I did it. The Haul Road.

[motorman587]

I have returned last Saturday after 12060 miles. All I can say is I did it. It was hard and brutal.

If you have a young family at home, do not do it. Wait until they are in college. Being away from home for 3 weeks was not fun.

The thought of breaking down suck. It was always on my mind and did not help with the trip. I guess I would have to blame this web site. Some of the information here is great, but also puts the fear in failures in the back of your head.

LT ran great. My cupholder broke and at the end of trip the LT felt sluggish. Also my throttle cable got very stiff. It got worst during the trip. The Goldwings that I was with ran perfect. I do not think they had an once of problem.

Anyone thinking about do the haul road and you have limited money, and one bike. Do it. It is a ride of life time. I am glad I did it and would go back. Maybe not on an LT. There is so much to write about so if anyone has any questions about anything let me know or PM me.

[gulfxray]

Congratualtions John!

And Welcome Home!

[Arby60]

You DA MAN John. Glad you're home safe and sound.

Ray

[ibbones]

Wow...my hat's off to ya. Pix fo follow???

[tmgs]

I have returned last Saturday after 12060 miles. All I can say is I did it. It was hard and brutal.

If you have a young family at home, do not do it. Wait until they are in college. Being away from home for 3 weeks was not fun.

The thought of breaking down suck. It was always on my mind and did not help with the trip. I guess I would have to blame this web site. Some of the information here is great, but also puts the fear in failures in the back of your head.

LT ran great. My cupholder broke and at the end of trip the LT felt sluggish. Also my throttle cable got very stiff. It got worst during the trip. The Goldwings that I was with ran perfect. I do not think they had an once of problem.

Anyone thinking about do the haul road and you have limited money, and one bike. Do it. It is a ride of life time. I am glad I did it and would go back. Maybe not on an LT. There is so much to write about so if anyone has any questions about anything let me know or PM me.

awesome, sounds like your LT came off the haul road pretty well, I've heard of others on haul road with a LT tearinfg up thier bike it all depends on the road conditions,

BTW did you run into any of the Iron Torch grouup? only 13 bikes did not make the haul road up and back without damage that is pretty darn good

Tom

[motorman587]

Ran into the group on the way down the Haul Road. Then we ran into a small group a couple of days later and got to talk with a few with them. At that time had two that crash with riders with broken arms and one motorcycle that was damage but was able to make it back to Fairbanks.

I have ton of pictures but I am not got enough to place them on the computer to show all, sorry.

[STARFIGHTER]

Good on ya' John

[Woolly]

Helluva ride John, well done. If again, why not on an LT??




Maybe not on an LT.

[motorman587]

The LT is not made to ride on soft gravel, mud and pot holes. As I was riding my fastest, I thought, a fleet of about 5 GSs would pass me like I was just sitting there. I would, if I had the money, do the haul road on a GS. If I did not have a choice, yes I would do on LT again.

[Texas42]

Awesome!!! You did it!!! That is amazing on an LT, I have trouble in a gravel parking lot, next time are you going to do it two up!!

Congratulations!

[Woolly]

The LT is not made to ride on soft gravel, mud and pot holes. As I was riding my fastest, I thought, a fleet of about 5 GSs would pass me like I was just sitting there. I would, if I had the money, do the haul road on a GS. If I did not have a choice, yes I would do on LT again.

3 of us went down to the Sahara desert last year - me on my LT, Harry on his 1500 Wing, and Tim (a very experienced trials rider) on his 1200 GS - the only person to drop his bike was Tim in soft sand - the two 'lardy' bikes got through it without any problems - OK, the LT (and the Wing) are heavy, but as long as you appreciate that, you won't have any problems, as you've proved also.

[motorman587]

But if I had a choice, I would take a GS. I think the ride would be a lot and lot softer. I also believe that some of the guys that ride the dirt/street motorcycle may have gone over confidence. Some of them pass us at 80-90 mph. There was a KTM with leaking front fork seal, at the hotel we stayed in Prudoe that night, in my mind it was from speed and hitting a pot hole. But who am I to say.

I just felt bad at each rock, bump, mud that I went through. I remember thinking, "here goes the read end", or a flat.

But she made it. :)

[John_LT]

Great job. I would love to see pics if possible. Please give any strategies that you put to use and or developed while riding the road.

John

[gpolakow]

What's the haul road?

