Going to Alaska. What tires?

[Mr. Toad]

I'm planning a trip to Alaska and need tires that will handle the unhuman roads they have. I'm sure some of you have made the trip on your FJR. What tires will handle loose gravel, mud, dirt, pavement too of course.

It's been a very VERY hard decision to take the FJR. I was really wanting to get a BMW 1200GS for the trip, but it's too much to swing. For a while I thought that was the only kind of bike that could get me there and back. But after a lot of reading I found that other bikes go there all the time. I spent most of my time on advrider.com but surprisingly enough I almost never see FJR owners there giving ride reports. I'm just not looking forward to the wear and tear the pretty plastic will take.

Anyway, I figure that if Vstrom 650's can make the ride, the FJR is no toy. This machine is more than capable of doing a six thousand mile trip.

Tires are one of the things I'm looking at. I'll need to find out what are the most likely break-downs I can expect from the FJR. The last thing I need is to be three hundred miles from a shop and have a break down.

 

[Mackeroni]

I'm planning a trip to Alaska and need tires that will handle the unhuman roads they have. I'm sure some of you have made the trip on your FJR. What tires will handle loose gravel, mud, dirt, pavement too of course.

It's been a very VERY hard decision to take the FJR. I was really wanting to get a BMW 1200GS for the trip, but it's too much to swing. For a while I thought that was the only kind of bike that could get me there and back. But after a lot of reading I found that other bikes go there all the time. I spent most of my time on advrider.com but surprisingly enough I almost never see FJR owners there giving ride reports. I'm just not looking forward to the wear and tear the pretty plastic will take.

Anyway, I figure that if Vstrom 650's can make the ride, the FJR is no toy. This machine is more than capable of doing a six thousand mile trip.

Tires are one of the things I'm looking at. I'll need to find out what are the most likely break-downs I can expect from the FJR. The last thing I need is to be three hundred miles from a shop and have a break down.

I rode a 5,200 mile trip on my FZ1 once with a full tool kit and copies of the most likely-to-be-needed service manual pages. I mean to tell ya, I maybe could have rebuilt the engine and tranny if necessary...not to mention the flat repair kit and portable compressor. So guess what. Nothing happened! The worst problem I got into was a kinky dry chain. (WD-40 will not withstand arid desert heat and will vaporize completely in less than 500 miles.)

My advice is to take everything you might need. Consequently, you will need none of it. I think this is actually a corollary to Murphy's law.

Can't help you on the tires except to recommend something very...ummm...durable.

Good luck! Sounds like fun to me.

 

[twowheelnut]

I was happy with the performance of the Road Smarts over the course of various road types. Granted, only about 100 miles were covered on some serious gravel and dirt roads - places where the FJR simply does not like or belong - but the RS's did well and gave up little or nothing in the wear department. They did give up air on the chuck holes and heavy gravel, but nothing that would be of concern.

Had I the choice of taking my DL650 or the FJR on this particular trip, I'd still chose the FJR since most riding was on well paved roads. If I had planned on any more dirt/gravel then what I actually did, then the Strom would have went along.

 

[ctfjr]

Good luck - its a fabulous ride! I did it a couple of years ago on a wing and unless you are planning to ride to the Arctic Circle (north of Fairbanks) for a neat pix next to the monument there isn't much reason to have to ride on gravel. The roads I rode on were all paved. Granted you could take some excursions on all gravel but I passed on that, I don't think the fjr would be the right choice - and very risky. I was told, for instance, if you shoot for the Circle monument the trucks don't slow down, at all. They can kick up a lot of nasty stuff over / through your bike. That was the tipping point for me not to go for the monument pix.

The only thing 'extra' I carried in the way of tools was a gas can. I gave it away in Alaska. Gas stations were no more than 100 or so miles apart going via the Alaska Highway.

I plan on going back on the fjr!

 

[Mr. Toad]

twowheelnut; I've heard a lot of others talk about taking the Vstrom to Alaska. What am I missing? Is the V a superior bike to the FJR? Why would the Vstrom be better to ride up there?

ctfjr; You guessed it. The plan is to cross the artic circle.

