Upshift Issue 76 - December 2022 by UPSHIFT

Issue 76

December 2022

KISKA.COM

Photo: R.Schedl

rIDE into the

Confidently go wherever your inner voice leads you with the new KTM 890 ADVENTURE R. With a new rally-inspired styling to match its renowned offroad ability, and a class-leading electronics package, it is the ultimate machine for the most extreme adventures. #DARE2ADV FIND OUT MORE AT KTM.COM/TRAVEL

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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Photo: M. Campelli, Fotografie Mitterbauer

husqvarna-motorcycles.com

Go anywhere. F E

Possessing the strongest engine in Husqvarna Motorcycles’ dual-sport lineup, the versatile FE 501s is designed to deliver strong, controllable power that assures the most comfort on extended rides.

5 0 1s Strong, controllable power

Swedish inspired graphics and trim

Counter balance shaft

ISSUE 76 December 2022

Issue 76

INSTA-ADV

December 2022

y information: These drawings contain information y to Upshift. Any reproduction, orCover transmittal of this on without expressed written consent is prohibited by Santana se partial or complete of Miguel the sord marks is prohibited hable to the full extent of the law.

Design, Production Chris Glaspell

Instagram Travelers

LOGO SHEET

THE INSIDER It’s What We Do

Contributing Writers Chad de Alva Olivier de Vaulx Travis Gill MotoMorgana

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Contributing Photographers Tim Burke Chad de Alva Olivier de Vaulx Travis Gill MotoMorgana Miguel Santana

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BIKES

The Latest

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Views Through The Lens

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Technical Editor Chad de Alva

Highway To The Himalayas

Story Editor Stefanie Glaspell

TÉNÉRÉ 700

Business Development Brandon Glanville

Phase Three Project Bike

Want to partner with us? Contact: Brandon Glanville brandon@upshiftonline.com

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TECH

The Motorex Deep Clean

Join us on Instagram at @ upshift_online

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BYE BYE IRAN

Riots In Iran, Convoys In Pakistan Upshift Magazine is published monthly by Upshift Online Inc. 2022. 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.

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GREAT BRITAIN

John O’ Groats To Land’s End – Part 2

INSTA-ADV

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

CHOOSE TO HAVE IT ALL

Built to excel in the dirt and on the tarmac, the new Tiger 1200 Rally Pro is the all-new globe-busting, desert-crossing, mountain-conquering adventure champion. Powered by a new 1200 triple engine, the unique T-Plane design blends the low-speed capability of a twin with the top-end performance of a triple, for excellent traction in tough conditions, and supreme performance on the road. Add to that an all-new chassis that’s significantly lighter and more agile, long travel semi-active suspension and feature-packed technology, for unprecedented capability off-road and on. The all-new Tiger 1200 Rally Pro. It’s time to reset your adventure expectations. From $22,500 MSRP.

Find out more at triumphmotorcycles.com

RESTORE YOU FACTORY FINI MOTO SHINE MS1 THERE’S A NEW SCENT IN THE AIR

• Perfect, high-gloss shine • Safe on all surface ﬁnishes • Anti-static, dust repelling sheen • Easy cleanup, mud releasing, protective ﬁlm • Fresh, scented formulation

WWW.MOTOREXUSA.COM

UR ISH

T’S WHAT WE DO A human lifetime is finite, and annoyingly, it only seems to go faster the

closer you get to the end. This is precisely why it’s critically important to make the most of each day and every opportunity, and to never let words like someday, could of, would of, or should of be used to describe your life. As it relates to motorcycles, time spent riding is one of the best uses of this finite supply of time that we’re all allocated. Think about it – even if you’re just getting out for a quick after work ride, the benefit that short ride has on you is tangible. This Upshift issue and the eleven other issues of 2022 are essentially hundreds of pages that convey the impact of riding motorcycles. Upshift contributors get to go to so many awesome places all over the globe – and we are stoked that they’re out there living their dreams and sharing their stories. Someone once said, “Die with memories, not dreams” and the content that fills the pages of each issue of Upshift are examples of time well spent and memories being made. What’s even more impressive is that there are legions of riders out there getting after it each and every day; riders who will never write their stories down or post a single photo to the internet, just enjoying everything from their trip of a lifetime to the essential after work ride. Even if you’re only sharing the experience of a ride with yourself – keep after it, because it’s good for you and we could all use more time on a motorcycle. There’s no point in waiting for a 2 to change into a 3 on a calendar to make a resolution – today is a great time to slap the table and lock in plans to ride more, take that epic trip you’ve been dreaming of, try a new discipline of riding, or just get out and ride a motorcycle. Make 2023 full of memories and amazing experiences, that’s our plan at Upshift and we’re looking forward to sharing it with all of you. Thanks for an awesome 2022! Upshift Crew

2023 Suzuki V-Strom 800DE Suzuki’s new parallel twin motor has officially been confirmed in the all-new 800DE – Suzuki’s most off-road oriented V-Strom ever. On paper, the bike’s specs make for an intriguing package, and we’re looking forward to getting the chance to put this bike’s new parallel twin motor and all new off-road oriented chassis to the test. The bike has a number of off-road specific features, including longer travel, fully adjustable suspension, and a 21-inch front wheel. On the technology front, the bike has a TFT display, quick shift, adjustable ride modes, traction control, and ABS, making the 800DE a fully featured entrant into the middleweight ADV segment. The standard V-Strom 800DE will be available in two colors, Champion Yellow No. 2 and Glass Matte Mechanical Gray. The Adventure model comes in a third colorway, Glass Sparkle Black. Suzuki has not released any pricing or availability details. We’ll be sure to update you when we find out more information. www.suzukicycles.com

V-Strom 800DE

V-Strom 800DE Adventure.

NEW PRODUCT | NOW SHIPPING

KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE

Rushing parts to the market has never been our goal. Hence we spent nearly a year developing and carefully testing our 2021-2022 KTM 1290 Super Adventure R/S products. The greatest challenge was designing and developing a set of properly performing crash bars!

Please visit our YouTube channel for the official DropTest video!

2023 Honda Transalp Honda pulled the cover off the XL750 Transalp at EICMA last month, and on paper the revived moniker from Honda looks quite intriguing. At its heart is a new uni-cam parallel twin motor cranking out 91 horsepower at 9500 RPM and the whole bike is claimed to weigh in at 459 pounds, ready to ride. The bike will have all of the modern tech goodies, with a TFT display, ride modes, and adjustable ABS. Pricing and availability are currently unknown for the US market, but we’re hoping Honda will share this platform with us.

Discerning Pan America owners are you ready? Introducing the newest RS-12 ADV in our line up - the Harley-Davidson Pan America. Titanium construction, complete with carbon fiber heel guard and leg guard. Great sound. Great power, made in the USA.

2021 HARLEY-DAVIDSON PAN AMERICA

STOCK VS. RS-12 ADV TITANIUM SLIP-ON CLICK FOR SOUND COMPARISON VIDEO

yoshimura-rd.com

Ténéré 700. Find new horizons. www.YamahaMotorsports.com

Professional rider depicted on a closed course. Dress properly for your ride with a helmet, eye protection, long sleeves, long pants, gloves and boots. European spec model shown. Yamaha and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation encourage you to ride safely and respect the environment. For further information regarding the MSF course, please call 1-800-446-9227. Do not drink and ride. It is illegal and dangerous. ©2021 Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A. All rights reserved.

WIDE OPEN

NEPAL

PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX

ENDURO BOOT

RACE-READY PROTECTION, ALL DAY COMFORT, ENGINEERED GRIP FOR ALL TERRAIN

WIDE OPEN

UTAH

PHOTO: MIGUEL SANTANA

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NEPAL

PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX

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PAKISTAN

PHOTO: MOTOMORGANA

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COLORADO

PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX

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WYOMING

PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX

DEDICATED TO RIDER PROTECTION

Photo courtesy of Triumph Motorcycles Ltd.

