Long-Distance Touring Nighthawk Complete!

[Warren]

Okay gang, so she is finally completely outfitted just how I want her for the trip to Inuvik in summer 2011!

Now for a good solid year of short-medium test trips, camping and fun!

Equipment:

Givi Wingrack w/E45 top and E36 side cases
Helmet Guardian
Stainless crash guards with aluminum pegs
Front/Rear Avon Distanzias
Ride-On tire sealant (a must my friends)
16 tooth countersprocket
GenMar up & back risers
Vista Cruise throttle lock
Twisted Throttle mirror extenders
2008 model Kawasaki KLR handguards
Hot Grips
Garmin 250 GPS w/Ram Mount
SPOT GPS Tracker
Honda Line OEM windshield & centerstand
Cortetech 18L tank bag
Two 1 Gallon Rotopax gasoline containers (gives me 275-300 miles range)
Progressive front springs (20 weight Bel Ray fork oil) and rear 412HD shocks

I think that pretty much covers it! Just did the 12K mile service with fresh Mobil One 20w50 V-Twin (good stuff) so now to ride ride ride!

Here are a few pictures:

[luckylindy]

Excellent.  I would be interested in how the Avons wear.  With that much tread, I'm thinkning lots of miles in those tires.  Get out there and ride it!!

[skramer360]

Being that wide in the back, maybe a few cages might even see you   Looks good  

[Warren]

Being that wide in the back, maybe a few cages might even see you  Looks good 

That's kind of a wide-angle shot - It's the same width as the handlebars - So not too bad... 

The cagers still won't see me... 

[Brittles]

Looks good.

Is your front tire mounted backwards?

[Warren]

Looks good.

Is your front tire mounted backwards?

Yes it is.

It's actually a rear tire, so it's reverse mounted so it gets the most traction braking vs. accelerating.

[Bumblebee]

All I see is a rider with a completely unreasonable amount of self discipline. 

If mine was setup like that, it would go something like this starting today:
100-200 miles full system reliability check.
400-500ish miles week long camping trip.
Throw a set of spare tires on the back and depart for Inuvik as soon as the weather up north improves enough for good riding.

Very nice motorcycle. Better setup.

[Warren]

All I see is a rider with a completely unreasonable amount of self discipline. 

If mine was setup like that, it would go something like this starting today:
100-200 miles full system reliability check.
400-500ish miles week long camping trip.
Throw a set of spare tires on the back and depart for Inuvik as soon as the weather up north improves enough for good riding.

Very nice motorcycle. Better setup.

Well - It's just a matter of vacation time and money - Otherwise I'd be going this summer... 

[Bumblebee]

Well - It's just a matter of vacation time and money - Otherwise I'd be going this summer... 

Like I said. A completely unreasonable amount of self discipline.  or  That bike just screams "let's get the heck out of here right now."
I'd be so GONE and to heck with the consequences..and that's coming from a Nomad.


You're going to have a serious amount of fun next year. Definitely post up a full ride report when you get back. Heck, do a short ride report to let us all know how the equipment works out this year.

[Warren]

Well - It's just a matter of vacation time and money - Otherwise I'd be going this summer... 

Like I said. A completely unreasonable amount of self discipline.  or 
I'd be so GONE and to heck with the consequences..and that's coming from a Nomad.


You're going to have a serious amount of fun next year. Definitely post up a full ride report when you get back. Heck, do a short ride report to let us all know how the equipment works out this year.

I certainly will. I also have a SPOT GPS (http://www.findmespot.com) So I'll be posting the tracking on some of my rides as well. 

[Brittles]

Looks good.

Is your front tire mounted backwards?

Yes it is.

It's actually a rear tire, so it's reverse mounted so it gets the most traction braking vs. accelerating.

Are you sure that's going to be safe in the rain? Doesn't seem like it would displace water like it's designed to do.

[Warren]

I you look at how the normal front tire is designed to be mounted (as it was with Distanzias on my V-Strom)
this is exactly how it is done - Points up.

Same with the similarly designed Avon Gripsters that I had on my KLR. 

[Warren]

Here's a photo we received from Avon many years ago when we were first putting the Distanzia's on the Nighthawk (they don't have a properly sized tire marked as a front).

They informed us that a rear tire would function better reversed when used as a front tire and recommended it.

[Jbednarz2]

A very beautiful bike! Your list also helped me with what kind of saddlebags for my 750!

Joe

[darian]

Man that is AWESOME.  That front tire looks like it barely fits under the fender, but it definitely looks like a SUPER tough and very capable machine.  Nice job.

[DesignFlaw06]

 

Looking forward to the report. Very nice setup. Those tires look sweet.

[LOKi]

Hey I'm setting up my Hawk for a very similar trip in 2011. Dead Horse Alaska! Starting a little farther away from you though in Louisiana. Instead of getting fuel tanks I'm just going to make one that takes up the passenger seat and will double my fuel. It will make a good back rest too. I'll send you the plans if you want to tackle that project as well or just to contemplate. I'm building mine to fit the stock seat pan so you would need another seat pan. I don't know how many miles you have put in that saddle at a stretch but the stock seat is crap after about 4 or 5 hours straight. Stack a few 8 - 10 hour days on it and you will think it's made of nails. A fast and easy fix is to add a strap over the seat that you can stuff a inflatable seat under.

