rear visibility

[Blake Sobiloff]

On Feb 2, 2008, at 6:31 AM, hal gainous wrote:

> your advise would be appreciated

All good advice so far. I'll just add that Fred sells an axle wrench (Fredette brand?) that works on both axles; saves room and weight over separate wrenches. I also recommend the Enduro Engineering handguards--they held up perfectly during my TAT accident so that Matt could ride my bike back out to civilization without having to replace or even tweak any handlebar controls. (The stock shift lever did get tweaked and I eventually replaced it with the Dual Star one, though.) Bring three tire irons and know how to use them; see Jeff Saline's old posts for tips on how the bottom half of a 5-gallon bucket make a great middle-of-nowhere tire changing stand. I also found a cheap Campbell Hausfeld 12v compressor, stripped of its plastic case, was great for airing up the tires after finishing a dirt portion and returning to a long paved run. Have a great time! -- Blake Sobiloff http://www.sobiloff.com/> San Jose, CA (USA)

[Zachariah Mully]

On Sat, 2008-02-02 at 14:31 +0000, hal gainous wrote:

> i will be riding the t.a.t. the first week of may with 3 other riders (3 > klr-1 gas gas) > > this is the first time i have done a trip like this. and i'm not sure > what all i should take. > > 2 spare tubes -air filter- spark plug-tire changing tools-air pump-rain > gear > > i'm thinking that full dirt bike gear > > (pants jersey boots helmet with gogles) is this to much or is it > enough? > > the part of the trail we intend to ride will be the > mississippi-arkansas-oklahoma loop > > 5 days of riding about 1000 miles of dirt. > > your advise would be appreciated

Start in the Ozarks in AR. Everything else before that at this time of year is boring, straight and dusty. Plus, they regravel all the roads so the riding sucks. MX helmet is definitely recommended, as well as MX boots. The rest can be streetish gear. Pack everything up, unpack, throw out 1/2 the stuff, and you should be just right. I brought way too much crap on my trip. You should be able to easily fit your stuff in two duffel sized dry-bags is about my rule of thumb (or in one set of aluminum panniers). If you stick to your original route, it'll be dusty, so 1) don't put a K&N in your bike and 2) carry an extra pre-oiled airfilter. There are a variety of touring packing lists that have been posted here so they'd be a good place to start. Also, at that time of year, we found few state parks were open and accepting campers, so we did a lot of illegal camping. It worked out fine, but I rather not do that. Z

[Luc Legrain]

Allright!!! Which way you going ? East-> West or West->East ? part of the trail is not far from my " Hut". The few hundred miles I've rode on it are not like going to Mars or anything.Fun, but I would'nt "over prepare"for it.Civilization is always around the corner,i.e. credit card... enjoy. --- Zachariah Mully wrote:

> > On Sat, 2008-02-02 at 14:31 +0000, hal gainous > wrote: > > i will be riding the t.a.t. the first week of may > with 3 other riders (3 > > klr-1 gas gas) > > > > this is the first time i have done a trip like > this. and i'm not sure > > what all i should take. > > > > 2 spare tubes -air filter- spark plug-tire > changing tools-air pump-rain > > gear > > > > i'm thinking that full dirt bike gear > > > > (pants jersey boots helmet with gogles) is this > to much or is it > > enough? > > > > the part of the trail we intend to ride will be > the > > mississippi-arkansas-oklahoma loop > > > > 5 days of riding about 1000 miles of dirt. > > > > your advise would be appreciated > > Start in the Ozarks in AR. Everything else before > that at this time of > year is boring, straight and dusty. Plus, they > regravel all the roads so > the riding sucks. > > MX helmet is definitely recommended, as well as MX > boots. The rest can > be streetish gear. Pack everything up, unpack, throw > out 1/2 the stuff, > and you should be just right. I brought way too much > crap on my trip. > You should be able to easily fit your stuff in two > duffel sized dry-bags > is about my rule of thumb (or in one set of aluminum > panniers). > > If you stick to your original route, it'll be dusty, > so 1) don't put a > K&N in your bike and 2) carry an extra pre-oiled > airfilter. > > There are a variety of touring packing lists that > have been posted here > so they'd be a good place to start. > > Also, at that time of year, we found few state parks > were open and > accepting campers, so we did a lot of illegal > camping. It worked out > fine, but I rather not do that. > > Z > >

