The Big 5 in Utah

Phil Tarman

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Chris, GREAT ride report! I hope everybody who's interested in riding will go to the F800 site and read it. I have ridden almost all of the roads you were on and enjoyed seeing them again. Your pictures were excellent and I was really impressed with the ones you used from your Sena camera.

Your bike is beautiful, too, BTW.

See you in Spearfish! Where are you staying?
 

Phil Tarman

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I'm glad you're staying at Bell's. It'll give us a chance to talk. Lots of really good people at Bell's. I'm past caring whether people think I'm a wimp or not.
 

junglejim

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That is a great ride review. You should get a PhD for that dissertation and photos. Utah is on my list of places to return to after crossing a couple years ago with Mitch on our way to the Pacific Coast. We actually rode some of the same roads. I remember being impressed crossing some canyons that we decended a long ways and crossed a bridge that was still a long ways from the bottom. I specifically remember the crosswinds we hit on US50 near Sevier Lake heading toward Baker NV - or I should say the crosswinds that hit us.

I liked your evaluation of the Beemer. I can tell you are in love with it. But let me tell you first hand that after you have had cruise control you won't want a throttle lock again. I hear the same complaints about the Tiger with respect to heat and cross wind riding. Same as you state. Not true. But i am interested in your experience with the Madstad and crosswind riding. I have the Puig Touring with a spoiler. It is very good at any speed (even much higher than I'll admit to) but not so good in turbulance and crosswinds. I'm not sure any of them are good in those conditions.
 
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junglejim

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A lot of members on the F800 forum don't like the looks of the Madstad windshield.
Ya, the Madstad is ugly - So is the Puig. But it looks fine from where I sit. I rate the Puig way better than the Cee Bailey on the NT at speeds over 60 mph. They are both perfect at 50 and below.

Does your Madstad have the winglets?
 
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Also went down to Durango from Grand Junction on a Can Am Spyder on the 15th. It was not as much fun as when I did it on my Gold Wing.
 

Phil Tarman

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Also went down to Durango from Grand Junction on a Can Am Spyder on the 15th. It was not as much fun as when I did it on my Gold Wing.
I'll bet not. But it was still a million-dollar highway. :)
 

Phil Tarman

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Lolo Pass was a surprise to me.
The first time I rode Lolo Pass, I was riding from west to east while returning from a Concours Owners Group National Rally in Klamath Falls, OR. I had told people I was going that way and several riders warned me to strictly observe the speed limit. The day I left the Rally, I rode from Klamath Falls to Lewiston, ID, where I stopped for supper. I came out of the restaurant at dusk and learned that the low beam of my headlight on my Connie was burnt out. I had never changed the bulb before, but I did have a spare. I could hardly see what I was doing and it took me nearly an hour to figure out that I was trying to put the bulb holder back in the bike upside down. By then it was dark and I couldn't find a place to camp in Lewiston.

So, I rode east until I got to the Clearwater River Casino and RV park where there was a campground and I could pitch my tent. It was nearly midnight after a looooong day when I got to bed. I hadn't noticed until I tried to go to sleep that my tentsite was only about 100 feet from US-12. US-12 stayed busy all night and I didn't get a lot of sleep. The sun hit my tent at about 5:30 the next morning and I was awake. I broke camp, packed, and rode on to Orofino, where I stopped for breakfast. Then it was on to Kooskia and the turn towards Lolo Pass. I saw the famous sign advertising 77 miles of twisty road and slowed down to the 50mph speed limit. Those curves became like a metronome on a piano, with a relentless rhythm that, at 50mph, soon had me nodding off to sleep. I fought it as long as I could before I finally had to stop at picnic area and take an IronButt nap on a picnic table. After about 30-40 minutes of sleep I was up and decided to take my chances on getting stopped. At 70mph the curves were much more enjoyable! I ended up riding to a friend's house on the Flathead River south of Kalispell and then through Glacier NP on the Going-to-the-Sun highway the next day. It was a great trip. I've ridden Lolo three times since then, always east to west. I did see a patrolman with a motorcyclist pulled over once. We went by him at about 70 and he didn't give us a glance.
 
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Chris, that was an impressive write up. I've neverIbeen to Utah and you pictures perhaps give me a reason to go. It sounds as if you are very happy with you bike. I think I've decided to stay with the NT for a few more years. I keep going on these '1000 mile' rides and it does just fine. Thanks for sharing your thoughts of a 12 day trip. I'm retiring in about a year and am looking forward to longer rides. Take care.

Terry
'
 
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