Upshift Issue 42 - February 2020

February 2020

Issue 42

February 2020

Issue 42

Cover Simon Cudby Design Chris Glaspell Photography Editor Simon Cudby Contributing Writers Tim Burke Stephen W. Clark Pete Day Chad de Alva Blake Draguesku Seiji Ishii Contributing Photographers Suzanna Bostock Tim Burke Chad de Alva Blake Draguesku Michnus Olivier Rally Zone Story Editor Stefanie Glaspell Business Development Brandon Glanville

Issue 42 FEBRUARY 2020

THE INSIDER

The Micro Multinational

INSTA-ADV

Instagram Travelers

GEAR The Latest

WIDE OPEN

Views Through the Lens

AFRICA PART 4

Reaching the Mediterranean

NOT RIDING SEASON Off-Road Winter Prep

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Contact: Brandon Glanville brandon@upshiftonline.com Contact: info@upshiftonline.com

Join us on Instagram at @ upshift_online Join us on Twitter at @upshift_online Join us at facebook.com/upshiftonline

INSIDE GORE-TEX What goes into KLIM Gear

TESTED

Alpinestars Protection BRP Scotts Under Bar Mount - KTM Adventure 790

PROJECT DR650

Suzuki’s World Traveler Workhorse Upshift Magazine is published monthly

by Upshift Online Inc. 2020. Reproduction of any material requires written consent from the publishers. All photos, editorial contributions and advertisements are accepted upon representation that they are original materials by the author and or advertiser. Opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and may not reflect the views and opinions of the editor, staff or advertisers of Upshift Online Inc. Advertisers assume full responsibility for the entire content and subject matter of their advertisements.

MEDICALLY PREPARED How Tim Burke Prepares for the Worst

THE MICRO MULTI INSIDER: Pete Day, Mosko Moto

I grew up in the 80s and 90s, thinking of a ‘small business’ as the car repair shop my parents owned, and ‘multinationals’ as the world’s biggest companies. Multinationals were Wall Street conglomerates with thousands of employees, and small businesses were Main Street. Wow, has that ever changed.

There are 30 million small businesses in the U.S., employing 60 million people, or about half the total workforce. I run one of them. From the outside, we look like the archetype of Small Business USA. We have 13 people working in a cozy workshop on the main strip of downtown White Salmon, Washington (pop. 2,552). Within a minute’s walk of our front door you’ll find a restaurant, coffee shop, hardware store, drug store, grocery store, and print shop. None of us commute more than 10 minutes to work, and my home is located on the same street as our office.

Take a look inside our business, and you’ll see a different perspective. You’ll see a design team – Andrew, Scott, and Julia - surrounded by materials and hardware sourced from places like Taiwan, Korea, Switzerland, and the U.K. You’ll see stacks and stacks of product samples that were assembled in Vietnam, China, and Bangladesh. You’ll see bikes from Austria, Germany, and Japan, decked with accessories from every corner of the globe.

Sit with Jenn and Paulina, and you’ll hear them fielding customer calls and emails from every continent except Antarctica (still waiting for our first order from there). Lee and Ames will tell you the status of containers moving from factories in Asia to our fulfillment centers in the U.S. and the Netherlands, and the challenges of balancing inventory across continents. Ash, Sarah, JC, and Roel will describe our 30+ riding events in the U.S., Europe, Canada, and Australia. At the same time, Blake shows you online posts from riders in places like Thailand, Hungary, Oman, Uganda, and Russia.

For us, this is what it means to be a small town, main street business in 2020, and I know we’re not alone. ADV is an international sport that breeds international businesses. Technology and trade have leveled the playing field, so tiny companies like us can compete with the big dogs on a global scale. All from downtown White Salmon, no Wall Street conglomerates required. How cool is that?

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Professional rider, do not attempt to imitate. Always wear protective safety gear and ride in a responsible manner. European specification model shown with optional equipment available at additional cost.

Photo: F. Lackner

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The mission is simple, if you want to share your adventures on “insta-adv” you’d better start following us! @upshift_online and use the hash tag #upshift_online on your photos

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INSTA-ADV

Photo: R. Schedl

Professional rider on closed course depicted. Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations! The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.

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THE ALL-NEW TE 150i Designed to take on the toughest trails, the all-new 2020 TE 150i is a highly capable off-road motorcycle, thanks to electronic fuel injection technology and a new dynamic chassis for a light and agile experience. This innovative 2-stroke machine pushes the boundaries of performance and maneuverability, letting you concentrate on the ride wherever the trail may lead.

1. Seat Concepts Releases New Element Seat The NEW Element seat is an ultimate tool for any off-road enthusiast. Whether you’re an aggressive rider looking to get more traction, unmatched comfort, or fighting off a waterlogged seat in the summer and an ice block in the winter, this is the seat for you! The Element seat comes with four traction ribs at the rear to keep you firmly planted in the cockpit comprised entirely of our gripper material. Secondly, the added width and our highly sought after foam assists with distributing your weight to ease up on painful pressure points for that priceless all day comfort. And third, each Element seat comes seam sealed from the inside to prevent water from penetrating into the foam. We don’t stop there! Before the cover is installed, each foam is covered with a thin water barrier as added protection from the elements. Rain...Snow...Mud or anywhere in between the Element seat is a must have for year-round use. www.seatconcepts.com.

THE RIGHT TOOLS Innovative Tools and Products That Help You Maintain and Repair Motorcycles, ATVs and UTVs

ProFunnel

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Rear magnet allows funnel to be stored conveniently on the side of your tool box

Integrated shutoff valve allows precise amount of liquid to be dispensed • Graduation marks for cubic centimeters, fluid ounces and premix ratio 1000cc (34oz) capacity • Easy to understand premix ratio graduations for 32:1, 40:1, 50:1, and 60:1 for 1 to 3 gallons • Adjustable ball-pivot spout allows easy, spill-free filling • Top cover keeps dust and dirt out when not in use • Large molded handle for secure grip • Reduced neck keeps funnel from dripping residue when funnel is laid on its side • Made from ultra-durable HDPE plastic • Tip size can be trimmed to fit your application

Adjustable ball-pivot spout allows easy, spill-free filling

V I E W A L L O F O U R S E R V I C E T O O L S AT M O T I O N P R O . C O M

2. Mosko Moto Backcountry 35L Pannier Kit (V2.0) The Backcountry Pannier is our flagship product, designed for long-distance adventure touring, hardcore enduro-style riding, and camping from your bike. This kit includes two 35L bags, for 70L of total capacity.

With bomb-proof construction and heavy-duty materials, these bags can really take a beating. Our quick-mount wedge system makes it easy to take the panniers on/off the bike so you can store them in your tent or have them by the fire without wrestling with straps.

We created the Backcountry Pannier because we were tired of over-the-seat soft panniers that flop around in rough terrain, have no external pockets or stash spots, disintegrate after a couple crashes, and are a total pain in the ass to get on and off the bike. We wanted something like a backpacking frame pack, but that mounts on your bike, and that stays connected to the bike and stays waterproof no matter how many times you lay the bike down. MSRP: Starting at $730.00. www.moskomoto.com

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NEW: KTM 790 ADVENTURE GRAPHICS KITS

3. Klim Sets Standard With Redesigned 2020 Carlsbad Gear KLIM is releasing the fully-redesigned Carlsbad Jacket and Pant, improving key elements of the gear that has long been popular with adventure motorcyclists for providing the essential necessities of riding gear. The Idaho-based apparel experts have upgraded the Carlsbad with increased impact and abrasion protection, better ventilation and dramatically improved storage options.

Starting with abrasion protection, KLIM inspires more confidence on the road with new overlay fabrics. New 630-denier Cordura twisted yarn overlays on key abrasion areas, including the main outer “slide area” of the arms, shoulders, knees and seat deliver better abrasion resistance than the previous version.

Further upgrading strength and durability, KLIM used the same body fabric from the legendary Badlands Pro in certain hard-wearing areas such as the chest, back, forearms and legs.

