Ride Report: 2020 BC | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Ride Report: 2020 BC

I would like to if the forest fire situation is okay. That's something I've been monitoring a fair bit since there's a bunch of new fires cropping up.
BC Wildfire Dashboard

My 2018 and 2019 ride to/through the Okanagan wasn't hampered by the fires and the fires were probably more severe than this year.
I think they tend to keep the major roads clear for traffic...
It was somewhat surreal though riding #3 and seeing flames licking up along the side of the road..
 
bad deal Shane....hope it gets worked out

hate to be a dark cloud
but stopping in Winnipeg for a clutch cable could be an issue
with Manitoba's quarantine rules....hopefully it turns out not to be
 
bad deal Shane....hope it gets worked out

hate to be a dark cloud
but stopping in Winnipeg for a clutch cable could be an issue
with Manitoba's quarantine rules....hopefully it turns out not to be
I totally get it. I’m stopped for lunch in Portage La Prairie about 100km west of Winnipeg.
No shops in Manitoba have the part and I would have to wait until at least Monday. The clutch is working totally fine so far after doing over 300+km today, so maybe it was the adjustment I did this morning that sorted it all out. I will try to make it past Regina today - maybe as far as Moose Jaw since I started pretty late today.
 
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Fixed it for ya...
While I agree with you on that statement in general, I always go for the Apple Pancakes at The Original Pancake House every time i'm in Winnipeg. I find its worth venturing away from the airport for back in normal times.
 
There are no issues stopping in Manitoba or Winnipeg. I stayed a night there, ate indoors at a dine in restaurant, and locals go about like nothings happening. All good
 
Day 3 Route: Lake-Vu Motel Restaurant & Cnv to Super 8 by Wyndham Moose Jaw SK
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I woke up in the morning and called a few places - all of which did not have a clutch cable. I was debating on staying put for the day and see if I could score a clutch cable or maybe I should be just going for it. Adventure Power Products in Winnipeg wasn't open until 10am. I adjusted the clutch again and since it was feeling nice, I decided to ride over there and ask them in person - it's on;y 2hrs away and on my way westward.

First off - Kenora is a pretty hilly little town. I liked it quite a bit and thought it would be a pretty sweet place to live if it wasn't so far away and so cold in the winter. I left at around 9am and the ride from Kenora out to the Manitoba border was pretty scenic and nice too. Once in Manitoba, I appreciated the increase in speed limit from 90km/hr to 110km/hr and traffic was moving at a pretty fast pace. The weather was clear and the temperatures were getting close to 30. As I neared Winnipeg I took some back roads to get to the dealership and passed by this perfect scene that (for me) captures farmland Manitoba. Big blue sky, massive fields and flat earth as far as the eye can see:
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I arrived at the dealership and they said they did not have the part in stock and the only one they did have in stock was for a smaller Suzuki dirt bike with a super short cable. I then called a few other places and also some shops in Regina and Saskatoon, and still no dice. Everyone says basically the same thing. We can get it, but it will take about a week for it to come in. No thanks if I can help it.

I decided to keep going since the clutch was still feeling great with no additional adjustments needed. My goal was to ride to Regina, and if I was fortunate, I would get as far as Swift Current. For some reason my GPS routed me directly through the city streets of downtown Winnipeg to get back on the TransCanada, instead of taking the outer ring road. That sucked about 30 minutes of my day, but I've never been to Winnipeg in the summer, so it was kinda neat to ride through it. I've only been there when it's -30 out, and now it was +32 out. I stopped off in Portage La Prairie for a lunch break and the guy working the Subway counter must have been on his first day. He made the best veggie sub ever and was so attentive to everything that went into it. I just ate the second half for my dinner and it did not disappoint!
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I stopped off in Brandon, Manitoba for some gas, a quick snack on some trail mix and some lube for the chain. This particular can of HHS Lube by Wurth was given to me by 'cycling' from GTAM a few years ago. I never did use it when you first gave it to me an I was saving it for a special occasion. Well now it's going on my brand new chain and it's perfect for this trip. So Thanks!
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Across the prairies there is not much in the way of shelter from the elements. Today it was pretty hot out and not a whole lot of shade to be found along the TransCanada. But as luck would have it I found this nice spot and was immediately surrounded by very loud chipmunks and squirrels wanting some of my trail mix.
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I finally crossed over into Saskatchewan and it looked exactly the same as Manitoba, but I think just over the crest of this field is where the flat earth finally ends.
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As I pulled into Moose Jaw to get some gas, I decided to call it a day. I still have 1700km to get to my friends place north of Prince George, and want to see if I can hit up Blackfoot Motorsports in Calgary tomorrow. If all goes well, I sleep in Canmore, Alberta tomorrow night. Another simply amazing day on the bike!
 
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Based on my experience re parts stock levels in dealership I think it's pretty unlikely you're going to find a dealer with stock, but I could be wrong.

Could you not have a friend or family member here in TO order the part for you, then they'd pick it up from the dealer and Fedex it to you overnight somewhere out west. My experience with Honda bike parts in TO is that an order placed today will be sent to the dealer the next day. Next day overnight courier won't be cheap, but you're going to end up being stuck somewhere for 5 - 7 days waiting for a part that's probably in TO and that will cost you $100 - $150 a day minimum.
 
is there any chance you could find a bike scrapyard that might have something?
 
Okay Suzuki, then.

Although the Okanagan is not on your route, this store is about a day away from Calgary.

Valley Moto Sport West Kelowna
#100 - 1195 Industrial Road
West Kelowna, BC V1Z 1G4
Phone: (250) 769-3313

If they have the cable in stock, I can help pick it up for you if are arriving after hours. Let me know.
 
Thanks - much appreciated. I shall keep you posted.

Yes Lucky - I was thinking about the scrap yard too - great idea.

I'll have it all figured out tomorrow - if not then the next day and so on... I'll look into it a bit tonight and see what I come up with.
One more day til the mountains.
Hope to sleep in Radium Hot Springs tomorrow and then make my way up to Fort St James for the next night.
 
LC Are you in Japan or BC ...confused o_O

Shane can get parts from US on Thursday and send them wherever to you.

Shane - tap the Stromtrooper community too. They saved my ass when my stator failed.
 
In a pinch, you can always order one from Fortnine and have it delivered to your sister's place.

Sent from my SM-A530W using Tapatalk
 
Blackfoot motorsports is awesome! I was just there 2 days ago to get heated grips and a jacket, they are very accommodating and the store has some great stuff alongside stock, intact only place I know yet in Canada that had OEM Yamaha heated grips

All the staff were polite, and here's the shocker. They refunded me for the heated jacket due to a issue, then I found another for the same price. They let me walk out with it and said will invoice me later, trusting I'll pay it, don't get that trustworthy service in Ontario.

In that note their shop rate is $150/hr, so I ended up installing the heated grips myself at my sisters place. Not sure clutch cable time needed
 
... passed by this perfect scene that (for me) captures farmland Manitoba. Big blue sky, massive fields and flat earth as far as the eye can see:
IMG_5423-X4.jpg
If you had stood on the seat of your motorcycle, you could have seen the skyline of Regina from there!
 

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