Hi!

I asked this on a thread about tyres, but I thought it'd be better to open a new thread, as I don't want to hijack that one

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...mongolia-68588


I'm going to ride Barcelona-Ulaanbataar this summer, leaving on the last week of June and hopefully getting there in a couple of months, which means that I should be entering Mongolia (through the Tashanta border) at the beginning of August.

I'll be riding solo on a 650cc Vstrom, with hard luggage. I've replaced the front and back springs for stiffer, progressive ones, rebuilt the rear shock and replaced the fork's inner seals and dust seals. The transmission kit, brake pads and brake discs are also new. I'll be using K60s

My experience offroad is very limited and I don't want to deliverately go looking for complicated narrow muddy tracks, as I am aware of both my limitations and the bike limitations (we're both road biased ). I can ride dirt roads without any problem, but I am wary of getting bogged down in mud, crossing rivers and any other stuff that would mean trouble if there's no one else there to give me hand.

So, the big question is... Northern or Southern route to Ulaanbaatar?

People seem to agree the Northern one is a no-no if it has been raining, and it's best avoided regardless of the weather if riding solo. It'll be August, so I hope it's drier... How hard is it?

The Southern route seems to be easier, but would it still be a problem if I'm riding on my own? And is the Northern route so much more interesting than the Southern one?

All opinions and experiences will be more than

Thanks!