Need advise on upcoming trip to Alaska!

[Tenerester]

Hello folks,
If you recall, I completed a coast to coast trip last year with three other buddies (http://www.yamahasupertenere.com/index.php?topic=17156.msg257153#msg257153). In my ride report I mentioned our next long trip would be to Alaska. Well my friends,...the time has come!! And this time we have FOUR Super Teneres on the trip!!

This is the high-level plan:
Route: Vancouver, Whistler, Prince George, Alaska HWY, Watson Lake, Dawson, Top of the World HWY, Tok, Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay, Anchorage, Homer, Beaver Creek, Cassiar HWY, Steward/Hyder, Vancouver.
Duration: 22 days/21 nights
When: Mid June to early July 2017
Accommodation: Motels, B&B and camping if necessary (none of us have camped on long bike trips in the past )
Bikes: Four Super Tenere ES (2014/2015) bikes in stock form with ODO ranging from 15k to 30K miles, fitted with OEM panniers, wind deflectors, skid plates, crash bars, auxiliary lights, additional power outlets. We hope to install Heidenau K60 Scouts prior to the trip.
Riders: All have over 10 years of riding experience

I am sure many of you have done this trip on your Super Teneres and would like to tap into your experiences and knowledge. I am particularly interested in the following:
- Other must-have accessories to be installed and maintenance to be performed prior to the trip.
- Potential mechanical issues I should be concerned about and precautions needed
- What are most essential things to pack other than clothes, tools, camping gear, and tire repair kit. What did you over-pack or pack unnecessarily?
- Based on the route stated above and the S10's gas mileage, do we need to carry extra fuel in a can and if so how much?
- Are there ample B&B and motels along the way that do not require advance booking? Are they ridiculously expensive?
- Is camping unavoidable on this trip? What camping sites do you recommend that have hot shower/toilet facilities? (Sorry, we are newbies to motorcycle camping)

Look forward to your thoughts and advise. Thanks in advance.

 

[howier]

Did it in 15. One thing I wish I had taken was set of brake pads front and rear. If it's wet in any of the dirt it is hell on the pads. If you don't use them they don't take much space.

 

[Checkswrecks]

Take a SealMate or piece of old photo negative to clean out the fork seals with the volcanic silt.

http://www.motosport.com/product?pssource=true&segment=badger&key=Motion-Pro-Sealmate&cc=us&adpos=1o4&creative=109325391265&device=c&matchtype=&network=s&product_id=MP-SEAL-MATE&gclid=CjwKEAjwv7HABRCSxfrjkJPnrWgSJAA45qA29aJiYY6b26eBf8Yc_u28JRoChItdOZ1U-BqHz7rnvxoCRkDw_wcB




My daughter and I also have MedJet when on our big trips. Another Marylander was out west last year and got hurt badly enough he was going to be in hospitals for a period of time in a place without the quality medical care we have int he DC area. MedJet got him home.
https://medjetassist.com

 

[rocketman]

Just back from a 5100 mile solo run from Missouri to San DIego to Cabo at the southern tip of Baja, back up to Lapaz and ferry across to Mazatlan on the mainland and then east to Laredo and back home to Missouri, 17 days riding, this is what I took:
US Military IFAK (Individual First Sid Kit) with extras
2 spare spokes front and rear
Spare headlamp
Spare main fuse and multiple all fuses
Siphon hose
Tow strap
Tire plugging kit and 4 20 gram CO2 bottles
Complete tool kit, all sockets, allens, torx, and wrenched, hammer, hacksaw, elec tester etc
2 cable Locks, bike cover,
National Geographic maps and IPAD mini and Iphone6 for NAV with reserve batt charger, GoPro Hero 4 Session and Cardo SmartPack

 

[gv550]

I've rode the Alaska hwy and Cassiar 3 out of the past 4 summers from and back to Ontario, been to Homer, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Tok, Top of the World hwy, Hyder, Watson, etc but never went up to Prudhoe Bay. Each trip I rode my 900 lb 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan cruiser that currently has 562,000 kms, my buddy rode a Harley Ultra 2 years and a Triumph Tiger last summer.
I simply prepped my bike with tires, brakes, fluids etc and carry basic tools and have never had any issues with the bike. I have a 340 km fuel range and never ran out, didn't carry fuel.
We had no problems finding camping spots, food, lodging and regular fuel is plentiful (but expensive), roads are generally good but lots of construction.
We never plan anything, alternate leader each day and just wing it, without reservations. Never went hungry, got hot showers 4-5 days out of 7, never had to ride after dark.
I bought a new S10 last month and the plan is to ride to Tuktoyaktuk when the road opens.

