Buildout Gallery

The Buildout Process

It is important to plan your buildout right down to the last farkle. I will attempt to give you a jumpstart on starting this process in order to save you time and money.
Suggestions:
  • Determine wether or not you have the time, mechanical skills, work place to stay organized, and the tools to do your build out. A Garage like IRR can save you money on parts if you determine to have an experienced, Adventure Rider help you with all of the ordering of parts that will be specific to your needs, and proven in the field on our own bikes.
  • There is a tremendous amount of time that goes into completely building out an adventure bike. Most guys do it over a couple of years but this leaves different aspects of your bike exposed to potential damage if you choose to wait on some of the protective elements of your build out. Another reason to do everything at once is that when it comes to the addition of electrical wiring and the addition of accessories, You must be willing to dig very deep into the AT. The addition of crash bars, light guards, and skid plates can add to the length of time that it takes to get to the epicenter of your wiring routes so you'll want to be systematic in your planning and approach to the build out process.
  • Always start by determining the amount of electrical accessories that you will require and if they will require a switched or un-switched power supply. you will need to know where you plan to mount them too. At IRR we do not mount anything to the handle bars. Over the years We have determined that this is problematic in the aspects of durability in your wiring because of flexion, that it can effect handling, and even interfere with other controls. Many riders will choose heated grips, powered phone mounts, GPS, additional, 12v plug adaptors, (Honda does not provide 12v plug adaptors on their standard models. They bury a nice little connector that is hard wired to the center of the instrument console and behind the headlights but, they pull a cheap trick on their consumers and offer them the plug and connections for around $75, then they stand back and watch to see who has the cojones to do the install or pay the dealership to do it). We purchase better plugs and better wiring harnesses though our suppliers. This is beneficial for many reasons that we will not go into now and provides excellent powers source alternatives like a PC-8 fuse panel that gives 6 switched channels and 2 un-switched channels for your electrical needs. For more info contact us at IRR.
  • After you run your wiring, start mounting your accessories in there locations. Make sure the wiring will not get pinched, that plugs are accessible and that your devices are all functional before you reassemble the bike for the other farkles.
  • Now start with the external add on's. This is the order of our Accessories and then the order of our external bolt on products.
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Electrical Accessories

  • PC-8 Fuse Block wired to battery and plugged into un-switched alarm port with a splitter.
  • Battery Tender Plug installed to un-switched side of PC-8 Panel.
  • Run Denali D2 wiring for running lights, along with Hi/Low beam switch.
  • Locate switched plug behind instrument panel that will receive the splitter for the Hi-beam switch and the absent Honda factory 12v adaptor plug. Plug the D2 light switch into the plug.
  • Install the switched 12v adaptor plug in the factory slot and route wires to splitter. (Express disgust for Honda's laziness!)
  • Run heated grip wiring to from the PC-8 to the handle bars.
  • Route GPS wiring from the PC-8 to the dash panel and plan its exit point at the top of the dash near the GPS.
  • Run Additional A/C Adaptor Plug as a switched constantly on power source, to the fairing area. There are little options provided so we got creative near the tank bag where we will be recharging CPAP batteries.
  • Rox 2" Risers were then fitted in place and all of the cockpit accessories were adjusted.
  • An Atlas Throttle Lock was added and adjusted.
  • This Point the bike was completed but there was the addition of some of the IRR system features that make travel much easier!
  • An Altrider 33 liter Bag was added for tent accessories and air mattress, and sleeping bag.
  • A Kuryakin Day Bag
  • All Bags were fitted and applied with custom straps at IRR.
  • B&B Off-Road Engineering, Big Tour and Maxi Tour Plates became the platform for pillion luggage.
  • Graphics were designed and applied by IRR to the bike. All I Ride Rogue decals were printed by The Sign Dude in Medford, Oregon.
  • The rest were provided by Riders Domain and our various vendors.

