R1200R or F650Dakar for Mongolia two-up
 

Hi,

My wife and I are planning to go to Mongolia this summer. We are an experienced couple riding together on one bike.

After decades of riding through almost whole Europe and North Africa, during the last two years we are gradually discovering Asia. Last year we did a trip through Turkey, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and back through Kazakhstan and Russia. The year before we did Ukraine, south Russia, west Kazakhstan, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan.

We are travelling on the road bike, BMW R1200R, which did fine on every kind of road we travelled, and occasional off road/bad road parts were also ok.
By off road/bad road I mean parts like Georgian Military Highway, bad parts of Karakum Highway in Turkmenistan, road from Tyup in Kyrgystan to Kegen in Kazakhstan, the road to the Charyn Canyon, streches of bad roads in Kazakhstan, and stuff like that. Basically, we never had to cover distances longer than 50-100, mostly 150 kms of unpaved road. I do not like off road particularly, but I can live with it up to a point, and we managed it, so did the bike.

From what we can hear and read, Mongolia is quite a different story. Hundreds, maybe thousands of kms of unpaved roads and paths are waiting for us.

Can any of you who have been in Mongolia by motorcycle give me an advice whether is wiser to go to Mongolia on the relatively heavy road bike which we are used to, which is very comfortable for two people, easily carries all of our luggage, have enough comfort and power to easily eat the distance between Croatia and Mongolia and back, or should I start to prepare my old BMW F650GS Dakar for the trip?

If I was going alone, I would take the Dakar without thinking about it, but for two people (used to the comfort of big bike) the Dakar is very cramped and uncomfortable.

I know how to fix bikes, and maintaining or repairing most of the stuff that might broke on either bike should not be a problem, so that is not an issue.

Also, I am not the world's best or the world's worst rider. Mature enough, with almost forty years and close to a million kms experience, but without any formal off road training. Never needed it, and allways managed to go with the bike where I wanted. If I see something that looks too difficult, there is usually a way around it.

How shall the R1200R be difficult to ride two up in Mongolia? If somebody tells me that is an insane thought, we will squeeze ourselves on 650 and thump all the way through Russia so we can more easy travel through Mongolia.

I am thinking about taking the south route, which is supposed to be the least difficult.

And, we allways travel alone... should we make an exception this time and look for some company for this Mongolian trip?

Thanks, Boris

Can not give you advice on which bike to ride, just month ago I've reed RR where one guy from Ukrain two years ago crossed Siberia around Baikal and Mongolia on Yamaha R1. Only motorcycle technical upgrades where semi-offroad tires and luggage racks.

Hi Boris,
i will go through Mongolia this summer and i take a BMW G650XChallenge, because the most roads in Mongolia are not only unpaved, they are mostly simple tracks on the Steppe.
As far as i had heard an read, going there with a big Bike is not really funny and with a pillon maybe double bad.
Look at this link: The rolling Hobo there you can see a little about mongolian roads.
At least my oppinon ist to do Mongolia on two light Bikes, maybe the 650 Dakar, to get as much fun as possible.
Lighter would be better, so if you will do Mongolia, then not the mighty behemoth R1200R.
Maybe we will met you at UB in the Oasis beer

Going 2 up on any bike in Mongolia isn't going to be fun. You'll see plenty of locals doing it on those light local chinese bikes (not sure on the displacement of those but they're light) but not sure how comfortable it'll be. Then again, given the surface, it's not going to be a walk in the park comfort wise anyway.

I typically say lighter is better, but I'm not sure there is a right or wrong answer.

You could try riding laps through a paddock before you leave. Mongolia is pretty much one great paddock.

I think it is possible on the southern route.

But for sure its no fun and hard work

It depends on the driver

klausmong1

When you say possible on the southern route, do you mean possible with the R1200R, or possible with the F650Dakar and impossible with the big bike?

From your experience, how long should it take to get from the western Russian/Mongolian border crossing to UB, taking the least difficult (I guess the southern) route?

Another thing, is it realistic (along the route in Mongolia) to expect to find a place to sleep every night, like a gastinitsa, yurt/ger, a homestay or any kind of bed and roof for the night, or should we pack camping gear as well? We know that in Russia/Kaz/Kyrg/Uzb a tent is not necessary, we never had a problem to find some kind of accomodation.

Thanks for answering.

