Terry: One of the things that I appreciate most is your honest look at things. I also admire your spirit of adventure (and sense of humor!!). I echo the sentiment expressed about you not getting there on the bike. However, I always find value in lessons learned when trying this kind of thing myself. While I completely understand completing a "post incident analysis", I have a feeling that your wanderlust will get the better of you. I think you are destined to get there on the bike, and when you do, it will be amazing. Thanks very much for putting this together. Another great video for sure. I certainly would like to buy you a beer for all the knowledge you send my way!
Sean, thanks so much for the great comment...as usual. I appreciate your thoughts on this and how positive you are in your opinion. I'm still in the mode of letting the results of this trip just kind of settle in my mind. There's no doubt that I want to do the trip again, but there's a lot that goes into preparing for a trip like this as I'm sure you already know. It's also quite an expensive trip considering food, gas and lodging. This trip was even more costly with repairs, maintenance etc. on the two bikes, trailer and truck. We'll see what happens in the future. Thanks again so very much.
Its hard to watch this Terry. It could have been a trip of a lifetime for the both of us. Weatherwise it was perfect! Thanks again for riding with me all the way up north, at least i got a chance to visit both arctic circles. And maybe, just maybe we'll both be back up there, together or alone. who knows.
Good to see your still making great footage of your experiences and I’m sure riders looking at doing the same will benefit from your input. Keep them coming. Jeff W…
I rode to the arctic circle up the Dalton on a BMWR120rt from Seattle. I made it all the way to Coldfoot north of the Arctic circle and spent the night. I talked to two riders on dirt bike that had tried two days in a row and couldn’t make it over the pass due to 2 feet of snow. I knew my street bike would fail too so I headed back to Seattle. I guess I failed on my first trip too. It still was an amazing journey riding all over Alaska. I’m always in it for the ride not the destination. Thanks for the video, it was still nice to watch
You're very welcome. As I've mentioned in prior videos. you still feel a great satisfaction when you get home after a "failed" trip and realize it was still a lot of fun. Thanks for the comment and for taking the time to watch. It's greatly appreciated.
Great vids!!!!! Just began planning a 30 day ride from key west to deadhorse next May/june…..planning to pass through some parks on way. Thx for all the great info
Thank you. I hope some of it helped. You're going to put a lot of miles under your belt on that trip, but I'll bet you'll really enjoy it. And you'll have lots of memories to look back on. Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Enjoy your trip.
Sorry to see the 3rd fail. A friend of mine and I rode the Dempster and Dalton from Houston in July 2023. We both suffered fork seal failures on the left forks of our Triumph Tiger bikes. His failed on the Alcan torn up mess early on near the Alaska border. Mine failed on the first day on the Dempster after riding the Dalton. I am sure that my friend's fork was completely empty by the time we hit the Dempster. He reported that the bike handled a little strangely on the Dempster but we both completed the trip back to Houston without serious issues. You can ride a bike with one failed fork seal! Further, I rode my BMW K1600GTL over 2000 miles with a failed rear shock. Had to because BMW had no replacement available in the world at the time. I pogo-sticked the remainder of the ride while exercising caution on rough roads and curves. Bottom line: You can ride a bike with failed shocks if you exercise due care.
I'm very interested in the feedback you've given me in this comment. Thank you very much for that. I think the information I got from the two professionals in the motorcycle industry during this trip, who strongly suggested that I don't ride the bikes up the Dempster, didn't understand how much time, effort and work that went into getting that far into Canada in order to ride the bikes up to Tuk. I think if they did understand, they may have suggested to just take it easy and you might be ok (as you mentioned). I believe in their minds at the time, it was just me calling and asking their opinion about riding with leaking forks and them saying "just get them fixed first" without understanding the full scope of the situation. But even though they didn't say these things, they made me feel as though if I rode with the blown seals, I was gonna' crash and die or the bikes would cost me thousands to repair if I did it. Before I made the call to them, I was about 95% sure I was going to ride the Dempster with the blown seals anyway. I should've just kept the phone in my pocket I guess. It's kind of frustrating to think about it, but what are ya' gonna' do? Congratulations on the success of your Dempster / Dalton trip. It's well deserved and quite an accomplishment. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and the comment. Take care.
I’m always amazed at how many Americans come up to ride these roads. I live up here and I always head south to ride the roads in the USA Montana and Idaho. I blew the fork seals on my V-Strom over tightening the straps also🤷♂️🤷♂️. I use handlebar straps now (usually used for dirt bikes) for the real,rough roads and never had any issues. I do the wheel strap like you did on the way home, that prevents the wheel from sliding around Side to side. But the handle bar straps are at the high point on the bikes, and it seems to prevent the bikes from tipping side to side. Also I think they do a better job, they seem to allow the bike to use its own suspension as it is designed too. I tow a big sport tourer and a Bonneville T120
We seem to always gravitate towards the things we don't have. 🙂 I like what you've got up there...but there are great places to ride down here, I have to admit. Thanks for the useful information. I've had some commenters tell me it's impossible to blow the fork seals by over tightening the straps. They say that, but I've personally seen it happen multiple times and have heard so many others who have had the same experience. There's got to be some truth to it. Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Both of the successful motorcycle rides up the Dempster that I've watched: OneWheelDrive and Lyndon Poskitt (Races2Places) confirm it's a magical, challenging yet rewarding ride. Best wishes!
Sir - let me give you a solution to the fork seal problem you will not believe is so easily overlooked. It’s not the bumps that blows the seals. It’s the internal air pressure. You compress the air inside the forks when you compress them like this - as it’s under positive pressure the whole way. This pressure is ok while you are riding as it is momentary but extended periods the pressure will get let out - along with the oil. Either modify the fork caps to accept a schrader valve or, if there isn’t room for the schrader valve, have the cap drilled and tapped for a small pipe plug. Hence forth when you want to strap the bike down - remove the schrader / plug before loading - load, strap it down and put the valve / plug back in. When unloading - remove the valve / plug before you unstrap the bike. Once the bike is off the trailer, you just need to fully extend the fork and then plug them back up again. The forks will work as intended.