XD4 • COVER WHITE FROST

THE ARAI DIFFERENCE At Arai, not only the management, but its owner also knows the mission to protect riders and continues learning how a helmet works to protect the wearers against riding impacts. Witnessing how severe and unpredictable some impacts can be, Arai’s focus continues to be the consistent pursuit of gains in protection for helmets bearing our family name.

SCAN TO SEE THE VALUE OF ARAI VIDEO

When a helmet is impacted, the inner liner is crushed, absorbing impact energy in the process. The liner’s ability to absorb impact energy varies depending on the helmet’s construction and thickness in its upper regions. But Arai helmets, with their proprietary one-piece multi-density EPS liner, can maintain a consistent thickness even in areas where high levels of energy absorption are needed. The helmet remains compact by forming different EPS densities into a single liner of uniform thickness while still satisfying strict helmet standards.

SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE XD4

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UTAH

PHOTO: MIGUEL SANTANA

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PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX

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COLORADO

PHOTO: MIGUEL SANTANA

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NEW MEXICO

PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX

Available Spring 2023

THE WORLD JUST GOT A LOT SMALLER WITH THE POWERFUL PERFORMANCE, ADVANCED ELECTRONICS, AND ANY-ROAD CAPABILITIES OF THE ALL-NEW 2023 V-STROM 800DE. Shift your adventure into a higher gear. Developed from a clean sheet of fresh ideas, the new Suzuki V-STROM 800DE features an advanced new parallel-twin 776cc powerplant complemented by dynamic rider aids, long-travel suspension, and spoke-style wheels. So, when you’re idling at the crossroads of on- or off-road adventure, the V-STROM 800DE is there to advance whatever direction you choose.

EXPERIENCE THE ALL-NEW V-STROM 800DE

SUZUKICYCLES.COM

Along with concerned conservationists everywhere, Suzuki urges you to Tread Lightly!® on public and private land.

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IRAN

PHOTO: MOTOMORGANA

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NEPAL

PHOTO: OLIVIER DE VAULX

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MEXICO

PHOTO: MIGUEL SANTANA

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IDAHO

PHOTO: TIM BURKE

2O23 2-Stroke - 300

THE #1 SELLING ENTRY LEVEL ENDURO BIKE Go ahead...You deserve it.

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WORDS AND PHOTOS BY OLIVIER DE VAULX

With all the fuss about Mount Everest, the tallest summit in the world, Nepal could easily be reduced as being merely a base camp for avid climbers. Yet, this small country stuck between India and China has a lot more to offer. Sport is big in every form here, from hiking to mountain biking to para gliding, but it’s mostly the culture and the peacefulness of its inhabitants that makes it a world class destination. Better yet, there are still parts of the country that escaped mass tourism. The Upper Mustang, at the extreme end of the valley that bears its name, just next to the border with China, is one of these little gems. Only accessible with a special permit, this hidden valley will be our quest in Nepal and our excuse for a deep motorcycle exploration of the foothills of the Himalayas. Christophe Noel, owner of the travel company FarXplorer and our guide for this adventure, saw the potential of the country many years ago. He then moved from the richest country in the world to one of the poorest ones, leaving the Rocky Mountains of his native Colorado for Kathmandu. A bold move that was easier to understand after our 10-day motorcycle trip in the foothills of the Himalayas. Enchanting Kathmandu Landing in Kathmandu after an uneventful 25-hour flight from California, it’s time to stretch our legs and get a glimpse of the local culture. Walking through the many historical neighborhoods of the metropolis, the rich history of the kingdoms of Nepal is hard to ignore. With 80% of the population being Hindu and the rest mostly Buddhist, temples are everywhere. Westerners like ourselves are welcomed to admire the wooden ornaments, the massive sculptures and the delicate architecture. But it would be silly to reduce the spiritual life of Nepal to the shape of these buildings, as beautiful as they are. The Nepalis live their religion on a daily basis, and it takes very surprising forms for those who are curious enough to look behind the scenes.

Suzan, an official guide and the first woman to achieve this position in the city, explains to us that behind the door of this modest building, stands one of the holiest individuals in Nepal: we’re about to meet a Kumari, a living goddess! It’s an honor that very few tourists ever experience. In a small room painted in red, a 10-year old girl is sitting on a throne. Worshiped by both Hindus and Buddhists as the incarnation of the goddess Durga, she’s waiting for us to kneel before her to receive her blessing. It’s a surreal encounter, one that was only possible thanks to the many contacts, like Suzan, that Christophe knows in his adopted country. More common, but no less intriguing, a visit to the Pahupatinath temple makes us witness to the most incredible scene: families who lost a loved one are gathering here to say a last farewell to the body before cremation, which takes hours. On the stairs, tourists and Nepalis are watching in silence. Then, they disperse in silence and go for a walk in the park, home of thousands of impertinent monkeys and a few old and colorful Shadus. In the streets going back to the hotel, there are more colorful scenes than we have room to describe here: women in beautiful saris sifting rice, old men playing cards, vendors selling veggies and dry fish… we even admire the incredible skills of the last potter to use a manual pottery wheel in town. He’s 78 and has been at this job since his 16th birthday, he says with a ton of pride in his sparkling eyes. Visiting Kathmandu could suffice to fill the need for exoticism of most travelers, but we’re motorcycle riders and that makes us different. The next day, we fly to the next big city of Pokhara and discover with satisfaction Christophe’s fleet of Royal Enfield Himalayans.

The perfect bike Sitting on the famous Indian adventure motorcycle for the first time, you notice the low seat height, which is definitely a positive point, the nice dashboard, the easy-to-use center stand. Starting the engine and jumping into the traffic, where people drive on the left of the road, doesn’t give a lot of time to get accustomed to the bike. Luckily, the smooth power and the long first gear makes sneaking into the crazy Nepali traffic a breeze. There are thousands of motorcycles, with a ratio of at least 10 bikes per car. The speed is slow but the flow is almost constant, with no red lights or stop signs. Truth is, there are basically no rules to follow here, and every driver and rider tries to keep moving forward, honking to make their presence known to the others, pedestrians and cows included. This may sound apocalyptic but it works surprisingly well, especially once you know that it is considered normal to cross any intersection without slowing down, or to pass slower vehicles in blind corners. Since everybody is doing their best to avoid others, the dense traffic doesn’t seem to cause any accidents on our way out of the city. After all, it’s not really different than the four way stop signs we have in the US, where drivers are supposed to be courteous and let others pass by order of appearance. The pavement itself has the expected potholes and patches of gravel, but also people stop in corners to have a chat, and animals cross with no warnings. The meager power delivery of the air cooled 411cc Indian mono-cylinder is plenty enough here, since riding at any speed above 40 miles/hour in these unpredictable conditions would really mean looking for trouble.

Fields and jungle Riding slowly is not only safer but also gives us time to enjoy the scenery. Since we have to ride through a rural area of fields and jungle forest before reaching the Mustang, we might as well enjoy it. On the mountain side of the road, a luxuriant tropical vegetation takes up most of the place, almost hiding the colorful houses behind their impressive leaves. However, on the left side, we have a perfect vantage view of the thousands of terraces used by Nepali farmers in this region. Our first stop for the night will also be our first night of camping. Christophe’s crew is already here, and the tents are set, next to a portable toilet and shower. That looks like luxury camping, especially when we are served a ton of delicious food by the cooks. The Dal Bhat, a traditional meal that we will get everyday, consists of a portion of rice in the center of the plate, surrounded by small bowls filled with chicken curry, veggies, soup and various spices. This is tasty, and since Nepalis love when we ask for more, we forget any idea of diet and stock-pile calories like our lives depend on it. With our super-cold-rated sleeping bags reaching their limits in the frozen temperatures of Nepal nights, we wake up early in the morning, shivering and already starving for breakfast. Quick advice for food lovers: you should consider living in Nepal, where even doing nothing can burn calories faster than you can eat!

