Sibirsky Extreme 2012 - The Toughest Ride of Them All

[xrcris]

Originally Posted by ROD CURRIE

It took me an hour or so to get home to out flat in London from Dover and I dropped the bike in our back garden.

Well earned rest and due for a MAJOR overhaul and service

9000 mi. and just gets left in the back yard - for shame!

As everyone else already mentioned, great RR, thanks for taking us along!!

[shaweetz]

This ride report is the Concept Album of advrider. And you all pulled it off, the whole package. Platinum.

Большое спасибо for the massive, massive amount of work it was to put this all together for our enjoyment, all thoughtfully timed to keep thousands of northern hemisphere riders from losing their minds over the winter. You all are owed many, many пиво worldwide. Bravo.

[Montek]

Rod, thanks for your input ya jock. can't believe this report is soon to be wound down. NOW wtf am I gonna do at work!!!!!
I know! you all should tell the story backwards, that should take a couple months, and then all the snow will be gone and i'll be riding and won't care!
The info here has been overwhelming!!! The cast has been superb, the story-telling outstanding, THIS, IS A RIDE REPORT, AN EPIC RIDE REPORT. The time and dedication needed for such details, and to communicate in such a vibrant manner is incredibley difficult! Everyone of you involved is to be congatulated and somehow thanked for your efforts.

SSOOOO thanks-until you are better paid
Monte

[DYNOBOB]

Rod, You even read my mind on what the 908RR looked like at the end of the trip!




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[Yellow Pig]

Originally Posted by ROD CURRIE

.

WOW !

Fantastic ride report.

So...... it looks like the 690 was winner despite the single fuel pump (known issue) incident. Can't wait to get my 2013 KTM 690 Enduro in this month.

I am however amazed you got 9K out of the D908. That is simply science fiction material. The best I have ever gotten out of a D908 is 1500 miles. Heck I only get 3000 out of a Mefo Super-Explorer. Granted that was on a 950 Super Enduro, but 9000 miles on a 690 fully loaded is unbelievable.

Even on my XR650R the D908 was only good for 1800 miles.

Thanks for the ride along.

[excTC]

Rod my thanks as well. 690s rock but I have bought a spare fuel pump.

[MeinMotorrad]

Originally Posted by fraser2312

Thanks for your input Rod, looking forward to the Morocco RR?

+1

[motoreiter]

Originally Posted by ROD CURRIE

Despite an outstanding war record going back as far as the Japan-Soviet war in 1939-being successful was almost as dangerous as NOT being as Stalin would suspect a threat -[Zhukov] and his wife were arrested for suspected treachery , his wife was killed, he was tortured and had his teeth knocked out with a rifle butt, but a new push on the front required a man of his drive and ruthlessness so he was released. He went on to lead the Russians in the Battle of Kursk, the biggest tank battle ever where hundreds of thousands died.

I think you're confusing Zhukov with someone else, probably Rokossovsky. Rokossovsky was arrested in 1937 after being accused of being a Polish spy. During his interrogations, he had a bunch of teeth knocked out, all of his fingernails removed, and underwent 2-3 mock executions. He was released in 1940 without explanation and in the fall of 1941 was put in command of the 16th Army defending Moscow. Supposedly the 16th Army was made up entirely of former convicts, and Stalin hand-picked Rokossovsky as being perfect for the job.

[ac_elite]

Great RR report,

Thank you for taking us along. It might be just me on Chrome, but the photos you posted on p 278-279 did not make it, only the photobucket icon shows.

[bend27]

Rod, thank you!!

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by ac_elite

... the photos you posted on p 278-279 did not make it, only the photobucket icon shows.

Rod ... all your pics from earlier in the report are not showing either ... might be that you need to renew a subscription?

[mbravo]

Someone in another thread here on ADV reported that Photobucket has some trouble with a part of their server farm, and are working to fix it - might be related.

[ROD CURRIE]

Originally Posted by motoreiter

I think you're confusing Zhukov with someone else, probably Rokossovsky. Rokossovsky was arrested in 1937 after being accused of being a Polish spy. During his interrogations, he had a bunch of teeth knocked out, all of his fingernails removed, and underwent 2-3 mock executions. He was released in 1940 without explanation and in the fall of 1941 was put in command of the 16th Army defending Moscow. Supposedly the 16th Army was made up entirely of former convicts, and Stalin hand-picked Rokossovsky as being perfect for the job.

Hey Tom.

I'll check that out.
I read it in Anthony Beever's history of the Second World War...it'll give me another excuse to look through that great book whilst we're in Morocco. Thanks for your steer. I'll get back to yez.

[oothef]

I think Zhukov fell out of favour after the war, I'm not sure what happened to him, but he was chopped out of photos with his fearless leader.

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by oothef

I think Zhukov fell out of favour after the war, I'm not sure what happened to him, but he was chopped out of photos with his fearless leader.

He became too popular both within the army and with the general population ... That support and popularity was a threat to Stalin's singular authority, so he was sidelined by Stalin into small, unseen roles after the war.

When Stalin died, it was Zhukov who arrested the dodgy Beria ... Former head of the NKVD (the much more powerful forerunner to the KGB). Zhukov's troops ensured the NKVD didn't come to the aid of their former head. It needed someone with the gravitas and respect of Zhukov to arrest a man as powerful as Beria.

Zhukov was rehabilitated by Khruschev after Stalin died.