DakAL Trip Planning

[FirstPath]

Count me in Sleddog!!

[barnyard]

Pretty sure that I picked my vacation to do this very thing.

[Abercrombie]

I'm semi retiring September 7th. and this would be a hell of a way to start retirement. Count me in with the XR650L since it looks like most will be on dual sports.

[wbbnm]

FWIW I will be riding a KTM 690.

[Owens]

Sounds great Jack, looking forward to it.
Pata de Perro.

[Bob C]

sounds like a winner
I'll be on a KLR 650 or a Super Tenere

[LSGiant]

So what do think will be the longest stretch between fuel ?
We need to know how much to bring for Jayd

[Abercrombie]

(12-29-2016 01:35 PM)LSGiant Wrote:  So what do think will be the longest stretch between fuel ?
We need to know how much to bring for Jayd

The information on gas availability and most everything else is on the DakAL web site. http://www.dakotaadventureloop.com/the-route
I think Bill has put out a great bit of information as a first place to start.

[LSGiant]

Yes I have read the bio I am looking for some confirmation. He states 205 miles. KTM 690 and I have 4.2 gallons of fuel. I am right on the edge. One wrong turn a couple loop backs. Anyhow it is fun to have some discussion in the cold of winter.

[Abercrombie]

(12-29-2016 07:10 PM)LSGiant Wrote:  Yes I have read the bio I am looking for some confirmation. He states 205 miles. KTM 690 and I have 4.2 gallons of fuel. I am right on the edge. One wrong turn a couple loop backs. Anyhow it is fun to have some discussion in the cold of winter.

No doubt about the fun discussion. I'm fairly new to off road riding so I am all ears to any discussion. I have only dabbled a little off road until last summer, when I rode the Tenere on the Alpine loop in CO and now I am hooked. I've never owned a dirt bike or dual sport before so I just started my learning process three years ago in my 50s.
When I first heard of the DakAL I started giving it a lot of thought and I'm wavering between riding it on the XR650L or the Tenere. I've purchased a huge Acerbis 5.8 gallon tank for the XR so that should be able to make the needed mileage. With the Tenere, I'm guessing I will need some kind of auxiliary tank to get over 200 mile range even though it has a 6.1 gallon tank. I have never checked my mileage riding off road so I'm guessing since I can't get 200 out of her on the road.

[Sleddog]

I've been amazed when riding with Streeter & his 690. He seems to consistently get 60 or so mpg. Mexico (where they still have good gas) or US. The only place there may be an issue with gas is at Camp Crook, the station is closed. Because I have the day off I could stash some fuel there before the ride starts.....

It may be that we won't follow the DakAL "exactly" There is some pavement on the route that everybody has probably already ridden....Needles Highway, Spearfish Canyon etc. The official Geographical Center of the Nation (not the one in Belle Fourche) isn't on the DakAL but a few miles off of it. It's kind of cool to visit.

We will be starting from Hill City. There is a good place to leave tow rigs at.

Questions??

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(12-29-2016 07:38 PM)Abercrombie Wrote:  I'm wavering between riding it on the XR650L or the Tenere.

No need to waver, ride the XR650L, you'll be happy(ier) you did.

[LSGiant]

Somehow I am just not as disciplined as Streeter. I have some months to work on my fuel usage. Probably just dialing the map into reduced or bad fuel mode will make a difference. I have done the paved tourist stuff they are great roads but I am also for staying on the roads less traveled.

[wbbnm]

I think I have done about 210 miles on my 690 with stock tank and a 1 gallon Rotopax. I think I still had a few tenths of a gallon. This was on a wide variety of all dirt roads in the Arizona Strip and north side of the Grand Canyon.

It looks from the track that one could bail to Buffalo from Camp Crook for gas and then do a loop north to do the Custer National forest stuff.

Otherwise at a quick glance the longest other stretch I saw was 123 miles from Hill City to Edgemont.

[ST Rich]

LOL, I am not worried, someone will go fill up my Rotopax :-)

[Cruzin]

(12-29-2016 01:35 PM)LSGiant Wrote:  So what do think will be the longest stretch between fuel ?
We need to know how much to bring for Jayd

At my normal ridding pace I know I can go at least 160 mi on a tank...If I kept my wrist out of the throttle body who knows and for that matter who will ever know...I know I won't

I would also be the hauling type, we could probably get 6 bikes in my trailer if someone with a newer truck wants to drive.

[dajuice]

(01-02-2017 03:25 PM)Cruzin Wrote:  ...we could probably get 6 bikes in my trailer if someone with a newer truck wants to drive.

I can pull it with the dually but we can't fit 6 bikes in there if I bring the beast ;-) We had a KTM 990 and an F800 in the bed when I was pulling a 7x14 with V nose with 2 GSs and an FJR on the way out to Denver last year though. so regardless we can take more bikes than people.

The Dually is a 4 door so it's quite comfy for 4 guys my size. We had 4 guys on the over night drive out to Denver and it was perfect... OK 3 would be better so the back seat could be a bed!

[LSGiant]

(01-02-2017 06:42 PM)dajuice Wrote:  

(01-02-2017 03:25 PM)Cruzin Wrote:  ...we could probably get 6 bikes in my trailer if someone with a newer truck wants to drive.

I can pull it with the dually but we can't fit 6 bikes in there if I bring the beast ;-) We had a KTM 990 and an F800 in the bed when I was pulling a 7x14 with V nose with 2 GSs and an FJR on the way out to Denver last year though. so regardless we can take more bikes than people.

The Dually is a 4 door so it's quite comfy for 4 guys my size. We had 4 guys on the over night drive out to Denver and it was perfect... OK 3 would be better so the back seat could be a bed!

Pack them like this

[dajuice]

(01-02-2017 07:00 PM)LSGiant Wrote:  Pack them like this

GS's and FJRs aren't that space efficient! But yes I've had 3 DRZs in the back of my 1/2 ton that way ;-)



The middle one was sans plastic!

[ST Rich]

No bringing "parts bikes" on this trip LOL

(01-02-2017 07:24 PM)dajuice Wrote:  

(01-02-2017 07:00 PM)LSGiant Wrote:  Pack them like this

GS's and FJRs aren't that space efficient! But yes I've had 3 DRZs in the back of my 1/2 ton that way ;-)



The middle one was sans plastic!

[Iffykid]

2 DRZs and a KLX