The Nepali highway Getting closer to the Lower Mustang, the pavement disappears and is replaced by a rough dirt road. Despite the ground clearance of a street bike and suspensions that are too soft up front and too firm at the rear, our Himalayans handle the gnarly terrain quite well. Between tight corners, rocks, holes, whoops, mud holes, incoming traffic, and narrower paths near the cliffs, there’s never enough room to go fast, which suits us perfectly: better safe than sorry here, and nobody wants to visit the nearest hospital. We end up riding most of the time in second or even first gear, at speeds that would feel ridiculously slow in the US but are definitely fast enough here. It feels weird to use the word « speed » to evoke riding at about 25 miles an hour, but coming from a developed country where dual sport bikes are used for recreation, we have to adapt to a new reality. Here, dirt doesn’t mean fun, but just slow and rough travel. This is true for us as well as for the hundreds of Nepalis that are using their small motorcycles or mopeds to travel daily on these trails, often with a pillion. With our Royal Enfield bikes, built in India, we’re blending in with the flow of local motorcycles, happy to ride vintage machines and not flashy motocross weapons. We are used to honking now, either to signal an overtaking or to say thank you when a truck waves us to pass. Gaining elevation, the cliffs become steeper and the drops get deeper. The ride, even at this slow pace, can be scary and technical at times. Good thing we can easily put two feet on the ground!

Traffic jam on a cliff At the top of the toughest climb, we witness the most surreal scene: buses are stuck in a huge traffic jam, vehicles coming from both directions facing each other in what looks like an inextricable stalemate. Using our torquey engines and our low center of gravity, we manage to move our bikes around the first vehicles, to reach the epicenter of the disaster: two buses are face to face, their wheels almost on the edge of the cliff, with little hope to move any further. Judging the situation desperate, the drivers don’t even seem to attempt anything more. Having a different perspective, meaning selfishly trying to pass through this mess without waiting, I am able to talk them into moving a few inches in each direction, which unlocks the situation… at least for us, motorcycle riders, who can now make our way around the heavy vehicles. Down the hill, we’re not out of our misery as we find ourselves stuck behind other buses going at a turtle pace on the rocky trail. It looks more and more like the Nepali version of rush hour on a California highway, and we have no choice than to follow the flow. The young locals, who are visiting their own country with small street bikes, are showing incredible patience and record everything with their phones. TikTok stickers are everywhere. When the traffic finally eases, it’s just a matter of time before we reach our next camp for the night, in the backyard of a tea house. These buildings are the blessing of travelers and are found everywhere in Nepal. Part grocery store, part restaurant, and part hotel, they offer most of what you need after a long day of riding - except any kind of heater, wood and gas being scarce here and electricity relying solely on solar power. But the hot Dal Bhat of the day is here to help survive the cold night, while the bottles of hot water that we will later take with us inside our sleeping bags are being prepared. Tomorrow is the day we enter the heart of the Lower Mustang, and we will be ready!

Traveling in Nepal Visiting Nepal requires a simple tourist visa for Americans and Europeans alike. This document can be obtained online nepaliport.immigration.gov.np/online but you’ll need to pay a $30 fee at your arrival. The flight itself will probably be one of the longest you ever experienced, like our 25 hour flight from LAX, with one stop in Qatar. It’s not a deal breaker though, as it gives ample time to sleep and get ahead of the jet-lag. Once in Kathmandu, you can start enjoying the welcoming attitude of the Nepali people. You’ll like the favorable change - one dollar buying 130 rupees. Aside from the tap water, that you’ll avoid drinking and replace by sealed bottles or filtered water, there are no specific health issues. Check if you’re up to date with your vaccines, see www.nc.cdc.gov for recommendations. Riding in Nepal is probably doable on your own, if you remember to ride on the left side of the road, and avoid the monsoon season during June through August. However, even if almost everybody speaks English, renting a bike, finding insurance, and getting a proper itinerary will probably take a while. Then, there’s the question of where to refill, where to sleep. There are no signs on the road, no good maps, so things can get tricky real quick. It seems easier to travel with people who have a true knowledge of the country, like Christophe Noel, the boss of FarXplorer www.farxplorer.com. He can organize everything from an individual trip to a custom group tour and his crew, from the cooks to the mechanics, is the best it can be. On the tourist side of things, he can literally open doors you didn’t even know existed. Overall, it might cost a bit more, but you’ll get what you paid for, which is a more in-depth experience.

PHOTOs: MIGUEL SANTANA WORDS: CHAD DE ALVA

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

Yamaha’s Ténéré 700 is an incredible value of an Adventure Bike. With a base price of $10,500, you’re getting a ton of motorcycle for your money. Fire off a search on YouTube about the T7, and you’ll find riders like Pol Tarrés and Adam Riemann absolutely shredding on the bike and performing stunts that 99.99% of other riders wouldn’t attempt on any bike – so yeah, the T7 is the business. Upshift has been fortunate enough to have a T7 since the bike was launched, and in that time it’s gone through several build phases. For this third round of revisions, we pulled out all the stops and sent our credit card billing statements to an email we didn’t check, just to see what we could do to make a truly next level Ténéré 700.

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

In our infinite wisdom, we decided to take on this project when the world’s supply chain was busy turning into an absolute train wreck. Not only did it take a long time to get some of the parts that we were after, but some other parts were completely unavailable, so we had to go to plan B. This is why project builds are never truly done. There’s always something to continue to tweak on, revise, or alter in the pursuit of continuous improvement – but that’s exactly what makes projects like this so much fun. After eight months of waiting for packages to show up, and plenty of wrench-time in our shop, we borrowed a stock T7 from our friends at Seat Concepts to benchmark against, and set off for the deserts of Utah to see how we had done taking our T7 from 7 to 11.

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

SUSPENSION One of the main areas of focus for this phase of the build was suspension. Stock Ténéré 700 suspension is limited – but that’s the trade-off for a bike at this price point. Factory valving is on the soft end of things, and while it does a decent job soaking up the small stuff and cruising on road, when you ride into a G-out, smack into a bar ditch, or hit any real trail obstacle with any kind of speed it isn’t hard to find the bump stops. There is only so much that can be done with the stock kit too, so rather than work within these constraints, we opted for a full suspension replacement. The stock forks were replaced by a set of Andreani/Öhlins 48mm RTX forks with custom triple clamps and forks lugs. An Öhlins STX 46 rally shock provided a fully adjustable replacement for the stock shock. With this top shelf kit installed, suspension performance is simply no longer a factor. The bike can handle any sort of terrain or obstacle, and having fully adjustable suspension means that the chassis can quickly be adjusted for peak performance for different riders or carrying luggage. We’re still fine tuning the shock setup, but we’re quite happy with the fork’s performance and giggling like little kids with how much more we can throw at the T7 without phasing its new boingers.

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

WHEELS AND TIRES We traded out the stock wheels for a set of custom wheels built by Dubya USA. With Haan hubs, heavy duty spokes, and Excel rims, these wheels will hold up to all sorts of off-road abuse while staying straight and true. To give the bike better off-road performance, we chose a 1.85-inch wide front rim, and a 3.5-inch wide rear rim. These widths create a taller tire profile, which provides better traction, and helps the bike transition from side-to-side more quickly. The narrower rim widths are also less exposed to rock hits. We mounted a Dunlop 606 in 90/90-21 on the front, and a 908RR in 150/70-18 on the rear of the bike with ultra-heavy-duty tubes so we could adjust tire pressures as needed to match off-road riding conditions. Braking performance was provided by Galfer, with wave rotors, sintered brake pads, and custom stainless brake lines to achieve great modulation and braking power.

