Alaska trip advise

[tchinkov]

I am planning a trip to Alaska in the second half of June 2015 on my 2011 C14 which by then will still have less than 4000km/2500mi on it. I know the C14 is not the best bike to ride on the Dalton Highway in Alaska but it is all I have    . I live in Canada, in Calgary, Alberta. I want to make the trip with the minimum possible reasonable bike maintenance (during the trip).  The distance from Calgary to Deadhorse and back is about 8500km/5300mi. I am looking for any advises of how to prepare my C14 for this trip. I am planning to install brand new Michelin PR4 GT tires prior leaving and I hope that they will last enough to return home safe. I had about 13 000km/8000mi on my previous set of Michelin PR3s B-spec (on my previous, same model and year C14 on which I made about 30 000 km/19000mi) so I believe that the PR4s GT being designed for heavy ST bikes should do the job. I will change the engine oil with high quality Castrol Power RS 4T synthetic oil just prior leaving and not changing it while on the trip. I will also change the final gear oil. I plan to bring additional tool set, small compressor, flat tire repair set, spare fuses, spare bulbs, duct tape and wire  for emergency repairs. I am considering to purchase a small emergency jump start device (any ideas?). I will have a CB Radio with me as there is no cellphone coverage there. While riding to and from Alaska I will sleep in a tent which means that the bike will be heavily loaded with camping/cocking gear. While in Alaska I will sleep in hotels/motels. I am planning to temporary leave the camping/cooking gear in a hotel in Fairbanks which will reduce the load on the bike and hopefully make it easier to handle thru the bad paved portions of the Dalton Highway. This is the plan so far. Any advice you guys can give is highly appreciated. I am mostly looking for advices in the technical part as the long ride comfort is more of a personal think. Thank you in advance.

[sailor_chic]

There's a lot of questions in your post and most I shouldn't attempt to answer. However I can say that I have read a bunch of good things about the PPS, or Micro - start batteries.
Here is a link for them and I have seen good prices on Amazon
 http://themicrostart.com/products/micro-starts/

Your trip sounds like a good trip. I'm sure the scenery will be fantastic.

[Racer Boy]

It sounds like you've got a pretty good plan in place. I've never done that ride, but the guys I know that have all say the same thing- bring some good mosquito repellent!

[tchinkov]

There's a lot of questions in your post and most I shouldn't attempt to answer. However I can say that I have read a bunch of good things about the PPS, or Micro - start batteries.
Here is a link for them and I have seen good prices on Amazon
 http://themicrostart.com/products/micro-starts/

Your trip sounds like a good trip. I'm sure the scenery will be fantastic.

Good stuff, thank you sailor_chic.

[tchinkov]

It sounds like you've got a pretty good plan in place. I've never done that ride, but the guys I know that have all say the same thing- bring some good mosquito repellent!

That goes in my list right away, tnx Racer Boy.

[sherob]

I would invest in a shield for your headlight assembly... trucks going the opposite direction as you throw rocks, many rocks and debris... and that assembly is expensive and you won't be able to replace it in BFE Alaska!

Fuel... fuel stops?  Have you looked in to how far apart gas is on your route and availability?  What was there last year may not be there this year.

[tchinkov]

I would invest in a shield for your headlight assembly... trucks going the opposite direction as you throw rocks, many rocks and debris... and that assembly is expensive and you won't be able to replace it in BFE Alaska!

Fuel... fuel stops?  Have you looked in to how far apart gas is on your route and availability?  What was there last year may not be there this year.

I will have about a gallon of spare gasoline with me. The headlight protector goes in my list. Thanks!

[sherob]

Siphon hose too.

[tchinkov]

Siphon hose too.

Never thought of this, thanks.

[sherob]

Never thought of this, thanks.

It's better to have and not need it, than to need it and not have it... and it packs light.  If you are on the side of the road and need gas, this is the cheese! 

[connie14boy]

Moose/Bear/Wolf/Mosquito/Rain repellant.

[maxtog]

Moose/Bear/Wolf/Mosquito/Rain repellant.

Might want to add some police repellant too

[connie14boy]

Potholes/Mud/Snow/Grumpy Truckers/The Palin family repellant.

[maxtog]

Potholes/Mud/Snow/Grumpy Truckers/Palin repellant.

Well if we are going that far, might want to carry a spare body or two.

[Deziner]

You may want to have someone with you that cant run as fast as you. In the event of a bear encounter. I'm just sayin'....

[Gsun]

Check out Rick's Alaska trip on a C-10 a couple of years back. This is part one of seven parts on youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T578lzlENSY

[webnetxpress]

3M paint protection...

Before I started our 4k mile trip to the middle of australia and back (we are posted in Canberra right now), I ordered the tankslapperz 3M protection film for the bike.  It took a little bit of fiddling but once on it seems bullet proof.  Its only like $100 for every surface of the bike, or you can just buy the headlight, front fairings, etc.  I did the actual 3M single use stuff, not the static cling crap.

I did it for all the high rub areas (tank, side panels) plus the front fairing.  It saved the paint from 4k miles of chips, bugs, boot scratches, etc.  And it's practically invisible.  I had to point it out to fellow Concours riders, that it was even on.  I had planned to peel it off after the trip and replace it, figuring it would be toast, but the damn stuff cleaned right up and I've left it on there.

100% recommend it. think this is the website-   thetankslapper.biz

[tchinkov]

3M paint protection...

This goes in my list as well, thanks!

[sailor_chic]

+1 for the Tankslappers /3M paint protection. It takes a little while to put on,  but worth it.

[VirginiaJim]

Word from the wise....  If you get the 3M protection, get it installed professionally by someone who does that for a living, otherwise you'll be posting in the what makes me crazy and annoyed thread.