A must see video about 2 Canadians guys who made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. Fantastic Adventure!
Together they became the first people to circumnavigate China by motorcycle and they also set a Guinness World Record for their achievements. Learn more about their motorcycle journey on their website – mkride dot com.
Heading out tomorrow, November 6th to go see the Gerbing Headquarters on Monday. We will have our SPOT Tracking on as always. We use this as a safety thing as well as to track our own route. So, if you have nothing else to do check in and see where we are. I have a good time tracking rides in real-time. I guess I am a nerd like that….the link is also in our SPOT Tracking page where our previous trips are too. The tracking and map will become active when we leave. Maybe around 1000 PST.
I stumbled across this website that has to be the most extensive website for Buff wear out there. Had to post this company sites and I wear a buff since our trip this summer. Cheryl does not have to worry about helmet head as much as I do and personally I find a buff to help at times with this problem. Also, makes my helmet fit better and keeps my head a little warmer on cool days, and cooler on warm days. Plus, it’s an easy way to just cover up dirty hair when away from showers. 
Check them out, KITSHACK has a Buff for everyone, plus more stuff. A cool site to have found.
If you’re looking for Buff® headwear, use our Quick Find to help find colours or designs or simply scroll through the many pages of styles and designs we have on offer. We also stock other brands so please check them out too – there’s some great kit here waiting to be used and enjoyed.
This is an advertisement for Rawhyde Adventures DVD but I thought I would post it just in case some out there might actually want this DVD to learn off-road riding techniques especially on the BMW GS bikes. All techniques and skills can be utilized of course on any DS bike as well.
Cheryl and I have really been thinking about taking one of the Rawhyde courses. We could always learn how to be better, more skilled and safer off-road riders. I think one of these days we will do just that….take some time out of vacation days and sign up for an off-road course. Can’t lose by doing this real life practice and education.
The Utah Backcountry Discovery Route, or UTBDR, is a scenic driving route across the state of Utah, from Arizona to Idaho, for dual-sport adventure motorcycles and 4×4 vehicles. This 1000 mile long south-north route uses mostly un-paved backroads and will pass through a number of iconic locations including Moab, Valley of the Gods, the Abajo and La Sal Mountain Ranges, Nine Mile Canyon, and the northern Wasatch Mountains.
Backcountry Discovery Routes HERE
Some sections they refer to being as technical look ridiculously technical for big bikes but in a fun way.
Cheryl & I want to thank all the supporters of this BLOG! We hit 50,000 views last night! Since we have been back from our summer trip on August 11th we have more hits to the BLOG then when we were on our trip. Thanks for getting word out, I am seeing more and more referral sites than ever, more forums getting wind of the BLOG and even other ADV riders and web sites.
We have many folks from all ages both men and women alike coming along as we develop the BLOG. As always we are open to suggestions, comments as to how we can make this a better site. So, feel free to share what you want to see and share your thoughts.
Once again we both want to send out a HUGE thanks to everyone and sure hope this continues. 
I was on the phone with Gerbing customer support this week and was informed that they are moving all productions from CHINA to NORTH CAROLINA, USA. I think this is great news for Gerbing! They are located in Tumwater, Washington and to have their own production site on the same continent is awesome. Plus, will be nice to see a tag say Made in USA.
We are heading down to their headquarters the weekend of November 6th to get new updated liners. We have the old technology and we are going with the micro wire. We used Gerbing on our summer trip and through out the winter here where we live in BC. We own the T5 gloves too and with the liner, our heated grips and gloves we can comfortable ride in -5 C.
they also said supply might be delayed a bit..they are expecting new stock in the next few weeks but as far as when things will be coming out of North Carolina might be awhile. They said it is a large move to change locations from China to the USA but they are on it.
See our Triumph Tiger and gear review for our thought on Gerbing.
Here is a funny picture of Cheryl in her Gerbing liner coming out of a really bad smelling out house in Boundary Alaska this summer…you see we wore the liner everywhere.
When I first saw this bike on the web I was like hmmmmmmmmmmm interesting. Riding a lighter less complicated single cylinder bike that might be able to handle ADV touring is really appealing in some regards. I mean how many of us have wished we had a lighter bike when we get ourselves into certain situations while venturing off-road?
Not sure if this bike will be a HUGE hit for BMW but I bet there is a niche out there that will have this as their primary bike. Not sure how it would do on a long trip but I guess as long as you don’t over load it (which is probably a good thing because Cheryl and I always slightly over pack) and make the saddle comfy it might just make the grade. Decent price too!
Click pics for high res version!
