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'I've never, ever seen roads this bad......' - Alaska-Yukon 16

Great Narration. There are some really excellent photos as well.

You have a talent for telling a story. I am thinking you could make a recount of a trip to Walmart to buy tube sox interesting and exciting.:D
 
thanx!

I've been dreaming about a moto trip to Alaska since I started riding 35 years ago...since long before I had any idea of the difficulties. Thanx so much for such a great job of story telling and picture taking. I'm now about equal parts scared and excited. I'm gonna aim at an off-road class of some sort asap, get a scoot more suited to the trip than my old RT, and GO!

thanx, again!
 
Tale of two roads...

As mentioned, these roads change daily. Compaction of the gravel, calcium chloride hardening up.....all big variables. Rain is a huge X factor. The dry period statistically is June - a good data point to factor into any planning.

However, having the right tool makes all the difference. I do recommend a dual sport style bike with tough tires.

And you'll still get a flat or two.

As Larry told Thomas 'Do the trip!'

Bryan
 
Great report:thumb

It's on our list and as mentioned, guess it's either good or ugly...or both. Will share with H and see how high on the list it remains:laugh
 
Just returned from a 7700 mile ride from Seattle to Fairbanks, via Alaska highway northbound and Cassiar southbound (and the Kootenai, northern Idaho, central & coastal Oregon, etc...when you only get one ride a year you make the most of it!). The bikes included 2 Harleys, a Goldwing, a K1600GLT and my '00 R1100RT. All but me had passengers. We went through about 50+ miles of gravel in various conditions, mostly moderate thicknesses over hardpan, though a few miles of the 3"-4" thick "bottomless" configuration. Almost all was dry, which was much easier to handle than when wet. Not always easy to find premium gas, especially on the Cassiar. One tire blowout due to gravel cut, one serious sequence of overheating (K1600) at any construction stop & go or in-town speeds due to gravel/calcium schmutz clogging the radiator. Westside Motorsports in Spokane cleaned it (for free!) which helped a lot, but when we split off a week later it was still getting too hot after 15 minutes of in-town stop & go.

Final takeaway: Alaska highway is a pretty boring motorcycle road...straight and flat, and cleared of brush for 100' to either side to make the wildlife visible. As you would expect of the main transport route into central Alaska, which is icy / snowy half the year. You spend a lot of time waiting to reach the next curve, which turns out to be not much. Cassiar is marginally better (though narrower, less cleared, and probably more dangerous). Glad to have done it (and to have added the Yukon and AK to my "been there" list) but would not do it again.

That said, the scenery near Denali in AK and Jasper & Banff in Alberta are indescribable!
 
I've enjoyed both the writing and the photography. Have sure made a few notes for my planning, from your experiences!
Thank You for effort of a great trip report Beemer01.

"travel'n" john
 
Post-Mortum

A couple of months after returning, my Front shock on the 2005 R1200GS started to belch up oil.... covering my front fender. It was sent in to be rebuilt... and the word came back that I had so damaged it on the Dempster that it was unrepairable.

So there's that additional casuality of the 2016 trip.

But apart from that and my son's failed fork seals on the 800, these bikes absorbed a staggering amount of abuse without a whimper. The pounding on the Dempster from the road surface was so bad I actually had bruised palms for a couple of days after we left it behind us.

Bryan
 
Alaska!

Thank you for a great and entertaining report of your trip; enjoyed your story telling and the pictures.

Alaska trip has been on my bucket list for many a year!
 
Awful Roads

My Wife and I were also there this summer. As we read you posts we started laughing, we must have been several feet behind you. We could not make it to Inuvik either as road was closed and way to much mud. Made it Dawson and found a campground. While trying to get tent up in rain and wind a tree fell between our bike and tent!!!!. Decided to fide through lake (parking lot) to adjacent hotel.

We lucked out and the Dalton was pretty decent on the days we went, at least the second time, as the first was so muddy and chloride every where we went back to Fairbanks till rain stoped, 3 days later.

As bad as these roads where, we still think the road construction (or demolition) a ways south of Fairbanks was some of the worst off road riding we have seen!

We even decided to ride to Yellow Knife, last 400 miles solid rain in 42 degree weather. The comfort in was a welcome site. Fantastic weather while we were there then RAIN again all the way out.

We had a blast though and would do it again in a minute.

Great posts!!!
 
So fortunate

I am so enjoying these accounts of your journey. Conjuring up old memories of a trip down these same roads 40 years ago.
West Michigan to Barrow and back.
I never took the time to immortalize my journey ,I am privileged to be reading about yours.:dance
 
Well -

I am so enjoying these accounts of your journey. Conjuring up old memories of a trip down these same roads 40 years ago.
West Michigan to Barrow and back.
I never took the time to immortalize my journey ,I am privileged to be reading about yours.:dance

I find that writing and recording these trips is fun. I take a few notes every day - digital cameras make it easier to keep the sequence of events straight.

Thanks for the feedback, happy you enjoyed!

Bryan
 
Having just read your excellent RR :dance, I had to chuckle at the fact that Ross River was out of fuel. It's a running gag I think, as back in 2007 when I did my Prudhoe trip, the same thing happened to me...
I also read how bad the Haul road got over the years and not just from you. I was lucky I guess not having to deal with slick river rock! That misfortune happened to me on the TAT the following year..:bluduh
 
Ross River

Yeah, touch and go on the fuel front. Literally an end of the road settlement, with few options for the First Nations people who live there. I guess this carries through to when they get their gas shipments. The Campbell is a great and memorable road though, highly recommended passage!
 
Very interesting and well done account of your ride. My brother and I are planning a trip to Alaska incl the Dempster to Tuktoyaktuk in June. I am in the process of replacing my '08 Kawasaki Concours with a 2014 GS1200 and my brother rides a V-strom. Curious about bike prep that you would recommend - like tires for one. You got good mileage out of the Heidenau's but presumably TKC 80's would get better traction in the mud. I live near Edmonton Alberta so the trip would be much shorter than yours.
 
Tires and prep

Very interesting and well done account of your ride. My brother and I are planning a trip to Alaska incl the Dempster to Tuktoyaktuk in June. I am in the process of replacing my '08 Kawasaki Concours with a 2014 GS1200 and my brother rides a V-strom. Curious about bike prep that you would recommend - like tires for one. You got good mileage out of the Heidenau's but presumably TKC 80's would get better traction in the mud. I live near Edmonton Alberta so the trip would be much shorter than yours.[/QUOTE

So this is a moving topic since tire tech is evolving quickly. I like the TKC 80 front, good traction in the calcium Chloride slime, but their rear tire really wears fast up there. A popular solution is using the TKC front and the Heidi rear. And I understand they have a new version of the Scout coming out. From Edmundton your trip is a lot shorter, so this combo will go the distance easily. Beyond the tire discussion, carry extra fuel, and fresh tire patching kits, the gravel up there can be brutal. And whatever can go wrong will go wrong. Carry extra tools and bring clothing for a wide range of temps and conditions.

And recognize that these roads change dramatically in a matter of hours.
 
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Thank you!

Great stuff. Canada and Alaska are definitely on the bucket list. Your ride report, full of great info and beautiful pictures, makes me want to go now. A huge "THANK YOU!" for putting this together. Perhaps we'll meet on the open road someday? Cheers, Travis
 
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