage was much worse. For at least twenty miles, all we saw was flattened homes and raw devastation. We passed Grand Chenier, and as we made our way towards Pecan Island, Randy pulled up next to me and pointed at his gas tank. Uh-oh. We didn’t fill up as planned at Cameron, and we both had about 30 miles left on our fuel range. We could make it to Pecan Island, but we weren’t sure of any gas stations there.
SOUTHERN COMFORT
As I was calculating speed and mileage, I saw a pickup truck inside a gate with a man working in the truck bed. We pulled a quick u-turn and asked if he had any gas to spare. “I sure do!” he replied as he opened the gate and filled our bikes for us. “How much do I owe you?” I asked. “I ain’t taking your money,” he said in a thick Southern accent. He introduced himself as Joe from the Miller-Green Lodge close by. We now had another place we would be visiting again next time. We rolled into Pecan Island about twenty miles later. They actually did have a gas station, but we were glad that Joe had helped us as it was touch-and-go if we would have made it here on the gas we had. We went into the gas station and were offered some free pecan pie from two nice ladies. Turns out there are still some good people left in the world! We rolled into Scott, near Lafayette, after a great day on our bikes. At dinner, we met some locals who proceeded to make us drink some Duck Farts. Don’t ask!
SOUTHERN COMFORT
SOUTHERN COMFORT
SOUTHERN COMFORT
DAY THREE From the Lafayette area, we turned south towards Avery Island. We had wanted to check out the Tabasco facility, but it was closed. We were able to get the security guard to let us snap a quick photo by the Tabasco sign, but that was as close as we got. A little earlier, we had made some reservations to do an airboat tour into the swamp. We rolled up to the Bayou Black AirBoat tour headquarters and changed out of our riding gear as the temps were getting towards 80F. Right on time, our guide, Junior, emerged out of the thick swamp foliage on his big airboat. A few minutes later we were gliding across the glassy water on the lookout for some alligators and various other wildlife. This trip did not disappoint. Junior has been hunting and doing tours in this area for 40 years, and his father before him and his father before him. His family has been working in this environment for 200 years. We saw some big gators sunning themselves out on the “Terra Flottante,” the thick floating marshland around Lake Hackberry. Along with the stars of the trip, the alligators, we saw many bird species from pelicans to bald eagles. The trip was very educational, and as a bonus, it was good to spend a few hours doing something to break up the riding schedule. In the town of Houma, we stopped at The Shack restaurant to check out the local seafood offerings; Crawdads seemed to be the big hit on the menu.
SOUTHERN COMFORT
SOUTHERN COMFORT
DAY FOUR Riding into New Orleans, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I knew the tourist areas would be busy, and as we turned onto Bourbon Street, it was no surprise that there were many people out even at 10am on a Saturday morning. We navigated through the French Quarter streets and stopped along the way to get some shots of the bikes. The temperature was starting to rise, so we decided to head south out of town along the Pontchartrain Expressway over the Crescent City Connection. We ended up on Hwy 23, heading south along a finger of land about 50 miles to the fishing area of Venice, LA. It turns out this is one of the best places in the US to catch tuna. We saw a group of fishermen preparing their big catch on the dock under the watchful eyes of a flock of pelicans looking for a handout. As the shadows were getting longer, we crossed the big bridge back into New Orleans and headed to our airport hotel. This whole trip had been a really great experience. We usually ride mostly off-road on our bikes, but after four days on the road exploring on the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport machines, I’m looking forward to our next chance to ride these great bikes.
SOUTHERN COMFORT
SOUTHERN COMFORT
SOUTHERN COMFORT
C
M
Y
CM
MY
Tiger 850 Sport notes:
Smooth 888cc 84hp Power
CY
CMY
K
Good acceleration for freeway merging Ride by wire throttle 2 riding modes- Rain and Road Balanced feel Great 5” TFT display Comfortable seat Nice low standover height, adjustable 31.88-32.67.” Good Brembo brakes Marzocchi forks felt good on the road 5.25 gallon fuel tank, conservatively about 200 miles range. We averaged 41 mpg on our trip Dry weight 423 lb Price $11,995
www.triumphmotorcycles.com
PROTECTION LEVEL CRASH BARS
100%
SKID PLATE
BMW 1200GS/1250GS/GSA PRECISION+PASSION Crash Bars • Skid Plates • Center Stands Pannier Racks • Rear Luggage Racks
www.outbackmotortek.com
D EST RY A B B OT T RIDING ARIZONA
In mid-February, we took a road trip to Peoria, Arizona, to visit off-road legend Destry Abbott and ride some of his local desert trails. After a long day in the saddle of our KTM adventure bikes, we sat down with Destry to find out all about his DA8 schools and his newfound love of adventure riding.
WORDS AND PHOTOS BY SIMON CUDBY
Upshift: Tell us about your interest in adventure bikes. Destry Abbott: Well, we were out the last couple of days and had an incredible ride. Adventure biking is a new thing for me. I’ve been a dirt bike guy for a long time, and getting to ride the 790 is a different experience. Taking in the environment, the scenery, and stopping and enjoying it with friends has been amazing. Riding adventure bikes is honestly one of my favorite things to do now on two wheels.
DESTRY ABBOTT RIDING ARIZONA
Upshift: It looks like all of your bikes are orange these days. DA: Yes, I got to team up with KTM, and it’s been almost four years now. Of course, a lot of people know me as a Kawasaki guy. Also, my son signed with the satellite KTM RPM racing team. It just made sense for me for what I do now. Being an older rider, KTM’s market and the bikes they build honestly fit my style the best. I enjoy not racing as much. I have my 300, 790, and I have a 450; they have a broad range of bikes. I’m enjoying the adventure bikes more than anything. Hopefully, I’ll get the opportunity to help build that. I’ve done some testing, just making the bikes a little bit better for what I like to ride and suited for my style. It’s a blast, honestly, especially the 790. I had a 1090, and I hung onto that for a little while. But the 790, even the new 890 (I just got to ride Upshift’s bike), is a fantastic bike. Bone stock, that thing is perfect. I haven’t upgraded just yet because I’m still in love with my 790, and I’m just having fun on these bikes. I definitely recommend getting out there. I have a couple of buddies that I’ve taken out riding, and next thing I knew, they’re buying one because it’s an addiction. All those motorcycle guys are addicted to two wheels, and especially when you get to go and ride on terrain that you haven’t been on before. Seeing views and taking it in is a pretty amazing feeling nowadays.
DA: Yeah, I’m super excited to be with Klim gear again. I was with another company, Thor, for a lot of years. Klim now fits my style with adventure bike gear. Currently working with their R&D department, developing new stuff for the moto and adventure side, I love the feeling. I didn’t realize on the adventure side how the big gear was, and now I have Gore-Tex gear and vented stuff. Having different kinds of equipment to change it has been amazing, and it’s easy to put on. You already have the pads built-in, so I’m thinking, “This is way better than putting on my knee braces and all that stuff back in the moto days!” On our ride yesterday, we went and had lunch in Wickenburg and we just walked in with our adventure gear. People look at you and give you a thumbs up. It’s an incredible feeling seeing people out there happy for you. Upshift: Tell us a little about your DA8 Training program. DA: A lot of people ask me about DA8 Training, which is what I’ve done since my racing days. It’s about giving back. A lot of people don’t realize riding a bike is really important. Like other sports, you have drills. You do things to make yourself better. It’s the same concept on a dirt bike. Even my adventure riders that’ll come and stay, and we have a guest house, and they’ll come and ride. We’ll train, and we’ll have them understand how to ride the bike the right way, which, again, it’s efficient. Understanding how to ride the bike smoother, more fun, safer, I should say, and it’s a good time. And I love being able to kind of help riders coming into the sport and make them better, safer riders. This weekend, I have a women’s camp. I have two back-to-back women’s camps on dirt bikes. But again, I have quite a few female adventure bike riders that I started working with, which is awesome. And seeing the female market with motorcycles itself is just blowing up. I would say, 30% of my clients now are female riders, and seeing them just smiling and so supportive, not knocking the men, but the women are so happy for each other, and they’re just taking it in. It’s like I’m riding with a little kid because they’re so excited. It’s a great atmosphere to be involved with. And again, it’s just kind of helping the riders become safer, more efficient, and enjoy the motorcycle. People talk about, “Oh, isn’t it dangerous?” It’s as dangerous as you make it. If you ride over your limit, yes. But again, like what we’re doing nowadays is just enjoying what motorcycles are all about: having fun, taking in the scenery, the weather, just smiling, and having a good time.
