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 !!!

I haven't looked at flight/ bike freight yet. I'll think about those early next year.

I want in! :)
 

Hey all, I will be Wintering in Georgia then heading into the 'Stan countries to get into Russia. I would love to travel with people once in Russia to do the summer road and/or the road of bones. I was not planning on doing these routes alone.. but.. with a group, I'm all in!

I'm on a KTM 690. As of right now, I am 6 months, 35,000 km into my RTW.

Cheers bier
Noah

Not a problem.

It the railway guys are being pricks (we had one this year who wanted 5000 rubles per bike for 5 bikes) return 8km to Kuanda and ask around town ... any number of local trucks will ferry you over the river for 3000 rubles for a trip (we had 5 bikes on the truck)

Hi Chris,

I will be in Siberia in summer 2013 as well, but likely to be there a bit later than you. I am planning to be in Ulan Baator roughly end of July and get from there to Yakutsk through Lensk and from Yakutsk to Magadan potentially back and forth and exit in Vladivostok/Zarubino. If not alone, I will be considering the OSR otherwise, will take te NFR. So I would be riding Siberia mainly in August.
Anyone will be following a similar route at that time?

Hi Guys
Let's stay in touch. Hopefully there'll be some commonality in our ideas. My plans have changed a little, (still the same plan for earlier in the trip, but more time at the end: I've updated post #1).

I'll be more focussed on next summer early in the new year.

Many thanks for the tip.

Hi guys, I'm planning on shipping my KLR to Vladivostok late spring/early summer if i can find some people to share a container, i left it in Anchorage a couple months ago will probably ride it down to WA come spring to ship from that area. Anyways I'm wanting to do Russia, mongolia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine etc. and hopefully end up in maybe the UK. I dont know much about this region and seems like most of you do, would love to get any pointers from you all and maybe can meet a couple of you over there! The map at the first of the thread is very helpfull!

vitim bridge
 

When in Siberia doing the Bam last year, in the town of Taximo, there were rumours that the leaders of the town were thinking of taking the bridge down and selling it for scrap. I dont know if its still there.!

Hi Zimi.
I do have a plan to do that trip, but from EU on the bike and back by a train to Moskwa. But I do have a bit heavier bike then you. I do own a BMW F 800 GS. To do the OSR alone could be tuff, but everythink depends on weather.

Regards Rusty from Slowakia

Hi Rustykits,

when do you plan to be there? I think the F800Gs will make it, some did it with the 1200GS ...

Maybe we can meet somewhere on the road.

let's keep in touch

cheers
David
zimiontheloose.ch | Rock'n'roll Motorcycle Adventure!

Hi Zimi - David :-)
I send you a email for a futher communication about that.

Rusty

Planning a very similar trip, leaving UK in May and going through Skandinavia to get into russia. Will follow the thread with interest

Good to see that there'll be quite a few bikes in eastern Siberia next summer. I'm currently working hard and concentrating on sorting a Christmas trip to Bulgaria and Turkey.

Early in the new year I'll be more focused on summer 2013. As mentioned in post #1 I'll be in Siberia shortly after 6th July and need to return home to the UK on about 25th August. It'd be great to team up for the western BAM and the OSR should the weather be kind to us.

Hi Chris,

been following your "between cliff and wet place" RR on ADVrider with interest. Amazing places and sceneries.

After having ridden most of the Arabian countries here, I've been wanting to go central and explore Mongolia/Russia and the 'Stan countries. Work commitments mean i'lll never be able to take 4-6months off to ride all those countries. So i think this kind of a plan (ship your bike and ride only 1-2 countries) fits my meagre 1-1.5months vacation allowance well.

If there is still room for another one, i'd be interested in joining up for the ride. My biggest issue would be shipping my bike from (and back to) UAE to UB. Will need to find an economical/reliable way of doing that.

cheers

Hey guys and howdy Noah, hows the snowboarding going just came in to Horizons to have a look at a few things and came across this thread ill be over in that neck of the woods at the same time but ill be two up probably, I picked up a little Polish hitchhiker for awhile so she might be with me dont know how thats going to go but shit she can walk if the roads bad enough it will do her good keep her ass trim lol

We leave bucharest and going to ride that road in Romania just north west of there then im heading down to Turkey Cappodoccia over to Armenia Georgia then takign the ferry from azerbaijan to Kazakstan and mucking around there for awhile in the stans as I head to Mongolia and across east

Havent decided where to from there but either asia or the states but ill leave that for now its 8 months away

Anyway keep in touch, cheers guys

Sheldon www.rideforsmiles.com

Hi guys,

I am still planning to ride the OSR this summer and maybe the western bam.

I will be in Ulan Bator in Mid July and will have 4 weeks.

I am thinking about selling my KTM 640 Adventure 04 fully equiped in Magadan or Vladivostok or Ulan Batar. Of course It would make more sense for me to sell it in Magadan, so I can then directly fly.

Is anyone at the same periode as me there? I haven't booked my flights so I am more or less flexible, but can't leave Switzerland before 8th of July bu ideally around 12-14 july would like to fly to UB.

I would like to get a few advices from the guys that already did it, would yo do it alone?

And then if anyone interested to pick up my bike in Magadan, please contact me.

Hi Zimi,

I am still in if we can match our dates...

Kim

Chris (or anyone else who knows!), do you know whether the border at Kyakhta (between Ulan Baator and Ulan Ude) is open on weekends or not? I've only got two weeks off work, so need to get the timing right so I'm not sitting at the border for two days on each end!

Somewhere I thought I read that it was not, but I can't find anything on this site. I've looked at the Russian border guards' website, but it is not very clear, so I'm hoping for confirmation from someone who has been there (or who has spoken with someone who has been there...).

Hi guys,

We are a group of four Australians on 650s currently in Uzbekistan heading east. We will be riding the Pamir Hwy then Mongolia then the BAM and/or RoB.

We have run in to a few riders so far but it would be great to hear everyone's schedules and get a few contact numbers. Mine is +372 8104 3312

See you on the road!

Ben

Afraid I don't know. The border at Tashanta/Tsaganuur in the west is closed on Sundays, I believe. I intend on leaving/re-entering Mongolia mid-week between UB and UU. I'll try to remember to ask. It'll be in the week of the 8th July. Don't know if this will help you.

Usually I don't answer my own questions, but after a couple of inconclusive responses I did more research on the web, and found a site which lists all border crossings and their operating hours. I decided it would make more sense to post it in the "Mongolian Border Crossings" thread:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...736#post425514

According to this site, it is open on weekends.

I'm still not going to risk it! Will aim for early to mid-week :thumbup1:

Sat in Nomads House, Bishkek waiting for our Kaz Visas if anyone is around for a beer bier

G

Enter Russia on Monday, should be in Mongolia in around 2 weeks. Watch out ofr a um-moded nissan terrano . :)