True true I was trying to make it easier on my poor body and not sure how I'm gonna mount bags. I'll probly just have to buy a tail.Originally Posted by kawasakirob
The idea of just jumping on the bike and going is really really exciting though!!!
True true I was trying to make it easier on my poor body and not sure how I'm gonna mount bags. I'll probly just have to buy a tail.
The idea of just jumping on the bike and going is really really exciting though!!!
Thanks for the link to your report. The packing list helps a ton! Lots of work to do in planing but its exciting setting forth on some route planning!!
I'll stick to my original statement. Individual experiences will always vary, but in my experience, that trip was full of suck getting there and coming back. I would not ride it again for all the tea in China. The Devil's highway, however, is a great stretch of highway that I would love to ride again some day. Next time I plan on trailering to Alpine, checking in at the motel, riding to my heart's content, then driving home. Easy peasy.More like two half days of crap for 2 full days of fun
I hear you though, the ride between Southern Colorado and Springerville, AZ (about 25 miles north of Alpine) sucks. 300 miles each way of long rural indian roads that may or may not have giant pot holes. Using a trailer however means skipping all of the fun Colorado roads.
There are bags out there that are a cinch to load up. I have these. They are a soft bag and really easy to load/unload. Just throw it over the bike and secure it with clips.
Super easy to throw on. They just sit on the tail.
Its really exciting to plan the route like Matrix said, and that excitement grows as the time gets closer and closer all the way up to swinging the leg over the bike and being ready to head out. Then it turns into an Adventure.
I've been looking at those the Ogios and the nelson rigg online. I'll have to work on the mounting ofmy tail or put a stocker back on with a seat cowl. Its a little thin and it bounces a bit. I made a stock undertail fit my old race tail so I would have tail lights. Not gonna work so well for bags and I have no pass pegs to mount from either. There is the threaded holes for those on the undertray still though so I may have to make me some mounts.
I've heard several mention of the Devil's Highway, can someone point me to a map of the exact section it is? Google turns up lots of articles and not much else on a description of the actual route, thanks.
This thread is a good discussion of it: Thread
The road:
Devil's Highway was awesome. But it's hard for 3 days. 3rd day was close to 1,000 miles back! Partly because we got lost a little bit.
Anyways, I'd really like to go Yellowstone this year instead!
Last edited by Tiutis; Mon Jan 6th, 2014 at 06:14 PM.
To clarify, the left half of the picture is the spine. The right side is a 150 mile detour to avoid a downhill accent on the spine. I like to think of it as the south west deals gap but without the tourist and 4 times as long. Complete with deadly drop offs and zero road curve warnings. Is really "curves next 20 miles" and that's it. This the only warning you get, no curve warning signs or yellow speed limit signs to tell you the safe speed, it's all on you to guess. Tr first 20 miles is nothing but up hill first gear throttle and break.
the problem I have with trailering though is it means missing out on the fun roads in between. But then again, if you think of it as riding to the mountain to go skiing, then your simply driving to your vacation.
This is a minimum 3 day trip (1700 total miles) but would be easier if done over 4 days. I've done it 3 times now but the 2013 trip, the one Drano is referring to, was brutal. Now that I really think back to it, after last year I don't blame you for trailering.
We had too many bikes. 10 bikes. The trip is good for 4 riders, 10 was too many. We ran into a multi hour delay in Montrose, CO the fist day that continued into day two. We ran into extreme high winds with sand throughout New Mexico that sand blasted the bikes, bitterly. Patrick reprinted his bike...
The Indian roads were either in construction or totally wrecked, often both.
Again, due to too large of a group, half the group missed the turn to Clifton (the south point of the spine) and the other half waited 90 minutes in 95 degree weather waiting for them. We hit the spine (which takes two and a half hours) as the sun was going down. The last half was riding in dusk light conditions.
i went two up. While I was happy to have my wife, I would not recommend the spine on a fully loaded bike with a passenger. Two miles in my breaks faded and I had to pull over to let them cool. The FJR was pushing its max weight at around 1100 pounds.
i had an amazing time on the year before on my FZ6. A 600 really shines on this road.
