Washington Backcountry Discovery Route Documentary Film (WABDR)

[@jamesc1765]

Did this last week on my Crf250L over 4 days. Ultralight camping set up. Had a blast!

[@offgridhandyman]

We need a east- west bdr in Washington. So much good forest roads and trails. I think I'll make a route this summer

[@ejetherington4505]

I can't wait to see what you come up with!

[@coltonmoore2737]

Do it!

[@alanfoster7346]

Have you made the route brother

[@offgridhandyman]

@ejetgerington4505 hey man I just returned from another attempt. I got about 2/3rds mapped out from east to west . Still missing the west 1/3rd but am hopping to get it ironed out in the next few weeks. Just not sure how to share my route once established.

[@AnT_EyE]

I too am interested in this route as I live in eastern Washington. Keep us updated if you get something finalized @@offgridhandyman

[@bwilliamson236]

My dad and I are taking our first BDR route on this trip this year. I’ve always been a mx rider and never did any trail or distance riding. So excited to take this step and do it with my dad at the same time!

[@acehanson7231]

Great filming especially Filmed 2011. That's wild. Noticed the super old GPS and the old camera equipment. No drones back then.

[@richardstephens9647]

My wife and I have done sections 5 and 6 on our 2021 Ural Gear Up from Chelan to Lone Frank Pass then over to Winthrop via FS Rd 39. Ruts from torrential rains, trees hanging precariously and Butterflies galore. It was challenging in a few places, but it's beautiful and we had a blast. Carry plenty of water, It was in the 90sF when we went through and it will be 109F tomorrow. Enjoy!

[@adventurod]

Thanks for all the work in making this.

[@woongtv-naturehealing273]

Hi, my friend Wow! It's a riding video that gives me so much emotion and adventure Have a lucky day 👍👍👍

[@ExploreAdventureMoto]

Riding this route early July this year.

[@martymoose4871]

I’m leaving Sunday down to Stevenson. See you out there!

[@chriskneifl3290]

I'm guessing you ran into some snow?

[@ExploreAdventureMoto]

@@chriskneifl3290 none at all. Routes clear

[@martymoose4871]

@@chriskneifl3290 We did but that was over a week ago

[@robertbowe2890]

Love it prior to starting these adventure films that some of the equipment being used could be talked about i.e. what bikes are being riding, gps units etc..

[@Kevinhobbytime]

Yes!! Should definitely be a 5-10 minute intro with gear and requirements at a minimum to take with you. And the small tips like bathroom protocols and dealing with trash you have or trash you find and clean up along the way. Maybe a separate video, not even super detailed just an idea for someone that might not have experience enough to figure it out on the fly.

[@6806goats1]

Glad to see the SUV running this BDR. Not sure what bike I'm going to get but once I get my 97 Land Cruiser fixed up maybe I could be a chase truck or something. Got the Land Cruiser 6 years ago for overlanding trips, catching the ADV bug just this year. Enjoy, be safe.

[@xxxYYZxxx]

I'd love to see more chase vehicle footage. I'd like to see creative ideas, like towing smaller bikes to and from the BDR. The tow vehicle, plus maybe rental cars for a big group, offsets the handicap of riding small bikes hundreds or thousands of miles mostly on Interstates to and from the route - unless you're into that sort of thing.

[@Jordan-hr3yz]

I love what you guys are doing. Keep up the amazing work you do. I cant wait to get out there

[@butcherknife59knife46]

Kool trip but your huge bikes and your 2 bikes wide with them stupid box’s!! Soft panniers are a must. And the riding to fast it shows with your crashes. Great ride I would love to do on my WR250R . I sure would not ride a 600 lb bike a 1150/1200 is not necessary. Thanks for sharing. Around Bend Oregon out !

[@MeerkatADV]

You realize this was shot more than 10 years ago right?

[@mollygrubber]

@@MeerkatADV There were still DR's and WR's and DRZ's 10 years ago. And soft luggage. I feel bad for any new riders that get convinced 'bigger is better'. After a trip like that, I guarantee you none of those guys said "boy I sure wish my bike weighed more" lol

[@xxxYYZxxx]

@@mollygrubber I'd prefer seeing smaller bikes on the BDR, but who's going to ride a 450cc to and from these remote BDR trailheads and finishes? What a slog just getting to the trail! Imagine riding hundreds or thousands of miles home on an XR 650 after a week of tough trail riding, sheesh! The solution is towing to and from, perhaps with a chase/support vehicle or just a rental truck (and cars).

