Zubb

I must be getting old 'cause this kind of stuff exhausts me just watching it. Hat's off to Birchey, he's an animal.

I downsized from the 8 gallon GSA bike to a 5 gallon GS bike. The very rare times I miss the big tank is when I'm Iron Butting to get somewhere far. I would never carry a Rotopax for reasons stated above. I'd be much more inclined to do a @tntmo for that one time in 5 years that I might need a little fuel bump. I do carry (on group tours) a liter of oil, and a liter of fuel (for 'that guy' in the group). Have never needed the fuel yet because we have planned fuel stops, and it's hard to forget to fuel up when the 9 guys around you are pumping gas. .....hmmm. I just talked myself into ditching the fuel bottle. I used to use a good slosh of gas though to start campfires, and that was pretty handy. But lately I just find a good clean stick and dip it in the gas tank for a fire starter torch. And tank is always full when I do that cause . . . . fires are in the evening. Evening means we gassed up recently for the next days ride. So that always works a treat. The oil bottle though ??? Yeh. It's been called into play a few times. Usually about a half hour after I put the JB Quickweld away.

Yep, nothin' says happy like triple digits on the beach! The secret spot is one of the most stunning river crossings I've ever seen. But a few miles beyond that requires ... er, uh. . . suggests, a much smaller bike.

Dude! Stop hoggin' all the operating rooms. Save some for the rest of us.

Nice! I need to tick that box one of these days.

Fixed that for you.

No worries. Looks like I’m coming already.

@Goofy Footer I will definitely bring a jar. HOWEVER, that stuff is akin to riding a 160hp bike on a slow dirt trail without ESA!! It’s more designed for an evening at the campfire where no driving is involved. Make sure no one is smoking in the area!

Yet they are everywhere. Somebody better call @padu and tell him he better stop it.

Popotla Anza B 'Veronica Near Anza SanQ My secret spot...

I disagree with the "marketing" video above in that he doesn't get to define what ADVENTURE means to anyone else. His definition of an ADV bike is just fine for him. That was a rant from a guy who can't look outside his own experience and goals for riding. The video only shows what his own interpretation of an ADV bike is. But I generally dig his channel. He puts out some great stuff! Todays modern ADV bikes are amazing. And they answer the masses call for a machine they can climb onto and ride off into the unknown. . . . forever and ever amen. And even look cool doing it. While you're at it, you might as well color match your KLIM costume to match the bike. Woo Hoo! Let's go! Grab yer helmet and a gold card and hit the road baby! If you wanna go hit all the Starbucks and Crackerbarrels, have at it brother. You will have an awesome time and more power to you. Now add in a little bit of training (or not) for the average guy and presto! you can comfortably ride that big bike on thousands and thousands of miles of awesome Truck Trails and forest service roads and gravel ad infinitum. Take a little time to practice and learn sand skills . . . . and bam! you're off to the tip of Baja and back on your 890/990/1090/1190/1250/1290 or next year.... your shiny new 1300GS!!! Who is the "big" ADV bike for, you ask? Anyone who wants one. Anyone who wants to leave and return from a big trip on two wheels. No truck, no trailers needed. Anyone who wants to carry the kitchen sink along on their motocamp trip (yuck). Anyone who likes to go "far". It's pretty mentally gratifying for us humans to sit around and pontificate the superiority of our method, whatever it is. Fly fisherman, bait casters, and spin fisherman all look down their noses at the other. Bow hunters, black powder, rifle and pistol hunters do the same. One mans Dual Sport, is another mans ADV bike. Tesla/Prius/Nissan Leaf . . all wag their fingers at each other. The 650 riders snicker at the liter bikes, and the 2 strokers snicker at the 500 class riders. And then @tntmo rides up on his junkyard special (is it a 90? or a 110? or a pull start?) and laughs at all of us. Actually Toms not a good example because he just likes to prove a point. Like "start it, ride it, have fun". @padu here is a great example of what I call "the honest truth about motorcycling". He hasn't been riding very long compared to many of us. He bought a bike he liked (Multi-Strata) took a lesson and rode the hell out of it. Someone forgot to tell him you're not supposed to do that. Then took another lesson. Then another. He proves a point, It's the RIDER. Of course bikes are better at some things then others. But most of us would much rather just buy another bike or two and see if that's easier for them. At the same time forgetting why they bought ADV bike in the first place.Nothing wrong with having many bikes of course. My point about Padu is that he enjoys riding that Desert X anywhere he wants to go. Because he spent money on training. He didn't make excuses like "well, that guy is Jarvis, or Pol, or Birch.." He just took some lessons and spent some time practicing what he'd learned and then Presto Chango, his bike magically became much more capable. Funny how that works. There's no dark science to riding better .... much much better off road. There are a lot of coaches that will help you grow if you want to throw a few hundred bucks into seriously changing your riding and comfort level. In the end you just might find that 900-1200cc bike works really well for most places you want to go once you learn a better riding technique, and then still have a bike you can loop 3,000 miles in a long week or so. Todays ADV bikes are amazing. The 1250 for me, its the perfect BDR bike, sport tourer, iron butt'er, gravel getter, Baja Tourer, grocery getter, ... it's my swiss army knife bike. --- you know I was just thinking. Does anyone gripe about ads for 2 stroke 300's? or 450's and 500's? Those ads show guys riding in ways 90% of us here could never achieve. Where's the cynicism? I may watch a commercial and see a 6 pack ab ripped shirtless male model wearing a certain cologne with a supermodel draped over his arm. Now I am just barely smart enough to know that this cologne won't get me that. But it's titillating to think about now isn't it. So maybe I'll buy it and dream a little. Hopefully I'll like the smell.

