Radiator protector, travel as light as practical and keep heavy items packed lowest. You may want to consider a dusk mask. Drop protection such as canyon bars.

Radiator protector, travel as light as practical and keep heavy items packed lowest. You may want to consider a dusk mask. Drop protection such as canyon bars.

These are all good stuff, RIP50AK. Thanks. I have tip over protectors (Top-Block) and radiator cover and will probably install a fender extender to even better protect the radiator. I have never thought about dusk mask but it's a good idea. Goes in the list

Oil filter protector from Murph.

Oil filter protector from Murph.

I will consider an oil filter protector, thanks Jim.

I went in 2008.  First point as soon as you hit the Alaska Highway GET GAS!!!  NEVER, I MEAN NEVER, PASS A GAS STATION without stopping and topping off !!  This will make sense later!  The tip about mosquito repellant is a good suggestion, but the Alaska state bird don't care about no stinkin' repellant!!  Get the best anti-fog shield money can buy, it's worth every penny!! I got to the point that I didn't take of my helmet.  Somewhere I have a pic of the 3 TRILLION skeeters attacking my face shield, these things are SERIOUS, like in the cartoons serious!  You have been warned!  I bought one of those mesh hoods, but it was never handy when we stopped.  So I can't talk about it's effectiveness.  I NEVER saw anyone else using one though, so I have my doubts...  YMMV

Get yourself a water bottle with the little pop up nozzle like on a bicycle water bottle.  The idea is  you will NEED to hose off your radiator (I did) because the gunk gets in there and blocks things.  So being able to pull over and kind of blast it out it helpful.  You can use water from just about anywhere to rinse.  When empty, that squeeze bottle rolls up to the size of a crushed soda can.  Keep it where you can easily access it.  I took two 10' lengths of 30amp wire (The red and black wires only) and put aligator clips on either end.  I made makeshift jumber cables out of them.  I didn't need them, but my dad did.  They coil up fairly small.  I didn't have any problems with rocks or derbris flying at me.  When you see a vehicle coming from the other direction, you will naturally move away from them. 

I would suggest keeping a can of Bear Repellant where you can reach it at ANY time!!  I had a situation where a cager stopped in the middle of the road to take a picture of a BIG BROWN BEAR.  It could have been a Grizzly, Kodiak, Brown I don't know it was freaking big!  They were stopped, and I rolled up about a car length behind them.  I had no idea why they were stopped. Then up out of the weeds on the other side of the road this behemoth presented itself.  It proceeded to saunter across the road to our side.  All the while it was VERY interested in the people taking pictures in the car.  Just as he did a truck headed the other direction pulled up next to the car, blocking my escape route.  This monster is less than 50 feet from me!  There was no way I could turn around without getting off the road and into the weeds, which I felt would instantly cause me to tip over.  I could see the cell phones flashing away.  Then it happened.  The bear saw me.  Bright light, dressed in black riding gear from head to toe.

Just as the bear began to lumber towards us, the car pulled away.  We gave the bear a wide berth, and slipped past it.  IF it would have charged, there was absolutely nothing we could have done!  I have NEVER felt so helpless in my life!! 

TAKE YOUR TIME!  There is so much to soak in and see.  We tried with a tight schedule, and you miss so much!  Obviously get the Milepost magazine!  It has all the information about gas stations, and food, loging and such.  The one thing the Milepost DOESN'T mention is that the BP station 5 miles up the road closed at noon because someone had to run an errand or, meet the cable guy.  So don't get yourself into the situation where you NEED them to be open.  1 Gallon of gas will get you 40-50 miles if you are lucky!  There are plenty of stretches of 60+ miles between towns.  I packed one of these http://www.campingatv.com/home/store/atv-accessories/atv-fuel-packs/2-gallon-gas-pack/ shop around you can find deals on them.  I stood mine up against my top case and packed in front of it. 

I don't want to sound like I am preaching, but those were my expereinces....I can't wait to go back!  I'm still trying to figure out a fix for those damned skeeters!

These are all very helpful tips, thank you stlheadake! Did you ride your C14 on this trip?

Oil filter protector from Murph.

Does that need protection?

It does on the 08/09s as the filter is closer to the road.  It's been relocated on the gen 2 bikes, but considering the conditions of heading to Alaska and for the price, it's cheap insurance.  It also wards of elephants as I haven't seen one on the road, since I've been using it.

It does on the 08/09s as the filter is closer to the road.  It's been relocated on the gen 2 bikes

I only knew about the oil pan being modified so that the drain plug faces forward instead of downward.  I didn't know they also moved the oil filter.  How much was it moved?  Was it done to prevent damage?

Dunno.

Radiator protector, travel as light as practical and keep heavy items packed lowest. You may want to consider a dusk mask. Drop protection such as canyon bars.

People suggest these.  But I've been 90,000 miles, tons of them off roading and on gravel roads, and never had a prob with my radiator.

People suggest these.  But I've been 90,000 miles, tons of them off roading and on gravel roads, and never had a prob with my radiator.