ENGINE PERFORMANCE Yamaha’s CP2 motor can be built to make most-impressive amounts of power, and top tier race teams are enjoying triple digit power numbers from these mills. Yet, we’re not racing, and reliability is a key factor for any bike that’s being ridden in the wild, so we targeted what we felt was a sweet spot between performance improvements and rock-solid reliability. A custom ECU tune and a full Yoshimura exhaust provided a noticeable increase in power, and the sound the bike makes is quite addictive. The CP2 isn’t the torquiest mill out there, but once it gets a little spin on, you better be ready because boy howdy does this motor take off as the revs build. To help the rider precisely modulate the T7’s power, we installed a Rekluse TorqDrive Clutch Pack.

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

PROTECTION Adventure bikes have this habit of taking unscheduled naps when they’re ridden off-road, and they also like to smack their bellies into rocks and other trail obstacles, so good bike protection is essential. We installed a set of Outback Motortek Crash Bars and their skid plate and linkage guard to protect the critical components of our T7. A week of hammering on the bike in Utah provided ample opportunity to put the skid plate and linkage guard to the test, and a few spontaneous dirt naps gave us a chance see the crash bars do their thing. As with every other Outback Motortek product we’ve used, the only thing we managed to do was scratch the powder coat finish a bit. To protect the T7’s frame and provide a better gripping surface for the rider’s boots, we installed a set of Acerbis Frame Guards. Levers and rider’s hands are protected by a set of Cycra Pro Bend handguards.

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

WWW.SEATCONCEPTS.COM

LIGHTING There really is no such thing as too much light, so to give the T7 a boost in Lumens, we added a pair of Ruby Moto R4s to the bike’s crash bars. These lights pack a punch with four CREE LEDs packed into machined housings. Ruby’s lighting controller allows the user to adjust the output of the lights, so you can run them on a low setting for daytime running light use and crank them up to full power for nighttime riding. To make the back of the bike look as good as the rest of the bike, we added a Yoshimura fender delete kit, and their awesome LED turn signals. These little signals don’t get in the way, and look so much better than the massive OEM signals with incandescent bulbs.

STYLING We wanted the T7 to have a classic Yamaha look, so we created custom graphics based off of their over six decades in racing. Two similar kits will be available on the Upshift store. Seat concepts created a custom, low, comfort seat off of the T7 graphics that provides all of the usual Seat Concepts seat benefits of additional comfort, additional grip, and ideal riding position.

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

CONTROLS The OEM bars were replaced with Cheetah Factory Racing Bars. Motion Pro grips were installed on these new bars and together they are a great combination, providing good comfort and control whether the rider is seated or standing. The stock mirrors were replaced with Double Take Adventure mirrors, which is a standard practice on all of our bikes. These mirrors can be easily adjusted to almost any angle, folded out of the way or completely removed if needed. An MSC MOTO RM3 steering stabilizer tucks neatly under the Cheetah bars and does an exceptional job of soaking up surprise hits to the bike’s front end. MSC’s active return to center feature is something we really appreciate, as the damper can also damp impacts when steering back to center. Additional foot control over the bike is provided by IMS Core footpegs, which have all of the grip a rider could ask for, even when they’ve been packed full of mud. The pegs also don’t seem to care about rock strikes, or being buried in the ground when the bike is napping.

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

NAVIGATION Above the bike’s instrument cluster, we mounted a Garmin Zumo XT. This is a fully featured connected GPS that can handle navigation, track recording, media, communications, inReach messaging and many other functions.

THE SUM OF THESE PARTS All said and done, Phase Three of our Ténéré 700 build has been worth the wait. The bike now has the suspension to soak up everything in its path, whether that’s a series of whoops, or a perfect rise in the trail that just needs to be jumped – multiple times. There is still a bit of tuning that needs to happen to the shock, but as is, the bike is leaps and bounds better than stock in the suspension department. A proper off-road wheelset and tires provide a huge serving of additional confidence and capability, and all of our protection pieces are there to step in when the rider runs out of talent, or it’s time for a bike nap. All of our performance changes have made a bike that sounds so good, you can’t help but keep the revs up, and the bike’s exhaust creates an awesome soundtrack for bombing around Utah canyon country. Numerous other parts and details address aesthetics and provide quality of life improvements; the net effect is a bike that rides well and looks and sounds amazing. Every time you walk up to the bike, you’re marveling at how it looks. Each time you twist the throttle to slide out of a corner and race off to the next horizon, you’re grinning like a kid thanks to the bike’s incredible sound and confidence inspiring riding performance. The Yamaha Ténéré 700 has proven to be a great platform on which to build. We’re quite pleased with where it is today, and excited to see what else can be done as we enjoy more miles on this bike.

TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE

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TÉNÉRÉ 700 PHASE THREE PROJECT BIKE Suspension: Öhlins/Andreani Group moto.andreanigroup.com 48mm Öhlins RTX Forks with Andreani Group triple clamps and fork lugs Öhlins STX 46 Rally Shock Wheels: Dubya USA www.dubyausa.com Rear: Haan hub with 18” x 3.5” Excel rims Front: Haan hub with 21” x 1.85” Excel rims Tires : Dunlop www.dunlopmotorcycletires.com Rear: 908RR 150/70-18 with Dunlop HD Tube Front: 606 90/90-21 with Dunlop HD Tube Skid Plate/Crash Bars: Outback Motortek www.outbackmotortek.com Exhaust System: Yoshimura RS-12 Stainless Full System www.yoshimura-rd.com Fender Delete Kit/LED Turn Signals: Yoshimura www.yoshimura-rd.com Auxiliary Lights: Ruby Moto R4 www.rubymoto.com Handlebars: Cheetah Factory Racing Enduro Bar www.cheetahfactoryracing.com Steering Damper: MSC Moto RM3 www.mscmotoamericas.com Grips: Motion Pro DirtControl™ V2 Lock-On www.motionpro.com Brakes: Galfer Wave Rotors/Sintered Brake Pads www.galferusa.com Brake Lines: Galfer Stainless Steel www.galferusa.com Seat: Seat Concepts Comfort Low Seat www.seatconcepts.com GPS/Navigation: Garmin ZUMO XT www.upshiftonline.com Handguards: Cycra Pro Bend www.cycra.com Battery: Firepower Featherweight www.firepowerparts.com Frame Guards: Acerbis X-Grip www.acerbisusa.com Front Fender: Acerbis www.acerbisusa.com Clutch: Rekluse TorqDrive www.rekluse.com Footpegs: IMS Core Enduro www.imsproducts.com Mirrors: Doubletake Mirrors www.doubletakemirror.com Lubricants: Motorex www.motorexusa.com Titanium Bolt Kit: Pro Bolt www.probolt-usa.com Graphics Kit: Upshift www.upshiftonline.com

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The results are in... RUBY R7 Mask for the win. 10x light, 10 minute install.

