Siberia summer 2013
 

Hi Guys

Following a fun trip through Central Asia and Mongolia this year (RR at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...et-place-66414 ), and intentionally parking the bike in Mongolia, I’ll return next summer to ride a few trails and roads in Siberia.

Proposed dates are (Of course, all timings are approximate):

*Arrive UB 06July13, back at work in the UK 27Aug13. These dates are fixed: These are my skool holidays. I’m a teechah.

*Spend a day or 2 fettling the bike and then ride north on pavement to Ulan Ude and Irkutsk.

*10 to 17july13 approx ride western BAM road to Tynda.

*20 to 30july13 Ride Yakutsk/ Magadan/ Yakutsk one way via the OSR, the other via the NFR.

*Arrive Vladivostok on about 10 or 15 aug13 and put bike in box in truck or on train to Moscow/St Petersburg .While the bike is en route across Russia I'd have to find something to do to keep me amused. Then ride the bike from Moscow/ St P to the EU.

* OR ride back to UB in Mongolia on around 25Aug13 and put it in box to Germany/Europe via Oasis Guesthouse/ http://www.pan-europa.de/ ).

Many timings will clearly depend a lot on the weather. If it rains the whole time, roads will become quagmires and be a lot less fun on a fat shed like a Transalp (but with light luggage) or similar. Having read a ride report that a commercial tour succeeded on this route this year, I feel a focussed small group (2 or 3 riders) will make it through ok helping each other getting up railway embankments and across/over rivers on the BAM and negotiating rivers to Magadan.

A sketch I prepared for an earlier thread is:
http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/p...ctober2011.jpg

Preferred style of travel: cheap (but clean) Gastinizahs (sic?), food at road side cafés, max 55mph on pavement (above that speed in top gear, my bike burns oil as if it’s going out of style. Also, I'd be surprised if road conditions/ speed restrictions allow any faster anyway).

Anyone planning anything similar?

Cheers
Chris

Very similar if not the same route in 1 4x4 next year also. Although we had planned on doing it a little later than yourself and taking a more leisurely drive through Central Asia. however the optimal time for both BAM and OSR seems to be when you have planned it.

Our calender was looking like the BAM early august but that would leave the OSR a little late in the year.

You could say we are not 'fully committed' as I have no idea if we will be allowed across the railway bridge (Kuanda) or able to cross the river. But I would like to give it a go. Same with the OSR. We will see if a viable opportunity presents itself but we don't have the biggest budget for this trip so we will see what gives.

I have done a fair bit of reading on this leg of our trip but my brain is hurting with all the info from Nordkapp in February, through Central Asia, Siberia, South Korea and then Australia. On top of that we are not returning to the UK so trying to sell everything and tie up loose ends here!

G

Hi Chris,i am looking to travel to siberia next year,and plan to travel those same routes,i will be taking my xr650l and at the moment i am totally flexible as to dates.I will be back in the uk between the 27th of november and the 19th of december maybe we could meet up for a pint and a chat.beer

Hi Chris,

I will do approx the same route next summer. Will ship my KTM Adventure 640 to UB, then still not sure exactly which route I will take (I never been east of UB), the UB-Ulan Ude is boring paved road, I did it already twice...

My final point would be Magadan, I want to ride the old summer road. Then either sell the bike there, or bring it by ferry to Vladivostok and sell it there, or if I can't sell it in UB or store it there for 1 year for another trip in the region... Not really sure about it.

I will most probably only be able to take 4 weeks holidays. I am thinking starting in UB about the same dates as you, in order to be on the right time on the road of bones.

I hadn't tought about the western BAM because I planned to travel alone, but if we are 2, might be interesting.

But are you sure than you can make it with a transalp? Is it ok for watercrossing? How high is the airfilter? It's a pretty heavy bike for such serious off-road isn't it?

Yeh, there are various threads on cars on bridges/trains in Siberia, including at these

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...2012-a-59454-3


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...editions-65523


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...d-doubts-53144


I must admit I pay little attention to them as I’m on 2 wheels, sorry!:( Bikes and cars often travel at different speeds, so unless we were in the same exact place at the same time, a hook-up is unlikely to be feasible.




I’m based near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. I like cerveza. It’d be good to meet for a chat.


If our timings match, we could make a plan. As far as suitability of bike goes, there’s a thread I started at http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...ons-july-63433 I chose the Transalp over DRZ, so I have to make the best of it.

We all know it depends a lot on the weather (a.k.a luck) and riding ability. As much as I try, I have no influence on the former, and the latter, well, I’ll let others judge my ability, but I’ll give anything a try. If I wanted an easy life I’d fly to Spain and lie on a beach :Beach:.

The air filter on the Trannie is under the seat, so not too high. On a bridge this is less of an issue.:innocent: What I learnt in the following clip from my summer trip in Mongolia is to walk rivers first, just in case the current is too fast…:blushing:

Hi Chris,i,m based in surrey maybe we could meet half way?
Mike
ps;whats ceveza is that what you guys up north feed your whippets

Cerveza is the Spanish for beer. Sorry no whippets here. Only ferrets. I keep one down my trousers for company :helpsmilie:

Let's talk closer to the time and we can come up with a cunning plan.

chris, I had to cancel my planned trip this year, so hope to be out that way next year. I won't be travelling the same routes, but maybe we'll pass each other or overlap in some flea-bitten roadside hotel.

What did you mean about putting your bike in a box at Oasis? The link was not very illuminating. Is the box a shipping container? If so, where is it going?

Hi Tom
Could well be looking up Doug in Bulgaria over the next few months. I've got a jaunt round S E Europe planned this winter/next spring.

It'd be great to meet in Siberia/Mongolia somewhere.

By "box/Oasis" I mean that Rene the co-owner has a carpentery business that can make a shipping pallet/box and Sybille has contact to a local shipping agent who use pan-europa.de (A German freight company) to move freight (bikes) from Mongolia to Germany.

Hope you're well.

Chris, thanks for the explanation about the box. Say "hi" to Doug for me if you see him.

I don't know about dates for next year yet, but let's keep in touch, would be great to have a beer!

Hi All,
2 of us did the RoB and western BAM end of July begining of Aug this year.
Fantastic trip you will have a lot of fun, think we were lucky with the weather, no real problems with river crossings etc both on 690's.
If I can help with any info just drop me a mail.

Good luck and look forward to hearing your tales.

Mark
p.s Chris where was that river crossing in Mongolia that you dropped your bike? I dropped mine on the way out of Mongolia on the northern road in the last river crossing, managed to get it up quickly so no dismantling :scooter:

Ufff, I change my route becayse war on Pamir Highway, and I was in this summer behind Novosibirsk and go back to Serbia, 14000km, not bad because I was alone. Scott, your plan is funtastic, perfect route. What you think about price of trip, I have not so big budget. I thinking about aeroplane price and price for motorbike to Moskou. Do you knows price for that....?
PS: I meet Doug in Sevastopolj, moto meeting off nights wolfs, he is cool man:clap::cool4:

Beer = v good. It turns out Doug won't be in town when I'm there :(

Hi Mark
Will definitely pick your brains closer to the time. Many thanks for the offer.

The river crossing was on the main road about 20km south of Ulaangom, just before the turn off onto the "Cental Route" towards Naranbulag (sp.?). It probably isn't usually that bad but it had rained for 36 hours prior and there were a couple of biggish mountains "upstream". Clearly the error was to not walk the river first. :blushing:

"Scott"?

Ok, chris, my wrong. Question is for you. My english is not perfect, sorry.

Sound so nice chris,,,,it's gonna be lot of 'fun' route !!! Cheers !!!