Yes I rode my C14 to Alaska

I +100 Steve above!  I have ridden my C14 MANY MANY miles on gravel and 'dual sport' roads.  I've never had an issue.  I did accidentally bottom it out dragging the oil pan over a dirt/gravel berm on a back road.  The issues I had with my radiator were more related to the crap hanging up on the shield.  I don't have an oil filter protector, I don't have a headlight protector, and I've never had a problem.  I DID catch a small rock on my ride into work, and now have a small spider web in my windshield.  There is no protector for that....

stlheadake, what tires you used, and how they performed on the unpaved parts of the Dalton highway? did you go to the end (Deadhorse)?

nice pictures stevewfl 

It's cheap insurance. Going to Alaska is a different ball game. Hole your radiator and you could be screwed. There is no tow truck at the end of your cell phone. No Kawi dealer in town. Just because somebody has not needed it doesn't mean anything.

I left Southern Ca early August with a fresh set of the PR 4 GT's and rode up through the Yukon and up the Dalton and back on the same set of tires.  They held up well. I think the few of us from So. Cal put close to 10,000 miles on our bikes.  Not sure how everyone else's tires turned out, though a buddy of mine on an RT had even longer life on his tires.  His were not new when we left and he rode them for a month or so after we got back.  He wasn't on PR's, not sure what he used.

For the most part, The Dalton is compacted dirt with golf ball size rocks scattered all over the road, either loose or embedded in the dirt.  It is pretty bumpy and rattled the C14 pretty well for the entire ride.  The bike held up well and made the ride with no break downs or significant issues.  Your bike will handle the road, just take it easy and recognize that your speeds will vary greatly depending on the road conditions and terrain in each section. 

We were fortunate in that we had no rain and only a few sprinkles for most of the entire trip.  Since most of the Dalton is hard packed dirt, the bike rode well.  In some places the road was composed of an inch or so of loose packed dirt.  When it was dry it was comfortable.  The road crews continually wet sections of the road they are working on with a solution in order to keep the dust down.  This created a very slippery surface.  I think some have referred to this as "slippery as snot" in other forums.  This is pretty accurate.  The bike wanted to fish tail a little bit as well as pitch to one side or another.  If you go slow, you can ride through it.  I think I was down to 10-20 MPH, just to get through it.   These areas tended to be a mile or two at a time, though it felt like 20 miles.  The bike made it , though the radiator was caked over with this red clay like mud.  As someone suggested bring water to wash off the radiator when you can.

There was gas up and down the highway when I went, though you do have to plan it out.  Riders the day before us found one of the gas stops was out of gas.  I called on our departure day and that stop had been refueled.  Two of us brought gas cans for our group and we didn't need them.  I can tell that if I was going again, I would bring them.  The siphon hose is a good idea as there was enough traffic on that rode that you should be able to flag someone down, for a gallon if needed.

Riding up the Yukon, one of our group ran out of gas.  Like someone already said...what was there before may not be there.  One of our group decided he could make the next gas stop. "The "next" gas stop on his GPS was out of business.  We wound up using a siphon hose to get him going again...lesson learned. 

We didn't experience a lot of mosquito's, on this trip, though when we did, they were big and relentless.  Riding gear and leaving the helmet on seemed to work.

As others have stated also, the animals you hope to see are right there along the side of the road. I have pictures of Bear, moose, bison, mountain goats, etc. .  In some cases the bear walked out onto the road as we were approaching.  Getting past them took patience and caution.  Since reverse isn't an option we stayed way back  a ways until they moved on and or off the road.  The Bison were laying down on the road along the both sides of the Yukon Hwy. They had no interest in getting up or moving either, so we had to slow roll past them, one at a time.  Made for some great pictures on the Go Pro.   

I got a lot of my information for this trip, from the Adventure Rider forum  (Advrider.com) .  Lots of Alaska info and ride reports to help. 

It was the trip of a lifetime and something you will always remember.  Enjoy and plan out your stops.

Very valuable info and advises, thanks riverbound51

@riverbound,  your summary of your trip sounds quite nice. It certainly makes me want to plan such an adventure.

Aftermarket radiators are available on ebay for $150. (motomart11) Could be tough finding room in the luggage though.
I've had my 14 on un-paved passes in Colorado with little drama, but would hate to have dropped her there...
Maybe better to ride something you could pick up off of yourself, by yourself if you had to.

Maybe better to ride something you could pick up off of yourself, by yourself if you had to.

Oh, I never even considered he was going completely alone.  That sounds particularly scary.  With my C14 lowered and my being small, the one time it fell over, I was completely unable to pick it up.  It seems like too many things can go wrong way out in nowhere without someone along to help share the issues and keep each other safe.

Quote from: VirginiaJim on December 05, 2014, 03:59:55 AM

It does on the 08/09s as the filter is closer to the road.  It's been relocated on the gen 2 bikes

I only knew about the oil pan being modified so that the drain plug faces forward instead of downward.  I didn't know they also moved the oil filter.  How much was it moved?  Was it done to prevent damage?

I have verified by comparing both factory manuals that the oil filter location did not change between gen1 and gen2.  Only the oil drain bolt moved.