DESTRY ABBOTT RIDING ARIZONA
Upshift: You recently started wearing Klim gear. How has that been going for you?
DESTRY ABBOTT RIDING ARIZONA
DESTRY ABBOTT RIDING ARIZONA
Upshift: You’ve had quite the career. What are some of your best memories?
DESTRY ABBOTT RIDING ARIZONA
DA: So, some of my career highlights, I would definitely say it was ISDE. I’ve done 10 sides, which is International Six Days Enduro. Six days of racing. I have seven gold medals. Three of them were DNFs and traveled all over the world. And then have basically ten National Championships here in the States, five AMA Hare and Hound Championships, and five Best In The Desert. But those were my best days, but now it’s a different aspect of what I enjoy. Now I’m enjoying adventure riding, the schools, just trail riding with my son Cooper. My best friend Dan was here with us riding yesterday. What I enjoy the most is spending time with the family, riding and enjoying the desert, the woods, whatever it is, and exploring. I think that’s what the sport is about is kind of getting out of your comfort zone sometimes, but being able to take in fun rides and smiling with your buddies. Upshift: You had a big health scare a few years ago. DA: Yeah, I definitely have a different outlook on life nowadays with cancer. In May of 2016, I was diagnosed with Leukemia, and it was a really hard fight; those two years of nonstop chemo. Even to this day, I have to take the chemo pill every night, and it affects me physically, but not mentally. Mentally, I still get to do the things I love, and I cherish those memories. That’s one thing with riding with my son, my dad, my daughter: It’s such a big deal and being able to enjoy those moments is a lot bigger, I guess, these days. You appreciate it more where it used to be like, “Oh, this is cool. What are we doing tomorrow?” Just yesterday on our adventure ride we stopped and just enjoyed it, smiling with my son and my daughter, it was great. My wife had cancer and was diagnosed three months after me. She had breast cancer. We’re both doing good now, and we’re just trying to enjoy our life, enjoy every hour, every day. I can’t explain it enough unless you’ve been through something like this. We’re all blessed, there’s plenty of things to be down on, but we should be thankful for what we have. We have a beautiful country, beautiful riding. There are places to go all over our country and no better way to spend it for me than on two wheels.
DA: Yes, my son now races professionally. He finished fourth overall in the pro-class in the EnduroCross series, which is indoor. He rides for the KTM RPM team and is doing really well. He kind of got into it late, but now he just turned 23, and he’s starting to peak a little bit and understand how good he can be. And it’s the same thing with my daughter, she races, but she has more fun riding. Kind of like myself, I ride all the time, four or five days a week, with my DA8 Training schools. I still do a lot of races, I do classes at EnduroCross, and I do the TV stuff for them. I’ll still do quite a few events. I still want to get out there. I’m old, 48 now, but I love riding motorcycles. It’s in my blood. I’m a competitive person, and I don’t see that going away. Even with my 23year old son, I still want to beat him. Doesn’t happen much anymore! But I still love going out there and trying to roost corners, logs, uphills, whatever it may be with Cooper and Kelsey. Upshift: Well thanks for a great ride yesterday Destry, we had a lot of fun! Tell us how people can contact you for your schools. DA: We had a great time here in Arizona riding adventure bikes! If you’re interested in doing any schools, group rides, whatever it may be, we have camped here, and we have a guest house. For more info, check out www.DA8training.com or you can search for my site www.destryabbott.com, and it’ll send you that link. Hopefully, we’ll see you out this way soon.
DESTRY ABBOTT RIDING ARIZONA
Upshift: Your son, Cooper, is now racing. Tell us about that.
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DA8STRONG Help support DA8 Strong’s mission to improve the quality of life for cancer patients and their families through charitable support, recreation and services. www.da8strong.org LEARN FROM 10X CHAMPION! Throughout Destry’s lengthy career (28 year as a professional racer) he has developed a large base of knowledge from real world experience on what works and what doesn’t in an athlete’s training program. By leveraging Destry’s experience, DA8 Training can help provide the most efficient way to increase your potential for success as an athlete or just a weekend warrior enjoying the thrill of it! DA8 Training offers a wide variety of services ranging from one on one coaching, bike setup consulting, athlete nutrition, physical fitness routines, group classes and clinics to week long bootcamps complete with room and board. He can tailor customized offerings for anything and everything motorcycle related. Go to www.da8training.com
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A solo ride into East Russia’s interior, where normal roads end and adventures begin
With eastern Siberia devastated by one of the wettest seasons on record, and with the Old Summer Road to Magadan obstructed, I target the infamous Baikal-Amur Mainline track, a.k.a. the BAM, on a KTM 690 Enduro. I rip through the first sector, but as I hit more demanding sections, my bike’s frame is severely fractured. I find a temporary solution and push on, riding deeper into massive swathes of boundless taiga, already tinged with frost, where floods and rivers determine which route I can take. Remote gravel tracks, hard-packed, live rail bridges, and hazardous bridges form my daily enduro menu, along with count-
forces of nature at work, and with the weather cooling rapidly, I get to experience how tough offroad can actually be.
OF ALL THE THINGS that could have broken me on my 2,600-mile run through Eastern Siberia, it was a short stretch of gravel that sealed my fate. I was a week into an attempt to ride half of the BAM. This feral railway service track is the stuff of legend. It darts across a vast expanse of Russia, from Khani to Sovetskaya Gavan, along the Baikal-Amur Mainline, Trans-Siberian’s less famous alter-ego. But the BAM fails to reach the Pacific Ocean. It dwindles east into a sparsely inhabited land of mujik hamlets, abandoned Gulags, and pastel-colored pseudo-tsarist towns. If the Trans-Siberian still attracts tourists, the BAM only inhabits the mind of a few. For adventure riders, it is a place for the bucket list, mesmerizing in its remoteness, that keeps existing against all the odds. I’d chosen to ride the BAM on a KTM 690 Enduro. My bike was still caked in proof of a 4-month trip along the Silk Road, from Romania to Mongolia, with my girlfriend on a little DRZ in my tail. The year before, I had completed a longer journey: 34,790-miles around Africa, on another bike. But tackling the BAM solo was about to force me to dig deeper than ever. I’d heard of bikers who hadn’t made it through unscathed, and I wondered: would my resolve crack? Would I be forced to grab lifts off Kamaz trucks across rivers? Would I need to build my own raft from scraps?
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
less unpredictable water crossings. The BAM is raw, unfiltered
Of Troubles and Angels The day I start, it’s almost the last of August. In Ulaanbaatar it’s raining cats and dogs. Miserable weather to say good-bye to my girl, but it’s time to leave. My bucket list ride is awaiting. I cannot leave a challenge like this on the table. I kiss Ana quickly - if all is right, we’ll reunite again pretty soon. Then I rev the bike, strap my helmet, and drive out of town, followed by Matt from Manchester on an XR400. Robert, a Croatian, closes our pack on a Honda Transalp. We met only a few days ago, and we have very different ambitions. But until our paths part, this slice of adventure is ours to share. I’m excited to be out of the urban jungle and back into Mongolia’s open country. The plains here are peaceful, alive with flowers and sheep. Smoke is rising gently from gleaming tunduk chimneys. Tykes are playing – it’s a wonderful place to camp. “Too conspicuous,” says Robert, but what’s the worst that can happen? Yaks munching on boots? A cuppa with strangers? A few rounds of vodka in a Mongolian yurt? So, we pitch three vagabond homes. Mine is an orange duct-taped tent acquired from a German cyclist—my first regret.
