FJowners.com

Time to get the FJ in shape for the ride to Alaska this July. Spent a couple hours on it this afternoon getting ready for engine removal. Took the engine out two years ago to deal with a shifting issue and knew there was a base gasket leak at that time but decided to put up with it. The ride to Alaska will be about 15,000 km round trip so it would be nice to have a leak-free ride.

Here she was in the fall just before I put her away for the winter
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/14257_10151116976011615_1567948758_n.jpg)

Removed the tank, fairing, engine guards and exhaust this afternoon in preparation for engine removal
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/319851_10151195577751615_1639558383_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/428098_10151195577761615_1109361913_n.jpg)

Will keep you posted on the prep work and then the ride itself. Will also be looking for advice (as usual). Going down to -13C tonight so this is about the best time to work on the bike!

Cheers,

Zwartie

OK, I just read my post and noticed that the word "deal" in the third sentence has a hyperlink on it to some website. Does anyone else see it? How the heck did it get there? How do I make it go away? This is annoying!

Quote from: Zwartie on January 20, 2013, 07:56:58 PM
OK, I just read my post and noticed that the word "deal" in the third sentence has a hyperlink on it to some website. Does anyone else see it? How the heck did it get there? How do I make it go away? This is annoying!

Not a link for me, maybe it has already been fixed. Weird, you have to make a Hyperlink on purpose.

Figured it out - I had installed software off of the CNet website and it installed a little stowaway called "Coupon Companion" Working on removing it now. Stupid Interweb!

Quote from: FJmonkey on January 20, 2013, 08:20:42 PM

Quote from: Zwartie on January 20, 2013, 07:56:58 PM
OK, I just read my post and noticed that the word "deal" in the third sentence has a hyperlink on it to some website. Does anyone else see it? How the heck did it get there? How do I make it go away? This is annoying!

Not a link for me, maybe it has already been fixed. Weird, you have to make a Hyperlink on purpose.

Quote from: Zwartie on January 20, 2013, 07:29:54 PM
Time to get the FJ in shape for the ride to Alaska this July <snip>


Cheers,

Zwartie

Just wondering, are you going through Calgary or Edmonton?

If you are going through Calgary, a couple of things I really enjoyed on my trip through there.
Highwood Pass, route 40 through Kananaskis Country, visually stunning, and I think it just might be the highest paved road in Canukstan. Might need to look that up...
http://goo.gl/maps/ZKF0B (http://goo.gl/maps/ZKF0B)

Icefields Parkway between Banff and Jasper, a must do part of the trip.

Are you going to do Chicken and the Top of the World Highway?
What about the Cassiar Highway, it is all sealed and even though I had already spent close to a month in the northern Rockys, it still left me gobsmacked with it's sheer beauty. Worth a look, and saves travelling the same road twice.

I can recommend a good sleazy bar in Fox if you want, 10 miles north of Fairbanks. The Howling Dog Saloon, it is a ripper!

Spent a few hours on the FJ this afternoon. Here's where things are at"

FJ sans Engine
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/62970_10151204327721615_930542179_n.jpg)

Makes a great coaster
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/550075_10151204327826615_227060853_n.jpg)

Helped my buddy Randy on his '72 CB750 (with an 836 kit)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/486138_10151204327731615_593631082_n.jpg)

CB750 sans Engine
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/602903_10151204327921615_523324578_n.jpg)

2150 cc's on the table
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/533675_10151204327836615_1930689660_n.jpg)

Now it's time to get the base gasket and head gasket dealt with. Randy needs to get a seal redone on his CB750. Hope to get the engines back in place in a month or two...

Well, I got the engine over to Raceworks (in Dorchester, ON) to get some work done on the top end - specifically the base and head gaskets, but we'll see what else needs attention. I'll be placing a parts order with Randy at RPM soon...

On the bench
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/574489_10151256022026615_466984860_n.jpg)

Take note of the "highly customized" engine support. Patent Pending.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/379369_10151256022311615_1428615281_n.jpg)

Here's my buddy Randy talking with Mike Law (Raceworks) about his CB750 engine that needs a bit of work as well.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/555950_10151256022086615_166604854_n.jpg)

Zwartie

Forget the 836....I make a Nikasil plated billet block for the CB. Take it out to 970...or more. :biggrin: 5mm valve conversion kit, Carrillo's etc etc. :good: I have ported over 100 of those heads and built dozens of those engines.

Quote from: JMR on February 15, 2013, 02:17:39 PM
Forget the 836....I make a Nikasil plated billet block for the CB. Take it out to 970...or more. :biggrin: 5mm valve conversion kit, Carrillo's etc etc. :good: I have ported over 100 of those heads and built dozens of those engines.

Do you have a website?    :unknown:

Quote from: not a lib on February 15, 2013, 03:51:40 PM

Quote from: JMR on February 15, 2013, 02:17:39 PM
Forget the 836....I make a Nikasil plated billet block for the CB. Take it out to 970...or more. :biggrin: 5mm valve conversion kit, Carrillo's etc etc. :good: I have ported over 100 of those heads and built dozens of those engines.

Do you have a website?    :unknown:

One of my customers set up the domain name JMRporting.com and a basic website but it has expired . That fella fell off the face of the planet. :unknown: To be honest I really don't want a website as I am extremely busy. Most of my business is generated on http://forums.sohc4.net/ (http://forums.sohc4.net/)  In the high performance section I have a permanent thread about the billet blocks and there are many pics (though you have to join to view them). I'll have my son post some here if you like (not wanting to hijack).
90% of my bike related business is vintage Honda's. That includes roadracing/street CL175's, CB350' CB550's and CB750's. I have ported heads for people all over the world with CB550 heads that have produced 71 to 72 HP @ 592cc. Not bad for a single cam engine design about 45 years old. :biggrin:
My 75 CB750F (owned for 37 years) made just a bit over 98 RWHP with a 915 kit (67.5mm piston). The engine I recently installed is over 1000cc (71.25mm piston)....it only has been around the block a couple of times. It should make more HP than many FJ's.

(http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o714/jmrporting/IMG_0692_zps01b13aee.jpg)
(http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o714/jmrporting/IMG_0695_zps37f067e6.jpg)

A couple of pics....didn't mean to get off topic.

ooooh, Mike, that's some porn right there.....I wonder what you could do (if you put your mind to it) with a XJR block with Nikasil sleeves?
Do you have a flow bench? What kind of numbers are you seeing before and after your porting?

Zwartie, back on topic, how far between gas stops do you have to plan for on the AlCan?

Quote from: Pat Conlon on February 16, 2013, 04:56:44 PM
ooooh, Mike, that's some porn right there.....I wonder what you could do (if you put your mind to it) with a XJR block with Nikasil sleeves?
Do you have a flow bench? What kind of numbers are you seeing before and after your porting?

Zwartie, back on topic, how far between gas stops do you have to plan for on the AlCan?

Yes Pat...a Superflow 260. Depending on what size valve I put in on the intake (and bore the seat to 90% of the valve OD) around 40% increase on a CB750. I have never handled an XJR block but I am sure it could be reworked. :biggrin: That block pictured starts off at about 65lbs and goes down to around 13lbs if I remember correctly. I love those old CB's....they are the great grand fathers of all our modern 4 cylinder bikes. :i_am_so_happy:

Pat,

I'm thinking I should be taking enough gas to go 500 km (310 miles). I've been keeping track of the FJ's fuel economy on every major multi-day trip for the past 10 years or so and am anticipating that it's current range with the 22L (5.8 gal) tank will be anywhere from 350 to 400 km (220-250 miles). If I take an additional 8 to 10 L (2.1-2.6 gal) I should be good. A buddy of mine went to Alaska on his ST1300 a couple years ago and made it there and back without extra fuel. I believe the has a 29L (7.6 gal) tank. There are going to be 4 of us on this ride, all on different bikes with different fuel capacities so we will need to make sure we all get roughly the same range. There will be the FJ (of course), Triumph Tiger 1050, Moto Guzzi Stelvio, and a 2013 BMW R1200GS. I'm guessing the BMW will have the greatest range. The Stelvio is a few years old and surprisingly has a really small tank (17L, I believe) but my buddy installed an aftermarket auxiliary tank to take care of that. Not sure about the Tiger. Right now we are in the planning stage - getting the key dates nailed down. I'm really excited about getting the work done on my FJ motor. Going to be placing a large order with Randy soon - all new valves, valve stem seals, gaskets, brake pads, etc. Also, since the top end is off, going to get it cleaned, blasted and repainted so it looks new again. Doesn't make sense to do all that work on the inside and not have it look good on the outside! I was also thinking of getting a replacement V&H exhaust but since Randy is working on an exhaust system, I will just use what I have for the trip and wait to see what Randy's will be like.

Zwartie

Quote from: Pat Conlon on February 16, 2013, 04:56:44 PM
ooooh, Mike, that's some porn right there.....I wonder what you could do (if you put your mind to it) with a XJR block with Nikasil sleeves?
Do you have a flow bench? What kind of numbers are you seeing before and after your porting?

Zwartie, back on topic, how far between gas stops do you have to plan for on the AlCan?

Zwartie, It's one thing to technically have enough range it's another having plenty for unforeseen circumstances, particularly in remote areas. I've spent way too many miles sweating on finding fuel, it can take a lot of the fun out it.  There are many reasons why you may find yourself needing more fuel than expected.

I sometimes carry one of these, mostly I never need them but it's a great feeling knowing it's there.  They are proper fuel bladders and can be stuffed in a bag or strapped on to a rack. These ones have done 20,000k and remain in perfect condition.

One is 8L the other 12L, take them both and you could just about make the North Pole.

(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5329/7096129631_18a539cbef_c.jpg)

Noel

Noel,

That fuel bladder looks very interesting.
Can you tell us:
1. What is its commercial name
2. Where did you get them
3. Approx how much they cost

Cheers,
Arnie

Great questions Arnie. I would like to know as well. I checked the Interweb and Ebay and the only thing I could find was a few hundred bucks. Quite a bit more than I would want to spend. Don't leave us hanging, Noel!  :smile:

Zwartie

Quote from: Arnie on February 18, 2013, 08:12:20 AM
Noel,

That fuel bladder looks very interesting.
Can you tell us:
1. What is its commercial name
2. Where did you get them
3. Approx how much they cost

Cheers,
Arnie

Quote from: ribbert on February 18, 2013, 06:06:31 AM


(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5329/7096129631_18a539cbef_c.jpg)

Noel

Godamn it Noel, are there any toys you DON'T have? Is that a helicopter in the background?!!!  I turn green with envy every time you put up a pic of your shed..  :bad:

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest, we now return you to your scheduled broadcast..  :drinks:

James

that a big boy heli right there 600? 700? 

largest i've flown (then repaired) is electric 450 size... :biggrin: i dont fly the bigger ones anymore but i do still have a blast with my blade MCPx indoors.   

I got hooked on flying 3D gas 25% planes after watching Joe smith fly at Joe Nall.....


Joe Smiths Friday Noon Demo with the 3D Hobby Shop 104" AJ Slick --Joe Nall 2011 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tzowQtqOM_I#ws)



KOokaloo!


Frank

 I love that stuff. That was great.

Just noticed no Internet at home. Will post details when fixed
Noel

Quote from: racerman_27410 on February 18, 2013, 03:29:53 PM
that a big boy heli right there 600? 700? 

largest i've flown (then repaired) is electric 450 size... :biggrin: i dont fly the bigger ones anymore but i do still have a blast with my blade MCPx indoors.   

