North East Backcountry Discovery Route: The Movie

"Crossing more state lines and covering more mileage than any other BDR makes the NEBDR one of the most diverse routes in the BDR series. Every Northeast state delivers a unique adventure motorcycling experience unto itself and while sections can be done over an extended weekend, riders who commit to the entire 1,300-mile route will truly feel as though they had an adventure of a lifetime."
Hello!
I'm Brady, AKA Mountainman, I've been a soldier, ski bum, police officer, government worker, photographer, and all around nomad. Now I travel on my motorcycle, make videos, and share them with the world. Along the way I do dumb stuff off road, camp, fly drones, take pictures, learn about culture and history and do my best to take you with me.
In early 2022 I set off on my motorcycle Yennefer (2021 Tenere 700) for an adventure with no set destination or timeline. Come along with me and let’s see what will happen as I try to ride until I can't.
Bike: Yamaha Tenere 700
Luggage: Mosko Moto Scout Panniers, Backcountry Duffle, and Hood tankbag
Navigation: Carpe Iter Tablet and Drive Mode Dashboard 2
Cameras: GoPro Hero 11, Hero 9, GoPro Max, GoPro Hero 8, Skydio 2, DJI Mavic Air 2
Gear: Adventure Spec Jacket/Armor/Gloves/Pants/Base Layers, Alpinestars Toucan boots, Arai XD4.
My Linktree: linktr.ee/meerkatadv
Support me on Patreon: / meerkatadv
Check out Adventure Spec at: www.adventurespec.com/
Check out the BDR’s at: ridebdr.com/
Find my camping gear at Motocampnerd: motocampnerd.com/?ref=K2qPOPK...
Purchase the gear I use at Revzilla: imp.i104546.net/kj2rMx
Music Courtesy of Epidemic Sound

[@user-kj3us2ok6o]

Love that bike. Im gona get me one.

[@AdventureGlide]

Very cool I will be Staying in Auburn this weekend I was planning on riding Yankee Jims and Iowa Hill I will look into this Shirttail. Are you a local group to that area? Thanks for the great video New Sub.

[@EdenValleyAdventuresUK]

Love watching your Journeys

[@TRIPLE-A-ARMY]

Awesome video brother well done

[@KB-ce7gf]

Much respect to you and your men. I have 2 sons who've served in Air Force and Marines. I enjoy your channel and planning to ride the MABDR and NEBDR this spring. I live right between both of them so I will continue on from one and hop on to the next with a resupply at home. I'm sure you've been asked this a thousand times but what brand super shirt is that? And is it part of a jacket system? I know you talk about it in one of your videos but can't remember which one. You rock Meerkat.

[@MeerkatADV]

Adventure Spec

[@TheTunatamer]

Another job well done!! Since I purchased my DR 650 this one has been on my list. I’ll do parts of it this summer it’s all really close to home. Can I ask why you went from the 690 to the Tenere?

[@MeerkatADV]

More reliable, better to travel on.

[@TheTunatamer]

Thanks !! I just finished your NE BDR I have to say I prefer your part of the country. Maybe it’s a different look, but I spent time in CO, WA. And Oregon in my army days I have a special place in me for the West.

[@MeerkatADV]

I'm from Colorado. I definitely prefer the west.

[@randoo4u]

Im doing the TAT from NC to Oregon in June on my T7. What foot-pegs do you recommend since I will be standing a lot just like a meerkat! Thanks great content my friend

[@MeerkatADV]

I use the Black Dog Cycleworks pegs, they're huge and very comfortable. There are a lot of great options out there.

[@Wdbjr12345]

Great quality videos. What gps is that?

[@MeerkatADV]

It's in the video description.

[@louielew61]

Is the Tenere 700 too heavy for your BDR Touring? Im considering blasting off on a smaller XR 650.

[@MeerkatADV]

@@louielew61 hasn't been too heavy yet.

[@csjmoore]

You frequently mention getting a good gps - what is the brand/model you use? Sorry if 10,000 op asked the same question

[@MeerkatADV]

I use Drive Mode Dashboard 2, it can be run on any android system. Several companies sell hardened tablets or phones to be used with the program.

