No worries. Dirt Child just arrived home from college. I'm taken up for a while with that. We'll talk more.

I did mention to DM you were trip planning. Keep in mind she's not fond of getting too far from civilization. Not her thing.

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2012 XT1200Z Blue, 2012 XT1200Z Black

That is spoken as if I have a reputation about that or something!

I can't clearly remember from last year's trip, but I am guessing because of the above statement, "accommodations" at the end of the day are preferred over camping; right?

__________________
2007 DL-650 (111,000 + miles)
"A word grows to a thought; a thought to an idea; an idea to an act. All the pieces are put together, and the whole is yours."
1942, Beryl Markham: "West With the Night"
"In most men, there lurks a lesser man, and his presence smells in the the sun."
1961, Ernest K. Gann: "Fate Is The Hunter"

Oh yes, Army ruined me for camping. Wife, too.

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2012 XT1200Z Blue, 2012 XT1200Z Black

Barry, here is more of what a Tenere can do...specifically mine. I had planned lead a group ride if we had too many people show up this weekend. My ride wasn't necessary so I decieded to checkout my route alone this morning. Was so glad I did not take a bunch of strangers down this road. Do you recognize Blackwater Canyon Road (US Rt219)? Comes out very close to Rt 72.

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2012 XT1200Z Blue, 2012 XT1200Z Black

Parts of it look a lot like Rte 630 in New Brunswick, but DL650's go MUCH faster.

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-Tom (DL650AL2) (KA1TOX) (E-I-E-I-O)

This message and images are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. http://creativecommons.org

I can't watch it right now.

That's because I am uploading a large video of Saturday's ride to YouTube.

I will watch your video tomorrow evening.

And, you can watch mine!

BTW, tmcgee is right.

DL-650s are much faster.

B.L.

__________________
2007 DL-650 (111,000 + miles)
"A word grows to a thought; a thought to an idea; an idea to an act. All the pieces are put together, and the whole is yours."
1942, Beryl Markham: "West With the Night"
"In most men, there lurks a lesser man, and his presence smells in the the sun."
1961, Ernest K. Gann: "Fate Is The Hunter"

No doubt. But for a 600+lbs bike loaded for camping that I can hit the hardtop and ride in comfort up to Barry's house and beyond I'm pretty damn happy it can do a road like this and keep me smiling.

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2012 XT1200Z Blue, 2012 XT1200Z Black

Yeah, I was up around 800 pounds fully loaded for 5 days sleeping on the ground. Did I fail to mention I broke a shock at 60+ mph on that road?

Hell of a ride though!

__________________
-Tom (DL650AL2) (KA1TOX) (E-I-E-I-O)

This message and images are licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. http://creativecommons.org

Sounds like fun. Sometimes I do miss blasting through a road like this one on a true dirt bike. But when I can still ride them with the S10 it makes it hard to justify buying a dirt bike. Plus I've become very conservative when alone in the middle of nowhere. I'm more likely to ride way under skills and desires if I know that no one will find me for a few days/weeks.

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2012 XT1200Z Blue, 2012 XT1200Z Black

That is really great riding, Jon! Not easy to do with a large motorcycle.

I am curious, just how the heck does a shaft drive bike "adjust" with the rapid movement of the swingarm over the kind of stuff you rode over, (and through!). I STILL can't quite wrap my head around how the technology works, and is able to withstand this kind of punishment.

The potential $$$ repairs, (Like on the BMW famous "final drive failures".), scare the heck out of me.

B.

__________________
2007 DL-650 (111,000 + miles)
"A word grows to a thought; a thought to an idea; an idea to an act. All the pieces are put together, and the whole is yours."
1942, Beryl Markham: "West With the Night"
"In most men, there lurks a lesser man, and his presence smells in the the sun."
1961, Ernest K. Gann: "Fate Is The Hunter"