I got hooked on flying 3D gas 25% planes after watching Joe smith fly at Joe Nall.....


KOokaloo!


Frank

Frank, I've got no idea what you look like, you could have taken credit for the flying in the clip. That is amazing!

My helicopter is a 50 size with 60 motor and 750mm rotor span. It scares the shit out of me. They have a habit of attacking their pilots. In 99% of human strikes the flyers are hit by their own machines.  I never understood this until I had one. I do now. It makes for some very nasty injuries. It is pure luck that I have escaped this but many haven't. A flapping hole that once house a knee joint, scalped from just above the eyes and so on. Most injuries are across the back and on the arms though as guys drop into a crouch, cover their heads and turn away just before they are hit.

The rotors are carbon fibre and have about 45 kg's of inertia at the tips at flying rpm. Mere flesh and bone is no match.

They are bastards to fly and progress very slow if you can't afford to keep crashing or destroying them. It's not unusual on a morning at the field with about 15 helis to have 2 or 3 go home in a shoe box with not a single reusable or recognisable part.

Noel

Quote from: Arnie on February 18, 2013, 08:12:20 AM
Noel,

That fuel bladder looks very interesting.
Can you tell us:
1. What is its commercial name
2. Where did you get them
3. Approx how much they cost

Cheers,
Arnie

The bladders are from a company in QL called "Liquid Containment" They make an incredible range of things.

The 12 litre bladder is $150 and the 8 litre about $140

They have an excellent website and motorbike specific products and just for once, they are made in Australia!

Noel

Quote from: ribbert on February 19, 2013, 08:41:17 AM

Frank, I've got no idea what you look like, you could have taken credit for the flying in the clip. That is amazing!

My helicopter is a 50 size with 60 motor and 750mm rotor span. It scares the shit out of me. They have a habit of attacking their pilots. In 99% of human strikes the flyers are hit by their own machines.  I never understood this until I had one. I do now. It makes for some very nasty injuries. It is pure luck that I have escaped this but many haven't. A flapping hole that once house a knee joint, scalped from just above the eyes and so on. Most injuries are across the back and on the arms though as guys drop into a crouch, cover their heads and turn away just before they are hit.

The rotors are carbon fibre and have about 45 kg's of inertia at the tips at flying rpm. Mere flesh and bone is no match.

They are bastards to fly and progress very slow if you can't afford to keep crashing or destroying them. It's not unusual on a morning at the field with about 15 helis to have 2 or 3 go home in a shoe box with not a single reusable or recognisable part.

Noel

I know exactly what you mean about the heli's attacking their pilots.... Though i have not personally lost any blood i have seen what they can do.
i do most of my heli flying on the simulator now as i got tired of all the repairing..... even if you dont crash they take a ton of maintenance..... the RC helicopters have also completely stopped me from flying in real helicopters as i know that one tiny failure turns them (and the passengers) into falling rocks.

KOokaloo!

Frank

Got all the parts in today required to do the top end. Mike Law (Raceworks) got the Wiseco parts and I got the valves, valve stem seals, gaskets and other bits and pieces from RPM - thanks Randy! Here's where we're at right now:

Top end removed and a whole bunch of little parts sitting on the bench
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/524650_10151276450316615_1481771967_n.jpg)

Cylinders honed and outside painted and baked
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/599167_10151276450216615_624796522_n.jpg)

Top end painted and waiting to be put in the oven
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/268002_10151276450471615_898839681_n.jpg)

Mike holding the top end
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/544638_10151276450451615_1077653144_n.jpg)

Valve cover painted
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/480679_10151276451421615_285293308_n.jpg)

Pistons waiting for new rings and Wiseco gaskets
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/480142_10151276450246615_699574911_n.jpg)

Mike should have it all done by the middle of next week. Then it's time to put the "new" engine back in the bike! She'll be ready for the trek to Alaska and back!

Zwartie

Very nice shop you have there.

Wish you the best of luck on your dream vacation. Should be sweet!!!  :good2:

CraigO

Thanks Craig - I wish it was my shop. It actually belongs to Mike Law who owns and operates Raceworks Canada.

Quote from: craigo on February 28, 2013, 11:16:39 AM
Very nice shop you have there.

Wish you the best of luck on your dream vacation. Should be sweet!!!  :good2:

CraigO

Mike at Raceworks finished the engine today!

Here it is on his shop bench
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/542717_10151285858346615_1602689035_n.jpg)

Tipped over so we can get at the oil pan
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/409_10151285858246615_2039509014_n.jpg)

Oil pan removed
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/479886_10151285858436615_644485792_n.jpg)

Just about ready to put the oil pan back on. Mike cleaned it all up and said it didn't look too grungy anyway.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/542608_10151285858291615_1041670484_n.jpg)

So it's all back together now, sitting in my brother in-law's garage waiting until I can get put it back in the bike. I can't wait!!!

Zwartie

Got a little more work done this morning.

Removed the rear shock and dropped it off at Pro-Tech Suspension for a rebuild.
(https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/600163_10151296766956615_1906372366_n.jpg)

A view of the rear linkage before I removed it for cleaning.
(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/578508_10151296766996615_463450340_n.jpg)

Here's the bike with the swingarm cleaned up and on the floor.
(https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/482884_10151296766961615_1773065627_n.jpg)

Brad at Pro-Tech says the shock should be done mid next week so I'm hoping I can get the shock, swingarm and rear wheel back on. Then it will be time to reinstall the engine!

Zwartie

Ben, I would love see more pictures of the shock linkage from different angles. I plan to remove my 84/87 style link and upgrade to dog bones. Having a visual reference would be nice. And you already have it very exposed. PM the picks so we don't bore the others watching the more exciting of the rebuild, thanks. 

I was at a tradeshow in Myrtle Beach, SC this week, just on my way back to snowy Ontario now, sigh. Anyway, while at the show I was feeling a bit peckish and fancied a cold treat so I headed off to the hotel gift shop and grabbed one of these out of the freezer. It must be a sign!!!
(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/66433_10151303066891615_1062993377_n.jpg)

Not sure if any of you have a name for your bike, I've always just called it "The Bike" or "The FJ", just the usual stuff. My buddy has a black ST1300 and calls it Black Beauty II, where his previous bike was a black ST1100 and he called it Black Beauty. I think that's a bit much for an ST but then that's my personal opinion. I've always wanted to come up with a good name for my FJ but couldn't think of anything that would stick...until now. From now own it shall be known as Blue Bunny!
Zwartie

I have always referred to my bikes as "The FJ", "The RC" or "The 51", the "Busa" , "The Honda" (1975 CB750) etc etc

Quote from: Zwartie on March 13, 2013, 12:51:03 PM
I was at a tradeshow in Myrtle Beach, SC this week, just on my way back to snowy Ontario now, sigh. Anyway, while at the show I was feeling a bit peckish and fancied a cold treat so I headed off to the hotel gift shop and grabbed one of these out of the freezer. It must be a sign!!!
(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/66433_10151303066891615_1062993377_n.jpg)

Not sure if any of you have a name for your bike, I've always just called it "The Bike" or "The FJ", just the usual stuff. My buddy has a black ST1300 and calls it Black Beauty II, where his previous bike was a black ST1100 and he called it Black Beauty. I think that's a bit much for an ST but then that's my personal opinion. I've always wanted to come up with a good name for my FJ but couldn't think of anything that would stick...until now. From now own it shall be known as Blue Bunny!
Zwartie

I really Luv & appreciate cultural differences...But....Blue Bunny?...Beloo Bunnieee.. Nope, no matter which way I say it, I don`t get it...without feeling a little..nahh, don`t even go there. . Blue Stealth, Blue Flash, Blue Balls, Blue Blip...But Blue Bunny?...I do agree it`s a sign...  (popcorn)

I know it's not the most masculine name but then that's the point - I was making an attempt at humour. A guy that I knew many, many years ago had a car that he had named Lenore (the whore) and another friend had a green car that they nicknamed the snot rocket. I thought that Blue Bunny would be a good name. Don't worry, I'm not about to get a tattoo, personal licence plate or custom paint job.

Quote from: The General on March 13, 2013, 04:06:35 PM

Quote from: Zwartie on March 13, 2013, 12:51:03 PM
I was at a tradeshow in Myrtle Beach, SC this week, just on my way back to snowy Ontario now, sigh. Anyway, while at the show I was feeling a bit peckish and fancied a cold treat so I headed off to the hotel gift shop and grabbed one of these out of the freezer. It must be a sign!!!
(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/66433_10151303066891615_1062993377_n.jpg)

Not sure if any of you have a name for your bike, I've always just called it "The Bike" or "The FJ", just the usual stuff. My buddy has a black ST1300 and calls it Black Beauty II, where his previous bike was a black ST1100 and he called it Black Beauty. I think that's a bit much for an ST but then that's my personal opinion. I've always wanted to come up with a good name for my FJ but couldn't think of anything that would stick...until now. From now own it shall be known as Blue Bunny!
Zwartie

I really Luv & appreciate cultural differences...But....Blue Bunny?...Beloo Bunnieee.. Nope, no matter which way I say it, I don`t get it...without feeling a little..nahh, don`t even go there. . Blue Stealth, Blue Flash, Blue Balls, Blue Blip...But Blue Bunny?...I do agree it`s a sign...  (popcorn)

Quote from: Zwartie on March 13, 2013, 12:51:03 PM
Not sure if any of you have a name for your bike, I've always just called it "The Bike" or "The FJ", just the usual stuff.
Zwartie

I name a lot of inanimate objects, had a series of old beat up cars in my younger days, I had Fred the Falcon (1970 XA Falcon sedan), Harry the Holden (1969 HT Holden piece of crap, that car hated me with a passion), and even a Victor the Valiant, the unkillable 1966 VC Valiant.

My bikes, the 1971 Triumph Bonneville I call "The Pig", simply because it is. Once you get over 150km/h you stop riding it and become a passenger. My 2012 Bonneville I call Rosie, after the AC/DC song Whole Lotta Rosie. for a couple of reasons, she was 90 pounds heavier than my last bike (a fat little pig) and while I had her ten-tenths round a big sweeper, she started bucking the rear end around, and all of a sudden my hips were doing a familiar movement... hence the song reference, and the name stuck. Took me a while to come up with a name for the freight train (the FJ) but Tokyo Rose seems to have stuck.

Had a cricket bat called Kevin for a while too.

Got the rear end back together this evening:

Rear wheel, swingarm, shock and linkage back in place!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/481977_10151312779776615_1510354668_n.jpg)

Front view (from where the engine will soon be) of the shock and linkage
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/181079_10151312779721615_561200397_n.jpg)

Side view of the shock and linkage
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/601612_10151312779831615_916941118_n.jpg)

Close-up of shock and linkage
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/524990_10151312780011615_317293783_n.jpg)

This is the cleanest the shock and linkage will be for a while. I may have to disassemble and clean it all after Alaska. Tomorrow night we put the engine back in. Can't wait to fire it up!!!

Zwartie

I love that you pulled the engine, but didn't bother to remove the Givi hard case!   :i_am_so_happy:

I did a long trip last summer from Los Angeles to the East Coast and came back through Canada.  When I got to BC, I was very tempted to head North and explore Alaska.  I had been away from home for long enough that I decided against it.  It's still on my list!

