crossing Canada
 

My employer announced massive redundancies recently and I'm expecting to be one of them early next year. For some time I've been contemplating a huge trip and this is just 1 of my ideas........

Ship my bike from UK to Halifax, Nova Scotia
Ride across Canada (preferably nothern route of the great lakes) over to Vancouver Island were I have a friend who emigrated.

However, my question is regarding my bike: a Honda CBF1000 - I love it.
But it's definitely not an off-road bike & once loaded up, fairly heavy.

I'm 5' 2 and off road bikes are usually too tall. I've read the various posts on HUBB on similar issues but generally speaking, the ladies are riding with partners who share luggage or the bikes lack the power I prefer.

Regarding the type of roads I will encounter - will I be restricted to where I can go by taking it? Should I purchase something like the BMW F650 GS (800cc twin) ?

Thinking more long-term, the trip could be extended into America & then South America.

Elaine, this question will make more sense if you're able to decide whether you're taking a highway trip to Vancouver Island, or an intercontinental journey. Furthermore, even if you opt for South America you'll still have the option to stay on pavement if that's the kind of journey you prefer. Even within Canada you can stick to main highways and secondary roads....or not. Asking what sorts of road you will encounter misses the central point, which is that you will encounter exactly the sorts of roads which you choose to encounter. You'll decide.

Dual sports are designed for a riding mix which includes rough roads or tracks in addition to highways. They're not very pleasant for pure highway use. Decide what sort of riding you want to do and where you want to do it and your choice of bike will tend to follow in a nice, rational linear fashion.

I am stating the obvious here, and perhaps you already know this much. If so, maybe you're asking something else entirely and it's me who is missing the point. If so, my apologies....and congratulations on your new life!

Mark

If you can handle your bike on UK roads ,then you'll have no problem on Canadian paved roads .
Before you come over you should decide where you want to ride and what you want to see .
There's thousands of miles of really good gravel roads ,if you want to travel them ,my advice would be to load up your bike with the amount of luggage you deem necessary ,and then try her out in the UK on some gravel .
If you don't like the way she handles ,then look around for a different bike .
You don't need an off road bike for gravel,but look for a 19 inch front wheel or bigger and a short wheelbase .
It's important that you can pick up the bike on your own .

I'd be inclined to buy a bike in NS and have your friend sell it for you in BC after your travels are over .It might be cheaper in the long run .

Have fun.

My husband and I did a X-Canada trip last summer (from BC to NS and back). He was riding his Yamaha R6 and I was on my Ducati Monster. We both had a great time and saw lots of the amazing things Canada has to offer. Our trip was confined to paved roads (except for the occasional dirt bit to get to a campground).

Like the other replies have highlighted it completely depends what kind of trip you want to do. If you are sticking to the Provinces and missing the Territories (which it sounds like you are) you'd be fine with a street bike and not limited because there are plenty of nice paved roads that can get you all over all of the provinces.

Personally I'd stick to a street bike to help numb the pain of going through the Prairies, but that's just a personal preference.

Will you be restricted?

Of course. There are thousands upon thousands of km's of unpaved roads all over this lovely country.

Do you need a dual purpose bike?

Absolutely not. There are 10's of thousands of km's of paved highways and secondary roads all over the place.

Unless you have a lifetime to explore all of Canada you WILL miss many, many things regardless of what bike you ride and what roads you take. In fact, on any given trip you'll just scratch the surface of what's available in this vast country.

So as the others have already stated, decide what it is that you really want to see and do. Then pick the bike for it. Gravel roads can take you further into the wilderness and off the beaten track. But pretty much all towns and definitely all cities, national parks, major attractions are serviced by paved roads. By having a road bike you'll mostly miss the more remote and wild attractions which normally don't get mentioned in the guide books. But with so many things to choose from there will be no shortage of things to see via paved roads.

Pick the bike you like and just go for it unless you're coming to Canada specifically for a wilderness experience.


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com

Thanks for all your comments.

I suppose what I was thinking was whether there were any sections of Canada that I would have to totally avoid if on my CBF.
I regularly ride along single track roads in the UK - but they're generally paved and in good condition. I've never dropped it so unsure about picking it up! lol
She and I would probably cope with a few miles of gravel but only if the road was relatively easy going.

marinomi - looked at your current trip - sounds fantastic but I did notice you have now changed to the F800GS. Unfortunately too tall for me :(

The main reason for taking my bike is to avoid selling it & spending cash on another - financially, I'm bound to lose out. Suppose I just don't want to admit my (fairly recently purchased CBF) isn't suitable for the type of trips I want to do......

You'll have a great time sticking to roads.

Canada is vast, and for sure you can see a lot of things from the pavement. How long a trip are you planning? If you're really going to take your time you might appreciate the ability to get into some remote areas on gravel or dirt, on the other hand, you can cover a lot of ground quickly on our paved roads!

You'll be on the road for many hours a day for many weeks. You don't need to go off road to see this amazing country... but you do need a motorcycle you feel comfortable and confident on. I rode from Toronto to Vancouver, then from Vancouver to the Arctic Circle earlier this year. All but the last 400 kms were paved. I saw every type of bike on the road, and everyone I talked to were happy with their ride.

Elaine:

You can easily cross Canada (Halifax to Vancouver Island) without ever leaving pavement. I've done the ride myself several time with my ST1100.

To put your question in context, it would be like a Canadian asking if it was possible to travel from Penzance to Carlisle on a CBF 1000 without concerns about unpaved roads.

Of greater concern to you will be the climatic variations you will encounter on that route. The route north of the great lakes is wonderful, but the weather up there can be a little cool prior to about June 10th. In my opinion, the ideal time to begin your trip (ex Halifax) would be about June 1. Any earlier than that and you will need clothing that is heavier than 'summer weight'. Vancouver Island (where I live) is mild all year round, but I suggest you plan your trip such that you cross the Rocky Mountains (heading west) prior to September 1.

No need to be concerned about a lack of pavement in America (the USA) either. However, if you are considering Central and South America, well, that's another subject altogether.

Michael