Where was Mark in the second half of August?

[mark]

I was doing a 4000-mile trip through Labrador and Newfoundland:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=823825

--mark

[marde]

Good on you Mark! A most excellent adventure.

[jefff1]

great trip Mark...that's what riding is all about...many excellent memories captured....I just noticed the pic of your bike on the home page is the same bike I just picked up a week ago....

[mark]

Nice, Jeff! How are you liking the Tiger so far? I absolutely love mine... have put 26,000 miles on it since I bought it in April of last year. Absolutely awesome motorcycle!

--mark

[jefff1]

I have to echo your enthusiasm for this bike Mark....out of all the bikes I have this one fit me the best right out of the gate...I love everything about the little beast...great handling and engine....I will add a center stand...heated grips and a better windscreen....I got a kick out of your oil filter protector...a real McGyver....well done

I like the mileage you've racked up...a real rider

[jefff1]

Mark...what do you estimate the cost at for your 4k trip? I loved the entire write up and lucky David got off with what could have been a much more severe injury....

Also did you have a portable air compressor with you to raise and lower tire pressures going from gravel back to pavement?

Did you use any spray chain wax after each day's ride?

[mark]

:mrgreen: Mark...what do you estimate the cost at for your 4k trip?

Not including trip prep (ie, purchasing luggage, tires, etc), and also not accounting for food since I have to eat whether I'm at home or on the road, I'd say the trip ran in the neighborhood of around $750 -- gas, ferry tickets, camping, etc. I didn't keep very close tabs though.

Also did you have a portable air compressor with you to raise and lower tire pressures going from gravel back to pavement?

Yes. A small Slime-branded one that plugs into a cigarette lighter outlet (used a Powerlet/cigarette lighter adapter cable to plug it into the Tiger).

Did you use any spray chain wax after each day's ride?

Yes, Dupont Teflon Chain Saver, in the 4oz squeeze bottle. David and I each brought one.

--mark

[jefff1]

That was a pretty reasonably priced trip for a couple of weeks on the road...that's equal to 1.5 days at Disney

Did you lower tire pressures when you were riding on the dirt/gravel roads? If so what pressures did you run?

[mark]

:mrgreen: That was a pretty reasonably priced trip for a couple of weeks on the road...that's equal to 1.5 days at Disney

Yeah, I keep my trips as cheap as reasonably possible. All camping, no hotels... and on this one, nearly half our campsites were free.

Did you lower tire pressures when you were riding on the dirt/gravel roads? If so what pressures did you run?

Yes, I ran 25psi front and 28 rear.

--mark

[jefff1]

So you camp out at the BTB? What do you think of this tire combo....Mefo Explorer on front and a Heideneau on the back?

[matts1050]

I Have the K60's on front and back of my Vstrom. Great on the hard pack and gravel. Sucks in mud but not bad in loose dirt. They are very hard tires and take a while to break in. After a few hundred miles I'm not scared to lean into a turn.
On another note, I hit a deer Sunday. Didn't drop the bike but cracked the left fairing pretty bad!

[jefff1]

I'm glad to hear that you weren't hurt....did you just glance the deer? What brand is a K60?

[mark]

On another note, I hit a deer Sunday. Didn't drop the bike but cracked the left fairing pretty bad!

Holy shit, Matt, glad you're okay! Fucking forest rats...

And Jeff, yes, I camp at the BTB. As for tires, I've heard great things about both the Mefo Explorer and Heidenau K60 rear tires, but not so much about the front tires. I would run a somewhat more aggressive front tire with the Heidenau rear, like an IRC TR8 (which is what I used on my recent Labrador/Newfoundland trip, and is still on the bike).

The other option would be to run a set of Full Bores -- the M40 rear and M41 front. I ran the M40 rear on the trip and it did great. These tires handle really well on pavement and do far better in the dirt than they look like they should, especially when you air them down. By the way, even though they look just like Shinko 705s in photos, don't get the Shinkos instead -- the Full Bores have wider gaps between the tread lugs, making them a little more aggressive off-road, and they last longer than the Shinkos. You can get the Full Bores here:
http://www.chaparral-racing.com/Product ... AS402.aspx

I personally don't see the point in spending twice as much on the Heidenau when it's not going to be a significantly better tire. If you want more aggressive offroad performance, then go to an actual knobby like a TKC-80.

--mark

[jefff1]

Thanks for the detailed tire report Mark and for the link...The M41 is listed as a sport bias front tire and the M40 is listed as a radial..Is that what you run?..Do you change tires yourself.... If so what kind of tools do you use? Irons..tire holder/bead breaker...balancer..etc

I think you answered my question back to Matt about what brand a K60 is..appears that is the Heideneau

Deer are a big problem this time of year..well anytime of year out here actually...

[mark]

:) Thanks for the detailed tire report Mark and for the link...The M41 is listed as a sport bias front tire and the M40 is listed as a radial..Is that what you run?..Do you change tires yourself.... If so what kind of tools do you use? Irons..tire holder/bead breaker...balancer..etc

Yeah, the front is bias ply, the rear is radial; mixing them is fine, and in this case necessary because the 21" front doesn't come in radial and the 150/70-17 rear doesn't come in bias ply. And yes, I change them myself with tire irons. I have a Harbor Freight bead breaker, and I just use a takeoff tire as a work surface. For balancing these days I just use Dynabeads out of laziness, but I used to static balance the wheel myself by putting the axle through it and resting the axle on a pair of jack stands so the wheel could spin freely. Find the heavy spot, apply weights opposite.

--mark