Oh yes, Dave. Yes it does.

I’m back on the road again at least. 👍😎😁

That’s a bucket list event for me.

That story should be required reading for all riders here in the S.W. One mechanical, from one bike can change everyone’s fate, as the groups water supply drains away while they sit in the sun, waiting. . . .

Thanks for putting up a calendar event. Done!

got it. PM incoming.

I assume you mean he confirmed on the calendar. But this is not on the calendar. Very mysterious . . . .

Nope. June thru Sept at the moment is packed with Moto trips already. My only trip east though will be a fly and rent. I won’t be traveling the Midwest at all.

I plan on attending. There is a chance I’ll have to iron butt it up to Boise instead that week, but I’m planning on this class first.

All I know is I want that axe!

^^^^^^ this.

I recently had a noob on the new Toureg overheat his clutch in some sand dunes north of Scorpion Bay. I thought for sure I was going to tow him to pavement and then truck his bike 700 miles home. Fortunately it was just overheating and it didn't fry. After working on another bike issue for an hour, the Toureg clutch cooled enough to work again. Had a shattered front disc on an 890 front wheel but Mcguyver'ed our way back to rolling on that one. My point is, most issues in the field are field repairable with some zip ties, duct tape and a stick of JB weld (don't forget to bring a half qt of oil). Most bikes that get hauled out are because of a broken rider, not a broken bike. I've only had one bike broken beyond repair and winched out of a canyon. And that was right here on Otay Mtn. Go figure. I don't think there's a way to calculate medical evacs. Reference Daves response above. On more than one occasion I've seen guys grit it out and ride out with a broken leg or arm. Others ride the chopper with the same or lesser injuries.

That's another factor that gets ignored on tire threads. Same tire in different sizes on different bikes can handle completely different. Thus adding to confusion. My personal bottom line is, buy and try them all. Your bikes will change, and your skills and needs will change over time. It's not a cheap experiment, but just like bikes, there is no perfect tire. Just a perfect for right now tire (perhaps).

I have mixed feelings about the TMMs. I dislike them on the road. Yeh they stick as well as the next tire does, but they feel VERY heavy and slow to me. I have to work the bike a lot more on, for example, Banner grade to flick the bike over between corners. They literally slow me down, versus a tire that wants to fall into the turn. My Motoz RallyZ or Adventure rear with the Dual Venture front are infinitely more fun on the pavement, and stick every bit as well (maybe better?). Yes, Motoz is louder. I couldn't care less as I'm wearing earplugs on pavement anyway. They are not impressive off road either (compared to other options). I've had to ride a number of clients bikes out of the sands in Baja (like the road to Mikes Sky Ranch) shod with these tires. It helps to air them down to 30/30 in sand. A little. But God help anyone caught in the rain (mud) with these things! Again, this is a highly personal opinion, every bit as volatile as an oil discussion. So take this with a handful of salt. I don't think this tire excels at anything except high milage. But there are TONS of reviews stating just the opposite. A few months ago I put a set of these on my spare (road) wheel set and took them on our normal county favorite trails, and roads, and then down for a couple days in Baja. I went to scout some trails that I'd heard were in pretty tough shape due to winter rains and storms. I did not air down, but ran OEM pressures of 36/42 on my 1250GS. I got there and back just fine. And fortunately didn't encounter any sand that a sand-noob couldn't ride anyway. They worked just fine . But I would never buy or recommend a set of these for what we call general off road riding. Not here in the South West. My son is running the MotoZ GPS right now. It's what I would suggest as a similar category tire. Folks seem to get 10,000 miles out of them on their big bikes. I'll probably throw a set of those on the street wheels after I use up a little more of the TMMs. Ultimately it's about the rider, not the tires. But it's sure nice to have a tire that helps you when things get a little wonkey instead of holding you back.