James Bay Rd.

[Gaoler]

'Looks like a pleasant trip...

Should I trade I my GSF1250 on a VStrom or KTM...?

http://jamesbayroad.com:80/

[sonnythebull]

sounds boring and awful

" However, there are sections which are very bumpy, and even if you drive at the posted speed limit of 100 km/h, you could wreck your car on some of these bumps if you don't slow down. Some of the worst bumps have no bump sign! You may encounter logging trucks during the first 200 km or so, but they're not much of a problem as the road is paved. The James Bay Road is open year-round."

[Gaoler]

sounds boring and awful

Yeah.... but how many cops will you run into unlike that tourist trap deals gap.

One trip blog I read mentioned "haulin' ***" for most of the trip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir1GJ...layer_embedded

'Looks like 140+kmh for miles... No traffic no cops

[sonnythebull]

Yeah.... but how many cops will you run into unlike that tourist trap deals gap.

One trip blog I read mentioned "haulin' ***" for most of the trip...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir1GJ...layer_embedded

'Looks like 140+kmh for miles... No traffic no cops

and even if you drive at the posted speed limit of 100 km/h, you could wreck your car on some of these bumps if you don't slow down...the website stresses this

[Gaoler]

and even if you drive at the posted speed limit of 100 km/h, you could wreck your car on some of these bumps if you don't slow down...the website stresses this

Killjoy

I don't believe much I read in the internet...

[sadrik]

I rode up there with a group on the August long weekend last year and it was glorious. I ride a VFR800.

The weather was about as good as you could hope for. Besides a bit of drizzling, it was sunny and awesome from Matagami to Radisson to Chisasibi and back over 3 days. The weather going and coming between Matagami and Toronto kinda sucked but whatever.

The first 200km has a fair number of frost heaves, but you aren't likely booking it for that stretch anyway because it is something like 382km from Matagami to the first gas station. You will probably have to bring a spare jerry can of gasoline to make the distance.

There is about 240km of wonderful road from the gas station to Radisson and with a full tank, you'll likely have enough fuel to spare that you can have a good time.

The curves are generally quite long and the foliage is fairly stunted so you typically have a long view around the curves.

Definitely plan on taking a tour of the hydro electric project up there. You'll have to book ahead; don't leave it until you arrive. Book it while you're booking your hotel.

Heading west from Radisson takes you towards Chisasibi, a Cree reserve. From there, about 15 minutes of gravel road will take you to James Bay where you can get your feet wet or if you're feeling spunky, you can get your bike stuck in the bay. Have friends handy to pull your bike out. No, I'm not joking. No, I didn't get stuck myself.

French is predominant language spoken in Radisson. English and Cree are the typical languages spoken in the Chisasibi reserve. I found the Chisasibi natives to be very friendly, interesting and interested and a few are surprisingly tech-savvy. One lady asked us if we would be posting our trip on a blog, so she could read about the trip and what we thought about the area.

You probably won't have cell service in Radisson but I got a full Bell signal in Chisasibi. Bit of a shocker, that.

A few friends went up the year before, in September. They met with cold and wet conditions through the entire ride it seems, and generally didn't enjoy it. My experience was the complete opposite.

If you ride a dual-sport, you may want to look at the Trans-Taiga; a gravel road heading east, south of Radisson. At its end, you are apparently at the most remote road-accessible point in North America. Bear in mind though, the road is very challenging and gas stations are also rare; you'll probably want to take several jerry cans and geo-cache them into the woods for the return. It is also recommended you bring others and one person is always awake and armed; bears are apparently an issue.

I plan to go back this summer if the weather reports are promising. I think it is one of those rides you just have to do at least once.

[sadrik]

Killjoy

I don't believe much I read in the internet...

They aren't joking. The first 200km has some nasty frost heaves. I was nearly vaulted off the bike more than a few times and I had to stop a couple of times to re-strap down my jerry can. I met up with a pickup pulling a camper that had the camper stuffed into the back window of the pickup. He was getting eaten alive while trying to tape cardboard in place of the window.

Bikes do have an easier time of it though.

Next time, I'll be tying down my jerry can of gasoline with rope instead of bungee cords because the cords just don't hold stuff down over those kind of bumps.

[Vlad]

Sadrik pretty much covered our trip, I'll just add the links to the two threads and the photo album:

Pre-ride thread

Post-ride thread

Photo album

Don't listen to those that just repeat what they remembered reading about on the InterWebS. Ask people that rode the road and take their advice for what it's worth - we all experience it differently.

[oomis]

It's awful. Don't ride it. Stay away. The road's awful. There's nothing to see. Nothing to do.

That way it'll be free of traffic when I go back.

O.

[oomis]

Heading west from Radisson takes you towards Chisasibi, a Cree reserve. From there, about 15 minutes of gravel road will take you to James Bay where you can get your feet wet or if you're feeling spunky, you can get your bike stuck in the bay. Have friends handy to pull your bike out. No, I'm not joking. No, I didn't get stuck myself.

Yeah. I'm the only guy I know to have gotten his motorcycle stuck in the Arctic Ocean.

Good times.

[sadrik]

Yeah. I'm the only guy I know to have gotten his motorcycle stuck in the Arctic Ocean.

Good times.

When I mentioned that someone got their bike stuck in the bay, the waitress at the restaurant said "You wouldn't believe how often we hear that!"

Good times indeed. Brought home a lot of great memories from that ride.

[WoBblyCaT]

I met up with a pickup pulling a camper that had the camper stuffed into the back window of the pickup. He was getting eaten alive while trying to tape cardboard in place of the window.

I assume it was by bugs, not by a polar bear or liger.

[sadrik]

I assume it was by bugs, not by a polar bear or liger.

Well, I'm told they were black flies and mosquitoes but if you ask me, they were simply dwarf flying bears and those macroviruses from the Macrocosm episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

[Vlad]

I assume it was by bugs, not by a polar bear or liger.

Black flies were quite brutal at times, and it wasn't even their season. A lot of high quality insect repellent and a mesh cover are highly recommended.

[karigotu]

Good times indeed. Brought home a lot of great memories from that ride.

+1 indeed

[V-Tom]

'Looks like a pleasant trip...

Should I trade I my GSF1250 on a VStrom or KTM...?
...

V-Stroms are nice bikes...


..Tom

[shanekingsley]

^^ indeed

[oomis]

V-Stroms are nice bikes...


..Tom

If only I could figure out a way to get the engine from my TL1000R into the frame of my vstrom, I'd be a happy, happy camper.

[V-Tom]

If only I could figure out a way to get the engine from my TL1000R into the frame of my vstrom, I'd be a happy, happy camper.

If you started with a 1000 there would be no problem. "Johnofchar" over at VRSI has done so.

Personally, I don't know that having more power would make you smile a lot more. I find that sometimes when you have a lot of power in a vehicle then it becomes completely about the power and you end up overlooking a lot of other things that make the machine enjoyable.

For me the fun is in making the most out of what I have.

Having said that, there is no right or wrong to it.. different strokes for different folks as they say...

..Tom

ps: are you coming to the Strom ride in April?

[MarcF650R]

I'd do this road on two conditions:

I wasn't as fat and out of shape...

I converted my religion from Ninja to V-Strom....