Bolt on Accessories

  • SW Motech Center Stand is where you want to start on any build. This stabilizes the bike for many aspects of the build out. A Motorcycle Lift come in real handy! 
  • Tusk Pannier Racks are tuff and inexpensive but require fabrication under the rear pillion. The Seat must be removed along with a substantial portion of the rack system. Drilling holes is required for the mounting and sealing of the Tusk rear rack support. After installation of the rack system the boxes are fitted at the right angles and position.
  • Camel Windscreen Brace was mounted and the stock windshield was removed for fitment of the new Touratech Windscreen. After the windscreen was in place we positioned the Ram Phone mounts and GPS mounts on to the Camel Brace.
  • IMS Adventure III foot pegs were added.
  • Nest the brake in oils were removed and the filters changed. We instaled magnetic drain plugs. and prepared for the mounting of the Skid Plate.
  • Altrider provided us with as much protective gear as we could put on this bike. It is in our opinion the best gear in the industry. The fitment was relatively easy but it requires reading the instructions so don't get ahead of things! Unpack your parts, place all of your hardware in one place, while unwrapping your parts. Start with disconnecting the exhaust. (This is not a full disconnect. loosen the acorn nuts at the exhaust ports to the last 4-5 threads, disconnect the frame bolt and the upper rubber exhaust mount while supporting and lowering the back of the muffler system out of the way with a strap). Now start mounting all of your brackets first from the top down. Make sure to mount the head light screen bracket first and then after securing all of the other brackets, mount the lower crash bars. Leave all bracket loose and re-mount the exhaust.
  • Upper Crash Bars and Brace
  • Remount Windshield and add the Headlight Screen.
  • Tighten and Torque all Nuts, Bolts and Brackets including the Skid plate brackets underneath. (For the majority of the Crash Bar and Skid Plate application we put the bike backwards on the lift so we could still manipulate the steering wheel. this opened up some of the tight areas.).
  • Install Skid Plate, Altrider Radiator Guards, and Denali Light Pod Mounts from SW Motech. 
  • Rox 2" Risers were then fitted in place and all of the cockpit accessories were adjusted

Why I chose the Honda africa twin

Honda Africa Twin
Most of today’s adventure bikes, despite their extra-large dimensions and scale-straining weights, are quite capable off-road. Many feature traction control, off-road-optimized ABS and electronically adjustable suspension that help compensate for their hulking bulk. But, most of the time, adventure tourers do their adventuring on pavement. With their powerful engines, street-friendly tires and cast wheels, high-tech electronics, comfortable ergonomics, big gas tanks and high load capacities, adventure bikes have become two-wheeled multi-tools—do-it-all “every thing bikes” that serve as commuters, sport tourers, luggage-laden luxury travelers and even boulevard cruisers (insert Starbucks joke here).

The Honda Africa Twin’s standard skid plate provides decent coverage and the aluminum rims were made stronger for 2017. However they do require tube-type tires. I will be mounting Shinko Crossfly’s or Continental TKC80’s. 
The CRF1000L’s purpose-built; 998cc parallel twin is a real gem, with great sound and character as well as a flat, meaty torque curve. It is a descendant of Dakar Rally winners and Honda’s original XRV650 Africa Twin, introduced in 1988, was based on the prototype racer that won the Dakar from 1986-1989. It was produced for 15 years and became a dual-sport legend but was never sold in the U.S. When the Africa Twin was re-introduced for 2016 as the CRF1000L (and finally brought stateside), it took design cues from Honda’s CRF450R Rally, including a steel semi-double cradle frame, 21-inch front/18-inch rear spoked rims shod with tube-type tires, extra-long suspension travel and generous ground clearance. Honda abandoned the previous Africa Twin’s V-twin configuration in favor of a more space-efficient parallel twin. Tucking the battery and ABS unit behind the forward-canted cylinders freed up space under the seat, allowing it be at a reasonable height. The liquid-cooled, 998cc twin also has a compact, four-valve SOHC Unicam head, a 270-degree crank with irregular firing intervals and dual balance shafts to quell vibration. Conventional throttle cables mean there are no riding modes or electronic cruise control, but the CRF1000L has traction control that can be adjusted on the fly (three levels or off) using a trigger on the left handlebar. The 2017 Honda Africa Twin arrives bone stock, with a base price of $14,399 for the DCT Model in our area.
Standing on the pegs, which moves the point where your weight is carried from high up on the seat to down low, makes big, heavy adventure bikes much easier to control when riding off-road. With their sculpted gas tanks and upright handlebars, the AT was designed to make stand-up riding feel natural and comfortable, though tall riders have to hunch forward slightly and may want to add bar risers.

