Wherever I May Roam - One Woman Livin' on a DR650

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by Feyala

Giant Loop looks like a nice tight package but I question how easy it is to get to stuff. I just remember how much of my day was involved with doing and undoing tarp straps on the first leg of the trip (drybags count as soft luggage right?), and I will skip that again if possible.

I'm not a Giant Loop fan. Suited more for dirt bikes who go out for a few days. And digging into them? Really hard to find what you need.

The DR is plenty capable of carrying regular saddlebags. If properly mounted ... they work great for me and never move. Dry bags are great too. Packing and organizing how things go in the bike is an Art I'm still learning. I like these bags for Long Range Travel on the DR. A bit small ... and I've now upgraded. Good bags have compartments for helping organize and ease access.






I now have these same Nelson-Rigg panniers ... (this is not my bike). These are big enough for everything. Or you could go smaller like the above tourmaster bags shown on my bike. The Nelson-Rigg I found here in Flea Market for $100 ... near new.
Choices Choices!

Originally Posted by Feyala

WD40 I have heard can have some negative effect on the o-rings, which is why I use kerosene when I can.

Odorless Kero is the way ... BTW, I've used WD40 on chains for over 20 years ... I get 25,000 miles on my DR chain. (DID VM-2) WD does not harm O rings. Myth.

No reason to be overly paranoid in Mexico ... just sensible. When the Mama- cita invites you home ... you are safe.

Originally Posted by Feyala

Any particular bakery delights you'd suggest I try?

Just start trying stuff. Trata uno, hay muchos ... me gusta Orejas.

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by just jeff

Sorry Girls! You still need tubes even in tubless tires if you are installing them on bikes which have spoked rims. The air will leak out all the spoke holes! Yes there are ways of converting spoked rims to tubless but it is somewhat complicated and a pain. Tubes are not that bad to patch.IMO
Regards....just jeff

I agree. A few have tried to convert DR650 rims to tubeless ... most times they end up leaking. Fixing flats is a royal pain .... my advice? Get help!
The good news is that in Mexico ... there are "llanteros" everywhere. (tire repair). Even small villages have a tire repair guy ... and they are GOOD and cheap. ($3 to $5 to change a tube and patch your old one good as new. Learn to ride your loaded bike with a flat. Just ride to the tire shop. It may destroy tube ... but better than baking in the sun on the highway. I carry 3 spare tubes on long rides ... and buy another if one is ruined.

[Feyala]

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

Mexico is highly recommended for dental work. Even the border towns are good ... but do research, ask around to find the best Docs. I'm not a fan of Dental Schools ... I've used them in the past.

They now even do Implants in Mexico. I had some filings and a crown done for about 1/4 the US cost. Wisdom teeth require a real oral surgeon. They knock you out. Only way to go, IMHO. Ask around for advice. Some Wisdom's come out easy ... some can be very difficult and turn into a disaster if a student is trying to do it.

I feel kind of weird for saying this, because one of my phobias is folks in white coats with sharp implements, but I'd like to avoid general anesthesia if possible, simply because it has its own risks. The cavity-riddled wisdom tooth is already a bit loose, so I don't think it'd be too hard to pull. I'm not sure about the half-exposed sideways one. I'll definitely be looking into my options. The cavity one worries me a bit because I don't know if it's infected or abcessed (I've been treating it with raw garlic just in case), if it is, I might not be able to wait the month and a half for my passport renewal to go through to take care of it. We'll see what the consultation says, then at least I'll know what I'm in for either way.

The top nut will not affect head bearing tension ... but if the big but is loose you may feel movement under braking as the whole steering stem can "wiggle" a bit.
Head bearings are under the big top nut and under the top triple clamp.
Best let an expert finely adjust them. Probably are fine ... might need a bit of grease.

Well, we put in new steering head bearings with plenty of waterproof grease not that long ago. I'm not worried about that. The top nut wasn't "wiggle loose", but it sure didn't feel like the 65 foot pounds the manual suggests so I snugged it up. The steering has felt a bit too uh, "responsive" since the replacement, and I figure tightening the nut couldn't hurt. Whether it did a damn thing remains to be seen! If this doesn't work I'll poke around some more.