BMW San Francisco gets credit for this info
2012 G650GS Sertão (MSRP $8,650*)
Introduction (as written by BMW of North America because we haven’t seen or ridden the bike yet)
With its new BMW G 650 GS Sertão, BMW Motorrad has added a new, sporting chapter to the history of single cylinders in the BMW GS family. Whereas the G650GS thrilled riders with its lean, wiry off-road stature, the G650GS Sertão promises even more sporting characteristics, even greater off-road capabilities, and an even stronger desire for adventure.
And all of this without any sacrafices to the established virtues of a BMW single cylinder enduro such as everyday practicality, appealing price-performance ratio, and playful riding properties.
On the technical side, the new G650GS Sertão uses the established liquid cooled, high-torque single cylinder engine of the G 650 GS with two overhead camshafts , fuel injection, and double ignition. Its 625 cc displacement delivers 50 hp at 6,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 44 ft/lb at 5,000 rpm.
The new Sertão offers greater off-road performance, optimized touring ability, and a dynamic design. While the G650GS chassis was developed primarily for county roads and light off-road use, the Sertão presents far greater off-road capabilities in the form of longer suspension travel and stiffer tuning. In addition, it is fitted with wire spoke wheels and the new color concept underscores the dynamic character of the single cylinder enduro.
Key Features
Pricing and Equipment (MSRP $8,650)
Standard Equipment: High Windshield / Aluminum Engine Guard / Hand Protectors / Extended Front Fender
100% Options
| Code | Description |
| 524 | ABS (disengageable) with Hazard Flashers |
Colors
| Code | Description | MSRP |
| N84 | Aure White / Arroyo Blue | $0 |
Special Packages
None
Options
| Code | Description | MSRP |
| 519 | Heated Grips | $250 |
| 603 | Anti-Theft Alarm | $395 |
| 764 | Accessory Socket | $50 |
Standard Package (MSRP: $8,950)
| Code | Description |
| 519 | Heated Grips |
| 764 | Accessory Socket |
Premium Package
None
Availability
The first new G650GS Sertãos are scheduled to arrive in January of 2012. Let us know if you are interested in getting your hands on one of our first Sertãos and we’ll fill you in on all the deatils.
Share our BLOG link and help spread the word.
We have added some easy ways to navigate through all the months of posts. There is a pull down menu to the right or on the bottom of the page, depends on your browser, that shows Pictures, Videos & More. There is also a category search, pulled down menus in the header, and a general search. If you are looking for something and can’t find it just post a comment. I will try to help.
Click on the menu you will see past months. Click on the month you want to view and you will see the posts made in that month. Our summer Triumph Tiger 800XC trip went from June 29th – August 11th 2011. Prep began in April. There is also a calendar at the bottom of the Blog that shows all dates and months with posts as well. The day is highlighted when a post was made. I try to post everyday if I can.
Here are a few pictures of Cheryl installing our Jesse Safari panniers on Cheryl’s BMW when we first got her bike in December 2009. We are fans of the Jesse luggage system because of its lean profile and no drag effect on our bikes. We used Jesse Odyssey panniers on the Triumph Tiger 800 XC bikes this summer as well. Again, lean profile, very innovative mounting system, sturdy and we think great looking too. Also, the mounts do not attach to the fender at all. They use the frame of the bike only and that is something we like too. I have also included other farkles we have added once we got the bikes and still have them all on our bikes presently.
For the Triumph Tiger Al Jesse has made the mounts very specific for the Tiger by adding a very cool T800 detail.
***For the record the main reason we did not take the Triumph Luggage on our trip to Alaska ( I have been asked many times why) was because the mounting system for the Triumph bags is made out of plastic.
According to our “sources” the mount is right off the Triumph Sprint ST system. Based on a type of swivel motion that allows the rear portion of the mount to move when the bike leans. That part of the mount made us nervous not only because it is made to move with the bike but if we had dropped or crashed the Tigers we were pretty certain this part would break easily. Can’t remember where I read an actual magazine review out of the 100′s that are out there, but I think our theory was proven when a media test rider dumped the bike in sand and the mounting system broke making it unusable.
The back piece also hits the bags when in a lean or turn. What I mean is it is not attached to the panniers and again like I said made to move. With all the pounding the Tigers took up north we also were not sure if the plastic panniers would be able to take all the constant impact over time without jeopardizing the integrity of the bags. Constant banging in the same spot we believed would eventually takes its toll on the outer shell of the Triumph panniers. We could be wrong but for a true ADV panniers system we feel things need to be secure and attached with no ability to move.
