Prudhoe Bay

My nephew and I have this urge to go to Prudhoe Bay next summer. We both have WH GSs and mechanical/being prepared skills. Anybody have experience with this adventure? Looking for some insight. Aerostich suits, spare gas, tools, battery packs, tire repair and compressor. Plenty of time to wait out rain. Inreach satellite devices. Hopefully Canada will be opened up by then.

Found a couple of relatively recent threads on Alaska trips:

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?93125-Alaska

https://forums.bmwmoa.org/showthread.php?91597-Alaska-ride-June-of-%9118

bobgerman said:

My nephew and I have this urge to go to Prudhoe Bay next summer. We both have WH GSs and mechanical/being prepared skills. Anybody have experience with this adventure? Looking for some insight. Aerostich suits, spare gas, tools, battery packs, tire repair and compressor. Plenty of time to wait out rain. Inreach satellite devices. Hopefully Canada will be opened up by then.

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Early June of 2018 I couldn’t get to Prudhoe due to snow in the Brooks range, 8” worth. I did make it to Tuktoyaktuk, up the Dempster, on June 3rd, but the same snow storm that dumped on the Brooks left carnage on the Dempster—riders down and injured, bikes stacked up at Eagle Plains, $800 tow bills to get a bike back to Dawson City, etc. My point is that weather is the single largest factor in determining the experience you will have. Next time I go up, since Prudhoe is still on my checklist, it will be in late June rather than early. You’ve mentioned most of the important preps like spare fuel, equipment, and so on.

So long as you follow the rule of never riding past a chance to add fuel without doing so, and carry a bit of spare fuel, you’ll be ok that way. Get a comfortable eye mask so you can sleep at “night” and pack a no-see-um net in your tankbag or pocket so you can throw it over your helmet at construction stops. Stop and smell the roses, take lots of pics, and enjoy the ride.

Best,
DeVern

I suggest you visit https://advrider.com/f/forums/alaska.68/ and look at the sticky thread called “Haul Road Primer-Part 1”. If you have questions, then post on that forum. Many locals post there and will answer your questions. I lived in Fairbanks for many years and was on the haul road several times. Hundreds of motorcycles make the trip to Deadhorse every year. I saw sport bikes, scooters, Harleys, Gold Wings and Adventure Bikes all make the trip. The fastest trip that I know of was on an FJR 1300 running Metzler 880 street tires. The late John Ryan did it in around six hours and averaged over 80 MPH. (Deadhorse to Fairbanks, 500 miles) If I were riding up there to make the trip on the Haul Road again I would seriously consider renting a 250cc dirt bike to make the trip north of Fairbanks. It will save a lot of wear and tear on your GS and a 250 is more than enough bike for the trip.

Went last year on my '14 GS Adv it was a breeze until we crossed the Atigan Pass then we rode in rain and snow and the resultant mud the rest of the way to Prudhoe. Coming back the next day the road was dry and aside from three flat tire repairs on my rear rock cut tire it was a good run to Fairbanks.

Bottom line, it is very WEAX dependent.

I like the idea of renting a 250 in Fairbanks - the Mud was a real adventure on the GS Adv.