 

[Pterodactyl]

I lived in Fairbanks for nearly 20 years and have ridden between AK and the states a dozen times and have been on the Dalton on a bike, truck and SnoGo. PM me if you have questions. I'm on the road and only have a phone to type on.

 

[Doug C]

Some sort of fork seal protector like the kreiga. The longest stretch for fuel range is 240 miles from Coldfoot camp to Deadhorse. we carried 5 litres of fuel but did not need it. never pass gas in the yukon is a good saying to be guided by.None the less i would carry extra fuel as insurance,koplin or something like that. Once you get north of Dawson the camping options are there but less of them. In Fairbanks try the university for cheap rooms. Coldfoot camp and Deadhorse have hotel options but expensive. Should be able to find motel options most places of any size but it is prime time that time of year for travel. Check out Mitas Eo7 or E 10 Dakar tires as an alternate to heidenaus. The supplier is in Richmond BC MX1 Canada. If its dry its a good ride, in rain it is hell on earth. Take the tour to Prudhoe Bay, needs to be booked ahead of time but if you are going that far why not.

 

[eemsreno]

Sounds like Doug C hit all the right highlights.
By all means carry some extra fuel, You cant make it into the NWT on the Canol road without it.[ And that is the best part of a trip up north.]
Have really good riding clothes! And electric heat.
Mitas E07 s are the way to go, from interstate to mud they rock! Mine still looked good after the 11,000 miles of torture I put them through on the trip. K60s howl so loud it will drive you nuts.
Take lots of money.
Have fun!

The Dalton.

Atigun Pass. Aug. 11th

 

[trimannn]

It's a Tenere. You wont have any problems. With that being said I took a few tools an a oil filter so I wouldn't have to try to track one down. Bought and changed my oil in the Wal Mart parking lot in Fairbanks. Real nice folks.

I stopped at every gas station once I got up into Canada. Didn't always need it but I figured better safe than sorry. Only time I use my extra fuel was on the Dalton. Low fuel light starting blinking a few miles south of Deadhorse; don't remember exactly how many now. I was going to see if I could make it but the last few miles are usually the worst, construction wise, so I didn't want to run out in the middle of a construction zone. Ironically the only Grizzly I saw was when I pulled over on a access road to put the gas in. He was walking down the pipeline on the other side of the gate. Few hundred yards away but I still decided to go up the road a little further before I got off and filled up.

+1 on the Mitas. I put a pair on before I left and the trip was 9988 miles. Not a single issue. I already replaced the back but the fronts still on. Like eemsreno says they're good for 11,000.

And don't forget rain gear. I had great weather but it still rained some.

 

[limey]

As the other guys are saying a seal saver is a must.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[sparkyduc]

A can of Plexus spray polish & microfiber rags for your face shield & windshield. Also some laundry pods.

 

[Tenerester]

Did it in 15. One thing I wish I had taken was set of brake pads front and rear. If it's wet in any of the dirt it is hell on the pads. If you don't use them they don't take much space.

Thanks howler. That's a quick trip you have done there!! Did you you get time see places and take a break in between? How many miles did you cover per day?
Thanks for the tip about brakes. I will add brake pads to the list. I know the rear pads wear off pretty fast due to the unified braking feature.

Take a SealMate or piece of old photo negative to clean out the fork seals with the volcanic silt.

My daughter and I also have MedJet when on our big trips.

Thanks Checkwrecks. Sealmate is in my list. Heard a lot of good things about it.
Thankfully my employer provides extended medical cover which includes overseas travel. But I must inform the others about Medjet.