My route:

(http://fjowners.com/gallery/4/697_19_03_13_8_29_49.jpeg)

Best of luck...I miss getting up each morning not knowing where I'll end up that night!

Cap'n Ron. .  .

Cap'n Ron,

I left the hard case on because it is pretty much hard-wired to the bike so it's a pain to remove. I ride with it on all the time and put the side cases on only when I need them. I have the brake light wired to the top case as well as a 12V outlet on the inside which is great for charging the camera battery or Scala units while on a trip.

That's quite the epic ride you had through North America! How long did that take and how many miles (or kms)? I'll have to post a picture of our proposed route sometime.

Should have the engine back in tonight!

Zwartie

Getting closer...Engine installed tonight. Thanks for your help Rob!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/72752_10151314300331615_81729056_n.jpg)

Ben,
What swingarm is that?

DavidR.

FZR1000 - I believe it is circa 1991 or 1992. The swingarm mod was done by the original owner. I've had this FJ since 2005 and am the third owner. I had an '86 (ambulance red/white) from '94 to '05.

Quote from: SlowOldGuy on March 21, 2013, 03:09:23 PM
Ben,
What swingarm is that?

DavidR.

Quote from: Zwartie on March 20, 2013, 08:50:46 AM
Cap'n Ron,

I left the hard case on because it is pretty much hard-wired to the bike so it's a pain to remove. I ride with it on all the time and put the side cases on only when I need them. I have the brake light wired to the top case as well as a 12V outlet on the inside which is great for charging the camera battery or Scala units while on a trip.

That's quite the epic ride you had through North America! How long did that take and how many miles (or kms)? I'll have to post a picture of our proposed route sometime.

Should have the engine back in tonight!

Zwartie

I rode with three Givi hard cases, a medium tank bag and a Redvers tent strapped to the seat behind me.  Really worked out well.  I wired the tank bag to keep my laptop and electric razor charged up...and wired my iPhone on a Ram Mount off the clutch master.  That took care of the navigation and weather maps requirement.  I have the Givi factory brake light kit for that top case.  Just didn't get around to hooking it up before the trip.

The trip was a total of 17,289 miles...or 27,824 kilometers for all my new Canadian friends!   :good2:  I was away from home exactly three months...half of that time was riding, the other half was staying with family or friends for some rest and maintenance.  I went through two sets of tires, five oil changes, one old chain, both old sprockets, one ignitor, three headlight bulbs, a carb rebuild in a hotel in Arizona and two fuel filters.  Turns out, it's way cheaper to drive a car, but no where NEAR as fun!

I'd love to see your planned route!  My planned route started at a total of 8,000 miles!   :rofl2:

Cap'n Ron. . .

Quote from: Zwartie on March 20, 2013, 09:55:39 PM
Getting closer...Engine installed tonight. Thanks for your help Rob!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/72752_10151314300331615_81729056_n.jpg)

That's a good night when you get the engine back in...very encouraging!  My other "good night" was when it started up for the first time after a nearly three-year complete rebuild.  All those, "I must have forgotten something" thoughts dissapeared!  :good:

Cap'n Ron

Very good dude.... Very good....

Got some more work done today...

My buddy Randy came over and helped with the reassembly. Here he is putting the carbs and heat shield in place under my brother in-law's watchful eye:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/545319_10151326410461615_23249718_n.jpg)

It was sunny and 10C today so we took the project outside.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/533982_10151326410541615_2135125715_n.jpg)

Almost there...
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/483367_10151326410621615_1994184970_n.jpg)

Took a break this afternoon - went with my wife and the boys to watch a movie. Got back to my brother in-law's place and finished the job:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/580379_10151326410566615_1384258536_n.jpg)

From the other side:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/559175_10151326410731615_824164940_n.jpg)

In my driveway:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/17763_10151326410756615_1405354278_n.jpg)

Ready to go!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/58569_10151326410796615_691365997_n.jpg)

Got it done just in time to ride to Fanshawe College tomorrow to start the first motorcycle course of the year. It was either that or I would have had to ask my lovely wife to take me there - the joys of a 1 SUV, 1 motorcycle family...

A big thanks to my brother in-law Mike for letting me do the work at his place, to Mike Law at Raceworks for his meticulous engine work, and my good friends Rob and Randy for helping with the reassembly. You guys are the best!

Zwartie

looking sharp Ben!  :good2:


KOokaloo!

Beautiful job on your FJ there. Looks like your Alaska trip is really going to happen!! :yahoo:

Ride safe and give her a little clean up here and there on your trip. Ride safe and bring back lots of pics from up that way. Just a thought, you really should get one of those fork braces, it'll save your front fender and make her handle better. It'll be a great investment.

And most importantly, enjoy!!!

CraigO

I realized toward the end of last year's riding season that the exhaust system was making a bit more noise than it should, especially under the oil pan. Two years ago I had the headers and pipe leading to the muffler sandblasted and powder coated and at that time had found a few small holes where the 4 header pipes join into 1. So a guy at work filled them in with weld. Well, I got a couple new holes in the same general area but this time they are in a spot where it just can't be filled in without the risk of creating even larger holes. Seeing as how the V&H system has got to be at least 15 years old, it was time to replace it...

The original exhaust system installed:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/7584_10151333629101615_1621770631_n.jpg)

Picked up a "new to me" stock exhaust that will be installed shortly:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/77099_10151333629036615_1069649971_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/533386_10151333629116615_2079553781_n.jpg)

My colleague and fellow FJ owner Rob Hersey told me about this one - it was listed on Kijiji. The seller is from Wasaga Beach but works in Toronto so we met at a Timmies this evening for the exchange of goods and cash. He had an '89 FJ some years ago. When he bought it there were only 1,000 km on it and he put another 400 on before removing the stock exhaust and installing a Kerker 4-1 exhaust. This stock system is in about as good shape as one could ever expect from a 24 year old exhaust system. Everything is clean and looks practically new. At $280 for the complete set, I thought it was a really deal. My neighbours will also appreciate the quieter (but not gentler) FJ but maybe more importantly, I won't disturb the bears in northern BC, Yukon and Alaska this summer. Quiet pipes save lives! This is the first modification of many on this bike where I'm actually putting something on that is reverting back to stock. Don't worry, it's not a trend...

Zwartie

Might need to make a few more mods... If you are jetted and adjusted for the aftermarket V&H pipe then your carbs will be set too rich, you will need to lean them out a little. Might get away with just dropping the needles a notch. A blip test would be good too...

Quote from: Zwartie on April 03, 2013, 09:44:22 PM
My neighbours will also appreciate the quieter (but not gentler) FJ but maybe more importantly, I won't disturb the bears in northern BC, Yukon and Alaska this summer. Quiet pipes save lives! This is the first modification of many on this bike where I'm actually putting something on that is reverting back to stock. Don't worry, it's not a trend...

Zwartie

I'm a big fan of the stock exhaust...quiet power and I have consideration for my fellow human beings.   :yes:  On my multi-state/country trip I rode right up on elk in Wyoming, a black bear cub on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a cougar in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and several black bears in the Canadian Rockies.  Didn't see a damn moose in the entire width of Canada though...might have to go back and try again!

Cap'n Ron. .  .

Quote from: Capn Ron on April 04, 2013, 03:28:01 PM
I'm a big fan of the stock exhaust...quiet power and I have consideration for my fellow human beings.   :yes:  On my multi-state/country trip I rode right up on elk in Wyoming, a black bear cub on the Blue Ridge Parkway, a cougar in the White Mountains of New Hampshire and several black bears in the Canadian Rockies.  Didn't see a damn moose in the entire width of Canada though...might have to go back and try again!

Cap'n Ron. .  .

I'll be away from home and my wife for an entire month. I sure hope I don't run into any cougars on this trip or there will be a grizzly bear waiting at home when I get back!

Zwartie

Hey Zwartie or anyone else travelin by
If you need a place to change oil or tires on your trip I am 80 km off the Alaska hwy in Hudson's Hope. Its on of the best rides in the area. I can find you a bed or you can camp in my yard

Are the 89 and 92 muffler mounting points the same? I think 89-90 same but 91-93 different.

Andrew

Houston, we may have a problem...

Removed the V&H exhaust system this evening and started to install the stock exhaust...

Headers - no problem
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/559484_10151342940401615_2063691568_n.jpg)

Collector - no problem (thanks Rob for the mounting bracket off your 2nd FJ1100!)
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/552645_10151342940426615_39817339_n.jpg)

Mufflers...problem!!!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/547602_10151342940531615_2003683510_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/156804_10151342940556615_1340562260_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/165478_10151342940591615_1641366879_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/548517_10151342940876615_2004071154_n.jpg)

The problem, you ask? The stock mufflers and FZR1000 rear swing-arm want to occupy the same point in the space-time continuum. It just isn't going to happen in this universe, that I'm aware of. I had thought that I may have to come up with an adapter bracket to accommodate the difference in mounting between the '89 mufflers and my '92 FJ but I did not think in the least that there might be an issue with the swing-arm. Shit! Going to have to think this one through before I give up on this. Any suggestions are appreciated. If anyone out there has the FZR swing-arm with a 4-2 exhaust, let me know. I'm wondering if there are any after-market mufflers that may fit.

Thanks,

Zwartie

Update: After all the work I've done to prepare my FJ for the ride to Alaska, I've decided it's best that I take a new motorcycle - something I know will make it there and back.

Here's the instrument cluster on my old bike:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/971842_10151386360066615_1609039572_n.jpg)

And here it is on my new bike:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/945514_10151386360056615_1082913303_n.jpg)

What a difference! This new machine really hauls ass!  :good2: :good2: :good2:

Zwartie......seems it took 6 min to travel .1 miles - were you pushing it...... :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:

Harvy

It IS kind of magic when you finally roll over that last 0.1 and get a brand new bike :-)
It'll be interesting to see how "old" it is when you get back from your trip.

Arnie

Quote from: Harvy on May 12, 2013, 08:19:18 PM
Zwartie......seems it took 6 min to travel .1 miles - were you pushing it...... :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:

Harvy

0.1 miles? I wish! That was 0.1 km!

Last week I missed my much anticipated 100,000 photo by 1.4 km's!

Noel

Quote from: Zwartie on May 12, 2013, 08:48:19 PM

Quote from: Harvy on May 12, 2013, 08:19:18 PM
Zwartie......seems it took 6 min to travel .1 miles - were you pushing it...... :rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:

Harvy

0.1 miles? I wish! That was 0.1 km!

Ben,
Let me know if you are coming through Calgary....
Are you camping or hotelling?

Jeff

Quote from: jscgdunn on May 13, 2013, 01:05:49 PM

Ben,
Let me know if you are coming through Calgary....
Are you camping or hotelling?

Jeff

Jeff,

As it stands we plan on stopping in Calgary on our way back, likey around July 29. I have a cousin there whom I would like to see. Then ride up to Edmonton to visit a buddy and then make the burn back to Ontario. As far as accommodations go, we are planning on camping as much as possible but of course if the weather is crappy we will likely wuss out and find dry accommodations. So a bit of both likely. It would be great to see some fellow FJers along the way - maybe we can meet up in Calgary.

Zwartie

Ben,
Free Camping at my place near Bragg Creek....shop and tools if you need maintenance.

Happy to put you up.

Jeff

One more task done before the ride to Alaska...

