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Cross Canada Trip Starts Tomorrow

4K views 52 replies 20 participants last post by  vitesse 
#1 ·
Vancouver to Ottawa on the 2013 T100 Steve McQueen Bonneville. Planning on camping and motels where necessary. Gots me rain gear, heated gear, cooling gear so should be ok unless it snows. No fixed timelines so can take it pretty easy. Goal to stay in Canada taking Southern route there and Northern route back later in August.
 
#6 ·
Stayed at Riders Ranch motorcycle campsite lastnight some 750 km from start. Tonight hoping to reach Lethbridge AB. Got some hard rain but only a few min worth. Raingear working well. Glad I had heated liner over mountains yesterday. Luxury!
 
#12 ·
Pics hard to post just now. Stayed at Chinook prov park lastnight. Great mountain ranges. On to medicine hat today. Tips for dealing with strong cross winds appreciated
 
#14 ·
Guess the ped slicer ain't helping. Then again I think it might act as an auto counter steering device in side gusts ?
Made it to MedHat. Having meal at The Garage eatery. Thought it was a tune up shop as I went by then saw a patio in prkg lot. Will press on to Swift Current a few more hrs east and it almost three pm here now.
 
#15 ·
In heavy crosswinds, I keep my speed under 90 km/h, use one gear lower than what I usually use (so 4th on the highway), and I lean the bike into the wind, and stay as close as I can to the side of the road where the wind is coming from, so when a big gust comes I get blown into the middle of my lane, not into the shoulder gravel or opposing lane. I rode all the way across Ohio at a 30 deg angle once.
 
#16 ·
Now in Swift Current SK. No sign of a river yet ?
Ran a cooling vest for last two hours. Was still chilling upon arrival with 30-35 cel ambient and full mesh jacket going 110kph (legal limit).
 
#17 ·
Re: Riding w/a strong crosswind. Be aware of where your fuel pump/fuel tap is located within the tank. A severe lean may leave your fuel pump unable to reach all the fuel in the tank. Don't ask how I found out this interesting fact while crossing Texas on year.
 
#18 ·
Good luck and update often!

I plan on shipping my T120 to Van and riding back to Toronto in 2021. Please keep sharing plenty up updates. Ride safe!
 
#20 ·
Well yesterday was great, up until the last hour. Was aiming for a provincial campground SW of Regina after my Rouleau stop. Came to a First Nations resort with camping place so gave it look. Could not find the campsite and was getting too tried and dehydrated. Stopped back at gate to ask and before I could get ss down bike fell over! First time I've had that happen. Was thinking the worst as went to right the bike. The Bonnevilles are highly vulnerable to left side tips as the shifter arm takes quite a torque loading and can bend the shifter rod within the casing. Was happy to find this was ok. The tank also had no contact anywhere. The left mirror stalk was turned and headlight bracket a wee bit askew. . Clutch lever also highly vulnerable but I had swapped oems to flip up style and think this saved it mostly. Some scraping and the length slider damaged a bit it. However the front turn lamp lens shattered to bits. LED panel board within looked fine and still lights up (white so not strictly legal now). Will see if some amber repair tape will hold or find a triumph dealer on route.
Anyway after myself sorted decided to press on to my original site further up the road. Very strong side gusting all the 10km there. But this turned out to be a better place as drinkable water on tap next to my site and plumbed wash rooms! Luxury ! Was right next to three bikers on big BMW adventure tourers doing Iowa to Alaska.
Anyway it's all good save for the busted lamp. I'll see if I can rig some amber repair tape over it or locate a Triumph dealer along route.
 
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#21 ·
Bumner man, but you came through it mostly unscathed. I've done that a couple of times actually, two trips I spent with a bar end mirror strapped to my dry bag. Snapped off in a drop. Now that I think of it, there was another I got away with where I tried to get off my motorcycle at a gas station and realized too late my kickstand was up.

Good adventurers are not immune to problems. They just know how to deal with them ?

I'm waiting out an ocular migraine at a Burger King right now in Appalachia. These hiccups happen.
 
#22 · (Edited)
I'm outside Winnipeg tonight. Splurging on a Days Inn! Discovered the LED turns are actually amber not white and don't look have bad naked as they are. Still will need a lens for protection at some point.
Some pics from various days so far compliments free WiFi.
 

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#23 ·
Two hours West of Thunder. Bay this morning after a very buggy camp out. Hope to be well past TB for tonight. Just met another biker at fuel stop coming from Quebec heading to Vancouver Island. He was on a sport bike with solid panniers. Yesterday met a twenty something guy on a yammy Bolt with a few small packs. He was coming from PEI headed back to AB. His gear maybe one third size of mine!
We both scoffed at the purpose build touring adventure bikers!
 
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#24 ·
Just arrived in Thunder Bay ON. Had a wet night camping with trying to time stove work for dinner between down pours while fighting off the mossies. This morning breaking camp, they were so desperate were swarming all over the bike !

Hope to be a few more hrs East of here before stopping for night. Shot is The Sleep Giant off TB.
 

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#25 ·
Now East of Sault Ste Marie for the night. Motel cabin on shore of Lake Huron. Was a big 600km ride today along Superior's shores. Quite chilly and needed my heated liner on whole day long. Now some 650 km still to go. Will see how far I make it tomorrow. Pic is the Wawa Goose taken this AM.
 

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