Alaska 2022 - Let’s talk about the motorcycle

Preparing the motorcycle prior to a long ride is a critical task. You want to minimize the risk of having mechanical issues during the trip as it could be a major headache and potentially very expensive. Obviously not all mechanical failures are preventable but a lot are and this is what should be the focus when preparing the bike.

This 2016 Honda AfricaTwin has 40k miles and has been very reliable so far but maintenance is key. Knowing your motorcycle and how to service it is also a critical skill as you’d be able to diagnose more accurately any mechanical issues during the journey and possibly fix simple ones.

Here is what has been done as part of the preventive maintenance

Oil and filter change
Front forks suspension basic rebuild (oil change and replace oil and dust seals)
Rear shock rebuild (done by EBR Performance)
Air filter cleaning
Brake fluid replacement
Replace front sprocket, chain and rear sprocket
Replace front and rear tires (Dunlop Trailmax Mission)
All inspection points as specified in service manual

And few upgrades

Windshield bracket from Camel ADV (The OEM bracket is pretty weak and I had to re-weld it last year, this bracket from Camel is very strong)
Side stand from Camel ADV - I didn’t like the way the side kick was bending under load, I was afraid it could break.
Steering dampener from MSC - This should help reducing fatigue on trails.