About to take Tiger 885i with ~60K Arctic Circle (10K miles)

[haroldo_psf]

I will be taking my 2000 885i with 60K miles from California to the Arctic Circle and back in June next year, totaling about 10000 miles ride.

I will have the dealer do a valve adjustment and throttle body sync in January.

What would you advise me to do as far as preventative actions before my trip?

Should I replace the cam chain during this valve adjustment?

Anything YOU would do to your high mileage machine if you were in my place?

[Danny955i]

1. Steering Head Bearing (Check/Grease/Adjust)
2. Wheel bearings.
3. Brakes (fresh fluid and pads)
4. Fork oil change.
5. Lube the cables.
6. Change the oil/air/fuel filters.
7. Change spark-plugs.
8. Inspect/adjust/change chain/sprockets.
9. Inspect the tires.
10. Check for any leaks, loose bolts.
11. Change the anti-freeze.
12. Inspect cam chain tensioner, if it's at the end of it's adjustment, get a new one installed.
13. New Clutch... if it hasn't been done, ever.... get it done now, they're $80 bucks, and you can install it in your garage.
14. BUY A NEW BATTERY: Don't even chance the one you've got being that far away from home... just get a new one, a sealed on if you can. Also, ensure your connections are tight, check every few days while on your trip.

Go for at least 100 mile ride before your trip after all of the above is finished. Re-acclimate yourself to how the bike will ride with fresh parts/fluids, and adjustments...

The last thing you want is to go on a long trip and loose your oil filter due to not tightening, or wear out a tire, or boil over the radiator. etc.

[haroldo_psf]

Man, that's great advice and write up. Thanks!

Wheel bearings were replaced and stearing bearing serviced about 15K miles ago

Had fork oil changed and custom foirk spring installed 4K miles ago.

Had new clutch installed 2K miles ago.

Will have the TB sync, valve adjust, and cam tensioner checked in December by stealership.

Other than that, I can do the brake fluids, cooland change, and others on my own at some point. I guess there's not much else to it, huh?

I just keep thinking "what else should I be doing to this thing?"...

[metalguru]

Most fluids and lubricants operate in a certain range of temperature. If your trip is going to endure very low temperatures for any length of time it may be worth refilling with appropriate lube and anti-freeze. Even grease has an operating temp, but if your journey is in less extreme of cold then all should be fine. A good tip is too watch the preparation used on TV series Ice Road Truckers.

[haroldo_psf]

Thanks. We will be going dead smack in middle of summer, nothing like the Ice Road Truckers show.

I checked the average June temperatures for Anchorage (lows mid 40s, high mid 60s) and Prudoe Bay, arctic cicle (lows mid 30s, high mid 40s).

Of course, these are averages, which doesn't tell really how cold it really gets....

There is a chance we might hit snow on certain days, but it's slight. We will get rained on, that's a given.

I bought the Triumph Adventure jacket and pants for this trip on impulse last week, just to later find out that the shells are not water proof, but water resistant, and only with the liners in they become water proof.

That was a downer. I won't be using the liner all the time because it's hot as hell. So I will have to put up with pulling over to get into rain suits when it rains...

I thought it was a sure thing Triumph would make their adventure gear totally water proof, but I was mistaken. What were they thinking. What was I thinking when I bought that stuff without doing my research!?

[Timbox2]

I bought the Triumph Adventure jacket and pants for this trip on impulse last week, just to later find out that the shells are not water proof, but water resistant, and only with the liners in they become water proof.

That was a downer. I won't be using the liner all the time because it's hot as hell. So I will have to put up with pulling over to get into rain suits when it rains...

I thought it was a sure thing Triumph would make their adventure gear totally water proof, but I was mistaken. What were they thinking. What was I thinking when I bought that stuff without doing my research!?

As I have found over the years I dont care what it is, even the best Goretex will let water through eventually, and if it doesnt the outer becomes saturated then you get cold, answer is the cheap seam sealed boil in the bag stuff, I always pack one.

[metalguru]

I managed to make my Spada textile jacket more water repellent by soaking it in tent waterproofer. Fabsil is the brand I used and is far cheaper on the net than in camping shops. Bought a 1ltr can and applied it with a trigger spray. So far I have been through torrents at more than legal speeds for hours without the lining and the wet stuff stayed outside.

[haroldo_psf]

I can't seem to find Fabsil for sale in the US, same for SDoc100 Waterproofer.

Only thing I can find is McNett's ReviveX water repellent. Anyone has any experience on this one?

[KuzzinKenny]

Thanks. We will be going dead smack in middle of summer, nothing like the Ice Road Truckers show.

I checked the average June temperatures for Anchorage (lows mid 40s, high mid 60s) and Prudoe Bay, arctic cicle (lows mid 30s, high mid 40s).

Of course, these are averages, which doesn't tell really how cold it really gets....

There is a chance we might hit snow on certain days, but it's slight. We will get rained on, that's a given.

I bought the Triumph Adventure jacket and pants for this trip on impulse last week, just to later find out that the shells are not water proof, but water resistant, and only with the liners in they become water proof.

That was a downer. I won't be using the liner all the time because it's hot as hell. So I will have to put up with pulling over to get into rain suits when it rains...

I thought it was a sure thing Triumph would make their adventure gear totally water proof, but I was mistaken. What were they thinking. What was I thinking when I bought that stuff without doing my research!?

I'd take it back for a refund !! have a looky here........

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.p ... 71&page=52

if ya scroll down the grrls do a great gear review  

i've never heard of KLIM but it never failed them !!

worth a read !!

KK

ps just hit the 900th post  :( i need to get out more  :lol:

[matttys]

Anything YOU would do to your high mileage machine if you were in my place?

Up north I would only stop where there is a significant breeze as you will likely be carried away be mosquitos otherwise.

[D-Fuzz]

I did the trip to Prudhoe Bay last year, at the end of June.  Absolutely the trip of a lifetime.  Here is my advise (for what it is worth):

- Make sure your bike is up to snuff and go over every nut & bolt on the bike before to make sure things are tight.  The roads up there will pound the hell out of your bike.  It's good that you have already serviced the suspension and bearings because that stuff will take a beating.  The last 100 miles into Prudhoe Bay is made up of rocks the size of your fist and it will shake the fillings out of your teeth.  Collect yourself a small bag of extra bolts & stuff to replace the ones that fall out along the way.

- As far as gear is concerned, make sure you take waterproof rain gear with you to put on over your riding gear.  If your stuff gets wet up there, it is really tough to get it properly dried out because it isn't that warm.  There were also days where the weather was dry but cold, so I wore my rain gear just to block the wind and give me a bit more insulation.  As we rode north from Atigun Pass, it was in the low 30's with a stiff wind coming off the Arctic Ocean and thick dense fog.  I had pretty much every piece of clothing I had brought with me on just make riding bearable.  You'll also appreciate rain gear when everything is getting coated in a thick layer of calcium chloride as it will protect your expensive riding gear.

- #1 most used accessory on my trip - Heated Grips.  If you don't already have them, get them.  I used them everyday.  If your hands are warm, you can ride through a lot of crappy weather.