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
As we cross into Russia, the landscape changes. Unlike most borders, this one is sharp, and there is no transition. Where steppe concedes victory, taiga starts its reign, stretching from here up to the Arctic Circle. A quick fuel re-supply in Gusinoozyorsk and then the first warning. Where has Matt gone? We return to town. He’s being mobbed by Russian folk of all ages, but that’s not what keeps him put. It’s the XR. I check: spark’s fine, the plug’s ok, but there’s no compression, and the kick start balks. Robert tows the English patient to a guesthouse. Our second day of riding has just begun and is already spent. The Honda’s autopsy reveals an automatic decompression pin that got stuck. We fix it, and the Honda returns to life at the first kick, only to succumb less than 20km away. Matt’s engine has seized. We must hitch a truck for the wounded, heading all six, men and machines, back to Gusinoozyorsk. Matt weighs his options. There’s no bike shop in this nook of Russia, and not much help is to be found in Ulaanbataar. So, he probes the void. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls a piece of paper that someone from yesterday’s mob-handed. There’s something scribbled on it. Maybe a girl’s number or nothing at all - and Matt puts his phone on speaker and dials it. Алло! “Hi, I’m Matt,” our buddy says timidly. “Do you speak English?” The voice on the other end switches to a broken English, and just like that, a formidable problem-solving-machine is set in motion. “Don’t worry,” the stranger says, “I’m sending someone over. Be at the gas station in 15 minutes. My people will make everything right.” What happens next could easily be in a Nikita Mikhalkov movie. The fixer leads us into a quintessentially Russian scene: at the fringes of town, a simple izba. Cats play outside. Wife’s making cucumber pickles. Scraps, engines, fuel tanks, you name it, it‘s all here, scattered across the plot. And then, there’s Ivan, a mechanic. He wants us to whisper - a difficult thing to do when you barely speak any Russian and when the man who demands silence is holding a sleeping infant in his giant arms. But, stories of motorcycling in Russia always feature a beautiful Russian girl in the script, so a certain Olga arrives. She’ll play both the interpreter and the fairy parts of this plot. Once the engine is opened, Ivan’s verdict is swift: parts of the piston are missing, crankshaft rod bearings are minced. Matthew, Robert, and I are just gutted. Even with parts delivered from Moscow and a good mechanic, fixing this mess will be hard. A couple of days work, at least. Maybe a week. We stay up late, chatting, with beers, maps unfolded, GPS units lit. I must email Ana: Heading to Yakutsk, with Rob, I type, local news says that Eastern Siberia’s flooded. Record rains, they say, the Old Summer Road to Magadan may be closed. Matt is out, I add, his bike broken, parts being scouted for in Moscow. Also, a generous offer is pending – perhaps Matt will take it and ride a borrowed XR250 east.
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
208-417-1726 I SEATCONCEPTS.COM
And Then, There Were Two With only Rob left soldiering behind, I roll past Ulan Ude and take the Moscow-Vladivostok highway to Chita. I am relieved that we are making some progress. But right outside the town of Desyatnikovo, Russian police are hiding in the bush. If the honey hawkers hadn’t waved, we would have fallen into this classic trap. At the next refuel, we bump into another traveler, a New Zealander. When he removes his helmet, I almost choke on zakuski. This guy is the identical twin of Yosemite Sam! The Kiwi has been riding his ancient IJ Planeta from Magadan on alternate tracks. “Massive floods have made the Old Summer Road impassable,” he says, “so the Winter Road is the only option. But if rain comes,” he says, “you’re stuck. Be prepared to wait for 4 or 5 days before anyone reaches you or the road is fixed.” Meanwhile, Ana sends a notice. She’s still in Mongolia, riding the Gorkhi-Terelj National Park. Strong downpours are expected region-wide, she says. Rising water levels made her camp on a temporary islet for days.
arriving from Tynda with solid intel: the railway red lights tempo, the river crossings, the tricky spots - where one must wait for the train to pass or where there’s a guard, and bribes are needed. For the past days, we have been texting back and forth about riding together to Magadan. But now, things have changed. Matt’s gone, Noah’s fallen in love, Rob’s in a hurry, and Kolyma Highway is underwater. So, we switch teams, just not as initially planned. The Americans and the Croatians are heading to Vladivostok. I point my bike to Yakutsk. Of course, I doubt my idea. Even if less than half of the news is true, the BAM is raw, unfiltered forces of nature at work. With the weather cooling rapidly and with the Old Summer Road obstructed, soloing through Eastern Russia could spell doom. But my first days alone with the bike are quite peaceful. Vast, stunning, and empty, Siberia is an incredible place to ride. With massive swathes of boundless taiga ahead, I am able to enjoy my 690’s prowess. It’s nimble. It’s responsive. It’s fast. If you’re into the dirt and don’t mind digging into your bike’s guts, this KTM is a beast. The further I ride, the more convinced I am that the rumored floods are real. Forest is riddled with proof. Sometimes the road is the only dry stretch for miles. Camping means picking between mosquito-infested swamps and the odd quarry, barely dry enough to mask how uncomfortable it is to pitch on rocks. Each day I relish the solitude. As it turns out, Siberia is also great for soul-searching. While I might never achieve the clarity of Siberian trappers, nor the wisdom of the Buryat, no day passes without a small change happening within. Recently, there’s been a dramatic shift in the landscape. It’s even more wet and misty, with taiga, this boreal jungle, rising against the sun like an impenetrable wall of green. Some mornings I linger at bivouac well after 10 am. I brew a second, then a third coffee, trying to sundry my stuff as much as I can – eventually, I resign to everything being soggy: gear, tent, oatmeal, underwear. From this point on, every soul I meet - Russian riders, Kamaz drivers - makes a lasting impression. Could it be my anxiety kicking in? It’s funny how in our western world, now even more introverted under the heel of COVID-19, we are instinctively distrustful of strangers. But here, in this land of ghost towns, bears, and lifeless trees, their roots severed by cruel permafrost below, the sense of brotherhood is a precious lifeline. At times I have to refuse the vodka; the handshakes, however, make me feel less alone. On one of these brief encounters, Alexey from Chelyabinsk insists I should have contacts for a certain Sasha who lives in the unofficial BAM capital, Tynda. Any problem you have, he says, you call him. If only I knew…
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
In Never, where the road forks to Yakutsk and Vladivostok, we meet Americans Kim and Noah,
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
The gravel track to Tynda is pure 690 Enduro bliss. But there’s no rest for the wicked. As soon as I hit the tarmac, I’m swallowed in traffic, and it’s my bike’s turn to slump. The handling is weird and sloppy - is it a flat, the suspension, the head bearings? I have no idea. So, I stop, compress the fork a few times, and I check. There’s an unusual free play coming from somewhere. It’s also very late. As I wander through town, tortured, I spot a gathering of bikers. Instinctively, I pull over. A girl in leathers comes within moments: “I’m Gulya,” she says, “are you alright?” This savior angel couldn’t have been any better: a recovering alcoholic, Gulya was herself saved by motorcycles. On her rookie year, she says, she clocked 15,000 km around Russia on a chopper. That journey cured her suicidal struggles and made her a total badass—a survivor. I tell Gulya that I’m on my way to Magadan and then, BAM, that something’s wrong with my bike. I need a place for the night. “My English is not good,” she says, and she suggests a gastelnitza – the Russian version of a guesthouse. But we find the two in a town filled to the brim. “Don’t worry,” and I tell Gulya, “I’ll camp out of town. Just please, help me find a good mechanic, if possible. I’ll return in the morning and take it from there.” As we say good night, something makes me add: “Hey, Gulya, is there a biker here called Sasha?” (Actually, a very common Russian name). Gulya’s eyes start to twinkle. “Do you know Sasha? Let me give him a call.” Minutes later, I follow Gulya’s blinkers through a very dark night and very narrow alleys. Then, I see dim lights and two silhouettes standing. “Welcome home,” says the tall one, and he hands me the smaller - it’s Kostea, Sasha’s 7-year-old boy. Before I blurt my name, the wife, Natasha, grabs my helmet with the other, pushing everyone gently inside the yard. Sasha’s quite fluent in English. He shows me his Harley, gives a brief house tour. And he’s a trained mechanic, working shifts on the BAM! “Worry not,” he says. “Everything will work out just fine.” Instead of the clueless westerner that I am (well, easterner…), these people treat me like family. I may have arrived by pure chance in their little corner of Siberia, but I am home. At dinner, Kostea gawks suspiciously. He’s told that I’ll be sleeping in his room for the next few days. Natasha has put out a gargantuan spread - enough for an entire caravan of people. “Tomorrow,” says Sasha, digging into the mountain of cabbage stew, “You’ll see Max, my friend, at the Kamaz center. Now, eat!” I devour the chicken, the Russian salad, and the hand-rolled pelmeni. I have a good feeling about this. I think that whatever brought us all here, before these delicious bowls of borscht, is a bond that will last. Before going to sleep, I email Matt:
Wednesday, August 21 Re: Spot tracker Hey man, my SIM won’t let me text. I’m in Tynda. The bike feels weird after the pounding of the road. If all are fine (I will check tomorrow), I’ll head for the BAM. The winter road is closed due to massive floods in the area, and the OSR is impassable. Care to join?