On the jacket, low-wear areas such as the inner arms and collar receive the lighter fabric found in the original Carlsbad. The result is great mobility and comfort together with increased abrasion protection through this specially “mapped” fabric layout.

Impact protection is a similar story. Upgrading to D3O Level 2 LP2 Pro armor introduces an exceptional level of impact energy absorption in the shoulders, elbows, knees, hips and back. These upgrades to safety alone make the new Carlsbad a bang-for-buck winner, but KLIM didn’t stop here when redesigning this kit.

Storage options throughout have been vastly improved, with a monstrous total of 16 pockets between the exterior and interior of the garments. They’re thoughtfully placed for easy organization of essentials. One of the many front torso pockets is a large waterproof chest pocket, which is ideal for storing maps or large cell phones in easy reach. KLIM’s traditional SPOT® Tracker/PLB pocket on the upper chest is also present here, offering a safer alternative for beacon storage than on your bike, which may not be accessible in the event of a crash.

Further upgrades include a more refined ventilation layout. Large forearm vents bring air into the arms, while more efficient chest and back vents add more airflow to the torso. The “Collar Tab Back” vent feature is also a welcome upgrade for extra hot days.

The pants have a more refined ventilation layout that reduces bulk and improves efficiency as well.

The redesigned KLIM Carlsbad Jacket and Pant are noteworthy mid weight adventure pieces that set a new standard for features available at this price point. Colors: Gray, Blue, Green, Black. Jacket MSRP: $599.99.

Pant MSRP: $499.99. www.klim.com

A NEW RIDING REVOLUTION

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The first, the best and the most exciting scramblers on every level.

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2020 DAKAR WINNER

WIDE OPEN

RICKY BRABEC

SAUDI ARABIA

PHOTO: HONDA RACING CORP.

RIDER

WIDE OPEN

TOBY PRICE

SAUDI ARABIA

PHOTO: RALLY ZONE

RIDER

WIDE OPEN

ANDREW SHORT

SAUDI ARABIA

PHOTO: RALLY ZONE

WIDE OPEN

PELOPONNESSE PENINSULA, GREECE

PHOTO: TIM BURKE

BARNSTORMING 2020

C o d y We b b A M A E nd u r o C r o s s C h ampi on

The FactoryONE Sherco race team will hit the ground full throttle with Multi-Time AMA EnduroCross Champion, Cody Webb leading the charge for the 2020 season.

125 SE FACTORY

In addition to the star studded race team, the Sherco motorcycle line up has also gotten stronger for the new season.

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machines ready to dominate even the toughest hard enduro races. Visit us online to find a local dealer to see for yourself.

@SHERCOUSA

WIDE OPEN

SANORAN DESERT

PHOTO: CHAD DE ALVA

WIDE OPEN

IDAHO

PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY

WIDE OPEN

LEFKADA, GREECE

PHOTO: TIM BURKE

WIDE OPEN

INNSBRUCK, AUSTRIA

PHOTO: TIM BURKE

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IDAHO

PHOTO: SIMON CUDBY

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Reaching the Mediterranean WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY: TIM BURKE

Sometimes things don’t go as planned. Scratch that: Things in my life usually don’t go as planned. That’s why I gave up that notion years ago.

For me, the unplanned started unfolding just after leaving Tanzania. I had just said goodbye to my friend Kinga Tanajewska (@onherbike) in Tanzania after crossing paths in opposite directions. I took one last look at the “Roof of Africa,” the continent’s highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, as I watched as expansive sugar plantations sweep past and slowly fade into windswept Savannah. I was rolling west towards the famed Serengeti.

I was just east of the Serengeti, halfway through lunch, when I had to ‘get out of dodge’ ASAP. Hurriedly, the restaurant owner took my money and sent me packing as a dark cloud rolled in like I’d never seen before. A massive low-pressure system moved across the plains and must have picked up every microscopic particle in its path. If you’ve been following for a while, you already know what I have to say about the winds of Patagonia: winds that will blow a truck clean off the road. I used to think sideways-blowing sleet in Tierra Del Fuego was the most miserable experience one could have on a motorcycle, until I discovered sand storms. They blow across the plain like a billion invisible bullets that somehow find their way into every part of your anatomy, the worst, being your eyeballs. The locals say that these storms mark the beginning of the rainy season, so despite the annoyances of dust in the eyes, they are a welcome sight for the bone dry plains of north-central Tanzania.

I’d love to sit here and tell you that I rode across the Serengeti Park (dodging elephants, lions, and cape buffalo), but I didn’t, and for good reason.

Motorcycles aren’t allowed in most national parks across Africa, so this one requires a tedious 600 mile/1000km detour around it, to the south.

I crossed into the country of Rwanda by obtaining, at the border, the required “East Africa Visa.” This would cover me through Uganda and Kenya as well.

Rwanda is a special place, and it’s tough to try to summarize in words. I remember getting to Europe, totally inexperienced, and knowing nothing; everything was new. Thus, everything was labeled as amazing or epic. As you gain experience, though, you have more of a scale on which to judge.

Excitement levels fade. With that, I’m pretty confident in making the bold statement that Rwanda might be one of the best places on earth to ride a motorcycle. Seriously. Whether you’re on a Harley Davidson Bagger, a 2-stroke Enduro, or anything in between, somehow, this country is perfect for all of it.

I don’t know how many times I asked myself in my helmet, “Where am I? Where the hell did Africa go?!”

There isn’t a pothole in the entire country. The condition of the roads here are better than most in Europe and North America.

I didn’t see one piece of litter. Not a cigarette butt, a wrapper, or even a discarded receipt. Solar-powered LED street lights, wide sidewalks, drainage, hybrid public transit busses, and modern public buildings fill the capital city, and police are available on just about every corner.

Rwanda doesn’t just “run their mouth” about caring for the planet, they live it every day through green initiatives like a ban on plastic bags, deposits for recyclables, and an upcoming move to ban single-use plastics. Twice a month, roads in the capital city are shut down to vehicle traffic so that public exercise (running, walking, jogging, biking, dancing, yoga) is open to everybody in the streets! It’s really, really cool.

But, if you need an escape, as can be seen in the first picture, getting tires dirty in mountain-side coffee plantations is just a matter of pulling off the pavement.

Rwanda is a growing country, healing from wounds that are still fresh. It has a past that many of us are familiar with, but the country does not let it define their trajectory. April 1994 was the beginning of some of humanity’s most ruthlessly-violent history. In just 100 days, nearly 1 million people in this tiny, intimate country were slaughtered, tortured, and maimed by their neighbors; by people who lived amongst each other.

Writing this article, months later, it’s still hard to figure out what to say. I thought about glossing over it. That’d be the easy path. But, as nobody knows better than Rwandans, there’s a difference between dwelling and “not forgetting” what rock-bottom feels like, so it must be faced and talked about.

“We must remember the bad if we want to continue moving towards good,” one memorial reads.

Rwanda refuses to candy coat the genocide, as memorials preserve bloodstained bricks where the heads of humans were smashed open. Bloodstained clothes, shoes, and sheets remain on display to serve as reminders. This was a reality, and I refuse to skim over it for a motorcycle article. Still, this does not define Rwanda. Rwanda is a country on the move. With a booming economy, the country’s potential is growing rapidly. It’s obvious to anybody that has stepped foot here, it’s a good place, and it’s only getting better.

On my 7th day in Rwanda, I lost my camera along with my favorite lens. Still, I don’t know exactly what happened. The only thing I can reason is that even after 3 years’ worth of muscle memory, taking my camera out of its case thousands of times a month, I forgot to put my camera back in its case. I must have been distracted by something and left it resting on my panniers while I was securing my tripod. I drove off and likely left the camera smashed somewhere behind. I was crushed.

Anybody that’s been following along with me for a while knows that this journey is as much about photography as it is about motorcycles. I knew that until I had a camera back in my hands again, I would be mentally lost. Admittedly, I was stuck in a mental rut, so I picked up the pace to head towards Nairobi, where I knew there were replacement cameras available. Leaving Kigali, due north, for the Uganda border brings you through coffee plantations, tea fields, past waterfalls, and over 8000 ft mountain passes that even though I don’t have pictures, I will never forget.