[@kcconnor2636]

@@xxxYYZxxx There's a lot more out there other than 450's and 1200's. The only sensibly equipped person in this group was the guy on the 650 Dakar. If you're deliberately doing 600 miles off-road exclusively, a 1200 is fugging stupid though. KTM690/Husky701, Tenere 700, Aprilia Tuareg 660, BMW 650 Dakar / Sertao, KLR 650 (pre-FI, it got too heavy in 2022). If you really think you need more power than any of those offer, the Honda Africa Twin handles far lighter than it is at 1100cc, and far more nimbly than a cow-profiled 1200GS. And the hard luggage boxes are atrocious. Rackless soft bags keep luggage closer to the bike and less likely to snag on stuff, and less likely to break your leg if your foot gets hung up on your rear luggage. I just did the COBDR on my Tuareg 660 in August. Was delightful. A little over 2500 miles in 9 days, starting in Phoenix AZ and getting as far north as Wyoming, then circling back to Moab on the way home. I had a 30L tail bag, some cheap Nelson Rigg 15L throw-over saddlebags (30L total), and a 20L tank bag that I didn't fill all the way. I did laundry once on the trip while spending a night in a hotel. Camped most of the other nights.

[@butcherknife59knife46]

@@kcconnor2636 Nice KC. I watch a ton of BDR riders who should be setting a standard for the people who would like to ride these routes. Riding to close you cant see the trail or so fast you ride off the road and crash. Aluminum boxes are for touring not back country trails. I hate being a arm chair QB but these guy fly by everything so fast its reckless for the whole group. Around Bend Oregon out on 2 wheels

[@DualSportDoug]

Nowadays, people commonly ask why road 233 down to Snowberry Campground is called "The Jungle". It's not nearly as overgrown now as it was 15 years ago. I've ridden it up and downhill on my DRZ. It gets really loose an dusty by the end of July. The later in the season it gets, the deeper the moon dust becomes. I have a video on my channel showing my ride uphill a few years ago.

[@VirtualEagle98]

Watching this in preparation to the ORBDR premiere in Austin tomorrow. Can't wait until I retire and start riding my Triumph Tiger Rally Pro on these trails. Proud to say I've been riding since 1977 and have NEVER owned a straight-street bike.

[@raybaker8726]

Grew up riding trails and Camping in Entiat Valley. Grandfather had an apple orchard in Entiat Valley. I know some of these backroads from Entiat to Chelan. Mostly because Grandpa ran "apple wine" to Chelan

[@SteelHorseman]

Love this stuff!!

[@johnlord8337]

If you have to do this 600 miles in 2-3 days, then you are not doing it for discovery - this is just a bucket list check off item - by clocking up massive miles across the landscape. Slow down, STOP INTERMITTENTLY and ENJOY THE SCENERY, smell the air, listen to nature, watch the clouds (and fog), relax, take a load off, don't get to the of the day and feel like you have been run over by a tank. Have good food, good drink, good peeps, and a good ride.

[@butcherknife59knife46]

So true it's an Adventure not a race to see who is left standing. Way to much to see by ripping like a bunch of kids on a dirt track. Nature needs to be explored not blasted thru like a contest/ Around bend Oregon out on 2 wheels

[@MikeOxmall-ct7pi]

Agree 100%. I just started dual sport riding again. I ride with 2 guys with similar bikes. All they do is haul ass. They miss tons of cool over looks, random old abandon detritus. Just neat stuff to see. I don't get it.

[@johnlord8337]

@@MikeOxmall-ct7pi Well, I suppose some people have hemorrhoids (or are hemorrhoids) - so they haul azz and their hemorrhoids so they can quit fast and early and rest up their butt hurts ... versus sitting in the saddle and enjoying the outdoors with no pain in the azzes flying around you ... !!!

[@joanvondras6351]

I prefer the narration on the other videos.

[@deedeldeedle]

Back when BDR’s were BDR’s

[@WilliamBay]

The new narrator sounds like the Dateline NBC guy. "In the spring of 2010 a small group of off-road motorcycle enthusiasts departed for a trip in Washington state. Little did they know that the trip would end in the murder of one of the BMW 1200GSs. The death of that BMW was so shocking that it permanently altered the lives of all involved."

[@joemilligan3695]

If you guys ever come to Texas, I would like to be your chase vehicle.