And yet another excellent episode. Thank you for all the hard (and the tedious) work. My bikes get strapped from the tires down on to the trailer, then strapped from the frame rear towards front and front towards rear. It’s very important to keep the tires from sliding side to side, and the wheels from bouncing on the rougher sections. Also, put the max PSI in the tires and crank up the preloads. And unload any gear. Try not to have the tanks full of petrol. On a different note, I have this trip planned for May 18, 2024. I’m a Spaniard, Thats been living in the SW of the US for the past 2 years. I think your biggest problem is you’ve been trying to do this with the wrong Europeans. 😂😂😂 JK. Cheers. And again, thank you.
😂The wrong Europeans...I like that...that's funny. Appreciate the trailer tips. Unfortunately, I can't strap behind the hinge of the trailer as you probably saw in the video. But the rear tire strap seemed to do the trick. I really appreciate you watching and commenting. Here's where I'd say "maybe I'll see you on the road up there in 2024", but I'm not so sure about giving it a fourth try. But either way, I wish you the very best on your trip. And again, thanks so much for taking the time to watch as you have been doing already.
@@TilTheRoadEnds well here is one of those strange serendipitous moments in life. You are welcome to join me. I can rebuild or fix just about anything that can be rebuilt or repaired on a bike and my bike shares a lot of similar parts and tools with your Africa. The offer is there, we don’t live that far from each other and you are the reason for me wanting to ride to Tuk, I was just going to ride to Alaska. 😂 just doesn’t seem right you getting denied getting there. I’m familiar with that trailer, transported a Bonneville T120 from TN to AZ. I almost lost the bike in Louisiana 😂. Use a strap from the bike’s passenger foot peg mount, and tie it to the front tie downs on the trailer. Then tie a strap from the top of the bottom fork clamp using a fork clamp hoop. Tie that strap to the tie down point by the trailers tires. Then clean the rim so you can put a few strips of electrical tape before you strap the rim down. That way you don’t scratch the wheel. Don’t tie the bikes to each other. I wish someone would’ve told me this when I borrowed the trailer.
@@Kavika-xh1qj I truly, truly appreciate the offer. I really do. I'm just in a position right now where I can't make any commitments on another trip of this caliber this soon. Thank you VERY, VERY much!
@@TilTheRoadEnds I absolutely understand and the offer will remain open until I get back from the trip 😀. I will do a second trip the following year in my camping travel truck. I will be towing an enduro bike a kayak and a bicycle. If you have problems, I probably won’t be that far away if timelines overlap. Olé! Kavi.
I have made 4 trips that way on motorcycle. 2016 to Inuvik, 2018 stoped at Eagle Plains (Sept 4, 4 feet snow ahead), 2019 to Tuk, and 2022 to Tuk. Several flats and one med evac of a rider from Denver. Came off the Dempster twice with a blown fork seal (Ducati 1200 Multistrada GT). Has some bad weather and greasy roads but the Dempster let us through. I would highly recommend mid to late august when the colours are changing but greater risk profile of not making it. But the colours are great. I still have the Canol Roads, The Dalton, and Telegraph Creek to do and was thinking trailer. Great tip on securing the front wheel. I am working on the timeline of the trips with trailer or without. In 2019 we made it to Eagle Plains (arriving 1 am in the rain) on our 3rd long day of riding on 1200 cc bikes carrying two tires each. Yup I know. Waited in Eagle Plains till about 2 pm (put on my rear knobby tire in the shop) and made it to Tuk at 1 am. I think 2024 is in your neck of the woods (COBDR, WYBDR, and some of IDBDR) then 2025 up to Whitehorse again. Great videos, great stories. THANKS
Doug, I guess I can easily say...you've been there and done that! Congratulations. You've had some experiences and more to come. Thanks so much for watching and good luck in the future.
Nice! Still have to do Canol Roads and Dalton, but I have been to Telegraph Creek. Was pouring rain and the roads were crazy muddy, but views were amazing. Can you share why you took 2 tires each? My hope for my next run up there is to have a shop in Whitehorse have a new pair of tires waiting for me for when I need it either on my way to or from the Dempster.
Sorry for the late reply. I really appreciate the invitation. I probably won't be doing any big trips this summer, but thanks for asking. I'm pretty sure you and your buddies are gonna have a great trip anyway! Enjoy. Thanks for watching and commenting too!
Try again! I was considering a trailer like that and am glad I didn’t buy it. Although I recognize the straps on the wheels probably alleviate the bike bouncing around. As a note I haul my bike on a hitch rack. On long hauls I strap the tires like you did. The bike isn’t going anywhere then. Great video. I’m sorry you couldn’t make it to your desired destination on the bikes. It looks like you still had a great adventure. I had a small fork seal leak at around 7500 miles, but was able to clean it with a “seal buddy”. No issues since and I’m at 42,000 miles on my 2019 VStrom 1000XT. If it leaks again, I’ll change the oil and install new seals. I hope you were able to get some good riding in during the summer.
Thanks so much. Not much riding this summer. One quick trip up the nearby canon with Kevin when he flew out for a vacation from Ireland and that was about it. I was still a bit disgruntled from this trip to plan anything big. I used to have a bike hitch, but got rid of it thinking...heck, I'll just ride the bike to where I want to go. Should have applied the same reasoning to the trailer idea I guess! Thanks again, I really appreciate you watching.
