R1 Sjaak Polar Ice Ride (Official Thread)

Many are familiar with one of the icons of adventure travel Sjaak Lucassen and his exploits on the Yamaha R1. Well many call him crazy for his choice of ride on his continental explorations, and now he's taking it to a new extreme. Yep, he's going to ride an R1 - heavily modified - on the polar ice.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYpgEOA9LWU

We'll host a series of videos along the way covering the modifications, gear and all the preparation involved followed by the ride itself.

Sjaak's FB page as some great detail as he get's ready to head to Barrow.

http://www.facebook.com/R1SjaakPolarIceRide

We will be in touch with Sjaak while he's on the road and update the thread....

James

Sjaak doesn't come to the idea of riding the polar ice with some prior experience in getting around in the world where the roads end. Here's some footage we put together of his previous exploits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThO-w9SCM8I

Interesting choice of motorcycle and looking forward to his ride across the polar ice. I can't imagine the preparation a ride like that will require.

This is one ride I would NOT be psyched to go on!

True adventure rider this guy. I saw the original video many years ago and it one that I still periodically watch. It always amazes me.

Good to see he has sponsorship, throughly deserves it.

Who says you need a super light bike to go belting down gravel roads.

Looking to reading more!

Awesome trip, awesome bike. Subbed

Wow!

Sjaak's due to kick the ride off Jan 31.

Video of the wheel production process and mounting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAHQmOKgsOU

Fascinating! :eek1 For sure I will be glued to this RR!

Frankly I'm lost on the tire thing, though. I had to watch the video with no sound, so maybe I missed a voice over narrative. Apologies if so.

Why those oddball looking tires to begin with, and were the knobbly treads vulcanised on top of the existing or something?

They look much wider in the "after" pictures than the original width could air out to, even with being pinched in from storage/shipping.

Very curious!

Go Sjaak!

Amazing guy. Back when I just was in awe to see him travel places with his Fireblade few dare to tread with outlandish farkled "adv" machines. He sure is on the other end of a fair-weather-rider.

Hey no audio on these quick build snapshots. Although we'll try and annotate the key points soon, but I wanted to get them posted first.

No off the shelf tire would work, so yes these one off tires were made up, Why? For traction on ice, ability to add studs, and then the increased width - spreading the load out - will allow the bike to not sink in the hard packed snow. Hopefully!

Video of the fork mods. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7sH8gzwtNE

I'll start putting all the videos into the Polar Ice Ride playlist.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNTld6cnwqe_E0iz2VZ_t3u6ABOrQIZg8&feature=edit_ok

Fellow Inmate treemuncher (Randy) is on board to assist Sjaak. Check out this great idea we should all be using.

http://www.theicedevice.com/

Loved the tire vid. It all looks so easy

As of a few minutes ago, Sjaak has a package headed to Anchorage Alaska to meet him before he starts his epic journey!

I've included several packages of theICEdevice so that he and his support crew can have their information at the ready In Case of Emergency (ICE). There are also several of the new Reflective 2" x 2" stickers so that he can be seen easier in dark conditions and some 1" x 1" reflective helmet stickers.

If you make an order because you read this post, be sure to ask for a reflective helmet sticker in the comments section on the Paypal order and I will upgrade you to the reflective sticker at no charge!

Getting some emails and I have to admit the material is all over the place. Here are the four vids covering Sjaak's prior travels through Africa and South America, and of course the original long video in one playlist. These two continent videos show a bit more of the people and places he encountered.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?feature=edit_ok&list=PLB0731F67DFA4C7FE

Cool. Glad I found this thread. And thanks for the FB link.

Sjaak and Doris spent the night here on their Prudhoe Bay trip a few years ago.

A few of us locals rode with him down the Seward Hwy along Turnagain Arm back then.


Good luck, Mark H.