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Mongolia Southern Route 2up on a GSA Mongolia Southern Route 2up on a GSA
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Northern and Central Asia Topics specific to Russia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Mongolia, China, Japan and Korea
Photo by Ellen Delis, Lagunas Ojos del Campo, Antofalla, Catamarca

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Photo by Ellen Delis,
Lagunas Ojos del Campo,
Antofalla, Catamarca



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  #1  
Old 21 Jul 2013
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Mongolia Southern Route 2up on a GSA
We are currently on our last day in Central Asia in Semey and head for Barnaul today. Not sure about Mongolia yet

Our idea is to do the Southern Route, as this would seem the most easy one. Our config is 2up on a BMW GSA 2009. Have ridden so far on Heidenau K60 which is a great tyre for Central Asia.

The good thing about Central Asia is that you have so much nice off road but you can always easily fallback on the asphalt. I believe in Mongolia you don't have this luxury, and it is a distance.

Big question for us is how doable will the southern route be in Mongolia in our config? I have been looking on the forum for recent details on the southern route like, how much % is hard gravel, is there a lot of soft sand, mud, river crossings on this road? If there are people who have recently done this road, please fill in... I also wonder about petrol stations on the southern road (quantity/quality)

Much obliged!
Ben
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  #2  
Old 21 Jul 2013
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I just did the southern route (not by choice). I wanted to go way south into the golbi but had tire problems.

You have 3 things on the southern route.
New pavement.
Construction.
Washboard.

People said it was dry.. but I got rained on for 3 days strait and had lots of mud.

If your bike doesn't rattle apart from the washboard, you will. Much of the time I was stand up riding 120 on my KTM just to get to a speed where the washboard didn't matter.

When you get about 500 km from UB, it is all pavement. This is where every line of cars coming at you will have someone passing in your lane. Brights and flashing don't work. Motorcycles are at the low of the totem pole. Get use to hitting the gravel when a bus full of tourists decides to pull out and pass... or just to avoid a pothole. You don't matter.
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  #3  
Old 21 Jul 2013
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I rode half of it, before veering off road and taking the sand head on (that resulted in a fried clutch!)

It was bone dry for me, even when it rained, it drained very quickly. Most of the time I could ride at 80-90 kmh, although there was a lot of washboard as the other reply says.

Some slower sections with softer sand.

I dont ride 2-up, but the route (the 50% of it that I did) was totally doable, and there's gas/accommodation along the way. Download the waypoints for Northern Asia.
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  #4  
Old 29 Jul 2013
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spare rear shock needed
Hi guys,
So we rode part of the southern route in the meantime. Nice the first days, but then there is a horrible stretch of washboard before the city of altai. It broke my rear suspension of my gsa esa 2009. I have only 27000 km so it is pretty fast in my opinion.
I removed it today and tried to fix it but it was hopeless.
We are now bouncing like a kangaroo and headed for oasis in ub.
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Old 29 Jul 2013
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Hi - i think you passed my friend: Greg, from Poland. He mentioned you both - i just met up with him in Olgii.

Hope you are able to fix your bike.
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  #6  
Old 29 Jul 2013
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There was a New Zealand Couple doing 2up on the Southern Route from Altai to Olgi.
And before they took the center route.

They did it on a BMW R100GS witz a 45 Liter Tank.
So it is doable

( And they have my deepest respect for this 2up)
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  #7  
Old 1 Aug 2013
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Hi,
Yes it is certainly doable and I like the scenery, the vasteness and remoteness. I met Greg and Kristian about 100km before Altai and just after my rear shock had lost its oil.
Tried to fix it in the Mongol Rally service in Altai but it was not possible.
In the meantime I got a new shock from BMW. Good service!
But it is sitting in Belgium waiting... We are figuring out how to get it here. Plane ticket UB-BXL is about 2000$ which would be a fast solution. I also have to give my old shock back to my dealer in Belgium. I requested a quote from spedition Germany as well. We are now in Bajankhongoor heading for UB...
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Old 20 Mar 2017
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reviving the thread
hi guys. just trying to get recent info on this route,lots of sand?

https://goo.gl/maps/ev1oU1kugDF2

,and if there is any shops to swap tires (Africa Twin) around the Shvee Khuren border? I bring tires along coming from China
Cheers
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  #9  
Old 23 Mar 2017
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First off, be careful about using google maps for your preparation, in Mongolia it is very inaccurate.

Second, the border you're aiming for is closed except for mining trucks (and possibly for Mongolians and Chinese, but not for other nationals). On the bright side you'll probably find many places that can swap truck tires before the border.. but you'll be turned away, so keep your road tires on to drive back all the way to Zamiin-Uud.

Third, the road through the Ikh Bogd Uul mountain belongs to google only, it doesn't exist on the ground AFAIK.

Fourth, the road to Bogd goes around the east of lake Orog. The western shore of the lake is pretty difficult to cross, not much of a track there.

Otherwise, no, not much sand on this part. Mostly rocky.

Laurent
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  #10  
Old 24 Mar 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lbendel View Post
First off, be careful about using google maps for your preparation, in Mongolia it is very inaccurate.

Second, the border you're aiming for is closed except for mining trucks (and possibly for Mongolians and Chinese, but not for other nationals). On the bright side you'll probably find many places that can swap truck tires before the border.. but you'll be turned away, so keep your road tires on to drive back all the way to Zamiin-Uud.

Third, the road through the Ikh Bogd Uul mountain belongs to google only, it doesn't exist on the ground AFAIK.

Fourth, the road to Bogd goes around the east of lake Orog. The western shore of the lake is pretty difficult to cross, not much of a track there.

Otherwise, no, not much sand on this part. Mostly rocky.

Laurent

1) most cases any map is inaccurate in Mongolia.not my first visit.google was just to get an idea.surely there is better offline apps to use

2)maybe u need to be better informed before pass it on,and save urself from trying to be funny/hironic...: This border post does not cater for individual tourists. It is used by several thousand truck a day exporting coal from Mongolia to China.Chinese tourist agents affiliated in that region can arrange for groups crossing this border post into Mongolia. Groups travel through a separate gate, and all arrangement at the border are arranged by a representative of that tourist agency. This is an excellent choice to cross from China directly into the Mongolian Gobi.

3)same as 1) +...I have also a detailed garmin/topo map in 1 of the gps devices I use.as well as OSM works fine+intuition and a compass

4)the original question stays unanswered.If there is any particular workshop that does swap 'bigbikes' tires, before entering Mongolia.some city/towns in china do,some dont

Last edited by Forestwiz; 24 Mar 2017 at 15:12.
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  #11  
Old 28 Mar 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Forestwiz View Post
hi guys. just trying to get recent info on this route,lots of sand?

https://goo.gl/maps/ev1oU1kugDF2

,and if there is any shops to swap tires (Africa Twin) around the Shvee Khuren border? I bring tires along coming from China
Cheers
from Bayanhongor to the russian border along the route you drafted is pretty much asphalt the whole way now
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  #12  
Old 3 Apr 2017
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hi and thanks!do you know if there is any shops to swap tires (Africa Twin) around or before Erenhot border?(we changed entry to main border due to Namadan festival) I bring my tires along coming from China

thanx again!

Quote:
Originally Posted by colebatch View Post
from Bayanhongor to the russian border along the route you drafted is pretty much asphalt the whole way now
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