Put just over 1,000 km on the FJ since the top end rebuild. So it was time to get the valve clearance rechecked:

I removed the tank and fairing and Mike Law (Raceworks Canada) stopped by and checked the valve clearance. Only 2 out of 16 valves required adjustment.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/294743_10151404170471615_1860666640_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/580393_10151404170531615_1483709307_n.jpg)

He also checked and re-torqued the cylinder head nuts. I was amazed at how they all had to be re-torqued and a significant amount as well! I will check them one more time before the big ride and maybe even once or twice along the way. Mike says this should be done at least once a season to prevent those nasty base gasket leaks. After seeing how much they were all out, I believe him!

Just a few more tasks to get the FJ ready for the ride - new brake pads all around and flush the brake and clutch fluid.

Zwartie

Set up my new tent that I'll be using on the trip:
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1011182_10151456659516615_1794771589_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1016526_10151456659541615_1517314030_n.jpg)

It's the Koppen Maelstrom 2-person tent (or in my case, 1 person plus gear). Picked it up at Dick's Sports in Michigan for $110. It's gotten pretty good reviews so we'll see how it holds up to the elements. One of the best features is that it packs up small enough (or short enough) that it fits nicely into one of the Givi side bags - tent poles and all! One less thing to have to strap to the back seat.

http://www.koppenoutdoor.com/products/view/maelstrom-2-person-tent-12283373.html (http://www.koppenoutdoor.com/products/view/maelstrom-2-person-tent-12283373.html)

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12283373 (http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12283373)

Zwartie

Washed the "Blue Bunny" this morning. Just need to pack the luggage tonight and I'll be Alaska bound tomorrow!!!

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/994829_10151468101661615_1618059532_n.jpg)

My cousin from Holland was able to hit the road in Halifax yesterday at 11:00 am and was able to get 700 km of riding in. He emailed me last night from Bangor, ME. He has 1,300 km to make it to London, ON. He should get 1,000 in today and then have a leisurely ride tomorrow - we don't leave London until 4:00 pm or so. Then off to Grand Rapids, MI to stay overnight at my sister's place and catch the Lake Express ferry from Muskegon, MI to Milwaukee, WI Saturday morning. Will post pictures along the way...

Giddy Up!!!

Good luck Ben. This should be an epic ride. Takes lots of pics and keep us posted. :good2:

Cheers...Jake

 be watching for you near end of month :morning1:

Jeff

Packed and ready to hit the road tomorrow!

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1000141_10151469320721615_1839959109_n.jpg)

(https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/600505_10151469320951615_650663184_n.jpg)

Zwartie

My cousin showed up yesterday and we hit the road. Rode to Grandville, MI to stay overnight at my sister's place. Off to Muskegon this morning to catch the Lake Express Ferry to Milwaukee.

Here's my cousin and I at my parent's place in Strathroy, ON - our first stop en route to Alaska!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1000717_10151447101806971_1475369916_n.jpg)

So the adventure begins...

Zwartie

Awesome mate, have a great ride

 :hi: Bon voyage, bon chance mon ami... :bye:  :bye2:

Well, it's been an interesting ride so far. We left last week Friday (July 5) and headed to Grandville, MI and stayed overnight at my sister's place, then caught the Lake Express Ferry the next morning from Muskegon, MI to Milwaukee, WI. All seemed to be going well until that evening when Bruce's Moto Guzzi  Stelvio gave an ECU fault at our campground near Waterloo, IA. It seemed to resolve itself that evening so we continued riding the next day (Sunday) until it crapped out again, somewhere in IA - apparently only a few miles from where The Music Died (Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Big Bopper). Got his bike towed to Mankato, MN where there is a local Guzzi dealer. My cousin Albert (Tiger 1050) and I carried on the next day while Jack (GS1200) stayed back with Bruce - unfortunately the Guzzi shop was not open on Monday. On Tuesday morning they got to the dealer and after a few hours it was determined the problem was a bad ground. So they got the bike together and started on their way to catch up with us. They made it about 130 km when Bruce's bike crapped out again - this time a different ECU fault. He towed it back to the Guzzi dealer and the problem was a chaffed wire that had shorted to ground. Bruce was so disheartened and lost all confidence in his bike that he decided to head back home. Albert and I were able to make it all the way to Mount Rushmore by Tue night and stayed at a KOA a few miles outside of Mount Rushmore. On the way there my fuel pump crapped out just outside Winner, SD and we were able to bypass it until a permanent fix could be done. On Wed we continued heading west and to make up for lost time, super-slabbed it on I90. Albert and I put in 800km that day while Jack pulled off 1,200 km in order to catch up with us. Another challenge was presented to us that day when Albert and I stopped somewhere in Wyoming to take off our rain gear as the sky was blue and there was no sign of the rain that seemed so ominous when we left Mount Rushmore. During that stop Albert called his wife back in Holland and left his key turned on so that the headlights and aux lights were on for about 20 minutes resulting in a dead battery. The FJ did not have enough juice to boost the Tiger so we flagged down some workers in a Ford F350 and they were able to bring the Tiger back to life. Jack caught up to us on I90  - Albert and I were having a break on a parking area off the highway when Jack roared by and saw us in time to make a quick turn in (through the exit), and there was much rejoicing. When it was time to hit the road again Jack put the hammer down to get back on I90 and then almost immediately ground to a halt when he realized that his Blackberry flew out of his tank bag and was somewhere on the highway. He walked back a couple hundred meters and found it...in pieces. He then inadvertently dropped his custom ear buds on the highway while picking up the remnants of his Blackberry and they got run over and destroyed as well. Sigh. We stayed in Bozeman, MT that evening. The next day the three of us rode 915 km and stayed overnight in Ellensburg, WA. It was three days of riding through some really flat, straight terrain. It made me think of that age old question: What came first, the straight road or the Harley-Davidson? We saw a shit-load of Harleys! On Friday we made a relatively short run (360 km) to my sister's place in Surrey, BC.  We dropped off the FJ and Tiger at Pacific Motorsports in Richmond, BC for a tire change. Looking forward to see how the Pilot Road 3's hold out! Had some down time on Saturday in the Vancouver area with my sister and brother in-law and enjoyed a great fish dinner at Moby Dick's in White Rock. So this morning we are getting ready to head North on the second leg of this adventure. Let's hope the little mishaps are out of the way...

Despite your hiccups, you guys are maiking me jealous!
I'd love to do an adventure to Alaska and back.............Keep the posts coming! :good2:

Mate, fantastic, entertaining post. I think all fj eyes in Australia are hanging off every word you type. Thanks for allowing us to ride with you. (more please - can`t wait ta see the pics). Your reporting will become a globally shared example of priorities being the Journey and the destination a less important, goal.  :drinks:

It's not the destination, it's the trip that you will remember the most :lol:  :drinks: :drinks: :drinks: Keep up the adventure and the reports when you can,  and above all be as safe as you can and still laugh about it.   :bye:
George

After a great breakfast at my sister's place in Surrey we hit the road this morning (Sunday), around 10:30. It was a enjoyable and maybe more importantly, an uneventful ride! We took highway 99 to Whistler and had a break there for an hour or so. Then we continued on 99 and took in some absolutely incredible sites. The weather was great  - not too warm, not too cold and the FJ was running as smooth as ever. After a fuel stop we rode for a few kms and saw some clouds roll in so we decided it was best to put on the rain gear. What a great call that was. It rained and rained and rained and the temperature dropped (according to Jack's thermometer on the GS) to 7C (45F) and we trudged on for another hour or so until we couldn't feel our fingers. A stop at a a Tim Horton's for some hot chocolate and we decided to press on for another hour. The sky cleared for that last run and we made it to Williams Lake, BC. Due to the soggy nature of our gear, we decided to opt for the Super 8 instead of a campground. Dinner at the Laughing Loon and now we're back at the motel checking emails and of course, posting on various websites. My cousin Albert has a Blog on the go, but it's in Dutch so I'm not sure if anyone is interested in reading it or not. I can always ask him for the address and post it later. We did just over 500 km today which is pretty reasonable considering the time we left, the stop in Whistler and that we were no longer riding at Interstate speeds. I noticed immediately that the FJ's fuel consumption is way better than on the Interstate runs. I calculated that I could have gotten 391 km to a tank vs. maybe 325 when running hard on the interstate highways. Only 2,800 km to get to Fairbanks!

Zwartie

A few pictures from the trip so far...

On the Lake Express Ferry ready to leave Muskegon, MI, heading to Milwaukee, WI
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/969138_10151474232831615_2031864985_n.jpg)

Working on Bruce's bike on the side of the road somewhere in Iowa - the beginning of the end for the Guzzi. By the way, he already took it in to the dealership in London, ON and traded it in for a 2012 Super Tenere.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1044561_10151474233256615_1846850879_n.jpg)

The FJ and the Tiger getting ready for the day in Winner, SD. It would be soon after when the fuel pump crapped out.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1001817_10151479524511615_1914711951_n.jpg)

Jack caught up with us somewhere in Wyoming.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/47972_10151483957076615_1868322764_n.jpg)

Riding through the mountains in Montana.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1003089_10151483957321615_1070705040_n.jpg)

More riding in Montana.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/943578_10151483957626615_1656318562_n.jpg)

Lunch in Wallace, ID
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/999505_10151483248706615_1037586587_n.jpg)

More to follow...

Here's Jack in front of the Olympic rings in Whistler, BC. The place was hopping with tourists, entertainers and mountain bikers.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1004444_10151492762126615_1645585239_n.jpg)

Riding through the mountains in BC.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1003134_10151492762201615_696267331_n.jpg)

Albert on his Tiger 1050 - a very competent sport-touring machine!
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1069155_10151492762641615_1011322489_n.jpg)

Waiting for the construction crew to let us through.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/993312_10151492762856615_1217036932_n.jpg)

Our campsite at the Shady Rest Campground in Houston, BC.
(https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1069965_10151492763131615_549896283_n.jpg)

The last couple days have included some great riding and the mountains and interior BC region made for a fantastic back drop. Our ride from Whistler to Williams Lake included the first real rain we've experienced so far on this trip. And besides that, the winds really picked up making it even more challenging. By the time we stopped to warm up at a Timmies (Tim Horton's) the temperature had dropped to 7C. My fingers were frozen but the Road Toadz did a great job of keeping the rest of me warm and dry. We checked in to a Super 8 motel in Williams Lake, BC and I had the best sleep I've had for the entire trip. The nervous energy and anticipation is gone and now we're (or just me) into the routine of things. Yesterday was just brilliant - the weather was ideal with blue skies and a high of 24C as we rode our way to Houston, BC, about 550 km or so. We rode a bit more aggressively averaging speeds of 115 km/h and it showed as when we filled up with 310 km on the trip meter and the FJ easily swallowed 19 L of gas. For this leg of the trip I have a 5L gas can as gas stations are going to be few and far between. We camped out at the Shady Rest Campground which I would highly recommend as it is quiet and clean, and the owners are biker friendly. They let the 3 of us set up our tents on the group camping site at a whopping $24 for the night (for all 3 of us). We went to a local pup for dinner and then headed back to the campground for a couple beers and a campfire. I pulled out the small travel guitar that I packed for the trip and hacked away at the only two songs I know (sort of) - Free Fallin' and Day Tripper. Just learning to play and my level is somewhere between Beginner and Sucks. It was after 11:00 PM when we called it a night and the sky was still not completely dark. Oh, right, it's early July and we're headed north! The sun got up sometime before 5:00 so I rolled out of the tent to clean up. It's a cold one this morning at about 6C but promises to warm up again today. I'm sitting on a picnic table under a pavilion as I type this, waiting for the other 2 to wake up. I guess they need more beauty sleep than I do - I can't blame them for that.

