18 Jeep JLU Rubicon Possible World Travel

I'm not so sure a high perf 2 stroke is the right bike. I'd go get a TW200 or a good used air cooled 4 stroke that can run on low grade fuel. I think a 2 stroke would be too limiting due to gas availability and comfort on longer rides. Not to mention, it would sting a lot worse getting your $10k KTM stolen vs a $3k something else.
I see you have the same bike different color. With that counterbalanced 2s there is way less reason to go 4s anything. Comfort is not an issue either, I Cruel Sport every summer. But point taken on the low grade gas and less reason to steal a low dollar tw200 or similar.

I could change my mind but I think I'm over taking a dirt bike anywhere I have to worry about it or having border/customs/thief issues. A shame really. Country's really need to get there act together. Tourism would really spike if they ever got it together. Then again it wouldn't be the adventure it is now I suppose.....
 
I’m currently building my JLUR as well. Just got back from Arizona and Utah. Planning on a Tuk trip in 2020. Good luck.
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NICE! I have a white jeep as well. Took my dads old pig trailer which I just enclosed out for a test ride yesterday. It performed admirably....for a converted pig trailer. lol

I'm going to test it with small local trips in performance as well as finding out if I really want to tow it. My take is trailers are just a PITA but offer undeniable benefits----basecamp. Yours looks incredible and I may end up ponying up some coin if the pig trailer works out.

Total weight for it so far is 700lbs, add another 200 to finish it and I will have another 1000lbs of :stuff to carry.

Oh and I have tentative plans to head up to Tuk as well. Lot of irons in the fire to finalize but who knows, might see you up there!
pig trailer.jpeg
 
NICE! I have a white jeep as well. Took my dads old pig trailer which I just enclosed out for a test ride yesterday. It performed admirably....for a converted pig trailer. lol

I'm going to test it with small local trips in performance as well as finding out if I really want to tow it. My take is trailers are just a PITA but offer undeniable benefits----basecamp. Yours looks incredible and I may end up ponying up some coin if the pig trailer works out.

Total weight for it so far is 700lbs, add another 200 to finish it and I will have another 1000lbs of :stuff to carry.

Oh and I have tentative plans to head up to Tuk as well. Lot of irons in the fire to finalize but who knows, might see you up there!
View attachment 558842

The Opus is obviously much heavier than that, but a must for me with 3 little kids and a dog.

I'm not opposed to a possible convoy to Tuk if you're interested. I'm guessing two is always better than 1 when going to a remote location like that :)
 
The Opus is obviously much heavier than that, but a must for me with 3 little kids and a dog.

I'm not opposed to a possible convoy to Tuk if you're interested. I'm guessing two is always better than 1 when going to a remote location like that :)
No doubt you need it and it appears to be the deal. Just wow. Did you change the gearing on you jeep? I went to 4.88s and the 700lbs wasnt even noticed at all, another 1k will change that but thinking not that bad. Stopping I noticed a tad but I have no trailer brakes and if I end up using it I will have that added.

I would love to convoy but right now cant commit to anything. My vision of a trip is in flux right now. My son may get a scholarship to teach in europe and I am pondering shipping the jeep (w ursa minor) there to both visit with him and check out all I can in 90 days. Plus some other things that have me possibly holding off on an Alaska/North trip.
 

nickw

Adventurer
I see you have the same bike different color. With that counterbalanced 2s there is way less reason to go 4s anything. Comfort is not an issue either, I Cruel Sport every summer. But point taken on the low grade gas and less reason to steal a low dollar tw200 or similar.

I could change my mind but I think I'm over taking a dirt bike anywhere I have to worry about it or having border/customs/thief issues. A shame really. Country's really need to get there act together. Tourism would really spike if they ever got it together. Then again it wouldn't be the adventure it is now I suppose.....
I'm kinda in the opposite camp, based on the current 4-strokes, the 2-strokes are not that special anymore. If I had to get one bike I'd probably end up on a 350 or 500 4-stroke (or somewhere in between those two) for the riding I do which is also mostly tech NW single track....with a bit of DS thrown in. I miss my tricked out 2016 500 EXC-F the most, not great on the super tight stuff, but manageable and much more versatile. The new EXC-F's make even more sense...
 
