Sibirsky Extreme 2012 - The Toughest Ride of Them All

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by davidbrundage

Hey Walter, are you able to speak with these gentlemen with your Russian? I'm vaguely familiar with Kaz's Soviet history, but I also assume they have their own language. Is Russian very similar like different dialects of Spanish or were these guys educated in soviet times and thus learned Russian? Or am I over-thinking it and you just manage?

They have their own language, Kazakh ... Its NOTHING like Russian, but in fact very closely related to Turkish. (a separate issue but the homeland of all Turkic (not Turkish) peoples is said to be in north eastern Kazakhstan - from there they spread far and wide from Turkey to Yakutia) In some rural villages they speak Kazakh as a main language. But in reality, Russian is still the main language in Kazakhstan these days. The government has reintroduced Kazakh language in schools and it is gaining popularity, so it will take over again at some point in the future. All our communication with the Kazakhs was in Russian. They all speak it.

Kazakh border guards usually insist on seeing your Russian visa when they process you, because Kazakh visas are in Kazakh and English. Most of the Kazakh border guards don't read either, and they want to see your Russian visa so they can read what your name and nationality is.

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by DyrWolf

Walter
Just wondering why no center stand on the XChallenge? Mine works great and not having any friends to help lift the bike its a must have for me.

Extra weight ... we dont need it to change tyres, or fix flats. The XCs are light enough to lean over and support on the side stand and with roacks or a stick under the bashplate.

Centre stands are heavy items ... typically 4-5 kgs.

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by PhillipsMetal

I think someone asked earlier, but I never saw an answer - do you use some kind of water purification system?

Thanks for taking us along for the ride. I will be ordering my DVD.

Nope ... we just bought bottled water in this part of the world. In other parts like the Altai, Mongolia and SIberia, we drink water from the rivers. I have a water purifying pump, but again, its bulk and weight that all adds up. If you take the things you think you might need, you could take a truck along. I prefer to only take the things that you know you will need. The only areas I think you need water filtration in the former soviet union are industrial areas. And they all have shops selling bottled water. Out here there were no rivers, so nothing to filter anyway.

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by Phrog

Walter, in this photo you look like you could be long lost brothers.

Great report mate.

Hahaha ... yeah - Zhan holidays on the gold coast. You'll catch him chatting up schoolies at the Broadbeach pub every November.

Just like me

[dallastx]

Again an awesome rr so far, only a pity the KTM has its problems. One general question: what tyre pressure y'all runnin' on these trips, with different kinds of surfaces(gravel, sand/mud, tarmac and such)?

Keep up the good work!
Greetz, Hans.

P.s.: are you and the gang by any means sponsored by Klim or AdventureSpec?

[Prutser]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

Extra weight ... we dont need it to change tyres, or fix flats. The XCs are light enough to lean over and support on the side stand and with roacks or a stick under the bashplate.

Centre stands are heavy items ... typically 4-5 kgs.

If my center stand wouldn't protect my exhaust I would take it of too. The boxer's stand is about 2.5 kg.

[gsd4me]

Originally Posted by Erik500

Great footage, and the "Onedin Line" theme made me smile

Someone`s showing their age.

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by dallastx

Again an awesome rr so far, only a pity the KTM has its problems. One general question: what tyre pressure y'all runnin' on these trips, with different kinds of surfaces(gravel, sand/mud, tarmac and such)?

P.s.: are you and the gang by any means sponsored by Klim or AdventureSpec?

Normally I would run about 1.6 bar at front and 1.7 at the back .... if it gets sandy I would drop that a bit ... maybe 1.3 - 1.4 bar. Cant go too low on these kind of rides cause you really dont want to spend too much time fixing flat tyres.

KLIM were not sponsoring us. Just most of us chose their gear. (Rod wasnt wearing Klim pants, and none of us were using the Klim helmets on this ride - they only make a full face helmet). Some have mentioned that the gear may not be ideal in the baking sun. Nor is it as good as a totally waterproof unbreathable plastic mackintosh material in all day thunderstorms, nor as good as snowmobile gear in the freezing cold. But we have to take gear that will on balance work the best in all conditions we were likely to encounter. There is not the luxury the way we ride of stashing an extra pair of pants in the gear (thats too much volume to carry). So thats why I we have made the choices we have made. Seriously if you look at the gear Terry took along for this 3+ month trip, he had his camping gear, his spare parts and tools, and then he had 1 pair of chinos. 2 technical long sleeved t-shirts, a few pairs of underwear, a pair of sandals, and his i-phone charger. Thats it. So the riding gear really has to be extremely multi purpose and adaptable for all climates. No-one likes stopping when a rain shower comes along, digging out a waterproof layer, and putting it on. All you want to do if it rains is to zip up and get going again.

Adventure-Spec have supported a few rides both myself and Rod have done over the years and they helped us out with good pricing on any gear we needed for this trip. The two guys that own it are both mates of mine and both genuine adventure bikers, so I like to support them too.

[griffo1962]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

Hahaha ... yeah - Zhan holidays on the gold coast. You'll catch him chatting up schoolies at the Broadbeach pub every November.

Just like me

I didn't see you there

[gsd4me]

Originally Posted by griffo1962

I didn't see you there

He was with the rest of the toolies, in the watch house.

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by MuddySump

Ah finally caught up


Quick question about the montana GPS.

I use a satmap for trail riding here in the UK which is like a digital ordnance survey map you save routes into and can record routes into it while out riding to follow.

Is the montana the same thing? can be used as a gps too but doesn't tell you proper directions just shows a direct line to the destination you put in?


Thanks

Well as CIedema hinted earlier, we had a track to follow. A hand drawn track. You load that track into your Montana or whatever GPS you have, and you follow it. Its that simple.

I think most GPSs can be set up to do that ... The Montana is just capable of loading much longer more detailed tracks into it than other GOSs I have used in the past.

[far]

You have a Ride Report from your trip to South America in the red GS650?

[Erik500]

Originally Posted by GSD4ME

Someone`s showing their age.

And it takes one to know one ?

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by far

You have a Ride Report from your trip to South America in the red GS650?
]

No ride report from that trip ... That was a trip with a girlfriend 7 years ago.

There will be a south american ride report from me after this one ... but very geographically focussed ... not a huge amount of travelling.

[sion]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

There will be a south american ride report from me after this one ... but very geographically focussed ... not a huge amount of travelling.

something to do with a record of some sort...?