day 3 we hit the road at 630am sharp to make up lost ground (and that we had 640 miles to cover in one day). The pavement on our road suddenly and without mention on the map, turned to gravel for 22 miles. We elected an alternate and turned around, adding 100 miles. We nearly ran out of gas in the middle of no where me would have if not for a tiny gas station with 1 pump.
farmington, by 2pm greeted us to the darkest rain clouds you can imagine. Aaron; myself and misses Clovis had the luxury of being able to take an extra day and opted for a hotel. The other 8 poor souls rode on for 8 hours in the pouring rain, got separated and a few high speeding tickets.
people got home around 1030.
to be fair, we got screwed by bad luck, poor planning, poor time management on my part, and poor weather. For wha ended up being day 4 for 3 of us was greeted with perfect weather from Farmington to the springs, complete with the million dollar highway and black canyon.
I'm planning this years differently.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
Me too!! I've wanted to hit yellow stone for the last few years. Lets do it.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
I realize this is really up to riding style, but to me, 2 days of pushing 120+ mph for extended periods of time is only asking for trouble, whether you have a radar detector or not. A fact realized by the ticket I got on that trip. The entire time riding there and back held a perpetual uneasiness about what we were doing in order to barely make it to our destination before sunset, and we didn't even accomplish that. I would not suggest to anyone that they try this trip in less than 4 days, unless they enjoy the exhilaration of risking life and limb, tickets, and reinforcing the sport bike rider stereotype of recklessness and disregard for all traffic laws to do so. I find no enjoyment in that style of riding, but I admit, that's only my opinion.
On a positive note, the area around the Spine is highly technical, twisty, and an all out blast to ride. Clovis isn't exaggerating in his description, it is a phenomenal road, and traffic is minimal. So, if you are looking for a trip that will leave you exhausted and still begging for more, you can't go wrong going there. That's one of the main reasons I'd love to trailer there and stay a couple days. It's an experience that deserves more time and attention. The Devil's Spine is the destination, and in my opinion, the other good roads on the trip could easily be skipped in exchange for the extra time spent there.
Last edited by Drano; Wed Jan 8th, 2014 at 04:33 PM.
Here's a description of the ride from Clifton to Eagar.
http://www.motorcycleroads.com/75/17...ado-Trail.html
John
KTM Duke 690
Bryan, well put as always. I concur with Bryan's recommendation. Spend at least 2 days dedicated on the spine. It's a truly amazing road but remote enough to be relatively unknown (lite traffic).
to truly enjoy the spine, if you have the means, I recommend trailering there.
I would go after Memorial Day but before its full on summer hot. Every time I've gone, I have gone from freezing and in 2012 being snowed on in Colorado to seeing 95 degrees in Clifton. Stay the night in alpine btw. The sportsman lodge is rit on the spine, reasonably priced, clean and bike friendly. Plus alpine is higher altitude and cooler. Hannah meadows is Aso an option. Is on the spine south of Clifton. I've never stayed there but noted the cabins for rent.
"If not us, who? If not now, when?"
Maybe a ride destination for me this year. I'll take a full week to do it.
John
KTM Duke 690
wondering if anyone has hit up this route recently. Have the week of and was going to head out for a couple days to hit the western area of the state. Seeing some of these posts on 550 is making me rethink, was sort of the main road I wanted to hit. Planning on Durango day 1 via 285, then up 550 day 2 to aspen, then home. If anyones interested in going hit me up.
Hwy 550 is great on a quiet weekday. It carries too much traffic on weekends and holidays, and almost always some construction going on. Check the CDOT site. If you are in Durango, don't pass up the chance to ride Wolf Creek Pass...two lanes going up from that side with perfect sweepers. Also Hwy 129 over Slumgullion Pass back to Hwy 50 is great and lonely.
Last edited by FZRguy; Sat Jun 7th, 2014 at 09:49 PM.
John
KTM Duke 690
Funny this should come up, I have 3 days off this next weekend and I'm considering heading down to Durango on Friday.
I've got more flavor than a packet of macaroni.
I just did this route last week: Denver -> Montrose -> Durango -> Moab -> Ridgeway -> Denver .. hwy 285/50/550/141/90
No issues with weather or snow on the passes on those roads. I looked at going north up through the mountains and the weather was cool but passable with jacket/gloves.
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