I met a road warrior today.

[weekendrider]

Whoda thunk in small Fairgrove, MO you would chance to met a road warrior.
Someone who rides different roads to world wide locations.
Had an interesting 20 mins.
He has been shot at, robbed, courted and dined. Been in accidents of his own doings and been the victim in others.
Road in all kinds of weather in all the seasons.
From Alaska(surprisingly the hardest place to get fuel) to the tip of South America
where the gas was dispensed from galvinized buckets and green colored.
All over Europe and the new countries that were Russian states.

Here are a couple of shots of his bike. Which he says is better for the world traveler than the BMW's. A third the price and parts available anywhere.
A 94 KLR, chain driven and carbed.

 

[xjwmx]

It would be hard to get me to ride to S. America. I read someone's account of it, don't remember who. In the vicinity of Columbia the road ends and then picks up a few miles later. That is to provide a sort of unoffical buffer zone. As for Alaska, I'm as cold as I want to be However I would like visit Soldatna and see my old friend Hobo Jim.

 

[I am Carbon]

KLR is my choice for a duel sport bike for sure.
I all most got me one last year.
maybe next year.

 

[1974jh5]

The Darien Gap is probably the single biggest North/South America full ride barrier.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darién_Gap

Yeah, it's tough territory.

The first all-land auto crossing was in 1985–87 by Loren Upton and Patty Mercier in a CJ-5 Jeep, taking 741 days to travel 125 miles (201 km). This crossing is documented in the 1992 Guinness Book of Records.

 

[retiredgentleman]

Those big BMW adventure bikes are just too expensive in both cost and in gas consumption for the average long distance guy. Other negatives are very high seat height, and very heavy. If you ever break down on the side of the road...................have you ever priced BMW spare parts

The Kawasaki KLR 650 is an example of function over form. Superb design to go down a long road with minimal cost. I saw a new one just last week in a dealer for $6800.00.

I'm in the process of reading a ride report, over on www.advrider.com, about a guy from Nebraska riding his bike down to South America. He's using a Kawasaki Sherpa 250 cc, with 14.5 HP. His account has 134 pages................I'm only on page 33! Sometimes less is more.

 

[gggGary]

Day am it's been 4 or 5 years since I have even had an MC out of Wisconsin!

WER I'm thinkin your place wouldn't be too far next summer..............

 

[mick71b]

KLR is my choice for a duel sport bike for sure.
I all most got me one last year.
maybe next year.

+1 on KLR. I love mine! '99, needed nothing runs great for $1200.

 

[1974jh5]

I'm thinking I might try to pick up a Honda XR650L someday and DS it. Will I go to South America? Ya never know... but having ridden a couple I'd shitcan the stump puller 1st gear using the guts from an XR600 transmission and add kickstart. Sure it adds weight but it beats hell out of being stuck in the deep boonies with a dead battery. In that situation I'll gladly tote that extra 3 pounds.

 

[CDNTX650]

I had a 93 KLR650 and i regret selling it to this day. A little hairy for passing on 2 lane slab as you had to plan it out a bit... But other than that it would do anything you asked it too. I know as soon as our honeymoon is done i plan to jump back on one and sell my Versys. Wont need a long distance bike with a kid on the way shortly.

 

[xjwmx]

beats hell out of being stuck in the deep boonies with a dead battery.

My charging system works fine but in certain circumstances kick start has saved my ass for sure. Circumstances involving very low temperature or high heat and a surprise going-bad battery. Very glad I have a kick start. And it isn't always the kick that starts it, but just getting it loosened up and the cylinders primed. xs650 is still my fave. I would get something else if there was something better for my purposes, but I really can't find it.

 

[CDNTX650]

Pre-96 KLR's can be fitted with the kickstart assembley from klr600's. They also dont need a battery to run the ignition(i think....) So if you can kick it or bump it it will run without one.

 

[xjwmx]

^Now it is sounding better

 

[mick71b]

Pre-96 KLR's can be fitted with the kickstart assembley from klr600's. .

True, but new parts are discontinued and used ones are coveted. $$.

 

[xjwmx]

WER I'm thinkin your place wouldn't be too far next summer..............

I hope to go through that area again soon. It will be before Jly. I want to see if Poplar Bluff, Mo. is really as nice an area as I thought, or if I was on some endorphin high or something.

I was in communication with WER when I went through there about 18 mos. ago and he offered his assistance if I needed it. I didn't need it, but knowing what I know now I would have looked him up anyway. I was a newb at the time though. In Jly there's a family reunion in KY. Ahhh.... KY in Jly. I must be homesick.

 

[gggGary]

Let me know, a meet up is possible. the run down along Mississippi is a great one. No hills or winding roads in Missouri though...

 

[xjwmx]

^His part of Mo. has some fun roads. No extreme twisties or big mountains but lots of good scenery. Unlike the Badlands of MT. Sikeston, Mo., near there, has a big cotton field downtown like other towns would have a park I asked if it was just for show, but was assured it was actually farmed.

 

[weekendrider]

Come on down. The first of June is kinda busy with haying. The last part slows down.
Oh wait the first part would be great. I'll let you ride all day long, slow easy cruising round and round and round.

 

[xjwmx]

Dexter, Mo. has free dentistry, if you need a filling. Trip could pay for itself.

 

[gggGary]

Pitching 500 small squares up in the loft for the horsies is plenty of "haying" for me thank you very much! Yeah I really think this sounds like a good trip idea. I do need a crown. But I'm not sure I'd want to put 800 miles home riding the XS with a fresh crown.

 

[h3llb3nt1]

I bet a couple of hours with the road warrior would get you some great stories. Takes a certain type to travel the world alone on a motorcycle. Very cool. Hopefully he's documenting his journeys.