At the Kamaz center, things look… familiar. Since the crumbling of the Soviet Union and the fall of the Iron Curtain, outfits like this have been privatized across all former Communist countries. But the business model endures, even under new ownership. Working hours are wasted or spent dealing with a slew of “extra-curricular” things. To my relief, Max is no slacker. And he rides. Every year, he says, he jumps on his DRZ 400 to get away from it all. 1-2 weeks into the wilderness, whatever it takes to recharge the batteries and keep him fit for the grind until his next enduro pang hits. “That’s a damn fine machine,” he says when he sees my bike. “Lets’ open this guy up!” We put the 690 up on a log and start pulling. The free play in the front fork is consistent. Max spits, no longer a KTM fan. “Damn these orange pieces of trash,” he shouts. So, we push into another corner to strap the bike on a special stand. On this side of the shop, the lighting is a little more even. When I pull, I suddenly see one, and then more deep, dark fractures in the state-ofthe-art chrome-moly Trellis frame. My heart skips a beat.
To BAM Or Not To BAM After a couple of moments, Max’s baritone breaks the silence in Russian. “Davai,” he says, “it’s not the first time I see broken frames. My welder can fix the…” but I fail to register what. Official confirmation of disaster has made me nauseous. I have a lot of work to do. Once the front end is stripped, the bike’s frame is exposed to unobstructed inspection. We count not two, not three, but five fractures! I’m doomed. The welder arrives. A grumpy fellow he is, clearly not pleased that the boss wants him to work on a Tuesday afternoon. “It’s too late, my friend,” he tells me, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” But as I make my way out, I bump again into Max. He snaps: “What do you mean he won’t weld? Where’s Vasea?” Now, it’s well past 5 pm. Even my eyes are cloudy. I’m happy to postpone the delicate job, but Max is determined. “Strip the triple clamp,” he instructs. This, too, was a really bad idea. Now there’s nothing left to anchor frame with. Finally, we align the fractures somewhat, and the welder starts mending. What an absolute butcher! I’m so in shock at his skills that bike!” I climb into Max’s car, speechless. Continuing to Magadan like this would be utter madness, and I start to wonder, shouldn’t I cancel the BAM as well? At Sasha’s, another delicious feast awaits. Beer and the warmth of my adoptive Siberian family manage to lift my spirits. Later, sitting at my host’s computer, I seek Sasha and Natasha’s advice. I check again local news updates, various weather channels, the forums. I try to separate fact from fiction, to make peace with my new predicament. Crawling to Magadan just to say that I’d done it would be foolish. The OSR is not in the cards. What’s left? Ride back, on tar, on this open wound of a bike. Or tempt the unknown. To BAM, or not to BAM? Meanwhile, Matthew replies: Date: Thursday, August 22 Subject: Re: Spot tracker Hey Dude, very tempting! Cheers for the offer, but I don’t really fancy riding this 250 off-road. It’s ok to potter along, but it’s not that well maintained, so I don’t want to risk it. I’m going to head to Vladi, then take the train back to Ulan Ude. When do you plan to be in Irkutsk? Hopefully, my bike will be fixed. I could meet you there. At dawn, I let Ana know what’s going on: Date: Friday, August 23 Subject: UB Magadan – Update III 160km offroad (gravel but bumpy) to Tynda, and the frame cracked… incredible. That’s all. Some anxieties are better left unshared. Back at Kamaz to pay 3000 rubbles, I notice another small crack in the frame. It must have escaped us - the welder piles more junk on it on the spot, and after I mount everything back, my orange Frankenstein returns to life at a push of a button. The short ride from the Kamaz center to Sasha’s lets me breathe a little. This poor 690 is still kind of tight, I think.
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
instead of crying, I freeze. “This,” gloats the welder “is what I call a bulletproof
New message in my inbox: Date: Friday, August 23 Subject: Re: UB Magadan – Update III Your email worries me. U think the bike will stand Mag, BAM? Folk here say Magadan is a waste of time, but what broke, they ask? Colebatch warns of someone else on the route. Perhaps you help each other. Take care and good luck. Indeed, I have news about a Canadian rider, 900km away from me, in Yakutsk. I need a few more days to service the bike. He says when I email; if you are willing to wait for me in Tynda, we could do it together, he adds. But the winter is coming. Since arriving at Sasha’s, every day has been shorter and colder. Perhaps indulging in delay in exchange for company is risky, but a good idea. I decide to wait and do a quick test on the Eastern BAM.
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
Email to Ana: Date: Monday, August 26 Subject: news Leaving now on a short test on east BAM, up to Lake Zeya, maybe. I believe I’ll meet Ed on Wednesday in Tynda; Sasha will ship my backpack and Trailmax by train. I’ll try to email again when I come back here to say hi to Sasha & co. I <3 you How good it feels to be back on my own two wheels! The tracks are solid. But at the first deepwater crossing, I meet another Sasha. Blue-eyed, wrapped in a trench coat, the man is busy brewing—his hundredth and one tea, perhaps. For the past 48 hours, Sasha No. 2 has been out of mobile range and out of luck. His cistern is stuck in the river, white water gushing all over the bonnet. All that this Sasha can do is wait. We chat, clouds gather. I know that the waters are rising. I must sound the alarm. In the face of despair, my little test run can be cut short. When I’m back in Tynda to fix a pore in the radiator, a grim weather forecast drop. The next 4 are the last fair days of the season. Night temperatures have already dwindled to zero. The Canadian lingers in Yakutsk. Crunch time is now. I have to continue alone. If riding the BAM on a broken bike demands a bit of strategy, mine is to pace myself and to endure. For the first 200 km, no village interrupts the wilderness. I glide along two parallel rails, pointing to opposite horizons. Instead of giving me the creeps, this hypes my energy. There are steeper climbs now, narrower hops. Each day there are dozens of waterways to cross. In the nights spent at Sasha’s, I analyzed the Sibirsky Extreme track and POI-ed all major rivers. But when I arrive at the Reka Chil’chi, in Amur Oblast, the tormented thing forbids an attempt. So, I return to the junction and tackle the rail bridge, the first in many. A whopping 2230 large and small bridges were built on the Baikal-Amur Mainline, which crosses 11 full-flowing rivers, including the Lena, Amur, Zeya, Vitim, Olyokma, Selemdzha, and Bureya. Some bridges are decent. Some are hair-rising skeletons, abandoned to mold for several decades now. My first bridge made my adrenaline levels spike. I reckon that soon I’ll lose count of how many more I shall cross. Like a good Russian mother, Natasha packed a jar of baked cabbage and pork with half a loaf of bread. I calm my nerves, pitch my tent, and sit down for dinner. It’s a black night out here. I’ll sleep well. But limb-numbing wind alerts me before 3. By 5 am, I stop my twisting and turning to boil a pot of tea. There are at least three more hours to bear until dawn! So, I start my day in the bruising cold, wrapped in everything that I have in all my bags.
Near the town of Yuktali, there’s a UAZ-452 parked at the other end of the bridge. I watch the passengers get out one by one to walk gingerly on the wooden puzzle, checking every step of the way that the bridge will not crumble. As I ride past, a young man asks where I’m from. “S’Romanie,” I reply, in my horrible accent, and the man says in my mother tongue: “What the heck are you doing here, bro?” The encounter is serendipitous. There’s no official gas station in Yuktali. I need to know who can sell me fuel. The Moldovan sketches a map. That should help, but in town, people already know what I’m looking for. I barely need to whisper: “Yest’ li Benzin?” Volodea waves me to follow, driving his van to a boat junkyard, then to collect a mate, and finally to a nondescript izba. Is this the place on my map? It’s hard to tell. We start banging on doors and windows, and a neighbor appears. The man we’re looking for is not here, they say, but he’ll return shortly; so, I cut a tin of sardines while my Russian friends pour a round of vodka.
dles conceal boggy bottoms or swamps. Staying vertical is a struggle. And this, dropping the bike and have it ingest water, is my biggest fear of them all. A series of rapid river crossings follow: some are wide and murky, the color of cappuccino. Others are just a few dozen meters across, with clear water gushing over slippery rocks – this always appears shallower than it really is. At the bridge over the placid Olyokma river, I find the barrier on. My engine draws the guardian, I slip him a bottle of vodka, and I’m allowed to go. When in Russia, you learn to play the game, or you lose. By comparison to Olyokma, the Imangra river is huge. I cannot just pass through the water, so I hop through the forest, cut a sandy patch, and get back to the junction, where I climb up the sides and ride across the rail bridge. Next, I’m up to the front lights in another long line of swamps. I picture sinking all the way as I hobble, but suddenly my front wheel hits solid ground. Phew! This was close. By 4 pm, brisk winds slow me down. The air is clear as a diamond and cuts skin just as formidably. I am soaked to the bone. Sometimes I have to stop and jump around the bike like a mad man, trying to get the blood circulating back into my limbs. Another sleepless night in my tent would be an ordeal. Luckily, I reach Olekma. As much as I enjoy the void in between towns, Siberian settlements offer everything that makes us long the human spirit: warmth, compassion, altruism. One drop of this magic and my energy is being restored. No gas station in town, of course, and no guesthouse, but I know the drill. Two girls on a moped show me the fire station. “Oh, I can get you sorted,” says Kostea. He’ll run home, he says, and share from his personal stash. I just need to wait till the early morning, when the shift ends. Now, Kostea must stay put. He’s still on duty. “You can sleep here,” he adds. If there is a fire in town tonight, I might jump in to help. I’m so grateful. But the night is calm. Before I cocoon in my bag, I spread the boots and tent next to the firemen’s ZIL, to wick a bit.
