2016 Stelvio AZBDR Ride report

[Mooney78865]

I've managed to make it back from the Arizona Back Country Discovery Route (AZBDR) and thought I'd share my experiences riding a new 2016 Stelvio.
First off, the beginning of the AZBDR is about 840 miles from where I live, and I wanted a more aggressive tire setup, so tire choice was important.  I went with the Shinko 804/805 combo and couldn't be happier.
 
Day one I ended up in Gila Bend AZ about 610 miles from the house. Nothing but freeway and 70-80 mph the whole way.
Day two saw me to the start of the AZBDR at the Coronado National Monument around noon.  Figuring the first couple sections were going to be fairly easy I headed off.
 
With the exception of one sand area it really was.  I ended up in Benson AZ for the night after getting a lot of information on where to run the tire pressures and developing a feel for the bike loaded in the dirt.

Day three is where it began to get a bit more interesting. Benson to Globe, then Globe to Young.  The day started with graded dirt roads then slowly began to narrow with less and less maintenance. A number of water crossings, though nothing to write home about.

After you get past Globe and head to Young you begin to climb up in to the forests heading for the Mogollon rim which marks the edge of the Colorado Plateau.

The last 15 or so miles into Young is where it began to get entertaining.  The road narrows, begins to ascend to the top of the plateau and is complete rocks.  Starting with small manageable rocks to those the size of grapefruit and larger.  This section alone took me nearly two hours. Plenty of remote camping opportunities around Young, so I called it a day after nearly 10 hours in the saddle.
Day four, Young to Winona.  The day started off well until I had to divert due to a controlled burn conducted by ADF.  This shortened the off road portion of the ride but also in theory would shorten my day in the saddle.  NOT!! After picking up the route by  Clint's Well, I was in store for another round of "rock adventures".

However after a few hours things started to develop into a pretty nice ride through the forests and into Winona.

Day five would have me riding through the Navajo reservation and in and around the Vermilion cliffs before crossing the boarder into Utah for the end of the ride.
You must have a permit to ride in the Navajo Reservation back county.  You can obtain one at the Visitor Center in Cameron for $12, cash.  I really enjoyed the ride through the "Nation".  beautiful scenery and what people I met were friendly and helpful.

The last portion of the ride was uneventful with lots of photo opportunities and spectacular scenery.
I ended finishing the AZBDR the afternoon of the fifth day, or really four days of riding the route. 

So now the summary:
When I left the house the bike had 1498 miles on it. It now has 3856. I figure that I spent about 710 miles off road to complete the AZBDR. 
 I spent a fair amount of time going over fasteners and the like in preparation for the ride.  Nothing more than I would do on any other bike I have taken. I carried between 60-65 lbs of gear (depending on how much water I had on-board) Remote camped 3 nights and camped in campgrounds 2.  I did stay in a Motel on the ride home, I know, LOOSER!.
I ran the Shinko 804/805 tires and at the conclusion of the ride I still have not hit the 50% wear bar.  The tires I would highly recommend if this is the type of riding you are interested in. Good pavement life and off road performance is quite good.  Of course I only seemed to ride in rocks...
For the bike?  I could not be happier.  Not one single issue, none, reliable as an anvil. 
Yes she's a heavy girl, but she's light on her feet and does anything you ask.  The bike was everything I hoped it would be after coming off a KTM 990 and 50,000 miles.  Much better on the freeway, 80 mph all day long no worries. Noticeably lower center of gravity, which equates into easier manageability when herding around 600+ lbs out in the boonies. No cylinders sticking out to hook your ankles...well you get the idea.
So there you have it.  With almost 4,000 mile on the clock I figure I could write intelligently about the bike.
They were right.  Ride one 20 miles, you will never own one, ride one 200 miles and you will never sell it.
Don't be afraid to take her out in the dirt.  No, it's not a "dirt bike", it's Moto Guzzi's entry in to the "adventure bike" market.  Ride it as an adventure bike, compare it to other adventure bikes and you'll see, it's a damn good mount that has no bad habits, a reasonable price point and the reliability of well, and anvil. I spent days looking for known issues with the NTX, worst I could find that was repeatable was the driving lights.  I can't say as much for the Yamaha, KTM, or BMW.
Long post, hope you enjoy.  Last thing.  IDBDR in September, anybody want to go?
 

[RinkRat II]

 Congrats on your trip Mooney, great pics. I'm curious about the route from Cameron to Utah. Around the Canyon,Up to Vermillion and House Rock Valley??
 I'm In Page AZ and think part of that would be a good day ride on the KLR for me.
   
   Paul 

[Xlratr]

Beautiful country. Thanks for the great pictures and the ride report.
 

[WitchCityGuzzi]

I've managed to make it back from the Arizona Back Country Discovery Route (AZBDR) and thought I'd share my experiences riding a new 2016 Stelvio.
First off, the beginning of the AZBDR is about 840 miles from where I live, and I wanted a more aggressive tire setup, so tire choice was important.  I went with the Shinko 804/805 combo and couldn't be happier.