[dalehere]

http://fairbanks-alaska.com/dalton-highway.htm

[DaveDragon]

Way to go John!
I'm glad you had a safe trip and I'm looking forward to your Photo Presentation, perhaps at the Fall Gathering STC?

[Bobnoxous]

Thanks for the link. After that brief read, I don't think I'm taking my new GT on that road. My wife is concerned about me driving to WI (I don't think it's the destination that concerns her, but who knows?).

Good job John. I'll be content to live vicariously through you.

[motorman587]

Great job. I would love to see pics if possible. Please give any strategies that you put to use and or developed while riding the road.

John

I got a tip on this site was to drink water, no matter if hot or cold. I took a lot of breaks and stopped every 100 miles and got off the motor. One up I would put my feet on the passenger pegs, just to change the sitting position. For 700++ miles days. Get up, quick breakfast, no lunch, just snack and pretty much no dinner because those days are about 14 hours long. Did not like that kind of riding, but fun. Way north about 1/2 into Canada XM does not work, so CD, Cassettes, or IPOD. Heated a gear a must way north, up in the mountains. Flip up or full face helmets no 3/4 or 1/2. Ride for the heat too. Out of the 21 days only about 6 to 7 days were 700++.

If you plan on doing the Haul Road I would leave Fairbanks with no time table. I would take a day to get Coldfoot about 240 miles. I would do lunch at the Hot spot which is just over the Yukon bridge about 2-3 miles on the left. Best burger I have ever had in the World. No kidding. We stopped on the way back to Fairbanks. The ladys that run that place are funny and they you the gun is in the kitchen for the bear when you go to the bathroom. Once in Coldfoot. Gas and food, but I would stay in Wiseman about 12 miles north of Coldfoot at either Boreal Cabins or Artic Inn. I liked the Artic Inn as she was German and cooked us breakfast. On the way up we stayed at the Boreal Cabins on the way down at the Artic Inn. Boreal has TV and Artic Inn, no TV. The way up to Prudoe Bay, is 240 and nothing in between. It is you and nature. If on the LT do not worry about gas as long as you filled up in Coldfoot. I got about 50 mpg on that road due to the slow speeds. Remember there are construction sites and they water the gravel. Water gravel is slick as baby oil or goose poop. Bring water and snacks. Once in Prudoe Bay, get gas. We had to hunt one down. Next day remember to leave on a full tag. So if you riding around Prudoe Bay, which I doubt, get a "full tank of gas" before leaving. We stayed at the Caribou Inn for $200 a room. I had heard that the Prudoe Bay Inn was $100 and they feed you. Something to check out. I would go back to Wiseman/Coldfoot have lunch at the Hot spot and have a party in Fairbank once completed. I was so happy that I did this road. I hated that I had the fear of breaking down in the back of my head, but the LT did a great job. Make reservations at Coldfoot/Wiseman and Prudoe Bay. They get a lot tour bus travel. If you reading this and thinking about it, all I got to say is "do it", you have the bug and once you've done it, it's a great feeling to have been on a road where very few travel, where wildlife is pretty much on there own. I plan to do this again in a couple of years. It was great break from work and life. GO FOR IT. Remember, do the next service on the bike and new tires. I needed a rear tire once I got home bad. Probably so have not rode it the last 200 miles, no tread showing, but very very close. Do not do it with young kids at home. The nightly calls home and getting the "Daddy, when you coming home?" from my twins, sucked.

Sorry for spelling and grammer, I am in a hurry.

[motorman587]

Thanks for the link. After that brief read, I don't think I'm taking my new GT on that road. My wife is concerned about me driving to WI (I don't think it's the destination that concerns her, but who knows?).

Good job John. I'll be content to live vicariously through you.

I do not think I would take a new bike on that road. The road is brutal. Some spots is smooth and you can go quite fast. The worst I thought was near the Yukon river coming from Fairbanks in construction zone and then about 50 to 60 outside of Prudoe Bay. There I could only go about 15 mph because of the large rocks they use for the road. It was not "pea" gravel, but rocks. The sites were great. Wide open tundra, with Caribou running left and right, muskox and wolf were seen. YOu have to this road in your life time. You go back in time on this road and see what we take for granted for. It was a trip of live time.

[was]

Hey John, remember back in May when you posted the question, "Will the LT make the haul road??" You answered your question the best way I know how. Congrats and thanks for the inspiration.