12oo GS Rallye 2012: Ride to Parent: part 2

See part 1

Parent road at the 309 intersection

10:23 am  The famous road to Parent. After refuelling a few minutes beforehand in Mont St-Michel village, the signs indicating the road to Parent came into sight.  Looking at the blue sign, I realized right away that this road was unusual… it read: “Warning! This road is used by heavy trucks.  For your safety, use a CB on channel 10 to indicate your presence…”  Not very welcoming. I took some time to put on my motorcycle pants (which I recommend for this route).

What follows is a blend of my two rides to Parent: first with my Versys, then with the Rally. It's a bit unfair to the Versys, but it served me as a base comparison to evaluate the Rally. The Versys: an entry level crossover. The Rally: top of the line adventurer whose reputation is second to none. That being said, I learned a lot about the 2 bikes and I will try to transmit my observations as precisely as possible.

 

First contact with the gravel on Parent road.

When I took on Parent road with my Versys, I really did not know what to expect.

After a few moments of riding on gravel, I experienced something very, very troubling:

“DrrrRRRrrrrRRRrrrRRRrr”

Ouch!  What was that? ... For the first time in my life... at more than  45 mph (70 km/h),  it was a brutal contact with a section of washboard.

The transmitted vibrations to the handle bar were so intense that my hands where opening by themselves even though I was gripping the bar as tightly as I could. I immediately thought: "What the heck am I doing here with this bike?".

I was very tempted to turn around.  I kept thinking: "I can’t believe I drove all this way for nothing…not possible, I must continue."

I took out the mini tool box that came with the bike and turned the spring preload adjuster two full turns counterclockwise to reduce the suspension preload (there was no dedicated tool for adjusting the suspension, I had to work with a pair of pliers ... very frustrating).  Luckily, it was enough - I could have removed even more, but the operation was tedious and I scratched the suspension adjuster with the inadequate pliers.

***

With EAS, dust free drive shaft and a wide base kickstand that does not sink into the sand, this bike is well adapted for this type of road.

All this to highlight the option I liked most on the Rally: electronic adjustable suspension (EAS). This is simply genius! The first thing I did when arriving on Parent road with this bike was to adjust the suspension mode to "light off-road" and "Soft". That’s it! 30 seconds was all it took to make the adjustment. One must have lived both situations to assess this option at its fair value. When I went on washboard sections with the Rallye, yes, there were still vibrations transmitted to the handle bar, but the difference was huge - much smoother!

 

Over the 115 miles (178 km) to Parent, there are several stretches that are fast. It even becomes quite euphoric. One can get caught in the game, thinking it is a race and often noticing the speedometer is over 60 mph (100 km/h). Then suddenly, a sand patch…this is not a ride for the faint of heart!  I have noticed a few more white hairs on my head since the ride. On many occasions I told myself: “That’s it, I’m cooked, I’m gonna bite the dust.”  On those occasions, the only thing to do is to abandon the bike to the road and l let it work its magic. Finally, one realises that the main skills to develop are to keep a good balance standing on the pegs and do slight course adjustment when the road gets tough.

A straight section of the road after the passage of a vehicle.

Here the 110-80/19 front wheel of the Rallye had an obvious stability advantage over the Versys 120-90/17 wheel.  Most likely a thinner 21 inches wheel would have been the ideal choice.

Some pictures midway at the Longs Rapids

Signs indicating the direction of Parent, Lunic, outfitters, Lake Mary and so on.

 

Longs Rapids

 

Trucks and other vehicles on the road

Loaded logger truck.  There are many on the way.

The biggest source of stress is moving into the cloud of dust raised by these large vehicles in their path. One should slow down a lot, visibility is almost zero. Fortunately, the road is quite wide and there is plenty of space.

One of numerous blind turns

There are many blind turns where you cannot see what is coming from the other side. One must keep to the right of the road as much as possible in case an oncoming vehicle requires more space to take the detour.

 

To be continued...part 3

DSAQ

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12oo GS Rallye 2012: Ride to Parent: part 1

After BMW Canada offered me the Rallye for a week, I wondered which type of road I should ride to test it out to its full potential.  I have read here and there about the ride to Parent and I was hoping to have an occasion this year to make it - the stars were aligned,  the Rallye was about to be in my driveway, I was on vacation, so be it!

 

	In fact, I made the same ride twice in a week: -the first time with my Versys on July the 19th, a few days before I received the BMW – making the ride first with my own bike would give me a point of comparison; -the second time on July 27 with the Rallye, after my first ride with the BMW to Mont Tremblant Park. So I’ll be describing mostly the second ride.
St-Eustache(A)-Parent(C), through Mont St-Michel(B) : 400km

First section between St-Eustache and Mont St-Michel

The first section was mainly on highway 15 North and 117 to Mont Laurier.

This road is quite nice when we look at the scenery, but nothing too exciting on the motorcycle riding side. The road is fast without many curves, it often slows down to cross the different villages on the 117.

It did allow me to appreciate the ride on the 1200GS. The first observation: the saddle is truly one of the most comfortable I've had the chance to try.  Even my passenger on a previous ride appreciated it. So a big plus for the GS.