Day one I ended up in Gila Bend AZ about 610 miles from the house. Nothing but freeway and 70-80 mph the whole way.
Day two saw me to the start of the AZBDR at the Coronado National Monument around noon.  Figuring the first couple sections were going to be fairly easy I headed off.
 
With the exception of one sand area it really was.  I ended up in Benson AZ for the night after getting a lot of information on where to run the tire pressures and developing a feel for the bike loaded in the dirt.

Day three is where it began to get a bit more interesting. Benson to Globe, then Globe to Young.  The day started with graded dirt roads then slowly began to narrow with less and less maintenance. A number of water crossings, though nothing to write home about.

After you get past Globe and head to Young you begin to climb up in to the forests heading for the Mogollon rim which marks the edge of the Colorado Plateau.

The last 15 or so miles into Young is where it began to get entertaining.  The road narrows, begins to ascend to the top of the plateau and is complete rocks.  Starting with small manageable rocks to those the size of grapefruit and larger.  This section alone took me nearly two hours. Plenty of remote camping opportunities around Young, so I called it a day after nearly 10 hours in the saddle.
Day four, Young to Winona.  The day started off well until I had to divert due to a controlled burn conducted by ADF.  This shortened the off road portion of the ride but also in theory would shorten my day in the saddle.  NOT!! After picking up the route by  Clint's Well, I was in store for another round of "rock adventures".

However after a few hours things started to develop into a pretty nice ride through the forests and into Winona.

Day five would have me riding through the Navajo reservation and in and around the Vermilion cliffs before crossing the boarder into Utah for the end of the ride.
You must have a permit to ride in the Navajo Reservation back county.  You can obtain one at the Visitor Center in Cameron for $12, cash.  I really enjoyed the ride through the "Nation".  beautiful scenery and what people I met were friendly and helpful.

The last portion of the ride was uneventful with lots of photo opportunities and spectacular scenery.
I ended finishing the AZBDR the afternoon of the fifth day, or really four days of riding the route. 

So now the summary:
When I left the house the bike had 1498 miles on it. It now has 3856. I figure that I spent about 710 miles off road to complete the AZBDR. 
 I spent a fair amount of time going over fasteners and the like in preparation for the ride.  Nothing more than I would do on any other bike I have taken. I carried between 60-65 lbs of gear (depending on how much water I had on-board) Remote camped 3 nights and camped in campgrounds 2.  I did stay in a Motel on the ride home, I know, LOOSER!.
I ran the Shinko 804/805 tires and at the conclusion of the ride I still have not hit the 50% wear bar.  The tires I would highly recommend if this is the type of riding you are interested in. Good pavement life and off road performance is quite good.  Of course I only seemed to ride in rocks...
For the bike?  I could not be happier.  Not one single issue, none, reliable as an anvil. 
Yes she's a heavy girl, but she's light on her feet and does anything you ask.  The bike was everything I hoped it would be after coming off a KTM 990 and 50,000 miles.  Much better on the freeway, 80 mph all day long no worries. Noticeably lower center of gravity, which equates into easier manageability when herding around 600+ lbs out in the boonies. No cylinders sticking out to hook your ankles...well you get the idea.
So there you have it.  With almost 4,000 mile on the clock I figure I could write intelligently about the bike.
They were right.  Ride one 20 miles, you will never own one, ride one 200 miles and you will never sell it.
Don't be afraid to take her out in the dirt.  No, it's not a "dirt bike", it's Moto Guzzi's entry in to the "adventure bike" market.  Ride it as an adventure bike, compare it to other adventure bikes and you'll see, it's a damn good mount that has no bad habits, a reasonable price point and the reliability of well, and anvil. I spent days looking for known issues with the NTX, worst I could find that was repeatable was the driving lights.  I can't say as much for the Yamaha, KTM, or BMW.
Long post, hope you enjoy.  Last thing.  IDBDR in September, anybody want to go?

Great report. Thanks for posting. Your experiences with it off road mirror my own. The Stelvio is a deceptively easy bike to ride off road. When you tell people that, they look at you like you have 3 heads. 

I honestly can't think of a better all around bike. I hope Guzzi makes them forever.

[Mooney78865]

Congrats on your trip Mooney, great pics. I'm curious about the route from Cameron to Utah. Around the Canyon,Up to Vermillion and House Rock Valley??
 I'm In Page AZ and think part of that would be a good day ride on the KLR for me.
   
   Paul 

That would work.  Get the pass for the Navajo Nation.  Really great riding as well as scenery.  You can google AZBDR and down load the tracks and take a look at the interactive map on their site.  Will help with the navigation.

[Mooney78865]

Great report. Thanks for posting. Your experiences with it off road mirror my own. The Stelvio is a deceptively easy bike to ride off road. When you tell people that, they look at you like you have 3 heads. 

I honestly can't think of a better all around bike. I hope Guzzi makes them forever.