What it comes down to is that if the FJR isn't the right bike for the trip, and I'm making a list of other trips for the future, then I'll have to sell the FJR to afford a 1150 or 1200 GS.

Just like having the right tool for the job I have to have the right bike for the trip. But I've seen pictures of people on Wings, Vstroms, GS, KLMs, and street bikes make the trip. So that's why I'm thinking the FJR can do it.

Am I wrong?

 

[Murph]

... I spent most of my time on advrider.com but surprisingly enough I almost never see FJR owners there giving ride reports...

Good on you for planning such a trip! :clapping:

I too am a sucker for ADVrider but I never post my FJR ride reports over there because I think my road reports would be too mundane for the hardcore ADVrider.

Last year, I ended up doing about 100 miles of gravel on the FJR and I had Metzlers that did just fine. But who knows how long they would have lasted if they had to endure 500+ miles on those conditions. Then again, I think tire performance and wear has a lot more to do with the rider. If you take your time and choose your lines carefully, the FJR will be fine on gravel (and, believe me, I've been in some uncomfortably deep stuff on the FJR). Sure, you'll feel more beat up at the end of the day because you will be more tense than if you were riding a dual-sport but, if the choice is between going and not-going depending upon the fundage to get a new bike, then I'd take the FJR and take my chances. It might hurt to see the FJR get some scratches but everything can be fixed!

Enjoy the trip and please post a report with pics!

 

[spinblue]

I went on a trip to Inuvik and then on to Prudhoe Bay this June/July.

The Dempster Highway to Inuvik in Yukon and NWT was much rougher than the Dalton to Prudhoe.

I had read many stories of terror on the roads, trucks, gravel, and being eaten by bears.

I bought a used 2001 KLR for $2500 and felt it was the perfect bike for the travels. It's light, handles well, has plenty of suspension travel and I didn't have to worry about abuse to it.

I felt the Dalton was in very decent shape. But there is a lot of bumping and vibration and everything that you take with you will take a beating. The trucks are doing their jobs and it was suggested to me to let them do it and get out of the way. I only recall one rock to the chest that had some velocity.

There were many Beemers and KLRs and I saw a couple V's but when I saw the V on the Dempster I thought that was a lot of bike to be handling.

I used Distanza's for most of the trip with knobbies for expected gravel and muck. There was more gravel on the Dempster.

The weather has a ton of impact on things, we were very fortunate and only had a couple of days of rain of the month trip. Things can get very squirrelly given a high center of gravity. I have traveled some off season roads on the Feej in the Michigan UP in 6" sand and considered that no fun at all and was slow going as molasses.

 

[SockMonkey]

I'm kinda curious about how the FJR would handle with a set of these bad boys spooned on! :lol: Might need to steal the entire front end off of a WR450... Damn, now there'd be a "Frankenbike" if there ever was one!

 

[spinblue]

I'm kinda curious about how the FJR would handle with a set of these bad boys spooned on! :lol: Might need to steal the entire front end off of a WR450... Damn, now there'd be a "Frankenbike" if there ever was one!

These are the knobbies I used. The front always had the TKC80 on with the Distanza on the rear for out there and back. When both TKCs were on, the bike felt awesome on the loose stuff. Provided a confidence inspiring riding.

BTW, I edited my sig line with a link to the AK08 trip pictures. Indeed a trip of a lifetime, in my lifetime. Amazing.

 

[Mr. Toad]

spinblue; Thanks for the links and pics. Sounds like you got a sweet price on that bike. Is that common or did you luck out? I had to laugh when I saw the pic of your loaded bike. I was wondering where the room was for the rider to sit.

Murp; you inspire a bit more confidence in taking on the great North. I admit there's the potential of coming across roads that my buddy will want to invesigate on his bike that I won't feel comfortable taking on the FJR. In cases like that, since we've already talked about it, he'd go off to explore and I'd sit with my thumb up my :blink: until he got back. I don't like it but not much I can do about it... unless I get a uber sweet deal on a GS or GS like bike.

