Post #4 - The Bike

The bike will be a 2005 BMW R1200GS.  I purchased this “Garage Queen” in early 2015, a ten-year-old motorcycle with only 12,000 miles on her and in tip-top shape, including a new final drive in 2012. 

The bike put back together with the new paint job

She came outfitted with the BMW Vario Boxes and the factory GPS.  I have added a touring windshield, engine guards, a stiffer progressive rear spring, a throttle lock, and touring saddle.  Mounted on the handlebars is a SPOT satellite locator, and our kids will receive half a dozen texts a day with “OK” messages and our coordinates.  And to help her be more photogenic,  she has a new paint job and decals.

A BMW GS 'skinned down"

Audra and I have ridden a lot on the bike, including 2, three day trips over a thousand miles each.  We know the bike to be the most capable and comfortable of any 2-up machine we have owned.  The weekend before we leave, I will check/adjust the valves and install the new spark plugs.  New air/oil filters will be added, along with new, high-end synthetic lubricants.  

Yep, I twist my own wrenches, as I want the peace of mind that all the work is done properly and I want the skills to work on the bike if I have too during the trip.  We will run highway tires to Fairbanks, where we will get a fresh set of sneakers for the off-road excursions.  The bike has a 250-mile fuel range with the stock tank, so I have added tank panniers that will house two ¾ gallon fuel containers, giving us another 75 miles in a pinch.  The GS should be the perfect bike for the frost heave and pothole infested tarmac of the Alaska Highway, as well as the 500+ miles of dirt road that we will tackle.