depends

[Don Montgomery]

I did this trip from Montana in late Aug '06 with all stock cogs and had no trouble either in muddy or dry(ish) conditions with a set of Gripsters. I used this same setup on the many jeep passes out of Ouray to Silverton, CO but the KLR got lugged there! There are no gravel roads that you will need lower than stock gearing if you stay on the main routes and there is more nice pavement north of Fairbanks than we thought. Very easy to cruise at 60 mph to Prudhoe from Fairbanks on the gravel, 70+ on paved roads. I did not camp but had HT panniers and top box full. I covered 5200 miles on the round trip and wore out the rear tire as well as the chain and rear sprocket. Used WD40 as a chain lube trying to keep the chain dry and it allows the muck to sling off rather than stick. That wet sandy/gravely stuff is hard on it all, buy good quality equipment and prepare well. We found that the wet spray off the road tended to clog the radiator and presented a cooling problem for me when the fan relay quit working. The answer here was at stops, park in the middle of the everpresent mudpuddles and with a 'big gulp' sized palstic cup throw water into the radiator to wash down the goo. The cup resided at one end of my HT box, on top of less used gear and kept the WD40 spray can from getting popped open and spraying the inside of the box. (How did I know to do that, you ask?) The other thing the cup and puddles are good for is to wash down your riding pants which will be filthy from the knees down, provided you have waterproof gear on. One member carried a sawn off toilet brush to aid this opperation! It's a great trip, you'll enjoy it. Don M Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Sprockets/Tubes

>I believe Fred has 17 inch HD tubes > http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/index.html > > rockiedog2 wrote: > Getting ready to try the Prudhoe Bay trip...wondering if I should > go to > a 16T front sprocket(43T rear) since by far the vast majority of miles > will be highway, but with lots of gravel/maybe mud. Considering the > heavy load, and drag of the aluminum panniers, I don't want to overgear > the thing and lug it down. Also don't want to be limited to a higher > than desired minimum speed if it gets really nasty. What would you guys > who have done it recommend? > Also I thought I would run the Bridgestone UHD tubes but the sizes > don't match...will an 18 inch tube work in a 17 inch tire? Which tube > for a 120/70/18 front...110/100/18? or ?

[Don Montgomery]

Joe, Another thought came to me about the Coldfoot to Deadhorse leg of the trip. It's ~250 miles with no services on the way, we each carried a spare gallon of gas in a plastic gas can. Stock geared KLRs will make it on a tankful but were very near empty when arrived. Make sure you have good heated gear *and* additional warm clothes to put on if you have an equipment failure. BTW, my stock KLR electrics will run heated grips and a 70w heated jacket as well as the headlight, I do have a headlight cutout switch just in case. Speaking of headlights, if the road is damp/wet, you will need to stop to clean the headlight lens and your faceshield pretty often. If you put a wire rock guard over the headlamp, take a bottle brush or such to scrub the lens, rinse with the big plastic cup I suggested earlier. I used a thick stick on vinyl lens cover, but it was never tested by flying debris. We had no tire issues, but all left with fresh rubber & HD tubes with Ride On leak stop in the tubes. Use a fuel filter and take a spare, we did have issues with tank debris on one bike and the spare filter proved invaluable. Don't make any last minute improvments to the KLR unless you are sure it will hold. On riders Super Trap disks kept coming loose and it was a real (loud) PIA. He went back to stock after the trip. Take spare throttle and clutch cables with you and have Fred Hink's phone number at hand if you do need any parts. Sprint * ATT cell phones worked about half the time in CA (with temporary CA roaming plan) and a little better in AK. Have a calling card with you, no cell in remote areas, but land lines are in place. There are places where the power is provide only by an on site generator. You should get a copy of the Milepost travelers guide, it will tell you mile by mile what is available and what sights to stop and take in. Check the AK Pipeline website and read about the history and opperation of it, quite amazing. Watch out for the busloads of little ol' lady tourists, one stole my glove liners at a diner! Enjoy the ride! Don M

> rockiedog2 wrote: > Getting ready to try the Prudhoe Bay trip...wondering if I should > go to > a 16T front sprocket(43T rear) since by far the vast majority of miles > will be highway, but with lots of gravel/maybe mud. Considering the > heavy load, and drag of the aluminum panniers, I don't want to overgear > the thing and lug it down. Also don't want to be limited to a higher > than desired minimum speed if it gets really nasty. What would you guys > who have done it recommend? > Also I thought I would run the Bridgestone UHD tubes but the sizes > don't match...will an 18 inch tube work in a 17 inch tire? Which tube > for a 120/70/18 front...110/100/18? or ? > Thx > Joe

[rockiedog2]

Don Thanks for the info...one other question-what was the coldest temp you rode in? Joe --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Don Montgomery" wrote:

> > Joe, Another thought came to me about the Coldfoot to Deadhorse

leg of the

> trip. It's ~250 miles with no services on the way, we each carried

a spare

> gallon of gas in a plastic gas can. Stock geared KLRs will make it

on a

> tankful but were very near empty when arrived. Make sure you have

good

> heated gear *and* additional warm clothes to put on if you have an

equipment

> failure. BTW, my stock KLR electrics will run heated grips and a

70w heated

> jacket as well as the headlight, I do have a headlight cutout

switch just in

> case. Speaking of headlights, if the road is damp/wet, you will

need to stop

> to clean the headlight lens and your faceshield pretty often. If

you put a

> wire rock guard over the headlamp, take a bottle brush or such to

scrub the

> lens, rinse with the big plastic cup I suggested earlier. I used a

thick

> stick on vinyl lens cover, but it was never tested by flying

debris. We had

> no tire issues, but all left with fresh rubber & HD tubes with Ride

On leak

> stop in the tubes. Use a fuel filter and take a spare, we did have

issues

> with tank debris on one bike and the spare filter proved

invaluable. Don't

> make any last minute improvments to the KLR unless you are sure it

will

> hold. On riders Super Trap disks kept coming loose and it was a

real (loud)

> PIA. He went back to stock after the trip. Take spare throttle and

clutch

> cables with you and have Fred Hink's phone number at hand if you do

need any

> parts. Sprint * ATT cell phones worked about half the time in CA

(with

> temporary CA roaming plan) and a little better in AK. Have a

calling card

> with you, no cell in remote areas, but land lines are in place.

