Also, I would look at the feasibility of bringing two bikes in a van into Russia, you might encounter weird customs rules, or rather prohibitions.

Yeh, I think my Dutch friends paid 300euro (or was it 400?) each as passengers and 100euro per bike.

My mates drove in a car with 2 bikes on the trailer from Holland to Moscow. On the return, they train-ed themselves and bikes back to Moscow and drove home in the car and trailer.

I imagine the owner of the other bike would have to be in the van with me. Driving all that way, I'd need a co-driver anyway. I once drove a van with 2 bikes to Romania. The dude at the border was a bit confused, but as all 3 vehicles were in my name, it was cool.

cheers
Chris

That is all good to hear, but I seem to recall a thread on the HUBB about some guy who was turned away from the Russian border because he was trying to bring a motorcycle behind a 4x4, or something.

Also, I can tell you that I have personally asked one of the border guards if one person can bring in more than one vehicle at a time on temporary import, and they said "no" (van + moto = two vehicles...).

Anyway, as usual it sounds like the rules are a bit dynamic at the Russian border, but it would probably be worthwhile to have some kind of contingency plan.

If you ship your bike by train, I would not recommend going with it, the train ride is really boring and you'd be better off IMO flying out to meet the bike and spending a bit more time in Moscow, Irkutsk, or wherever.

That was quite probably me though nothing as grand as a 4x4! as the two of us were turned away from the UA/RUS border due to having three units of transportation and two persons, so it seems that can be an issue and if i was doing it again I would find another body even if only for the crossings

The trailer itself was a contentious issue as the uk doesnt have registration papers for trailers (carte grise?) I fortunately took the original sales invoice and had the document where my trailer was registered on the national trailer database thing that ifor williams do as a matter of course which seemed to be sufficient after a lot of shrugging and insistence from me

In terms of Borders I got the impression that were it not for the notes on the computer we might have crossed from LV/RUS it was a more relaxed border and they seemed to want to let us across, or maybe the guy with the big hat who made the decision was having a good day, either way big fail for me.:thumbdown:


Will be heading off again on just the bike next June though:scooter:

The "bike(s) in van to Moscow and the train/truck it to Irkutsk" is just one possible option. I believe my Dutch mates (car/trailer/2 bikes/2 people) took the shortest route via Belarus. If I did it, I'd probably go via Latvia to save on paying for Belarus visa. My backup plan would be park the van in Latvia and ride.

Having today ridden my DRZ for the first time in about 130 days, I forgot how uncomfortable the seat is... Yeh, I know I shouldn't be sitting on it, but standing and Airhawk/Sweetcheeks blah blah. I might take the Trannie from my cancelled 2011 trip and ride on pavement all the way ( http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...lia-side-57723 and http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...s-bright-57994 ). It would also be the cheaper option (but not the most fun...).

The ATA carnet problem/freight direct to Mongolia scenario is also not insurmountable, just a pain in the butt (like the Suzi seat...).

cheers
C

A cross reference to Road of Bones road conditions info: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/route-planning/road-of-bones-advice-59809 Post number 5.

Chris

This was what I was planning/hoping to do. Had one quote of $1000 seemed very steep. :(

I plan to leave the UK 13th July 2012 and expect to be in Moscow 3-4 days later. Then hoping to freight/train Moscow to Irkutsk. Then I will then be riding in Mongolia 2/3 weeks. Then heading home to the UK. I have a total of 7 weeks and 2 days. Going to be travelling on a DRZ400s. Anybody else going about then?

Hi All, If you need any help/info on Mongolia, you can ask me either here or contact me at info@adventuresmongolia.mn. I run my own small adventure tour operator here in Mongolia.

/
Hi Chris,

One of our Land Cruisers did this section very recently.
Here is the link with lots of pictures.
LOTS of pict's

The page
Trips and Trip Reports - Been somewhere exciting in your 'Cruiser?? Tell us all about it! Got any details on planning a trip? While on a trip you thought "Doh, should have brought that with"? Details please. Details. • Land Cruiser Club and Foru

The topic
Trips and Trip Reports - To Mongolia and back summer 2010 WARNING LOTS OF PHOTOS! • Land Cruiser Club and Forum

Vette

update on ROB & BAM
 

The western BAM route.... early august, until we got to the Vitim we had no idea how much rain had been falling! Crossing the Blue river was quite deep and did push us slowly sideways! The road to Taksimo might not be difficult but it is extremely bumpy for a 4x4. We then arrived at the Vitim bridge and the river was in full spate. Nearby to the BAM monument was a group of Russians packing up their rafting gear. These had just spent 10 days rafting 500km down the Vitim river and most of that time it rained. We drove across the bridge and my wife keep say MOVE further right whereas I wanted to move left! We got into Kuanda and then to the river there was noway a Kamaz truck could cross this! I went to the guard on the bridge and there was noway he would let us cross even with money to help the way and that I would need a permit issued from the boss in Kuanda. We spent an afternoon and the next morning trying to get permission. They said vehicles have been allowed cross but since early 2011 it has been officially band. The only way across the rail bridge was to put the car onto the train at Taksimo would cost approx 30000 roubles to Chara. We then spoke to a Kamaz driver who said the number '6' needs to be visible on the water level markers on the bridge pillar. We went to camp down on the banks of the river and met 2 Russian 4x4's, these checking out this route for possible promotional video for a new 4x4 vehicle. They too where trying to get permission and had senior contacts in the railways to help facilitate the crossing. After another 2 days the '6' was visible, though there would be no problems for a Kamaz to cross, all 3 Kamaz drivers would not cross for another 4/5 days due the river bed being too soft due to the water volumes that lift the bed of the river and needs time to settle down! They didn’t mention that at the beginning! All attempts at crossing the bridge failed, so it was back to Taksimo and the Vitim bridge. If we could have fitted the car onto the flat bed trailer we could have crossed for nothing! Alas that was not the case and I wasn’t prepared to pay 30000 roubles to cross the river however much disappointed I was.
Whether I will be back I don’t know, I am tempted to come back on a bike.