In 2019, I drove the Demster/Dalton in a Jeep and passed at least six folks riding bikes - a mix going to Dead Horse and some headed to Fairbanks. Stopped for everyone and asked if they needed anything. I was asked for socks, water, or anything hot to drink and surprising, as a family we were able to help everyone. My wife gave a pair of new wool socks to a young female, we fired up the old Jetboil and made hot chocolate, and filled every water bottle we could. The road is truly an adventure. Best of luck
In 2015, on my solo trip up the Dalton on my motorcycle, I met a guy from Florida with a buddy of his in his SUV at the Arctic Circle sign. It was a very warm day. He gave me an ice cold bottle of water and some fresh Moose jerky. I was doing ok on socks though. 😄 I'll never forget how kind he was. Reminds me of your story. It's really nice to know there are some really thoughtful people out there like you. Thanks so much for your comment and I really do appreciate you watching.
I'd personally love to see you and your V-Strom at the top of the Dempster. This is a trip that is on my bucket list. Your videos are awesome, and I appreciate the commentary and lessons learned along the way. It also demonstrates the perserverance and planning needed to make the trip. 🏍️🤠
Hi Hector, I haven't done any trips since this one - Dempster / Dalton. I prefer not to upload any videos, just for the sake of uploading a video. My latest was the Fork seal video, which I see you have already watched (seeing your comment). I do have several videos I need to re-edit and re-upload due to copyright issues. Those are also my least watched videos too. So maybe clearing my copyright infractions will breathe new life into them. Hopefully I'll get back on the road and see what trouble I can get into again. Thanks so much for your interest.
Thanks for all your videos. I watched them all before heading out. We hit the Dalton and most of the Dempster last June. We turned back at Fort Mcpherson after bad weather and a cyclist fatality closed the road. Its a tough, remote location, with bad weather and zero services. You’re a tough one going for thirds!!
Oh wow...a cyclist fatality?? He must have been really going fast. Sorry to hear you were unable to continue. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment.
My friend and I are planning our third attempt, though we've only aimed for the Yukon and maybe Alaska. First time we made it to the Yukon border but had to go back, as Yukon was still on lockdown until the week after we were there. Second time we were less than 200km from Alaska when I realized my tire was wearing so quick, we had to turn around before all of the tread was gone. But we definitely enjoyed both trips.
Exactly my thought. So glad to hear someone else bring that up. If I keep the trailer, I'm seriously thinking of doing that upgrade. Thanks for watching and so glad you brought that up in the comments!
First I am not a fan of Kenden trailer... had 2 of the and glad they are gone... Second, Never tie down a bike with the suspension compressed... Put soft ties around the tubes just above the fender mounts.. then crank down... the bike will be able to move with the bumps and you will have no damage to the seals... Been trailering bikes for over 35 years and never had any damage... when you tie down higher, the bikes move and the straps loosen. Sorry about your 3rd attempt... dont give up !! As for me leaving July 8th from Key West headed to Prudhoe Bay !!
I had a guy really beat me up badly in the comments saying, it's IMPOSSIBLE to ruin the seals by compressing the forks. I had to disagree with him, because I've seen it happen so many times. Then he beat me up again when he replied to that comment. I went into this trip knowing full well of the dangers of compressing the forks too much and I was very careful about that throughout the trip. But those roads between Whitehorse and Dawson City were just brutal. It was like 350 miles of giant skateboard ramps. Thanks for your input.
You have a very keen eye. The tires were supposed to be install in the 100% dirt direction on both bikes, but the shop messed up and forgot on one of the bikes. I didn't realize it until after I got home about a week after installation, so I just left it. They are great tires. Thanks for watching and commenting too.
I kinda feel the same tried both directions actually. I have the tire 50/50 installed and churned all the way up to Tuk from Orange 🍊 County. I'm glad I used fork sleeves after reviewing common issues of that road. Good video thanks Terry.
@@woodburymoto5267 I'm glad to hear you had a successful trip up there. That was one of...if not THE dustiest roads I think I've ever been on. There were times when I couldn't see anything in front of me. Fork sleeves...a great idea. Again, thank you very much.
Hi Bob, I really appreciate your input. Sounds like you know your stuff. Can I get your opinion, cuz I'm really not a trailer guy...the trailer has 13" wheels and I've got 24 inches of rubber from the bottom of the tire to the top of the tire. What size wheel / tire would you think is appropriate for this trailer? Originally, I was pretty impressed with the tires and wheels on it. The trailer also has a 2000 pound load capacity which seemed to be more than enough for my two adventure bikes. I was probably at 1300 pounds maximum on this trip. The trailer pulled really nice up until the time in the Yukon where I hit those insanely deep frost heaves. I can't blame the trailer for that issue. However, the design of the trailer for strapping the bikes in the rear, is the only issue I have a problem with for now. Sure appreciate your input and thanks for watching and commenting.
@@TilTheRoadEnds No suspension on the trailer, small wheels and tires, bumpy road equals a very rough ride for the cargo. In this case, your bikes. It's not easy to see but it also looks like you've got the front straps way too tight. From one shot in the video it looks like there's just over an inch of fork tube showing on your V-strom. No wonder you blew a fork seal. Holding that fork pressure for thousands of miles on a bumpy road with a cheap trailer, you're better off just riding the bikes themselves.
That trailer is just not made for that kind of weight on those kinds of roads. It would be an adventure with the nice roads as well if you just rode the bikes. I have a Vstrom and wouldn’t dream of trailering it. A trailer with at least 16 inch wheels and more length with a solid floor would be best. You could even pack more stuff on it and sleep in the truck if you really wanted to drive. I would never trailer my bike that distance without something protecting at least the front of it, either. Just ride next time. You could have saved those 5 days maybe.