The bike has extra-long suspension travel, ample ground clearance and comfortable, upright seating positions. The Africa Twin feels narrow and more compact than anything else I sat on from the saddle, and its two-position seat offers (34.3 /33.5 inches) in the lowest setting. This was important to me because I am 5’7”, 54 years old, grove hard and put away dirty, and getting old. In fact I could die any time so it is best you just learn to fend for yourselves. Where were we?
The Africa Twin looks like a fierce competitor. It’s tall and narrow, with rally styling, wide, upright handlebars equipped with hand guards and small windscreens.  The bike looks compact, and it feels that way from the saddle. It has 21-inch front/18-inch spoked wheels that are compatible with a wide range of off-road tires, but requires tubes, which was important to me. They have nearly 10 inches of ground clearance and some of the longest suspension travel this side of a full-on dirt bike: 9.1/8.7 inches front/rear on the t AT. Such big-wheeled, long-legged bike means that its seat height may be tall, but there’s a significant difference between the Africa Twin and other bikes in it’s class that will make or break the decision for many people. The AT’s two-position seat can be set at 33.5 or 34.3 inches (and the accessory low seat drops the height to 32.3/33.1 inches), while bikes like the KTM 1090’s non-adjustable seat is 35 inches high—no ifs, ands or buts. Even if you are 6 feet tall with a 34-inch inseam, it will require you to stand on you tiptoes at a stop. If you’re me you have to brace yourself on the vehicle next to you or find the curb quick! Many people struggle with the KTM’s nosebleed seat height. Although its standard suspension settings are soft for street riding, the Honda handles confidently over any type of terrain. The only draw back I have experienced so far is the inherent fork dive that is common to some adventure bikes and their parent company.

For motorcycles designed to spend as much time as possible off-road, you’d expect them to be light, but that isn’t the case. Fully fueled, The AT tips the scales in excess of 513 pounds. It feels much lighter from the saddle and while standing on the pegs; it feels well balanced and agile, especially when navigating tricky, uneven terrain. The twin-cylinder engine allows it to be narrow at the hips, and has generous legroom. I has a nice flat saddle and an upright seating position that makes it popular for touring.

The bike feels very stable in tight curves. In terms of handling and braking performance, the Honda is fairly evenly matched with it’s competitors. It’s big, 21-inch front wheel resists initial turn-in at road speeds, but otherwise it has neutral, stable steering. Off-road, where line selection is more critical, it is easy to maneuver with precision by pressing the handlebars or weighting the pegs. It has large, dual front discs squeezed by 4-piston radial calipers that are powerful when needed but easy to modulate when sensitivity is required, but the rear brakes feel mushy at the pedal and provide little feedback. Brake and clutch levers are adjustable, and the DCT can out think you and out shift you with a buttery smoothness I would have never thought possible. Off-road-optimized ABS works very well, applying anti-lock braking to the front wheel to prevent gravity-testing skids on loose surfaces while allowing the rear wheel to be locked up as desired. Likewise, it has fully adjustable suspension that is calibrated to take a lot of abuse without complaint and excel in a wide range of conditions on- and off-road. The beefy forks and, at the rear, the Honda’s Pro-Link setup withstand big hits and g-outs without bottoming and keep the chassis under control, the remote rear preload adjusters are handy too.

Moments like this were made for big dualies like the Honda Africa Twin - getting away from the office, traffic and other trappings of daily life and savoring the big outdoors. These bikes can comfortably pound the pavement on the way to your nearest farm road, forest road or off-road trail and then keep going. The Honda’s parallel twin, was purpose-built for the Africa Twin, and it delivers not only rich character and smooth power delivery but very strong midrange—power and torque right where you need it most. It really came down to this for me in making my choice to purchase the Africa Twin. My riding style and objective to tour though the backcountry while really enjoying the outdoors for extended periods of time made me realize the Africa Twin was for the most part stylized to meet all of my objectives with out being such a hybrid that I can’t work on it or have it be hard on my pocket book. 

Altrider Products for the IRR Africa Twin.

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We believe AltRider products to be the strongest and most durable products on the market. We are committed to companies that allow us the ability to single-source everything we need from one place. AltRider has demonstrated that they are also about helping small businesses like IRR grow so, we want to do everything we can to promote, and use their products. AltRider is devoted to developing products that work and they are continually adding new products to their line.  IRR offers parts discounts on all AltRider products when we do your build-out in the IRR Garage. Call today to schedule an appointment so we can order you're products and get your bike ready for adventure. 
​541-621-8814

See why we're so excited about Altrider products.

ALTRIDER
​Rear Brake Reservoir Guard
ALTRIDER
Full Crash Bar System
ALTRIDER
​Skid Plate
ALTRIDER
Headlight Guard
ALTRIDER
Side Stand Enlarger
ALTRIDER
​Radiator Guards

Other Products we like!

