I am dreaming about it a lot (maybe too much), just to Uelen.

I watched a video on guy that did Canadian Ice Roads on a KLR do to about -30ºC. Interestingly he was dressed a lot lighter than I thought would be be needed. Cheap down jacket under a Snow Machine Suit, with a light overcoat.

Still got really cold, but after watching it, it seems to be much more achievable than I thought.

I guess the thing is would have to wait until Jan/Feb or do earlier when it not quite as cold?

After all the research I've done now, I would agree: the road to Kamchatka (or at least Chukotka) by motorbike is more achievable than initially thought.

The yearly Ice Run on URAL bikes is a good example for the conditions.

People have even done it on foot, and on bycycle. Sleeping outside without a tent !!! (however in a good sleeping bag)

That is all outside my comfort zone. I prefer going by car.

The best season seems to be March, IMO.

For clothing, on a motorbike, I'd go entirely for military surplus:

Bunny boots, white (or Baffin Apex)

ECWS Gen. III
layer 1, long underwear, highly breathable, polypropylene
layer 2, long fleece underwear
layer 3, N3B parka & bib (or Planam freezehouse wear)

extra layer: windproof snow camo

Total cost ca. € 200 only (or up to € 500 with Baffin/Planam)

A custom made glove on the handlebar will help.

For my purposes - and from past experience, in the car - I have reinforced my trousers (bib) with 6mm EVA, cut out from an isolation mattress, and sewn into the back and the knee areas.

Waiting for winter ...

The only thing that would worry me about March is either a late winter (extra cold) or early spring (risk of break up on ice roads). But judging by your trip last year the super cold is something you worry about too much.

From talking to locals I know the weather in the far north of the US and Canada isn't quite a predictable as it used to be. Last winter started and finished really late and this year looks to be the same (still pretty hot in Labrador and Newfoundland at the moment).

I was thinking at least in November/December you might have to wait a few weeks longer for the rivers to freeze over but then you don't have to worry about an early break up or super cold weather.

But the research and reading goes on.

and early thaw in march isnt a risk above 60 degrees north ... many ice expeditions go in early april, as the temps then are a more mild -10 degrees C.

Even if you have a couple of warm days of +2, or +3, it isnt going to melt anything. The ground and the packed snow are still going to be -15, -20. They have had 150 days down as low as -55. Thats a lot of thermal inertia to overcome ... it takes a lot of hot sunny days just to warm them up to zero. Even once they eventually get to zero, it takes a lot of energy to melt compacted snow, like you would find on a graded road

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mmm thanks for that Walter - that is food for thought. Early April = lots more daylight, less snow storms and -10ºC is not that cold in the scheme of things.

Thanks for posting that link about Hiromasa Andow's epic 8,600km bicycle trip through the actual route I wanted to take on a motorbike! It just goes to show what is possible. What a fantastic achievement. Mr Andow also shows that there indeed is a summer route from Pevek to Cape Dezhnev through the mountains that isn't obstructed by rivers or swamps. Getting up there in summer may be the problem though.




When the Amarok polar expedition did this route earlier this year they demonstrated how difficult the route could be for vehicles but if Mr Andow can do it on two wheels it surely can be done on two wheels with an engine. The Timbersled system will overcome the deep snow the Amarok's encountered east of Pevek nearer the Ocean.


Clothing and textile technology has advanced considerably since Hiromasa Andow's adventure in 2005. The system would have different requirements and properties for a motorbike but I've done a lot of research into clothing systems suitable for bikes and have a top university willing to work with me on producing and testing a state of the art system which would enable this trip in safety.



Mr Andow definitively demonstrated the concept of “simpler is better.”

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Possibly, although the advantage to the bicycle over the motorcycle is that you can strip off the luggage and carry it easily. Not something you can do with 200kg of Timbersled equipped motorbike.

Then again, the ski-bike should ride up and over obstacles that would defeat a bicycle. As an aside you can get a kit to convert your pedal bicycle into a half-tracked, half-ski machine, just like the Timbersled system.

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As Alexlebrit suggested bicycles are much more versatile that motorbikes simply due to their weight. Don't underestimate what they are capable of. When it comes to really tough situation a bicycle isn't slowed to much less than someone on foot. A motorcycle can be stopped by many obstacles that are not much of a concern on a bicycle. On tough tracks a bicycle isn't necessarily any slower than a motorcycle when actually riding.

Of course the situation can be improved by lightening a motorcycle, but there is only so far you can go while still keeping the motor. Just don't expect that because a bicycle can do it a 4wd can.

I tried the search function on the HUBB but didn't find anything about Shinji Kazama which is surprising given what he has achieved on motorcycles.

Among other adventures, he was the first to ride to the North Pole (1987) and to the South Pole (1992) on a motorbike.

In 2010 he even went pole-to-pole, mostly on a motorbike: http://www.free-press-release.com/ne...284035090.html

Although he didn't take the route through Siberia, he could certainly teach us a trick or two about riding in those very low temperatures.

Shinji Kazama's cold weather gear doesn't look that extraordinary on this picture taken at the South Pole (by Frederick McDougall on Shinji Kazama's motorcycle trip ). He must be a very tough man!

1976 was the year I happened to live in Fairbanks, AK, also in January 76 a guy rode the Dalton and back in a R60/2 BMW - no side car. The lowest temps encountered were -60 F. I saw the bike once. In addition to using 5 W oil. He used army surplus Arctic clothing e.g. bunny boots. To reduce the tires flexing and breaking, they were overinflated. I can't remember the figure but it was something like 60 psi. No electric vest back then and no windshield that I recall. The biggest problem he encountered and overcame was the face shield freezing. He overcame this by plugging up his nose and breathing through a skin divers snorkel which he modified such that it extended to the middle of his back under his coat. That was an epic ride. The guy died recently. He ran a BMW shop in Fairbanks for a living. Dave

Interesting technical solutions. Especially the snorkel !

I wonder if these KAMAZ truckers would accept to "escort" bikers on the East-Siberian iceroads: KAMAZ truckers prepare for Arctic winter roads in Yakutia, Siberia Russia | AskYakutia.com

I had the same difficulty finding info about the great Shinji Kazama when putting together some background info together about his world record altitude rides on the northern and southern approaches to Everest in the 1980s. What I did get is featured here:

http://www.andesmotoextreme.com/p/altitude-review.html

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Very interesting compilation, colebatch!

And congratulations for your world altitude record!

It is surprising that there is so little coverage in mainstream media about extreme motorist challenges (and sportsmen like Kazama - or Zietlow).

There is a link on wikipedia about high-altitude roads: Extreme points of Earth - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Good German TV-documentary here about "Heroes of the Cold" riding Yakutian winter roads.

Part 1: Neryungri to Oymyakon

Russlands Helden der Kälte (1/2) Fahrt ans Ende der Welt [HQ Doku Teil 1/2] - YouTube

Part 2: Oymyakon to Chersky (and small coastal village of Pakhodka)

Russlands Helden der Kälte (2/2) Brummipannen und Rentierfest [HQ Doku Teil 2/2] - YouTube