Canada Alaska 2008 Motorcycle Trip Boring Technical and Prep.


This is the introduction of our Odyssey. Jennifer has been riding for ~9,000 miles and 1.5 years. Eric has been riding on and off since he was 21. Our bikes are a 2007 BMW R1200GS Adventure that Eric is riding and the other bike is a 2008 Kawasaki Versys that Jennifer is riding.


The Farkles to the bikes:

2007 R1200GS BMW Adventure
  1. Michelin Anakee Tires (at max pressure for this trip)
  2. Bash Plates front and centerstand (Twin Headlight Ernie) replacing the wimpy BMW one
  3. Low-Beam Headlight replaced with 35W 4300K HID Bulb (1/2 cheap set from ebay)
  4. TT Oil Cooler Guard
  5. BMW Off-road Clear Plastic Headlight Guard (with Xpel sheild also on the headlight)
  6. BlueSeas 6 fuse fusebox under the seat with relay for only motor-on power from battery
  7. Garmin Zumo 550 GPS hardwired into fusebox
  8. Lifted Seat front bracket for more legroom/less forward slide
  9. Airhawk small inflatable seat pad
  10. Black Sheepskin seat cover (Custom-Made)
  11. Front Powerlet outlet on right front beak to fusebox
  12. Added LED Tail lights next to License plate
  13. Caribou Cases Pannier Side-bags with 2 Pelican cases
  14. Best-rest Spray-stopper rear wheel "skirt"
  15. Cortech 22L Tankbag
  16. TT Left throttle Potentiometer cover
  17. Fastways pegs low position with GS rubber inserts
  18. Exhaust extender
  19. TT Hand guard extenders
  20. Cheap Highway pegs on crashbars
  21. Lowered rear brake pedal for more toe room (Size 15 feet!)
  22. ATE Amber Racing Brake fluid
  23. Mirror extenders
  24. ebay AWS Handlebar risers (I'm 6'8"!)
  25. Throttle Meister Throttlelock
  26. Redline Heavyweight Shockproof Gear oil in transmission
  27. Mobil-one 15W-50 Motor oil
  28. 80 degree aluminum tire Valvestems (black) for easier tire filling when packed
  29. Uni (Australia) oiled-foam Airfilter with oiled-foam pre-filter for snorkle
  30. 2x Cylinder-shaped Tractor Manual Holders for BMW and Kawasaki Motor Oil
  31. Rewired L underseat Outlet for direct to Fusebox and not through Canbus system

2008 Kawasaki Versys


  1. Heated Grips connected to added fusebox
  2. Low-Beam Headlight replaced with 35W 4300K HID Bulb (1/2 cheap set from ebay)
  3. Powerlet Socket on Left below seat to added fusebox
  4. Added BlueSeas 6 fuse fusebox under the seat with relay for only motor-on power from battery
  5. KTM Handguards and homemade plastic extensions
  6. Cheap aluminum ATV Handlebar risers
  7. HB Crashbars
  8. H3 Driving lights mounted on HB Crashbars with handlebar switch
  9. Cheap Highway Pegs on HB Crashbars
  10. Clear Plastic Ventura Headlight Cover
  11. Avon Storm ST Tires new for trip (at max pressure)
  12. SW- Motech Racks for Pannier/sidebags
  13. Kawasaki Tail Rack
  14. Givi Contoured Sidebags
  15. Front Fender Extender
  16. Rear Hugger
  17. Fatfoot kickstand adapter from Twin Headlight Ernie
  18. Bike Jonny Radiator protector/cover
  19. Oil Filter protective cover (dran pipe end grate)
  20. Rear Swingarm spools
  21. 80 degree aluminum tire Valvestems (silver) for easier filling when packed
  22. Cortech Magnetic 18L Tankbag
  23. Black Sheepskin seat cover (Custom-Made)
  24. Cylinder-shaped Tractor Manual Holder for Chainlube Spraycan mounted below sidecases.

We bought most of our gear and parts at Santa Clara Cycle Accessories (http://www.santaclaracycle.com/).

We filled the 4 side bags with tools, food, Spare parts, Tire repair kits(Stop-n-go and Monkey grip string tire repair kit with rubber cement), 2L water bottles, emergency gear, cooking gear, powerlet heated Jacket liners, fleece Jacket liners, toiletries, etc.

Strapped to the back we carried Sleeping Pads, Sleeping Bags, Tent, Dirty Clothes/Sandals bag, motorcycle covers, etc. in drybags. We think we are ready to go!

The above photo shows our packed and loaded bikes in the driveway the night before we departed. Eric was thinking he should strap a miniature rocking chair on top to complete the Beverly Hillbillies look, but Jennifer vetoed that idea.

1 comment:

Larry in Deltona, Florida said...

My son-in-law and I will be motorcycling to Alaska and back in 2009, so I am trying to read all the trip reports that I can online. I do not want to whine, but I had to follow your report "upside down" as the top of each page was the latest day, hence your trip report started on the day you returned. Non-the-less, I did find your trip interesting and I did pick up many helpful hints. I found it very amusing that your July 4th weekend tragedy could have been averted if the BMW shop had done a thorough job of checking out the obvious. Users groups such as ADV sometimes know more than dealers and are not so arrogant (like the dealer there), but helpful. Good luck to you on your future cycle trips.