I lived 16 kilometers from the start of the Dempster Highway but I've always been curious: which is the better drive? the Dempster, or the Dalton? I have a feeling it is the Dempster, but many Americans seem to like going up the Dalton for some reason. not all that many have done both, so as you have, I am curious. :)
Unfortunately, I can't answer that fairly...I've only been as far as the Arctic Circle on the Dalton (twice). I did hear that not far north of the Circle, it's spectacular. Since I have gone all the way to Tuk on the Dempster, I have to admit, it was beyond spectacular. Especially Tombstone Territorial Park. Another advantage to the Dempster is you can ride right up to the Arctic Ocean shoreline. On the Dalton, the only way to actually see the ocean is to sign up for a guided tour bus. And Prudhoe Bay is just a huge industrial oil field. And Tuk is a sleepy little Inuit village. I know it's unfair, but I lean towards the Dempster. I think the big draw for the Dalton, is it's a good excuse to ride through Alaska. Which who can blame anyone, Alaska is amazing. Thanks for watching and commenting. I really appreciate it.
I've just started researching motorcycle trailer options to tow behind my small class B RV. I was excited about this trailer because of the price point and it appears to be similar in quality and features to more expensive brands. Your issue with the rear straps is a concern. Would something like the Pit Bull trailer restraint system alleviate those issues?
Hi Ralph, I just looked into the Pitbull system you mentioned. I never heard about it before. But looks like it would work. However, the simple fix of putting the straps around the wheel and frame of the trailer worked great and only cost me about 8 bucks for the straps. You can get a look at the straps towards the end of the video. Both bikes stayed in place throughout the rest of the trip. Again, as I mentioned in the video, I wished I would have thought about that before the trip started. It won't matter anyway...I'm going to sell the trailer and just ride the bike everywhere I go from now on. It's still a great trailer and if I were to keep it, I have a good idea how I would modify it so the bikes could be strapped to the back of the trailer in addition to the wheel straps. Thanks for watching and commenting! I really appreciate it.
They say "Third time's the charm..." but in this case that's false. I'd be wondering if the natural world is trying to tell me something by keeping me away from those areas on two wheels.
I sometimes think that...but we wouldn't do anything a little adventurous if we let those thoughts get the best of us. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, I really appreciate it.
😬 IF....I do this trip again, it definitely WON'T be with a trailer. I really appreciate your "go get em' " spirit. Merry Christmas to you too and thanks for watching.
As I mentioned in the video, I was trying to be very careful about not compressing the forks too much, but it's still a possibility. Fourth time...maybe. The air is still kinda' taken out of my sails right now. Thanks so much for the comment and watching. Really appreciate it.
@@TilTheRoadEnds guys...you can't blow the seal by compressing the fork "too much" that is just not how it works. The pressure inside the fork is always equal when compressed. regardless if you compress 2, 20, or 80% - If your suspension is adjusted correct for your weight, sit on the bike, or even better stand on it, aggressive position, tie it down and you are good to go.
@@ogoshikimura5621 I want to believe you, I really do and I'm not trying to sound stubborn here...but...I have literally ridden thousands of miles on dirt, gravel and some very rough roads and I've never had a problem with leaky forks on either of my two bikes...ever. But, I strap them on a trailer, drive them 2500 miles and I end up with TWO bikes with blown seals! Same deal with a few personal friends of mine...never a leaky fork, they load their bikes in the back of their trucks, strap them in and drive a couple hundred miles and discover they have blown fork seals before they even unload them out of the trucks. There are numerous other stories I've read of that same thing happening to countless people I don't even know. That's why many videos out there say never strap a bike in using your handlebars as a connection point, it puts too much stress on the forks. I wish I could buy into your theory...and it makes sense too, but I've just seen too much proof that it's not reality...for some reason. I really appreciate your input and I'd still like to dive deeper into this subject, as you saw in the video, it completely ruined my trip.
@@TilTheRoadEnds I don't have a theory, it is a fact. There is no mystery or anecdotes about it. You have a piston a valve and a spring. You compress the fork, the rod pushes the piston down the oil goes through the valve on the other side. Pressure is therefor ALWAYS the same on both sides that is just physics sir nothing else. How many miles do these bikes have? When did you check the oil and valve last time? Maybe never? What does your manual say how often you should check / change the fork oil?
@@ogoshikimura5621 Maybe if you ride on smooth highways, but we rode on bumpy roads, potholes, frostheaves and so on. My 2 cents: the forks and seals were compressed heavily, released and compressed heavily again. Multiply that 50 times and your seals will break eventually.
Very well done! Gosh, I'm really enjoying your videos. I'm certain it's a mountain of work putting them together, so thank you so much.
Thank you. I truly appreciate it. It is a lot of work...but fun work. Thanks for watching and commenting.
Terry: One of the things that I appreciate most is your honest look at things. I also admire your spirit of adventure (and sense of humor!!). I echo the sentiment expressed about you not getting there on the bike. However, I always find value in lessons learned when trying this kind of thing myself. While I completely understand completing a "post incident analysis", I have a feeling that your wanderlust will get the better of you. I think you are destined to get there on the bike, and when you do, it will be amazing.
Thanks very much for putting this together. Another great video for sure. I certainly would like to buy you a beer for all the knowledge you send my way!
Sean, thanks so much for the great comment...as usual. I appreciate your thoughts on this and how positive you are in your opinion. I'm still in the mode of letting the results of this trip just kind of settle in my mind. There's no doubt that I want to do the trip again, but there's a lot that goes into preparing for a trip like this as I'm sure you already know. It's also quite an expensive trip considering food, gas and lodging. This trip was even more costly with repairs, maintenance etc. on the two bikes, trailer and truck.
We'll see what happens in the future. Thanks again so very much.
