Milton - Vancouver on R6 - July 2012

[gjones4487]

Hello,

I picked up my first bike this past october (2002 R6) and am planning on taking July off and riding out to Vancouver.
The plan so far is to ride thru northern ontario to thunderbay and down thru the states to North Dakota (got family there) for a couple day break, and then head out from there and travel thru the states up into vancouver, couple weeks in Vancouver and then head out and come back home thru canada, maybe even a pit stop in Calgary.
Any one have any specific roads i should ride on the way? or any routes i should take on my trip?
Also if anyone is interested in joining let me know and we can hook up and do a couple rides before a month long trip.

Cheers, Geoff

..posted in Rides/Hook ups, wasn't sure where to posy. Im new to this forum thing, sorry if it bothers anyone.

[OpenGambit]

Sounds like a fun trip. I should be doing the Calgary - Vancouver road about once a month.

[stevie t]

Any one have any specific roads i should ride on the way? or any routes i should take on my trip?

Almost any road in the Kelowna/Nelson area is amazing....3a runs along the west side of Kootenay lake, take it north out of Creston catch a ferry across the lake, take 31 north to Kalso, then 6 back down to Nelson...amazing tree covered mountains with twisties and lakes everywhere...you can't go wrong out there for road choice....watch out for deer especially at dusk and dawn and next to the water, and really watch out for moose at night north of Superior.

Have fun..

[MacDoc]

do a couple rides before a month long trip.

do a couple of LONG rides and make sure you can handle longish days - the bike will be fine - the rider is newish.

You will be space challenged so figure out what to take well ahead of time.

Good luck.

If you have that long to ride and you are a new rider then I'd be in the Touring section asking about routes section by section.

Ontario has some excellent roads and run through some of them on the way to say Manitoulin Island by ferry instead of slab to Sudbury would be my suggestion.

You might as well do Yellowstone and Missoula plus Mount Ranier with that kind of time to spend.

Then there is tons in BC. Lots of riders will have good info for you in the touring forum.

You will need a very good layering set up for hot to cold conditions. The right choice is critical, the wrong choice could be a month of misery.

[tricky]

Here's a thread with good tips on long distance riding.. http://www.gtamotorcycle.com/vbforum...-some-pointers

Your trip sounds amazing, and I really want to do something similar. I don't think I'll have the $$ to join you, though

[rashidme]

sounds like fun. Don't forget this http://www.universalcycle.ca/store/p...trol-BK-7-8in/
Good luck with your trip and dont forget to post pics/info etc.

[gjones4487]

Don't forget this http://www.universalcycle.ca/store/p...trol-BK-7-8in/

Thanks ive been looking for some sort of cruise control

[giacintone]

Hi Geoff,

send me PM and I'll reply with GoogleMaps links to a tour of southern BC I did last year on an 08 VFR. Details to follow.

Anyone else that's interested, PM me also.

[gjones4487]

Hello, Everyone

I quickly through together the approximate route I plan to take.
Let me know what you all think.

http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=2...3703,86.572266

Cheers, Geoff

[Wheelieboy]

Hello, Everyone

I quickly through together the approximate route I plan to take.
Let me know what you all think.

http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=2...3703,86.572266

Cheers, Geoff

Looks like a supersupersuperslabbbb!

Hit as many green patches on the map as possible. If you modify your route, you can hit Yellowstone National Park and all those other parks in Idaho. Go through South Dakota instead of North Dakota and hit the Badlands National Park as well as the Black Hills (Rushmore) area.

I dunno about you but this looks fun to me http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=2...68111,0.676346

[gjones4487]

Looks like a supersupersuperslabbbb!

Hit as many green patches on the map as possible. If you modify your route, you can hit Yellowstone National Park and all those other parks in Idaho. Go through South Dakota instead of North Dakota and hit the Badlands National Park as well as the Black Hills (Rushmore) area.

I dunno about you but this looks fun to me http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=2...68111,0.676346

Thanks Wheelieboy! here is a revised map... I will be staying a day or 2 in Cooperstown North Dakota, and about a week mby 2 if theres time in Vancouver. then out to Calgary for a day, and then home. ... haven't got a day to day plan yet but this is a rough map out of the route

http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=2...6569,86.572266

[tricky]

Nice route, should be pretty amazing. I could probably ride with you to the Sault or Thunder Bay on your way out west, depending on my schedule

[zrxter]

Yes...the Badlands National Park & Rushmore area are must do rides in the area you're travelling ...2 other favourites of mine near where you are going are the Beartooth HW http://www.beartoothhighway.com/roadMaps/index.html
and Glacier Nat'l Park's Going-to-the-Sun Road in Montana. http://visitmt.com/categories/morein...=9646&SiteID=1

[gjones4487]

Thanks for the suggestions. I believe I am already visiting both. a couple other people mentioned those roads too. Take a look i believe they are on this map.
http://maps.google.ca/maps/ms?msid=2...99626,9.459229

[zrxter]

Plowing Beartooth...Just started ....for U.S. Memorial Day weekend opening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=CRkOKyirNNo

[gjones4487]

So I went for a ride on wednesday and it was awesome! And durring and after my ride, I was thinking about how much fun this trip is going to be. And also some other aspects of the trip. One of the questions that popped up was,
How am I going to Lube the chain?
There is no Center Stand on the R6 and I won't have a rear stand with me.
What would I have to do?:s

[tricky]

So I went for a ride on wednesday and it was awesome! And durring and after my ride, I was thinking about how much fun this trip is going to be. And also some other aspects of the trip. One of the questions that popped up was,
How am I going to Lube the chain?
There is no Center Stand on the R6 and I won't have a rear stand with me.
What would I have to do?:s

Just spray the chain, and roll the bike forward.. and repeat

[Ikan]

Just spray the chain, and roll the bike forward.. and repeat

Don't forget to set your helmet on the seat or hang it off a footpeg while doing this. That way you can curse as you forget this during your haste as you watch it roll away when you go to lift the bike up to roll it forward a tad!

Been there done that! . Only once.

[taiga]

thanks guys. looking at other people's trip photos also makes me want to visit a billion other places lol.
and yep, like the others said. roll forward or backward until you have it all lubed up ^^

oooh, green painter tape... that definitely sounds like it would come off easy at the end. thanks, matthew.

[TOTim]

Gjones I saw your post on ADVrider first and have been following with great interest because I am also riding to Victoria to see my daughter in early june. It's great having someone do some of the prep that I can steal. I am going to stay in Canada on the way there with a stop in the Winnipeg area to see family. I am thinking about taking the Crowsnest highway, #3 on the way there. I also want to do the Jasper route but I like the US route you have mapped out. I am going to take 1 month , so no hurry. Keep us posted on your plans.