NEBDR Day 3: Class IV Roads in Vermont

[@verbalwidget0919]

Hi, great video on the T700, I enjoy the narration of the ride. You are very wise to not push the muddy conditions when solo. Such beautiful country, so opposite of the SW desert where I'm from. Thank You.

[@AdventurePiggy]

Thank you! It’s funny, when forests are the norm, the desert is alluring, and it seems the opposite is true too.

[@michaelsupple6081]

I loved you video. Thanks for posting. I like the T7 but I'm glad I'll be riding my crf300l this summer when I ride the NEBDR due to the weight. I think it'll make those rocky sections more manageable.

[@AdventurePiggy]

I’m glad you liked it :). The crf300l will be great fun on this route!

[@TommyT888]

I love the style of your videos - Great job. My goal is to tackle the entire NEBDR this summer (piece by piece). Just finished section 1 last week and hoping to get 2 and 3 under my belt this weekend. I'm doing it solo as well.

[@AdventurePiggy]

I'm glad you enjoyed the videos :) Have a great time! Don't miss Mount Greylock. The dirt road section on the way up is good fun!

[@chrisblanchard4938]

You missed a sweet technical section by taking the bypass at the end of section 4. Understandably so where it was raining.

[@andrewstewart4502]

Great video and having a T700 myself and riding solo on similar dirt roads in NE I totally get the caution. Cant be too careful! I appreciated the toughest rocky hill section you encountered as did something similar this summer and tipped over on the way down. In that case I had help but would have been way more challenging solo.

[@AdventurePiggy]

I’m happy you enjoyed the video. I have picked up one of those satellite messengers since. Happy trails!

[@michaelfodor4268]

Great Video. Good common sense decision riding solo on a BDR:)

[@AdventurePiggy]

If I had to wait for schedules to line up, I’d never go riding :)

[@MeerkatADV]

I was back there around the same time. Got into a couple major storms and rode home running from the hurricanes.

[@AdventurePiggy]

I heard a few people talking about the weather coming, but didn’t realize it was a hurricane until later 😂

[@ssbat1]

I was 2 days behind you. I crash and got stuck pretty bad on Icebed Road

[@AdventurePiggy]

Glad you made it out! It was the most technical section for me.

[@marcmcshane]

looks like fun 🍕

[@AdventurePiggy]

It sure was :)

[@peachstate08]

Looked like a nice ride! Kudos for going so far - glad you found a place to rest up :)

[@AdventurePiggy]

Thanks! @ridebdr put together a great route! Getting shelter from the rain was very much needed.

[@Luscombe47x]

Hi... Greetings from Waterbury VT. Really enjoying your NEBDR vids during the non-riding winter season where it's too snowy to bike and not deep enough to get the sled out yet. Gone thru a few of your past vids and fun to see you went from a KLR to a T7 as well. I admit there was a Triumph Tiger in between but it didn't last long. Between VT and New Mexico/South Colorado I put over 70k miles on the KLR before literally donating it to a friend who had to sell his Yam 350 when he became Dad-poor and needed the dough. And your Vietnam rides...I'll have to take the time to go thru them. I think we both feel the same about the T7. What an amazing, fun, versatile machine. I have to say tho, now that I'm on the north side of 60 yo I just don't have the brute to muscle 450+ pounds around on the super gnarly VT Class IV roads. That snotty ridge you had to work was clearly a challenge and props for making it thru on the T7. I did a bunch of the Central VT BDR this past summer on the T7 (tied into other tracks more local to my home) avoiding the more evil sections. I want to do the Southern VT C-IV zones this next August on my KTM 250. That bike will be way easier for my feeble old carcass to bang around the techy terrain than the T7. I do have a quick question... What GPS are you using...? And any list of the other vital gear you're packing would be much appreciated. Again, thanks for these videos. They're well done and your commentary is so much better than many other BDR vids. Happy Holidays....

[@AdventurePiggy]

@@Luscombe47x Thank you for the kind words! I really appreciate it. This is my first attempt at an entirely video trip report. The Vietnam videos go along with many more photos and text at adventure-piggy.com/ if you want a better picture of the trip. I managed to crack the head on my KLR after 87,000 not so easy miles. The T7 seems to be more proficient at everything (except fuel range). The GPS is a Garmin Montana 600. I discovered that putting a screen protector on them will make the touch screen erratic on warm days and occasionally tries to do a complete factory default if left in the sun too long, so don't use them. It is mounted to a custom 3d printed mount that ties the gps bar and gauge cluster together. I treated myself to rallyraid suspension, which is very good, but I backed off a fair ways on compression and rebound front and rear because the standard settings were a bit stiff. As far as gear goes, I've been trying to go as light as is reasonable when motocamping, and was getting close to the lower temperature limit for my hammock setup. I've been having fun with a little wood/alcohol burning stove, which packs down really small. All of my gear fits (with the exception of the super light hammock insulation pad) in the large Enduristan Blizzard side bags, which aren't very large, but they force me to keep weight down. Perhaps I'll make a video about the bike and camping setup in the future.

