Just Wondering - NT from Key West, FL to Deadhorse/Prudhoe Bay, Alaska

[ADK Jim]

Dear Fellow NT700V Friends:
It's been awhile since I have posted on the forum and first just wanted to say hi to all my "old NT" friends. This past January in addition to my NT700v I purchased a nice 2023 BMW R1250GS and have been swapping riding between the two bikes (plus the occasional short trip out on my old Vespa). I am in the process of planning another long distance Iron Butt ride. This time from Key West, FL to Prudhoe Bay, AK and was first thinking of taking the GS, but the last few days have started to rethink this and wondered if anyone in the group has or has knowledge of anyone else who has ever taking an NT on this Key West to Prudhoe Bay ride? I rode the NT 2 years ago on the Iron Butt 50CC, which is Coast to Coast (in my case Jacksonville Beach, FL to San Diego, CA) in under 50 hours. While the NT is still in excellent condition, I was starting to find it more difficult finding plastic parts that I wanted to change out (fading black pieces) and my bride suggested that I get another bike (NT is now 16 years old). So anyone ever do this ride on an NT? If so, what tires were you able to use for the last portion up on the Dalton Highway? Thanks in advance for any input. Jim

 

[junglejim]

Dear Fellow NT700V Friends:
It's been awhile since I have posted on the forum and first just wanted to say hi to all my "old NT" friends. This past January in addition to my NT700v I purchased a nice 2023 BMW R1250GS and have been swapping riding between the two bikes (plus the occasional short trip out on my old Vespa). I am in the process of planning another long distance Iron Butt ride. This time from Key West, FL to Prudhoe Bay, AK and was first thinking of taking the GS, but the last few days have started to rethink this and wondered if anyone in the group has or has knowledge of anyone else who has ever taking an NT on this Key West to Prudhoe Bay ride? I rode the NT 2 years ago on the Iron Butt 50CC, which is Coast to Coast (in my case Jacksonville Beach, FL to San Diego, CA) in under 50 hours. While the NT is still in excellent condition, I was starting to find it more difficult finding plastic parts that I wanted to change out (fading black pieces) and my bride suggested that I get another bike (NT is now 16 years old). So anyone ever do this ride on an NT? If so, what tires were you able to use for the last portion up on the Dalton Highway? Thanks in advance for any input. Jim

Wow! Hats off to you for your ambitious rides (past and present). I don't know of anyone who rode to Prudhoe Bay on an NT. Following the Spearfish rally in 2013 Phil Tarman and I rode our NT 700s to AK via the Alaska Highway, but after some discussion we agreed that the NTs had too much plastic for the Dalton Highway. We agreed they might be OK on the right days but in bad conditions there was high probability of some damage. So we didn't do that ride. From Tok we went to Valdez and to Anchorage. From there Phil rode south along the coast and I went up through Talkeetna to Fairbanks and over to North Pole and Chena Hot Springs to visit a friend. Phil caught up with me in Fairbanks and we returned via the Casiar Highway. Phil went on to ride the 4-Corners of the US to complete his Epic Post Retirement Ride, but I returned home from Prince George. Our NTs performed without issue. I did pick up a small "arrowhead" stone in my rear tire causing a slow and managable leak, and I was able to get a new tire which was delivered to Tok by airplane in one day. Our bikes both picked considerable calcium chloride from the gravel roads under construction on a very rainy day. I think some of that calcium chloride is still on my NT. Maybe Phil did a better job of cleaning his motorcycle than I did.

I sold my NT in 2017 and rode a Tiger 800 until I bought a BMW R1300RT last summer. (Love the RT) I would have taken the Tiger up the Dalton Highway, but I wouldn't do it on the RT. For tires on that road I'd recommend the Michelin Anakees. They seemed to have good tread life and handle most conditions fairly well on my Tiger although they are a bit noisier than the Michelin Road#s. Not sure the Anakees are available in your size for the NT but I do see them on GSs. But when you really need off road tires then off road tiers are the only choice. If it were me I'd take the GS hands down. But if your wife offers to have you buy a new motorcycle then WHY NOT. I was very surprised that my wife raised no issues about me buying a new RT.

 

[Coyote Chris]

Wow....I am way too old to even THINK about that ride....10 k there and back. Well, since you can afford the time and money, and this is your idea of fun, do it. An adventure bike forum would have lots of info about what you are up against. Personally, if I had that itch, I would talley up the costs and consider buying a good used bike and trashing THAT. Then selling the remains when you got home. Something like a 2020 Vstrom. JMTC
If you decide to take the NT, think about a crank position sensor and spare clutch and brake levers.

 

[Chucksklrst]

back in 96 my buddy and I rode to Inuvik NWT. Pretty much the same as riding to Prudhoe Bay just north on the Canadian side of the border. When the dirt road is wet it is slippery as snot as calcium chloride is put down so when it dries the dust is keep to a minimum. How ever when it dries it is like concrete on your bike. Took me three weeks and a complete bike disassembly to get 90% off. Never did get it all off the headers. Buy an old cheap V-Strom 650 and ride it up there then throw it away when you get back.