Zwartie

Excellent riding report so far!
Keep it coming..............Including Pics! :good:

I'd love to get up to BC and do some riding...........

It's been a few days since my last update so here it is. Pictures to follow:

Monday July 15: When we left Williams Lake the weather was sunny and gorgeous and promised for some great riding, which was delivered.  We rode 550 km that day and made it to Houston, BC where we stayed at the Shady Rest Campground which I highly recommend – best and cleanest bathroom/shower facilities of any campground ever.  The only mishap that occurred that day was shortly after I filled up my bike at a gas station at the junction of hwy 16 and 37. I went in to pay for gas and as I walked back toward the gas pump I watched in horror as some jackass (technical term) tried to squeeze his Ford F350 between my bike and the building, rubbing the extended rear fender against my Givi bag and nearly dumping the bike. I am normally a pretty even tempered guy but in this instance I completely freaked out and ran up to the side of the truck as it appeared they were going to leave the scene, banged on the fender and yelled at the driver to find out what the F he was doing! We had a rather heated exchange of ideas and in the end the bag had a minor scuff on the side. We took a break and when my heart rate finally came down to normal we continued with the ride. If I learned one lesson from this experience other than not to freak out at times like this, it's that I need to move my bike away from the gas pump to a safer spot right after filling up and then go inside to pay.
Tuesday July 16: A bit of a late start – we hit the road around 9:30 and made some tracks before stopping for a late breakfast. Considering the late start we still pulled in around 660 km and stopped in at Dease Lake for the night. Not much in Dease Lake – just a typical northern native village with not much to do. It was late and we were hot and tired which the mosquitoes seemed to pick up on right away. The campground in town was for RVs only so we opted for the local motel at $160 for the room – can you say cha-ching!!! At least we were able to split it 3 ways with one on a thermarest on the floor so there were no "those aren't pillows!" comments in the morning.
Wednesday July 17: Destination – Whitehorse. We got a good start in the morning and rode a couple hundred km before we got to the first available restaurant and gas station at the junction of 37 and 1 – the Alaska highway! Another great day weather-wise but we could really tell we were getting north by the incredible bug collection on our bikes.  650 km later and we made it into Whitehorse and checked in at a campground that looked more like a hippy commune from the '60s. We called it an early night as we knew we were going to need some time to make it to Tok, AK the next day.
Thursday July 18: Whitehorse, YT to Tok, AK – 12 hours on the road for 625 km. Today was a long day but it was worth every minute! Didn't have as sore a butt as I would have expected but that may have to do with the fact that I spent a considerable amount of time standing on the pegs. We had been warned by others including 2 guys from Toronto on BMW GS1200's about the crappy roads but it was not nearly the nightmare that everyone described to us. The FJ handled the gravel and bumpy roads no problem at all and I spent as much time standing on the pegs as Jack did on his GS.
Friday July 19: Tok to Anchorage. This has been by far the most scenic ride. The views are absolutely incredible. We've been told that the Top of the World highway is even better but I can't imagine that. We'll have to wait and see. Another 600 km ride that took us about 10 hours to complete – partially because of construction, some gravel sections and a few hours of riding in the rain and partially because we stopped so frequently to take pictures. We ended up in Anchorage and checked in at the Creekwood Inn, just far enough from downtown to be affordable and close enough that we could walk in for dinner at the Glacier Brewhouse – an excellent microbrewery and restaurant.
Saturday July 20: Anchorage, AK. Today is a down-time day. We got up around the crack of 9:30 and spent a bit of time checking email and posting pictures on Facebook before getting up to do anything important – like going out for breakfast. It was a bit rainy in the morning but by the time we decided to go out it started clearing up nicely. We rode to a local BMW bike shop to check it out (I think it is simply called "The Motorcycle Shop") and then went to a shop called Alaska Leathers where Albert bought a cup holder for his Tiger. Jack and I swapped rides for the morning and I must say that I am quite impressed with the handling and power of the GS. It's much more nimble than it appears! If I only had $20,000 burning a hole in my pocket. We then rode downtown and walked around to find the local weekend market. We walked to a park where we thought the market should be and it turned out to be some event for or from the Governor that was just ending. As we began to walk away a local woman overheard us talking and then told us where the market is. She was walking in that general direction and then offered to give us a ride there. Talk about friendly locals! After the market we walked to the waterfront – there is no beach to speak of but we walked along the pathway and took some photos and just took in the fact that we are in Alaska already – holy shit! We went back for dinner at a local pizza shop and when we got back to where the bikes were parked Jack found a $20 parking ticket on his bike. We had squeezed all our bikes into one space and figured that the officials had determined that the owner of the brand new BMW would be most likely to pay the parking fine. I'm sure they saw my filthy 21 year old FJ and took pity on me and also saw the NL licence plate on Albert's bike and figured that they would never get $20 from a Dutchman. Back to the Creekwood to do some laundry, relax, have a beer or three and call it a night. Tomorrow we head for Fairbanks.

Mate ,you guys are having a ball  :yahoo:,, must have been a half decent cop or he would of ticketed all of you , just because he could  :i_am_so_happy:

Some photos from the past few days (not including today)

A view of the mountains just outside Smithers, BC – Excellent, Smithers!
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Ready to head onto the Stewart-Cassiar Highway. This is where my FJ was almost knocked over by a Ford F350
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Stopping for construction. This is to become a regular occurrence.
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Welcome to Yukon!
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Jack ahead of me riding in the gravel. The FJ handled pretty good and I stood on the pegs through most of it.
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The FJ is getting a little dirty on this trip. I washed it at the campground in Tok but it really made no difference once we hit more construction the next day.
[imghttps://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/969012_10151501463916615_203826017_n.jpg]http://[/img]

Our first photo in Alaska – we made it!!!
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Our trusty steeds at the campground in Tok, AK
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A typical view on our ride from Tok to Anchorage. The most scenic ride so far...
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Note to self - most campground internet access is extremely slow. Sorry about the missing photos in the last post but the preview was taking forever so I just hit "Post" and as you can see, some of the links didn't work out exactly as planned. If you are interested in seeing some more photos, I have an album on Facebook called "Alaska 2013" which is open for public viewing. This should be the link to that folder: https://www.facebook.com/ben.zwart.5/media_set?set=a.10151303066736615.1073741825.664136614&type=3 (https://www.facebook.com/ben.zwart.5/media_set?set=a.10151303066736615.1073741825.664136614&type=3)

Thanks,

Zwartie.

Quote from: Zwartie on July 22, 2013, 01:49:21 AM

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Geez, even the dirt roads over there you could land a plane on!

Quote from: ribbert on July 22, 2013, 04:13:47 AM

Quote from: Zwartie on July 22, 2013, 01:49:21 AM

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Geez, even the dirt roads over there you could land a plane on!

That's not a dirt road it's a landing strip for the Mosquitos up there. :rofl2:

Quote from: FJscott on July 22, 2013, 11:54:59 PM

That's not a dirt road it's a landing strip for the Mosquitos up there. :rofl2:

I'm not surprised, they hold the annual mosquito swatting championships in Sweden, which is about the same Latitude.

Great adventure ! Keep the information coming and pictures coming. I think it is "Jack's" bike there, I like his riding position.

George

Sunday July 21: We did the ride from Anchorage to Fairbanks. Road conditions were OK by Alaskan standards but it really was about the views more than the ride. Albert commented that it has gotten better every day and I agree with him. We're told the Top of the World Highway will be the best but at this point it's hard to imagine.

Here we are with a stunning view of Mount McKinley (or Denali, depending on who you ask)
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The three travellers at a scenic lookout
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A view of a glacier somewere near or in Delani National Park
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Local resident
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This is a view from our campsite in Fairbanks at 10:30 PM. Weird!
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Tomorrow we head to the Arctic Circle!!!

Sunday July 22: This has been the most challenging and most rewarding day so far. We left Fairbanks at 8:00 AM and didn't roll back in to our campsite until about 10:30 PM. The first hour or so of riding consisted of mostly good asphalt and nice sweeping curves. Then we hit the Dalton highway and the games commenced. Ask me what I thought of the Dalton and my response would be "Which one?". We "only" rode to the Arctic Circle which is about a third of the entire run but the part we did consisted of smooth asphalt, sections with potholes so large and deep you need a ladder to get out and then there was the sand and gravel. Lots of it. Loose gravel, hard packed sand, and my personal favourite, wet soupy mush - not because it rained but because the construction crews were spraying water on it. It wasn't too deep or anything but just slick enough to make you wonder when (not if) the front end was going to wash out. Fortunately for us, that didn't happen. We made a stop in either direction at the Yukon River camp for fuel (over $5 per gallon) as there was no way we could have made it without that. The total ride to and from the Arctic Circle was about 640 km but it took us about 10 hours (not including stops) to do it all. We met some interesting characters at the Yukon River camp - a trapper and his mom who had to travel by boat a few miles down (or up) the river to get to their cabin which was another 1/2 mile walk in the wilderness. I see a reality show in the making. On the way back we stopped to help a guy named Chris who had a flat tire on his 2002 BMW 650 Dakar bike. We used Jack's side stand to pop the bead of the tire from the rim and then helped him install a new tube and get the tire back on the bike. He wanted to buy us breakfast the next morning but Jack just told him to pay it forward. It's the motorcyclist code (if there is one).

Zwartie

Dalton Highway here we come!
(https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/1005443_10151509187056615_674458372_n.jpg%20%5Bimg%5D%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EThe%20Dalton%20appears%20to%20go%20on%20forever%20sometimes.%20That's%20the%20Alaska%20pipeline%20to%20the%20right%20of%20the%20road.%3Cbr%20/%3E%5Bimg%5D%20https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/1069286_10151509187566615_2141174294_n.jpg%20%5Bimg%5D%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EAnd%20on%20and%20on%20and%20on...%3Cbr%20/%3E%5Bimg%5D%20https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1016787_10151509188006615_608433636_n.jpg%20%5Bimg%5D%3Cbr%20/%3E%3Cbr%20/%3EMade%20it!%3Cbr%20/%3E%5Bimg%5D%20https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/970459_10151509188376615_497131044_n.jpg)

With the boys
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I have proof!
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This would be our "Long Way Round" shot
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The mud was unbelievable!
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Will need to clean this mess up when we're done!
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Helping Chris get his bike back on the road.
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Fortunately it's common for campgrounds to have a pressure washer so the campers can clean the dust and mud off their vehicles. I gave my baby a wash the following morning.
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More to follow!

