Driving to Alaska.

[akdoug2]

My Father is giving me his 1986 k100rs. Last spring I changed out his radiator fan for him and he asked me if I wanted to buy it. I of course told him yes, long story short he's giving me the bike and my plan is to drive the bike from Ohio to Prince Reupart British Columbia (3000 miles) were I'll take the Alaska ferry to Ketchikan. MY QUESTION< what are some things that i should be looking at before I embark on such a trip. How to check the rear wheel bearings ect. What other mechanical failures should i look at. Any advice on anything (long road trips, camping, mechanics) is appreciated.

[PGlaves]

My Father is giving me his 1986 k100rs. Last spring I changed out his radiator fan for him and he asked me if I wanted to buy it. I of course told him yes, long story short he's giving me the bike and my plan is to drive the bike from Ohio to Prince Reupart British Columbia (3000 miles) were I'll take the Alaska ferry to Ketchikan. MY QUESTION< what are some things that i should be looking at before I embark on such a trip. How to check the rear wheel bearings ect. What other mechanical failures should i look at. Any advice on anything (long road trips, camping, mechanics) is appreciated.

There are no rear wheel bearings. The bearings are the crownwheel bearings inside the final drive. Look for metal debris on the drain magnet. Check the wheel/hub for play.

Give the bike a fresh major service - by the book. And a fresh annual (once a year items) by the book. New or fairly new battery. Unless you like the chance of changing bulbs along the road, new headlight, tail light, turn signal, and brake light bulbs would be a decent idea.

Lubricate the rear spline where the driveshaft couples to the final drive.

Fix any fluid leaks before the trip. Carry a spare fuel filter.

Go! Ride! Have fun!

[Voni]

Bell's Travel Guide just sent me this information:



DISCOVERY CHANNEL PRESENTS ALASKA WEEK APRIL 20-26

Discovery Channel explores America’s rugged and spectacular last great
frontier during ALASKA WEEK, premiering April 20-26 at 9PM ET/PT each night.
>From a look at the region’s environmental concerns to programs that showcase
the everyday working world of Alaska, immersive and powerful episodes
capture the full, dangerous beauty of the Alaskan wilderness. A
groundbreaking premiere special, EXPEDITION ALASKA, kicks off the week on
Sunday, April 20 at 9 PM (ET/PT), and follows a team of scientists and
naturalists as they assess the impact of global warming on Alaska.
In another ALASKA WEEK first, a dramatic and visceral new seven-part series,
THE ALASKA EXPERIMENT, premieres Tuesday, April 22 at 10 PM (ET/PT) with
subsequent episodes airing Tuesdays at 10 PM (ET/PT). This series documents
the epic struggle of man vs. nature, as four groups of ordinary people
struggle to survive in the tremendous Alaskan wilderness for nearly three
long months. Living in shelters ranging from cabins to canvas tents, the
teams of friends, families, and couples are outfitted with basic food stuffs
and equipment, but to survive, they need to learn to hunt, fish, and cut
their own firewood. Will they be tough enough to take on the freezing,
brutal environment?
The full list of ALASKA WEEK programs follows:




EXPEDITION ALASKA

Sunday, April 20, 9 PM (ET/PT)

A team of naturalists, scientists and wilderness filmmakers explore the
effects of global warming on the Alaskan wilderness, an environment that
features some of the world’s most stunning landscapes and is experiencing
change faster than anywhere on the planet.


DIRTY JOBS: FLOATING FISH FACTORY

Monday, April 21, 9 PM (ET/PT)

Host Mike Rowe travels to Alaska for an epic adventure aboard a fish
processing ship. Braving freezing temperatures, treacherous seas, and
learning the fine art of bleeding and gutting fish, Rowe gains a new
appreciation for the men and women who get dirty on a daily basis to keep
fresh fish on our dinner table.


DEADLIEST CATCH

Tuesday, April 22, 9 PM (ET/PT)

In this episode of the popular series’ fourth season, the crab fishing fleet
is underway on the icy Bering Sea, but the crews face frustrating setbacks.
Mechanical breakdowns slow the Northwestern and the Wizard, while the Time
Bandit hits the jackpot. Plain old hard work starts to separate the
greenhorns on the Wizard, and the entire crew of the Cornelia Marie is in
danger.


THE ALASKA EXPERIMENT: INTO THE WILDS

Tuesday, April 22, 10 PM (ET/PT)

This episode kicks off a new seven-part series, premiering Tuesdays at 10PM.
In this episode, four groups of friends, families, and couples are
introduced. They’ve been dropped into the remote Alaskan wilderness and
must now find their shelters. Confronted with danger just minutes into
their journey, the groups must overcome bears, glaciers, and their fears as
the ultimate test of survival begins.


MYTHBUSTERS: ALASKA SPECIAL

Wednesday, April 23, 9 PM (ET/PT)

Alaska is one of the most extreme places on Earth and for the MythBusters,
it provides an ideal habitat to test Alaskan anecdotes. Packing up their
sleds, snowshoes and gold pans, the team gears up for some northern
exposure, but will the myths withstand the freeze?


FUTURE WEAPONS: ALASKA SPECIAL

Thursday, April 24, 9 PM (ET/PT)

Venturing into the intense battlefield of Alaska, host Richard “Mack”
Machowicz takes viewers on a wild ride as he tests one of the world's best
sniper rifles for cold weather warfare, fires a 105mm canon from the newest
Styker armored vehicle, and learns how to become virtually invisible from
the enemy by using a smoke generator to hides heat and radar signatures.


SURVIVING ALASKA

Friday, April 25, 9 PM (ET/PT)

People have been living in Alaska for longer than anywhere else in America,
and vigilance in this part of the world is not just practical -- it's a
matter of survival. In this special, SURVIVORMAN host Les Stroud will put
his survival skills to the test as he embarks on a quest to find out how the
inhabitants of this frontier survive. With the help and guidance of experts
and Alaskan natives, Stroud experiences some of theost extreme weather
scenarios that nature has to offer.


MAN VS. WILD: ALASKAN MOUNTAIN RANGE

Saturday, April 26, 9 PM (ET/PT)

He has traveled the Arctic and climbed Everest; now adventurer Bear Grylls
faces the icy peaks of the Chugach Mountains in Alaska, one of the toughest
known environments on the planet. Bear puts himself into the position of a
stranded skier and uses his specialist survival skills to journey through
glacier tunnels, forests, treacherous ice floes, and across extreme mountain
slopes.



We're off on our travels late May. Maybe we'll see you along the way.

Voni
sMiling

[riderR1150GSAdv]

Just prep the bike like previously suggested and take a credit card and a cell phone with you. Unless you go really into remote area's, the cell will work in and near most cities. I did a 15K mile trip from Key Largo Fl to Prudhoe Bay last summer, and had no issues and a blast!! You can go overboard with all the hype surrounding a ride to AK or just enjoy it, I know I did. :D YMMV
Enjoy your trip!

[98lee]

Personally, besides the fuel filter, I would carry a spare fuel pump and relay and know how to change them with the tool kit on the bike. You will be in remote areas and nothing will stop that bike deader than a failed 20 year old fuel pump.

Most other things can be temporarily jury rigged to limp into town.

I'm sure you will have a great time!:thumb


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