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

Those are the exact same bags I had on the Rebel. It's good to know somebody likes them at least! I found that my balance of weight had to be almost equal or they'd start sagging on one side, melt on the exhaust, etc. I ended up making a bag spacer as part of the rack for the Rebel which solved the problem completely (I know there are soft bag racks which do this for the DR). It's entirely possible that I am just a packrat and carry too much shit. Also, I like that my boxes lock. Might just be a mental thing, but I hate leaving soft bags on a bike when I park in a city, or anywhere that the bike will be out of my view...

Odorless Kero is the way ...

Wait, the stink is optional?! Where do you buy this substance?

me gusta Orejas.

I'll have to give ears a shot then! Thanks!

Learn to ride your loaded bike with a flat. Just ride to the tire shop.

That sounds terrifying! I'd be more afraid of wrecking the rim... I'll just be sweating for an hour next to the highway fixing it, thanks!

[Adv Grifter]

Good luck with the consultation. It may be counter-intuitive ... but trust me ... being knocked out for Wisdom teeth is the only way to go. Ask around.

Originally Posted by Feyala

The steering has felt a bit too uh, "responsive" since the replacement, and I figure tightening the nut couldn't hurt. Whether it did a damn thing remains to be seen! If this doesn't work I'll poke around some more.

Something else is up. Could be the difference to loaded or unloaded bike? Or tires. Tires can really fool you on the DR650. Worn tires really mess up the DR.

Originally Posted by Feyala

Those are the exact same bags I had on the Rebel. It's good to know somebody likes them at least! I found that my balance of weight had to be almost equal or they'd start sagging on one side, melt on the exhaust, etc. I ended up making a bag spacer as part of the rack for the Rebel which solved the problem completely (I know there are soft bag racks which do this for the DR). It's entirely possible that I am just a packrat and carry too much shit. Also, I like that my boxes lock. Might just be a mental thing, but I hate leaving soft bags on a bike when I park in a city, or anywhere that the bike will be out of my view...

The Nelson Rigg bags are supported ... they never sag and 30% more room than the tourmaster's. I've yet to tour with mine ... SOON!


These are either GIVI or Happy Trails racks. Excellent! Keeps them off the pipe ... even when stuffed with Wine bottles! Soft bags weight are taken 90% on the straps that go over the seat. These racks don't crack like with hard bag racks ... which must support ALL the weight.

Below is my set up on my first trip to Baja on my DR650. These are Givi E-41 bags. Great bags but when you add up the racks, hardware and the bags themselves, they added almost 35 lbs. ... EMPTY!

PS: A 5TH grader with a screw driver can break into any hard bag. But I totally understand your feeling. Go with hard bags if they calm you down.
That is important! Relax ... Have Fun!


Following the Baja 1000 course back in 2007. The DR was OK but was squirrely in more technical terrain. When I switched to soft bags and dropped 40 lbs. the bike was TRANSFORMED! MUCH BETTER!

[Feyala]

I got up and headed to a nearby cafe. Nip randomly discovered me, and decided to join me for breakfast. We spoke about what I might encounter at Saline Valley for an hour or so. He was obviously quite concerned for my safety in his own way, which was touching. At one point he pronounced that "you got some big hairy balls on you girl!" Um. Thanks, I guess?

I packed up my stuff and crammed it all on the bike. Nip brought out a baggie full of trail mix as a gift. Aww.


After assuring him that I had at least 3 liters of water, I gave Nip a hug and set off around 11:30. It was nice to be on the road again, the sky was clear and the landscape opened up in front of me. There's just something about being on an endless highway that screams freedom to me. Maybe I've listened to "Born to be Wild" one too many times.


I aimed for Bishop. I needed to get a new ratchet, having apparently left mine in Oregon, as well as stock up on some supplies for a few days off the grid. You wouldn't think that a store with a giant chicken on the roof would have a lot of vegetarian food, but a lot of rock climbers visit this area. Many of them are vegetarian, so I had a nice selection.




I merged onto highway 168 and started looking for Death Valley Road.


There was a nice big sign pointing the way to Saline Valley. Shortly thereafter, more signs informed me that everything was closed. From other reports of the road conditions, I knew to expect this, but it drove the reality of what I was about to do home for me.


As did this:


However, they should have added "... Eventually" to that sign, because it was a flagrant lie. The pavement went on for another half hour, winding through canyons. I had it all to myself.


The tension built until I finally saw the entrance to Saline Valley Road. They'd covered it with scary-looking warnings to keep out the unwary, including "High Clearance 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles Only".