BTW...the beer thing will work too! 😁
Its hard to watch this Terry. It could have been a trip of a lifetime for the both of us. Weatherwise it was perfect! Thanks again for riding with me all the way up north, at least i got a chance to visit both arctic circles. And maybe, just maybe we'll both be back up there, together or alone. who knows.
Thanks co-pilot! The video was hard to put together too. 😔 Appreciate you riding along. We'll see what the future brings.
You have more determination than anyone I know. Great respect for you my friend. I believe you will accomplish your goals !!!
Thanks so much. I really appreciate that comment and your loyalty as usual.
Good to see your still making great footage of your experiences and I’m sure riders looking at doing the same will benefit from your input.
Keep them coming.
Jeff W…
Thanks so much as always Jeff. Good to hear from you.
I rode to the arctic circle up the Dalton on a BMWR120rt from Seattle. I made it all the way to Coldfoot north of the Arctic circle and spent the night. I talked to two riders on dirt bike that had tried two days in a row and couldn’t make it over the pass due to 2 feet of snow. I knew my street bike would fail too so I headed back to Seattle. I guess I failed on my first trip too. It still was an amazing journey riding all over Alaska. I’m always in it for the ride not the destination. Thanks for the video, it was still nice to watch
You're very welcome. As I've mentioned in prior videos. you still feel a great satisfaction when you get home after a "failed" trip and realize it was still a lot of fun. Thanks for the comment and for taking the time to watch. It's greatly appreciated.
Great vids!!!!! Just began planning a 30 day ride from key west to deadhorse next May/june…..planning to pass through some parks on way. Thx for all the great info
Thank you. I hope some of it helped. You're going to put a lot of miles under your belt on that trip, but I'll bet you'll really enjoy it. And you'll have lots of memories to look back on. Thanks so much for watching and commenting. Enjoy your trip.
Sorry to see the 3rd fail. A friend of mine and I rode the Dempster and Dalton from Houston in July 2023. We both suffered fork seal failures on the left forks of our Triumph Tiger bikes. His failed on the Alcan torn up mess early on near the Alaska border. Mine failed on the first day on the Dempster after riding the Dalton. I am sure that my friend's fork was completely empty by the time we hit the Dempster. He reported that the bike handled a little strangely on the Dempster but we both completed the trip back to Houston without serious issues. You can ride a bike with one failed fork seal! Further, I rode my BMW K1600GTL over 2000 miles with a failed rear shock. Had to because BMW had no replacement available in the world at the time. I pogo-sticked the remainder of the ride while exercising caution on rough roads and curves. Bottom line: You can ride a bike with failed shocks if you exercise due care.
I'm very interested in the feedback you've given me in this comment. Thank you very much for that. I think the information I got from the two professionals in the motorcycle industry during this trip, who strongly suggested that I don't ride the bikes up the Dempster, didn't understand how much time, effort and work that went into getting that far into Canada in order to ride the bikes up to Tuk. I think if they did understand, they may have suggested to just take it easy and you might be ok (as you mentioned). I believe in their minds at the time, it was just me calling and asking their opinion about riding with leaking forks and them saying "just get them fixed first" without understanding the full scope of the situation. But even though they didn't say these things, they made me feel as though if I rode with the blown seals, I was gonna' crash and die or the bikes would cost me thousands to repair if I did it.
Before I made the call to them, I was about 95% sure I was going to ride the Dempster with the blown seals anyway. I should've just kept the phone in my pocket I guess. It's kind of frustrating to think about it, but what are ya' gonna' do? Congratulations on the success of your Dempster / Dalton trip. It's well deserved and quite an accomplishment. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and the comment. Take care.
I’m always amazed at how many Americans come up to ride these roads. I live up here and I always head south to ride the roads in the USA Montana and Idaho. I blew the fork seals on my V-Strom over tightening the straps also🤷♂️🤷♂️. I use handlebar straps now (usually used for dirt bikes) for the real,rough roads and never had any issues. I do the wheel strap like you did on the way home, that prevents the wheel from sliding around Side to side. But the handle bar straps are at the high point on the bikes, and it seems to prevent the bikes from tipping side to side. Also I think they do a better job, they seem to allow the bike to use its own suspension as it is designed too. I tow a big sport tourer and a Bonneville T120
We seem to always gravitate towards the things we don't have. 🙂 I like what you've got up there...but there are great places to ride down here, I have to admit. Thanks for the useful information. I've had some commenters tell me it's impossible to blow the fork seals by over tightening the straps. They say that, but I've personally seen it happen multiple times and have heard so many others who have had the same experience. There's got to be some truth to it.
Thanks so much for watching and commenting!
Both of the successful motorcycle rides up the Dempster that I've watched: OneWheelDrive and Lyndon Poskitt (Races2Places) confirm it's a magical, challenging yet rewarding ride. Best wishes!
It really was. Even in my truck. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment.
Sir - let me give you a solution to the fork seal problem you will not believe is so easily overlooked.
It’s not the bumps that blows the seals. It’s the internal air pressure. You compress the air inside the forks when you compress them like this - as it’s under positive pressure the whole way. This pressure is ok while you are riding as it is momentary but extended periods the pressure will get let out - along with the oil.
Either modify the fork caps to accept a schrader valve or, if there isn’t room for the schrader valve, have the cap drilled and tapped for a small pipe plug. Hence forth when you want to strap the bike down - remove the schrader / plug before loading - load, strap it down and put the valve / plug back in.
When unloading - remove the valve / plug before you unstrap the bike. Once the bike is off the trailer, you just need to fully extend the fork and then plug them back up again. The forks will work as intended.
Interesting solution. I will seriously consider it if I ever trailer the bikes again. Thanks very much for the suggestion.