TECH

BY CHAD DE ALVA

THE MOTOREX DEEP CLEAN BIKE WASH Washing a motorcycle is one of those maintenance tasks that many riders procrastinate doing. Some riders are simply unsure of the correct way to wash their new motorcycle that costs five figures. Other riders have heard horror stories of water getting into places it shouldn’t and causing damage. And some riders are just lazy, and they’re the riders that get to learn the hard way why it’s a good idea to clean your bike before you work on it. There’s nothing like watching dirt fall into your motor all because you were too lazy to wash your bike. So pro tip: don’t be that person. Washing your bike isn’t hard, and with the right tools and a few products from Motorex, it’s a surefire way to help take care for your beloved bike(s). THE RIGHT TOOLS Washing a bike is a much easier process with a pressure washer – and before you water ingress worriers start stressing on that, let me expand on what I mean. Pressure washers come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, and they’re very versatile and effective cleaning tools. You can get gas or electric powered, hot water, soap mixing, and output pressures high enough to strip paint. Yet for our purposes, an electric powered system rated at no more than 2000 psi is ideal. Many lower priced options will have fixed nozzles, but it’s absolutely worth it to get something where you can change nozzles using a 1/4 inch quick connect fitting. This way you can use a fan pattern spray nozzle and the super handy pivoting coupler, making it a breeze to get to all the hard to reach places. Other helpful tools include an exhaust plug, a bike stand, magic erasers (the generic bulk packs from Amazon are great) shop towels, and a source of compressed air.

Pivoting coupler

Remove parts for deep cleaning

Protect electrical connectors, like your fuel pump.

Exhaust plugs are essential

Dirt left in skidplate after washing while on bike

Moto Clean breaking down the grime

Magic eraser for the seat

Use the wash plugs that came with your bike to protect fuel lines

TECH: THE MOTOREX DEEP CLEAN THE WASH If your bike is hot, allow it to cool before washing it. Get your pressure washer setup, exhaust plugged, and start washing the dirt and mud off working from the top down. Avoid directly spraying seals, bearing faces, and suspension seals. You’re going to run water over them, just don’t concentrate your spray at point-blank range at these areas. Removing parts from your bike can be a great idea if you’ve been riding in any mud or doing any water crossings. Clean what you can before removing parts like the skid plate, seat, and fuel tank to really get a deep clean. Make sure to protect any unplugged electrical connectors and plug those fuel lines – many bikes come with wash plugs that click into the disconnect fittings for this exact purpose. Once you have the bulk of the dirt and mud off the bike, it’s time to bust out the Motorex Moto Clean. Spray Moto Clean over a WET bike and allow it to do its thing for no more than five minutes. With gloves on (nitrile or rubber cleaning style) grab one of your magic erasers and use a little elbow grease to clean your seat, plastics and any other parts that are stained or dirty. It’s amazing what just a couple of minutes magic eraser and Moto Clean can do to a bike. Once you’re done with this step, give the bike a good thorough rinse. DRYING Here’s where an air compressor comes in handy. Using the same approach as with the pressure washer (not pointing directly into bearings, seals, etc.) use compressed air and clean towels to dry your bike. Water spots on fork tubes (the chrome part) can lead to premature seal wear, so don’t just let the bike drip dry. Alternatively, you can always take the bike for a quick ride to use engine heat and airflow to dry things off.

Magic eraser for plastic

Use compressed air to get the water out

TECH: THE MOTOREX DEEP CLEAN PROTECT AND LUBE With a clean and dry bike, the next step is to lubricate and protect the bike. Lubricate your chain with a product like Motorex Adventure chain lube, making sure to shake the can aggressively for a couple of minutes prior to use. Pivot points like your foot pegs and levers (pivots that don’t use sealed bearings) will benefit from a product like Motorex Joker 440, which is a water displacing lubricant. This will help drive out any remaining water and lube the pivots. If you’re going to be parking your bike for long term storage, it’s a great idea to hit all of your metal parts with Motorex Moto Protect. This is a corrosion inhibitor that will protect aluminum, magnesium, chrome, and other alloy parts from corrosive damage while the bike is in storage. For bikes in regular use, Motorex Moto Shine MS1 is great way to make your bike look like new, and provide a measure of protection against dirt and mud. In just a few quick minutes with a clean towel and a can of MS1, you can make a several year-old bike look like new. It brings back that new bike shine, and I never get tired of people commenting on how good a hammered several year-old bike looks, just because I spent five minutes giving the bike a little bit of love with MS1. When sprayed on wet and allowed to dry, MS1 creates a coating that makes it harder for mud and dirt to stick, so your next wash is an easier one. If you know that you’ll be riding in muddy conditions, a few minutes with MS1 can save serious wash time down the road.

Motorex cleaning and lubricants is our preference

TECH: THE MOTOREX DEEP CLEAN Bike washing is an essential component of motorcycle care and maintenance. With a little bit of time and effort, you can ensure that your motorcycle(s) are clean and ready to go for any sort of ride, and that they’re in good mechanical order as well. Cleaning a bike forces you to look closely at its parts, so don’t be surprised if you happen to notice things that need attention while you’re cleaning the bike. If you don’t have a pressure washer, I’d strongly recommend getting one as they’re incredibly valuable cleaning tools, but the same workflow presented here will work with a garden hose and spray nozzle – you just might need to supply more elbow grease. Either way, build the habit of cleaning your bikes properly to enjoy owning a bike that looks great, is easy to work on, and thanks to your cleaning and care efforts will last a long time. For more information on the Motorex products, visit www.motorexusa.com

TAP THE MAP FOR YOUR NEXT OFF-ROAD ADVENTURE Explore thousands of miles of interactive trails for 4x4, SxS, ATV, and dirt bikes across the nation. Color-coded trails let you see which are open with just a glance. Tap on any trail to access details like difficulty rating, clearance level, duration, open and close dates, trail photos, and more. Your paper maps can’t do that.

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BY CHAD DE ALVA

RUBY MOTO R7 LIGHT Ruby Moto’s R7 light is the big brother to the R4 light that we tested in UPSHIFT Issue 65. The R7 has many of the same notable features as the R4, but now there are seven CREE LEDs, and total light output is rated at 7500 Lumens at 59 watts. Thanks to a collaboration with MotoMinded, the R7 light is a drop in headlight replacement kit for many KTM and Husqvarna dirt bikes. Eager to put the big Ruby R7 to the test, we dropped one into our 2019 KTM 300 XC-W. The R7 is an impressive light, and holding one in your hand is where you first start to appreciate the features that this (and other Ruby Moto lights) have. Most obvious is the light’s machined housing, which lets the light dissipate heat more efficiently than the cast housings that many other fancy light manufacturers use. This also makes the light quite durable. On the illuminating side of things, seven CREE LEDs run by a Japanese-made circuit board shine through a German-made lens. The sum of these parts is a very well-made light that does a truly impressive job distributing light on the trail in front of the rider. Installing the R7 into a compatible dirt bike is an easy process. First, remove your bike’s headlight mask and unplug your stock headlight. Next, you’ll remove the candle in a housing that’s your stock headlight from the headlight mask. The R7 comes installed in a bracket that’s made by MotoMinded, and this assembly drops right in place of your stock headlight. The bracket allows you to tilt the R7 as needed so that you can aim the light exactly where you want it. A good starting point is a few degrees tilted down from vertical – this way the light is pointed ever so slightly downwards when you’re riding on the bike and the suspension is at rider sag. With the light assembly installed, make the plug and play wiring connections, reinstall the headlight mask on your bike, and go ride! It’s always fun to unleash a fancy new light in the night for the first time, and the Ruby Moto R7 does not disappoint. At full power, the light unleashes a beautifully diffuse beam of light that provides plenty of distance and area coverage without the hard edges (think of projector car headlights) that some other top shelf fancy lights have. Color temperature (5000K) on the R7 is close enough to daylight that everything looks normal, and not like some over-filtered Instagram photo. Whether you are picking your way through a properly technical wash, or just cranking down dirt roads at night, the R7 brings the lumens to make riding at night a great time.

