Alaska on an RT

[TallPauls]

More pictures...


Homeward Bound from the Arctic Circle, Alaska…


The Dalton Highway




The Alaska Pipeline




Getting gas at the Yukon River Crossing


The Yukon River Crossing on the The Dalton Highway.


After riding the Dalton, I had my RT checked out and my oil/filter changed at Trail's End BMW in Fairbanks, AK. They found nothing wrong with my RT! Wish I got to meet George while I was there. They said he wasn’t in that day. George and I talked on the phone months before I went to Alaska. I asked him what he thought of me riding an RT up there. He told me just after he made a remark to the others, “We have another one asking about the Dalton.” He said, “Every kind of bike has come up here over the last 45 years and nobody back then cared what type of bike they had, they just came. Don’t worry about it and ride the RT.” That was great advice! Thanks George!


North Pole, Alaska


"The North Pole"

[TallPauls]

On my way to Denali National Park




Plan your visit to Denali National Park


On my way to Anchorage, Alaska


Leaving the RT to take a walk in the heart of Anchorage, AK.


I bought my wife some native jewelry at the flea market.


East of Anchorage, Alaska

[TallPauls]

The Alaska Highway




















A bear cub and her mother. I don’t have to worry… I can outrun the lady taking the pictures. The only problem is, I’d have to go back to help her and probably be mauled too.

[TallPauls]

Edmonton Mall, Alberta, Canada

[TallPauls]

On my way to Jasper National Park

[TallPauls]

On my way to Leavenworth, WA.






Leavenworth, WA usually doesn’t look like this. The roads were under construction.

[jimfastcar]

Outstanding, just outstanding !!

[mundobravo]

thanks for taking the time to post ... I'm heading up myself from New Mexico, on my 1996 RT, on May 15th. Thinking it will put me @ the Circle June1st or so. What time of the year did you do this trip. Looks like you had mostly good weather. Thanks again ! I'm stoked up from your thread!!

[pjamesb80]

Thanks for sharing what looks like a terrific trip. Nice job with the pics.

Any breakdowns, flats, or other intangibles? Sure looks like a lot of gravel for an 'RT. How did she handle?

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

[mundobravo]

Originally Posted by mundobravo

thanks for taking the time to post ... I'm heading up myself from New Mexico, on my 1996 RT, on May 15th. Thinking it will put me @ the Circle June1st or so. What time of the year did you do this trip. Looks like you had mostly good weather. Thanks again ! I'm stoked up from your thread!!

\Hey Paul , after looking at the rest of your photo's on FB it looks like the weather sucked !! but same question , what time of year ? , thanks again brother !!

[TallPauls]

Originally Posted by mundobravo

thanks for taking the time to post ... I'm heading up myself from New Mexico, on my 1996 RT, on May 15th. Thinking it will put me @ the Circle June1st or so. What time of the year did you do this trip. Looks like you had mostly good weather. Thanks again ! I'm stoked up from your thread!!

I left on my trip after the first week in June. After entering Canada it rained off and on. The Yukon was the worst! It rained on the way and back. I got lucky on the Dalton, sunshine the entire day! Alaska is unpredictable. I had sunshine for a while, then rain, then it really rained hard, then opened up to sunshine. This repeated itself from day to day.

[TallPauls]

Originally Posted by pjamesb80

Thanks for sharing what looks like a terrific trip. Nice job with the pics.

Any breakdowns, flats, or other intangibles? Sure looks like a lot of gravel for an 'RT. How did she handle?

Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

After doing the Dalton I had the bike checked out in Fairbanks. Nothing to report.
My RT handled OK in the gravel. It's not a GS, but it did pretty well. I couldn't go fast, just kept it steady and had to stand up from time to time to keep control through the deep stuff. Most of the cars/trucks going by slowed down. But, the few that didn't threw gravel all over me. I learned to just move over as far as I could and let the idiots go by. The washboard through the Yukon was hard on me and the RT. I found if I sped up the bike would level out. But, then I would hit loose gravel and almost lose control. After that, I just kept it slow and easy until I saw pavement again.
When I got home I noticed a couple of nicks in the side panels and my windshield has some scratches. Overall, I think my RT fared pretty well.
A week after returning both low beam bulbs went out within a day or two of each other.

[mundobravo]

Originally Posted by IronButtTallPaul

I left on my trip after the first week in June. After entering Canada it rained off and on. The Yukon was the worst! It rained on the way and back. I got lucky on the Dalton, sunshine the entire day! Alaska is unpredictable. I had sunshine for a while, then rain, then it really rained hard, then opened up to sunshine. This repeated itself from day to day.

thanks for the reply Paul ...

[empeg9000]

Great report! Thanks for posting so many pictures. I know how hard it can be. I hope to some day make it up there. At the moment I don't have enough vacation to get there from NY and actually enjoy myself. Two more years at my job and I get 4 weeks vaca! Hopefully I might be able to give it a shot. If nothing else, you make me realize I could be doing a little more on my RT. Is it possible to put some of the dual sport tires on an RT so that gravel running would be a little better or is it more the suspension?

[TallPauls]

Originally Posted by empeg9000

Great report! Thanks for posting so many pictures. I know how hard it can be. I hope to some day make it up there. At the moment I don't have enough vacation to get there from NY and actually enjoy myself. Two more years at my job and I get 4 weeks vaca! Hopefully I might be able to give it a shot. If nothing else, you make me realize I could be doing a little more on my RT. Is it possible to put some of the dual sport tires on an RT so that gravel running would be a little better or is it more the suspension?

Thanks, I am not sure about putting dual sport tires on an RT or upgrading the suspension. Maybe someone else can help in that area. My suspension is still stock and I run Metzeler Z6 Roadtec's. Before I left for Alaska, I added engine guards and a front fender extension. On the unpaved roads I slowed down and took my time. It worked out well for me.
I hope some day you can get up to Alaska.