The Road to IRONBEARD: Part 3
So I’ve decided to take a trip and have planned a route. Now it is time to prepare.
Preparation has evolved over time. All the parts and accessories I expect to need have arrived or were already in my garage. As weight is a significant factor, each one must have a purpose.
What doesn’t have a purpose is the 20lbs my body has gained since Halloween. That was not something I had factored into the planning when I decided to do this.
Garmin Montana 700i
How can I talk about needing to keep weight down and then add a 1lb GPS unit? I have a phone and could use that for navigation. I also know the route pretty well. However, with the Garmin, I gain more detailed progress information including average moving speed, stop time and average total speed. I also gain satellite communication and an SOS button in the event I need to communicate with someone or things go sideways outside of cell range in the desert.
WirusWin Backrest
Having a backrest is essential for attempting a ride this long. On top of comfort, it prevents my back from placing pressure against the collapsible crate attached to the rear platform.
A few backrest options are available for the Trail 125. I chose the Wirus Win because it appeared to have the cushion furthest rearward of the models available. WeBike Japan shipping is always quick and it arrived in under a week. Let’s not think about the carbon footprint of something express-shipped from Japan to California.
Corbin Seat
An aftermarket seat wasn’t in the plan. However, someone reached out to me and offered to sell me their used Corbin. I took that as a sign to get one. I’ve had a Corbin in the past. They can take some time to break in. I don’t mind used. It will certainly finish breaking in on this trip.
Airhawk seat pad
Before the Corbin was in play, I was going to use an old Airhawk pad I had on the shelf with the stock seat. Getting the aftermarket seat doesn’t mean I can’t use the Airhawk. More is more, right?
Sheepskin
Speaking of more and sitting on a tiny seat for a very long time, I ordered a longhair sheepskin identical to the one on my Goldwing. Gotta keep the cheeks comfy.
MiniBike Pegs
The idea is that they will be mounted to the ‘crash bars’ on the side of the bike. They don’t stick out like highway pegs and actually cramp my legs more but a different leg position is still needed after being locked in the same position for hours on end. They aren't mounted yet but they will be soon.
JustRite Safety Fuel can
My original fuel plan was to carry a 5-gallon Wavian jerry can. Weight concerns being what they are, I opted for a 2-gallon can instead. Depending on what my fuel mileage is on the trip, I should be able to squeeze at least 250 miles out of the 3.4 gallons (gas tank and auxiliary fuel). That would cut my gas station fueling stops to 3. Gas stations are time vampires and should be avoided at all costs (except weight).
MSR Fuel bottle
Just in case the 2 gallons of additional fuel isn’t enough, I am also bringing a 30oz fuel bottle as ‘reserve.’ It won’t get me very far but it will save me from pushing the bike at least a little longer if I run out of gas.
Center rack
The fuel bottle has to be stored somewhere. I was going to strap it directly to the frame of the bike but got a rack instead and mount it to that.
Niche Gold X-Ring Chain
There is a new chain sitting on a shelf in my garage. I am debating whether I should swap out the stock chain for a new chain before the trip. Shakedown may tell me depending on how much the stock chain stretches. If I can swap the chain and reduce the amount of adjustment required on the trip, that is valuable time not lost.
Sprockets
Keeping the chain company on the shelf is a 13T sprocket. It is possible that I will be too heavy for the stock 14T gearing to pull me up hills. I’d prefer not to gear down. While I don’t know for certain, I imagine toothing down will further hurt fuel mileage. I should also lay off the Toblerones.
As of publishing, I’ve been very busy. I haven’t had time to take pictures of the above items or borrow them from the internet. I may go back and add pictures to this entry but this video will have to do for now.
