R1 Sjaak Polar Ice Ride (Official Thread)

The adventure begins! Vid #15 And our first view of the ice at Barrow. Sjaak: "We will succeed!"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YL-GESLDTI

From Sjaak overnight:

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <wunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <woNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <wontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <wontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <wontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <wontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <w:BrowserLevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="&#45;-"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]-->[FONT=&quot]I have the sledge ready and today did a successful cold start. The way I prepared the bike with the engine preheater works fine. I still have some minor problems to solve but tomorrow I plan the test pull on the ice. If this goes well I will soon be on my way.

Best,
Sjaak

[/FONT]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cNvMSEt5ZI

One very cool pic.

Thanks for posting! Keep it up.

Here is some more prep in Barrow:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YShTUv4iI68

Sjaak getting ready to roll out on the ice. Video #18

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kCvR07wiDKg

Looking forward to seeing how the ice surface is this year

This is going to be something unique for sure.

A positive update and new photo:

"Yesterday I got to see the polar ice where I will start the ride. When I got there it was too late to take the wheels of the sledge and try it. Because some very helpful and friendly locals who are helping me had a four wheel drive with them to pull me out if necessary, I went on the ice with the wheels on. The wheels of the sledge where digging in the deep snow and I got stuck a few times. But it went much better than I had hoped. It looks very promising. The R1 had no problems at all riding the terrain. The big wheels rolled strait over it. Today the plan was to tow the sledge to Point Barrow. Due to ice in the fuel system and a coolant leak this it set to tomorrow."

I asked Sjaak what model R1 he prefers and he answered "a '99 or 2000" because he was so familiar with them. I think he's serviced every part of that model bike by himself over they years in different parts of the world.

He plans on sleeping in the tailer. Not sure if it's totally Polar Bear proof but it seems pretty sturdy being made of laminated lexan over an aluminum frame. Sjaak said he planned on talking more with the locals about bears once in Barrow. I'm sure they'll almost all recommend a firearm which is probably kind of out of the question for Sjaak.

Polar Ice doesn't have crevasses like a glacier but because of constant movement there's a real possibility of pressure ridges that cause the ice to bunch up in a jumbled mess. In some places he may have to zig zag around to find a smoother route.

And if worst comes to worst, he has a satellite phone.

Mark H.

Check out the video testing the Lexan shell. With the frame and shell a bear isn't getting directly through it IMO,

Can a group of bears wait him out? That'd be my concern.

We dont have any aircraft up there during the winter months and we dont normally fly up there because our fuel will freeze. The ANG might have a plane with those capabilities. If anything , there is an amphibious tracked rescue rig in Barrow.

Very cool, get it??? I hope things go well for him.

Testing.

Slow getting video up, as we are at the Dealer Expo in Indy. If you are going to the Progressive International Show you have access to the Expo, so stop by the Clymer Manuals booth.

Sjaak should be on the way to Canada. Look for more video next week.

This from Sjaak:

Yesterday I got to see the polar ice where I will start the ride. When I got there it was too late to take the wheels of the sledge and try it. Because some very helpful and friendly locals who are helping me had a four wheel drive with them to pull me out if necessary, I went on the ice with the wheels on. The wheels of the sledge where digging in the deep snow and I got stuck a few times. But it went much better than I had hoped. It looks very promising. The R1 had no problems at all riding the terrain. The big wheels rolled strait over it. Today the plan was to tow the sledge to Point Barrow. Due to ice in the fuel system and a coolant leak this it set to tomorrow.

The latest:

"First test with the sledge on the polar ice north of Barrow. When I turn de bike the sledge wants to go in a straight line. It resulted in hitting the ice/snow a few times. That’s why I am going to use a long rope between the R1 and the sledge during the Polar Ice Ride."

I'm thinking that the easiest fix would be to put a front steering axle, mounted where the front wheel is, with 2 snowmobile skis
for steering/tracking. Keep the skis set wide to increase stability. Two more skis or, at the least, skegs at the rear of the sledge would add more directional stability. This should increase control of the bike-sledge combination during hard decelerations instead of the current instability due to the sledges lack of direction control.

Just my $.02 thinking out loud.

Best of luck to you Sjaak.

+1 on the skis. And directional capability a must.


Not good:
with a rope, when he hits soft snow or a ridge, or anything that brings his bike to a sudden stop and that sledge with all the momentum of its weight in fuel and supplies is going to hit his bike pretty good.

That's what I am afraid of. It will be getting rear-ended by a runaway sledge. The last thing any of us wants to hear is that he failed due to a vehicle collision in the middle of nowhere. Any injuries out there by himself could lead to an untimely demise. No one wants that to happen.

I hope he takes the time to get this figured out with maximum safety factor. I see a tow rope as an accident waiting to happen. Been there, done that.

I don't see a tow rope as a good idea. You slow or stop and the sled doesn't???

"Today the adventure from the northernmost point of continental USA to the southernmost point started at Point Barrow. To get there I had to adapt the bike and the sledge to the climate and ice conditions. This was only possible thanks to my new friends who live here and who know this environment. Clifford, Nelson, Michael, Jacob, Charles and others, thank you guys! (picture by Michael Donovan)"

We are backing up a bit with videos, as Sjaak reports he will depart today. As you saw in the last post, Sjaak has worked out the sled attachment. Here is assembly of the sled detail.

We have a lot of video to post this week of his testing and retesting progress prior to taking off. A project like this obviously presented some unforeseen issues.As always, Sjaak keeps pushing through. Of course he's received a warm welcome and incredible assistance from the residents of Barrow. Sjaak thanks you all!!!
We'll do our best to keep you posted on his progress on the ice. But we are really looking forward to when he hits land in Canada and can send the video out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veq1a0p5Uyc