"Honda reliability, I guess."

[TripleB]

25 years of retirement riding now. 7 Honda Quads and 9 Honda side by sides with well over 100,000 miles in the last 25 years and not one break down. 3 Kawasaki's with one broken belt, 3 Polaris with many break downs, 7 Yamaha's with a few break downs. I do a lot of big remote rides on Hondas but I know where my cell phone works and I carry a ham radio. I take my little Suzuki on all the big remote solo rides and I have a larger safety margin.

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Thats awesome! Just from my experience, my friends/family's experiences and all the reading I do, this is my list of reliability. Honda, yamaha, kawasaki, polaris. Yamaha and kawasaki could be flip flopped. Idk where can-am fits in that equation because I've just not researched their machines like I have the others. I do think can-am probably has some of the best looking machines.

 

[Fyathyrio]

Don't they all require a subscription?

No, not all have monthly costs, it depends on what you want from your rescue call device. Both can get that rescue heading your way, Spot can even allow for limited communication with incoming help.

Spot & similar do require a monthly subscription. If the unit you're looking at has any extra features like track update or texting, then it has monthly costs. If you are depending on that device for emergency rescue, you had better be paid up or you're outta luck. Spot & friends use a single constellation of low earth orbit sats to listen for your call. Spot & friends generally don't advertise transmit power, the one figure I found was an estimate of ~1.6 watts. If received, your call for help goes to a private call center. Spot prices vary widely, and are generally less than PLBs since they expect to recoup the unit costs via monthly fees.

Personal locator beacons (PLBs) have only one job, to scream HELP! at 5 watts to multiple satellite constellations. Although no subscription fees are required, you must register your PLB with NOAA upon receipt and every 2 years after. US GPS, Europe Galileo, weather, and dedicated SAR sats can hear & report your call for help. This is the same system that listens for boat EPIRBs and airplane black boxes. Aside from the loud call to the satellites, most PLBs also broadcast a lower power direction finding signal that SAR can follow directly to you once they're in the GPS vicinity reported by the PLB. (There is a way to "trick" the PLB's self-test function into triggering a pre-staged message to be sent to pre-planned receivers, with associated monthly fees.) PLBs generally have a higher initial cost of maybe $300, but no monthly fees, and a non-serviceable battery that should last at least 5 years as long as you don't test it too frequently.

Since I don't anticipate being out of cell range for more than a few hours, I figure the world can manage just fine without my electronic input for that short time. I also do not usually like multi-tools, generally there is some compromise. PLBs are limited in features, but have a strong transmitter and are dedicated to calling for help. Spot has more toys, but less transmit power and less sats listening. After weighing the pros-cons against my needs and situation, I went with a PLB.

 

[Vikes79]

I think back to what I did when I was a kid without phones ( cb radio if I was lucky) running old farm equipment out in the middle of nowhere completely on my own with only a handful of very basic tools (pocket knife, pliers, maybe a hammer and crescent wrench).

Sometimes I’d bring a extra parts, but mostly I’d look at it in the context of bringing some extra water if I needed to make the long walk because I couldn’t bush fix the tractor /swather.

I solo ride with my family all the time, but I bring the appropriate basics to keep the rig operating plus fluids.

 

[Smitty335]

I think back to what I did when I was a kid without phones ( cb radio if I was lucky) running old farm equipment out in the middle of nowhere completely on my own with only a handful of very basic tools (pocket knife, pliers, maybe a hammer and crescent wrench).

Sometimes I’d bring a extra parts, but mostly I’d look at it in the context of bringing some extra water if I needed to make the long walk because I couldn’t bush fix the tractor /swather.

I solo ride with my family all the time, but I bring the appropriate basics to keep the rig operating plus fluids.

I just ride with people that bring all that stuff! HA!

 

[Vikes79]

I just ride with people that bring all that stuff! HA!

That works too.

 

[McCarthy]

I think back to what I did when I was a kid without phones ( cb radio if I was lucky) running old farm equipment out in the middle of nowhere completely on my own with only a handful of very basic tools (pocket knife, pliers, maybe a hammer and crescent wrench).

Sometimes I’d bring a extra parts, but mostly I’d look at it in the context of bringing some extra water if I needed to make the long walk because I couldn’t bush fix the tractor /swather.

I solo ride with my family all the time, but I bring the appropriate basics to keep the rig operating plus fluids.

Big difference between a couple mile walk to the farm house and 40 miles in the 110 degree heat...

 

[Cuoutdoors]

Rode 180 miles yesterday in the mountains of NW Montana.

 

[russknight]

Rode 180 miles yesterday in the mountains of NW Montana yesterday.

Man, that would be my dream ride.

 

[SpeedBuggy]

All my Honda stuff has been more reliable than the other brands I’ve owned Over the years. 2 stroke, 4 stroke, air cooled, water cooled, dirt bikes ATC’s, quads, cars, lawnmowers, weed eater, generators, etc. Honda’s just better, starts and runs every time, even when I could be better at maintaining them. That’s why I Ride Red and continue to support the brand.

Surprised no one said a fire arm. That’s a must for long wilderness trips, especially alone. Honda doesn’t make one so It’s usually the SIG.

 

[DG Rider]

Surprised no one said a fire arm. That’s a must for long wilderness trips, especially alone. Honda doesn’t make one so It’s usually the SIG.

I think in this group that's understood.

 

[Vikes79]

Big difference between a couple mile walk to the farm house and 40 miles in the 110 degree heat...

Who said couple mile walk?

