[bikefree]

Wowsa! Thanks for the article. This dude is bada$$.

Make sure to follow the link to see and read, but the quote below is strom related.

Stephan has two 2005 DL650 V-Stroms. The blue DL650 in the big pictures here had 149,502 miles on it when the pictures were taken. This DL650 got upper-end work under extended warranty at 117,000 miles when the valves could no longer be adjusted. Recently the clutch plates were replaced. The red DL650 in the smaller picture on the right had 118,000 miles on it when I took the photograph in June, 2010; it now has 136,000 miles on it and is using about a quart of oil every 1000 miles.

 

[greywolf]

I wonder if the bikes got all their scheduled maintenance and if the air filter was ever replaced without the gasket. Even dealers made mistakes fitting new air filters without taking the gaskets off the old ones until Suzuki started including new gaskets on replacement air filters a couple of years ago. Running air filters without gaskets will cause valve seat and piston ring damage. Slightly Dirty Intakes?

 

[boyitgobob]

I'd like to know what the heck he's got stuffed in the trailer that makes it necessary to strap a tent, sleeping bag, etc onto the seat and run tank panniers and bag. :jawdrop: The main appeal of a trailer for me would be to have a relatively 'clean' bike, just top and/or side cases, maybe a bag for a backrest. He sure does 'do the miles', and it looks like he never gets far from home, he brings most of it with him. Wish I had the time and money to be doing that.

 

[Dread7]

I'd like to know what the heck he's got stuffed in the trailer that makes it necessary to strap a tent, sleeping bag, etc onto the seat and run tank panniers and bag. :jawdrop: The main appeal of a trailer for me would be to have a relatively 'clean' bike, just top and/or side cases, maybe a bag for a backrest. He sure does 'do the miles', and it looks like he never gets far from home, he brings most of it with him. Wish I had the time and money to be doing that.

I'm just guessing but I'd say he has all the amenities of truck camping in there. Like a cot, sheets, a lantern for the campsite, full sleeping bag, cooking utensils etc....

And in the front of the trailer not only does he have a full food cooler, he has a piece of PVC cut for standing the trailer in an even position. Are those CB or Ham radio antennae on the back? If so he may have had a full radio setup in there as well with a remote up front. That cable to the back looks rather large.

 

[Chuck in Indiana]

He was at the European Cycle Rally in Burkesville, KY in early May with the bike and trailer. As I recall, he uses a rather small, two-person tent. I didn't get the opportunity to talk to him though.

 

[JPK]

Holy cow that's a lot of stuff. Can't argue with the mileage, and to each their own I guess, but at what point does it become so much like driving a truck that you might as well just drive a truck?

 

[Illinois]

Sounds like someone that lived his dream. Rest in peace.

 

[EC90T]

Steve (the guy pictured with his Wee) is a buddy. The amount of miles he puts on a bike in a month's time is staggering (6K+ during the warmer months). He has two Wee's and they both have well over 100K miles on them.

The rig with the trailer generally gets 48mpg all loaded down. You can't fathom how well the trailer tracks behind his Wee.

 

[rjwinz]

If you look at Verle's bike list you can see he got a new one about every year. He was meticulous about keeping records of every journey and every bike. Its still hard to believe he was killed passing on a curve and losing control of a bike after all his experience. It appears he was on his Yamaha 950 cruiser - not the kind of bike to be doing that on (if at all). Sad.