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
As I push on, every inch of the BAM continues to thwart my effort. Pud-
My ride continues with an enduro menu of live railway, collapsed bridges, fast gravel, sand, and everything in between. When my KTM doesn’t taste the water, it jostles on hard-packed. I want to ride faster, but my suspension is in stock, and my frame was recently fractured. By the third day of this, pain in my wrists is severe. The shortest night of all finds me on Lake Leprindo. Like a boy scout, I lick my index and stick it out in the wind. My frontal lamp illuminates a smoking finger. I barely sleep an hour; it is that cold. To beat the weather, I must dial-up my pace. Too bad, ’cause I like it out here. Pushing myself to the limit is purifying, somehow. My future self is forged in the fire of pain. If nights are punishing, Siberian days are bliss. Sadly, the taiga is just as accommodating to people as it is to mosquitoes. They often make me cook dinner inside the tent. My 5 seconds of glory arrive at the Kuanda river, where a notorious guard works. Some travelers were denied passage here. Others put their bikes in hired vans – I’ve heard the stories. So, I’ve cooked up a plan. 2 or 3 km before the railway bridge. I hear the incoming train. Ta na naaa… My timing is perfect. This is the free ticket - the guard’s booth sits at the other end of the bridge, so I let the train pass, and I ride the tail
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
end, with the theme from Mission Impossible playing in my head. When my front hits the bridge, I switch to the 12-inch-wide gravel track. The train is so loud, the guard cannot possibly hear the bike. When he finally sees me, it is too late. With a flick of the throttle, I zoom past and The Mission Impossible tune gets louder and louder, until it dies in the roar of my Akrapovic pipe. One more crippling cold night passes, and it’s time for another classic BAM trial. The infamous Vitim bridge. Some riders set incredible speed records here. There’s even an underground “Vitim Bridge club” with inmates sharing the craziest stories of how they crossed this 8-foot-wide half a mile-long ribbon of metal and wood, suspended 50 feet above the water. Have I mentioned my fear of heights? I decide that I don’t need to see it to cross it, so I stop a mile or two before the bridge, to recollect my thoughts for a moment. It’s a beautiful day out. Ignition on, first gear engaged. All bets are off now. Clunk! The forest opens. I’m surrounded by void and my knobbies are rubbing against the planks. But is my camera on? I don’t want to have to do the Vitim three times just to film it… so I stop, balance the bike without looking, and check the damn GoPro. I hold breath until I touch solid ground, where I celebrate the win with a jar of pickles. My adrenaline will keep pumping for many hours more. At dawn, I check my notes; today should be easy. From Taksimo to Severobaykalsk it’s mostly gravel, peppered with an assortment of broken bridges and a bit of sand. Meanwhile, my Ana has crossed the border to Russia. She’s riding through Olkhon Island, a miniature motorcycling Eden that floats on top of Lake Baykal, our planet’s deepest fresh water reserve. I could be there within the week. The Saturday opens with the usual triptique of taiga, silence and fog. By now I got used to the bike as my sole companion. I believe this was necessary - no human conversation could have enhanced the experience. I am stoked with the way things are. Few hours go by in a blink. Suddenly, a familiar jerk makes my spine shiver. I don’t even need to look at the frame, but I do. Poor Trellis, fractured again! It has endured with me, to the punishing brink. Now, I’m in real trouble. All that is left to do is crawl back, once again. This time I go straight to the train station of Severobaykalsk where I accept my fate, and book a one-way ride to Moscow.
The romanticism of a Trans-Siberian journey is to be taken with a grain of salt. For 3 long days, I shared the beehive of third-class booths with Russians from all walks of life, and it was amazing. We ate, laughed, slept, and marinated in our own bodily juices, while out of foggy windows a monotonous Siberia unraveled. For me, a man razer-focused on locating the best welder in Moscow, this was excruciatingly slow. Eventually, I did find my welder, and I did make it back home, to dig deep, learn new skills, take my 690 Enduro apart and give it a new life as a rally rider. But that’s another story. The End.
SIBERIAN SHAKEDOWN
VOYAGER
FIN DA FO RO RG UT EA E PA TH
VOYAGER PRO GPS
DIGITAL GAUGES RADIATOR GUARDS FAN KITS KICKSTANDS
VAPOR
STRIKER
ENDURANCE II
TTO
Tips On Becoming A Better Rider By Scot Harden
AND BE COUNTED
In February’s Insider Column “New Year, New Plan,” I lamented briefly on all the things out of our control in 2020. I suggested focusing on things we can control in 2021, including becoming a better rider. To that end, I offered to provide some tips this month to improve your overall skill set. The goal? If it helps just one person understand the dynamics of riding a motorcycle more confidently and securely, I’ll consider it a success. I make no bones about wanting to see more people out riding and if sharing a little of my knowledge and experience helps the cause I’m all in, especially with so many new riders entering the sport this past year. Aside from major lifestyle changes (i.e., marriage, divorce, children, school, employment), the number one reason I see new riders leave the sport is frustration with their riding performance and the resulting injuries. Let’s face it, no one enjoys crashing or wants to be the “guy/gal” your riding buddies are always waiting for. Consequently, one contribution I can make to sustain the current momentum is to help people become “better” riders, especially new riders.
AND BE COUNTED But first, let’s define what “better” means. “Better” in my world doesn’t necessarily mean faster, more aggressive, or stylish (although good technique never goes out of fashion). It doesn’t mean you are ready to take on Graham Jarvis or Ricky Brabec, win Romaniacs or tackle Dakar. It means increased control, efficiency, security, and confidence in your abilities. It means consciously developing your techniques and skill set to gain that extra 2% of capability that could mean the difference between a close call and disaster. Becoming “better” means improving the margin of safety at your current skill limit to arrive at a higher level of ability and capability. Internally it’s as much a mental exercise as it is physical, and, in the end, it boils down to developing good riding habits and technique, then repeating them over and over again until they become second nature, a reflex action without having to think. Externally it’s purely a matter of mechanical function and your bike set-up. That’s a lot of ground to cover over a wide variety of conditions, wet, dry, cold, hot, varying terrain challenges, outside elements, and depending on what type of bike you are riding, Moto, Trail, Adventure, Dual-Sport, finer points applicable to each. On-road, off-road, and everything in between. All require a slightly different approach, specialized knowledge, technique, and process. Plenty to think about, so let’s start at ground zero, the most critical problem you need to solve to become a “better” rider: Your bike! And that covers a lot of ground, too—suspension settings, engine tuning, tire choices, air pressure, and brakes. A lot to think about. For now, though, I want to focus on just one thing: How your bike fits you! Think of it as tailoring an off-the-rack business suit to fit like a custom-made suit. As you consider how to best fit your bike to you, please ask yourself the following question: Are you a motorcycle rider, or are you a motorcycle driver? There is a big difference.
Drivers sit behind the wheel; they have limited input over their vehicle besides turning the steering wheel/handlebars, o
manipulate the machine to get the most out of it using their body mass. To achieve this, riders “stand” and use their body a
range of vision, and improve their ability to see clearly at speed. Most of your ability to control your machine comes from
The ideal standing position, legs almost fully extended, back straight, arms and hands in a straight line from the elbow down through the wrist to the controls, head up, eyes forward, sternum centered directly over triple clamp pivot.
operating the accelerator and brakes. That’s OK if you’re in a car, but ….. that’s not what we are doing. Riders physically
and their ability to shift their weight to steer the machine quickly, apply traction front or rear, absorb bumps, increase their
m below the waist. Driving/sitting is akin to watching a movie; riding/standing is more like being in the film. Make sense?
AND BE COUNTED
Notice feet position on pegs, feet flat, toes up, resting securely on the arch. Brake adjusted to fit directly under the boot, same with gear shift lever.