[@Luscombe47x]

@@AdventurePiggy My T7 is all black. Tore every sticker off within 5 minutes of getting it into my shop. I added a full Yoshimura Ti exhaust, K&N airfilter (and cut out the inside 'snorkel' to flow more air), Alum radiator guard, Camel Anti-Bobble support, heated grips, Yosh rear fender eliminator, Yosh LED turn signals, Touratech Rear lowering kit w/Camel side-stand and Yamaha Alum Hard Cases. I have a Rekluse auto clutch waiting in the wings (Have one on the KTM and it's amazing) but haven't wanted to tear into that just yet. Suspension is stock but softened up the rear compression a few clicks. I tried the Touratech progressive front fork springs but they were so soggy I went back to stock. As I use the bike as a commuter alot (70 miles a day) it's like a fantastic 2 wheel pick up truck. Thanks for the note on the GPS. I need to add that. Constantly having to refer to paper maps is sorta inconvenient. On the videos, I love the side shots. Takes a minute to get used to the sensation that you're always going around a left corner but the perspective is really great. Just watched a couple other NEDBR vids and they're sorta excruciating. Yours has a really great calm feeling and the historical/geographic notes are really fun.

[@jtec99]

Think my 2016 fz09 could handle this route? Grew up in the 413 and always enjoyed the Mass Berkshires.

[@AdventurePiggy]

I think you could do many of the roads on the route, but there were definitely quite a few rocky sections on the main route even if you take all of the bypasses. VT and NH would be okay if you take all of the bypasses. Just use good judgement and be willing to turn around if something is outside your comfort level (or your willingness to bash the headers on rocks).

[@jtec99]

@@AdventurePiggy thank ya

[@georgehaydock3051]

Did you use the stock rear Tenete tire? Or did you get something a bit more knobby? I’m riding the BDR in the spring and I’m debating more off road oriented tires

[@AdventurePiggy]

I have the Bridgestone Battlax AX41s, which are a bit more knobby that the stock tire. They don't tend to last too long (3-4k miles) but they give pretty good grip and feeling on and off pavement. I expect some parts will be pretty muddy come spring time. There was one section (didn't get it on camera) that was pretty deep mud when I went in September. I know the stock tire isn't known for being great in the mud.

[@georgehaydock3051]

@@AdventurePiggy I have done a few mud rides on the stock tire and it is pretty bad haha. Thanks for the reply, I’ll add it to the trip budget to get some new tires before I head out

[@AdventurePiggy]

@@georgehaydock3051 Have a great trip! It's a fun route.

[@ejcllamaland3737]

Excellent video and impressive skill level. I live in VT and am interested in trying some of the same sections. What tires are you using on your Tenere?

[@AdventurePiggy]

Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed the video. I am using the Bridgestone AX41s. I find them to be a good all around tire. Confidence inspiring on pavement and decent grip off pavement. Some of those roads might be in worse shape this year and I’ve heard there are some washouts. Happy riding!

[@ejcllamaland3737]

Thanks for the info as it concerns tires. Are you using the stock seat on the Tenere? @@AdventurePiggy

[@AdventurePiggy]

I am still using the stock seat. I added a mesh cover from eBay and it was reasonably comfy for my trip to the Black Hills and back this year.

[@LongPondNH]

Are you using the Adventure Spec top rack? I see the side racks but can't tell what's under the Coyote bag. If it's AS, how well is the Coyote working out where it attaches at the top. The thing that bugged me about the AS rack was that it was raised above seat level.

[@AdventurePiggy]

It is the AS rear rack. I am using the Enduristan Blizzard bags which don't have a center section. These work well here and are very adjustable. I have a Coyote bag, so I test fit it on there and it doesn't fit very well over the rear rack/grab rails. The wonton (Coyote) needs a nice narrow curved surface to work well, and the grab rails make sharp corners.

[@LongPondNH]

@@AdventurePiggy Thank you for that reply. You confirmed what I was thinking. I may go with the AS side plates and the OEM cargo pillion seat instead.

[@AdventurePiggy]

Check out the camel adv minimalist rack too. It looks to be super low profile. I don’t have it but all of the other things I got from them have been well designed and made.

[@ryanmalone2681]

Is it all big bike friendly, I’m on a GSA. It looks like it, but action cams can be misleading. That rocky section looked hard though, but I assume you could skip that. It’s very tempting, but I keep promising my wife I’m gonna break less bones and not do stupid things.

[@AdventurePiggy]

It all depends on your comfort and experience level. The “expert section” in section 2 will give a good sense for the average class IV section in Vermont. Also, check the website for updates on the route before you go. Vermont has had some really bad flooding this year and some of the class IV sections may be closed.

[@AdventurePiggy]

I didn’t even see the second part of your message. Yes, there are go arounds for all of the rocky challenging sections. They are labeled as easier bypasses in the gpx file. That really rocky section I struggled on is called ice bed rd.

[@ryanmalone2681]

@@AdventurePiggy Very helpful to know the road. Nursing some injuries and I’m only really a year into ADV, but I’ve done some great training with Brett Tkacs and we covered some really challenging conditions, but they were more clay and mud, rather than rocky, and I live in Tennessee where it’s more mud & clay too. You covered a lot of ground too. I was thinking 120-150 miles/day, but you were approaching 300 miles in a day. I can do 500-600 on the road, and 8 hours and usually about 120 miles when I do day outing locally on the weekends, so 300 is pretty serious miles off-pavement.

[@AdventurePiggy]

The cool thing about the NEBDR is that it it gives you a little taste of the rocky conditions very early on. But a little at a time. I just looked and BDR is recommending taking the easier bypasses for all of section 4 and 5. ridebdr.com/news/nebdr-riding-season-route-updates/ it’s still a great route even with the bypasses.

[@scottburghart9278]

Great trails, bike looks good, and great riding, except on that nasty uphill section.....never stop! As a former trials rider, easy for me to say. And being alone in the middle of nowhere with a 500lb loaded bike....you get a pass. Great vid!

[@AdventurePiggy]

Thanks! I definitely picked a poor line through there 😂 I need to go back for some redemption.