Different strokes for different folks .

It seems to me there are two kinds of travellers .
Those to whom riding the motorcycle is the main element and they want to experience the roads and landscapes as they pass through .
The other kind are more gregarious and want to experience the people and cultures and to them the motorcycle is merely a conveyance .

They ask two kinds of questions ;
What bike should I buy to take to S America [ or wherever] ?
or
I want to take my --[insert bike model here ]-- to S America which roads will I have trouble on or should I avoid in March /Sept / December ?

As far as I can see both types of travellers are correct and shouldn't criticise one another .

Me ? I want to find a girder forked 500cc Norton and take it to S America -
- and why not ?

Best of luck Ian C !

Dodger

Dodger, I had been thinking the same...

My main pleasures are The Motorcycle, the Landscape (I particularly enjoy the more remote/barren areas), the Freedom, and also the challenge/achievment aspect. That's not of course to say I would like to travel through a world of no people, or even just of people of the same background as myself! It's just my primary motivation.

Come on now
 

People are usually going to do what they want regardless of the answers they get on a website. I just think we need to try to encourage people to slow down and smell the roses. 4 months Prudue Bay - TDF seems like nothing more than an effort to do something about which one can brag.

Not really. If I wanted to brag, I'd have a serious go at the 35-day world record for the trip.

My problem is lack of time - both away from my family, and hibernating my business for a short enough time so's I can re-awaken it on my return. If it wasn't for these two factors, I could quite happily take 8, 12 or many more months for the trip (I'd probably do a lot more miles then though!). Given 4 months, I'd rather spend them over a large geographical area than a small one - providing, as I said before, that the trip does not start to become an effort - if it does, my itinerary will certainly change.

BklynDakar, if you have 8 months or whatever to do this, I'm envious - and good luck to you - maybe I'll just about have enough time to stop for us to have a beer when I catch you up! What's your ETA at TDF? And where are you now?

Having said that, as unfortunately I need a US visa, I may have to amend my starting point significantly if rumours I have heard recently about current processing times prove correct - up to 16 weeks, which from the date of my application would make it too late for Prudhoe Bay anyway. I applied last month, but the only official estimate I have had from London's US Embassy is between 5 days and 16 weeks - a little vague to say the least!

If you only have four months and Prudoe to TDF is on your list of things to do then go for it!

I just did a trip to Prudoe covering 9000km in 11 days on my KLR. Had to go back to work on the 12 day. Had a fantastic time and met some great people. I really enjoyed the long days and the riding.

Not everyone has the luxury or the ability to take extended leave from work or family. Do what you can in what time you have!

Or on second thought maybe you stay at home and finish up on your yard work and make sure you're in line for that next promotion at work.

Have a great trip!:thumbup1:

If someone has been saving for years to do a motorcycle trip and dreamed of going to TDF but could only get off 4 months, I would still encourage the person to go a shorter distance and try to enjoy themselves and the people they will meet. I mean why is it a big deal to go to Prudue Bay or TdF?

Is that not what you're doing? Whereabouts are you now?

I personally don't think there's anything wrong with setting oneself a small challenge. Why do people climb mountains, compete in races, or row across the Atlantic?

To be honest, I've listened to some of the replies here (and opinions elsewhere), and am giving some thought to starting in LA or similar, reducing my trip by about a third. I need to make a decision in the next week or two. I guess my desire to cross Alaska/Canada/US now is because it's a fairly big deal to actually ship my bike from the UK, whereas if I was in the US I probably wouldn't consider the whole Prudhoe/TDF in one trip.

If I start in LA this time, I could come back another (next?) year and do a more extensive US tour, including maybe Alaska and BC. What a hard life I do have with all these difficult decisions!!!

time of year
 

This fellow asked what time of year we thought would be best to do this trip- his trip. I opened my mouth and offered some extra (personal) thoughts. If I were given the choice of riding from AK to TDF in 4 months, or or doing no ride at all, I'd take the AK-TDF ride 100%! H.