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Western US 2011…Wyatt Earp & The Rocky Wonder Show
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Just while those thoughts are bouncing around in my head:
The DRZ had the stock factory front hoop, some Dunlop IIRC. The rear was a new Shinko 705 Radial. Both tyres went well for ~6500km, there's enough meat on the Shinko to go another 2-3000km.
The KLR got a new set of Shinko 705 Radials, after 6500km the front was good for easily another 4-5000km, the rear had 1500 to maybe 2000km left in it.
Both bikes handled well and hung in pretty well when pushed...my concern with the KLR was rather the pesky front anchor than the Shinkos.
Boring but true, none of them delaminated!!
Why the Shinko's?
At the time Jimbo got them on special (at a local Medford shop), the set for the KLR cost a laughable 120 bux...FOR THE SET, YES!!
$50 something for the 90/90/21 and $60something for the 130 rear.
I'd also been trying them out on the VEE here in Oz on that QLD trip a few months back, and they'd been pretty good overall then, too.
The RJays Explorer Tailbag has disappeared in the "bad" corner, to me it was the first and last one of those. Looks fine, good features....but crap quality.
Apart from that, most other items of gear and clothing did as expected. We always take stuff on to those trips that we plan to ditch and not bring home at the end of the cruise.
At least is saves dragging all the bulky gear around the globe and through multiple airports twice...at best it makes room for shiny new stuff bought overseas at ridiculous prices as their season is at an end and they want to clear the shelves.
This time it was the old. old RallyCross jacket (one of the first DriRider ever marketed and of the "barearse-shower test" fame of the NetRider days), the falling-to-pieces Swiss IXS textile pants, Goodies old Held gloves and some other old stuff like neck-warmers etc.
While the bikes were fine and comfortable enough, I can see the sense in "(everything's bigger in the US)" , their infatuation with bigger bikes, even cruisers. Bikes like that really make more sense in a place which has great distances between places, an endless amount of sweepers but very little tight stuff.
In general, the roads are good and pretty well maintained...and lots of folks, contrary to Australia, live in rural areas. Where the Aussies built a timber bridge, the Yanks didn't fart around and built a concrete or steel bridge spanning the whole valley. And dual lane, too.
Fine for a Hog, boring on a KLR/DR etc.
For anything more, longer, bigger than what we did, I'd prefer a twin or multi.
The place is just too big, too straight and way too easy on the riding to put up with the busy going-ons of a thumper....or any small bike, really.
The DRZ had the stock factory front hoop, some Dunlop IIRC. The rear was a new Shinko 705 Radial. Both tyres went well for ~6500km, there's enough meat on the Shinko to go another 2-3000km.
The KLR got a new set of Shinko 705 Radials, after 6500km the front was good for easily another 4-5000km, the rear had 1500 to maybe 2000km left in it.
Both bikes handled well and hung in pretty well when pushed...my concern with the KLR was rather the pesky front anchor than the Shinkos.
Boring but true, none of them delaminated!!
Why the Shinko's?
At the time Jimbo got them on special (at a local Medford shop), the set for the KLR cost a laughable 120 bux...FOR THE SET, YES!!
$50 something for the 90/90/21 and $60something for the 130 rear.
I'd also been trying them out on the VEE here in Oz on that QLD trip a few months back, and they'd been pretty good overall then, too.
The RJays Explorer Tailbag has disappeared in the "bad" corner, to me it was the first and last one of those. Looks fine, good features....but crap quality.
Apart from that, most other items of gear and clothing did as expected. We always take stuff on to those trips that we plan to ditch and not bring home at the end of the cruise.
At least is saves dragging all the bulky gear around the globe and through multiple airports twice...at best it makes room for shiny new stuff bought overseas at ridiculous prices as their season is at an end and they want to clear the shelves.
This time it was the old. old RallyCross jacket (one of the first DriRider ever marketed and of the "barearse-shower test" fame of the NetRider days), the falling-to-pieces Swiss IXS textile pants, Goodies old Held gloves and some other old stuff like neck-warmers etc.
While the bikes were fine and comfortable enough, I can see the sense in "(everything's bigger in the US)" , their infatuation with bigger bikes, even cruisers. Bikes like that really make more sense in a place which has great distances between places, an endless amount of sweepers but very little tight stuff.
In general, the roads are good and pretty well maintained...and lots of folks, contrary to Australia, live in rural areas. Where the Aussies built a timber bridge, the Yanks didn't fart around and built a concrete or steel bridge spanning the whole valley. And dual lane, too.
Fine for a Hog, boring on a KLR/DR etc.
For anything more, longer, bigger than what we did, I'd prefer a twin or multi.
The place is just too big, too straight and way too easy on the riding to put up with the busy going-ons of a thumper....or any small bike, really.
BB63
SV, DRZ & now DL Rider
Glad you liked the Z Goodie, they are a much maligned and underrated bike. 
Saying that I couldnt imagine myself doing what you did on mine, so hats off to ya for it.
I love mine to bits, especially in motard trim, but 350-400k days pull me up very quick.
Cheers brian
Saying that I couldnt imagine myself doing what you did on mine, so hats off to ya for it.
I love mine to bits, especially in motard trim, but 350-400k days pull me up very quick.
Cheers brian
Well I have been viewing each and every post as they have been put up - simply amazing country and you are truly blessed to have had the opportunity to ride it. Thanks for taking us along with the commentary and excellent photos!!!
Jeff
Dead-right you are, mate....lucky indeed!!
And appreciating it, too!
Thanks for hanging in there...and happy to hear you enjoyed it.
Looking forward to the next trip, together
Oh yeah, bring on the South Island !!!
But this one here will take a while to properly chew through.
No "Black Dogs" nipping at my butt like with Christo, but a few things still need to be put in their proper place.
D
damige
Guest
Well wot a great write up and pics pete,goodie and jimbo
how many pics did you guys end up taking all up?
and i see that the wasp sting slightly improved your looks you old bugger
well done guys
how many pics did you guys end up taking all up?
and i see that the wasp sting slightly improved your looks you old bugger
well done guys
robbieb
Tassie Daddy
and i see that the wasp sting slightly improved your looks you old bugger
well done guys
Nature's botox, mate, smooths out all the wrinkles
Well wot a great write up and pics pete,goodie and jimbo
how many pics did you guys end up taking all up?
and i see that the wasp sting slightly improved your looks you old bugger
well done guys
Hey!!
Good to see you here....jeez, it's been a while...AGAIN!
Nature's botox, mate, smooths out all the wrinkles
Bloody clowns, both of youse
All up there were around 4600 shots betwen the 3 of us....more than half were done while riding and a good part of that was total junk.
Blurred, fuzzy... shots of handlebars+levers/ a piece of asphalt/ boots, half a dash, another blurred shot of a glove or a bit of sky...but there were also some shots well worth keeping amongst them!!
Quite a few of those leftover-roadshots were just perfect as "stringers"...shots that tie the whole yarn together and create continuity (which creates the effect of "the story being easy to follow" and "being right in the middle of it, right there, part of the ride/ day/ action").
About 1600 total stayed after the first sorting...to be sorted another 4 times to whittle 'em down to the ~800 shots in this thread.
That day at Bryce still had 280 shots in the day-folder after the first 3 cullings.