TESTED: RUBY MOTO R7 LIGHT

TESTED: RUBY MOTO R7 LIGHT Ruby Moto also makes a yellow filter called a Hyper-Vis filter that slips on over the R7 with a silicone boot. Yellow (also known as amber) light helps cut through dust, so if you’re riding with others at night, or you need to be seen in the dust during the day, this is a great thing to have. The actual filter can be pressed in and out of the boot, so you can swap in a clear filter for additional light protection. Be careful with these filters – they have a tendency to separate when they’re packed away, so make sure that the filter is properly installed in the boot before you install it on the light. An optional resistor dimmer dongle is a great option to add to the R7, if your bike has a high / low / off switch for its headlight. The dimmer dongle allows for 100% power output on high, but cuts output significantly on low, making the light much better suited for use as a daytime running light. Don’t be that rider blinding others with a dazzlingly bright light in the day. It’s important to know that the resistor dimmer dongle works by converting current into heat, so the resistor will get very hot during extended periods of use. As a headlight, the Ruby Moto R7 with MotoMinded bracket is a great option for any KTM or Husqvarna dirt bike that can use it. The R7’s light output is exceptional – it has distance coverage for all but the fastest of desert racers, and plenty of area coverage for illuminating what is coming down the trail at you. There are no hard edges or hot spots with the R7 – just tons of useable light. Other LEDs have color temperatures that can make the world look funny and can contribute to eyestrain and fatigue, but the R7’s 5000K output is easy on the eyes. The slip-on filters are an easy way to add a layer of protection to the R7, or to easily add better performance in the dust with the yellow Hyper Vis filter. MotoMinded’s brackets are awesome, and every single one I’ve used over the past few years has worked flawlessly. The net effect of all of these parts is one truly outstanding dirt bike light. For more information on the Ruby Moto R7, visit www.rubymoto.com.

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TÉNÉRÉ 70

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RIOTS IN IRAN, CONVOYS IN PAKISTAN The Iranian people’s fierce protests for more women’s rights and the regime’s heavy-handed repression, may cast a shadow over Iran today, but we cannot help but be particularly charmed by this mysterious country. After more conservative cities like Qom and Zanjan, we arrived in Tehran, the largest and also the most liberal city of the country. Women were casually dangling their chador, illegal alcohol was for sale if you knew the right people, and as we strolled through the park the overwhelming smell of green cigarettes met us. The sole officer in charge of keeping the park “safe” stood by and watched. More than anything, Iranians just want to be able to do the same things we do in the West. And secretly they do. The young people party away at illegal pool parties, drink alcohol, flirt and enjoy their young lives. The rebellious nature of the Tehran people is a harsh reaction to the strict religious laws: the imaginary middle finger to the much-hated regime is everywhere. Until things go wrong, of course. Arash, a friend from Shiraz, was rewarded with 80 lashes for being caught with beer. “It wasn’t too bad after all,” so he said, “but now it’s time for the Ayatollahs to go and never come back.” By Tom and Caroline www.motomorgana.com

Dasht-e-Lut, Iran

Northern Iran

Pizza that any proud Italian would envy, delicious vegetarian dishes and the best kebab in town. After five months on the road, we felt we deserved it. And we sure did! A delicious coffee in the historic setting of an old pre-revolutionary brewery, could it be more ironic? Those few days in Tehran were a relief, but adventure called relentlessly. We gave our steel horses the spurs again and headed north toward the border region with Turkmenistan. Every single day endless dirt tracks brought us to some godforsaken village with incredibly hospitable people. Countless times we were stopped and invited to yet another dinner with an Iranian family or lined up for yet another photo with those two crazy travelers on bikes. For hundreds of miles, we rode south through the desert on paved roads. We had distance to cover because our Iranian visa would soon expire, so we usually rode until sundown to find ourselves in places where the first tourist had yet to set foot, like the town of Ravar. A dodgy hotel that any western hygienic inspector would lock and seal in no time became our sleeping place for the night. Caroline and I were relaxing on the dirty bed after the long riding day, when all of a sudden we heard a loud knock on the door. It turned out to be two Iranians, dressed completely in black. “Police! Give me your passport and your visa!”. Wow, we didn’t see that one coming. “Eh, do you have some form of identification maybe?” That was not the case.

After weeks of flat bread and lentils in hot sauce, this yak burger tasted divine. KKH, Pakistan

The obese wild-haired hotel owner in his undershirt was signaling that these were real cops, as if they were going to throw me in jail for every wrong word or move. I didn’t trust it though. What if this hotel owner was a member of some shady gang and had called two accomplices to kidnap me under the pretext of a police check. I told them to show their ID or I would go back into my room. We didn’t get more than a few pictures of one of the officers in uniform on his phone. The atmosphere became more grim and they insisted on taking me to the station. What was I supposed to do now? Stand my ground but risk being questioned all night with a flashlight in my face, or meekly go along, hoping these were real cops. Before I realized what was happening, I was pushed into a car and a mad rally

Some advice from the border official when crossing into Pakistan

ride ensued all the way to a building with flags on the facade. “You see sir, this is the police station.” As if I could even read the crazy Persian writing. But they had computers and a handful of uniformed jokers walking around, so it seemed all right. “What’s your itinerary?” “Well, we want to go through the Lut desert and head to Pakistan.” “No sir, that route is forbidden. The desert is full of bandits! You cannot take that route.” After half an hour of questioning and the inevitable round of selfies, the policemen drove me back to the hotel. But bloody hell, one of the highlights of Iran turned out to be forbidden. Except, a few days later, we took our chances. At 6:30 a.m. we were already on our bikes on our way to Shadad, the gateway to the Lut desert, hoping the checkpoint cops would still be half asleep. We sneaked through the first checkpoint where we saw the cop stepping outside as we were a hundred yards away already. Give it some more throttle, honey, we got through! Yes!

Dasht-e-Lut, Iran

Metallica fans along the Afghan border, Iran

Balochistan, Pakistan

The Karakoram Highway, Pakistan

ATM at the 15400 ft high Khunjerab Pass, Pakistan

The Karakoram Highway, Pakistan

The Khunjerab Pass on the border with China. KKH, Pakistan

Dash-e-Lut, the Lut desert, holds the world record of the highest surface temperature ever recorded: 160°F! That day it was a rather mild 113°F, ideal for 250 km of desert fun through landscapes full of jagged rock formations, dazzling salt flats and, above all, sand. Caroline, motorcycles and sand may not be the best combo, but I took my Husky for a good spin in the sandbox and boy did I enjoy it!

THE HELL OF BALOCHISTAN The border crossing from Iran to Pakistan was one we won’t easily forget. The formalities at the border were not that bad. It took about three hours before we were finally let into the Pakistani province of Balochistan after yet another round of questions. Balochistan borders Afghanistan and does not have the most impeccable reputation in terms of security, but we had weathered bigger storms than this; only some Pakistani bigwig had once decided that foreigners should be escorted at all times and are certainly not allowed on the streets alone. So, we slept in dirty police stations with horror sanitation and, as a premium, a great view on a cage full of prisoners. Going outside? Forget about it! We were completely at the mercy of the police. Every move we made, a cop with a kalashnikov was next to us. Crossing Balochistan the proper way is done at best behind a Toyota Hilux worn to the bone, burning more oil than gas. The exhaust fumes just made us sick. About 30 times we had to change convoys and had to follow old bangers or a moped with two heavily armed 18-year-olds at a whopping speed of 25mph ... or a rundown Suzuki micro-car at 26mph. Whereas we were initially supposed to be “free” in the city of Quetta after 650km, the lies kept piling up. “No sir, the escort is up to the Balochistan border,” only to continue at that particular border again until Islamabad, some 1,500 km in total. Our frustrations ran high and there were heated discussions. “If you don’t drive 60 mph, we won’t follow.” “You have to follow, sir.” “Wait and see!”