And yet another excellent episode. Thank you for all the hard (and the tedious) work.
My bikes get strapped from the tires down on to the trailer, then strapped from the frame rear towards front and front towards rear. It’s very important to keep the tires from sliding side to side, and the wheels from bouncing on the rougher sections. Also, put the max PSI in the tires and crank up the preloads. And unload any gear. Try not to have the tanks full of petrol.
On a different note, I have this trip planned for May 18, 2024. I’m a Spaniard, Thats been living in the SW of the US for the past 2 years. I think your biggest problem is you’ve been trying to do this with the wrong Europeans. 😂😂😂 JK. Cheers. And again, thank you.
😂The wrong Europeans...I like that...that's funny. Appreciate the trailer tips. Unfortunately, I can't strap behind the hinge of the trailer as you probably saw in the video. But the rear tire strap seemed to do the trick. I really appreciate you watching and commenting. Here's where I'd say "maybe I'll see you on the road up there in 2024", but I'm not so sure about giving it a fourth try. But either way, I wish you the very best on your trip. And again, thanks so much for taking the time to watch as you have been doing already.
@@TilTheRoadEnds well here is one of those strange serendipitous moments in life. You are welcome to join me. I can rebuild or fix just about anything that can be rebuilt or repaired on a bike and my bike shares a lot of similar parts and tools with your Africa. The offer is there, we don’t live that far from each other and you are the reason for me wanting to ride to Tuk, I was just going to ride to Alaska. 😂 just doesn’t seem right you getting denied getting there.
I’m familiar with that trailer, transported a Bonneville T120 from TN to AZ. I almost lost the bike in Louisiana 😂.
Use a strap from the bike’s passenger foot peg mount, and tie it to the front tie downs on the trailer. Then tie a strap from the top of the bottom fork clamp using a fork clamp hoop. Tie that strap to the tie down point by the trailers tires. Then clean the rim so you can put a few strips of electrical tape before you strap the rim down. That way you don’t scratch the wheel. Don’t tie the bikes to each other. I wish someone would’ve told me this when I borrowed the trailer.
@@Kavika-xh1qj I truly, truly appreciate the offer. I really do. I'm just in a position right now where I can't make any commitments on another trip of this caliber this soon. Thank you VERY, VERY much!
@@TilTheRoadEnds I absolutely understand and the offer will remain open until I get back from the trip 😀. I will do a second trip the following year in my camping travel truck. I will be towing an enduro bike a kayak and a bicycle. If you have problems, I probably won’t be that far away if timelines overlap. Olé! Kavi.
I have made 4 trips that way on motorcycle. 2016 to Inuvik, 2018 stoped at Eagle Plains (Sept 4, 4 feet snow ahead), 2019 to Tuk, and 2022 to Tuk. Several flats and one med evac of a rider from Denver.
Came off the Dempster twice with a blown fork seal (Ducati 1200 Multistrada GT). Has some bad weather and greasy roads but the Dempster let us through.
I would highly recommend mid to late august when the colours are changing but greater risk profile of not making it. But the colours are great.
I still have the Canol Roads, The Dalton, and Telegraph Creek to do and was thinking trailer. Great tip on securing the front wheel. I am working on the timeline of the trips with trailer or without. In 2019 we made it to Eagle Plains (arriving 1 am in the rain) on our 3rd long day of riding on 1200 cc bikes carrying two tires each. Yup I know. Waited in Eagle Plains till about 2 pm (put on my rear knobby tire in the shop) and made it to Tuk at 1 am.
I think 2024 is in your neck of the woods (COBDR, WYBDR, and some of IDBDR) then 2025 up to Whitehorse again.
Great videos, great stories. THANKS
Doug, I guess I can easily say...you've been there and done that! Congratulations. You've had some experiences and more to come. Thanks so much for watching and good luck in the future.
Nice! Still have to do Canol Roads and Dalton, but I have been to Telegraph Creek. Was pouring rain and the roads were crazy muddy, but views were amazing. Can you share why you took 2 tires each? My hope for my next run up there is to have a shop in Whitehorse have a new pair of tires waiting for me for when I need it either on my way to or from the Dempster.
Leaving for Prudhoe Bay on June 22, 2024 from Calgary, Alberta. Come join us, brand new riders here so will benefit from your experiences.
Sorry for the late reply. I really appreciate the invitation. I probably won't be doing any big trips this summer, but thanks for asking. I'm pretty sure you and your buddies are gonna have a great trip anyway! Enjoy. Thanks for watching and commenting too!
Try again!
I was considering a trailer like that and am glad I didn’t buy it. Although I recognize the straps on the wheels probably alleviate the bike bouncing around. As a note I haul my bike on a hitch rack. On long hauls I strap the tires like you did. The bike isn’t going anywhere then.
Great video. I’m sorry you couldn’t make it to your desired destination on the bikes. It looks like you still had a great adventure.
I had a small fork seal leak at around 7500 miles, but was able to clean it with a “seal buddy”. No issues since and I’m at 42,000 miles on my 2019 VStrom 1000XT. If it leaks again, I’ll change the oil and install new seals.
I hope you were able to get some good riding in during the summer.
Thanks so much. Not much riding this summer. One quick trip up the nearby canon with Kevin when he flew out for a vacation from Ireland and that was about it. I was still a bit disgruntled from this trip to plan anything big. I used to have a bike hitch, but got rid of it thinking...heck, I'll just ride the bike to where I want to go. Should have applied the same reasoning to the trailer idea I guess!
Thanks again, I really appreciate you watching.
