moving

[JIMMY REB]

Not sure of the right place for this, but:   I am moving to Wyoming in April and have a couple of Questions I know you guys can help with. First, my 2014 has always been srevice at the dealer( don't do anything myself) Does anyone have any recommendations for there, or any place to stay away from?    Also, what area does Wyoming fall intoforride info? Midwest? Northwest? Thank you all in advance!   jim

 

[Auburn]

where in Wyoming are you moving to?  I would assume the Yamaha dealers are in the big cities like Laramie, Casper, or Cheyenne.  You may end up working with an independent mechanic.  I would ask around where you move to.  Look where people take their snow machines to be serviced.  

 

[JIMMY REB]

moving to Rawlins.  The place in Laramie looked like they didn't have anything bigger than a 250cc. The place in Casper looks like they might deal with bigger bikes.

All are 100-200 miles 1 way.

 

[JIMMY REB]

moving to Rawlins.  The place in Laramie looked like they didn't have anything bigger than a 250cc. The place in Casper looks like they might deal with bigger bikes.

All are 100-200 miles 1 way.

 

[Auburn]

moving to Rawlins.  The place in Laramie looked like they didn't have anything bigger than a 250cc. The place in Casper looks like they might deal with bigger bikes.

All are 100-200 miles 1 way.

Probably going to be a normal for a lot of things in Wyoming to have to travel some distance to get service or work on things.  Hopefully there is a good independent mechanic in town you can go to.  Bright side, it is beautiful country and you are in the middle of some of the best riding in the country.

 

[SkooterG]

Rawlins?  You poor *******.  I lived in Rock Springs 1994-1997 and that place was a **** hole.  Rawlins was worse.  Perhaps things have changed for the better in 20 years.  I was there during bust times, it boomed after I left.  Laramie and to a certain degree Casper will be your best bet for any sort of real town amenities.  But even they are tiny by most standards.  Still, small towns have a way of getting stuff done out of necessity.  But still, Rawlins?  You poor *******.

Not much of a riding season.   You poor *******.

 

[sullivan]

Rawlins?  You poor *******.  I lived in Rock Springs 1994-1997 and that place was a **** hole.  Rawlins was worse.  Perhaps things have changed for the better in 20 years.  I was there during bust times, it boomed after I left.  Laramie and to a certain degree Casper will be your best bet for any sort of real town amenities.  But even they are tiny by most standards.  Still, small towns have a way of getting stuff done out of necessity.  But still, Rawlins?  You poor *******.

Not much of a riding season.   You poor *******.

Don't be shy. How do you REALLY feel about that area? 

 

[RossKean]

Don't be shy. How do you REALLY feel about that area? 

It got a lot better after he left...

 

[JIMMY REB]

been there- love the area

 

[Cyclepath]

Hey Jimmy REB, you're in for a treat, I've come to appreciate the western third of North America offers a hell of a lot of great riding, through twisty mountain roads, high vista passes, and often, less traffic than you may experience in the east.  Well, as long as you schedule your outta town trips around things like kids being out of school, even the motorhome mayhem usually doesn't get too bad.

Here's a shared screenshot of my GoogleMap planning master; I research roads, passes, micro-breweries, music festivals, etc each winter while I fantasize about where my buds and I should tour year (from about May - September). 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/32wA3UENEjLjkhaN9

You should be able to leverage a new location in WY as a launching pad to many interesting roads lots of riders may never experience. 

Good luck in your quest...

 

[infrared]

moving to Rawlins.  The place in Laramie looked like they didn't have anything bigger than a 250cc. The place in Casper looks like they might deal with bigger bikes.
All are 100-200 miles 1 way.

Jim,

Here in the Western states, we usually talk about the travel hours between places, rather than miles.  Things will be "two or three hours" up the road, which is easier to handle than the "hundreds" of miles, really.     :coolsmiley02:    

Pack your audio gear with all of your tunes, podcasts, et c., maybe pack some tuneful memory cards too.  Carry plenty of good water and maybe preserved food on board, and settle in for the cruise.  Good cell phone service can save your bacon, or maybe somebody else, no joke.

It's great to have an audio system that plays via USB port.  One memory card in a cheap USB holder now can pack a solid weeks' worth of MP3 music.

.

 

[Bugs]

Hi Jimmy, I grew up in Wyoming and though I love Idaho, my heart is still there. My parents had a jewelry store in Rawlins for many years. I have family and friends living there and I get back when I can.

