Planning an out-of-state adventure ride, need advice

TriRacer27
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8/31/2017 9:00am
Hey guys, I need some advice.

I just came back from vacation in Montana and Idaho, and my dad and I both decided we have to go back and do a motorcycle trip of some kind there next summer. I saw so many people on adventure bikes or with dirt bikes in the back of their trucks, and probably had the saddest face of jealousy you've ever seen just thinking about riding through those hills.

Anyway, we are open to either a more dual-sport oriented ride on adventure bikes, or a more enduro based ride with some country roads on some EXCs, XRs, or similar. We want to do about a 5-6 day trip so storage would be an issue on enduro bikes unless we have a support vehicle or keep it to a minimum on stuff.

So, from those who have experience doing this:

- What type of trip would you recommend?
- Do you know of any outfits that offer good guided trips or that rent appropriate bikes in that area? (I've only found one in SLC but it didn't have any off-road adventure bikes or enduro bikes)
- Have you ever bought bikes in the area and re-sold them after a ride (this may end up a better option if we can't find good bikes to rent)
- Would we be better off just shipping our bikes from Texas and back?

Open to any and all suggestions. Thanks.

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motogrady
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8/31/2017 9:08am


ADVRider.com. Those guys live for it.
Maddeh
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8/31/2017 9:12am Edited Date/Time 8/31/2017 9:13am
You might want to get in touch with Chilly White. He does Baja tours but I think he has a residence near Boise and is very familiar with the area. I think he may do tours there as well but if not he could point you in the right direction. Should find contact info at http://www.enduro360.com

PC
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8/31/2017 9:52am
Can't help with bike rentals, but if you want to do some dual sporting in the inland NW then I can help. I'm on a 500exc setup for trail riding (no overnighters, minimal slab) with 130-150 mile range. I have been toying with getting an adv bike recently though.....

If you want to ADV ride then Glacier/Flathead is hard to beat. North Cascades hwy would be another good option.
Also, check out the old Lolo motorway. If you want to trail ride then the Eastern edge of the WA Cascades and Idaho panhandle will not disappoint.

The Shop

TriRacer27
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8/31/2017 11:13am
Thanks guys, those are awesome resources.


Xeno
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8/31/2017 11:16am
I've ridden moto and off-road in Flathead/Kalispell area for many years. It's great riding and great people.
Maybe you could team up with a couple people in your area and offer to pay for the fuel if they haul your bikes? Then you fly in and ride.
Bolt-On
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8/31/2017 11:45am
Just my .02 cents here, but I think if you're coming from a dirt bike background, a ride on some EXCs or something similar would be a little more enjoyable. I would actually try to map out a trip first, fitting with what you want to see/do, and see which would be a better fit. If its a lot more dirt road/trail, I'd go for the dual sport (dirt bike with a license plate) route. If you end up mapping out more paved road and a bit of dirt road, I'd take the Adventure Bike route.

I use a couple of apps, one called "Scenic", one called "Greatest Roads" and also a website, plotaroute.com to plan out some dual sport rides. The Scenic app even has navigation and you can download offline maps as well but the issue I've found with it is the map itself gets a little sketchy at times. It occasionally has some spots where it doesn't seem to have roads mapped where I know for a fact a road is or it has the opposite problem and says a road is there that hasn't existed for a long time (the others, as well as Google do that as well though). So it's good to have alternates in places that look sketchy on the map. Of course, it's a lot different out there than it is here, so you might not have any issues getting through.

Zaugg
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8/31/2017 1:38pm
KTM Rider Rally is coming up in Sept. Check it out. Guided routes, great atmosphere, vendors, and not just for orange bikes or ADV's either. I think it's in Crested Butte this year.

TriRacer27
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8/31/2017 2:47pm
Bolt-On wrote:
Just my .02 cents here, but I think if you're coming from a dirt bike background, a ride on some EXCs or something similar would be...
Just my .02 cents here, but I think if you're coming from a dirt bike background, a ride on some EXCs or something similar would be a little more enjoyable. I would actually try to map out a trip first, fitting with what you want to see/do, and see which would be a better fit. If its a lot more dirt road/trail, I'd go for the dual sport (dirt bike with a license plate) route. If you end up mapping out more paved road and a bit of dirt road, I'd take the Adventure Bike route.

I use a couple of apps, one called "Scenic", one called "Greatest Roads" and also a website, plotaroute.com to plan out some dual sport rides. The Scenic app even has navigation and you can download offline maps as well but the issue I've found with it is the map itself gets a little sketchy at times. It occasionally has some spots where it doesn't seem to have roads mapped where I know for a fact a road is or it has the opposite problem and says a road is there that hasn't existed for a long time (the others, as well as Google do that as well though). So it's good to have alternates in places that look sketchy on the map. Of course, it's a lot different out there than it is here, so you might not have any issues getting through.

Thanks for the tips on those apps.

I first want to figure out what options are available and what locals recommend. As for EXC vs ADV bikes, I lean much more towards EXCs, but my dad, though he comes from a moto background, is getting up there in age and feels more comfortable on milder dirt roads more suitable for an ADV bike. So I'll have to find a balance. Then if other friends end up coming as well, that might tip it one way or the other depending on who is coming. I have some friends interested who don't ride any dirt, and some who have never ridden on the street. Gonna be interesting either way.
TriRacer27
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8/31/2017 2:54pm
Xeno wrote:
I've ridden moto and off-road in Flathead/Kalispell area for many years. It's great riding and great people. Maybe you could team up with a couple people...
I've ridden moto and off-road in Flathead/Kalispell area for many years. It's great riding and great people.
Maybe you could team up with a couple people in your area and offer to pay for the fuel if they haul your bikes? Then you fly in and ride.
What's the land access like in that area or in other national forrest areas like lolo and nez pierce. If we find a dirt road on a map, are we likely to piss off locals or is that not really a risk?
Ake89
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8/31/2017 5:59pm
See Steve walker coyote trail adventures has bikes $250 per day and or trail rides anywhere in southern/central California. Wee just rented a bike from him. We live in Argyle and I have gps trails if need places to ride in California. See AMA district 37 dual sport message board fo info as well. Pm me your number if you want the info on Sierra riding. Spots

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