 

[twowheelnut]

twowheelnut; I've heard a lot of others talk about taking the Vstrom to Alaska. What am I missing? Is the V a superior bike to the FJR? Why would the Vstrom be better to ride up there?

It's simple: The FJR is a big ol' heavy pig in the dirt. It absolutely hates gravel and if you hit deep sand, well, you better hope someone is around to help you pick the beast up. I also find that the power is quick to overrule available traction even with judicious use of the throttle and clutch. That, I feel, is a recipe of droppage or worse.

I bought the DL expressly for 'doing' Alaska, but my plans were punted this year owning to this wonderful economy. In any event, the DL is loads lighter, among other things, but the bike is designed with light, off-road duty in mind. It won't do single track goat trails all that well (it will when pushed), but gravel and unpaved roads it handles with aplomb and - dare I say - agility and finesse that the FJR simply doesn't have in the dirt.

Further, it's a pack mule and cheap. With enough side casing, crash bars, bash pans and tank panniers, there is virtually no way to hurt the sucker. Oh, you might bend a pedal, tweak a mirror or trash a hand guard, but that's about it.

Can you do Alaska on an FJR? Of course. Hell, folks do it on Wings and big touring Harleys. Would you want to do Alaska on an FJR? Not when there are better options like the DL/KLR/800GS/650GS etc.

JMHO.

 

[Mr. Toad]

nut; thank you for your clear and unbiased input. The WORST thing in the world is to put so much time, money, hope and love into putting together a trip and find out that you made a big mistake with your gear.

I only recently did a quick look at the 800GS. I don't know much about it but when compared to the 1150 and 1200 it doesn't look like it's a real GS. No ABS as just one example, but there's more it doesn't have that it's bigger brothers do. I need to find out more though before I can make an educated decision on it.

SockMonkey; those tires look good, but are they good on pavement, too?

 

[RonBB]

SpinBlue, Your AK08 photos are great! Thanks for posting the link in your sig. line.

 

[twowheelnut]

No ABS as just one example, but there's more it doesn't have that it's bigger brothers do.

The 800GS is going to be available with ABS. Frankly, I would prefer the 800 over the 1200 for many reasons. Weight and price are but two.

Good luck!

 

[HIGHLANDER]

Mr. Toad...seen this ??



https://www.fjrforum.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=106849

 

[cctxfjr]

not the right bike for gravel,sand,dirt,mud unless you like self inflected torture because their will be plenty of that if you ride the FJR on that type of road surface. Rode mine a short distance on a sandy road and it was an absolute handfull and no fun at all.

 

[yamafitter]

Here is what the Dalton looks like in Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range

The road has a very changable surface but was no problem for the KLR650 we were riding in 2006 when we rode the pipeline from the north to the south.

The best part of the trip for me was a detour over to Manley Hot Springs. The soaking tubs in the greenhouse and the husky kennel has a hoot. The fishing was awesome and the bar at the roadhouse was good fun.

 

[ghost]

I did the Cassiar this past June with a friend of mine. We did 3800 miles from his house in Bellingham, Wash.

Although we both have larger, faster bikes, we both rode our KLR's - his other bike is an 07 GS1200.

We chose the KLR's because we tend to get a bit too frisky on our other bikes and wanted to slow down a little, both to avoid the various hazards that the roads up there present and to enjoy the unbelievable scenery. Nothing ruins a trip like hitting potholes, gumbo gravel, critters [ lots of bear and moose ] or dusty/wet road construction at 80+MPH

The Cassiar is one of the most beautiful roads I have ever ridden. It beats the Alcan for beauty, is less traveled and except for a small stretch above Dease Lake, is in much better shape.

Now back to your question -we rode with Avon Gripsters - great tire for up there . Tread life was about half gone in the 3800 miles

We saw mostly Harleys, Goldwings and v stroms on the road, with an occasional mix of various Dual sports - you can do it on whatever bike you care to.

To paraphrase Nike " Just do it !"