So, if standing is crucial to control, you need to make sure your bike is set-up so you can comfortably stand (for long periods) while efficiently working the hand controls, throttle, clutch, and brake. Your standing position should feel natural; you shouldn’t have to reach or strain to reach the handlebars or controls. Your back should be mostly straight, and your legs almost entirely locked at the knee. The ideal position should feel neutral, and your grip on the handlebars should be light. Your body mass should be finely balanced over the machine, so no effort is required to remain standing. Do a quick test. With your bike on a crate or a center stand, climb on your bike and assume a standing position. See how long it takes before you feel uncomfortable or tired. Pay close attention; is it your back, your neck, your shoulders, or your legs that start to feel the stress first? If you feel these things with the bike parked, imagine how quickly you will feel fatigued once the bike moves.
Three things are essential to achieve the ideal standing riding position: 1) Handlebar position, height, bend, 2) Seat height, 3) Footpeg position, length, and width. All must work in unison to achieve the optimum result. Everybody’s body type is different. Show me ten 6’ tall riders, and I’ll show you ten riders with different length upper and lower legs, torso, arms, hands, and neck. No one set-up works perfectly for everyone, even if they are of the same height, which is why you need to spend time finding what feels best for you.
AND BE COUNTED Let’s go through these in detail: ONE
The handlebar position, height, and bend is the starting point. The handlebar needs to be tall enough so that you don’t have to reach for it while standing. It’s been my experience that almost all modern dual-sport and adventure bike handlebar positions are too short and require some combination of risers or taller bars. In most cases, adding a sub-mount stabilizer is all that is needed. We are talking about millimeters here unless you’re LeBron James or Rik Smits, it’s slight adjustments. In addition to height, play with the position forward or rear. Many modern bikes offer adjustability regarding where the bars can be mounted relative to the triple clamps, including different mounting positions and offsets for the clamps. Again, find a position that puts your upper body in its most neutral position but be careful not to go to extremes. An overly forward position can change the amount of leverage you have over your bike and lead to a “twitchy” feel and more frontend swap; a more rear position can slow down steering. Lastly, bar bend is crucial as well. Try not to use a bar with too much sweep. The flatter the bend, the more it forces you to ride with your elbows out and in a more optimum leverage position to control the bike. The ideal position will usually find your sternum directly in line over the triple clamp pivot.
TWO
Seat height is critical as well. There is a reason companies like Seat Concepts are doing fantastic business. Aside from pure comfort, for taller riders, which include practically anyone over 5’10”, a slightly taller seat reduces the bend at the knee. It makes it easier to go from seated to standing position. A standing position will be the desired position for 75% of your off-road riding needs and having a seat that makes the transition more manageable will help. This is especially true as you grow older and your knees require more coaxing to stay active. If your knee joint is less than 90 degrees when seated, you probably need a taller seat.
THREE
Footpeg position and width is the final player in this trifecta of finding the winning standing riding ticket. Again, depending on body type, foot size, and chosen motorcycle, there are options, including offsets for moving the pegs back on the frame along with increasing their width and length. Today’s motorcycles are loaded with incredible technological advancements (i.e., fuel injection, ABS, programmable ECU’s, traction control, etc.) broader and longer footpegs near the top of must-haves if standing is your preferred riding position. Having sufficient support, especially in the arches, is critical. IMS makes a wide range of broader and longer aftermarket footpegs that work great on a wide variety of bikes. Other companies make other options as well. They make all the difference in how comfortable it feels to stand for extended periods.
Flat bar ends, minimal sweep, force elbows out, and give leverage advantage to rider. The grip is light, so light that my hands could be knocked off the handlebar if someone rode up next to me and tried.
AND BE COUNTED Once you’ve figured out what “feels” best to you: the optimum combination of handlebar height/bend, seat height, and peg configuration, you have a great platform to start working on technique. I encourage every rider to start here. Your next goal is to become as comfortable operating the controls of your bike while standing as seated. There are several practice drills you can do to develop the technique. I will cover this in my next column. If possible, get someone to videotape you or take a photo of you riding so you can see how you look, but in the end, how you “feel” while standing is the most important thing of all. I hope this information is useful. In all my years of racing Baja, Dakar, Hare and Hounds, Six Days, and now adventure and trail riding, I spend most of my time standing to ride. This is where I feel the most at home and the most in control. For me, there is no better feeling than standing on my bike, riding across the desert at speed, scanning the terrain ahead, shifting through the gears, weaving in and out of the bushes. Flowing over the ground, catching some air here, a wheelie there, a feet-up power slide around a corner, subtlely shifting my weight from one side to the other, absorbing whoops and cross-grain, steering the motorcycle with my feet, the king of all survey. Now that’s how a real “Rider” feels!
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IN T R O D U C I N G T H E N E W
5 DENSITY + HIRPO HIGH POLYMER PARAMETRIC 5 DENSITY EPS + EPS HIRPO HIGH IMPACTIMPACT POLYMER PARAMETRIC SHELL SHELL OBLIQUE IMPACT PROTECTION + PATENTED RELEASE SYSTEM OBLIQUE IMPACT PROTECTION + PATENTED VISOR VISOR RELEASE SYSTEM INTEGRATED COLLARBONE PROTECTION + LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION COLLARBONE PROTECTION + LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION 5INTEGRATED DENSITY EPS + HIRPO HIGH IMPACT POLYMER PARAMETRIC SHELL ERS - EMERGENCY RELEASE SYSTEM + ULTRA-VENTILATED DESIGN ERS EMERGENCY RELEASE SYSTEM + ULTRA-VENTILATED DESIGN OBLIQUE IMPACT PROTECTION + PATENTED VISOR RELEASE SYSTEM HYDRATION COMPATIBILITY HYDRATION COMPATIBILITY INTEGRATED COLLARBONE PROTECTION + LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTRUCTION ERS - EMERGENCY RELEASE SYSTEM + ULTRA-VENTILATED DESIGN ASTA LPIN E STA CO5MH/SM ALPINE R S. CO R MS. /SM E L M5EHTE L M E T HYDRATION COMPATIBILITY
A LPIN E STAR S. CO M / SM 5 H E L M E T
TESTED
BY TIM BURKE
Dunlop Trailmax Mission TireS A Look Back on 11,000 Miles of Abuse! When I was first asked to test and review a pair of tires, my initial reaction was, “Oh, God. Tires? Really? No, not tires!” I just can’t wrangle up the energy to argue with ½ the world’s motorcycle-riding population about tires. Let’s be real…We all know that if there are two things that can swiftly set off World War III in the motorcycle community, it’s which tires to use and which motorcycle oil to feed your engine! I’ll repeat the same thing I’ve been saying for years about, not just tires and oil, but about helmets, luggage, and motorcycles as a whole: You do you! Find that product that allows you to chase your type of adventure with the most comfort, safety, and reliability. Now with that said, I have to admit: I write about the Dunlop TrailMax Mission with an ever so slight annoyance. And I’ll tell you why. I’ve spent 3.5 years traveling across 4 continents and across 76 countries. I have been just about everywhere between Prudhoe Bay, Alaska and Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. I have been from Nordkapp, Norway to Cape Point, South Africa. In 3.5 years, I have been through 11 front tires and 14 rear tires. I’ve run Heidenau K60s, MotoZ Tractionator GPS, Anakee Wilds, Anakee Adventures, Anakee 3’s, Continental TK80s, TK70s and more. Sometimes, depending where I am, I don’t have the slightest choice in what I’m forced to put on my rims. Variety simply isn’t a luxury that one gets in many parts of the world! After 150-something thousand miles on the road, I’ve just now, this year, found the tire I wish I had been using for the last 4. I mounted Dunlop TrailMax Missions back in July with no preconceived notions or expectations. I have absolutely, positively abused these tires and they just will not die. Hell, it seems like they will not even wear a little bit! At the time of this writing, I have 11,345 miles on the original set. At this very moment, I would guess they still have 30-40% tread life remaining! Now, as you read this, perhaps you are thinking, “Well they probably last so long because the rubber compound is as stiff as reinforced concrete! I bet they’re horrible in the rain.” Fair assumption (especially for those with experience on Heidenau K60s!) but I have to be honest… these tires just don’t seem to show any indications that they’re more slippery on the wet pavement than any other tires. From pannier-scraping twisties to 100-mile straight shots on the highway, the tires remain planted – wet or dry.