It might sound crazy, but the hills of Western Uganda bring me back to Ireland and Scotland. They even serve Guinness (in bottles) in some bars over here!

Tiny paths and roads above Lake Bunyonyi connect little villages, each with their own parish or church. The hills are green and so lush. The air always has dampness to it. You might think it’s hot here on the equator, but actually, being this high above sea level, it’s pretty cool.

I start my morning drive to the capital city of Kampala with a traffic stop from Ugandan police for speeding. Traffic stops are pretty frequent throughout these parts. Sometimes you’re guilty of something, sometimes you’re not. You learn to just go with the flow. This time, I have to admit, I was guilty as charged. 45kmh in a 40. The fine, as originally proposed, would require me to backtrack some 150km to a random courthouse. Instead, the matter was settled on the side of the road for stickers and cigarettes (I don’t smoke, but I always have ’em!) Sorry folks, but this is how it works here!

Traffic in Kampala is comical. Absolutely comical. That’s all I’ll say about that. Painted lines, signs, and lights mean zilch here. I spent a few days splitting lanes through traffic by my hosts, local riders, Odeon Tumwebaze and Mark Nsubuga. After saying goodbye to Odeon and Mark, I was Kenya-border bound.

My first town in Kenya brought me into Eldoret.

“City of Champions,” the locals proudly call it.

And when I say proud, I mean you can’t even mention Eliud Kupchoge’s name around here without making people smile ear to ear. “He’s ours! That’s our man!” They shout. Stoke levels were simply through the roof that week, in Kenya, after absolute machine-of-a-man, Eliud Kupchoge, crushed the Vienna Marathon in less than 2 hrs just days prior.

Let me translate that. This dude casually jogged 26.2 miles (over 40km) at a pace faster than most of us can sprint to a trash can after too many tequila shots.

Here’s the crazy part: Almost 8,000 feet (2500m) above sea level, stories like this are nothing new.

This is home to the world’s most elite long-distance runners and Olympic champions, and as I roll through the surrounding villages, it’s quite obvious that running is life here. Groups of friends are out every day, pacing each other and continually pushing each other to go faster and further.

Running is life.

It’s a long descent out of the mountains of Western Kenya. I stopped for coffee at a roadside restaurant on a steep road; steep enough that I had to position the motorcycle strategically to get the kickstand extended and not tip over. A little boy and his grandfather sat about 4 tables away, smiling at me.

“Mzungu. MA-ZUE-NG-GOO.” The old man sounds-off each syllable for the little boy as he points at me, describing me for what I am: a white person.

The little boy giggles and repeats, “Mzungu!”

It’s not derogatory. It’s just what I am here. I’m an outsider, and I have a label. You get used to it after a while.

I smile and offer my hand to theirs. Eye contact confirms our respect for each other, and I zoom off to beat rush hour in the city.

I make it to the hustle and bustle of Kenya’s capital city where you can obtain just about anything that you can in the Western world, albeit 50-70% above normal MSRP due to duties and taxes, but that’s pretty common in import-heavy regions. My camera body is replaced, but due to the abnormally high costs, I must move on without my favorite lens. That’s just life.

I’m bound for the Ethiopian border with my freshly printed E-visa in hand.

It’s crazy that I went almost 4 months without seeing a drop of rain in the southern parts of the continent, but I finally caught up with the wet season as I left Nairobi.

It was somewhat of a bummer because the remote region of Lake Turkana had been on my radar for ages, but 5-foot deep creek crossings, solo, would have made this detour a suicide mission.

The main border crossing takes place in Moyale, a town that routinely sees unrest. Compared to Central America, Africa border crossings really haven’t been that bad.

Here’s the thing with borders. You can either: A. Get all worked up, stressed out, and pissed off at the inevitable bureaucracy of the whole ordeal, OR… B. You can go in with a full stomach (very important), a bottle of water, patience, and a sense of humor, where you laugh at the hilariousness of it all.

Enter with confidence in knowing the process beforehand: knowing what you need to have stamped, knowing what you need to have signed, and having cash for the known fees in advance. When dealing with fees, always ask for a receipt. Magically, many fees go away when a receipt is requested, like an import tax for a laptop computer!

You can usually find step-by-step “prior experiences” from other travelers on iOverlander and/or many of the Overlander forums on social media.

After an “interesting” border crossing with “computer issues,” that apparently only affected me, I was in Ethiopia!

Most travelers will agree: Ethiopia is different. It just is. There’s an adjustment period associated with it. There’s an intensity – I don’t know another word to use – An intensity in the air that’s a bit different. With 110-million people packed in a relatively small swath of earth, it’s a country with a strong personality, and it takes some time to adapt.

About two days into Ethiopia, my travels became hampered by recently reignited political unrest between a few of the rivaling, regional ethnic groups. After a few days of patience and detoured-exploration, I made it to the suburbs of Addis, where fellow ADV rider, Dutch-national, @koosalberts, was staying for a work assignment.

We took his work van out into the country-side to explore, and it’s here, off the beaten track, that Ethiopia shows its true beauty. Beautiful people, beautiful rivers, and rolling hills stretch as far as the eye can see.

Addis, like other African capitals, has traffic that’s simply beyond explanation. I’m here for two days to obtain my Sudanese visa. In all my travels, believe it or not, it’s the first visa that I’ve had to obtain at a proper embassy prior to entry. The process is relatively simple, though, and in 36 hours, it’s ready.

The next 2 weeks would take me north through the Great Rift Valley, past ancient monasteries, across the Blue Nile River Canyon, and over some of Africa’s highest mountain passes (+10,000 ft in some instances) to the northern city of Gondar.

On my last day in Ethiopia, as I was pulling up the steep driveway of Gondar Backpacker’s Hostel, I saw a DR650 with California plates sitting there. “Who the hell is this lunatic?” I thought.

It turned out to be Daniel Shuken (@ramblinshuken) from Fresno, CA, who’s been on the road for over 3 years!

Funny how these random meetings work. I’d spend the next month and a half with Dan, progressing north through Sudan and Egypt.

Shortly after crossing the Sudan border, about 13kms south of Doka, we ran out of sunlight. The entire length of this road is made of potholes that can swallow an entire VW hippie bus, so we decided to set up camp about 100m off the right side of the road instead of risking catastrophe.

“Where the hell are we?” Dan asked, in a tone that was polite and impressed. For almost 5 months straight, there had been no privacy. You can’t pull over in Africa and be alone. It’s just the way it is. If you stop, for even a moment, you’re instantly engulfed in curious locals. That behavior stopped immediately after crossing into Sudan and not to sound anti-social, but I have to admit, MAN was it a breath of fresh air!

People would simply walk past and wave, tending to their own business. Amazing!

Sudan, in consideration of all the trash-talk that is spewed upon it by the media, quickly became one of our favorite countries! People in every village were polite, not aggressive, respectful of personal space, and generous. At absolutely no point in this country, a country that recently had “Level-3 Do Not Travel” advisories slapped on it, did we feel unsafe or threatened. I’ll venture to say that Sudan was the safest, friendliest country we had been to.

As we descended out of the higher elevations and into the Nile River valley, deeper into the Sahara desert, apparently, somebody forgot to turn off the furnace. Each mile further that we advanced felt like we were being lowered into a pot of molten magma. Temperatures quickly rose well above 100F (40C), and we were consuming about 5 liters of water per day without even sweating!

Besides avoiding heat-stroke, one of the bigger challenges in Sudan is finding gasoline. Gas, when you can find it, is only about 30 cents per gallon, but it’s pretty common to come across stations that haven’t been resupplied in weeks. The most important rule to follow in Sudan is to NEVER pass up an opportunity to fill up. Ever.

We passed through Khartoum and continued onward into the simmering desolation of the Sahara. Police checkpoints were relatively common but always efficient and polite once we were recognized at tourists.

Egypt was looming on the horizon; the last country of this journey. I couldn’t help but get that slightly anxious feeling that I get every time I know that a trip is approaching the end of a chapter. It’s an empty feeling of nostalgia that’s hard to describe.