So, in the end we are confident although we did not crash or test the Jesse mounts or bags that we made the right decision. Until Triumph makes a true ADV durable mount for their Tiger we would not recommend their luggage system. Again just our opinion.
Here is what our mount looks like on the Beemer
We have the 8 inch bags. Jesse now offers the Safari in 9 inch bags which if we ever had to buy again we would actually like that extra one inch room. On the Triumph bikes the bags we had 10 inch and still managed to stay within the handle bars width wise. Here is a pic of the bags on Cheryl’s Tiger she rode.
I do not like the idea of having luggage that is much wider than the handle bars to be honest. Just my opinion.
Non can side is a bigger pannier. We were able to fit all our gear, camping etc for our Cross Country Trip in 2010 in these panniers. We also have the 45L top box. The lid liner Jesse sells is an awesome way to utilize that space and they come with a little bracket to keep the liner in place so nothing falls down when you open and close the lids.
Here is the complete pannier system on my bike
Jesse skid plates are on both our bikes. Not the most substantial skid plate on the market but so far so good. We have hit quite a few boulders and other obstacles and this plate remains intact.
Jesse offers crash bars too. This is a picture of his first version. Since then Jesse has added more stability to the bars at any weak points.
I have tested these bars only with laying the bike down for a snooze. No crashes but with the weight of the bike on its side the bars did not move at all. A little touch up paint they are as good as new.
Hard to see in this picture but if you look closely you can see more supports in the new version of the Jesse crash bars that we have on our bikes now. I will try to get a better picture soon.
Good view of the bags when they were BRAND new. I still have the stock tires on the bike too!
Cheryl’s bike loaded with new bags
We both have the Cee Bailey shields 16 inch Euro version. I think if we were to replace the shield we would get the 18 inch. Both shields are still looking good despite all the crap that gets on them. Easy to clean but are showing some wear and tear with scratches.We have also added an OEM bracket to stabilize the shield more for the bumps.
Good view of the system outdoors
Take away the four Helen Two wheels black bags on the side of our Thermarest pads and this is what we fit in our Jesse 8 inch bags for our summer 2010 Cross Country trip. Cheryl is an amazing packer.
Adding the Denali LED lighting system to our bikes has been a HUGE benefit not only for the rider and expanded view of the road but for others to see us. I have these on almost all the time I ride for the extra visibility and safety.
Small but powerful
Our GPS is a Garmin Zumo 660 mounted using a Tourtech system. GPS stays on Cheryl’s bike because I suck with navigation even with a GPS.
The 2 of us enjoying a cozy dinner after a rainy ride, what else is new for us on our trip down the Oregon Coast in April of 2010.
Me in our OLD gear that would get soak in the rain and also this picture was after we rode through a mountain pass in Oregon in April and got caught in a snow storm, 2010. We were both happy that we made it through.
So that is our set up for the Beemers. If and when we ever get new bikes we would make sure we have all the same accessories. Not sure if they would all be Jesse stuff but overall we are more than satisfied with his ability to make more than just great luggage!
These are rough routes of some of our possible 2012 trips. Would be from middle of May to June. We would most likely go through Alberta more heading back from Flagstaff, Arizona. Please post any MUST ride DS roads anywhere along this route. We will maybe have 24 days. All depends as usual with work.
Route 1
Possible one of our 2012 Trips
Route 2
Both Cheryl and I are thinking a trip to Flagstaff, Arizona should be one of our trips next year. This Expo seems like a great opportunity to not only meet many very experienced ADV riders, but to take classes in DS riding, see new equipment, learn about making better videos, outdoor camping/cooking and a whole lot more. Due to the distance we would most likely have to take at least three weeks maybe more. Flagstaff is about a 5000 KM round trip from where we live.
We have not taken our bikes to the Southwest yet and this Expo makes it an easy decision to put these States on our map.
2012 OVERLAND EXPO
Riding on the the Sun Road was a treat on our Cross Country trip in the Summer of 2010. We actually had views although it took us 4 hours to do the 60 miles because of the traffic, I guess you can call us lucky that we had a nice day. Both Cheryl & I would love to see this road closed to all traffic but bikes for one day out of the season so we can really ride the road the way 2 wheels want to ride. Glad we got to include this on our trip!
There are so many beautiful places to travel right here in North America that we need to get to on top of the rest of the world. So many miles or KM’s out there yet to be explored but some day.
Last year October 2010 we decided the last minute to take a ride to Winthrop, WA. Left late in the day and got caught in the dark. My video using my old Contour 1080p HD camera.