There are

> places where the power is provide only by an on site generator. You

should

> get a copy of the Milepost travelers guide, it will tell you mile

by mile

> what is available and what sights to stop and take in. Check the

AK

> Pipeline website and read about the history and opperation of it,

quite

> amazing. Watch out for the busloads of little ol' lady tourists,

one stole

> my glove liners at a diner! > > Enjoy the ride! > Don M > > > > rockiedog2 wrote: > > Getting ready to try the Prudhoe Bay trip...wondering if

I should

> > go to > > a 16T front sprocket(43T rear) since by far the vast majority of

miles

> > will be highway, but with lots of gravel/maybe mud. Considering

the

> > heavy load, and drag of the aluminum panniers, I don't want to

overgear

> > the thing and lug it down. Also don't want to be limited to a

higher

> > than desired minimum speed if it gets really nasty. What would

you guys

> > who have done it recommend? > > Also I thought I would run the Bridgestone UHD tubes but the sizes > > don't match...will an 18 inch tube work in a 17 inch tire? Which

tube

> > for a 120/70/18 front...110/100/18? or ? > > Thx > > Joe >

[Wayne Blackburn]

You guys have way to much time on your hands.Stop watching TV, And get out there and ride.I'm sorry, I forgot yuz guys are neck deep in the white stuff. And I'm not talking about depends either. On second thought ,Trailer up,head south,then get out there and ride. a14@... wrote: No joke! I just saw a Depends commercial with a couple of old geysers riding two up on a KLR650. Walt List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 Yahoo! Groups Links --------------------------------- Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your homepage. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Don Montgomery]

Right at 32 F from Brooks Mtn range to Deadhorse. Remember, this was in late August! Most of the trip ran mid 40s in AM to 55 - 60 in afternoons. Rarely much sun and usually rode slightly to really damp/wet. I think the Mile Post can give you temp. info for your time of year. Also many weather sites have average temps per date. Don M It ain't broke yet, but I can fix that! Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: Sprockets/Tubes Prudhoe Bay trip

> Don > Thanks for the info...one other question-what was the coldest temp > you rode in? > Joe > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Don Montgomery" > wrote: >> >> Joe, Another thought came to me about the Coldfoot to Deadhorse > leg of the >> trip. It's ~250 miles with no services on the way, we each carried > a spare >> gallon of gas in a plastic gas can. Stock geared KLRs will make it > on a >> tankful but were very near empty when arrived. Make sure you have > good >> heated gear *and* additional warm clothes to put on if you have an > equipment >> failure. BTW, my stock KLR electrics will run heated grips and a > 70w heated >> jacket as well as the headlight, I do have a headlight cutout > switch just in >> case. Speaking of headlights, if the road is damp/wet, you will > need to stop >> to clean the headlight lens and your faceshield pretty often. If > you put a >> wire rock guard over the headlamp, take a bottle brush or such to > scrub the >> lens, rinse with the big plastic cup I suggested earlier. I used a > thick >> stick on vinyl lens cover, but it was never tested by flying > debris. We had >> no tire issues, but all left with fresh rubber & HD tubes with Ride > On leak >> stop in the tubes. Use a fuel filter and take a spare, we did have > issues >> with tank debris on one bike and the spare filter proved > invaluable. Don't >> make any last minute improvments to the KLR unless you are sure it > will >> hold. On riders Super Trap disks kept coming loose and it was a > real (loud) >> PIA. He went back to stock after the trip. Take spare throttle and > clutch >> cables with you and have Fred Hink's phone number at hand if you do > need any >> parts. Sprint * ATT cell phones worked about half the time in CA > (with >> temporary CA roaming plan) and a little better in AK. Have a > calling card >> with you, no cell in remote areas, but land lines are in place. > There are >> places where the power is provide only by an on site generator. You > should >> get a copy of the Milepost travelers guide, it will tell you mile > by mile >> what is available and what sights to stop and take in. Check the > AK >> Pipeline website and read about the history and opperation of it, > quite >> amazing. Watch out for the busloads of little ol' lady tourists, > one stole >> my glove liners at a diner! >> >> Enjoy the ride! >> Don M >> >> >> > rockiedog2 wrote: >> > Getting ready to try the Prudhoe Bay trip...wondering if > I should >> > go to >> > a 16T front sprocket(43T rear) since by far the vast majority of > miles >> > will be highway, but with lots of gravel/maybe mud. Considering > the >> > heavy load, and drag of the aluminum panniers, I don't want to > overgear >> > the thing and lug it down. Also don't want to be limited to a > higher >> > than desired minimum speed if it gets really nasty. What would > you guys >> > who have done it recommend? >> > Also I thought I would run the Bridgestone UHD tubes but the sizes >> > don't match...will an 18 inch tube work in a 17 inch tire? Which > tube >> > for a 120/70/18 front...110/100/18? or ? >> > Thx >> > Joe >> > > > > > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > Yahoo! Groups Links > > >