The Sahara desert and the people of Sudan far exceeded expectations. I had no idea I’d find so many mountains, slot canyons, and ancient ruins. Sudan is a country that you won’t find on many travel websites, and it’s a bummer. Hopefully, my story helps change that and puts it on your radar.

The Egypt/Sudan border is the most unnecessarily complex, bureaucratic, systematically-corrupt border crossing in 2.5+ years of traveling, and nobody will convince me otherwise. Long story short, I crossed my 70th international border into Egypt.

Just after the border, you reach the shores of the Nile River and Lake Nasser, held back the Aswan High Dam, flooding thousands of square miles of Sahara desert.

Absolutely massive, the only way across the southern end of the Lake is by ferry. The loading/unloading process in and of itself is sheer entertainment. We just shoved our bikes in a little nook between the stairs and the engine room so they wouldn’t get run over by semis that were blindly trying to find their parking space on the cramped barge.

Back to the border crossing… There is no efficient (or cheap) way to get into Egypt with a motor vehicle without a “fixer” who, for a fee, navigates the bureaucratic process for you. Even with a fixer, it feels like the government makes you do everything short of juggling machetes on a unicycle while balancing on a tightrope, all while emptying your wallet with each step of the process. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that each employee along the way is skimming a few bucks off the top of every transaction for a nice little daily “bonus.”

Inevitably, it turns into a long day. We ran out of sunlight and camped on a cliff above the river Nile.

We would charge through the sandy deserts, north, through the cities of Aswan, Luxor, and eventually into Cairo.

I was hustling because I had a birthday promise to fulfill in Cairo!

Months prior, I had told Polish female Adventure rider, Natalia Plutowska (who’s riding her motorcycle in the opposite direction to Cape Town) that I would meet her there for birthday beverages! I made it!

Natalia, Dan, and I spent time exploring the absolutely hectic streets of Cairo and exploring the historical value that it has to offer.

It certainly was a surprise for me when I “found” the great pyramids.

I was totally planning on being in the middle of nowhere so I could go home to tell lies at a bar about how I had to ride across the dangerous Sahara to get to the most famous ancient architecture on earth (obviously, putting my life and the motorcycle on the line.) Of the thousands of pyramid-photos that we’ve all seen since childhood, most paint a picture of majestic structures out in the middle of nowhere. Reality is that one of the largest cities in the world encroaches on this piece of ancient history: Humans. Lots and lots of humans.

A population of 66 million (66,000,000!) fill the streets of Cairo and Giza to form one of the biggest urban sprawls on the continent.

Still, I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t exciting to have made it to a place we’ve all been learning about since elementary school.

The next stop was to make it to the shores of the Mediterranean.

Just after sunset and two days short of 6 months, I’ve arrived at the Mediterranean Sea on the North Coast of Africa!!! What an absolute circus it has been over the last 24,000 miles (38,600 km).

South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt: Thank you so much for the experiences you have been.

We did it! Every single one of you reading this did it with me.

There was still some lunacy-packed adventure to be had in Egypt before I was done, though, and those stories come next.

Part V – The homestretch will take this journey back through Egypt in a failed attempt across the Sinai Peninsula, shipping out of Alexandria, and across Europe to ready the bike for what lies next: The Far East.

OFF-ROAD WINTER PREP

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY BLAKE DREGUESKU

Riding Season - a term used in applicable regions to refer to the one-half of the year that begins as ice and snow surrendering to longer, warmer, and drier days. Mud turns to dust and staging areas swell with pickup trucks piloted by depraved riders eager to hit their favorite trail for the first time since fall the year before. Several months of sunbathed glory ensue before the season inevitably fades once again into the increasingly gray weather of autumn and early winter. Riders squeeze in their final rides of “the season” before putting their machines into hibernation until the winter relents the following spring.

How does one cope with this? Having lived in Southeastern Texas for 17 years, year-round riding was my norm. Sure, triple-digit summer temps paired with nearly triple-digit humidity levels make for a hellish, even tortuous summer, but it is still certainly a season worth riding through. In the winter, blue skies paired with temperatures in the 30ºF 60ºF range provide absolutely ideal riding weather. During my time in Texas the term “Riding Season” wasn’t even part of my vocabulary. It was something I had only heard of on the internet, discussed by circles of riders located in distant, cold and strange lands that I would surely never be a resident of...then I moved to Washington.

As fall came over the Pacific Northwest, I knew that winter was following closely behind. I also knew that “Seasonal Riding’’ was simply not an option for me. So as the once-ephemeral layer of frozen soil became a more permanent feature of the local trail systems, I was forced to find a solution. I recalled a scene from Bruce Brown’s “On Any Sunday,” in which leather-masked racers tore around a course staged upon a frozen lake. The tires of their machines brandished studs that ripped into the ice, providing seemingly absolute traction on a surface that would otherwise be completely un-negotiable. While my goal didn’t involve racing on a frozen body of water, it did involve gaining as much traction as possible on icy and snow-blanketed trails, so studs it was.

I ended up spending roughly two-hundred dollars for two-hundred tire studs, designed specifically for use with an off road motorcycle: one hundred studs for the front tire and one hundred slightly larger studs for the rear.

A special drill bit is included with each box of stainless steel traction-enablers, and is used with a power drill to sink the studs into each knob of the tires. Installing studs is tedious and slow work. The helical shape of the threading means that a certain technique must be used in order to center the stud perfectly within each knob, but after sinking fifty or so studs you start to feel like a seasoned installer. Snow began to fall outside the garage just about the time I started to hit my studding stride, and continued to fall throughout the night and following morning.

Unloading a dirt bike at a staging area buried under a mounding layer of snow was something I had done only once before. It had actually been just a few weeks prior that I first attempted to navigate the frozen and snowy trails on un-studded, ill-suited tires. That experience was interesting but not necessarily “fun� as I struggled to find enough traction to propel myself up the smallest rise in the terrain or even simply keep the motorcycle pointed in the right direction.

I knew this second attempt would be different from the moment I released the clutch lever and began riding towards the trail entrance. The front tire plowed through the powder and delivered a fresh set of studs into the frozen soil below with every 8-or-so degrees of rotation.

The rear tire, with its path partially cleared of snow by the front tire, provided direct and immediate forward traction. Riding through snow at speed with studded tires is a curious thing; looking ahead your brain sees a frozen trail, slick and unpredictable with roots and rocks hidden underneath a layer of snow. Your body, however, feels a machine that is directly engaged with the surface below.

Dumping the clutch out of a berm produces rocket-like acceleration usually only experienced in clay or other high-traction dirt. Raising the front wheel through a section of whoops or over an obstacle is as easy as giving the bike a quick and healthy handful of throttle. Amazingly, frozen roots and logs provide even more traction than the dirt, as the studs literally embed themselves into the wood and guarantee against any loss of grip. Hard braking or acceleration while turning on a flat surface will allow the bike to get sideways, but it does so predictably and feels quite similar to sliding around in wet sand.

Once a wintry trail has been ridden once or twice, it becomes increasingly more difficult to negotiate. Ruts that have been cut through snow and frozen soil grab the tires in unusual ways, and feel much different than a rut in ‘regular’ dirt. Sticking to an undisturbed line and cutting a fresh track through the snow is without a doubt, the preferred way to go. After returning to the staging area I was surprised to find that none of the rear studs were missing. I had guessed that at least a few had been ripped out during the moments of extreme traction provided by root/logs, but the helical threading of the studs kept every single stud firmly embedded in the tire.

As with anything, there are some downsides associated with studded tires, most notably they seriously narrow the focus of the motorcycle when they are equipped. Yes, it is possible to ride many types of terrain with studded tires (some people even swear by them for use in extremely muddy conditions), but that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should. Much like paddle tires designed for use in sand dunes, studded tires are best matched to a specific type of terrain/surface (namely, the frozen type). That being said, if you live in a region where “Riding Season” is a thing, studding your tires can be instrumental in turning your “Riding Season” into “Riding Season(s)”.