The Ranch I grew up on it took a 1 hr or more to drive the tractor to the field as the crow flies. That’s a 25 mi walk...on Badlands bordering ground...not a cupcake walk by any stretch. Oh yeah, same areas get blizzards and -30F and ranchers are still out rounding up cattle etc


You think that just cause the desert has 110F heat it’s the only place in the US that has it?

Point still remains. Plan accordingly. Basic tools. Some water. Most importantly the brain between your ears. Are you familiar with the area? Do you have a basic 1st aid kit?

If your skills at wrenching are limited to airing up your tires or calling the tow truck via your cell, might be wiser to ride in a group.

 

[Cuoutdoors]

KRX =


Man, that would be my dream ride.

Krx? That was on a honda pioneer 1000

 

[McCarthy]

Who said couple mile walk?

The Ranch I grew up on it took a 1 hr or more to drive the tractor to the field as the crow flies. That’s a 25 mi walk...on Badlands bordering ground...not a cupcake walk by any stretch. Oh yeah, same areas get blizzards and -30F and ranchers are still out rounding up cattle etc


You think that just cause the desert has 110F heat it’s the only place in the US that has it?

Point still remains. Plan accordingly. Basic tools. Some water. Most importantly the brain between your ears. Are you familiar with the area? Do you have a basic 1st aid kit?

If your skills at wrenching are limited to airing up your tires or calling the tow truck via your cell, might be wiser to ride in a group.

25 mile long ranch is gargantuan. Must be prairies? Couple thousand acres likely...

 

[russknight]

Krx? That was on a honda pioneer 1000

The KRX wasn't supposed to be there. Let me edit it. 🤣

 

[tjoreo]

On the subject of Satelite communicators if anyone is interested. I bought the Garmin Inreach and it has worked very well. It has the SOS button, tracking ability and 2 way communication through text. When I was first looking at them, the SPOT would only send messages out, but that might have changed now. This one will send messages and receive messages, even in the SOS mode. We had a young lady at work that took her 90+ grandma on a Sunday picnic early last December they ended up on a atv trail and got stuck in a bottom of a canyon. They were there for 2 days before someone found them after 10" of new snow. It sold me right there to invest in one, with the idea that it might not be me that needs help but it could be someone else. A couple of weeks ago, I left my wife and kids camping a few hours away for a couple of weeks, with the peace of mind I could communicate with them. She would check in every afternoon and I could get on the computer and see exactly where they were. The initial price was kind of steep $275 but the cheapest "Emergency" plan runs about $12/month. I figured 2 or 3 Starbucks coffees was worth the peace of mind. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Fyathyrio]

Since this thread has kind of expanded into general outfitting for extended solo trips . . .

While looking to flesh out my recovery gear, I ran across a Chinese invasion of synthetic rope. Brands with confidence inspiring names like "Qiqu" are all over Amazon & friends. Lots of reviews that say it's a pretty rope, but not much in the way of actual tech specs and testing. I avoided those brands like a poopy flavored lollypop.

What I did run across is a site called Custom Splice. I was looking for a 50' extension rope, they have a wide variety of brands, colors, & sizes, and decent prices. Rope takes up less space than straps do, and weighs less, so those benefits make it worth the little bit more $$ for me.

And, in the great idea, but s***ty implementation department, the Rotopax emergency gear pack has no seal at all, and mine filled with dust within moments of hitting the trail. Might be OK for things like a folding shovel or flashlight, but not my 1st aid kit. The EMP underhood trunk appears to be a better option for clean storage since it's generally in front of the dust cloud. It's a little more expensive than the Rotopax, but doesn't have the added cost of a mount and uses what would normally be wasted empty space.

 

[DG Rider]

Since this thread has kind of expanded into general outfitting for extended solo trips . . .

While looking to flesh out my recovery gear, I ran across a Chinese invasion of synthetic rope. Brands with confidence inspiring names like "Qiqu" are all over Amazon & friends. Lots of reviews that say it's a pretty rope, but not much in the way of actual tech specs and testing. I avoided those brands like a poopy flavored lollypop.

What I did run across is a site called Custom Splice. I was looking for a 50' extension rope, they have a wide variety of brands, colors, & sizes, and decent prices. Rope takes up less space than straps do, and weighs less, so those benefits make it worth the little bit more $$ for me.

And, in the great idea, but s***ty implementation department, the Rotopax emergency gear pack has no seal at all, and mine filled with dust within moments of hitting the trail. Might be OK for things like a folding shovel or flashlight, but not my 1st aid kit. The EMP underhood trunk appears to be a better option for clean storage since it's generally in front of the dust cloud. It's a little more expensive than the Rotopax, but doesn't have the added cost of a mount and uses what would normally be wasted empty space.

Don't know if we have a "recovery" thread, but maybe someone should start one?

 

[DG Rider]

Don't know if we have a "recovery" thread, but maybe someone should start one?

By someone, I mean you guys...LOL. I'm at work...

 

[PaulF]

The EMP underhood trunk appears to be a better option for clean storage since it's generally in front of the dust cloud. It's a little more expensive than the Rotopax, but doesn't have the added cost of a mount and uses what would normally be wasted empty space.

The EMP unit is great storage but don't expect it to be clean. Last week I pulled everything out to rearrange and the bottom had over 1/2 inch of sand from the dunes in it. Went on a 50 mile ride over the weekend in VERY dusty conditions and everything inside is cake in dust.

 

[Fyathyrio]

Oh, yeah, I don't doubt that since it's basically an open container, mine just has less dust in it than my Rotopax storage thingy.