Agreed!  My friends thought I was crazy to part with the KTM Adventure.  I'm not even looking back.  The Guzzi is a much better road bike and is more than capable for doing the Back Country Discovery Routes. To me, Adventure riding is the riding.  I'm not out to conquer the world, just the day's ride.  Fitted with a decent set of tires and a little prep the Stelvio is more than capable of tackling any of the BDR's I've ridden.  And this makes four of them. Unfortunately, my friends tend to be dreamers.  They have the bikes, the latest riding gear, can "bench ride" with the best of 'em, but never ride.  I have more off road on the Stelvio than any of them and they have had their bikes WAY longer than the 4 weeks I've had mine!  Hell, I don't even have my plate yet! :Beating_A_Dead_Hors e_by_liviu

[twowings]

Very cool! Thanks for taking us along....

[SeanF]

Thank you for sharing the trip! Excellent write-up, photos and observations.   

[mentalfloss]

  Thanks for the great post!

[rocker59]

Thanks for the report! 

[Trevor G]

Great report, Dan

I was riding my "new" Nevada back from Stockton in California when I encountered Dan in the cafe at Ludlow, which is in the middle of the Mohave Desert just off Highway 95.  Actually, I spotted his Stelvio and parked next to it for the photo op. His was the only other Guzzi I saw in 800 miles.

I'm planning to ADV the Nevada and do a little gentle off-roading with it.

The funny part is that this was the third day I was on the road, while Dan had started off from the same area as I, just that morning!



 

[Dave Swanson]

Thanks Dan,  nice report!  That looks like fun!!

[PJPR01]

Pretty cool stuff...

[Chuck in Indiana]

Yeah, many if not most "adventure bikes" seldom get past the nearest Starbux. Well done.
Thanks!

[Nic in Western NYS]

Made my day with that write up.  With all the problems about bikes that come up in all forums, what you said here is the take home message:  "For the bike?  I could not be happier.  Not one single issue, none, reliable as an anvil." 

[Mooney78865]

Great report, Dan

I was riding my "new" Nevada back from Stockton in California when I encountered Dan in the cafe at Ludlow, which is in the middle of the Mohave Desert just off Highway 95.  Actually, I spotted his Stelvio and parked next to it for the photo op. His was the only other Guzzi I saw in 800 miles.

I'm planning to ADV the Nevada and do a little gentle off-roading with it.

The funny part is that this was the third day I was on the road, while Dan had started off from the same area as I, just that morning!

Haha Trevor!  You were riding the hell out of that thing, I took off before you, stopped for gas in Needles, turned the corner to head to Gila Bend and there you were waiting for the wife to show up!  And sure enough, she was 100 meters down the road!  And if mine was the only one you saw in 800 miles, yours was the only one I say in 2,400. Awesome forum!

[Mooney78865]

Yeah, many if not most "adventure bikes" seldom get past the nearest Starbux. Well done.
Thanks!

Right??? :Beating_A_Dead_Hors e_by_liviu

[Daniel Kalal]

...after getting a lot of information on where to run the tire pressures...

What pressures F/R worked best in the sand for you?

[Mooney78865]

Thanks for the responses, much appreciated.  Truly cant emphasis enough on the capability of the bike.
Looks like the pre planning for the IDBDR will start this weekend with a couple of new "adventure bike" riders I met over the weekend. My garage and I'll supply the Guinness...

[Mooney78865]

What pressures F/R worked best in the sand for you?

20 psi front and 22 psi rear.  If it wasn't "deep sand", on the pegs it was pretty manageable if I kept the speed up over 18-19 mph. 
For the record, I hate sand.

[Zoom Zoom]

Many thanks for the great ride report with pics!

Also glad to hear you're liking the Stelvio. 

John Henry

[rocker59]

20 psi front and 22 psi rear.  If it wasn't "deep sand", on the pegs it was pretty manageable if I kept the speed up over 18-19 mph. 
For the record, I hate sand.

I got in some deep sand with my Quota on Burr Trail in Utah.  Wasn't sure if it would plow through, or not.  But it did.

40 miles from nowhere, and by yourself, stuff like that is daunting.  I didn't know if I could make it through, and at that point I couldn't turn around !!!

 

[Mooney78865]

I got in some deep sand with my Quota on Burr Trail in Utah.  Wasn't sure if it would plow through, or not.  But it did.

40 miles from nowhere, and by yourself, stuff like that is daunting.  I didn't know if I could make it through, and at that point I couldn't turn around !!!

 

I was doing the UTBDR and I believe section two had a portion marked "deep silt/sand"  Probably the hardest point on the whole route.  Talcum powder type silt literally over the axle on the 990. Thought I was going to puke! 
Don't you hate it when your committed to a course and have no real viable bail out? I suspect that's what puts the "adventure" in adventure riding!!

[leafman60]

Great report! Nice pictures. 

Coming off a series of BMW GS bikes for years, I've found the Guzzi does better on off-road conditions. It just tractors on through.

Thanks

[MariusD]

Thanks for the great post and pix. So much cool riding to do, so little free time....