ACCEPT NO SUBSTITUTES RIDE, CLEAN AND SC1 YOUR RIDE TO KEEP IT WORKING AND LOOKING ITS BEST I RESTORES THAT FACTORY SHINE Made in the USA

MaximaUSA.com

NEW SOFT LUGGAGE SYSTEM FOR THE YAMAHA TENERE 700

BEHIND THE SCENES AT

BY CHAD DE ALVA

I am continually impressed by the amount of research and development that goes into Klim’s riding gear. From the outside looking in, it may seem like companies that design riding gear pick out some brightly colored pads, some textiles with cool names, and zippers that looks really fancy, and slap together some riding gear – but this notion couldn’t be further from the truth in Klim’s case. Creating a benchmark system of riding gear like the Badlands is the result of an insane amount of effort from teams all over the world. In fact, making technical riding gear the Klim way seems much more like developing a motorcycle than creating a riding gear system. I’m no stranger to what goes on behind the “employees only” doors of Klim’s Idaho HQ, but after spending a few days with WL Gore, one of Klim’s key technology partners and the folks who make Gore-Tex, my appreciation of what goes into making a piece of gear that sports the Klim logo has seriously increased.

Klim invited me and a number of other journalists to spend a couple of days back east with WL Gore to see just what goes into making the riding gear that some riders literally owe their lives to. Walking into WL Gore’s Capability Center is like walking into a museum-quality archaeological exhibit, except the time period featured is of the last 60 years. Instead of tools made of stone on display, the walls of the Capability Center are lined with items of the modern age. Laptops, space suits, car headlights, cables and wiring, and turn-out gear used by firefighters all use Gore technologies. WL Gore is best known for making Gore-Tex, but the company has also figured out how to make all kinds of implantable medical products, and hundreds of other products by harnessing their understanding of materials science. The breadth of products WL Gore makes is so broad, that chances are the device that you’re reading this very article on has a component originally developed by WL Gore. While my inner nerd could have geekedout hard on all of the items that Gore had on display, our tour guides were quick to get into showing us just what it takes to earn the right to put a Gore logo on your garment.

If you’re an outdoor gear manufacture, you can’t just design a garment with Gore-Tex and take it to market. WL Gore cares about what goes out into the world with their name on it, and as such, every single item that has a Gore-Tex laminate in it has to go through some serious testing to make sure the product actually meets Gore’s standards. Both the individual components of a Gore-Tex laminate and the garment as a whole are tested before Gore certifies a product. On an individual component level, that means that the face fabric of a Gore-Tex laminate is tested for properties such as abrasion resistance, tensile strength in the warp and weft (left-right and up-down axes), and tear-resistance. There are thousands and thousands of square feet of lab space that are chock full of custom machines made by WL Gore that can evaluate just about any property that a product designer can specify. There’s also a giant room full of commercial washing machines where Gore associates can torture test laminates well past the point that the Durable Water Repellent (DWR) coating has been washed out, just to make sure that the actual Gore-Tex membrane still functions as it should. (Don’t be someone who lets the DWR wear out of your gear – follow those care instructions for best performance!) These individual tests underscore just how much understanding Gore has about the textiles that it creates. We had the opportunity to see how all of this knowledge works in concert in a complete garment in places like Gore’s rain room.

The rain room isn’t some lab with a couple of guys in white coats and a garden hose. It’s a room several stories tall where rain showers and storms can be simulated by creating 22 inches of rain per hour for the storm rating. Simply standing in the rain room wearing the garment(s) in question doesn’t cut it either, which is why the rain room comes with a motorcycle to place gear in the riding position while it’s being blasted with water. Set up on the bike for demonstration was a model sporting a complete Klim riding system, and keen-eyed readers will notice an exciting prototype product that the model was wearing. The rain room is just one tool that allows companies like Klim to work directly with WL Gore to test, develop, and refine their products which translates into better products for the end consumer. Yet the testing of a product made with a Gore-Tex laminate is far from complete with just the rain room.

WL Gore’s environmental chamber feels like it belongs in a Bond movie, because it’s that cool of a machine.

The environmental chamber allows users to simulate conditions just about anywhere on Earth to provide a comprehensive study of the impact that a given environment has on materials, systems, and the user. In other words, the chamber can simulate riding on the coldest, windiest, of days, and the hottest, most humid of days even going so far as to simulate solar radiation. Once all of those environmental factors are dialed in, the chamber is set up so a user can be static or monitored at all levels of exertion. The chamber is large enough to accommodate treadmills as a way to create cardio load, and Klim has been known to bring snowmobiles and motorcycles in for testing too. Gore’s testing facilities don’t stop here. There are labs that exist just to test how waterproof boots perform, where you’ll find more custom-made machines that can flex boots hundreds of thousands of times to simulate miles and miles of walking in standing water. If there’s an item out there that uses a Gore-Tex laminate, WL Gore has created a machine to simulate that product’s use and make the best possible components for that specific type of product.

In Klim’s case, Gore’s testing is one part of the process that eventually creates a product like the Badlands. Every last detail is something that is extensively researched, tested, and evaluated to determine the best component for a particular application. The folks at Klim provided us with a number of very powerful hands-on demos to show us the end results of all of this research and development. In one demo, they gave us a length of thread used by another apparel manufacturer and asked us to break it. With a little effort, the thread broke easily in our hands. Feeling confident, we were then given a thread that Klim uses along with a warning: this thread can cut your fingers if you try and pull too hard while attempting to break it.

Sure enough, this thread is much stronger, and fingers may or may not have been cut as a result of trying to break the Klim thread. But even a super-strong thread isn’t all it takes to make a killer riding garment that’s going to last a long time, which is why Klim extensively researches every part of a stitched joint. Things like stitches per inch, surged and non-surged textile edges, and other factors all go into making a garment that has the most bomb-proof seams possible. Knowing how much work goes into making Klim gear is what gives riders the confidence to trust their riding apparel to keep them warm, dry, and alive in mother nature’s worst weather.

Other hands-on demos reinforced the fact that Klim really does have a savant-level understanding of the materials and manufacturing processes that go into making their riding gear. We were given two pieces of a textile. One was a lighter-weight textile used in the seat of some of Klim’s off-road pants, and another textile felt heavier and was from the seat of another brand of off-road pants. Scissor cuts were made on the edges of both textile samples, and we were asked to tear them. The other brand’s textile tore with a bit of effort, while Klim’s textile couldn’t be torn by hand, even with the strongest looking guy in the group going full hulk-mode.

Klim is constantly searching for new ways to reinvent the wheel and raise the bar on long held standards. An example of this is the textile they’ve found that can take header pipe heat like leather, but is a fraction of the thickness and weight as the leather on the inner leg of your riding pants. This drive to create outstanding riding gear using the finest materials was best summed up by one Klim employee who said, “We make this gear to protect the people we care about the most when we’re out doing the things we love.”

After showing us how much of a difference material choices can make, Klim shared the latest and greatest creations to stem from this understanding with an introduction to their 2020 motorcycle gear line. With the refresh of a couple of lines, and the introduction of new products, Klim has some very exciting new gear coming out this year, utilizing many of these new technologies that we had the opportunity to play with first hand. Seeing textiles, threads, and the materials that make pads by themselves is one thing, but seeing all of these technologies put together into a complete garment really brings a new level of appreciation to that piece of gear. It’s like seeing a really nice set of suspension in a box in your buddy’s garage. You’re going to go check those suspension components out and play with them a little bit, but when you get to ride that suspension as part of a dialed-in bike, your appreciation is just that much greater. After spending just a few minutes wearing some of Klim’s new gear, I am really looking forward to getting out and riding in it next spring.

One final treat that Klim had to share with us was their new airbag vest. The Ai-1 vest is a stand alone vest worn under your riding jacket that automatically inflates (without any connection to the bike) in the event of a crash, providing additional protection to your torso and C-Spine. The system was developed in conjunction with In & Motion who makes these airbag systems for ski racers and moto GP. I had the opportunity to wear one of these vests and experience firsthand how they work when deployed, and I have to say that I’m very impressed. The airbag works like a Leatt-style neck brace protecting your cervical-spine; the additional protection provided to the torso could make a real difference in a crash. The Ai-1 looks to be just one more product that is tailor made to help improve the rider’s experience, which is why Klim makes gear the way that they do.