TUSK
Panniers & Rack
IMS
​Adventure Pegs
TOURATECH
Windscreen
CAMEL
Adventure Brace
B&B
Big Tour Plate
B&B
Maxi Tour Plate Exstention
I like that the Big Red shows a big and impressive advantage below 7,000 rpm. At 3,200 rpm, the Honda makes 32 percent more horsepower and 30 percent more torque than the KTM 1090 for instance. It just goes to show you that big horsepower numbers aren’t always what is important. 90% of my tours are in the backcountry and average 30mph. Where does one think I will use 125 to 165 hp. The 98 ponies packed into the parallel Twin yield some impressive results and came as a surprise to me. It is no dog when when you compare it to even much larger horsepower and displacement machines.
​For instance, Here are some random comparisons of track times from reputable websites.  It is not the fastest bike out there but it should be respected.
  • All information was gathered through web searches.
  • 2017 CRF1000L/D Africa Twin - 0-60 mph in 2.7 sec, 0-100 in 4.4 sec, and a ¼ mile time of 12.0 sec.
  • 2015 BMW R1200GS - 0-60 mph 2.9 | Quarter mile 11.1
  • 2005 Honda Gold Wing - 0-60 mph 4.1 | Quarter mile 12.4
  • 2013 Kawasaki KLR650 - 0-60 mph 5.4 | Quarter mile 14.4
  • 2012 Kawasaki Versys - 0-60 mph 3.9 | Quarter mile 12.7
  • 2017 KTM 1190 Adventure R - 0-60 mph 3.0 | Quarter mile 11.1
  • 2009 KTM 950 Adventure S - 0-60 mph 3.7 | Quarter mile 11.7 
  • 2006 KTM 950 Adventure - 0-60 mph 3.1 | Quarter mile 11.6
  • 2013 KTM 990 Adventure Baja Edition - 0-60 mph 3.1 | Quarter mile 11.5
  • 2011 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Custom - 0-60 mph 5.4 | Quarter mile 13.7
  • 2012 Suzuki V-Strom 650 ABS 0-60 mph 3.5 | Quarter mile 12.4
  • 2015 Triumph Tiger 800XCx 0-60 mph 3.6 | Quarter mile 12.0
  • 2013 Yamaha Super Tenere 0-60 mph 3.2 | Quarter mile 11.8
The Honda’s dual, stacked LCD panels provide a lot of info, but they take a little getting used to. Also, the highly reflective plastic lenses are susceptible to glare, which can make the displays hard to read. Another cool feature allows you to a push button feature on the right that turns off ABS at the rear wheel.
After going through the process of breaking the bike in, I have come to the conclusion that the Africa Twin ia a highly capable dual-sport that performs well on and off the pavement, but it will appeal to different riders. The KTM is a great bike for performance-oriented riders who are willing to pay more for its additional horsepower, versatile riding modes, higher fuel capacity. It is a great machine if you have the same purpose. The Honda, on the other hand, is lighter, less expensive, more user-friendly, easier to work on in camp, and has a seat height that’s within reach for more riders, and replacement parts are considerably less. The service intervals are also spread much further apart. You can’t go wrong really with any of the new machines on the market; all will take you just about anywhere its possible to go on two wheels, but for me along with the purpose I have for the bike, the Africa Twin won my vote!

DCT - Dual ClutH Transmission

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People are scared of change. It is part of human nature. Yet if nothing changed, we would have no such thing as progress. Honda’s DCT (Dual Clutch Transmission) has been around for a number of years and with the debut of the Africa Twin CRF1000L Honda offered two versions of the bike, manual transmission and DCT. I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty mechanics of how DCT works in this story. I want to focus on how the DCT Africa Twin can actually make your off-road riding better and a more positive experience.

1. No More Stalls
One of the main benefits of the DCT system is that you cannot stall the bike. This is one of the biggest hurdles when riding off-road in difficult situations. Or even for the new rider, trying to get going from a stop on a hill can be difficult. In the off-road world, a company called Rekluse has offered what they called an auto-clutch for dirt bikes for years. You still have to shift the bike with the shift pedal but off-road riders, even top professionals, have long been using this system to get them through the toughest of technical terrain. The same applies to the DCT transmission. Without worry of stalling the bike, getting up that sketchy ledge or through those tight trees is so much easier. Just a small lapse in concentration can cause a manual transmission bike to stall and if you are caught off-guard in a precarious position, dropping the bike is a real possibility. If you add up all the stalls in a typical day of off-road riding, there’s a good chance you’d be faster and safer with DCT.