   Any up dates?
If you can stop in Hudson's Hope I'll get the wife to make you a saskatoon pie

Sorry for the delay between the last post and this one. It's been a action-packed, fun-filled journey and I am now safe and sound at home in London, ON.  By the time we got to settle down in the evening I maybe had enough time to post a few pics on Facebook and only if we had WiFi which wasn't too often. Here's a summary. I'll post day by day (as much as I can recall, anyway)

Tuesday July 23:  This was one of our down-time days in Fairbanks. Jack took his GS to the local Harley/BMW dealership (great combination) for a tire change. Albert went into town to run some errands and I went on a mission to change the oil on my FJ. I really didn't want to spend $100 to get it done at a dealership and didn't feel like explaining to them how to do it on the bike as I have the spin-on adapter and with the V&H exhaust system the oil drain plug is inaccessible so I disconnect the lower-left oil cooler fitting instead. I went to the Fairbanks Wal-Mart Auto Center and asked the girl at the counter if I could change the oil in the parking lot outside the shop. Before I could finish with my explanation she stopped me and said that motorcyclists do this all the time and all I had to do was ask the guys at the shop for an oil catch pan and I could do it right outside the shop doors. So I bought some Shell Rotella synthetic oil and changed the oil right there. Jack stopped by and gave me a hand checking the level (I have no center stand) and commented that the dealership he was at had a sign outside saying that no oil changes were allowed in their parking lot. We both thought that was pretty shitty as there are a lot of motorcyclists that ride up to Alaska (lots and lots of GS's and KLR's) and often they are on a shoe-string budget. So the oil was changed and we were ready to go! Jack was on a quest for some Arctic Circle stickers or T-shirts and had been told to go to the Hilltop Restaurant just outside town as they may have something but no luck. We did stick around for a bite, though. Jack had breakfast and I stuffed myself with a huge slice of blueberry pie. After that we went into town to meet Albert and check out some souvenir shops but no luck. We were told that the best place for souvenirs is Wal-Mart (go figure) so back we went. Still nothing that specifically says "I was at the Arctic Circle" or something along that line. Back to the campground to get ready for the next big ride tomorrow – the Top of the World Highway!

Time for an oil change in Fairbanks. $24 at Wal-Mart beats $100 at a dealership any day!
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Jack having breakfast while I attack a huge slice of blueberry pie a la mode!
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Wednesday July 24: Fairbanks, AK to Dawson City, YT – 625km including 275km along the Top of the World Highway. Up to this point I thought we had seen it all in terms of stunning views and difficult roads. Fortunately I was mistaken. This was one of those rides that others had either warned us about or told us we cannot miss, or both. Let's just say they did not have the FJ in mind when they built the Top of the World Highway. We hit everything from smooth asphalt with big sweepers to rough tar-n-chip with potholes that can be seen from the International Space Station to hard-packed gravel to "road under construction" with baseball sized rocks to something that felt like a mix of gravel and quicksand. So much for keeping the bike clean. I spent most of the last 275km riding on the pegs and was really thankful for the RPM front fork upgrade and the rear shock rebuild from Protech suspension. I was also surprised that none of us ended up with a flat tire. Speeds ranged from 100 down to 20 km/h depending on road conditions and the three of us spread out which may have been for the best. Toward the end of the ride I was getting really proud of my off-road riding skills when I turned a corner to see some guy on a scooter, yes, a Vespa styled old piece of crap scooter fully laden with luggage riding the same shitty road in the opposite direction. I guess riding an FJ on the Top of the World Highway wasn't so special after all. We all met up at the US/Canada border which is the most remote border crossing I've ever seen and which we found out is only open from April to September anyway. Did I mention the scenic views? Breathtaking! We finally made it to Dawson City but not after having to cross the Yukon River on a small ferry that held maybe 8 vehicles max. The river was running fast and the landing area on the other side looked like a makeshift bank that was chipped away by Ewan and Charlie on the Road of Bones. Dawson City is an authentic Klondike town. If you get a chance to make it there, be sure to enjoy a meal at Klondike Kate's – great food!

Stopping for a break between Fairbanks and Tok
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The one gas stop along the Top of the World Highway – in Chicken, AK. A very interesting little mining camp
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Stopping for a break after some intense riding
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Really glad it didn't rain as these roads could have gotten very messy!
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Just before crossing back into Canada
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It was like riding in a different world
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...and the road just seemed to wind on and on and on...
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Waiting for the ferry to Dawson City
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Dawson City is a really cool town that takes you back to the days of the Gold Rush, complete with dirt roads and wooden board walks
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Yay!
This is the best R/R for a very long time, please keep us updated.

Love the reports, love the photos, but just where do you have to go over there to find a narrow road?

Noel

Sounds like an incredible adventure ride. im green with envy. thanks for documenting and sharing with us. did you have any issues trying to find fuel on such a remote ride?

Scott

Thursday July 25: Dawson City to Whitehorse – 535km. This was the first day where we actually hit some wet weather. No problem, though – the Road Toadz raingear worked flawlessly as did the Alpinestars Web Gortex boots. Up to this point I believe my choice of riding gear has done the job nicely. The only thing I haven't had to make use of yet is my heated vest. That being said, we haven't hit any real hard rain so far – it's all been quite tolerable. We rode for a good 350km before stopping for a bite to eat at the Gold Panner Restaurant in Carmacks, YT. As we rolled in it was not difficult to spot 4 BMW GS1200's parked in front so Albert and I immediately knew that Jack would have to talk to the BMW "brethren". Until this ride through northern BC, Yukon and Alaska I had no idea so many GS's even existed. You see them here the way you see Harley's in the Midwestern US. Kind of annoying, really. Now don't get me wrong, think they are a great purpose-built machine. You love a GS the way you love a tractor – not for how it looks but for what it does. That being said, I think Jack's GS is actually not that hard on the eyes (but I did just start wearing glasses about a year and a half ago).  Between the GS and the GoPro camera mounted on his helmet, Jack's been quite the attention getter. It seemed as though everywhere we stopped someone would walk up and ask him about the bike or the camera, or both. And Jack is not shy so he would talk about each in great detail. Albert and I were beginning to feel neglected (sniff, sniff). So we walked into the restaurant and sat down as the 4 other riders were getting ready to head out. Jack talked to them for a bit and we found out they were from Montana. After a few minutes out in the parking lot one of them came back in the restaurant and walked over to our table only to ask "Who owns the FJ?" What, did I hear this correctly??? I looked and Jack and Albert and said Yessssss!!! Someone noticed my FJ!!! We all had a good laugh. The fella said he really likes the air cooled bikes. One point for the Blue Bunny!
We continued our ride and stopped for the night at the same campground in Whitehorse that we stayed at on the way up. We set up camp and then each of us had an errand to run. I believe Jack had to get a towel because he left his at the last campground and I had to get a couple 1157 bulbs – one for the rear and one for the front signal/marker lights. I went to the local Canadian Tire and on the way back to the campground thought I would stop in at McDonalds. While there I noticed a solo GS in the parking lot so I talked to the owner of the bike. Carl was from San Diego, 62 years old and had been on the road since April. I just assumed he was single but turns out he's married, has two kids in University and was on this trek as he was burnt out from too many years of working as a marketing executive. Guess he needed some time to recharge the batteries. I told Carl where we were camping so he followed me to the campground and checked in there as well. I introduced him to Jack and Albert and of course, Carl and Jack got into the obligatory "all things GS" discussion. Carl also shared some bourbon with us at the lounge area next to the campground office. One of the great things about this trip is the people you meet along the way, whether they be local or passing through. It seems as though few people in the far north are actually originally from the far north – everyone has a story to tell.

No, this is not a GS rally, just the parking lot outside the Gold Panner Restaurant
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Yeah, that's an FJ1200 alright!
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A quick pic with Carl
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Jack and Carl having a GS talk. Is there a secret handshake?
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Good onya Ben!
Well done mate.
Hey Mods, how about making this a "SDticky" and using it as a great example on how to write a ride report.

Great ride report..... hard to beat a good adventure!   :good2:


KOokaloo!

I did a trip last year and was starting to wonder if they had passed a law making it mandatory that only GS's were allowed beyond the city limits.

Funny thing with GS's, I ride a late model fully optioned one frequently, they are a real mile muncher and do everything brilliantly, which is why I guess the whole world copied them, but I don't want one. Never been able to put my finger on why.

I have had the opposite experience to Zwartie, much to the GS owner's disgust, the FJ is always the attention grabber.

Noel

Aside from the mud........................I am insanely jealous!
Keep the ride report, and the pics coming! :drinks:

PS......................I hate mud!

Nice ride report, Zwartie!

Looks like your meticulous trip prep paid off...   :good2:

Friday July 26: Whitehorse, YT to Liard River Hot Springs, BC – 650km. We've been on the road for 3 weeks now. Where did the time go? Things that happened just a couple weeks ago seem like they were part of a completely different trip. Since about the third day of the trip I've had to remind myself or even check my phone to determine what day of the week it is – which is a good thing. The days have been long (in terms of daylight as well as riding) and we've always had a task to accomplish – get in so many km's today or get this or that task done. And there has always been the element of the unknown – you never know what's around the next corner or if/when something completely unexpected is going to happen. Which is what we expect. I would have it no other way and I am pretty sure that Jack and Albert feel the same way too. Today delivered on its promise of some cold and damp weather. A great day for putting the electric vest on under the raingear and jacket. I had debated about whether to bring it or not, especially when riding through the 38.5C heat in Wyoming but boy am I glad I found a place to stuff it in the luggage now! The rain held off long enough for us to make it to Watson Lake, BC which is where we made a stop at the signpost forest. There's something like 10,000 signs in the forest which apparently was started back in 1941 when a homesick G.I. put up a sign with the name of his hometown and it just sort of grew from there. Albert had some stickers that he had taken along for the ride showing his journey from Garmerwolde, NL to Anchorage so we stuck a couple of them in key places – on signs for other Dutch towns, of course. We stopped for fuel in Watson Lake and then headed on – and that's when the floodgates opened up and we got our first taste of a hard rain. It only lasted for a few minutes and then backed off to just a normal, annoying rain. Our destination for the day was Liard River Hot Springs where there is a Provincial Park and we were hoping to camp there. The Park has no facilities so fortunately there was a campground right across the road with showers and a restaurant so we set up camp there instead. The mosquitoes were in full force as we set up camp so we made good use of the mosquito nets that we had picked up in Vancouver – not pretty, but they keep the bugs from biting! After supper it was a walk over to the Provincial Park for a dip in the hot springs. There was a board walk leading to the hot springs and it was interesting to see trees with moss hanging off them that looked like it had no business being in Northern BC. Apparently there are also fish that are only found in that area as they have evolved to live in the hot water. Albert didn't bring his bathing suit and since there were families there he didn't want to scare anyone by going commando so it was just Jack and I and some of the other tourists and campers. Jack struck up a conversation with a guy from Yukon who had taken early retirement from the oil industry 20 years ago and now lives completely off the grid with his wife. He told us about how great it is to live in the Yukon and how much they enjoy winter camping – snowshoeing and tenting in -40C is not my idea of a good time, but then he may say the same about motorcycling to Alaska. The advantage of camping in the winter, you may ask? No mosquitoes, rain or bears to contend with!