Another point to remember is that there is talk, that the authorities are thinking of dismantling the Vitim bridge to salvage the steel! This may happen, it may not but you have to remember that the bridge 'IS' officially closed. So make that trip sooner rather than later.


We did meet the Austrian on the bike, while we were waiting for a Kamaz, who'd crashed through and hanging over the edge of a wooden road bridge needing to be winched off. He said he was trying to catch up a group of bikers that were ahead of him, so only stayed long enough for some tea.


Another delay we came across was yet another Kamaz this time stuck in the middle of the Blue river. There were maybe a dozen 4x4's waiting for the water to drop. You could tell it was deep as the Kamaz wheels were covered and the speed of the water in this crossing is fast. In actual fact it didn't look any worse when we crossed it in the first place. The only worry would be if we were pushed into the side of the Kamaz and got trapped! After a bit of advice from the worried on lookers, we went for it and getting across but just missed the corner of the Kamaz by 150mm!


The 'Summer route'late august last year. Crossing the Kyubyume river was nearly a metre deep (crossing near the old bridge) then the rest of the road was very easy and it doesn’t really deteriorate until you pass into the Magadanskaya region 100km east of Tomtor, then it becomes one deep pool after another, some nearly a metre deep and water worn road. We were not far from from the Arkagala river and were met by a Kamaz truck, the driver said that it was too high for them to cross! As we were on our own in a Landcruiser, we decide to drive all the way back to the Kyubyume river. Where we found there is another more shallower crossing at half a metre deep but a longer water crossing, 1km further down stream, the OSM map does show it. The eastern section of 'Summer route' has no difficulties at all – once that road bridge has been completed, we actually drove from the east side and did not know about the road closure and had to reverse 300km. Barring 80km we had driven the 'summer route' twice, but still haven’t completed it!


The Only place where we had punchers was on the Kolyma highway or the road of bones 6 in total, 5 nails the sixth puncture was a 50mm stone forced between the tread, this was on the 'Summer route' The truck drivers reckon on one per 100km! Seeing them on the side of the road backs that statement up.
As to the vehicle standing up to stress these roads hand out, the main thing is don't rush it. I had to change three 'hardy spider'( don’t forget to grease regularly ) joints on the prop-shaft in Irkutst then the forth in Magadan. Had a loose wheel and a broken wheel stud. The air-con stop working and we driven through Uzbekistan who were having the hottest summer in decades and regular in the 40C+ then the inboard diesel heater stopped working in Siberia. On the summer router in the mornings we had iced over pools and snow over the passes and this was August -September.


Stephen

"If we could have fitted the car onto the flat bed trailer we could have crossed for nothing! Alas that was not the case and I wasn’t prepared to pay 30000 roubles to cross the river however much disappointed I was."

It should have said.......

If we could have fitted the car onto the flat bed trailer with the Rusians we could have crossed for nothing! Alas that was not the case and I wasn’t prepared to pay 30000 roubles to cross the river however much disappointed I was.

Hi Nick
I just sent you a couple of emails in reply to yours about possibly starting your trip from Almaty/Kaz. I've teamed up with these Dutch guys: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...zachstan-60688

Opening container on 16July.

I'm flying to Kaz. Once in Almaty I'll ride Kyrg, Taj, Usbek, Rus to Ulan Batar in Mongolia (and fly home at end August). I'll park the bike there til summer 2013 and then ride Mong/eastern Siberia before shipping bike home.

Because of the large road/easy gravel miles I'm taking a slightly more
comfortable (modified) Transalp rather than my DRZ.

Dates might suit you.

cheers
Chris

Dilemma: DRZ or Transalp?
 

Hi guys
My latest 2012 plan is as follows: Ship bike to Almaty/Kaz and ride 7 weeks in Central Asia and via Altai/Russia to Mongolia (16July to end August). Then in 2013 in the same timeframe ride more of Mongolia and a lot of Siberia.

My dilemma is as follows: originally I planned to take a lightweight DRZ (160kg incl luggage), but now I’m in 2 minds and need to make a decision between the DRZ and a 600cc Transalp (with stronger than stock suspension, big tank, soft luggage: maybe 220kg including luggage, but no fuel).

Central Asia in July/August should be hot and dry and I’ve been told most of the roads are paved/gravel, as is Altai apparently. So Trannie will be fine.

However, with regard to the following routes, I’m unsure if the Transalp will be too much of a shed to handle. FWIW, trail ride regularly in the UK on my DRZ.

Western Mongolia border to Ulan Bataar
It’ll be the wet season: Mates of mine have ridden it on big fat R-GSs with hard boxes and F800GSs. But it was dry...

Vilyuisky Trakt
No idea. But it’ll be the “wet” season, I think.

Western BAM
Stephen/Allchin gives a good description: Assuming the rivers/bridges are passable, how’s the road?

Old Summer Road
The New Federal Road should be passable, whatever rain there’s been. I’m imagining the OSR is a no go in/on whatever vehicle, just because the bridges are down.

The rest: Overall, the highways/ gravel will be a lot easier/less gruelling on the Trannie. But, how hard are the "hard" bits?


With ref to each of these: What do you think? DRZ or Transalp?


Thanks for any input,
Chris