Would you guys recommend having a skid plate for a trip up to Deadhorse?
All I have now is the fenda extenda, I don't do a lot of gravel roads and want to make sure my oil filter is protected.

At least get a magnet and coffee can over the filter if you don't want to put a skid plate on. Given that all sorts of bikes and mopeds do that road, I don't think a skid plate is mandatory. If you break down though, don't come hunting me, lol.

Just did the Dalton 3 weeks ago on my NC700X,GOOD tires are all you really need.My filter hangs down like a Wee and I had no prblems at all.I would recommend TKC's or K60's if it's wet.I ran TKC80 front and K60 rear on both our bikes and had NO trouble on any of the roads.Some parts of the Alaska Highway ( thru the Yukon ) are worse than the Dalton.If it's dry most of the Dalton is smooth and a 50+mph road.

.If it's dry most of the Dalton is smooth and a 50+mph road.[/QUOTE]

I just got back also and I remember a lot of washboarding of the roads. The smooth parts tricks you when all of a sudden its washboard dirt... We lucked out with 50 dgs and sunny on july 4 into Prudhoe bay... Canada had 4 days of rain.. Atigun pass was a piece of cake.
Actually the whole ride from Fairbanks to Prudhoe was kind of anticlimactic. No horror stories at all.. The motorcycle gods must have been smiling on us.

I just got back also and I remember a lot of washboarding of the roads. The smooth parts tricks you when all of a sudden its washboard dirt... We lucked out with 50 dgs and sunny on july 4 into Prudhoe bay... Canada had 4 days of rain.. Atigun pass was a piece of cake.
Actually the whole ride from Fairbanks to Prudhoe was kind of anticlimactic. No horror stories at all.. The motorcycle gods must have been smiling on us.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the advice.

how did you like the TKC front with the K60 rear for ride and tire life?? that looks and sounds like it would be a good combination...

do you think it's necessary for alaska ride?

I did it with a skid plate, and I think I would want one again. If it's wet the muck gets everywhere. I'm still cleaning, and I will never get all of it off unless I tear the bike down. Rocks get thrown up when you least expect it. Talked to a guy on a KTM990 that hit a volleyball sized rock at speed, blew his fork seals out. Fortunately he was only about 200 miles from Fairbanks at the time. No, it's not way out there in the boonies where no one is around to hear you if you scream, but at the same time, why not take every reasonable precaution? A punctured oil filter will completely ruin your day, and probably your trip.

Bass, on the tire subject, my son and I both ran Shinkos the whole trip, no problems. There were a few moments on the Dalton where some knobs would have made me feel more comfortable, but once that mud fills up the voids I don't think it matters too much. Just my experience and opinion.

It's a AWSOME combo,I'm running that combo year round now.When we were up there it was 90% dry so a 705 or Tourance would have been ok,but for the 10% that was wet the TKC/K60 combo was PERFECT..

I haven't been up the Dalton (yet!), but I've traveled many of the backroads around South-Central Alaska. Most times a skid plate isn't needed, but...:


No, that wasn't from my bike. It was the two guys in this VW:


I'd get the skid plate...well, actually, I did get the skid plate and I've never regretted it.