I'm kinda in the opposite camp, based on the current 4-strokes, the 2-strokes are not that special anymore. If I had to get one bike I'd probably end up on a 350 or 500 4-stroke (or somewhere in between those two) for the riding I do which is also mostly tech NW single track....with a bit of DS thrown in. I miss my tricked out 2016 500 EXC-F the most, not great on the super tight stuff, but manageable and much more versatile. The new EXC-F's make even more sense...
That is opposite. Just goes to show you how everyone is different in what works for them. I've had a few 4s and while I liked them they mostly sat there while I was on my 2s. I did use them cruel sporting but that stopped when I was doing all day tech and the hot 4s motor boiled gas the whole ride, even with a fan on the 14 450w. The smell of gas for hours on end was not fun. Then I did a ride with some buds and TWO fuel pumps took a crap on the same ride. So now light weight counter balanced carb'd 2s is all I will use for the bush. It's geared down super low and will still cruise at 45-55 all day long with less vibration then my 450s and get 25-38mpg ( tech to forest roads) while my 450s used to get 25-47.
 

nickw

Adventurer
That is opposite. Just goes to show you how everyone is different in what works for them. I've had a few 4s and while I liked them they mostly sat there while I was on my 2s. I did use them cruel sporting but that stopped when I was doing all day tech and the hot 4s motor boiled gas the whole ride, even with a fan on the 14 450w. The smell of gas for hours on end was not fun. Then I did a ride with some buds and TWO fuel pumps took a crap on the same ride. So now light weight counter balanced carb'd 2s is all I will use for the bush. It's geared down super low and will still cruise at 45-55 all day long with less vibration then my 450s and get 25-38mpg ( tech to forest roads) while my 450s used to get 25-47.
Funny how opinions on this can be so different. We ride really tech stuff up here in Oregon and Washington and while bikes can sometimes get hot, neither myself or any of my buddies have problems in practice and have never boiled gas. The group of dudes I ride with are pretty evenly split between 4s and 2s, most of us have one of each and depending on who's bike is being worked on, getting the suspension re-valved or whatever, they'll ride the other. Several of the guys have 300-400 hrs+ on their 4 strokes, no problems on the trails.

For reference my 250 EXC-F with exhaust, desmog and vortex tuner gets somewhere in the neighborhood of 55-62 MPG DS and 40-45 on the trail and has no problems getting up tech stuff and I've never overheated it.

I agree for simplicity sake a Carbed 2 stroke is best, but they are cetainly not as versatile particularly when it comes to longer trips and rides at elevation....
 
Funny how opinions on this can be so different. We ride really tech stuff up here in Oregon and Washington and while bikes can sometimes get hot, neither myself or any of my buddies have problems in practice and have never boiled gas. The group of dudes I ride with are pretty evenly split between 4s and 2s, most of us have one of each and depending on who's bike is being worked on, getting the suspension re-valved or whatever, they'll ride the other. Several of the guys have 300-400 hrs+ on their 4 strokes, no problems on the trails.

For reference my 250 EXC-F with exhaust, desmog and vortex tuner gets somewhere in the neighborhood of 55-62 MPG DS and 40-45 on the trail and has no problems getting up tech stuff and I've never overheated it.

I agree for simplicity sake a Carbed 2 stroke is best, but they are cetainly not as versatile particularly when it comes to longer trips and rides at elevation....
Yeah, it's whatever works for the individual, what they ride and how they ride. For ME the 300 has checked every box in versatility. I regularly do 4k elevation swings and occasionally 6k swings without issue. There are VERY few rides where it swings more then that. I can get anywhere from 60 to 100+ miles on a tank and that is more than enough 90% if time. If I need more I bring extra.

Back to the jeep. My ESS took another crap. I use the Zautomotive mini to do some calibrating and took it out. Worse then ever now. Lots of warnings, and it takes two or more button pushes to start the thing. This doesnt give me warms fuzzies taking this electronic do-dad filled vehicle into the bush.
 

Bobzdar

Observer
Yeah, it's whatever works for the individual, what they ride and how they ride. For ME the 300 has checked every box in versatility. I regularly do 4k elevation swings and occasionally 6k swings without issue. There are VERY few rides where it swings more then that. I can get anywhere from 60 to 100+ miles on a tank and that is more than enough 90% if time. If I need more I bring extra.

Back to the jeep. My ESS took another crap. I use the Zautomotive mini to do some calibrating and took it out. Worse then ever now. Lots of warnings, and it takes two or more button pushes to start the thing. This doesnt give me warms fuzzies taking this electronic do-dad filled vehicle into the bush.

That's why I'm extremely wary about trying one of those programmers. I'd rather spend the money and have the dealer re-calibrate for tire size changes, and the ESS can be controller with your foot. The rest is a bunch of useless fluff like changing light programming. I've had zero electrical issues with either my JLUR or JTR, though the transmission did crap out in the JTR.
 

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