At Johnson's Crossing, YT, at the start of the Canol Road – built by the US Government during WWII to have access to oil in the North.
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The Sign Post Forest in Watson Lake
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One of the signs where Albert left his mark
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The only thing I could find with my name on it..sort of
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Used Cows, anyone?
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A well-deserved soak in the hot springs after a long day of riding
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Saturday July 27: Liard River Hot Springs, BC to Dawson Creek, BC – 755km. It rained through the night as it's done before but as has always been the case at least to this point in the journey, it's never raining when we're packing up in the morning. Must be the clean living. Today is going to be another damp-cool day as the low hanging clouds indicate but thanks to the good 'ol Gerbing heated vest I'm nice and toasty. I do sometimes wish I had a variable heat controller instead of the on/off switch that I use which can make the ride seem somewhat menopausal at times. Apparently, this stretch of road is where the Buffalo roam, quite literally – or at least the Bison. I can't tell the difference and some say there isn't a difference. All I know is that they are huge and I have no intention of pissing them off. At first there would be one or two hanging around the side of the road but as we finished going through a few miles of road construction there was an entire herd lounging on and off the road. I would have liked to stop for a photo op but after sizing them up decided that the FJ is no match for an angry Bison. We've definitely gone through our share of construction today and our theory that all of the flag people on the highway construction sites in the north are female is still proving to be true. They also typically call the motorcycles up to the front of the line-up so that we're right behind the pilot vehicle. No complaints on either count. We stopped at the Toad River Lodge for a hearty breakfast and it wasn't hard to notice that the ceiling in the place was tiled with hats – we're told there are 8,000 hats in the place. And of course there were other motorcyclists stopped at the Lodge for a meal – mostly BMW GS's (go figure). We continued on to Dawson Creek, BC where we found a decent campground and got a bite to eat at a local diner. We also noticed two other bikes that rolled in and ended up camping beside our site – one guy on an early 2,000 BMW K1200LT and another on an early 70's Honda CB500. We didn't say too much to them that evening – just checked email, cleaned up and called it a night. Note to self – don't camp next to the main highway. At least it actually got dark by about 11:00. We're finally getting a little south!

The local wildlife. Apparently there are some 200 Bison in the region. We must have seen half of them
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The pilot vehicle leads the way for us. Except for Jack, he got a bit impatient and started riding before he saw that there was a pilot vehicle on this site. Jack thought we may have gotten there before the crew started working so he decided to take off – or at least that's his story...
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Here's Jack discussing the weather with the flag person. Either that or she has just finished asking him "is that a GoPro on your helmet or are you just happy to see me?"
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Our usual pose waiting for construction
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Anyone need a hat?
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Outside the Toad River Lodge
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Some dogs just can't be trained!
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Hi Ben,
Offer still open for a camp site if you come this way.  My place is at Bragg Creek just west of Calgary.

Jeff

Quote from: ribbert on August 06, 2013, 09:46:41 AM
Love the reports, love the photos, but just where do you have to go over there to find a narrow road?
Noel

North Carolina has alot of narrow roads...........................But they DO have some of the best ones!

Sunday July 28: Dawson Creek, BC to Edmonton, AB – 590km. This is separation day. No worries, though, we'll get back together in a couple days. As we get ready to pack up and hit the road we chat for a bit with our neighbors in the site beside us. Turns out the CB500 is a '72 and the owner's name is Clement who is from France. When he rolled in last night I thought he had no idea what he was doing on this beat-up looking old machine. Turns out I couldn't have been more wrong (no surprise). He knows bikes alright as he used to work at a bike shop back in France. He bought the bike in Quebec and is on his way to Alaska. We told him about some of the roads and what to expect and said that he has to ride the Top of the World Highway. The rear tire was toast so he had a spare strapped to the back and changed it right there at his campsite this morning. He told Jack that he doesn't exceed 80 km/h on the CB – I'm sure it could go faster but the way the brakes look it was likely more an issue of slowing down than speeding up. Once again I thought I was doing something real special by riding a 21 year old bike to Alaska only to be outdone by someone on a 41 year old machine – sigh. The K1200LT was owned by Larry from Indiana who was also on his way up to Alaska but he didn't seem quite as keen on riding the gravel "highways".
Once we were packed up we hit the road and headed to Grand Prairie where we stopped for fuel and breakfast. This was the point where I said goodbye to Jack and Albert...for now. One of my objectives on this trip was to visit a good friend of mine in Edmonton. Albert and Jack continued on toward Jasper / Banff and the plan was to meet up again the following day in Calgary. The ride from Grand Prairie to Edmonton is relatively flat and straight (reminds me of Southwestern Ontario) and there were pockets of cold rain along the way – again, thanks for the heated vest! I made a quick stop in Whitecourt and called Rob to let him know where I was. He said he would ride toward me as I rode toward Edmonton and when we met up he would lead me to his place. Rob has a Ducati Multistrada 1100 – an '07 or '08 model. I followed Rob along the back roads to his house and got to spend some quality time with his wife Miai and their 7-month old son Robbie Jin. Rob and I have known each other for at least 25 years and back in '91 we rode our Honda V45 Sabres from Ontario to Calgary and back. Looking back it was quite a feat as we rode about 7,000 km without current-day "necessities" such as GPS, two-way communicators or MP3 players – how did we do it? Time to reminisce about the "good 'ol days".  After a great Korean dinner, a couple beers and a soak in the hot tub it was time to retire for the night.

Albert doing his morning exercise
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Chatting with the neighbors. There is a camaraderie among motorcyclists that you just don't find with minivan drivers – go figure
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Clement (modern-day Ted Simon?) changing the tire on his bike
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Rob leading me to his place in Edmonton – nice bike!
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Monday July 29: Edmonton, AB to Calgary, AB – 300km. Nice to not have to get up at a specific time in the morning to hit the road. A bit of a break from what has been a fairly aggressive schedule and will continue to be after today as we are targeting to be back in London, ON by Saturday – a day early. After breakfast Rob asked if I would like to wash my bike at his place – absolutely! I really wanted to get the grime off the FJ so I could see her shine again. Since the rest of the ride home should be mostly tarmac it was also a good idea to clean the chain. I brought a grunge brush along and picked up some Dupont chain cleaner in Fairbanks. I've often told students in the motorcycle course that a clean bike is a happy bike and this adage was confirmed today. While cleaning the chain I noticed that one of the rear sprocket nuts was missing. The washer was still there but no nut. So we went to Canadian Tire to pick up a replacement. When I put the nut back on (along with blue Loctite) I checked the rest of them and all but one were just finger-tight. Yikes! After lunch I bid Rob, Miai and Robbie Jin farewell and headed off to my cousin Arnold's place in Calgary – about 3 hours away.
I got to Arnolds's place in time to hop in his SUV with him so we could ride into town and pick up his wife Sharon from work. About 6 weeks earlier Calgary and surrounding area was hit with the worst flooding in...ever and Arnold said that they were still pumping out some of the downtown buildings. Later that afternoon Jack and Albert showed up and we had a nice dinner together and a relaxing evening at their place just hanging out with them. I stayed at their place back in '91 as well and hold the record as the cousin from Ontario who's visited them the most times on a motorcycle – twice. I may have already had the record with one visit but I figured I needed to secure my place in the record book. We also had a really good laugh that evening when Jack overheard Sharon mention the name of a friend of theirs to Arnold and it turns out Jack roomed with this guy in University – and it turns out the guy owes Jack an antique radio that he was going to fix for him back in the late '70's and never returned. This is what we call Dutch bingo – you get a few people of Dutch descent together and even though they've never met it turns out they know the same people or are related to each other.

A clean bike is a happy bike! My FJ after a good washing and Rob's Multistrada – which is an '09, not an '07 or '08 as previously stated
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Rob and Robbie Jin. Notice the motorcycle video on TV – now that's just good parenting!
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The Alaska riders hanging out with my cousin Arnold
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Tuesday July 30: Calgary, AB to Regina, SK – 760km. Another early start as we want to make some tracks today in an effort to get home by Saturday. Well, at least home for Jack and me. Albert still has to continue on to Halifax. We said goodbye to Arnold and Sharon, thanked them for their hospitality and hit the road...the extremely flat, straight road. It was the Trans-Canada Highway the whole way to Regina. Not exactly the most exciting part of the T-C but still there is something to enjoy and admire about the prairies. We rode through Medicine Hat, AB which is home to the world's largest (or tallest?) teepee and it got me to thinking that there are probably a lot of "world's largest..." in the prairies and many a town council or chamber of commerce has debated on what to build to bring tourists in if only to stop and look, buy a postcard or t-shirt and move on. We didn't even stop to buy the t-shirt, we just moved on.  We did appreciate that the speed limit on the T-C is 110 km/h, at least in Alberta and Saskatchewan. As we got closer to Moose Jaw we could see some ominous rain clouds off in the distance and it seemed inevitable that we would run right into them but that never happened. We stayed nicely behind or beside the rain and at times the road would be wet and there would be that unmistakable smell of rain but nothing ever materialized. I asked Jack and Albert what causes that smell that comes right before rain and they thought it might be ozone so of course I had to look it up on the Internet. Turns out the smell is called "petrichor" which is caused by bacteria such as geosmin and MIB being released into the air as the first rain hits the soil. Whoever thought going on a motorcycle trip could be so educational? We also went through a small area where it looked like there was snow on the ground but that turned out to be sodium sulphate – yay, more learning! By the end of the day we stopped at a campground on the east side of Regina. The girl at the office said we could set up our tents first and then come in and register. Turned out it was $25 per tent to camp which was one of the most expensive campgrounds we've been to so far. It seems as though there is no correlation between the price and quality of campground. This one was not the greatest but at least it was quiet and not too far off our route. While Jack was setting up his tent, a guy from an adjacent site started giving him free, unsolicited advice on how to set up a tent. Let's just say there was an herbal fragrance wafting from his site so Jack just nodded and smiled. You meet all kinds on the road!

Medicine Hat, AB – home of the world's largest teepee
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It looked like an Armada of clouds covered the seemingly endless prairie landscape peppered with hay bales
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Even the trains look longer in the prairies
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Sometimes you see things that make you think of home. Let's just say that my wife leans a bit toward the organized side of things. This made me smile
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A fitting sign for the area
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Even in July it's the Great White North!
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We could smell the rain but never caught up to it
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Wednesday July 31: Regina, SK to Lake of the Woods, MN – 830km. Another great day to make tracks. The plan is to meet up with Bruce somewhere in Michigan on Thursday evening so we need to get some serious km's in today. It's another sun-shiny day in the prairies. Given the choice, I would always prefer to ride into the sun in the morning as opposed to the end of the day when we're all getting tired and looking for a campground. We made it into Manitoba and once we got to the Winnipeg area headed southeast toward the US border. Following the GPS directions took us through a bit of gravel road but after the likes of the Top of the World Highway this seemed like an Interstate. Jack and I were having a discussion about the bikes at some point in the journey and I had commented that he and his GS were still in the the honeymoon phase whereas my FJ and I are going through a couples retreat, trying to reignite that spark in our relationship. I had been playing the dialogue in my mind. Me: "You never told me you enjoyed gravel roads so much!" FJ: "Well, you never bothered to ask, now did you?" Just when you think you know someone...
The border crossing into Minnesota was small with no real signs alerting us that we were anywhere near the border until a mile or two before we hit it. There were no vehicles ahead of us so Jack went first to the only customs official on duty. He seemed to be chatting with her for a bit longer than usual. Albert and I removed our helmets while we waited. I mentioned to him that friends would ask how the border crossing was and we would say that we had to wait about 20 minutes. "Oh, was there a lineup of cars?" "No, it was just Jack." Albert was next and the customs official immediately knew his name and asked him a number of questions. Turns out Jack asked her to give Albert a hard time. Fortunately she had a good sense of humor – You would never even think about doing something like that at the Port Huron border unless you're looking for a free prostate exam.
Our stop for the night was at the Lake of the Woods Campground which is just off the Rainy River and south of the actual Lake of the Woods, MN. When we checked in at the campground office there were a few locals sitting at a table. They asked where we were from and where we've been and when we mentioned Alaska they looked at us like we were from another planet. They made the usual comments that our butts must be sore from all the riding. I guess it just seems hard for some people to get their heads wrapped around this sort of thing. The Lake of the Woods region looks like a fisherman's paradise. It looked like the kind of setting where they would have filmed "Grumpy Old Men". I thought I could hear Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau exchange greetings: "Moron", "Putz".  We had a great dinner at Ballard's Restaurant and Fishing Resort and then called it a night.