The Karakoram Highway, Pakistan

We opened the throttle and drove off, leaving the sluggish police escorts behind. At first, we still stopped at the checkpoints which - given their attempts to block the road - had clearly received phone calls from their colleagues. But when the umpteenth snail drove in front of us, we just gassed it. They tried to confiscate our keys and withhold our passports, but that was beyond my boiling temper. In an unguarded moment I snatched the passports out of the cop’s hands, and we stood face to face: “You are keeping our passports? Over my dead body, sir.” There was pushing and shoving and the atmosphere was pretty grim, but we were really so fed up with this whole circus. One cop tried to record a TikTok video promoting Pakistan: “What did you think of Pakistan so far, sir?” “We absolutely hate it! It’s the worst experience ever!” “Oh, did you have a bad experience, sir?”, he asked still amazed. “You know what the bad experience is? You and you and you and you and all of these useless, inefficient and frustrating convoy cops around!” I guess that clip didn’t actually make it to TikTok.

Adjusting the chain with an audience on the KKH, Pakistan

Decorating your truck is a big thing here in Pakistan

Central Iran desert

Northern Iran

Karakoram mountains, Pakistan

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FYI: Kaka means “shit” in many languages. We didn’t have dinner here… Gilgit, Pakistan

Weed plants are just a

about everywhere along the KKH, Pakistan

iking in the Karakoram mountains, Pakistan

We finally worked our way through the next checkpoints without even stopping and left those crazy convoy cops behind. This frustrating circus lasted six full days, and we saw virtually nothing of Balochistan. Can anyone tell that bigwig what a complete waste of time this was? It was after dark when we finally joined the snarling traffic of Islamabad, exhausted but unescorted. We thought we deserved a slightly better hotel this time, and that spicy dish of lentils in oil had to give way to a sumptuous McDonalds menu on the top floor of the far too posh shopping mall. We spent three days in Islamabad mentally recovering from our convoy horror story before heading north. KKH The Karakoram Highway is the 800 mile road that connects Islamabad to the 15400 ft high Khunjerab pass, in the very north of the country on the border with China. The KKH definitely belongs in the list of legendary motorcycle rides like Ruta 40 in Argentina, the Road of Bones in Siberia, the Carretera Austral in Chile and the Dempster Highway in Canada. The contrast with southern Pakistan could not be greater. Absolute freedom surrounded by jaw dropping landscapes. Endless wild rock formations and snow-capped peaks, some over 25000 ft high. Today the KKH is entirely paved but that doesn’t make the ride any less impressive. Due to the exceptionally heavy rains of the past few weeks, landslides had washed away entire sections of track. Giant boulders blocked much of the road and where there was once a guardrail, there was now nothing more than a pile of warped steel. Forgotten villages where time stood still were part of the scenery. Cannabis plants on every free plot of land indicated the production of Pakistan’s pride here: artisan hash. They enveloped the ride in a spicy fragrance. But above all, it was the grandeur of nature that was overwhelming. No bike, let’s go hike! Caroline had the genius idea to leave the bikes behind and spend a day hiking in Passu, a village of no more than 100 inhabitants surrounded by high peaks. The hike would be 10 miles long and we had arranged for a guide because the road could be “a little bit dangerous,” the hotel owner told us. His son would accompany us most personally. Admittedly, the trek was a bit tricky here and there with narrow paths, slippery surfaces, deep abysses and the occasional gap we had to jump over because the path had disappeared.

Crossing the river Pakistani style. KKH, Pakistan.

Cricket is everywhere in the streets of Gilgit, Pakistan

A little rock fell down every now and then… KKH, Pakistan

Yak on the KKH, Pakistan

Our guide was already on his fourth joint (something he thought was the most normal thing in the world) when, after 9.5 miles, we came to a crossing that even I - for the record, I am the one without a fear of heights - didn’t fancy at all. High on hash and only 55kgs in weight, our guide wanted to lead us over a precipice ten ft wide and 1500 ft deep. “I will hold you, sir.” That wasn’t going the happen! Caroline was freaking out and started crying. She was so desperate. For a moment we thought we would walk the whole trip back, but we wouldn’t make it before dark. So our red eyed friend called the local rescue team. They would come and help us, with ropes and stuff, and a harness, so we would be safe. Nine men showed up. One in his Sunday shiny shoes, another one in sandals and yet another one in flip flops. Except for a piece of rope, they had nothing. Like mountain goats they jumped over every crevasse and when their feet started sliding down, they just remained dead calm. These guys had grown up in the mountains and it showed. We grew up in “le plat pays”, which showed as well. I can still see myself standing on that sandy edge 4 inches wide above a 1500 ft deep abyss, supported by a motley crew whom I begged to please hold on to me. I must admit, in the more than 80 coun-

Chaotic traffic in town. Punjab, Pak

tries we have traveled on the bike, I have never been as close as this to literally shitting my pants. We finally made it through, but both Caroline and I haven’t stopped shaking for at least half a day; our egos took a hit, that much is sure. “I suggest we’ll just stick to the bikes for now honey…” Today we are back in Islamabad. I just spent a whole day working at the airport to get our brand new Mitas tires through customs without paying import duties. It required some pushing and shoving and I finally ended up in the big customs chief’s office, but the effort was rewarded. Tomorrow we’ll mount them on the rims before leaving for India, the land of spicy food and crazy traffic, so we were told. Next up: India and Nepal. Current position: Islamabad, Pakistan Days on the road: 173 Distance covered: 14000 miles Mood: Tired, nothing seems to go very smoothly since entering Pakistan What did we miss the most: Finger resistant toilet paper Biggest frustration: Pakistani police escorts Best moment: Surviving the mountains

Sleeping on the rooftop of the polic

kistan

ce station in Balochistan, Pakistan

Military checkpoint on the KKH, Pakistan

Taking petrol with an audience, Balochistan, Pakistan

Hiking in the Karakoram mountains, Pakistan

The Karakoram Highway, Pakistan

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02 - 2022

JOHN O’ GROATS TO LAND’S END – PART 2: ENGLAND

Dual-sport motorcycles are magical. In one moment you can be carving along a perfectly manicured roadway, enjoying the rhythmic motion of the “twisties”, and then suddenly be transported to a remote countryside where you are challenged by uneven gravel roads, rutted paths, and rocky terrain. The dual-sport provides the solitude of getting away from the rat-race of our daily lives, while also providing a strong sense of community and camaraderie among fellow riders. After many months of COVID restrictions and the relative isolation of traveling around Europe over the past 18-months, Chantil and I were eager to connect with other motorcycle overlanders at the Overland Event in Oxford, England.

BY TRAVIS GILL OF VIAJARMOTO.COM

Sharing Stories with Motorcycle Overland Legends Those who know about world-wide motorcycle overlanding have undoubtedly heard of names like Ted Simon, Sam Manicom, Lisa and Simon Thomas, Elspeth Beard, Tiffany Coates, Steph Jeavons, and many others – just to name a few. Each one of these motorcycle travelers have ridden hundreds of thousands of miles around the world on two wheels, and have many incredible stories to share. Most of them have written books that we had read, so it was especially enjoyable to shake their hands and thank them for their inspirations. Chantil was so inspired that she even started having the women riders sign the plastic fairings of her motorcycle. During the Overland Event, we were given the opportunity to present and share our stories from our previous 18-months of motorcycle traveling. We talked about our preparation for living on the road full-time, shared the disappointments of having our plans fall apart due to the COVID pandemic, and the elation of discovering travel freedom in the Balkan countries of eastern Europe. We also discussed how we navigated the 90-day Schengen limits associated with the largest visa free zone of 26 European countries. Due to Brexit, these Schengen restrictions were a new concept for many motorcyclists who lived in the countries of the United Kingdom. After the event, we were invited by Steph Jeavons to ride through her beautiful country of Wales on a tour aptly named “The Big Welsh Adventure” (Issue 64). To say that we were astonished by the beautiful terrain and off-road trails of Wales would be an understatement. The enchanted views of the sweeping countrysides felt as mythical as the red dragon that is emblazed upon their national flag. It truly was a highlight of our travels around Great Britain. A Transatlantic Traveling Toy Cat People often ask how Chantil and I plan our motorcycle touring routes. We tend to be destination oriented travelers, where we use Google Maps to place “want to go” pins with labels. After leaving Wales, we noticed a pin on our map marked “Twinkle Toes” at the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands. This pin was created a few years prior, during a motorcycle trip through Ireland, where we came across an interesting historical monument dedicated to the first non-stop transatlantic flight, and learned about a transatlantic traveling toy cat.

