[BC Don]

I'm in the process of planning my trip up to Tuk this June. Lots of rubber left on my tires currently so I figure I'll ride on them (once the ice goes) and up to Whitehorse on the way up. Then, get someone in Whitehorse to put on some new 50/50 tires for the ride up North and then back home. As such I have a couple of questions for folks that have done this (or live in the area).

1) Do you have a shop that you would recommend??

2) Would I better off just contacting them and asking them to get in tires for me or would I be better off getting tires here (Calgary) and having them shipped. AB tax is only GST (no PST) although Blackfoot charges $20 a tire to ship. But I don't know whether a shop in Whitehorse would charge the same as here or ?????

 

[Pterodactyl]

Last I knew there are two bike dealerships in Whitehorse; Honda, which is both an auto and motorcycle dealer, and Harley. I never used either when I lived up north, so no first hand knowledge about them. I did talk to a guy when passing thru Whitehorse who said the Harley dealership was being very helpful by fixing his Goldwing trike when the Honda dealership would not help him.

You should contact the dealerships and see what they are willing to do. Some dealers will reserve tires for you, probably for a non-refundable deposit.

 

[ADV Wanderer]

I know of a Honda dealer and a Yamaha/Husqvarna dealer in Whitehorse.
The Honda guy advertises as also being a KTM dealer so might be a better bet for big bike work.

 

[BC Don]

I know of a Honda dealer and a Yamaha/Husqvarna dealer in Whitehorse.
The Honda guy advertises as also being a KTM dealer so might be a better bet for big bike work.

In looking at Google Maps I saw the locations of the Honda & Yamaha dealers plus some other powersport dealers. Based upon what I've seen I think I'll email the Honda dealer and see what they say and what they can do. I can get tires shipped there from Fortnine with no additional shipping charges (or Blackfoot but Blackfoot charges $20 a tire to ship). Anyway I've got over 3 months to go so starting to look right now. And, if anyone else has any info, pplease let me know.

 

[Rick92040]

That is the wrong thing to do. Your going to be stuck there most of the day. The best thing is to install a set of Dunlop Trailmax Mission tires before you go as they will last the entire trip. Save the old tires and re-install them at home when the Dunlops get worn. One less thing to worry about.

 

[BC Don]

That is the wrong thing to do. Your going to be stuck there most of the day. The best thing is to install a set of Dunlop Trailmax Mission tires before you go as they will last the entire trip. Save the old tires and re-install them at home when the Dunlops get worn. One less thing to worry about.

Thanks Rick. My biggest concern about doing that is that I'll put a good 3,500Km on the tires before I hit any gravel and I don't want to wear off "the best part" of the tread on pavement. But yup, I was figuring on taking a rest day in Whitehorse so that the tires could be put on.

 

[Rick92040]

Thanks Rick. My biggest concern about doing that is that I'll put a good 3,500Km on the tires before I hit any gravel and I don't want to wear off "the best part" of the tread on pavement. But yup, I was figuring on taking a rest day in Whitehorse so that the tires could be put on.

Well that won't be a problem with those tires. I started my Alaskan trip in San Diego CA and put 10,000 miles zig-zaging around the Yukon and Alaska. When I got home I still had 7/32 of tread left in the center of the back tire. They are the perfect tire for an Alaskan adventure.

 

[Onebaduce]

I'm in the process of planning my trip up to Tuk this June. Lots of rubber left on my tires currently so I figure I'll ride on them (once the ice goes) and up to Whitehorse on the way up. Then, get someone in Whitehorse to put on some new 50/50 tires for the ride up North and then back home. As such I have a couple of questions for folks that have done this (or live in the area).

1) Do you have a shop that you would recommend??

2) Would I better off just contacting them and asking them to get in tires for me or would I be better off getting tires here (Calgary) and having them shipped. AB tax is only GST (no PST) although Blackfoot charges $20 a tire to ship. But I don't know whether a shop in Whitehorse would charge the same as here or ?????

