R1200ST from Alaska

mosquito

mosquito

Above all I like to play.
A friend of mine's brother left his appx 2006 BMW R1200ST in Alaska and I was just presented with the idea of my riding it back to the 48 for him. Such a trip is pretty long -- in distance the same scale as riding to the East Coast.

Would you do such a thing on this sort of bike? How comfortable would it be? At first glance at it has me concerned about the clip-ons.
 
SFMCjohn

SFMCjohn

13
did Alaska on a K75s and it was wonderful experience ...

think the ‘06 R1200ST has height adjustable handgrips, windshield and seat ...?

three weeks would give me time to ride from Anchorage to the Bay Area and try to see Denali and/or Homer and maybe and in-and-out to Valdez or Stewart/Hyder along the way. There’s a fun rally in Dawson City on the Summer solstice (would be a paved up-and-back from Whitehorse) ... late June is fun because the sun stops setting ...

great opportunity for you, totally jealous ... :thumbup:ride
 
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mosquito

mosquito

Above all I like to play.
Hmm. You all may be a bad (good) influence on me. Haha!

I know the seat is adjustable. Dunno about the windshield or grips.

Three weeks you say? My quick calculation said a minimum of 2 weeks. It would be better to over-plan. I'd want to go Fairbanks > Anchorage > (Possibly Sitka) > SF. There's a ferry I think. I wouldn't mind that for part of it. I think I'd want to do it in August, 'cause of my work schedule.

Hmm.
 
M

motomania2007

TC/MSF/CMSP/ Instructor
Give yourself a few days to make sure the bike is ready for the trip before you leave where ever it is stored. Probably ship a new set of tires and oil filter and oil at least.

But, as stated above, if I was offered the chance, I would leap at it, in the summer.
 
mosquito

mosquito

Above all I like to play.
The bike's at Friend's house in Fairbanks and has been sitting for about 2 years. The plan would be to get the bike hauled over to the local BMW shop and have them tune it up, check hoses, and replace fluids, battery, & tires, etc. about a month before my arrival just in case there's an issue getting a part. Spend a few days in Fairbanks visiting and shopping for the trip. Then probably ride to Anchorage to shake it out (I guess that distance is like SF to LA) and visit Friend2 before heading south.

Turns out hauling a bike on the ferry is expensive! (For a particular route) the human part is under $200 and the bike part is over $500! I was guessing / hoping that cost would be closer to $500 than $1000.

That is the biggest issue, I think. I can probably get Owner to pay me some $, but it would still prolly cost me more than I can easily put together.
 
Trashed 600

Trashed 600

1 Cool Guy
mosquito said:
The bike's at Friend's house in Fairbanks and has been sitting for about 2 years. The plan would be to get the bike hauled over to the local BMW shop and have them tune it up, check hoses, and replace fluids, battery, & tires, etc. about a month before my arrival just in case there's an issue getting a part. Spend a few days in Fairbanks visiting and shopping for the trip. Then probably ride to Anchorage to shake it out (I guess that distance is like SF to LA) and visit Friend2 before heading south.
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Click to expand...

I just took my BMW to the shop to get some work done. Turns out it's going to be a two-week delay, as they broke a piece. And that's for some random teeny part that's local. And I'm in the Bay Area. I would make sure that you got two months for the shop to work on it in case they have to order anything. They may have to get it from Germany.
 
bikewanker

bikewanker

Well-known member
The ferry only seems expensive. Cost out gas for the Canadian ride plus rooms if you aren’t tenting it. I really enjoyed the ferry, was very relaxing reading and looking at sky, clouds, islands and critters. We did have a very small bunk room. From here we figured the ferry would make it a one tire trip. Decide if you want to ride 4-6 days back or ferry 4 + ride 1 or 2.
Do it!
 
J

Junkie

gone for now
I'm looking at riding to Alaska this summer. Hoping to find someone to do it with. If anyone is interested, let me know. NC700X so I won't be doing a whole lot of off road.
 
mosquito

mosquito

Above all I like to play.
Hmm. Two months? Bleah. Well that does still fit my timeline. I think I'll make the actual decision in June.

I do like the idea of the ferry. If I can swing it, it means I get to visit a friend in Sitka too.
 
Afterburner

Afterburner

double finger, throttle!!
does not sound that good..

see my PM..

like i said, long jaunts are tough!

everything hast to be perfect and planned out!

Avg. temperature is foremost! length of daily drive (be realistic!, including wind)

and if your going to do more than 850mi. in a day you better have a better bike than mine sport touring '04 Honda ST1300 stock $16kUSD, my bike can do it!!!! i just can't (Titanium Butt Club), ok i did it a few times but i slept standing up for 2 weeks every time... not fun! no glory! just standing in a corner... :ride was fun... but let me warn you :afm199

-darrin
 
mototireguy

mototireguy

Moto Tire Veteran
I did SFO-ANC in a car once, kind of a rush trip with friend that needed to be there in 1 week for new job.

SF, Portland, Vancouver, Prince George, Dease Lake, Whitehorse, Tok, Anchorage. Six nights average driving 9 hours per day. Doing it solo can be rough. Two drivers in a car driving 4.5 hours each per day not so bad.

Going solo on a motorcycle try to add in a couple of extra stops to get the daily drive time down to a more manageable 6 hours a day in the saddle.

Weather super variable. Can get cold/rain at any time. I got lucky with early June weather, almost zero rain. It was a gorgeous drive, worth doing sometime in your lifetime. For me the most beautiful segment was the Cassiar Highway from Meziadin Junction to Dease Lake.

One of my customers did the ride last year in June on his Bmw R12gs last year got rained on alot. He holed up in Dease Lake for a few days just to dry out and warm up.
 
EMTFERN17

EMTFERN17

Well-known member
Alaska ride

I rode my 1200GSA from Tracy to Dead Horse / Pruhoe bay last July. It took me 9 days to get up there. Then rode for another 3 weeks. It’s awesome and there’s plenty of great roads in British Columbia.
 
boney

boney

Miles > Posts
If you can't do it, let me know. I'll go get it for your friend for the cost of a one-way plane ticket.

That's not said to be rude or silly or in jest. It's a point about how awesome riding a motorcycle a long ways in places you've never been is worth every bit of effort and money to do it.

(But seriously though, I'll do it! And I'm negotiable on the plane ticket.)
 
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Tom G

Tom G

"The Deer Hunter"
If you are normal size then it's ok to do a long ride on someone else's bike. If you are 6'5" like me not so much. The bike has to fit your size or it becomes pure torture.
 
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