Just back from a 5100 mile solo run from Missouri to San DIego to Cabo at the southern tip of Baja, back up to Lapaz and ferry across to Mazatlan on the mainland and then east to Laredo and back home to Missouri, 17 days riding, this is what I took:

Excellent list rocketman. Thanks.

 

[Tenerester]

I've rode the Alaska hwy and Cassiar 3 out of the past 4 summers from and back to Ontario, been to Homer, Anchorage, Fairbanks, Tok, Top of the World hwy, Hyder, Watson, etc but never went up to Prudhoe Bay. Each trip I rode my 900 lb 2009 Kawasaki Vulcan cruiser that currently has 562,000 kms, my buddy rode a Harley Ultra 2 years and a Triumph Tiger last summer.
I simply prepped my bike with tires, brakes, fluids etc and carry basic tools and have never had any issues with the bike. I have a 340 km fuel range and never ran out, didn't carry fuel.
We had no problems finding camping spots, food, lodging and regular fuel is plentiful (but expensive), roads are generally good but lots of construction.
We never plan anything, alternate leader each day and just wing it, without reservations. Never went hungry, got hot showers 4-5 days out of 7, never had to ride after dark.
I bought a new S10 last month and the plan is to ride to Tuktoyaktuk when the road opens.

Thanks for the good information. 562,000kms on the same bike???? Wow!! Wish I had the patience to ride a bike that long!

I lived in Fairbanks for nearly 20 years and have ridden between AK and the states a dozen times and have been on the Dalton on a bike, truck and SnoGo. PM me if you have questions. I'm on the road and only have a phone to type on.

Thanks. Will get in touch with you.

Some sort of fork seal protector like the kreiga. The longest stretch for fuel range is 240 miles from Coldfoot camp to Deadhorse. we carried 5 litres of fuel but did not need it. never pass gas in the yukon is a good saying to be guided by.None the less i would carry extra fuel as insurance,koplin or something like that. Once you get north of Dawson the camping options are there but less of them. In Fairbanks try the university for cheap rooms. Coldfoot camp and Deadhorse have hotel options but expensive. Should be able to find motel options most places of any size but it is prime time that time of year for travel. Check out Mitas Eo7 or E 10 Dakar tires as an alternate to heidenaus. The supplier is in Richmond BC MX1 Canada. If its dry its a good ride, in rain it is hell on earth. Take the tour to Prudhoe Bay, needs to be booked ahead of time but if you are going that far why not.

Thanks Doug. I wonder how some riders run out of gas quite frequently!! They probably ride on low gears all the time??
Never considered Mitas tires during my research. It was either TKC or Heidenau. Will definitely take a look.

Sounds like Doug C hit all the right highlights.
By all means carry some extra fuel, You cant make it into the NWT on the Canol road without it.[ And that is the best part of a trip up north.]
Have really good riding clothes! And electric heat.
Mitas E07 s are the way to go, from interstate to mud they rock! Mine still looked good after the 11,000 miles of torture I put them through on the trip. K60s howl so loud it will drive you nuts.
Take lots of money.
Have fun!

Thanks for the advise and pictures. I picked Heidenau merely for its longevity. Didn't know Mitas had better life and quieter. Will check it out.

It's a Tenere. You wont have any problems. With that being said I took a few tools an a oil filter so I wouldn't have to try to track one down. Bought and changed my oil in the Wal Mart parking lot in Fairbanks. Real nice folks.

I stopped at every gas station once I got up into Canada. Didn't always need it but I figured better safe than sorry. Only time I use my extra fuel was on the Dalton. Low fuel light starting blinking a few miles south of Deadhorse; don't remember exactly how many now. I was going to see if I could make it but the last few miles are usually the worst, construction wise, so I didn't want to run out in the middle of a construction zone. Ironically the only Grizzly I saw was when I pulled over on a access road to put the gas in. He was walking down the pipeline on the other side of the gate. Few hundred yards away but I still decided to go up the road a little further before I got off and filled up.

+1 on the Mitas. I put a pair on before I left and the trip was 9988 miles. Not a single issue. I already replaced the back but the fronts still on. Like eemsreno says they're good for 11,000.

And don't forget rain gear. I had great weather but it still rained some.

