Tom's Tips
TOM'S TIPS
Tools for the trip
OUTFITTING YOUR DUAL-PURPOSE BIKE with a few simple accessories will improve Its adventure potential.
Fuel capacity is of primary importance. Kawasaki's KLR650 has a 6.1-gallon gas tank and gets 70 mpg. Ideal. KIM's rally-style Adventure has a 7.4-gallon tank, but gets only 40-45 mpg. Other dual-purpose bikes will need aftermarket tanks. I recommend a minimum range of 300 miles; 400-plus is preferred.
Tires need to last. There's no point in buying super-chunky knobbies that evaporate in less than 1000 miles; up north, you're barely out the door at the 1000-mile mark! Bridgestone Trail Wings deliver excellent mileage, resist cuts and offer above-average traction on a ranee of surfaces.
You will crash, mostly low-speed tip-overs. Answer Bark Busters (www.answerproducts.com) will save your hands, and help protect the bike's gas tank and other important parts. For full-coverage protection, add a set of Maler plastic handguards (www.mater-mfg.com). And speaking of crashing, a hole in your bike's engine cases will ruin your ride, so a thick, aluminum Moose skidplate www.mooseoffroad.com) should be nstalled.
Weight kills adventure: When search ing for travel take-alongs, look to high-end outdoor outi liters such as Outdoor Research, Valhalla and REt. A good backpack (with hideaway shoulder straps) is invaluable, and soft saddle bags keep clothes and other necessities low on the bike. A Chase Harper (www.chaseharper.com) tankbag and CycoActive (www.cycoactive.com) "GloveBox" move weight forward to bet ter balance the load.
Other suggestions? Good boots make for pain-free hikes. like Viberg's D-P offering (www.viberg.com). A Global Positioning System means you'll never get lost again. Finally, get a lightweight toolkit; Dual Star (www.dual-star.com) offers custom setuos.
na*iUtJI uwps. There's lots of cool stuff out there, but buy only what you need; nifty dingle bobs and other gadgets add unneces sary weight and complexity. And when you crash, you gotta pick it all uD!
Tom Grenon