[@xxxYYZxxx]

They gotta make a TXBDR, right? I wonder if they can include riding on the beach on the Gulf Coast? Perhaps multiple TX BDRs are in order?

[@chasinggeckos8843]

Wanted to watch a BDR video turned out it was a GS, TourATech and Kilm commercial. If they stuck to the BDR it would have been perfect.

[@bluestripes1]

yeah its cringe i couldnt do it, less talk more riding!

[@rogermeyer860]

What year was this filmed? Sterling looks like a kid and is riding a 650GS:)

[@campland2880]

I'm guessing late Augst, 2010. ;-)

[@nicholaslayton6199]

The website listed is not a registered domain

[@mollygrubber]

You can really tell this film is 10 years old, most people have learned these bikes are not the "best" for this purpose these days. The *lightest* of these bikes is still at LEAST 100lb too heavy for this trip. They're fine for highway and backroad camping trips, I put 95000 miles on an F800GS doing riding just like that - but one trip on gnarly roads was enough for me. To me, the bike for this kind of trip weighs 400lb, fully gassed and loaded. And yes, for anyone new to the sport, you *can* ride highway for hours and hours on a reasonably well set up dual sport.

[@vwsyncro]

Back then a big honkin’ GS with aluminium panniers was THE premium adventure setup. I mean, I would ride the heck out of a KTM 990, as long as I had someone to help me lift the damn thing in case things go south.

[@timlubbers2884]

I've done every BDR except the east coast ones, and all have been done on my 1150gs and 1200gs ... none of them caused me problems ... I travel alone and exclusively camp out and carry my food ... it's all about knowing how to ride a big bike, out of all the rides I have only gone down once and that was me being mentally wasted after 3 days of 350 miles per day on the idaho bdr ...

[@captainamerica9353]

And BMW is still selling 30,000 GSA's a year . . . .

[@bluestripes1]

@@timlubbers2884 sure you can do it but its not as fun or necessary

[@timlubbers2884]

@@bluestripes1 fun is dependent on who you are . Necessary, considering I travel out of Florida every year and average 30-35 thousand miles a summer (on my gs’s) it is kinda as it’s just part of my summers…

[@argomotoriders]

We camped on lion rock last year right at the end of August. It was drop. dead. beautiful. Highly recommend anyone that can get up there to go take a look, quite a view.

[@dongorsegner4607]

Saving up for a BDR worthy bike. Ride an old 87 Goldwing, thinking about 650 size bike.

[@DraculaJD]

Great video guys. What is the name of the road you are on and veering off at minute 10:57 in the clip ?

[@DanielM-31]

Look like potentially the intersection of NF-18 (Oklahoma Road) and NF-86? (45.8651840, -121.6386093)

[@johnlord8337]

How long has that fallen boulder been across the road (only motorcycle accessway) ? Same question - for the section of alder and young pine jungle growth on the shoulders of the roads - how long has that been growing ? Is there anyway of dynamiting or leveraging out that boulder and lesser boulders and reopen up the road in that section (maybe bring up a Bobcat or a reversable crane backhoe) ... and bring in the same reversible crane and backhoe and scrape down those shoulders of the tree jungle section there and restore an open road ... ???

[@johnlord8337]

Saw a YT vid out here - 20 amazing machines - and 2-3 of them are cranes with a mower/brush whacker on them of such industrial capacity that they can clear out and down to the ground an entire pine tree trunk and stump !!! Might need one of them in this jungle section and mow them right down to the ground, and then would clear up the entire area for smooth cruising.

[@kcconnor2636]

Y'all need to give up on these hard panniers and go to rackless soft systems. And for that matter, ditch the 1200cc class bikes. You're under 60mph the entire time while you are riding, in your own words, south to north the entire State. The only person with a lick of sense in your group was the guy with the 650 Dakar. No point having a 600+ pound bike if you're traveling between 20 to 50mph the whole time. Wolfman E-base, Kriega OS-base, Mosko Reckless, GCAG Soft Rack... any solution along those lines keep luggage closer to the tail of the bike and away from snagging trees and boulders. Tenere 700, BMW 650GS Dakar or Sertao, Husky 701 / KTM 690, Aprilia Tuareg... all at least 100 pounds lighter than the 1200cc stuff and ample power to pull 100mph on an interstate if needed.