That's what I currently do, but the new seat/fuel cell will be custom made so I can stick a gel insert for the top layer of cushion. I can pull back to back 8 - 10 hour days with just this. Without I have a hard time with a single day.

I assume your going right after the snow melt but before the rainy season starts right? I think June is the best time to go that far north. Might be wrong. Maybe our paths will cross and we will get a chance to ride together. On my return trip I would like to buzz around the west coast for a while. It all depends on how fast I can make the trip up. Planning on crushing big miles on the way out and taking it easy on the way back.

Oh on the Distanzia's. I got a little over 10K on the last rear. Now I have them on both front and back. They work really well in wet and dry conditions. I also put the front on points up. First I looked online and most said if your using a rear on the front to be sure to reverse it. Then I looked at all the tread patterns on the bikes in the driveway. Of the 5 bikes 4 had the tread pointing up (different brand tires) the 5th had nobbies.

Bike looks good Warren!

[Warren]

Man that is AWESOME.  That front tire looks like it barely fits under the fender, but it definitely looks like a SUPER tough and very capable machine.  Nice job.

I may raise the fender - We'll see...

Just as an update and not to mislead anyone - I decided to contact Avon USA for updated mounting advice when a rear is placed on the front. The rep said that the front and rear rotations are the same now so I should probably flip it back.

I asked if anything had changed and the only comment was that they think it was initially run like like I have it - But they are the same now.

Then  I got a PM from a guy on ADVRider who talked to a rep at t show that said many are running them like I have it and it seems to do much better in the dirt that way...

Sooooo.....   

So there you have it...

[Warren]

Hey I'm setting up my Hawk for a very similar trip in 2011. Dead Horse Alaska! Starting a little farther away from you though in Louisiana. Instead of getting fuel tanks I'm just going to make one that takes up the passenger seat and will double my fuel. It will make a good back rest too. I'll send you the plans if you want to tackle that project as well or just to contemplate. I'm building mine to fit the stock seat pan so you would need another seat pan. I don't know how many miles you have put in that saddle at a stretch but the stock seat is crap after about 4 or 5 hours straight. Stack a few 8 - 10 hour days on it and you will think it's made of nails. A fast and easy fix is to add a strap over the seat that you can stuff a inflatable seat under.

That's what I currently do, but the new seat/fuel cell will be custom made so I can stick a gel insert for the top layer of cushion. I can pull back to back 8 - 10 hour days with just this. Without I have a hard time with a single day.

I assume your going right after the snow melt but before the rainy season starts right? I think June is the best time to go that far north. Might be wrong. Maybe our paths will cross and we will get a chance to ride together. On my return trip I would like to buzz around the west coast for a while. It all depends on how fast I can make the trip up. Planning on crushing big miles on the way out and taking it easy on the way back.

Oh on the Distanzia's. I got a little over 10K on the last rear. Now I have them on both front and back. They work really well in wet and dry conditions. I also put the front on points up. First I looked online and most said if your using a rear on the front to be sure to reverse it. Then I looked at all the tread patterns on the bikes in the driveway. Of the 5 bikes 4 had the tread pointing up (different brand tires) the 5th had nobbies.

Bike looks good Warren!

We'll have to keep in touch and see how our timing works, and yes I'm looking at about 3rd-4th week of June as well... And I plan on doing serious miles on the way up as well - Probably about @800 per day so I can take my time heading home. It's about 4400 miles up for me, but I'd like to swing over to the Dalton for the trip home which will add about 700 on the way back.

I'm hoping for no tire changes (I'll put on a fresh rear) and one oil change mid-trip.

Per my previous post I am mixed on tire mounting right now... I probably will just run it and see.

Surprisingly I've done well with the stock seat - I did three 12 hours days right after I got it on a run to Wyoming - But I'm going to do more this summer and see how things go.

I've heard good things about the bead rider seats as well so maybe I'll try that.

I've also thought about adding a fuel cell - But it was hard to pass up the Rotopax containers - They don't vent, guaranteed not to leak, and very compact. Since I've got the E36's on the side I can fit one in each and they take up very little space. I think a fuel cell would be slightly more convenient, but right now with my sleeping bag, pad and tent in the passenger area it makes for a real nice backrest as well.

[JordanA]

I would love those hard cases on my bike.  they're really all that I need for long distance touring at this point.  Too bad I am totally lost when it comes to fabricating mounts for them!

[Warren]

I would love those hard cases on my bike.  they're really all that I need for long distance touring at this point.  Too bad I am totally lost when it comes to fabricating mounts for them!

I hear you Jordan - I got the templates from Loki and couldn't find ANYONE to give me a reasonable quote to make them.

Then amazingly a guy here in San Diego - The day I was throwing in the towel, listed his Nighthawk on eBay, along with the rack and all...

LUCKY!!!!!!!  

[JordanA]

Way to rub it in.  Way to rub it in.

[Warren]

Way to rub it in.  Way to rub it in.

Jordan - Get the templates from Loki and ask around! You might get lucky!

[brickerenator]

Those are some gnarly tires.

I want.

[m98]

Warren, really nice rig you got there. I am curious, you indicate you had or have a V-Strom
and a KLR but you are riding the N/H up to the end of the hemisphere, a particular reason why
instead of the other two? I look forward to ride reports both from you and Loki.

Paul