TESTED: Dunlop Trailmax Mission TireS Off-Road performance – These tires have brought me from the Canadian border to the bottom of the Baja Peninsula. They’ve climbed up and over some of the highest and gnarliest passes in Colorado - full of sharp and jagged rocks. They plowed through sand on the beaches of Mexico and smashed through mud on a 65-mile off-road trail to a remote location on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I simply “air down” to about 27 PSI and send it. I have zero complaints about their performance off-road. These tires have experienced 120F (49C) heat in the Mojave Desert and have driven through snow in an Idaho winter. I have literally put these tires through every meteorological condition possible and they just keep going. As a long distance rider, I am always worrying about “the next tire change” and where in the world I’ll be when I have to do it. These tires have proven to me that, for my needs, they are the most reliable, long-lasting, and well-rounded piece of rubber one can buy for a motorcycle. Now listen, I 110% recognize that longevity is not the #1 priority for, let’s say, a DAKAR Rally Racer. It’s probably not the tire that Andrew Short is going to use (probably because that maniac has proven that he doesn’t need tires to compete in rallies…No seriously, watch that video on YouTube…) This tire is for the ADV rider who spends time both on pavement and off. It’s for the rider who prioritizes longevity but also requires acceptable and reasonable performance in all-weather conditions, in every type of landscape, in every corner of the world. Final thoughts: Yeah, I’m still slightly pissed off that I just discovered the Dunlop TrailMax Mission. It’s exactly what I’ve needed for years. For more information go to www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com
SPOTLIGHT
BY CHAD DE ALVA
DOUBLETAKE MIRRORS Doubletake Mirror started with a crash. Company founder Ned Suesse found himself picking up his Superenduro after a relatively minor fall, when he discovered that both of his mirrors had broken in the crash. While broken mirrors are normally no big deal, Ned’s mirrors had conveniently broken both of his master cylinders in this crash, which left Ned stranded. He knew there had to be a better way to make a mirror. Something that wouldn’t shake all over the place so that the rider can actually see what’s behind him, and something that would move in a crash, so that he would never have to deal with another broken perch or master cylinder ever again. Ned founded Doubletake Mirror, and just in case you’ve never heard of them, they make some of the best mirrors available for your motorcycle. Doubletake Mirrors are awesome because they work so well. By using standard RAM Mount components, there is an entire ecosystem of arms, mounts, and other widgets that allow you to take a Doubletake Mirror and mount it just about anywhere. There are four distinct mirrors available: Adventure, Trail, Enduro, and Scrambler, and with the exception of the Trail that mounts directly to the bar, the others can be combined with various arm lengths and mounts to create the perfect fitment for any application. This flexibility in mounting means that you can position the mirror just about anywhere you want to make them as effective of a mirror as possible. Should you have a crash, the RAM Mounts allow the mirrors to move, rather than bend or break, or worse yet, communicate the impact to parts you really don’t want to break like lever perches or master cylinders. When you’re off-road, simply move the mirror out of your way, and when you’re cruising on the slab you can move the mirror back into position. Thanks to RAM’s excellent vibration absorption characteristics, you actually see what’s behind you. If there is one mirror to do it all, it would be a Doubletake Mirror. The performance difference between stock mirrors and Doubletake Mirrors couldn’t be more drastic. I’ve heard countless stories of riders who all state that the first thing they do with any new bike is get rid of the rigid, self-loosening, look at them wrong and they’ll break factory mirrors and replace them with Doubletake’s. From full size ADV bikes to dedicated enduro bikes that only carry a mirror to escape getting an award for missing equipment from law-enforcement on the highway, Doubletake Mirrors are commonly the first part added to so many motorcycles.
SPOTLIGHT: DOUBLETAKE MIRRORS The housing of a Doubletake Mirror is made from Zytel, a nylon resin that’s advertised to be indestructible. Should you manage to break the housing somehow, the housing is guaranteed against breakage, and Doubletake does sell replacement reflectors. And just in case you needed one more reason to feel good about doing business with Doubletake, the entire company is based in Salida, CO, where everything is made, managed, shipped, and supported. Salida is a small town buried in the mountains of central Colorado. Ned choose Salida as the home for Doubletake Mirror because there is outstanding riding in every direction out of town, and good riding is key to Ned and the crew at Doubletake. Ned has been riding motorcycles for some time, and a quick scroll of his resume includes words like Vegas to Reno, Baja 500 and 1000, and even Dakar finisher. He has made instructional riding videos that have helped thousands of riders improve their skills, and he has figured out how to build a successful company out of his passion for riding. As Ned puts it ,“What’s really cool about Doubletake is that you have to be a motorcycle rider to need our product, which means that I get to meet tons of people who are buying bikes and into riding.” Yet, Ned does so much more for motorcycling than simply sell a good product to the motorcycle industry. Ned is also on the board of directors for the Colorado Trails Preservation Alliance (TPA), which is arguably the gold standard for off-road motorcycle advocacy groups. The entire board of directors (including Ned) are all volunteers, with the only salary going to the new executive director, so this isn’t a non-profit where your donations are paying a bunch of salaries. By supporting local clubs and working with local and federal land managers, the TPA has built a very successful track record of advocating for, preserving, and creating motorized riding opportunities in and around Colorado. Ned supports the TPA’s outstanding Colorado 600 event as a trail guide and board member. Check out ISSUE 26 for more on the 600. Yet Ned’s advocacy efforts don’t stop with the TPA. He is also a founding member of Central Colorado Mountain Riders (CCMR), which is the local club that holds its meetings at Doubletake Mirror.
SPOTLIGHT: DOUBLETAKE MIRRORS When it comes to trail Advocacy, Ned points out the value in being involved at both the local and state levels. Local clubs are powerful tools because they’re on the ground where things are going on, but the TPA is also an effective tool as it can work at the speed of federal land managers and interface with them effectively. Federal land managers can work at a pace that isn’t as quick as local clubs may like, so having a state-level organization that backs all of the local clubs and their respective efforts is huge. Ned encourages every rider to get involved with trail advocacy: “We all need to get involved to help make this work better!” I love learning the stories of companies that are born of a passion for something. For Ned, a passion for riding lead to his developing a solution to the deficiencies posed by stock mirrors. By all accounts, it’s safe to say that he’s made a great line of products and grown Doubletake Mirror into a successful company. If you’re already a Doubletake Mirror owner, you can feel good about the fact that you’ve supported a company that’s actively involved in giving back to the industry that it participates in. If you’re not a Doubletake Mirror customer, do yourself a favor and treat yourself to mirrors that actually work. Compared to stock mirrors, you’ll be able to see behind yourself better thanks to better mirror position and less mirror shake. You’re also able to fold the mirror out of the way when you head off-road which means you can get as far forward on the bike as you want without running into your mirrors. Should you have an off, you won’t have to worry about breaking something on your bike that could leave you stranded. Doubletake Mirrors have been absolutely great to use, and they’re a product that I’ve never had to look twice at – unless I’m double-checking my mirror. For more info check out www.doubletakemirror.com
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Custom Suspension Solutions 1501 Pomona Road — Corona, CA 92880-6990 — Phone: 951.279.6655 — www.racetech.com
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SOUTH AMERICA
EXPLORING By www.motomorgana.com
WHERE DID ALL THE SMILING FACES GO? After 10 months of experiencing enormous joy riding through Africa, we honestly felt a bit disappointed after first setting foot on South American soil. The atmosphere in Montevideo, Uruguay, was very different from the smiling faces we were used to on the African continent. Rain, grim expressions, distant people in a highly controlled society and a brownish-colored ocean did not exactly inspire. However, the airport cargo services were efficient, and after a week of waiting for our delayed bikes and half a day of putting them back together, we were finally ready to start growing calluses on our bums again.
Central Colombia
ARGENTINA, LAND OF BEEF AND MOUNTAINS A quick 1200 miles of boring pastures with zillions of cows led us to the famous northern part of the 4000 mile long mythical Ruta 40. Done with the flatlands, up it goes! The elevation literally started to take our breath away, and the first signs of altitude sickness were cured by soggy balls of coca leaves that made our cheeks go numb like we just got back from the dentist. No tourists around here. Just rough villages where local people seem to grow a thick layer of insulating fat by eating nothing but deep-fried meat from the many cows we passed earlier. And as things go, with every new continent, there is that inevitable crash. This time it was Caroline who lost control over the handlebars somewhere high in the Andes on our way to the Chilean border. A severe concussion and a series of bruises kept her in a hotel room in the dusty, cold town of San Antonio de Los Cobres while I fixed the bike panniers and arranged for some new riding gear. Caroline recovered just fine, and after about a week, she was all set again for an unforgettable ride through the Andes mountains.
