Hey Molly Dog
Thanks for all the tips and info. Will read and plan with tjem in mind. So many boxes have been arriving to my in-laws back in Canada tjey tell me the spare bedroom will soon be full........ room full of farkles hahaha!!!! Pick up my bike in 2 1/2 months for my visit back home. Long list of friends to visit before heading off. One friend on a 1200 Triumph wants to ride around Lake Supior. So many roads, so little time but I'm going to try! As it is right now I "might" met a biker or two in route. Still months away, I'll see. Will be an adventure either way.
Later
Rick

This is a question as well as a shameless excuse to get back on top of the new post list. Still looking for a travel buddy in the fall. I pick up my bike the end of May and will travel into Nova Scotia. Should be back in Ontario by mid June. Visit with family and friends before leaving for Guatemala Sept.
The question. Gps?????
I think I will post a separate question for this. It could get deep.
Thanks everyone.

I'd like to hear current thoughts from others on GPS as well. I don't own one but have traveled with other GPS equipped riders.

For me, biggest challenge would be learning to navigate the tech and really be comfortable using it.

Would take me while to learn, but I feel it's something that really comes in handy ... and now a required item to ease travel.

Garmin Montana seems to be THE GO!

Hi Molly Dog
Friends my age sort of split in two. Those that played and played and played and played and PLAYED on those LIFE SUCKING MACHINES ( computers )!!!!!!

Or........... became diverse, fun and interesting people with a variety of talents and skills. People that could actually change the brakes on their car, make muffins with the kids, water ski in the afternoon and with the help of their wives, build a sailboat for retirement!!

For me personally, as you can see, I view time spent in front of a computer as sucking the life out of me. There are of course exceptions as always. I love love love them for research and how too's on subjects of interest to me. So here's the thing. To me, this gps is a tool. A power tool. I just want to be able to squeeze the trigger and cut the 2×4 in half. If I had to go onto a computer, download stuff so the motor knew how to work on 120V, then purchase more stuff to inform the motor which direction to turn, only to find out I had to educate the blade before it would properly eject wood shavings..............

Hope your laughing at my rant!!!

We all work hard for our money and just don't want to make a bad decision. So easy to do in the land of electronics. We all know that the latest and greatest is simply a container ship away as we put down our money in the store today.

I've been going mad trying to make a decision on WHICH GPS. I see Garmin has discontinued life time maps on many of their models. Leaves me wondering why??
The TomTom 450 was getting my intetest. Then this morning I see that a 550 rider will soon be released.
A few weeks ago I was considering just getting an app. The new "Scenic" app has been putting smiles on many a bikers face. I don't have an Apple product however and it is not available on Android. I was actually thinking of buying an Apple just for this and two or three other apps as my bike navigation but the cost kept creeping skyward. Can't imagine it would servive the shallow river crossing I "almost" made.
This morning, after a little more research on that life sucking machine, I find out that like bikes, no GPS can do it all!

Can I get you a drink?? I need one.

I have decided that I have a few months yet to make the call and just like in "dog years" that's a lifetime in the electronics world.

If I had to make the call right now, this very minute, it would be the Garmin 395. I WANT the 595 for the bigger screen but just can't justify the price bump if thats all that really interests me. For me its like buying dual sport tires. How much off road will I truly be doing?? I understand the Montana is the better choice for a full knobby rider. As much as I like to think that about myself the reality is I still two up on the VStrom a fair bit as well.

So Molly Dog, if your still here, let me pour you another drink. I do respect your opinion and would like to hear YOUR thought process as to why the Montana would be the GPS for YOU.

Oh, just to make you smile I should let you know............. I bake muffins and do brake jobs on friends cars while they are in their house "fixing" my computer!!

My head hurts every time I have to make an executive decision regarding electronics but I have decided. I'm going to buy the 9.7 2018 - 32 GB IPad with gps. Armour it and Ram mount. Load it up with the apps I want. There are 3-4 for now that should get me started. A nice large viewing area for these aging eyes. It should look and fit well in the area provided by Rade Garage fairing design. Smart phone as the next layer and finally some good old fashioned paper. Oh........ and here is the kicker!!!!! I have an incredibly beautiful and intelligent IT person to assist in all the downloading and "how to use" instruction............ that would be my 10 year old granddaughter!!! Thanks to Molly Dog I am pumped to be heading to the Baja. Been reading up a little and it sounds like I will totally enjoy that part of my trip.
Still looking for a riding partner?? You only have to worry about me at full moon. The rest of the time I'm a puppy!!

I meet some truly interesting people at morning coffee. Met a lady geologist the other day that painted an incredible picture of Utah for me. DEFINATELY will make that a part of my route back to Guatemala.
Just landed in Toronto and in a week pick up my new bike in New Brunswick. An interesting education on buying the bike in one province and registering it in another.
Just picked up a few things today at MEC.
Things are starting to take shape, looking good! Will do a bit of a shake down in a week as I ride from NB to NS and then back though the NE to St. Catharines Ontario.
Bike season IS HERE!!!