Well, this was it. Win, lose, or draw, there's no turning back now...

The road began innocently enough, nice, wide, smooth dirt. The only thing to see in any direction was desert and mountains. It was lovely.


My path followed the contours of the land, rising and falling. It switchbacked steeply down this hill, with some rocks which made me extra careful, but nothing that I couldn't handle. It reminded me a bit of Hess Road, at the Hells Canyon rally. I thought about how nervous I was back then and laughed.




At the bottom, there were some buildings, one of which looked abandoned, the others seemed to see regular use. Some men were working on the side of the road near that tower, but I didn't have time to stop and chat. I needed to be at the springs before it got dark, and it was already almost four.


Out of nowhere, there was some deeper sand in a corner, I saw it just in time. Gingerly, I tried not to steer too sharply, and managed to make it through without dropping it. The road slowly ascended, breaking into the treeline.


Dropping into a canyon, the route became rocky and washed out, though it was clear that an effort had been made to push the majority off to the sides. I didn't stop at the worst part, it was definitely a one-lane road with many blind corners, and the idea of meeting somebody coming the other direction was very unappealing. After the previous few days, even the worst was a cakewalk by comparison.


The road returned to the placid, rolling hills from earlier. I stood on the pegs and let the dirt and rocks fly underneath me, going about 30mph or so. At one point I crested a hill and the valley opened up below me, the view heartbreakingly beautiful. I found myself beginning to appreciate the desaturated emptiness of the landscape, harsh but straightforward. It's difficult to express just how vast this area is with pictures. It can be deceptive even to the naked eye, the clarity of the air here means that things which appear to be a few miles away might be 20, or more. This has proven deadly to those who become stranded.


Another rider had mentioned that the washouts on this road sneak up on you, and I definitely agree. The well-graded portions lull you into a false sense of security. I had my eyes peeled, but even still, I ran over a small one so quickly that I barely had time to react. I slowed down afterwards and became more vigilant, which is good, because some of them were pretty nasty, with larger rocks and soft, deep gravel. I did fine for the most part, but almost got stuck in one with a sharp turn, I was not able to maneuver as sharply as the road did, and ended up briefly wedged into a gravel pile. Thankfully, I was able to free myself by rocking back and forth.




About 40 miles in, the washes got much worse. At one point, there was a very large U-shaped dip in the road. I wondered how folks without high-clearance vehicles were able to make it past there. The last few miles before the turn off for the springs had some deep sand and occasional moon dust, and for the first time that day I felt honestly afraid. I slowed to a crawl. My feet were extended through most of it, and I tried not to think about the possibility of my leg getting trapped underneath my panniers as I dabbed from time to time to keep the bike upright.

I was running out of daylight when I found the turnoff to the Hot Springs. This road had even more sand and moon dust, as it was crossed by many washes. I was relieved when I found the infamous "bat sign", which promised that I was nearly there.


Suddenly: burros. Approaching with extreme caution, I stopped the bike and walked a bit closer. They were fearless.


I pulled up to the springs as what little light remained quickly faded from the sky. There were lots of trucks with campers, a couple of RVs (?!), and various people milling around, far more people than I had expected there to be. I asked a random passerby where I should camp, and he pointed to a spot up on a little hill. I spotted a coyote darting away as I pulled up, a huge grin on my face. I was excited to have arrived without mishap, doubly so to be out of the sand before dark. Fuck yeah, I did it! I'm here!.

My camp was assembled by flashlight. Afterwards, I introduced myself to my neighbor and he invited me to use his camp stove if I needed to cook anything. We swapped stories as I heated up and ate some Indian food with tortillas.

I put on my swimsuit and headed down to the springs. Surprisingly alone, I slipped into a circular man-made pool, the nearly too-hot spring water blissfully relaxing after my long day. Reality disappeared as I floated, staring up at the full moon through the palm trees which were dancing in the wind. Perfect.

[pdxmotorhead]

Originally Posted by Feyala

I feel kind of weird for saying this, because one of my phobias is folks in white coats with sharp implements, but I'd like to avoid general anesthesia if possible, simply because it has its own risks. The cavity-riddled wisdom tooth is already a bit loose, so I don't think it'd be too hard to pull. I'm not sure about the half-exposed sideways one. I'll definitely be looking into my options. The cavity one worries me a bit because I don't know if it's infected or abcessed (I've been treating it with raw garlic just in case), if it is, I might not be able to wait the month and a half for my passport renewal to go through to take care of it. We'll see what the consultation says, then at least I'll know what I'm in for either way.