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[Jeff Saline]

On Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:31:49 -0000 "hal gainous" writes:

> > i will be riding the t.a.t. the first week of may with 3 other > riders (3 > klr-1 gas gas) > > this is the first time i have done a trip like this. and i'm not > sure > what all i should take. > > 2 spare tubes -air filter- spark plug-tire changing tools-air > pump-rain > gear > > i'm thinking that full dirt bike gear > > (pants jersey boots helmet with gogles) is this to much or is it > enough? > > the part of the trail we intend to ride will be the > mississippi-arkansas-oklahoma loop > > 5 days of riding about 1000 miles of dirt. > > your advise would be appreciated > > hal2006 > > 2006 klr > > 2002 zg1000 > > 2000 xr250

<><><><><><><><> <><><><><><><><> hal2006, Looks like you got a few answers but I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents worth. You don't say if you'll be camping or moteling and I think that can make a world of difference. I think it also matters how you and your buddies ride. If you ride like you're racing you'll probably need to prepare differently than if you are riding a bit easier. I think you can break down your prep into a couple of segments. Maybe something like personal, bike and touring. Personal could include stuff like exercising starting now so you have the stamina, flexibility, strength and well being to enjoy the ride. You might consider bringing along some pain killers like Advil or Tylenol so you can mask any uncomfortable muscle aches before they get real bad. I'd also suggest a decent first aid kit and the knowledge to use it. Your riding gear can be under this category and depending on how you ride might help you decide on what to bring/use. I don't race when I'm touring. In fact I hardly ever ride like I'm racing. I use an HJC SY-Max helmet, First Gear air mesh Kilimanjaro Jacket (I think the new version will be called the Torrent) and air mesh pants. I use Oxtar Infinity riding boots with good heavy socks. I take two pair and wash one and wear the other. I use Carhart double knee work pants under the air mesh pants and usually wear just a tee shirt under my air mesh Kilimanjaro jacket. If it gets cold or wet I have the liner for the jacket and pants. A ratty old bandana is around my neck and I also often have one in my tank bag. You can wet it down to help with cooling and also wipe the dirt off your face. I also carry a fleece pullover for cooler to cold weather and usually leave it with my sleeping bag. Personal items don't need to be much. If you forget something you can probably do without or replace it inexpensively and finish using it when you return from the trip. A good digital camera stored in the tank bag is pretty handy. I can usually take a picture in less than 30 seconds from stop to start and never get off the bike. A few preplanned hand signals can help you communicate with your riding partners when you want a photo op. If you are a race type rider you might not find this handy. I find taking 500 pictures I'll get 150 to 200 I want to share. Practice before hand so you know what works and what doesn't. I also often carry a small note book so I can note stuff each day. I get a lot of enjoyment from reviewing the ride each day and then having the notes can bring a smile to my face 20 or more years later when I review them. For the bike I think a well prepared bike will make the ride much more enjoyable. Start with fresh tires with heavy duty or ultra heavy duty tubes. Carry an accurate tire pressure gauge and use it regularly. I like to carry two spare tubes (regular weight) plus patch stuff and tools which include an air compressor, tire irons, bead breaker, a patch stitcher and a valve core tool. I also carry the bottom of a plastic 5 gallon bucket that keeps the wheel out of the dirt. The bucket bottom can also be used as a drain pan or wash basin etc. In the luggage it works well to protect more fragile contents. A bit of duct tape over the wheel bearings will also help keep dirt out of the wheel guts. I carry a spark plug but haven't ever had to use it. I don't carry an extra air filter but I do carry filter maintenance products. I like No Toil filter maintenance products as they are easy to use, environmentally friendly, available at Honda, Kawasaki and most dirt bike shops. The same product is under three labels and the containers are identical. Bring latex gloves so you can keep your hands a bit cleaner. I carry some duct tape on a small piece of pvc pipe. I just roll it off the big roll onto the pipe. It's handy to use if it's available. I also carry some stainless steel safety wire as it's much tougher than bailing wire. You can check dirt bike shops or race centers for small amounts. Or check with Aircraft Spruce for a one pound spool that will cost not much and