Sibirsky Extreme 2012 - The Toughest Ride of Them All

Discussion in 'Ride Reports - Epic Rides' started by Colebatch, Oct 18, 2012.

  1. Colebatch

    Colebatch "Moto Porn"ographer

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    I didnt go to Siberia in 2011. I just watched and egged on a number of friends who did: Helping with planning, helping with bike preparation and following them live on spot trackers as they crossed my favourite part of the world.

    But I wasnt sitting idly by. I was deep in the middle of my own plan to put together the boldest ride I had ever done. Back in 2010, I had been listening to Dave Lomax of Adventure-Spec fame talking about the Trans America Trail ride he did a few years back. Also, earlier in 2010 I had been on the 2 week Russian Off Road Challenge with a route that had been stitched together by zooming in on google earth. The trail was 85-90% perfect. Via that experience, I learned off-road route drawing by google earth actually could work, if you knew how to interpret google earth. It suddenly dawned on me that a trail could be mapped, from the edge of the European Union (Poland in this case) to the Pacific ocean. Just like the TAT, but 5 times longer, 5 times harder, and 5 times more brutal. 18,000 km (12,000 miles) of dirt tracks - but it would be a mammoth project just to map it. Drawing a turn by turn line across the largest landmass in the world. I began in the spring of 2011.

    By September 2011 I had the route. It had taken me about 4 months of staring at google earth daily, panning a few hundred metres at a time. It was a combination of cool tracks I had ridden previously, linked up by vast google earthed stretches sometimes several thousand miles long. I had linked together all sorts of terrain, from sandy dunes, to lush forests, fast steppe tracks, rocky brutal sections, Ural Mountains, river crossings, mongolian grasslands, the Western BAM and the Road of Bones .... Old Summer Road. There was a strong focus on terrain and routes that offered interesting off road riding. Through Ukraine, European Russia, Kazakhstan, the Altai, Mongolia, and Siberia. I took in a few key cities, like Kiev, Volgograd, Astana, Ulaan Baatar, and would finish up, of course, in Magadan ....

    It would take an entire summer season just to ride it. That was the mission for Summer 2012: To ride the Sibirsky Extreme Trail.

    Was this going to be the greatest trail on the planet? I certainly hoped so. It would certainly be be toughest of all my rides.

    - - -

    Here's a selection of smaller taster pics from the Sibirsky Extreme Trail ride this year; the full story and high res pics will unfold in more detail right here in the coming weeks and months:

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    And a video trailer:
    #1
    Singulano, Gmb1975, LaurensT and 37 others like this.
  2. Sroz

    Sroz Adventurer

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    Absolutely in! Got the Sibirsky Extreme DVD. watching with anticipation from South Australia:clap
    #2
  3. MadMax

    MadMax Marveling...

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    Close to Crockett's Cabin
    Wow, this will be a good read over the cold winter! Thanks for allowing us in on the fun!
    #3
  4. marcone

    marcone V-Stromer

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    Romania - for now
    Totally IN!
    #4
  5. Manneman

    Manneman Polarbear

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    Oct 15, 2011
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    SCANIA
    SO TOTALLY IN!!!:D

    I love this!

    I see that Tony is still riding the XT 660 which is understandable! I have one myself you see.
    Although I´ve never found what setup he had the last time and now that the bikes updated I´d really really love to hear what you have done to the bike Tony!

    Marzocci frontfork? Price? Installation?

    Lights?

    Fuelcapacity? How do you transfer the fuel from the extratank? How much did the extra fueltank carry, 12 liters?

    why not the 22,5 liter Gillimototank? (Have it myself, range +400 km´s)

    Engine mods?
    #5
    vt700guy and 10ecjed like this.
  6. RokLobster

    RokLobster Far from sanity

    Joined:
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    Mill Creek WA - Land of perpetual wet
    Woo hoo!!! Another one of your epic rides!! Can't wait - I am in for this one!!! :lurk
    #6
    OKCRIDER likes this.
  7. Watercat

    Watercat . . . gravity sucks

    Joined:
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    Beervanastan, Duwamps Pacific NorWet
    Oh yeah . . . . . . :D

    Looking forward to another excellent adventure RR !

    :evil
    #7
  8. tattewell

    tattewell Mad Poser

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    needs more lady shots :deal
    #8
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  9. Mr Free Market

    Mr Free Market n00b

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    I've loved reading the previous expedition reports & now, am very much looking forward to this one
    #9
  10. Deadly99

    Deadly99 Fast and Far

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    :lurk
    #10
  11. Colebatch

    Colebatch "Moto Porn"ographer

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    Its Terry ... and its not an XT660 ... just XT660 plastic on it.

    All will be revealed on the riders and the bikes in due course.



    #11
  12. Arek Kontrol

    Arek Kontrol Been here awhile

    Joined:
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    Ex-pat Poles in Adelaide Hills, South Australia
    Im in :evil
    #12
  13. kimangao

    kimangao Been here awhile

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    Essen, Germany
    Yep! :lurk
    #13
  14. randel

    randel Been here awhile

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    Tallinn, Estonia
    I'm sure it will be another great report! :clap
    Would you also share your track for downloading? So others can follow your route in future, partially or in full length.
    #14
  15. Paratrout

    Paratrout Been here awhile

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    Cackilackistan, Concord Oblast
    Rockin! Hell yes I'm in!:freaky
    #15
  16. lakota

    lakota Geeser Supporter

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    Really looking forward to this:clap
    #16
  17. Wolfgang55

    Wolfgang55 Long timer

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    Only N flowin river emptying in an ocean
    Love riding into different countries, meeting their neat floks.

    Then seeing a jak running down the road..............can it get any better:clap
    #17
  18. Manneman

    Manneman Polarbear

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    My bad...

    :y0!
    #18
  19. Manneman

    Manneman Polarbear

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    In Norwegian but there you have it!

    http://www.sibir2012.com/kjorerute/
    #19
    Gedi likes this.
  20. MoToad

    MoToad Been here awhile

    Joined:
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    :freaky "We are not worthy1":freaky
    But can you please explain the totally submerged bike shot? Rode it that deep and then it stalled? Still running?:rofl
    Any bad effects from that?
    Inquiring Toads want to know.

    And of course, "in.":D
    #20
    10ecjed likes this.