[@1wheeldrive751]

The problem with running a phone or tablet is that they are not waterproof. If you are out on the trails for a week, there is a high likelyhood that you are going to get rained on. Then what? I display the BDR tracks (or any offroad tracks) on either my old Garmin zumo 660, or newer Garmin zumo XT. Either of those is completely waterproof and will bluetooth to your helmet headset for turn by turn directions (not while following tracks) or for playing MP3 music or making phone calls. Both will allow you to import all of the tracks, and have the ability to set the track color and whether or not to display it. I generally set the default track to black, the easier alternates to green and the harder alternates to red. You can also obtain (for free) Topo maps that you can display instead of the traditional road maps, so you get contour lines and more non-road trails, but if you are looking for a motel or restaurant at the end of the day you’ll want to switch back to the road maps that include all of the updated Points Of Interest. I have the 660 on my Husky 701 and XT is on my Africa Twin. The XT is a bit nicer display and readily available for about $400 complete with the bike mount and lifetime map updates.

[@MeerkatADV]

@1wheeldrive751 plenty of phones and tablets are waterproof now. Both this tablet and my personal phone are fully waterproof. DMD2 has both street maps, topo maps (which is what I use) and points of interest which you can search. Far better than anything garmin has put out in the last 5 years.

[@1wheeldrive751]

@@MeerkatADV - that’s cool. My iPhone and iPad are definitely not waterproof without some kind of watertight case. I still like having a dedicated GPS and carry my phone in my pocket with Gaia on it. Having some redundancy is a good thing.

[@ripnriding1]

Loving the vid. Giving me a good taste of what will be with my three amigos in august. How were hotel bookings….did you have to book in advance or pretty flexible…..weather pending…..figure give one day per section or do you think you could double up on any……?

[@MeerkatADV]

I didn't pre-book anything. We were traveling pretty fast and did several 200+ mile days, but a section a day should be pretty doable.

[@ripnriding1]

Excellent. About half way through your vid. Can’t grasp what month you did this? Looks like august?….

[@MeerkatADV]

Late Sept into Nov.

[@drjdvm]

your videos are so well done and very helpful. Can I ask where you stayed in Copake?

[@MeerkatADV]

I didn't stay in Copake, I went and got my tires swapped in Danbury so I stayed there for a day.

[@drjdvm]

@@MeerkatADV Oh. OK. Thanks. I really enjoy your work on your videos. Was good to see you were as challenged on county road 3 as I was. That was one tough downhill.

[@drjdvm]

One suggestion for your videos. Is it possible to indicate where you are on the route periodically? As you said,the tree tunnels tend to blend in so in order to follow along it would be great to have labels pop up indicating at least the section you are on. Maybe also roads and towns. Just a thought.

[@MeerkatADV]

I have the maps at the end to indicate what I did in the video. But most of the time when I'm editing, I don't necessarily know where I was at on the route.

[@rugged04270]

If you're riding alone you should carry a Garmin In-Reach mini or similar. What would your Shirt say about you out there all alone with no support?

[@MeerkatADV]

I have an inreach mini in my chest pack. Been traveling with it since 2018.

[@rugged04270]

@@MeerkatADV smart man. Glad to hear it. love the back country footage of New England. Definitely a pipe dream of mine to get out on a bike and explore my own back yard.

[@backcountrynomad5669]

Nice video. What is the bag you are wearing on you chest. I like the knife pocket. I looks like my Mora would fit into there perfectly. I would love to take one with me when I am in the woods. Thank you.

[@MeerkatADV]

Mosko moto

[@backcountrynomad5669]

@@MeerkatADV Thank you

[@shanegreen9019]

What navigation system do you have on the bike?

[@MeerkatADV]

Carpe Iter Tablet running DMD2.

[@makingadvgreatagain]

I’ve been using the same navigation system. It’s far superior to Garmin.

[@neilbonneville6846]

Good video but I suggest less shots of you from the windshield camera and more of the scenery.Helmet cam and 360 cam is good

[@MeerkatADV]

I had a lot of camera issues. The hero 9s were being super irritating with the rain so a lot of times I only have footage from one.

[@patrickkennedy7756]

Bro you ride painfully slow off road.

[@MeerkatADV]

Everyone is an expert on the internet.

[@TheTunatamer]

Ha so true brother!!!

[@eastnoble4032]

While I can obviously see the point of standing while riding over rough terrain, doing it while riding on paved roads seems to be nothing more than “Look at me, I’m standing on a motorcycle”, dumb.

[@rlutzmec4290]

Actually.... The people you see standing are in better control, probably come from a dirtbike background and most definitely out ride a lazy ass sitting down all day!

[@MeerkatADV]

Generally if I'm standing on a road it's to stretch or relax.

[@trailrider1980]

​@@MeerkatADV me too

[@shanegreen9019]

Hmmm not dumb. The rear end gets sore after sitting a while, it’s a way of getting a break but keeping the wheels moving. Have you ever done a long trip before, even in a car? Never made a stop to stretch your legs?