BOLIVIA, PURE AND UTTER AWESOMENESS We explored the many tracks in the moon-like volcano landscapes of the Atacama desert and worked our way through the stunning views along the lagoons of the Bolivian Altiplano. Under the assumption that anything would be better than shaking the bikes apart on those endless rough corrugations, we found ourselves catching our breath off track in the dunes where no man probably had ever gone before… for a good reason. It meant pushing our heavily loaded bikes uphill through deep sand with a suffocated engine suffering lack of oxygen too. The reward we got in the end for sure made up for the struggle: the magic of 16000 ft altitude with nothing but the sound of the wind and a jaw-dropping view. We discovered what the extreme temperature rating on our sleeping bag means – you’ll barely freeze to death in your tent at 3°F. It didn’t change our opinion on this part of the Bolivian Altiplano, though: one of the most epic motorcycle rides ever! The few miners’ villages along the road were not used to travelers passing by. Shops were pretty much non-existent, and the only canteen in town was for mine workers only. The local “mama in charge” came out, looked at our dusty faces, and promptly offered us a free bowl of soup. We did not care too much about the undefinable pieces of meat, lung, organ, brain, whatever. Free food and new friends, what more could we wish for? And in the morning, there was always the local street food: salchipapa—greasy fries and spam sausage with mayonnaise. The cheap rubbish breakfasts strongly contrasted with the pure magic of the Salar de Uyuni, the world’s biggest salt flats. A clear blue sky above the massive white plains with not a living soul around, as far as the eye reaches, the overwhelming vastness that makes one realize how tiny we are, the realization of what nature is capable of…. the only way for Caroline to react was to burst into tears. The “best road in Bolivia” is so unbelievably beautiful. We passed Sucre, the vibrant colonial white city, and lit dynamite in the infamous mine of Potosi. We enjoyed cruising along with the many coca fields, run by friendly toothless mini-sized farmers who were delighted to meet a bunch of crazy travelers. We rode “El Camino de la Muerte,” the narrow winding road of death with its vertical cliffs, leading to the crazy city of La Paz, and finally enjoyed a bit of tourism on the shores of Lake Titicaca for a few days, before crossing into Peru. Bolivia was one of the highlights of our ride and definitely the place to be for off-road riders.
PERU AND ECUADOR, A CHANGE OF PLANS In Peru, the main challenge changed from altitude to rain and mud. We slowly worked our way down from the Altiplano along with historical cities like Arequipa and Cusco and spotted giant condors in the Colca Valley. We went for the mandatory visit to Machu Picchu and were planning to cross into Brazil. But the rainy season in the lower areas of the Amazon had proven to be quite a challenging ordeal. On our way to a hostel in Puerto Maldonado, we went through torrential downpours as we had never experienced before. At first, we welcomed the refreshment of the drizzle after the unbearable humid heat of the Peruvian lowlands. But soon enough, we almost drowned on the bikes, spending two full hours on a 30 mile stretch of paved road. And just as we were pouring the rain out of our boots on the porch of a hostel - you know, feeling lucky to have survived it all - the owner came over and praised us lucky as we made it before the real shower. This must be a joke, right? Well… the flood of Noah was nothing compared to what we were about to see… and this was only an appetizer for the Amazon in Brazil. Honey, we need to rethink our route… So, we chose to ride up the Panamerican Highway along the Peruvian coastline into Ecuador. We had more funny soups on vibrant little marketplaces of unknown villages at the end of a winding gravel track. We slept in lousy cheap hotels with dirty sheets and moldy bathrooms and in laid-back surf clubs where the surfers’ main activities consisted of nothing more than smoking long, sweet-smelling, cone shaped cigarettes. But did we enjoy it? Hell yeah!
COLOMBIA, SHAKING OFF ITS REPUTATION Crossing the border with Colombia was easy. No hassle, just queuing up, getting a stamp or two, leaving some petty cash behind, and off we went, into yet another country. Colombian culture was very different from the rest of South America. The view outside the window of our first hotel on Colombian soil was rather special, with pretty low-voiced transgender prostitutes trying to catch me in their nets. Not that Caroline was jealous, but it characterized the more liberal Colombian atmosphere. This is the country where family is sacred, though, and more than once, we got invited for dinner with the whole bunch: kids, parents, and grandparents joking around the dinner table. But Colombia also has a reputation for drug lords and terrorism. The first is very noticeable. Not so much because of the coca fields along the endless tracks, but because of the divine adoration of Pablo Escobar in the infamous Barria Escobar in Medellin. And yes, we rode through some high-risk areas controlled by the ELN, one of the last active terrorist organizations in the country. Apart from having a splendid ride that day and being warmly welcomed by friendly locals who helped us fix a few broken bolts on the bikes – not for the money but with the heart - nothing crazy happened. I guess two dusty bikers on loaded Huskies were not really the terrorist’s most interesting target.
In fact, we crossed all South America with only one security issue, and that was a bunch of crazy drunk Argentinians on a campsite who were going to beat me up and threatened to rape Caroline just because I asked them to turn the music down a bit at 4AM. There are probably assholes in every country, but just like in Africa, the vast majority of people we met were really nice, friendly, and definitely talkative. Although speaking a little Spanish might have helped a bit to be a tad more sociable. The main risk in South America is traffic and especially the enormous trucks in the mountains. They just do not seem to care about traffic rules, and bikes are considered an annoyance that is best ignored. I was hit by one of those crazy guys who thought it was safe to pass another truck in a blind curb somewhere in the mountains in the South of Colombia. I was just able to stay upright, but it was an extremely close call with my front wheel—a mere inch from a 200 m deep ravine. The driver didn’t seem to care, and after the cops arrived, I saw some cash being handed over behind the truck, followed by the message that it would probably be better to accept the 20 USD compensation from the driver rather than to file a case that would require us to stay in the country for probably another two months. Yeah right… all we could get for the cash was a hammer to bash the pannier back into shape, and it worked just fine.
While entering Colombia on the bikes was a breeze, leaving the country was a whole different ball game. Prices for shipping the bikes RORO around the 50 mile long Darien Gap were as high as flying them in from South Africa, and that was almost 5000 miles away. The decision to ship them in a container was a no-brainer, but the level of bureaucracy involved was nerve-racking, to say the least. There used to be the option to load the bikes on a sailing boat, but the Colombians put a halt to that practice. For 23 days, we ran from notary to customs office to collect stamps, fingerprints, more stamps, pay taxes and do it all over again because one of the many officials in the long-chain made a spelling error. Half an hour was all the final customs inspection would take, they assured us. We thought a dog would just go sniff around the bikes a bit… Not so! Four full hours it took three customs officials in the blistering heat of that warehouse in Cartagena to open the crate, unpack the bikes, and have just about everything on the bikes checked: fuel tanks, brake oil reservoir, airbox, tires, you name it. Every little bag or box in our luggage was emptied—not a single detail was overlooked. While we could probably have crossed all the borders between Uruguay and Colombia easily with 50 pounds of nose candy in our panniers, the Colombian thoroughness was yet unseen. But we endured the ordeal, and luckily there was the Cartagenan seafood and nightlife to compensate for all the suffering before we left another awesome continent. On to Central America!
Best Countries to Ride.
The entire area of the Andean Altiplano, covering the North of Argentina, Chile,
the South of Bolivia, and Peru, is pure heaven for those who can appreciate endless stretches of gravel and sand through magnificent scenery. There are plenty of spots to pitch your tent in the evening. Just don’t expect to make it a long cozy night around the bonfire as it gets crazy cold during the night. And with very few people around, you better be well prepared in case of a breakdown or a crash.
Best Nature.
When it comes to being impressed by nature, the Bolivian Altiplano is hard to beat. The
breathtaking scenery, with clear blue skies and more volcanoes than you can throw a stick at, was overwhelming. Also, the altitude, the thin air, the harsh conditions, and the remoteness add to the magical experience. With more llamas, vicuñas, and flamingoes than people around here, Bolivia is our absolute winner.
Best Food. For us, Colombia is definitely number one with its great variety of veggies, meat, and fish near the seaside. But for those hardcore steak-and-wine lovers, Argentina is the place to be. Unless you are a real lover of chicken and rice, or rather, rice and chicken, we would not recommend going on a culinary trip to the Bolivian countryside, though. You might be disappointed.
People. For us, Colombians are definitely number one in this category. The warmth and the hospitality are legendary, and whenever something bad happens on the road, there’s always a friendly helping hand around. Add to that a great sense of humor, and you’ll understand why we truly felt at home in this country.
About www.motomorgana.com.
Tom and Caroline have been traveling Africa, South and North
America on their Husqvarna 701 Enduros. They are now home in Belgium, waiting until the Corona crisis allows for easy border crossing before heading East, to Asia, Australia, and back to Africa. Here is the story about the second section of their amazing round-the-world adventure.
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