Second, the windshield: it looks a little short, but surprisingly, it is very effective. With the big handguards, the wind protection is optimal. I caught myself a few times riding at 80 mph (130 km/h) and I had to constantly watch the odometer to maintain a reasonable pace, especially since there were many police patrols in this construction holiday period.

And finally: the engine of the GS - a strong presence and plenty of torque at all speeds. There are no parasitic vibrations caused by the engine and the mirrors are perfectly clear at almost all RPM (the vision is slightly blurred around 4000rpm). Passing a car is effortless and really makes you feel the constant pull no matter if you drive on an upward slope or a flat section of the road.

The only thing this bike is missing to be perfect on long road trip is a cruise control.

[Installation of a Throttle Rocker] After some 30 miles, my right hand was getting numb.

I discovered the Throttle Rocker a couple years ago.  It wraps around the handle and allows you to use your wrist to apply gas and free your hand from constant stress.  A well invested 15$.

Then I spun to Mont St. Michel without stopping.

 

10 a.m. Even if the seat is comfortable,  140 miles (225 km) non-stop is something.

There is a rest area near the Lièvre (Hare) River on the 311 before arriving at Mont St-Michel.

Yet again an occasion to take some pictures.

 

Lièvre (Hare) River, passing under the 311, near Mont St. Michel, Quebec

 

Lunch at the rest area near Mont St. Michel ... (Almost too good looking, that bike…)

To be continued…Part 2

Ciao!
DSAQ

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BMW 1200GS Rallye 2012: Ride to Mont Tremblant

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Video Parent Qc, BMW 1200GS Rallye

Photo montage from my ride to Parent Qc.

Montage photo de ma randonnée à Parent avec la Rallye.

Enjoy!

dsaq

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Ride to Mont Tremblant Park with the Rally: The finale

Part 1 I Part 2

[A trail for the 1200GS Rally] This picture is the continuity of the15 East.  The road also branched to the right.  I rode a long way on this path.

Not quite a spectacular picture, but yet this is what the motorcycle adventurers seek above all: a road with an interesting challenge, much like Scotch Road which I wrote about in part 1.

After several miles, when I realized that the road did not lead to an end (I could go on and on), I turned around - there were two other attractions that I really wanted to see and I had to head back to Lake Superior road to get there.

Anyway, for this road, I will certainly have other opportunities to see what's at the end of it.

 

7. Continue on Lake Superior road...

After a few kilometers, there is an indication for the “Croche” fall . There is a 300 meter walk along a charming forest path before you get there.

Above, the “De la Diable” waterfall. A 15 meter (50 feet) high waterfall which is one of the principal attractions in the area. The intense downpour of the previous day increased the river flow which - according to frequent visitors - made ​​the falls more attractive. There is a beautiful forest trail (half a mile) that you need to walk to get there.

***

I went back to Mont Tremblant Park with my family a few days later. The kids loved running on the paths that lead to each waterfall. We also rented canoes at lake “Escalier” which is a little further. And finally, we had a great time at the beach. It was truly a day enjoyed by all!

***

Back on Lake Superior road, there are 20 kilometers of gravel road and more beautiful scenery, lakes, beaches, campgrounds, bicycle paths, and probably several other trails just waiting to be discovered by adventure motorcycle enthusiasts. Once the unpaved road ends, it’s back to regional roads ...

8.  So, what does 110 ponies @ 6675 rpm mean?  …this road had the answer…

 ………………yes, that’s it - a big smile on my face - on each gear.  Of course, we are not talking sport bike performances, but the 1200GS 110 hps has quite a lot of punch at all rpms from first to last gear.  However, what impressed me the most was the windshield efficiency – at high speed and with a hybrid helmet, air was still flowing around me.

That is it for this ride.  It was great, the bike was great, the weather was perfect…I could not have wished for more. 

I have created a video montage that shows all the ride shots with great music... Enjoy!  and thanks for watching.

Entrez la légende de la vidéo ici

Next ride: the real test.

Ciao!

dsaq

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Ride to Mont Tremblant Park with the Rally: part 2

 

See part 1

3. Turn left on Harrington road then right on Red River (Riviere Rouge) road…

Despite the fact that Red River road is a gravel road, it does not require any particular riding abilities nor a specific bike – a cruiser could ride here no problem.

So this road is not a challenge for the 1200GS Rally.  However, the TKC 80s tires installed on the bike, as well as its torquey engine can turn this road into a somewhat interesting playground.

A couple of things worth nothing: the view is magnificent along the Red River and the hillside fields offer a panoramic view as well.

If you pay attention, you cannot miss the Buddhist monastery on the right side of Red River road.

I like to stop at this place from time to time to take some pics, the change of scenery is astonishing – each time I get the feeling I took a bypass to Asia.

I am not Buddhist of course, but the monks that live here are very courteous and accept “visitors” into the area.  While remaining respectful of the place I take some pictures and  continue my journey.