If you asked most Americans, “Who was the first person to fly across the Atlantic Ocean?” most would probably say Charles Lindberg. After all, he was an American, born in Detroit, and became famous for the solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Paris in his airplane, the Spirit of Saint Louis. American history books tend to glamorize Americans. However, the first to make the daring flight across the Atlantic, was English Captain John Alcock and Scottish Lieutenant Arthur Whitten Brown. On June 15th, 1919, Alcock and Brown became the first aviators to fly non-stop across the Atlantic Ocean from St. John’s, Newfoundland to Clifden, Ireland. The sixteen hour flight was not an easy one – a failed generator left them without a radio, an intercom, and heating. For most of the flight they suffered through poor visibility with thick fog, a snow storm that nearly caused them to crash twice, and finally an unglamorous nose-over landing at Derrigimlagh Bog on the west coast of Ireland. Some would say they were lucky. Perhaps it was the black cat toy mascots that they carried with them on their flight. Alcock had Lucky Jim, while Brown carried Twinkle Toes. Our discovery to find Twinkle Toes was the catalyst for riding to the Royal Air Force Museum Midlands in search of some history of British aviation, and to see a stuffed toy cat that made the famous crossing across the Atlantic over 100 years ago. When we arrived at the museum, we were greeted by a retired Royal Air Force pilot who enthusiastically showed us the beautiful restorations of aircraft from their WWI and WWII collection. We especially enjoyed seeing the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fighters used during the Battle of Britain. The museum also featured a wonderful collection of German Luftwaffe aircraft to include the Messerschmitt BF109 and the Focke Wulf FW190, with its BMW designed 801 radial motor with iconic BMW badging.

After the tour, we questioned our guide, “We came to see a stuffed toy cat called Twinkle Toes. Is it on display somewhere?” With a quizzical look that seemed to say, “We have hundreds of restored aircraft here and you’ve come to see a toy cat!?” He politely answered, “I don’t know of this cat. Perhaps it is in another section of the museum.” After a little bit of searching we found Twinkle Toes in a glass display case, along with some other interesting facts. 60 years after the flight of Alcock and Brown, Twinkle Toes, once again, took to the skies – this time, in a Royal Air Force Phantom jet. The flight lasted only six hours and they landed without mishap. The Iconic Sites of London The next pin on our Google Maps was to visit the iconic city of London. We had been warned that motorcycle theft was rampant in the major cities of England, so we opted to store our mules with a friend and take the train to London for three days. Besides, riding the London Underground felt like a much better way to appreciate this popular city. We enjoyed the typical tourist destinations like the Abbey Road Crosswalk that was made famous by the thirteenth Beatles album. We passed through Paddington Station where we found a statue dedicated to Paddington Bear, ate Marmalade sandwiches, and people-watched the thousands of individuals hurrying along from station to station. We snapped pictures of the typical postcard destination of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, the Palace of Westminster, the Great Bell of the Great Clock of Westminster – better known as Big Ben, and the Tower Bridge that spans the famous Thames River. London is also home to one of the most recognizable examples of contemporary architecture – the 30 St Mary Axe building, however the locals have affectionally called it “The Gherkin” since it has the shape of a small pickle.

Seeing these iconic places was special, but what we really enjoyed was getting away from the touristy areas and discovering the wonderful array of murals and street art hidden throughout the city, especially in the district of Shoreditch. Armed with a local street art map, we wandered around the vibrant streets and enjoyed the interesting variety of colors and styles of graffiti. London has become one of the most pro-graffiti cities in the world, with street art being widely embraced by the public, especially by famous street artist like Stik’s, D*Face, Jaune, C215, Invader, and of course, Banksy. For those looking for some motorcycle culture, the iconic Ace Cafe in North West London, should not be missed. It was originally built in 1938 as a 24-hour cafe to accommodate truckers and motorists from the newly built road locally known as the North Circular. By the 1950s it had become a popular hangout for motorcyclists and the Rockers – a subculture of youth that centered around British motorcycles and rock ‘n’ roll music. I made sure to purchase a sticker that has proudly ridden on my toolbox tool tube ever since.

Reaching the End of the Road As we continued to connect Google Map pins, our meanderings brought us to Land’s End – the most westerly point of mainland England. Reaching this point of our travels officially completed our journey from John O’ Groats, Scotland, a distance of 837 miles (1,347 km) by road. We made sure to visit the iconic Land’s End Signpost that was established in the 1950s, and enjoy the natural beauty of the steep granite cliffs and grass covered landscape. There is also a small museum where one can learn about other travelers who have made the journey from John O’ Groats. “End to enders” like Mark Hodgson who organized three vintage motorcycle events and rode on a collection of motorcycles that ranged from a 1921 250cc New Imperial to a 1930 633cc Big 4 Norton. Making it to Land’s End was not the end of the road for us. We still had more of the southern coast to explore, including a Google Maps pin labeled “See Ronda the Honda” at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu. A History of Motorcycle Culture The Motor Museum in Beaulieu has a huge collection of over 280 vehicles and motoring memorabilia. The first publicly available motor-bicycle was produced by Excelsior Motor Company in 1896. Royal Enfield followed five years later with a 239cc engine that was coupled to a rear wheel using a belt. By 1910, manufacturers Norton and the British Small Arms Company (BSA) would also be making their own version of a motorcycle. Some of our favorites of the museum included a 1912 490cc Norton Brooklands Special (BS). The Norton achieved over a hundred solo and sidecar records between 1912 and 1920, and was the first to exceed 80 mph on a sub-500cc bike. The rear was driven with a direct belt drive, with no clutch and gears. Pure simplicity. Another motorcycle that caught our eye was the Ascot-Pillin 496cc with hydraulic brakes, interchangeable wheels, and handlebars with a built-in instrument panel and windscreen. With such a large collection of motorcycles, there is bound to be something that will get your heart racing. We even came across a portion of the museum that showcased the vehicles used in the last James Bond film, No Time to Die, that featured a beautifully modified Triumph Scrambler 1200 that was used for the thrilling chase scene through the cobblestoned streets of Matera, Italy.

The highlight of our trip to the National Motor Museum was seeing Ronda the Honda. This CRF250L safely delivered Steph Jeavons around the world through 74,000 miles, 54 countries, and even reaching the continent of Antarctica. After having read Steph’s book, Home by Seven, it was fun to see all the stickers, names of countries written on the windscreen, and the skull of a springbok zip-tied to the fender of her bike. The Journey Continues By the time we had made it to southern England, the cooler temperatures and chill of the autumn season were upon us. It was time to move on to the warmer regions of Europe. We booked a ferry from Portsmouth, England to Santander, Spain where we hope to explore more of the Iberian Peninsula over the winter. More adventure awaits.

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