Going into this trip to Gore-Tex town, I honestly wasn’t expecting to learn as much as I did. I figured that my years of involvement with the outdoor industry and even a few years supporting medical device manufacturing while working for WL Gore gave me decent knowledge. I was wrong. I walked away from this tour learning a lot, and my level of respect for these companies has only increased.

As they say, the secret is in the details, and I can tell you that both Klim and WL Gore fanatically obsess over every single detail. Sure, these companies could make a waterproof laminate and call it good, but they don’t. WL Gore and Klim push their products as far as modern material science allows. So when you see that diamond-shaped Gore-Tex hang tag on a Klim garment, you can rest assured that garment was comprehensively and extensively tested by Gore to be able to deliver Gore’s “guaranteed to keep you dry” promise. Likewise, you’ll know that a team of dedicated folks at Klim carefully and deliberately tested and chose each and every component in that garment so that it delivers the best possible riding experience. As Sir Ranulph Feinnes said, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.”

ESSENTIAL ADV REDESIGNED CARLSBAD JAC K E T & PA N T

# K L IML IF E

K L I M .C O M

SEVEN STATES. 1,400 MILES. ONE HELL OF AN ADVENTURE. The North East Backcountry Discovery Route Back east by popular demand, we’re stoked to announce the completion of our second east coast BDR. Our longest route to date, the NEBDR will definitively test your endurance and skills as you ramble your way from Hancock, NY all the way to the Canadian border in Maine. True to form, this BDR takes anything but the direct route on the best backcountry dirt, gravel and paved roads we could pull together.

The GPS tracks and comprehensive ride-planning resources are available now at RideBDR.com. The NEBDR Expedition Documentary Film is touring motorcycle dealers and clubs across the country – check our website for locations and dates.

ME

VT NH NY PA

MA CT

Find your adventure:

RideBDR.com

NEBDR SPONSORS:

KTM | MAX BMW | MOTODISCOVERY TOURATECH | KLIM | BRIDGESTONE SENA | WOLFMAN LUGGAGE COLORADO MOTORCYCLE ADVENTURES © 2020 Backcountry Discovery Routes. All rights reserved. Backcountry Discovery Routes and BDR are registered trademarks. Backcountry Discovery Routes is a 501c(3) non-profit organization.

OUTSIDE THE EXPECTED.

DRY NO MATTER WHAT

WOLFMANLUGGAGE.COM

TESTED

BY S TEPHEN W. CLARK

Alpinestars Sequence Protection The old saying goes that there are two types of motorcycle riders: those who have crashed and those who are going to crash. When you ride in the dirt no matter how safe you try to be, you are inevitably going to crash at some point.

The key is not getting hurt when you do crash and one way we can help prevent injury is by wearing the correct protective gear.

There are tons of different options on the market for protection with lots of wearable protective pieces as well as protective armor built into jackets and pants. When shopping for this type of gear it’s important to evaluate the type of protection you need for the type of riding you are doing. There are many different options. For example, the type of protection needed by a moto racer getting blasted by roost is significantly different than the type of protection needed by a road racer going 200mph on a smooth surface. For off road enduro style riding we need protection from smaller impacts, but because it’s a relatively low speed high intensity form of riding it is also really important to have good airflow. Another element to consider is protection from impacts that occur during riding like that of spearing branches when riding in the woods.

When it comes to protection we turned to the experts at Alpinestars. From cutting edge wearable airbag systems in road racing to mobile medical units at races, this brand is committed to rider safety. They have a huge line of head to toe protective gear for many different disciplines of powersports. We picked out a couple of pieces we felt would work well for off road riding. For upper body protection we went with the Sequence Jacket, and for knees their Sequence Knee Protector.

The Sequence Protection Jacket is all about balancing protection with breathability. It features CE Level 1 rated armor in the back, chest, shoulders and elbows all held together by a lightweight breathable mesh body.

The jacket features a full length offset front zipper making it easy to put on and off and it also has a velcro removable elastic waist belt. There are elastic ties that can be used in conjunction with the brand’s BNS neck support systems. The jacket is designed to be worn close to the skin and underneath an outer layer like a moto jersey or off-road jacket.

Alpinestars Sequence Protection The Sequence Knee Protectors feature a plastic shell on a sleeve-style stretchable fabric main chassis with upper and lower straps. The one piece knee/shin armor shell is injection molded from lightweight performance polymeric material to offer protection with maximum breathability. The shell is attached to a stretchable breathable fabric chassis with impact absorbing padding on the outside for protection, and abrasion resistant microfiber on the inside (bike side). The guard is a sleeve design so it must be put on over your foot and secured with a velcro thigh and calf strap.

We wore the jacket and knee guards underneath moto style gear on a recent trip and were really impressed. The jacket offered great mobility, felt light and flowed, allowing an acceptable amount of air to pass through keeping us comfortable. We used the knee guards with an in-the-boot style moto pant and moto boots. The guards were comfortable and also flowed air well. Thankfully we didn’t test any of the gear in a crash situation, but from what we have seen from the overall quality and feel, it definitely seems like it offers plenty of protection.

Thinking about gear and motorcycle technology in general really makes you appreciate how great a time it is to be a motorcyclist. Companies like Alpinestars have been building gear since the 60’s and in that time have learned so much about rider safety. Motorcycling has come along since the days of the famous On Any Sunday photo of Steve McQueen wheelying across the desert with no shirt and an open face helmet. Countless injuries from riders before us have gone into helping companies understand motorcycle injuries and developing protective gear to help prevent them. It’s awesome to know that we can ride with confidence and that the gear we are wearing will protect us when the inevitable happens. Sequence Knee Protector MSRP: $79.95; Sequence Protection Jacket MSRP: $199.95. www.alpinestars.com

TESTED

BY SEIJI ISHII

BRP Scotts Under Bar Mount for the KTM Adventure 790 An Industry Standard for Steering Stabilizer Mounting Comes to One of the Most Anticipated Adventure Bikes BRP has been producing aftermarket off-road products since 1994 using their backgrounds in the aerospace and manufacturing industries. The brand has fostered a well-deserved reputation for building high-quality options for mounting Scotts steering stabilizers.

When the KTM Adventure 790 finally made its long-awaited debut, I was coming off a forced and extended break from riding due to a catastrophic knee injury. I put in only a few hours on the new bike before heading to Colorado for the KTM Adventure Rider Rally. Fortunately, Jim Rios of BRP outfitted my bike with their SUB Mount and Scotts Stabilizer for testing on rocky and challenging terrain, and the unit has remained on my bike for extended testing in my home state of Texas.

Typical BRP Fit and Finish Close visual inspection and feeling every edge and surface on the KTM Adventure 790 specific SUB mount revealed incredible attention to fit and finish, which is nothing new for BRP. There were no burrs, roughness, or surface blemishes to be found. The anodizing looked deep and even and all of the included hardware, including the two sets of polyurethane bushings, shared in the apparent high quality. Installation of the SUB mount required only common hand tools and the instructions were clear. An 8 mm longer link arm for the stabilizer was necessary and BRP included a puller tool to facilitate the switch. The Scotts steering stabilizer mounted upside down on the 790, and the handlebar was moved 25 mm higher and 4.5 mm forward from the stock position. I welcomed this change as it improved comfort for my six-foot-tall frame in the standing position.

The BRP SUB Mount for the KTM Adventure 790 on The Trails The effect of the SUB mount and stabilizer were immediately felt, effective, and appreciated by my still-recovering body. A mistake by our ride leader on day one of the rally put us on the most challenging terrain of the entire trip for my initial outing on trails in over a year.