In 2019, I drove the Demster/Dalton in a Jeep and passed at least six folks riding bikes - a mix going to Dead Horse and some headed to Fairbanks. Stopped for everyone and asked if they needed anything. I was asked for socks, water, or anything hot to drink and surprising, as a family we were able to help everyone. My wife gave a pair of new wool socks to a young female, we fired up the old Jetboil and made hot chocolate, and filled every water bottle we could. The road is truly an adventure. Best of luck
In 2015, on my solo trip up the Dalton on my motorcycle, I met a guy from Florida with a buddy of his in his SUV at the Arctic Circle sign. It was a very warm day. He gave me an ice cold bottle of water and some fresh Moose jerky. I was doing ok on socks though. 😄 I'll never forget how kind he was. Reminds me of your story. It's really nice to know there are some really thoughtful people out there like you.
Thanks so much for your comment and I really do appreciate you watching.
I'd personally love to see you and your V-Strom at the top of the Dempster. This is a trip that is on my bucket list. Your videos are awesome, and I appreciate the commentary and lessons learned along the way. It also demonstrates the perserverance and planning needed to make the trip. 🏍️🤠
Thank you! I hope you make it up there. Thanks for watching, I greatly appreciate it.
Hi Terry,
Why haven't you uploaded new videos? We miss your stories. I hope to see a new video from you soon. Greetings from Monterrey Mexico
Hi Hector, I haven't done any trips since this one - Dempster / Dalton. I prefer not to upload any videos, just for the sake of uploading a video. My latest was the Fork seal video, which I see you have already watched (seeing your comment). I do have several videos I need to re-edit and re-upload due to copyright issues. Those are also my least watched videos too. So maybe clearing my copyright infractions will breathe new life into them. Hopefully I'll get back on the road and see what trouble I can get into again. Thanks so much for your interest.
Thanks for all your videos. I watched them all before heading out. We hit the Dalton and most of the Dempster last June. We turned back at Fort Mcpherson after bad weather and a cyclist fatality closed the road. Its a tough, remote location, with bad weather and zero services. You’re a tough one going for thirds!!
Oh wow...a cyclist fatality?? He must have been really going fast. Sorry to hear you were unable to continue. Thanks so much for watching and taking the time to comment.
Another great video! You'll be back. Happy turkey day!
Thanks friend. We'll see about going back again.
My friend and I are planning our third attempt, though we've only aimed for the Yukon and maybe Alaska. First time we made it to the Yukon border but had to go back, as Yukon was still on lockdown until the week after we were there. Second time we were less than 200km from Alaska when I realized my tire was wearing so quick, we had to turn around before all of the tread was gone. But we definitely enjoyed both trips.
Even with all of the issues, it's still lots of fun isn't it?
@@TilTheRoadEndsyup! 😁
Curious why the mfg didn't put a sliding lock on that hinge! Seems like a no brainer to me Cheers~
Exactly my thought. So glad to hear someone else bring that up. If I keep the trailer, I'm seriously thinking of doing that upgrade. Thanks for watching and so glad you brought that up in the comments!
Nice video. Seems like all things considered you were generally satisfied with the trailer (though pondering a few mods?)
I have to admit, the trailer did basically do well. Thanks for watching and commenting.
First I am not a fan of Kenden trailer... had 2 of the and glad they are gone... Second, Never tie down a bike with the suspension compressed... Put soft ties around the tubes just above the fender mounts.. then crank down... the bike will be able to move with the bumps and you will have no damage to the seals... Been trailering bikes for over 35 years and never had any damage... when you tie down higher, the bikes move and the straps loosen. Sorry about your 3rd attempt... dont give up !! As for me leaving July 8th from Key West headed to Prudhoe Bay !!
I had a guy really beat me up badly in the comments saying, it's IMPOSSIBLE to ruin the seals by compressing the forks. I had to disagree with him, because I've seen it happen so many times. Then he beat me up again when he replied to that comment. I went into this trip knowing full well of the dangers of compressing the forks too much and I was very careful about that throughout the trip. But those roads between Whitehorse and Dawson City were just brutal. It was like 350 miles of giant skateboard ramps. Thanks for your input.
that's cool having motoz gps both bikes with rears in different directional installations.
You have a very keen eye. The tires were supposed to be install in the 100% dirt direction on both bikes, but the shop messed up and forgot on one of the bikes. I didn't realize it until after I got home about a week after installation, so I just left it. They are great tires. Thanks for watching and commenting too.
I kinda feel the same tried both directions actually. I have the tire 50/50 installed and churned all the way up to Tuk from Orange 🍊 County. I'm glad I used fork sleeves after reviewing common issues of that road. Good video thanks Terry.
@@woodburymoto5267 I'm glad to hear you had a successful trip up there. That was one of...if not THE dustiest roads I think I've ever been on. There were times when I couldn't see anything in front of me. Fork sleeves...a great idea. Again, thank you very much.
The problem was the Mickey Mouse trailer with small wheels and a heavy load.
Hi Bob, I really appreciate your input. Sounds like you know your stuff. Can I get your opinion, cuz I'm really not a trailer guy...the trailer has 13" wheels and I've got 24 inches of rubber from the bottom of the tire to the top of the tire. What size wheel / tire would you think is appropriate for this trailer? Originally, I was pretty impressed with the tires and wheels on it. The trailer also has a 2000 pound load capacity which seemed to be more than enough for my two adventure bikes. I was probably at 1300 pounds maximum on this trip. The trailer pulled really nice up until the time in the Yukon where I hit those insanely deep frost heaves. I can't blame the trailer for that issue. However, the design of the trailer for strapping the bikes in the rear, is the only issue I have a problem with for now. Sure appreciate your input and thanks for watching and commenting.
@@TilTheRoadEnds No suspension on the trailer, small wheels and tires, bumpy road equals a very rough ride for the cargo. In this case, your bikes. It's not easy to see but it also looks like you've got the front straps way too tight. From one shot in the video it looks like there's just over an inch of fork tube showing on your V-strom. No wonder you blew a fork seal. Holding that fork pressure for thousands of miles on a bumpy road with a cheap trailer, you're better off just riding the bikes themselves.