[@AnT_EyE]

Planning this trip this summer on a Honda CT 125, anyone wanna go with? (July/August 2024)

[@Zdrive-Jim]

Steve what kind of body armor are you using ?

[@gto1874]

2 bikes wide with them stupid box’s!! Soft panniers are a must.

[@timlubbers2884]

Times have changed, this movie/route was made in 2009 ... mosko moto wasn't around yet!!

[@captainamerica9353]

"those stupid"

[@jakudahsymba5453]

You guys need some silky saw katana boys

[@emanuelistina85]

Do you guys get on pavement road at all?

[@Idahoprepper71]

There is know way I would ride off road with hard panniers.

[@TheDarkestOne]

Because of falls?

[@Idahoprepper71]

@@TheDarkestOne three times I have riding in a group on a BDR and two people crashed because their panniers hit a object just like in the video and a other time a guy caught his leg under his pannier after losing control and broke his leg.

[@MeerkatADV]

This was recorded over 10 years ago when soft panniers weren't as common or made as well as they are now.

[@TheDarkestOne]

@@Idahoprepper71 oh shit. how was getting them out?

[@Idahoprepper71]

@@TheDarkestOne used a Garmin inreach to call for help. A sheriff dept search and rescue came out and picked him up.

[@MrHellfinger]

33:08 honestly, that's pretty tame compared to other trails in WA. Why do KZbinrs over dramatize everything? OMG are we going to make it AAAAAHHHHH! OOh this trail is so steep! LMAO. I ran those trails before cell phones, GPS. We used paper maps and CB radio. One time, I got stuck north of the Ice Cave near Adams and could only reach someone in Northern CA on the CB radio back in 1993. Had to walk 8 miles out to reach a pay phone. I can only imagine how much a modern KZbinr would have played up the drama for a video of that.

[@alexrrr1887]

up

[@TheJoe205]

as a previous supporter for BDR- this video is circa 1990- i turned it off almost immediately. I see now why the videos are for free. there has been a big difference between this video and the prior "premier" paid for videos. Its not worth watching if you have been a bdr guy.

[@TheJoe205]

- I will say that i applaud these guys for getting after it and creating these route for us weekend warriors! But your new video is crap- but we spoke about the future of BDR in that cafe in andes NY. So i am seeing a disconnect here between non profit and future of BDR. You guys were headed on a course to just ride but now it seems different.

[@phonicsonic]

Anyone else feel these have just turned into one giant advert for BMW, TT, Klim, etc? It's great that you have sponsors but the first 10 minutes were just a bunch of product placement shots. I didn't watch anything past that.

[@garyo4456]

I’m with you!! I’ve been watching and thinking “I’m a Hater, Haters are gonna hate!” All these guys have vested interests and are planning on turning bucks on this commercial exposure. Chef? Support vehicles?? Big expensive bikes??? A bit too cushy and entitled in my book…(but to each their own!!) I do thank them for sharing the back country on cycles.

[@yycyvr]

They provide a free service. But nothing in life is free. I don’t mind the product placement. Many shows on TV/movies do this.

[@garyo4456]

@@yycyvr - You are correct, I can do without it. FYI; The Northeast BDR released today is wonderful and soft on sales. 👍👍

[@MeerkatADV]

This was the first one they made and it was still being run by Touratech. Kind of what you would expect knowing that.

[@xxxYYZxxx]

@@garyo4456 Adventure riding isn't cheap, their target market should be wealthy people who can afford it. This isn't a viral challenge for teenagers. Perhaps ironically, the dreaded "support vehicle" would be ideal for supporting smaller, more "realistic" trail bikes, particularly for towing them to & from distant BDRs.

[@UnkleCletusNW]

35:22

[@javsolo]

How realistic is it to do this in December? I would love to do this at the end of this year as I was already planning a trip to WA I’m on an 850 GSA and would love to camp the entire way.

