Montana/Pac NW area - stay/visit/ire change

[Reddog900]

Lucky ME - first of August or thereabouts I will be heading up to western portion of Montana through Utah-Idaho and then maybe over to Seattle area if time permits before I head back to So Cal. I expect that I will get another 1500-1800 miles before I need to change my rear tire on the 11XXRT.

 

I will be traveling lite, camping out under the heavens. Does the group have any suggestions/recommendations for places to visit/stay or local MC shops in the approx area that can handle a tire change?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Sputnik]

In the Seattle/Tacoma aea there are 2 BMW shops, both owned by the same management. Ride West in north Seattle, and South Sound BMW in Fife, just north of Tacoma.

 

I use a private wrench, Vallantine Motor Works, just north of the Aurora Bridge in Seattle. Mick will mount your tire or sell you one. His prices are quite fair, and sometimes he even comes up with some incredible deals. (ph 206.781.7945) Tell'm Sputnik sent ya!

[JR356]

Hi,

 

If you only have 1500mi. left on the tire,change it before you leave and avoid the on road hassle!

With the hot temps.and western roads,it might wear faster than you think it will.

 

JR356

[keithb]

+1 on what JR356 said. Change it before you leave. Once the new tire is used up put the 1500 miler back on and use it till it is gone. There is a KTM/Yamaha dealer on T.O. Blvd. in T.O. that will change the tire for about $20 when the tire is off the bike. The guy who mounts and balances is a former racer. Nice guy too.

[Jerry in Monument]

+2 on the pre-trip tire change.

 

I grew up in western Montana, south of Missoula, graduated from Hamilton High School in 1980.

 

If you're coming up through Idaho, are you going through Salmon and over Lost Trail Pass? I learned to ski there back in the mid-'60s. That drive is incredible.

 

Unfortunately, once you get near Hamilton traffic will get troublesome since the population has gone insane with the influx of people wanting to 'get away from the city' since the 1970's. But it's still a great ride. There are plenty of twisties to get you heart racing.

 

If you get the chance, visit Flathead Lake up by Kalispel. There are tons of cherry orchards where you can pick and eat 'til you're miserable. Fishing almost anywhere in western MT is out of this world.

 

Then you could head up to Whitefish and on into Galcier National Park. "Going To the Sun Road" goes east-west thru Glacier and it is an incredibly beautiful ride on a bike. At least it was the last time I did it in 1981.

 

Words of caution: Watch out for large 4-legged critters that can rearrange the tupperware and other parts of your bike, not to mention various body parts.

 

There are lots of deer, elk, bear, moose, coyotes, bobcats, mountain lions, fox and other obstacles available for 'reflex testing' up there.

 

If you head west out of Montana on I90 out of Missoula, Coeur D Alene, and Lake Coeur D Alene are absolute 'must see'. One of the most beautiful areas in the world.

 

I envy you. Want to get back on a bike and head home now that I'm thinking of it.

 

Send me photos so I can cry.