We rode up a seemingly endless climb that involved rocky creek beds, ledges, boulders, and a few deep gravel sections. My worst nightmare was forming; I was afraid of getting pitched sideways and having to put my weak leg down, or worse yet, having the bike land on it. After the initial climb, I pulled over and turned the main damper adjustment knob to five of the 25 clicks out (high-speed damping remained in the stock position throughout testing) and forced myself to mentally attack the climb instead of riding cautiously. I was also testing new tires which didn’t fare well on rocks, being very prone to sideways deflection (not the tires’ fault, they weren’t designed for such terrain), but I didn’t want to air down for fear of pinch flats. The SUB mount and stabilizer greatly diminished the amplitude and velocity of both handlebar rotation and chassis rotation around the steering head and I can honestly say I wouldn’t have made it up the climb without them.

BRP Scotts Under Bar Mount for the KTM Adventure We had to go down the way we came up, filling the group with trepidation about my condition and ability, but there were no other options. I had to descend at a super low speed; I turned the Scotts stabilizer damping adjustment down to half of where it was on the climb, and again, the BRP SUB mount and stabilizer combination delivered. I was physically exhausted, and the BRP SUB mount and Scotts stabilizer lowered the frequency and intensity of inputs required to keep the front end pointed in the right direction.

Back home I took the 790 on rides on hard-packed country roads of mostly dirt and clay, with occasional sand washes and rocky water crossings, and I rode the majority of the terrain at a much higher speed than anything in Colorado. During these rides the BRP SUB Mount and Scotts Stabilizer most obviously aided overall chassis stability in higher speed turns. If the back tire hit a rock or depression and stepped out, the SUB mount and stabilizer minimized the amount and velocity of the chassis drift. The damping effect around the steering axis reduced the need for my lower body to clamp down as hard or as quickly and lowered the amount of corrective acceleration. Not only was this physically easier, it also provided mental relief.

The higher speed terrain also revealed the shock-absorbing effect of the polyurethane inserts. I chose to install the red (medium) bushings. I didn’t feel any negative effects of not having a “direct” mount, but I did feel the slight softening when the front tire hit rocks, sharp edges, or square-edged potholes in hard-packed clay. These “taking the edge off” feelings weren’t nearly as obvious as the stabilizer damping, but I believed the bushings saved energy and contributed to comfort.

Over four months of use, I have checked the bolts on the BRP SUB mount twice, to no avail; nothing has worked loose. This maintenance of bolt tightness reflected proper installation torques, but it also indicated the high quality and low tolerances of threads, metal, and hardware. The only visible change to the BRP SUB mount has been a healthy coating of dirt.

Conclusions Many bikes’ handling improves dramatically with the addition of a steering stabilizer system and for this tester, the KTM Adventure 790 falls into this category. Both BRP and Scotts have a track record for impeccable quality, fit and finish, and performance has been proven worldwide at the highest professional levels. The BRP SUB Mount for the KTM Adventure 790 and the Scotts Stabilizer continues this tradition; I see no way you can go wrong with this combination on your 790.

BRP SUB Mount for KTM Adventure 790 MSRP: $359. Includes mount, soft and medium bushings, frame bracket, +8 mm stabilizer link arm, and link arm puller. Add $315 for a Scotts Steering Stabilizer. www.shopbrp.com

TRAILTECH.NET

#RIDETRAILTECH

UPSHIFT - SUZUKI DR650 PROJECT

WORDS BY CHRIS GLASPELL

PHOTOS BY SIMON CUDBY

Photo: Michnus Olivier www.pikipikioverland.com

Suzuki’s DR650S has a reputation for reliability, balanced performance, build quality and value where it is often favored over other dualsport and ADV motorcycles. As the DR650S has been around so long, many enthusiasts have forgotten how this iconic motorcycle came to be.

Suzuki leadership, including industry icon and racer Mark Blackwell, aimed to resurrect dualsport riding with the release of their dualsport family of motorcycles in 1990. This successful undertaking included the large bore DR650S that was derived from the DR600/700/800 platform and also led to the legendary DR Big in other markets. Despite adding electric starting in 1994, the heavy and long DR650S continued to be a handful for riders and dealers alike, so Suzuki brought a new generation DR650S to market in 1996.

Employing weight-saving oil-cooling, like their renowned GSX-R750 and DR350 models, this new DR650S was far lighter and more compact. Applying the lessons learned from their support and study of how their dualsports were being ridden, the DR650S was ruggedly basic with a high build quality and included suspension that could lower the seat height several inches. The ability to significantly reduce the rider’s reach to the ground drew many riders to the motorcycle who also enjoyed the engine’s power characteristics and reliability. That same Showa-supplied suspension could also be re-sprung and valved in stark comparison to other bikes whose lesser quality components needed to be replaced at greater expense.

Today, as the population of the popular, but now discontinued KLR650 begins to shrink, the DR650S is gaining riders.

Many riders have discovered the bike’s tough nature and have made the DR650S their chosen platform for world travel. Built right from the start and basically unchanged since its introduction, the aftermarket contains a plethora of goodies for the DR650S.

Simply put, the DR650 is analog and it is easy to maintain and repair. Upshift started over 3 years ago, and with all the technological advances we’ve seen in these 3 years, we have always had contributors across the globe riding Suzuki DR650’s. Loaded with gear bags, fuel, tires and whatever else they can fit, they are literally the pack mule of off-road motorcycling. For example, Suzie and Kelvin from www.avvida.co.uk and Michnus from www.pikipikioverland.com have logged thousands of kilometers on their fully loaded DR650’s as they travel across the continent of South America. Wherever they go, they know their bikes can be tuned, repaired, and they can get parts quickly. A computer glitch or a bad abs sensor can be a challenge to fix in the middle of Africa or South America. Additionally, let us not forget cost. The 650 is far less expensive to maintain and repair compared to its modern competitors. This bike is trustworthy, technologically simple, and affordable over time, and that is why so many people choose to ride the DR650.

Our belief with this bike is as follows: it’s not for everyone, but if you want to explore the world, you know you can certainly do it on the tried and true DR650.

Photo: Suzanna Bostock www.avvida.co.uk

Now let’s take a look at our latest build. Keeping in mind that this was not about building the most expensive DR650, we approached it with a desire to improve on the basics, giving it a more robust performance and refined ergonomics. Sure, there might be a few styling changes, but hey, we’re Upshift, we can’t help getting a little creative! One of our contributors, Stephen Clark, built a DR650 in the past and suggested we talk to the guys at ProCycle in Oregon. They have been selling parts for DualSport bikes for years and had various upgrade options for our DR650, many of which we had never heard of until we went to their website.

We started off with a 2020 Suzuki DR650S (one of several DR650 model designations such as S and SE).

We then rode the bike in the Boise foothills to get a sense of what we were working with and to start thinking about possible improvements.

From the beginning, we knew we needed some “pop” from the motor, but didn’t want to sacrifice horsepower for reliability. We also didn’t want to break the bank, so ProCycles pointed us to their plug-and-play TM40 Mikuni Carburetor conversion kit. The kit includes cables, air filter, and comes pre-jetted for typical mods such as performance pipes and a modified airbox.

ProCycles also offers to set it up for your particular bike. However, if you are mechanically inclined it’s an easy install. We paired this up with the Yoshimura RS-2 exhaust system and modified the Airbox per ProCycles’ instructions. Boy, the difference was noticeable!

When it comes to display information for the rider, like tachometer, engine temps, etc. the DR650 is pretty bare-bones. We took the opportunity to mount a Trail Tech Voyager Pro and CNC bar mount, giving us all the data in the world as well as all of the navigational features we’ve come to know and love.

Next up was suspension. We really wanted to stiffen up the stock suspension to handle more weight and be able to absorb larger impacts. Cogent Dynamics has been working with the DR650 for many years and was recommended by ProCycles, so we decided to give them a shot. Their Rear Mojave shock starts with a CNC machined aluminum body that has a hard ceramic coating for durability. Each shock is assembled and tested on the Cogent Dynamics suspension dyno before being packed up and shipped.