Hello

The southern route has a lot of new paved parts BUT still long stretches of the old "road" made of natural soil, gravel, stones, corrugations and SAND.

Have a look on YouTube and pictures on GoogleEarth.

Doable with a big bike and two people?
Only YOU know what your abilities are.
I met people who dit it and solo riders who ended up on a truck.

Anyway Mongolia is something you will not forget so easily.

sushi

It is possible with a 1200R, but as sushi mentioned, only you know, it depends on the driver.
And as there is a lot of corrugation, it will not be fun for the sozia, but on neither bike.

I would estimate 7-10 days to UB.

And Hotels or Camps just in cities.
Like Olgii, Khovd, Altai.....

I would take camping gear, just in case.
First, what do you do when you have to stop and wait fore some reason?
And second, thats what it is about Mongolia, camping in the landscape is maybe the thing you never forget....

it seems, that you are german speaking, have a look on my homepage, you have pictures and videos from the paths there
Klaus Reisepage - AKTUELLES / NEWS 2015

It is possible with 1200GS and two up. Even northern route. When i was in Mongolia 2010 there was two germans with old, if i remember correctly BMW R80 riding two up. Ofcourse then we had really good weather and all unpaved roads were dry. If it shoud have been raining all the time it would have been certainly harder.

I have ridden quite many of same routes as you excect Karakorum and i could say that all roads you have ridden are permanent roads. In Mongolia most of the roads expecially in eastern part are temporary roads formed when people ride between villages in grass land. There are some corrugated gravel roads. However i can easily say that Mongolia has had worst roads i have ridden in (Russia,Estonia, Kazakstan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Tadjikistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia). I dont however consider it as offroad riding as i see it more like riding in forest in old, forgotten roads etc like people have done in few stories.

And yes i agree with Sushi. Ultimately it is up to rider skil land how confortable he is riding big bike in bad road which can include loose sand, mud and grass. If rider feels riding in gravel challenging there is two option. Develop riding skills that it feels as natural and easy as riding in asphalt or then choose some other option or ride just paved roads in Mongolia. I would like to think if i look original question maker experience that he will do fine with two up and GS1200.

Yes, R1200GS might be the best compromise for this trip. However, we do not have it. As I neither can or want to buy another bike, we'll just have to use one of these two that we have. At the moment I am inclining towards GS650Dakar. We did a couple weekend rides on it before, and though it did ok, it is inferior to R1200R in every aspect, expect weight,. And that, together with longer suspension, big front wheel and higher ground clearance really matters this time.

If only Mongolia is closer to us...then I would not have any doubt about the bike. This way it is the countless kms that are ahead of us before we actually reach the unpaved parts, where the lighter bike is going to be an advantage, is what is bothering me. If only Scottie could beam us to the Mongolian border :-)

Klaus, ja, Ich spreche auch Deutsch, schoene Bilder und Videos, und noch bessere Reisen ;-), wir sind nicht zu weit entfernt voneinander...vielleicht einmal ein Bier...

you can rent DR 650s in Ulanbaatar

I also met a New Zealand Couple on a BMW R100GS 2up


Fahrer1:
OK, lets have some beer!

bier

How do you figure? I would argue the opposite. That thing to me seems designed with the European motorways and back roads in mind. Certainly not Mongolian conditions

I did it 2 up on a R100GS PD, was not easy, especially on corrugated where driving anything under 70km/h is killing you and the bike.
My GS suffered from this trip, and it's a no so bad off road bike to drive 2 up. I would really recommend you NOT to take the 1200R, but the 650

Zimi, thanks for your first-hand advice. So, you did it with a pillion. Any more thoughts you could share, regarding any aspect specific to the Mongolian part of the trip? In 1981 my first BMW was a then brand new R80G/S, a predecessor of your bike, so I know very well its capabilities. F650Dakar has many similarities with those bikes, regardless of chain drive and a cylinder less. But we will have to overload the poor thing. Just the weight of my wife and me in full gear is close to the load limit. Then comes the luggage... Some suspension upgrades are in sight...

Klaus, I'll PM you when I go in your direction, please do the same.

Tmotten, I did not imply that 1200GS is "the" bike for this purpose, just meant that it is half-way between the bikes that I have. I personally do not think much of big GS, good bikes, but not that good, and there is one around every corner... For every purpose, except perhaps a two-up trip to Mongolia, I would rather ride my R1200R.