Thanks for the tips. Looking forward to some grizzly experiences myself . Do you know where we could see bears hunting salmon?

 

[Tenerester]

A can of Plexus spray polish & microfiber rags for your face shield & windshield. Also some laundry pods.

Thanks. Rags for sure...but never thought spray polish was necessary. Just water wouldn't be sufficient?

 

[ABBlender]

Did a 6000 km ride up to the Yukon this last summer. (July)

Mitas E07 Dakar Tires - Great on all surfaces, rain or shine, nice to have in crappy weather/gravel/construction zones (psi 34 F, 40 R). Had a few thousand km on them to start, lots of tread left when got home. Use them how they're designed and they won't let you down.
Small (5L) Gas Can - Only used a few times, but not because I really needed to. Used to extend range and eliminate the worry if you get turned around or something. Nice to have that 1/4 tank extra all of a sudden in crap weather.
Waterproof tank bag - I had a wolfman explorer lite tank bag with a cover and it was great, but got sick of the cover after a while. Can't see the map with the cover on either.
Brake Pads - Started on front pads with 10000 km (like new) on them and a new rear set. The old rear pads were a little over 1/2 worn, so they got tossed in as spares. Didn't bring spare front pads.
Checked spokes twice - didn't need anything.
Mosko duffle - Nice to have rain gear/spare gloves/warm vest/ etc ready to go and the side opening doesn't get rain in when getting them out. Kept rain gear on the right, so I could change on the side of the road and be away from traffic
Air Hawk Seat Pad - Great to have on the long days. Stock seat has been levelled a bit as well. Keep in mind a fully loaded bike sags more in the rear which helps to level the seat naturally.
Extended upper wing on hand guards - Bolted in some heavy plastic material, looks great and keeps the wind off of the back of the hands...helps the heated grips do their job.
Non-Waterproof Main Jacket - Great on most days in warmth (I am warm blooded and hate wearing a plastic bag waterproof coat. Got a nice rain shell that was awesome (tourmaster I think). A damp outer coat from a quick rain shower is awesome on a warm day. (BMW Rallye 3 paired with motoport pants)
Olympus OMD EM-5 Camera with Weatherproof Lens - I hate cell phone shots, a decent camera is worth it. Kept in tank bag ready to go. Cell phone camera was backup/general quick shot stuff.
4 Person tent - a bit big, but I didn't have to pack it the whole time...a 2 or 3 person would've been fine...it's what I had.


Stuff I didn't Need:
Took too much clothes. Just need socks/underwear/wool base layers mostly. Along with a basic set of decent shirt/pants...Had a down vest that packed small and kept the core super warm when needed. (Didn't bring electric gear - would've been nice a couple times)

 

[trimannn]

Thanks for the good information. 562,000kms on the same bike???? Wow!! Wish I had the patience to ride a bike that long!
Thanks. Will get in touch with you.
Thanks Doug. I wonder how some riders run out of gas quite frequently!! They probably ride on low gears all the time??
Never considered Mitas tires during my research. It was either TKC or Heidenau. Will definitely take a look.

Thanks for the advise and pictures. I picked Heidenau merely for its longevity. Didn't know Mitas had better life and quieter. Will check it out.

Thanks for the tips. Looking forward to some grizzly experiences myself . Do you know where we could see bears hunting salmon?

If you have the time I'd recommend going to Hyder. Neat little town and they have a bear viewing platform. Not sure when the best time to see them is but I probably saw more bears in my couple hours in Hyder than I did on the rest of the trip. They were all blacks but still pretty neat for a Texan like me who hasn't seen many wild bears in his life. Real nice ride to and from Hyder as well.

 

[Tenerester]

If you have the time I'd recommend going to Hyder. Neat little town and they have a bear viewing platform. Not sure when the best time to see them is but I probably saw more bears in my couple hours in Hyder than I did on the rest of the trip. They were all blacks but still pretty neat for a Texan like me who hasn't seen many wild bears in his life. Real nice ride to and from Hyder as well.

Awesome! Thanks.