Interesting! I've been reading more and more about latest iPad, I think I'm going that direction as well! Seems to do everything I would need traveling.

Utah is definitely a MUST SEE state. May be getting HOT by the time you get there, but you will adapt in a couple weeks. You've got the bike for it. I've been to Moab, UT twice on my DR650. One trip I rode out there from California ... and back via off road through Black Rock Desert in Nevada.



White Rim Trail ... you'll find this easy trail and lots more challenging trails too.

Baja is HOT in Summer unless you stay on the Pacific Coast, but just 3 miles inland from the Ocean, it's hot as hell. I generally go from October to April. After that it can heat up, stays hot until late October with some variance.

Have fun on the new bike ...

Thanks MD, love the pics!!! Your DR looks like THE WEAPON. So glad to hear you too think the IPad will do the trick. As I said before I do respect your opinion.
It looks like I need a lesson on what to take and how to pack. You sure look to be traveling light! I probably won't hit Utah until the beginning of October. Still hot but that's my timing.

There’s a possibility that I’ll be on the road the first week in October in Mexico, coming in from Reynosa and headed towards DF. You plan on riding off-road throughout MX?

Hi Thirty One
I'm pretty much up for anything as long as it's legal. Also if I can avoid meth labs and drug lords that would be a good thing

Ha! That makes the two of us.

I have some things to straighten out in the USA when I go back next month, so will update you on whether or not my October run will happen.

P.S. I love Guate. I've lived there a number of times and always am looking for an excuse to go back.

OK cool. Still a few months away but we'll see how things develop.

Thanks!
Don't take packing lessons from me! ... that Moab pic above shows my DR650 with just a day pack on it. All my gear was left at camp site near the town, as we did a series of day trips, leaving the main stuff in camp.

Here is my bike loaded up with everything for riding cross country ... mostly on highway (kitchen sink included!)

I took 5 days riding out to Moab, Ut from San Francisco. Spent 10 days riding, then rode back mostly all on interstate.

When I'm not camping I can go a bit lighter:

Same bike, different paint job and luggage.

Temps and Weather
October is sort of Fall crossover month ... and can go either way on temps. Utah can swing to cool in just a week ... or can still be HOT. Rain? Usually not.

I have more time/experience in Baja, but basically mostly still hot in Baja until at least mid October. But all this varies year to year depending. Once you hit November you will have mostly great weather but sometimes rainy season can extend into November in coastal Mexico (not Baja) and all of Cent. America. And of course November begins Hurricane season! But generally things cool a lot, humidity drops and rain subsides.

!Que le via muy bien!

Hey MD
You know the joke..........
I don't need to be able to run faster than that bear. I just need to be able to run faster than YOU!!
I might not be the lightest traveler on a motorcycle but I might be a pound or two lighter than you!
Damn it MD....... if you want to bring along a patio BBQ that's YOUR business!!

OK, all kidding aside I think you have a pretty sweet set up there. You have the ability to bring along whatever YOU feel is necessary in terms of needs AND wants but, like a magic trick, you can also slim down and travel light............. nicely done!

I really like the looks of your bike in the Desert Storm paint scheme.

I bought the Mosko Moto R40 for two reasons OTHER than I think the stuff is bullet proof.
1: the 40 just seems to fit the 701 like it was made for it. The R80 just looks like "too much." IMO
2: the 40 would FORCE ME to travel lighter

Not sure if I'm succeeding with 2. I bought the 22L stinger, a pair of 2L Mollie pouches and two tent pole bags. I'm using the 8 L stinger as well and I need a little more storage. As I type this everything is in bags to hop on the plane in two days to get my bike. I will get a better feel for things then but my gut is telling me about 20L more storage will make ME happy.
The luxuries I am hauling that take some extra space are a chair, a cot and my tent is a 3 person.
I will travel a bit for two weeks getting back to Ontario. The bike will be off the floor so I am sure my ass will be sore! I have boxes of mods waiting when I return, one of which is a new seat from Seat Concepts. We both know how important THAT is! Looking at your bike I would guess your on a Sergeant. Great choice for the DR. A friend just informed we are taking off for a trip to the Timmons Ontario region in July. That trip will be "post" mods so it will be interesting to "feel" the improvements!
That's the latest from me. Hoping to be traveling to many of your adventure routes in a few months. Thanks for all the tips!

3000 km now since I picked up my new bike and I'm a pretty happy guy. Visited PEI, my dad in NS and then worked my way back to Ontario by way of Maine and Quebec. Just recently installed the Rade Garage fairing/windshield and a really nice upgrade. Realizing now that a 9.7 IPad will be just too big for my navigation but the mini Ipad would be perfect. I can still wait a bit to see if an IPad mini 5 is coming or not.
Looking forward to trips around Ontario with my buddies before turning south in Sept. By then I should have figured out all the packing questions.
Happy father's day everyone!