last a long long time. I also carry radiator stop leak and JB Kwik which is faster setting than JB Weld. I bring a couple of popsicle sticks and 3x5 cards for mixing the JB Kwik. Once I've used the Kwik I put the popsicle stick in the leftover Kwik. When the popsicle stick is stuck then I know the Kwik is cured. I also think a 14 tooth front sprocket is a good plan for a ride like this. I use a 14/16 front with a 46 tooth rear. I like the 16/46 combo for pavement and the 14/46 for non pavement. The 16/46 is comparable to the stock 15/43 gearing. The 14/46 combo is a drop of about 15%. It's a noticeable difference. I carry enough tools to be able to do the work I think I may need to do while on the trail. These include but aren't limited to tools to check fasteners, remove and replace tires and sprockets, troubleshoot electrical issues and do routine maintenance like an oil change. I normally don't change a filter on the trail and I'm willing to go 5,000 miles or more on an oil filter. I also carry a couple of spare parts like a headlight bulb, clutch lever, stock shifter and chain clip type master links and the tools to do chain maintenance/repairs. I also carry a small can of WD-40 for chain lube. I ride with a centerstand and it works well for me. A skid plate and low profile magnetic drain plug are also pretty handy. I like bark busters to save my hands and levers. I have a radiator guard and also a headlight wire mesh guard. Oh, don't forget a rag or two for cleaning your hands when you're done fixing someone elses bike. Yours is well prepared so it won't break. : ) I just remembered to add I carry some spare fuses too. For the touring category you might include navigational equipment like maps, route directions, a GPS, compass, binoculars for scouting ahead without having to ride tough areas to see what the sign on the fence says, etc. If you get a GPS make sure you know how to use it before you start the trip. : ) It's also a good idea to make sure you've loaded the correct maps for the location you'll be visiting. I think TAT route info uses mileage so having an easily resettable odometer might be handy. I used my trip meter on the Great Divide Ride and ended up doing a lot of math in my head as I rode so that I could stay on course. It worked well but it does take a bit of practice. Other stuff that might fit in this category is a folding chair for relaxing after a fun day of riding. I use a Kermit chair. Cooking equipment can be basic if you are going to make your own meals. Water goes in a couple of containers. I like a camelback type set up lashed to my luggage under bungee cords. That makes it a sort of pressurized water delivery system. It's good for hydrating and also washing hands. I probably carry close to a gallon of water when riding in remote locations. After the camelback I use two quart poly containers. On some stretches I'll add a bottle or two of gatorade or gatorade bottles filled with water. I've also added a water filter system for some trips just so I have that capability if needed. Luggage should be waterproof and easy to load and unload. I use a tank bag, tank panniers, saddlebags and waterproof duffel bags. You can start separate threads to learn more if you want. A flash light is handy for camp and also some bike maintenance. I use an AA mini mag light. I don't wear a watch but have one strapped to the handlebars of the bike. I usually don't really care what time it is when in camp. I suggest whatever you think you need you test. You might want to take a few day type rides loaded to test your load and packing system. I've watched stuff fall off a guys bike after only about 20 miles of dirt where it was fine for 150 miles of pavement. Clothes and personal items are probably pretty easy to get along the way if you need them. Bike specific parts will probably be tougher to get. Good luck with your trip planning. It sounds like a fun ride and adventure. Remember... The difference between an adventure and adversity is attitude. Best, Jeff Saline ABC # 4412 South Dakota Airmarshal Airheads Beemer Club www.airheads.org The Beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota 75 R90/6, 03 KLR650, 79 R100RT

[redred321]

CHECK YOUR TAG LIGHT If the tag is properly positione and well lighted, the tag can be a large reflector. Waiting for a warm weekend, I decided to add some Wal-Mart LEDs to the rear of my KLR. In doing so, I took the tag light off and found the inside of the tag light filthy. My 1999 has no gasket between the lens and the metal base. Long ago, I moved the tag up to clear the tire and the tag light is hard to see if you are not on your knees. I wipe off the tag lens occasionally, doing it with the switch off and not know it still very dirty inside. I now have a gasket under to lens to help keep the inside clean. I will also be more obscene to see if the light is bright.