Rawlins used to have a great Yamaha dealership, but they closed up years ago. I’ve used Frontier Cycles in Laramie, but they are no longer a Yamaha dealership.

My friends tell me they mostly use TNT Motorsports in Laramie for Yamaha stuff, but as you noted, they tend toward the smaller bikes. TNT used to have a shop in Rawlins. I bought my Yamaha WR450F there in 2006.

Craig Powersports in Craig, CO gets high marks, but they also deal mostly in dirt bikes, sleds and UTA/quads.

A few years ago, a friend warned me away from Casper Mountain Motorsports, but recently, they’ve gone through a management change and are now trying hard to make things right. They seem to have more of the big bikes. I’d probably give them a try for my FJR.

I admit Wyoming has a harsh climate for much of the year. My dad taught me that there’s no such thing as “too cold” – only “under-dressed”. The summers are gorgeous. The road-bike season is short, but beautiful. After that, you can expand to other vehicles: Dirt bikes, UTVs and quads for the summer and fall; sleds and 4x4's for the winter and spring (yes – snow in the spring .

Our home in Rawlins backed up to the Red Desert. Back in the day, I would jump on my ’69 DT175 Enduro and head solo into the desert for hours, returning only when my fuel ran low.

The mountains that surround the town offer lots of opportunity. The nearby town of Saratoga is cool. Get a great steak dinner in authentic western ambience at the Hotel Wolf. Ride from Saratoga to Centennial via Highway 130: 11K+ elevation, past beautiful Medicine Bow Peak and Lake Marie. Ryan Park near Saratoga is a World Class area for snowmobiles. Sand Mountain at Seminoe Reservoir is a blast on a bike or quad with sufficient HP. A great FJR ride is Battle Pass Scenic Byway (Highway 70) that runs from Encampment (south of Saratoga) to Baggs but there are lots of great highway rides all over Wyoming and northern Colorado.

You can lament all the things that Rawlins and Wyoming are not – and there are plenty. Or, you can embrace what it is. Wyoming offers freedom and solitude found in few other places, plus a striking star-filled moonless night sky that one Apollo astronaut said looks like night on the moon.

Fun Fact (OK - maybe only for me), the towns across southern Wyoming are approximately 100 miles apart because that’s how far a steam locomotive can travel on a load of water. The 45-mile Cheyenne-to-Laramie run is the exception because the trains had to climb over the mountains at Sherman Summit.

Because of the trains, the towns were built along the flattest part of the state. Tourists come through Rawlins and see the dusty, wind-swept streets, knowing nothing of the beautiful landscapes that sit just 20 miles north or south of I-80. They say, “What a God-forsaken place!” I just smile and say, “Yup. You’re right. Safe Travels as you pass on through.”

Enjoy your adventure!

 

[Auburn]

Rawlins?  You poor *******.  I lived in Rock Springs 1994-1997 and that place was a **** hole.  Rawlins was worse.  Perhaps things have changed for the better in 20 years.  I was there during bust times, it boomed after I left.  Laramie and to a certain degree Casper will be your best bet for any sort of real town amenities.  But even they are tiny by most standards.  Still, small towns have a way of getting stuff done out of necessity.  But still, Rawlins?  You poor *******.

Not much of a riding season.   You poor *******.

remember skooter, he is moving from Maine.  Could be a lot worse where is moving from...

 

[JIMMY REB]

My wife and I are moving there to get away from crowds. I am looking forward to riding the back roads. Most of the riding around here in Maine I rarly get past 3rd gear.As for when we can't ride, we have 2 4wd trucks for exploring the back country, a 5th wheel for longer exploring, and the town has a shooting range where I can shoot competivly. 

 

[RossKean]

Never thought of Maine as being crowded - other than some around Bangor and Portland.  Not a lot of wonderful riding in the state other than the northwest corner (and that is limited).  Pretty decent riding in northern NH and VT as well as some of upstate NY.  However, not equal to the possibilities within a couple of days ride from Wyoming.  From there, it will take a long time to exhaust all of the possibilities.

 

[Bounce]

Buxton was pretty crowded when it was a checkpoint for the IBR.

 

[JIMMY REB]

I have finally been here about a year. My beautiful red bike was pretty much in storage most of the time.
Now it's out. My wife and I rode a bit over 400 mi over the 4th. We have been over the Snowy Range (wy130).
Nice ride, but too much traffic. Hopefully we can get out some more, however my wife is working for the city and
puts in 50-60 hours a week. I do like the 70-80mph speed limits.