 

[ABBlender]

The road to Stewart/Hyder is one of my favourites...worth the detour. There's a nice campground about 4 blocks away from the visitors centre in Stewart that is great (can't remember the name at the moment. Only about 5 minutes to get to Hyder. Not much going on in Hyder though, but neat to see. The weather was crap when I was there, so I didn't make it up to the salmon glacier...supposed to be great though. If you're looking for a decent dinner in Hyder, "The Bus" has some nice fresh fish, and the bear watching is worth it, just be prepared to not see a bear though. We arrived and people had been waiting for hours without seeing anything...within 15 minutes, a large sow grizzly came along and started chasing salmon around. Awesome! (This was around 6pm)

 

[bob dirt]

Rode with another Tenere friend from Phoenix June 6, 2015. 8868 miles/21 days....EPIC ride!
I started out with my OE tires on my 2012. Rode to Wallace Idaho to visit a friend on day 3. He made us ride 81 miles on dirtbikes and a quad instead of letting us relax and drink beer on our only 135 mile day. The first 2 were over 600.
My buddy lead most of the way because he had a '14 with cruise control. We developed leaky fork seals from the construction in Canada. Seal saver helped but the leaks never went away. Make sure you get protection before you go. Take the seal saver just in case.
I put on new K60's in Fairbanks. (scheduled stop). My buddy started out with new K60's from Phoenix. He ended up with 10k miles before he changed his rear tire. Neither of our Teneres gave us any problems on the entire trip except the forks seals. We didn't want to camp being our first trip up there and not knowing what to expect. We didn't need reservations but we had them all the way to Deadhorse. We winged it on the way back. Never had a problem finding a room. The cheapest was over a bar in Hyder...$60.
There were lots of places to camp all the way up there. I will camp some on my next trip.
We entered Canada in Idaho at Kingsgate border crossing and went up through Jasper then headed towards Dawson Creek to Mile 1 of the Alaskan Highway (The Alkan) and then on to Fairbanks. Deadhorse is about 500 miles north of Fairbanks. We did it in 2 days not knowing how the road was. We could have done it in just 1 day. The road wasn't like I have heard about it and there was no rain...just construction with wet roads here and there. You can camp at Coldfoot or get a $200+ room with 2 single beds. The grub was good and we had time to go across the street to the visitor's center. We had 12 days of daylight with no sunset. You could ride all night if you had it in you.
On the way back we took the Taylor highway at Tetlin Junction and rode through Chicken and crossed the Yukon river on a ferry to spend the night in Dawson. Most of that is a dirt road. We rode it on the Solstice which was also the ride called "Dust 2 Dawson". Lots of riders on the road then....pretty cool.
From Dawson, we rode the Klondike Highway to Whitehorse and backtracked a little to just before Watson Lake and turned south on the "Cassiar". Like someone else said...go to Hyder AND go a little farther to see the Salmon Glacier. The bears are just past Hyder starting around first of August...YMMV.
After that we just wandered south to cross over into Washington to head home.
There is a book Called "The Milepost". It has all the info you could need. I would buy it again for my next trip. There is also a tear out map in it for route planning.
Don't over pack. Bring rain gear. I had two 1.5 gallon flat gas cans on the back of my Jesse Bags. Might have made it all the way to Deadhorse from Coldfoot, but I don't like running fuel all the way down. Don't pass up an oportunity to buy fuel. Coldfoot only had 87 octane when we were there. Happy trails 8)

 

[Tenerester]

The road to Stewart/Hyder is one of my favourites...worth the detour. There's a nice campground about 4 blocks away from the visitors centre in Stewart that is great (can't remember the name at the moment. Only about 5 minutes to get to Hyder. Not much going on in Hyder though, but neat to see. The weather was crap when I was there, so I didn't make it up to the salmon glacier...supposed to be great though. If you're looking for a decent dinner in Hyder, "The Bus" has some nice fresh fish, and the bear watching is worth it, just be prepared to not see a bear though. We arrived and people had been waiting for hours without seeing anything...within 15 minutes, a large sow grizzly came along and started chasing salmon around. Awesome! (This was around 6pm)

This is great info. Thanks so much. Hoping ro spend a day or two in Stewart and Hyder. Will make sure we see some bears and try out the Bus.