Trip planning: Francois Lake, BC to La Ronge, SK.

[Wildfire]

Hey guys. I was talking to my parents and found out they are going to their cabin in BC right after my cousin's wedding. I booked the wedding and the rest of my shift off and it looks like it will work out for me to go out with them, spend a couple days at the cabin (I have not been to the land out there since the cabin was built) and then ride back.

Most of the route is good paved highway with some gravel and logging roads getting closer to the cabin. I am hoping to see some friends in McBride and Edmonton on the way home so those will likely be my overnight stops.

Two days to get there with the bike on the truck, and I am budgeting 3 days to ride back. I am kind of excited for this opportunity. It will be my first proper road-trip on a motorcycle.

I don't have my gear all sorted out yet but I probably won't need much seeing that I don't plan on tenting on the way home. I was thinking just a cooler strapped to the top rack for food and other odds and ends, and a drybag strapped to passenger seat. I am considering adding a 9 liter auxiliary tank in the frunk to alleviate any range anxiety I might have on the BC portion of the trip.

If you guys have any tips I am all ears.

Here is the route for anyone interested:

 

[2brnut2b]

What is the longest portion of raod without gas station you have to ride? I'm asking because I wouldn't invest in an aux tank until it is absolutely necessary...a 2 gallons Rotopak would be much cheaper and can be strapped to the rear seat with the dry bag. Alberta and BC are on my bucket list for sure ! Have fun, ride safe and enjoy !

 

[HarveyM]

According to posts on this forum you can expect a 300 kilometre plus range. Do you think you'll need more than that? A metal camp fuel bottle (750 ml fill) would add about 25 kilometres to that, while a 9 litre (2 gal) gas can would be about 270 kilometres.

 

[Wildfire]

OK it looks like the longest stretch without fuel on the way back is less than 250km. That's not so bad. I know the bike can make that easily under normal conditions but I am not sure how it will react to riding in the mountains. I would still feel better with some extra fuel on board. Maybe I will just carry a couple liter oil jugs with fuel for just in case.

The other thing I would like the aux tank for would be riding to Creighton / Flin-Flon from La Ronge without stopping at Bloomfields (anyone local would understand) That is 320km with 95km of that being soft gravel. Add in a side trip to Jan Lake, and a little exploring and you (I) am going to wish that I had 500+ km range.

Having said all that I have a 2 imp gal container that fits really nicely in the frunk just waiting to be plumbed in... Adding 9 l would give a comfortable 500km range with some fuel to spare. I would do it something like how it's done in this thread.


I have recently installed a rack system and a Madstad windshield, both make life so much better on the road for my short trips. I still need to do something about the seat though. The slope mod isn't quite enough.