This made an incredible difference in the handling of our DR. They select a spring based on the load you plan to carry. The shock package includes the CNC machined Bling Ring Preload Adjuster Collar and Preload Bearing which makes preload adjustments easy. A low shock is also made available by Cogent Dynamics. This option will lower your seat height 1� without the need for lowering links.

Up front, we used the Cogent DDC (Drop-in Damper Cartridge) performance cartridges and three bottles of Maxima 5w fork oil. The DDCs from Cogent are easy to install, with no drilling of the damping rods. Just take them off, flip them over to drain the oil, add new 5w oil, drop in the DDCs, add the springs and spacers, and then install the caps. Preload spacer material is included with the .47 and .70 Ohlins springs, while additional spacers are not needed with the other kits.

Less brake dive keeps the fork up in the middle of the stroke on-road and better control off-road, whether it be rolling water bars or bouncing off the rocks. Providing enhanced control over all surfaces, this upgrade was a success across the board.

We wanted to change the bike’s ergonomics because its stock bar position is mounted very low. Riding mostly off-road in our case, we needed the bars raised in order to stand comfortably without transferring rider weight too far forward.

ProCycle has an oversized handlebar kit which includes a Warp9 handlebar clamp, adding an additional 1” to the height, and a 1-1/8” FLY aero bar, opening up the dash area for more goodies. When it comes to the seat, we referred to our friends at Seat Concepts, who have been tuning their DR650 seat for a few years.

For our drive train upgrade, we used Pro Cycle’s “Drive Chain & Sprocket Set: 520 O-Ring Chain Kit”. Many riders choose to convert over from the stock 525 to a 520 chain. Besides being lighter and less expensive, a 520 chain is more readily available and has more options when it comes to sprocket sizes. The kit includes JT Steel Sprockets and EK SR06 O-ring Chain.

While we used the stock 15/42 gearing on our first trip (mostly highway miles), we plan on trying out a smaller 14 sprocket on future off-road trips.

In search of a few wheel suggestions, we called the experts at Dubya. In order to stay under budget, we utilized the stock hubs and had them cerakoted for toughness. Dubya then helped us pair them up with Black Excel rims and heavy-duty spokes. Finally, Bridgestone has an all-new Battlax Adventurecross AX41 tire that fit perfectly for this project (90/90-21 Front, 140/80-17 Rear).

Once the significant mods were completed, we upgraded the look by adding an Acerbis 5.3 gallon tank, Universal LED Vision HP headlight, and a stock DRZ400 SuperMoto Fender. We also added a compact Suzuki DR200 taillight and Yoshimura’s slim and durable LED turn signals, all of which were installed in minutes.

To finish things off, we installed Mosko Moto’s Reckless 40L System. We went with the 40L system in order to align with the style and intended use of this DR650 build. Without pinching the seat, this fit perfectly on top of the Pro Moto Billet cargo rack and allowed air to pass through the rack and muffler upon use.

2020 Suzuki DR650S www.suzukicycles.com

ProCycles Suzuki DR 650 Build Parts . . . . . . .

www.procycle.us

Mikuni TM40 Kit w/DT1 Filter Kit Cogent Fork Kit w/DDC Cogent Mojave Shock Over Size Handlebar Kit Billet Throttle Tube DR200 Tail Light Fender Eliminator Kit Chain & Sprocket Kit 520

Bridgestone Adventurecross AX41F Tires (90/90-21 Front) (140/80-17 Rear) www.bridgestone.com

Seat Concepts Tall Comfort Seat www.seatconcepts.com

Yoshimura RS-2 Exhaust www.yoshimura-rd.com

Yoshimura Universal LED Turn Signals www.yoshimura-rd.com

Acerbis 5.3 Gallon Tank www.acerbisusa.com

Acerbis Vision HP headlight www.acerbis.com

Acerbis X-Factor Hand Guards www.acerbisusa.com

Dubya Wheels www.dubyausa.com

Trail Tech Voyager Pro and Bar Mount www.trailtech.net

Fastway Pro Moto Billet Evolution 4 Footpegs www.fastway.zone

FastWay Pro Moto Billet Cargo Rack www.fastway.zone

Reckless 40L System (V2.0) www.moskomoto.com

ODI Grips www.odigrips.com

Doubletake Mirrors www.doubletakemirror.com

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BY TIm BURKE

MEDICALLY

PREPARED

There is no shortage of opinions on the battlegrounds of the Interwebs about helmets, boots, tires, or engine oil; and there are plenty of writeups about the ultimate motorcycle “shoot-out.”

I can’t read anymore “shoot-out” articles without getting a serious case of the eye rolls.

This won’t be any of those already beat-to-death topics. It’s something, I believe, to be more important.

How many write-ups are out there talking about the importance of reserving a little bit of space in your moto-luggage for potentially life-saving items like say, a tourniquet, QuikClot solution, or a chest seal?

What does a kit (that’s designed for police officers and firefighters responding to an active-shooter situation) have to do with motorcycling?

Why have I been carrying one of these kits around the world with me for 3 years?

Bear with me, I promise I’m not a paranoid-prepper getting ready for the apocalypse. Well, maybe I am a little, but whatever.

Let me start with the disclaimer that I’m not qualified to give medical advice so don’t take any from me or anybody else that isn’t qualified.

That has “bad-idea” written all over it.

Let’s get going. First, I’ll admit, I carry a lot of tools. The regular ol’ kind of tools for maintenance and whatnot. When it comes to tools, I hold the, “I’d rather have it and not need it, than need it and not have it” mentality.

While I don’t plan on conducting brain surgery in the African-bush, I maintain the same mentality when it comes to medical supplies as I do with the tools that fix my bike. I mean, why wouldn’t I? Why wouldn’t anybody?

My medical kit, generally speaking, is mostly just your run-of-the-mill basic kit which includes: gauze, bandaging, butterfly bandages, insect bite and burn ointments, anti-septic ointments, basic splinting, scissors, tweezers, and superglue (great for closing minor, superficial wounds).

Also in the “basic” supply category is anti-inflammatory and antihistamine pills.

And uh, Immodium. Immodium is your friend. Just trust me on this. Hey, we’re all humans here, right?

I could continue by going into detail about how, with cash, you can get your hands on just about anything your little heart desires at pharmacies in Mexico.

And I could talk about how, if traveling into underdeveloped regions of the world where some basic prescription antibiotics aren’t readily available, you could prepare yourself for many common travel-related medical conditions by having these medications ready-to-go in your kit. But then I’d have to provide another disclaimer about me not being responsible for your possession of certain items.

For that reason, we won’t talk about how you could prepare yourself for common stomach, sinus, skin, respiratory, and urinary infections on long trips with a simple visit to certain pharmacies. Let’s move on now.

Another thing that I proactively carry (which may not be necessary for your particular needs) is Malaria treatment if you’re planning to travel within Malaria risk zones. Sometimes it’s better to have the medicine ready to go versus going on a scavenger hunt once you’re sick. Yellow Fever, Typhoid Fever, Bilharzia. You name it. Build your kit that is specific to your lifestyle and its requirements.

Let’s dive deeper because the fact is, many of us riders, inherent to our sport, put ourselves into situations where medical assistance is hours away. Thanks to a previous employer, in a previous life (a responsibly-employed life,) all first-responders were provided with basic trauma kits. While the kits were designed for response to active-shooter style casualties, the kits could be useful in any trauma situation where bleeding must be stopped. The kit contains a combat tourniquet, QuikClot solution, Hyfin chest seal, and stretch gauze. It got me thinking at the time: this should be on my motorcycle. Since then, it’s been on every motorcycle I’ve ridden because some injuries just can’t be mitigated with a band-aid.

One thing that’s important for us to think about and self-reflect on is what OUR training and experience is in using these items/devices. Like anything in life, if you’re not trained, they won’t accomplish much.

With all the valuable resources available to the ADV community these days, it’s too easy to hyper-focus on learning new riding techniques, off-grid rally-navigation, or big adventure bike riding clinics. Don’t get me wrong, those are great!

But let’s not forget about the basics. Are you prepared to deal with your own injuries or the injuries of your friends? What do you keep in your medical kit?

Just food for thought!

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