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96
Joined
12/1/2014
Location
Amherstburg Ontario, CA
Edited Date/Time
8/3/2022 5:43am
Any of you boys, attempted or completed the Tour Of Idaho?, I'm planning on attempting
it in early 2023 with a buddy, and looking to learn more details about this epic single track across the state. I've watch most everything i can find on youtube, so I'm hoping a few members here may have some experiences
they can share. Ride on !!...
it in early 2023 with a buddy, and looking to learn more details about this epic single track across the state. I've watch most everything i can find on youtube, so I'm hoping a few members here may have some experiences
they can share. Ride on !!...
https://youtu.be/pH9fqumhw9s
I've watched Mike's stuff on u-tube, his videos are very well done. The riding in Idaho looks amazing
and very challenging, but also, very rewarding if it dont beat you to death lol.
I have a BMW F800GS, which is fine for the Backcountry Discovery Route stuff, but this is more technical than a BDR.
I have a 2009 KTM XCR-W that I just picked up a 6.2 gallon gas tank for. Going light, with lots of gas.
Excited to see how this project turns out.
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
Bike is a 2009 XCR-W 450 (6-speed, “wide-ratio” transmission).
Still need a petcock before I can ride it, but it is coming together quite nicely.
I might be able to help with logistics and support while you're riding the north parts.
These are just some of the things, I'm unsure of..
I was looking at the T1 map and I'm surprised the route goes by Priest lake (where there is minimal single track) instead of taking advantage of the good single track above Moyie. I'm also surprised it doesn't touch the state line trail north of Mullan as that's possibly the best trail in N Idaho depending if you like riding shale or not. I'm also surprised they avoid the Sawtooth and White Clouds as that's some of the best riding anywhere. Is this always the route or does it periodically change? I've never really looked at the map til now and I'm kinda surprised of their route selection.
https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QvP3rYm80wg/U2pw6Kcdu8I/AAAAAAAABmc/cFnFwqaX…
Sorry, but all the real estate has been bought up by Californians already...
No chance. Unless you are Chris Birch, Pol Tarres or Matthias Walkner.
Much of the Tour is as technical as it gets without being considered "extreme" and honestly if you haven't ridden in the big mountains of the West, some of it would probably border on extreme for you.
I haven't done the Tour from start to finish but I know the route and I've ridden probably 80% of it at one time or another.
I was raised in the West and have a lot of time riding in the mountains around Boise. I'll give it a go anyway
I think on a adv. bike, no matter what size (i ride a 1090) you'd be whipped after a day... These trails are just not adv bike friendly, although I'm sure a few have tried...
I would sign up for that ride.
I tried in 2021 - made it to D6, it's NO joke. It ranges from hard to nearly impossible based on a number of factors like fires, mechanicals, nav mistakes and weather.
Get any of those wrong, or unlucky enough to get them thrown at ya, you are hosed.
The sheer amount of trail you need to cover in a day is one thing, do it day after day is something entirely different. The problem arises if (when) you get behind, you either need to ride more mileage or get less sleep, both add up. The days probably average 15+ hours average ride time.
Physical stress adds up, dump you bike on a sidehill (if you know ID you know sidehills) up in the mountains outside Leodore (look it up) and it could be a 2 hour ordeal in the sun, 30+ miles from civilization (small town), which is a 2 day walk if you can't recover your bike.
Weather is unpredictable, we had a 70 degree day outside of Salmon which turned to rat &$(# monsoon, sleet / driving rain, high 30's, very high winds and getting dark. We were sorta lost and had to navigate back to the highway soaking wet in the dark, that destroyed our hopes of finishing.
Add in logistics of getting tires, food, gas, etc it truly becomes a balance of skill, luck and sheer tenacity.
Jimmy Lewis did it thought it was incredibly difficult, it's longer, harder and much more difficult now.
I'm on the rider list to give it another go this year!
13 days, 2200+ miles.
You need a 5+ gallon tank, rear panniers and this year each team needs a saw. My 2013 500 is 300(ish) pounds. Outside Featherville in the Trinities / Sawtooths
Never say never but it's just not doable. There is some legit double black sections that you'd be hard pressed to get an ADV bike through and one mistake, game over, lots of exposure.
With a good buddy you could *probably* eek out an easier day, but spend 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there on an obstacle that you could pop right up on a std. moto and pretty soon you riding at night along with having ZERO room for error.
I'm not scared of sidehills, there were some in ID that put that to test, big time. It's a mental thing for sure, but knowing one mistake could, best case, result in never recovering your bike unless you have a friend with a Black Hawk. I'm being a bit dramatic, but that is in the back of your mind on some of that stuff, you could ride it easily when fresh on std. moto, but 50 pounds of crap, a big backpack, worn out tire and 4 hours of sleep the previous 3 nights makes things much more consequential.
Nice bike, carb, kicker, pretty much an ideal bike for TOI IMO. Looks clean too.
I have a 2022 500 I use for faster riding but picked up my 2013 specifically for the TOI since it has a kicker. I found out 2 years ago that I'd never be out in the ID wilderness without a kickstart bike. My 2017 250 EXCF had an electrical problem and the kicker saved my bacon until I could get it fixed.
Planning solo? What is your plan for a saw mount?
Pit Row
Looks like somebody is putting some thought into this!
I have moved on from the 450, and picked up a 530 EXC. I have a 6 gal tank for it, so that base is covered. It is a little bigger than the 450, but not by much.
I need a ProMoto/Fastway rack, and ALTRider soft panniers.
Collapsable saw was what I was thinking.
As for timing, I think it has to be late July/early August, but I am pretty flexible.
This year will have to be Aug based on snowpack, doubtful late July will work.
If you want to do the 'official' ride you are required to have a chainsaw - DQ if not, per the man himself.
With as much crap as you'll have I don't think 10 extra pounds of bike is an issue - as long as it's reliable and easy to ride. I wouldn't take a XR650, but the mid-weight open bikes are the sweet spot IMO, the carbed bikes like you have are the best. After the KTM's a 2017 CRF450X is probably the best overall, kicker, carb, easy to ride, big tank options and reliable.
I did it on my 2017 250 EXCF on my attempte and spent way more time than I'd like on the transfer sections pinned WFO and I bet it had 20 hp at 10,000'
This year, with the snowpack, is probably going to be mid to late Aug....late Aug starts to get sketchy with storms and cold weather when you bump against Sept.
May be a chance that there is a warm spring but S ID is like 150% typical snowpack. Even if snow melts the trails need to get sawed out which may be a latter than normal thing this year.
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