That trailer is just not made for that kind of weight on those kinds of roads. It would be an adventure with the nice roads as well if you just rode the bikes. I have a Vstrom and wouldn’t dream of trailering it.
A trailer with at least 16 inch wheels and more length with a solid floor would be best. You could even pack more stuff on it and sleep in the truck if you really wanted to drive.
I would never trailer my bike that distance without something protecting at least the front of it, either.
Just ride next time. You could have saved those 5 days maybe.
I lived 16 kilometers from the start of the Dempster Highway but I've always been curious: which is the better drive? the Dempster, or the Dalton? I have a feeling it is the Dempster, but many Americans seem to like going up the Dalton for some reason. not all that many have done both, so as you have, I am curious. :)
Unfortunately, I can't answer that fairly...I've only been as far as the Arctic Circle on the Dalton (twice). I did hear that not far north of the Circle, it's spectacular. Since I have gone all the way to Tuk on the Dempster, I have to admit, it was beyond spectacular. Especially Tombstone Territorial Park. Another advantage to the Dempster is you can ride right up to the Arctic Ocean shoreline. On the Dalton, the only way to actually see the ocean is to sign up for a guided tour bus. And Prudhoe Bay is just a huge industrial oil field. And Tuk is a sleepy little Inuit village. I know it's unfair, but I lean towards the Dempster. I think the big draw for the Dalton, is it's a good excuse to ride through Alaska. Which who can blame anyone, Alaska is amazing.
Thanks for watching and commenting. I really appreciate it.
I've just started researching motorcycle trailer options to tow behind my small class B RV. I was excited about this trailer because of the price point and it appears to be similar in quality and features to more expensive brands. Your issue with the rear straps is a concern. Would something like the Pit Bull trailer restraint system alleviate those issues?
Hi Ralph, I just looked into the Pitbull system you mentioned. I never heard about it before. But looks like it would work. However, the simple fix of putting the straps around the wheel and frame of the trailer worked great and only cost me about 8 bucks for the straps. You can get a look at the straps towards the end of the video. Both bikes stayed in place throughout the rest of the trip. Again, as I mentioned in the video, I wished I would have thought about that before the trip started. It won't matter anyway...I'm going to sell the trailer and just ride the bike everywhere I go from now on. It's still a great trailer and if I were to keep it, I have a good idea how I would modify it so the bikes could be strapped to the back of the trailer in addition to the wheel straps.
Thanks for watching and commenting! I really appreciate it.
You'll be back ❤
Thank you. I really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment.
They say "Third time's the charm..." but in this case that's false. I'd be wondering if the natural world is trying to tell me something by keeping me away from those areas on two wheels.
I sometimes think that...but we wouldn't do anything a little adventurous if we let those thoughts get the best of us. Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment, I really appreciate it.
Go and DO it!!! Ya only live once! you'll be kicking yourself in the ass if not!!!
Thanks PB. Who knows what'll happen in the future. I'm definitely not up for kicking my own ass! Really appreciate you watching.
skip the truck and trailer!!!!!!!!!! ride your motorcycle!!!!! go and do it again!!!!!! God Bless Merry Christmas safe ridin rubber down
😬 IF....I do this trip again, it definitely WON'T be with a trailer. I really appreciate your "go get em' " spirit. Merry Christmas to you too and thanks for watching.
You may have had the forks compressed to much while on the trailer. Get on bike again. What is it 4th time is a charm.
As I mentioned in the video, I was trying to be very careful about not compressing the forks too much, but it's still a possibility. Fourth time...maybe. The air is still kinda' taken out of my sails right now. Thanks so much for the comment and watching. Really appreciate it.
@@TilTheRoadEnds guys...you can't blow the seal by compressing the fork "too much" that is just not how it works. The pressure inside the fork is always equal when compressed. regardless if you compress 2, 20, or 80% - If your suspension is adjusted correct for your weight, sit on the bike, or even better stand on it, aggressive position, tie it down and you are good to go.
@@ogoshikimura5621 I want to believe you, I really do and I'm not trying to sound stubborn here...but...I have literally ridden thousands of miles on dirt, gravel and some very rough roads and I've never had a problem with leaky forks on either of my two bikes...ever.
But, I strap them on a trailer, drive them 2500 miles and I end up with TWO bikes with blown seals!
Same deal with a few personal friends of mine...never a leaky fork, they load their bikes in the back of their trucks, strap them in and drive a couple hundred miles and discover they have blown fork seals before they even unload them out of the trucks.
There are numerous other stories I've read of that same thing happening to countless people I don't even know.
That's why many videos out there say never strap a bike in using your handlebars as a connection point, it puts too much stress on the forks.
I wish I could buy into your theory...and it makes sense too, but I've just seen too much proof that it's not reality...for some reason.
I really appreciate your input and I'd still like to dive deeper into this subject, as you saw in the video, it completely ruined my trip.
@@TilTheRoadEnds I don't have a theory, it is a fact. There is no mystery or anecdotes about it. You have a piston a valve and a spring. You compress the fork, the rod pushes the piston down the oil goes through the valve on the other side. Pressure is therefor ALWAYS the same on both sides that is just physics sir nothing else. How many miles do these bikes have? When did you check the oil and valve last time? Maybe never? What does your manual say how often you should check / change the fork oil?
@@ogoshikimura5621 Maybe if you ride on smooth highways, but we rode on bumpy roads, potholes, frostheaves and so on. My 2 cents: the forks and seals were compressed heavily, released and compressed heavily again. Multiply that 50 times and your seals will break eventually.