When I went from NJ to AK and back. I knew I’d need rubber by the time I reached Whitehorse. I presordered tires and had them waiting for me when I got there. Yukon Honda I believe. Call them up. Great shop.

 

[Jamieslife]

Although not Whitehorse, I did similar last year for my GSA in Fairbanks. I would suggest avoiding email for initial contact. I called and was glad I did. I bought tires over the phone from them. I might have been able to find them cheaper but it was about forming a relationship. If you buy from them, you'll have to provide a credit card and more secure over the phone than open email server. Then there is tone of voice, having a name for later and finding out any quirk. Saw a video of a guy where the shop would not service an off brand bike but would put tires on unmounted wheels. Also KTM and GSA match. I know this because traveled with a KTM guy and when KTM in Fairbanks failed to have the tires he had paid for two months earlier, the relationship I had established with the BMW dealer came in handy when they agreed the sell him tire for KTM to install. Person yo person initially is much better.

 

[Wkheathjr]

You are in BC? I agree with Rick's comment. Start your trip with new set of tires and make a round trip to Tuk & back home on same set of tire. I left NC with TKC70 and swapped them out for TKC80 in Fairbanks. That's 7,000 miles one way. But I did Trans-America Trail starting in NC with 50/50 dual sport tires and rode all the way to Oregon then back to home in NC with same set of tires with so little thread left. About 11,000 miles. I am sure that if you just mount a new set near home you will surely make it to Tuk and back on same set without problem. Good luck and ride safe! Maybe see you at D2D? I plan to ride up to Tuk this June too. Currently my GS is in Fairbanks and I fly there June 12 to pick it up and ride down to Dawson City then depending on if ferry is open and road condition is ok I'll probably be on Dempster June 18/19. more or less.

 

[IMProtos]

As far as "Bite" goes if you are headed to the end of the road be advised you don't need knobbies, you need a great carcass. Did my Prudhoe Bay run on Dunlop elite 3 tires on a tour Bike,( 1983 GL1100 ) in July 2017 and never had a problem, in fact they're still on the bike. On My GSA I have 3 year old Dunlop TM's and love them and wouldn't hesitate taking them up there this June If I had the time. They wear like Iron, great for 90 % of the roads Travelers will experience. The other 10 % of the roads are "out there" and should be traveled in good company because the wilderness will kill you before your tires do. Just my 2 cents... but I've been there and the roads are getting tamed, the big roads are good unless its raining hard or the weather turns. If your running tubeless, make sure you practice tire plugging a junk tire and have glue, strips and a good pump when you go, there are no tire shops, hell any shops for about 500 miles out there. Good luck, best wishes and enjoy the trip, I still dream of returning...

 

[GrayBeard]

I put almost 6,000 miles on a set of Dunlop Trailmax Mission tires and then rode the Mid-Atlantic BDR on them with no problems at all. Those tires are crazy good both for grip and endurance and I have no idea what kind of black magic is involved to get that result.

 

[GrayBeard]

We're trying to figure out of we have a 30 day window this summer for a trip to Tuk and back from the east coast - about 10,000 miles. We'll avoid the slab in the lower 48 and I'm thinking that a fresh set of DTMMs will do the entire trip or if not, I'll be back in the lower 48 by the time I'm looking for tires to finish the trip home.

I think we'll probably be looking for a late July/early August time window.

 

[Rick92040]

We're trying to figure out of we have a 30 day window this summer for a trip to Tuk and back from the east coast - about 10,000 miles. We'll avoid the slab in the lower 48 and I'm thinking that a fresh set of DTMMs will do the entire trip or if not, I'll be back in the lower 48 by the time I'm looking for tires to finish the trip home.

I think we'll probably be looking for a late July/early August time window.

Yep. They will do the entire trip. My trip up north last year was 10,000 miles and the tire still had 7/32 left on the back when I got home.