Planning trip next June-July: Finland-Russia-Kazakhstan-Russia-Mongolia-Train from russia back to moscow and driving back to finland.

Few questions, for what i didn't find answers from all the other mongol posts.

Tyres: I have used mostly tarmac tires in my trips and i love Pirelli Scorpion trail2. Planning to take the southern route (if i would be riding solo then the north route would be my choice), and i have understand that most of the southern route is paved.
So it should be around 200-300km gravel road in south, do you think is possible with Scorpion 2?
Another option would be Heidenau k60, but as most of russia and kazakhstan will be tarmac i would love the silence and safety (on tarmac and specially on tarmac-in rain) of tarmac tires.

Tent, is it possible to do the southern route without tent? Would probably be tenting only in mongolia, few nights so planning to leave tent (and other tenting things) home to save weight.

Fuel, planning probably to take some sort of fuel bag with, just to be safe in mongolia, but you think it would be doable with just f800-gs 16l tank?

How frustrated i and my girlfriend will be going the southern route (as i understand it might be bit boring)? xD

What else to take in consider when going two-up to mongolia?

Thats it, so mostly i am wondering the tires and tent (no-tent, that is)...

Esko

I and a buddy rode the southern route early May 2016 and while much of it was paved and under construction, there was a great deal more than 200-300 km of dirt. I’m sure more of the southern route was paved between May and October 2016… but still.

It’s 720 miles from the Russian border to Bayankhongor, from which pavement begins the rest of the way to Ulaanbaatar. I didn’t take detailed notes (wish I did) but of that 720 miles I would say about 475 miles was unpaved aka 765 km.

It’s not especially difficult riding. There is a decent bit of sand, most of it not too deep, and plenty of multiple tracks to choose from. Also a number of river and water crossings, which will vary in depth depending on rainfall. The largest river we crossed was about 100 meters wide.

I wouldn’t recommend Pirelli Scorpion 2 Trail tires. You’ll be in plenty of areas where you’ll be wishing for a proper offroad tire. And – if it rains and gets muddy, those Pirellis will suck. Do what others do, get in touch with Dean and have tires shipped into Barnaul Russia. Works like a charm and it’s relatively cheap.

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...y-russia-80969

And for a tent, there’s one stretch of 275 miles between Khovd and Altai with no hotels en route. So that’s a long day of offroading. Doable, but close. If you didn’t do the full stretch in one day I’m sure you could find accommodation in a yurt, but wilding camping on the steppe in the billion-star hotel is one of the best experiences of Mongolia.

16 liters of fuel isn’t so much, I would plan on having enough fuel to cover at least 250 to 280 km. For fuel and hotels, get the free maps.me on your smartphone, it’s brilliant to size up distances between fuel and lodging…. Along with the Northern Asia waypoints findable on HUBB for a GPS if you’re using one -- the routing across multiple tracks is spot on.

Yeah the southern route is a bit boring, and the ongoing road construction was tedious… but there are plenty of areas on the route that are pure Mongolia, awesome.

To do it again I would absolutely do the central route or northern route. We stayed in the warmer, drier south it being early in the season but eh I would definitely go to the north next time.

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Hi Esko this may or may not be useful but here's my two cents worth. Crossed Mongolia in August 2014 on two DR650s, a F650 (800), a GS1150 and a DL1000 all heavily loaded. (ITS A LONG WAY THERE..DR650 LONDON TO VLADIVOSTOK) Rode Barnaul down to Olgii and then east (roughish two track) and up to Ulaangom, down a bit to Lake Khyargas (perfect bitumen), then all dirt through Songino, Tosontsengal, Tsetserleg and bitumen to Ulaan Bator. It was latish in the season and rained a fair bit which kinda firmed up the sand but nothing impossible (just slow down) and by far the best riding experience ever! Mixed it up with camping and accommodation. Punctures were a pain and you'll need extra fuel, a tent (buy a cheapy in Barnaul?) but wow! Ran K60s which Deano supplied to Barnaul and which were excellent both on and off road if a little noisy. Camped in the forest above the White Lake with a fire and friends....does it get any better? Chatted to others that went the southern route at the Oasis in Ulaan Bator and sounded kinda tame. Anyway have fun but don't skimp on Mongolia - one of the great adventure destinations! Cheers Dean

Thanks from the replies.

Decided to put k60 tires for the trip, they should last whole trip, and then i don't have to worry if there is going to be offroading (what i love, girlfriend hates xD ).

How ever, as i think we will have panniers already full we decided to leave tent home, and go for the stay hotel/yurt/million star hotel whiteout tent (so true million star hotel i guess...).

Still thinking about the southern/central route, i think we will decide this wen we are there as we see if it has rained and so on..

Esko

Haha... the billion-star hotel! Do you have the coordinates?
Thanks for the App info on maps.me Looks fab.
I'll be crossing Mongolia in late June early July on a KLR650 solo with tent. Have 14 liter tank but 10 additional litres on-board.
I'll be using Mitas E07. I thought the E09 was a bit too extreme.
Colebatch gave me a very good "Mongolia Experience" GPS tracks. He's traversed it several times.

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JUST ANOTHER TRIP TO MONGOLIA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeKEmDVYXyY

I drove southern route two years ago. Then there was rainy spring and roads were really bad..please send mail if any guestions..

Rami

rami.savolainen (AT) hotmail.com