+1 on the "Knock my A** out club, and i had all 4 done just to get it over with you only need one go round and the healing time is the same... They are not really knocking you out, as in a general, , they just make it so your out enough not to care... I don't remember it but my wife said they could ask me to open my mouth and what not. All 4 of mine were in sideways.. and had long roots the Dr basically said he didn't want me awake cause it was not going to be pretty. I was amazed how much better I slept after getting them out, they tend to push on your teeth and mis-align your jaw..

Plus I am a total dental weenie.. My first dentist at about 6 or 7 had the motto that "Novocaine was for wimps" and besides he only had to drill a little bit.. Bas*** stuck me to the ceiling a couple times..

Good luck and take care of yourself...

Dave

[Ratman]

Fey says...

I put on my swimsuit and headed down to the springs. Surprisingly alone, I slipped into a circular man-made pool, the nearly too-hot spring water blissfully relaxing after my long day. Reality disappeared as I floated, staring up at the full moon through the palm trees which were dancing in the wind. Perfect.

always interesting reports, Fey. I'm taking some personal satisfaction at being there to help you get your dirt legs under you. I think you have enough of a dirt primer behind you to learn the rest on your own and at your own speed. You go, girl....

I must agree that when you drill down thru the years of Nips life, he's quite a guy.....and a good guy to be a friend of if ever near Lone Pine.

Nip's been fighting his way thru carb problems on his DRZ the last couple weeks. We've been in contact over the phone a few times. This dualsporting expands a guy/gal in many ways.

[Steinbuck]

Wait, the stink is optional?! Where do you buy this substance?

Try lamp oil. Here in Nor Cal it's available at OSH.

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by Steinbuck

Try lamp oil. Here in Nor Cal it's available at OSH.

Plus One on the Lamp Oil. Good all purpose cleaner, degreaser ... no stink!

[NomadGal]

I have yet to find a really nice quiet way from the crowds hot spring! Looking forward to doing so one day

[Jettn Jim]

yummy.......... keep on keep'n on!

[drdubb]

Bk Brkr baker had dental work done in Mexico. Good experience. He did a ride report around that visit.

A friend of mine has those Nelson rigg bags, very good and quite large.

If you want secure, use the soft side bags and get a good quality top case. Pelican or similar.

[Adv Grifter]

Originally Posted by drdubb

Bk Brkr baker had dental work done in Mexico. Good experience. He did a ride report around that visit.

A friend of mine has those Nelson rigg bags, very good and quite large.

If you want secure, use the soft side bags and get a good quality top case. Pelican or similar.

A popular soft bag security addition for travelers is the "PAC-Safe" stainless
netting (lock-able). A good deterrent ... will deter most casual thieves.
Pelicans are pretty secure ... you can use two padlocks.
(But a hack saw can cut the plastic) Great as a padded top case for cameras and electronics. Don't over weight your top case ... as can be hard on sub frame & mounting points.
Plus, lots of weight that far back ruins handling. Caution.

[PaulGir]

Originally Posted by Feyala

I feel kind of weird for saying this, because one of my phobias is folks in white coats with sharp implements,

That's not a phobia - just common sense

[Shibby!]

Originally Posted by Feyala

...In desperation, I tried the obvious advice everybody gives novice dirt riders and which none of them listen to: ease up on the brakes and let the engine slow you down. I didn't want to go that fast down this hill, so I still tapped on the brakes, but I stopped sliding, which made me feel more in control. Eventually I made it past the worst of this.

I'm playing some massive catch up, but just wanted to point out this is bad advice..

By doing so, you limit the slip of the rear wheel by not locking up, but you cause massive issues by doing this. The bike becomes a moment arm forcing the front of the bike down. Not a huge issue you might think, but it applies varying load on the forks making them harsh, it affects handling, and it's just bad. Try it for yourself and you should instantly see the difference.

Pull the clutch, learn to modulate your brakes and in the end you'll be way, way further ahead. Keeping the bike neutral on downhills is a massive benefit. Many 4-stroke riders don't realise this. 2-strokes don't have nearly the same engine braking so it plays much less of a factor.

You learn where to brake, where to let off, and how to modulate them and things will start clicking.

Good luck. Most newer riders have the most issues with decents.