Riding into the Manitoba morning sun
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Not a curve to be found in Manitoba either!
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A quick stop after riding on a gravel road in Manitoba
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Welcome to Minnesota!
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Jack calling home from the deck of Ballard's Restaurant near Lake of the Woods, MN
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A nice view of the water just after sunset...yes, we are finally south enough to see the sun set!
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Man, what a great trip!

Thursday August 1: Lake of the Woods, MN to Marquette, MI – 770km. Feeling a little blue today. Another great day of riding was promised, but it felt bitter-sweet – hard to believe that this little (or not so little) adventure was coming to close, and getting anxious to get home and see our loved ones again. This is one of those riding days when you seem to spend more time looking in your mirror, figuratively speaking. I thought back to an observation that Jack had made about my FJ earlier in the trip. For those who don't know, my bike is somewhat...modified, to say the least. I've been a fan of the mighty FJ since it first came out as the FJ1100 in 1984 and '85 and throughout its product life as the FJ1200 from '86 to '93. Back in 1994 I bought my first FJ, an '86 that was mostly stock and it was a faithful companion until 2005 when I "upgraded" my then 19 year old machine to a "new" 13 year old  '92 FJ1200. I was looking for something that was just a touch more touring friendly, with a taller windscreen and the '92 seemed to fit the bill nicely. I've test ridden many other bikes over the years and there have been some nice candidates along the way but none fits me as well as the FJ. Call me predictable. I guess I just know what I like. I've also worked for the same company for over 20 years, been with my wife for almost just as long and been a die-hard Rush fan since sometime in the '80's. Hmm, maybe there's a pattern here. Anyway, as I mentioned before, my FJ has a laundry list of "upgrades" and/or add-ons to it such as the engine, clutch, brakes, exhaust, rear wheel and swing-arm, suspension, and that's not even the half of it. Jack said that his uncle once spoke of an axe that he's owned for years: "It's my favorite axe. I've only replaced the handle 5 times and the head 3 times". A great analogy for the FJ – my favorite axe. It makes me wonder if I were to ride a completely stock FJ today if I would be as enamored by it. Who am I kidding, of course I would – it would just be another project in the works! If I'm getting at anything it's that the FJ was the only bike for this Far Journey...for me at least.
Today's ride took us through two states, 1 time zone (the last one) and just south of what may be the greatest of the Great Lakes, at least the most Superior of them. By the time this trip is done for Albert he will have ridden past or at least near all of the Great Lakes. That's an accomplishment that most North Americans can't even boast! During one of our fuel stops in in Michigan, Albert noticed that his front tire felt softer than it should and verified that it was leaking at the valve stem. Fortunately it was the valve itself and he was able to get a replacement at an auto shop across the road in just a few minutes. If that's the closest anyone's come to a flat tire on this trip then I say we've beaten the odds. By the end of the day or beginning of the evening we ended up at a campground in Marquette, MI and met up with our lost brother Bruce who rode up from London, ON on his brand new machine. After the misadventures with his MotoGuzzi which we have nicknamed the MotoKaputzi, it was time for him to upgrade to something more reliable – A 2012 Yamaha Super Tenere, and a blue one at that.

Let's see, I think the gas goes in here
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Riding toward Lake Superior in Duluth, MN
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Just had to take a picture of this Harley complete with American Flag and passenger in Elvis jumpsuit texting
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Riding through the UP in the late afternoon. The shadows are getting longer
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Our prodigal son has returned! OK, we met him on the way home
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Another blue Yamaha next to my FJ. We just need one more to make it a rally!
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Friday August 2: Marquette, MI to Linwood, MI – 540km. And then there were four. It sure would have been nice if Bruce could have joined us for the entire ride but that just wasn't in the cards. Got a feeling he may do the Alaska run next summer on what should be by then his tried and true blue Yamaha Super 10. I did offer to photo-shop him into the rest of the trip pictures. Today's ride took the four of us along the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or the "U.P." as it's more commonly known. This is a part of Michigan that I've never seen before and it reminds me a bit of Northern Ontario. I guess the glaciers didn't know the difference. The locals here are known as "Yoopers".  This is not the Port Huron – Detroit Michigan that I am familiar with. I think this is the "Pure Michigan" that Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) talks about in those commercials on TV and the radio. The kind of place I need to return to investigate further with Kim and the boys and our tent trailer in tow. We crossed over the Mackinaw Bridge into the lower half of Michigan or what looks like the middle finger portion of the mitten. No offence taken. I believe Bruce made mention later in the day that a car was blown off the bridge back in the '80s. Had I known that beforehand I may have kept both hands on the grips instead of holding a camera and snapping photos every 10 seconds or so.
After the bridge we made a slight detour to the west and caught M-119 which is known as the tunnel of trees. It is pretty much exactly what the name implies, along with nice twists and turns as it winds along the Lake Michigan shoreline for about 30 km. Although it's officially a two-lane road, in reality it's only about a lane and a half wide with no shoulder to speak of so much care was taken, especially when entering the many blind curves. Still, what a road! About halfway along, I noticed a big white tent with a BMW logo on it just off the road in a parking area so we made a quick U-turn to check it out. Turned out to be a BMW demo ride put on by BMW of Grand Rapids, MI. So Jack got to get his fill of BMW love again. At least we got some free pens and side-stand plates! Once we got through the tunnel and into one of the local lakeshore towns the group got separated with Bruce and Albert up front and Jack and I a few km's behind them. No problems, though - using the miracle of the Scala Q3 Bluetooth unit and my cell phone I was able to call Bruce while we were riding and let him know where we were. We caught up with each other a while later at a gas station just off I75. It may be subtle but the group dynamic certainly changes when you go from 3 riders to 4. With 3 it just seems to be so much easier to keep the group together through traffic and intersections, fuel stops are a bit quicker and costs are even a bit lower as campgrounds seem more keen on letting 3 tents onto one site. There was really no need for the 2-way communication units with our group of 3 but when we went to 4 it almost seemed like a necessity. I'm sure this trip would have gone well with 4 of us but I think that may have been the maximum, at least for my comfort level. Any more than 4 and things may have had to be "planned" which as my good friend Paul reminds me from time to time, is not the "Cowboy Way".
Our last evening of camping was at the Linwood Beach Marina and Campground in Linwood, MI which is about 20 km north of Bay City, MI. Apparently Linwood is the Walleye Capital of the World or something along that line. Dinner was at the Village Inn in Linwood and wouldn't you know it, they were all out of Walleye! After a late dinner it was back to the campground for a couple beers and get out the laptops to copy photos and videos over from one portable hard drive to another so that we wouldn't have to email or ftp them to each other later on. Jack had something like 150 GB of video from his Go Pro camera. He only lives 15 minutes or so from my place so I'll stop by and copy them over some other time. Just one more sleep and then I'm home!

By this time in the trip we've gotten pretty proficient at tearing down and packing up our gear
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Bruce looking good on his blue Super 10!
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The four travelers reunited!
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Bruce in front of me and Albert in my mirror on the Mackinaw Bridge
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Those twisty road signs just make me smile
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Leading the pack through the tunnel of trees
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Bruce and Albert looking sad – either because it's our last night or because we just found out they're out of Walleye
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Saturday August 3 Linwood, MI to London, ON – 330km. This is the final stretch, at least for three of us. Today we tear down our tents for the last time and head home. Jack's wife already made arrangements for the two of them to go to a B&B for the weekend as it is a long weekend in Canada or at least in Ontario so Jack wants to be home at a reasonable time. Compared to some of the 800+ km days we've ridden, today is going to feel like a ride to the corner store. We've gotten pretty adept at the whole setup/teardown the tent and gear routine by now so we're on the road in good time. The plan is to ride to Port Huron, stop for a late breakfast and then head home. From Linwood we hit I75 and headed south toward Flint, MI. Flint is one of those cities that's been hit hard by the mass exodus of the automotive industry from Detroit and they have the highways to prove it. Concrete slabs with chunks missing in just the right places. You know the road is in rough shape when it makes you wish you were back on the gravel of the Dalton Highway. The rest of the ride to Port Huron was accompanied by the usual thump-thump rhythm of I69 expansion joints. I really don't like the interstate highways in Michigan, in case you didn't know. We had breakfast at the Cracker Barrel in Port Huron which was an added bonus because I really wanted Albert to experience it. I remember the first time I went to a CB, maybe 20 years ago or so and thought that it had such a nice quaint, old-fashioned feel to it. Of course it didn't take long to realize that every CB is exactly the same as the last. Not in the same way as McDonald's or other chain restaurants, but in more of a Twilight Zone kind of way.  I'm sure we had the same waitress as the CB I went to in Kansas a few years back. But hey, at least the food is good! A quick fuel stop and short chat with the Canadian Border agent and we were back in Canada! I love visiting the US but there is always a small sigh of relief every time I get back to the Great White North. We rode from Sarnia to Strathroy on the 402, a road riddled with OPP (police) and nearly as straight as the mid-western plains, but at least no more thump-thump! We stopped at the end of the exit to Hickory Drive, just outside Strathroy for a few hearty hugs before Jack and Bruce peeled off for London. Albert and I continued on to Strath for a visit with my parents. It was a nice way to book-end the trip. This was also the point at which Albert and I would part ways – he was heading north to visit another cousin of his who was camping with his family at a Provincial Park and I pointed my front wheel home.  Thirty days and sixteen thousand, three hundred and thirty six kilometers later and I'm back in my driveway! Home Sweet Home! And what a homecoming it was – Kim and the boys were there waiting for me with a nice banner on the garage door and balloons by the front door. This trip has been an amazing experience that I will never forget but that being said, I don't think I've ever been so glad to be home.

Time to tear down camp for the last time...
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My transportation and home for the past 30 days
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Coming down the Blue Water Bridge from Port Huron, MI to Sarnia, ON
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Jack and Bruce heading home...
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A nice Dutch welcome at my parent's place. Seems like we were just here a month ago!
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Albert waves goodbye as he heads north and I'm about to turn east
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What a great welcome!
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16,336.2 km – that's 10,150.8 miles!
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The three reasons I came back home
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The trusty steed back in the stable after a Far Journey. Well done Blue Bunny, well done!
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I'm sad to see your trip end........................ :sorry:

How's your back tire look? What tires do you have on there?
Did you ever have to use your spare gas can that you strapped on there?

You are truly an inspiration, and I'm looking forward to my next cross-country adventure.............. :drinks:

Great story, sounds like it was a great trip.
Thanks for including all of us on your ride.
Where are you planning to go next time? :-)

Arnie

Quote from: Arnie on August 31, 2013, 10:52:53 AM
Great story, sounds like it was a great trip.
Thanks for including all of us on your ride.
Where are you planning to go next time? :-)

Arnie

+1