[@mbeecher9921]

Absolutely not. I mean, "You will probably die trying". Cascades are no joke. They're real mountains with real snow. The majority of the forest roads will be closed. I went up to the Blue Mountains, further east, much smaller, much drier, in early June this year and woke up to 6" of fresh snowfall one morning at 5000'. I would say late July - late September for this kind of trip. All other times are going to either be raining a lot or snowing a lot. If you're visiting in December, the only thing I would recommend, with very good cold weather gear, would be the Columbia basin up through the channeled scab lands up to Grand Coulee. It's touring, not a lot of off road other than gravel, but everything else in the state is going to be either constant rain or snowed out. We're pretty far north, the whole state will be in Winter conditions, but the previously mentioned area is pretty dry, not a lot of rainfall/snowfall, but it does happen. And when it does, the ice sticks around for a while. I wouldn't recommend any winter bike adventures in WA without serious professional preparation. Summers are great though! - Washington native, not being a pissy keyboard cowboy

[@javsolo]

@@mbeecher9921 Ahhh, well I definitely appreciate your honesty. I’ve never been to WA, so I have no idea and I’m just starting to get serious about riding some of these more remote back country roads. Thanks for the tips on traveling there!

[@chriskneifl3290]

Realistically, July - October are probably the only months this route is passable, and the window could be even smaller than that, depending on the year.

[@CMB911]

@@mbeecher9921 I drove over Chinook Pass from Richland October 30th last year and there was no snow and blue skies. Drove back over on November 6th headed towards Seattle and there was over a foot of snow at Tipsoo. I busted at the snow shoes and had the whole place to myself for a couple of hours. Going down the other side towards Seattle there was a truck and trailer that jack-knifed across the road blocking traffic for over an hour. Point is, you're correct, the cascades are no joke!

[@hitmanhite8958]

It’s cool watching these videos, but as a dirt bike rider for over 30 years, I can’t imagine these boomer barges with these huge bags on the dirt being any fun. They have to be near 1000 lbs with the rider, not to mention you can’t get you weight over the front of the bike with those huge cinder blocks on the rear sides, lol. I guess single track at anything over 20 mph is out of the question. Jeep Trails seem to be ok, and does make more sense though.

[@MrRodwatson]

One more friendly piece of advice if you're planning to cross into Canada....leave your gun at home or somewhere safe -south of the border. Canadian border personnel DO NOT SCREW AROUND. I'm really serious....they will not care if it is normal for you, it will make their day to ruin yours. 👌

[@andrewvanstaden8922]

Roll bar is useless without a seatbelt... Always wear a seatbelt!

[@DallasClevenger-j1t]

Lopez Linda Walker Michael Clark Robert

[@MOEMUGGY]

Four of the worst possible bikes off road. You would be better off with knobbie's on a Goldwing or your Harley dresser.

[@martymoose4871]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYOphGpobtZ-bpI

[@timlubbers2884]

Obviously you have never rode a GS ...

[@MOEMUGGY]

@@timlubbers2884 uhm, yes.. yes I have. GS's are made for trips to Starbucks.. Not sure how you plan on picking up your GS off the ground with a Caffè latte in one hand.

[@timlubbers2884]

@@MOEMUGGY I guess that can be your opinion, it certainly isn't mine ... I have done every west BDR, the TAT, the continental divide, as well as all gravel to Alaska on my 1150 and 1200 GS's and have nothing but love for my rides ... And by the way, Starbucks sucks ass and won't let that crap close to me ... This fall I'm heading for south America on my 1200, and wouldn't want anything else under me ... Ride what you want, it's your money ...

[@MOEMUGGY]

@@timlubbers2884 You Fanboys crack me up. As mentioned above, you would be better off with a Goldwing with knobbie's, because it weighs just as much, but it's lower to the ground. You and I both know you're never going to jump a log or ride single trac fully loaded with adventure gear on your 1200 GS. It's the worst bike ever invented for off road.

[@wvdad74]

Ride right? Im calling BS...and talk about safety these guys are flying..

[@jamesleyda365]

Dude!... Iv'e done this just screwin around, your not on Mars. My buds and me have been doing this kinda crap for last 30 years and none of us are anything like an expert, we just f**king do it...... Funny lol. Oh and yes in Washington State our backyard and elsewhere

[@Liveandletlive438]

Terrible experience watching this episode. Just littered with ads. Like every two minutes!

[@veiledallegory]

I was going to watch this video until I had to listen to a narrator!!! It’s 2022, the age of KZbin! No one wants a 70s documentary with a narrator telling you everything. You screwed this one up. Why isn’t it normal like the MABDR and NEBDR???

[@dirtcopdualsport]

I was also put off by the narrator. Reminded me of PBS in the 90s

[@L5man]

One big marketing advertisement. Useless and disgusting.

[@bluestripes1]

too much talking not enough riding

[@VagaBumAdventures]

I also make motorcycle camping videos! Hope you guys enjoy!