4. Continue on Red River road, then take the 327 North, then the 117 South and finally take the exit to Lake Supérieur…

Following the Lake Supérieur road, you eventually arrive in Lake Supérieur town.  The landscape here is absolutely beautiful and I could not resist: I stopped to take some pictures.  Above, the Lake Superior with a mountain range in the background.

 

Other pictures of Lake Supérieur.  Left, a steep hillside that seems appropriate for climbing.  Right, a windsurfer on the Lake Supérieur.

5. Continue on Lac Supérieur road…

…that eventually lead to the Mont Tremblant Park gate.  There is a 6$ fee per adult (there is a family fee of 12$).

Once in the park, it's a cascade of breathtaking landscapes. The Mont Tremblant Park is certainly one of the most beautiful places in Québec.

 

For the early birds (you must arrive at the park entrance in the morning to register), it is possible to ride down the river by canoe.

6. Optional, turn right onto 15 East ...

The 15 East (unpaved road) proved to be the highlight of this tour.

At some point, I thought I was dreaming - I was driving a beautiful motorcycle on a gorgeous road while a splendid summer sun illuminated my path.

Here are some pictures of this paradise ...

I still get chills looking at these pictures. Several times during the ride I told myself: “I’m such a lucky bastard to see all this!  Someone pinch me!”  What a beautiful moment of moto adventuring ...

To be continued…see the last part.

Ciao!

dsaq

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Ride to Mont Tremblant Park with the Rally

I went for a day ride with the 1200GS Rally to get acquainted.  The day was perfect – forecast was sunny with passing clouds, temperature: 70 Fahrenheit (20 Celsius).

The path that I followed to get to Mont Tremblant Park was somewhat tortuous.  Here’s the description.

1. Follow the 344 west alongside the Ottawa river…

For most Lower Laurentian motorcyclists the 344 is one of the most scenic roads in the area.

Before stopping at Carillon village to take this shot with the Hydro Quebec dam in the background, I was telling myself: “Wow!  What a great motorcycle!  The thrust from the throttle opening is just great and at all speeds, I must mention it in my ride report ... the saddle is really comfortable ... it's pure bliss ... I cannot believe I’m about to throw this wonderful bike on the unpaved roads ... I'm completely nuts ... etc etc ". In short, quite a monologue in my head.

As I planned to go for the day and I had no hard case provided with the bike, I strapped a rigid bag (Bags-Connection) that I bought years ago for a ride to Pennsylvania.  As you can see on the picture, the bag was a perfect match for the Rally!

2. At Grenville, turn left to the north and continue on Scotch road…

It's not a coincidence that I took Scotch road for this ride: to understand the bike’s behavior on rough roads. So here's how everything took place.

As usual, I stopped on the edge of this lake for a caffeine break.  I like the sight and contact with nature that this place offers.

After a while, two fellow adventurers I had seen before joined me. One named Martin and the other…well, unfortunately, I forgot

Briefly, two great guys who chat on RidAventure.ca motorcycle forum. They enjoyed the Rally and were surprised to learn that I was from St-Eustache: "Huh? Weird ... your bike has an Ontario plate". I explained that it was a borrowed bike…hopefully they did not think I had stolen it!  One thing led to another, and they invited me to follow them.  I told them: "Sure! I have no specific plan, but do not wait if you lose sight of me, I would rather not take chances with the BM..."

So I started to follow these two amateurs ... but not for long!  These guys were great riders - they vanished in a flash!  The bright side is that in trying to follow them, I greatly increased the pace at which I used to ride on the bumpy Scotch road (especially after heavy rains the previous day). I noticed how the Rally suspension was effective and able to handle the obstacles while remaining stable. A world of difference with my Versys which requires much more caution.

Speaking of suspension, the Rally was equipped with electronic suspension (an option).  There are as many modes as one can ever imagine:

1. one up;
2. with luggage;
3. with a passenger;
4. with a passenger and luggage; 
5. light off-road; and finally
6. heavy off-road.

Each mode can then be configured as comfortable, normal or sport.  Total: 18 possible configurations at the tip of my fingers...a real gem!  Electronically adjustable suspension is the option I liked the most on the bike – and sincerely all road bikes should offer this feature.

Testing 1..2..3.  I took this picture when I was on my break before chatting with the two "amateurs".

I was often frustrated in the past because I was using my iPhone for photos and missed many wildlife moments. The day before the ride, I bought a Canon SX 230 HS with integrated GPS. It's always interesting to have the location of the images when you look at them back home ... but still, one needs to turn on the function!

Yes…I did not

In short, with a 14x optical zoom, I was able to photograph these two tiny frogs.

Here is an overview of Scotch road in one technical section. A 4x4 would probably pass, but forget it by car.

Again, I was able to enjoy the low-end torque of the bike on my way up this path. Gear changes are optional!

Another thing I liked about this bike is the natural position when standing on the pegs.  It seemed like I could ride for miles without using the seat.

To be continued…next, part 2

dsaq

Related Reading:

• BMW 1200GS Rallye Edition: First Contact
• BMW 1200GS Rallye : Ride to Parent

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