2. Sand Is A Cinch
Deep sand can cause even the heartiest of ADV riders to tense up and ride with serious hesitation. The problem with deep sand is that there are a lot of different things to think about at once. You want enough speed not to sink, but not so much that you get out of control, while also trying to lean back and steer with your feet, not the bars. With a DCT bike, first off, you don’t have to think about what gear to select – in automatic mode the bike does that for you. And even if you have it in manual mode, you don’t have to worry about modulating the clutch. If you end up stopped in sand, it can be very difficult to get going. If you are too aggressive with the throttle and clutch, you can just start digging a hole rather than moving forward. The DCT allows the rider to only focus on throttle input and to slowly and smoothly give the bike more gas and let the DCT handle the power modulation. In seriously, powdery sand, riding the Africa Twin with DCT, allows you to just let the bike choose the gear and focus on keeping up our momentum and steering rather than worrying about stalling or being in too low of a gear and digging in. Also, slowing down fast for a slow-speed turn in deep sand, the sand can often grab the rear wheel and cause a stall if you aren’t partially engaging the clutch (which is also hard to do if you are under full braking force). Not a worry with DCT.

3. Steep Climbs
Getting big bikes up steep hills is hard. When the hill is rocky, tight, and technical, using the clutch to control the power is necessary but takes a good amount of skill and concentration. When I point the DCT Africa Twin up these kinds of climbs, it takes less effort most of the time since I am free to concentrate on keeping my weight forward (not sliding off the back), picking a line, and maneuvering the bike around obstacles.

The second benefit is, with the bike in auto mode, it can pick the right gear for the climb. Sometimes the challenge of a hill isn’t slow and technical but the overall steepness where speed and momentum are the only way to make it. With a manual bike, you sort of have to guess which gear to attack the hill in, be it first, second, or maybe third. Then when you’re in trouble, trying to shift can really screw you up. Using lots of sensors telling it how the bike is tilted, its speed, and throttle input, the Africa Twin’s computer can choose just the right gear to keep you climbing. But this is also where there is a bit of a problem. Of the three “S” modes, S3 is the sportiest and holds a gear the longest while S1 is the least of the sport modes and shifts lower in the RPM. When climbing a particularly steep and soft hill in S3 we found that it wouldn’t upshift and stayed in first gear bouncing off the rev limiter. Switching to S1 allowed the bike to upshift and keep gaining speed. This is where playing and getting comfortable with the different drive modes can really help.

4. Technical Terrain
This was sort of touched on with the “Can’t Stall” section but there is more to technical riding than just not stalling. Surprisingly, you are able to put this bike in some very technical places to test the DCT (sections that would even have dirt bike riders second guessing). One of the benefits I hadn’t really counted on was that you are not burdened with moving your left boot to shift and not using your left hand to pull in the clutch. This seems like a small thing but when you’re using all of your physical prowess to balance on a 500 plus pound machine, and shifting your weight and body position to make it through really hard sections, being able to keep your foot firmly planted in the same position on the peg really helps.

This is also where the DCT system can really help new riders and/or riders who are new to off road. With shifting and clutch modulation taken out of the equation, the DCT can give a rider the confidence to take a trail he or she wouldn’t have otherwise.

5. Mental and Physical Fatigue
This is actually the biggest benefit of DCT. I’ve ridden the DCT Africa Twin on some long, hard, technical rides and at the end of the day, I  just feel better. Sure, I would have made it just fine on the manual version, but I would have been more physically and mentally drained. And this is not just a trivial notion of “feeling better.” We are talking about being fresher and riding with more control towards the end of the day, which increases both safety and fun factor. By the end of the trip, I don’t feel like I need a vacation from my vacation!

Bonus Points
Not that I would advocate distracted riding, but there are times when you have to press a button on your GPS or map app on your phone while riding. Not having to worry about keeping a hand over the clutch makes this easier. The last two benefits don’t really apply to most riders but as someone who is constantly looking after 5 other guys, I sure appreciate them. First, using a point-and-shoot camera while riding is much easier with the DCT shifting for you as slow down or speed up to get the perfect shot. 

A Few Drawbacks To Consider
It’s not always perfect and sometimes you do get a gear you didn’t want, but most of the time it does what you need. You notice that riding with DCT is less of a strain and takes less effort to go fast. Also, there is a weight penalty of about 30 lbs that can be felt. The DCT model feels a little slower turning if you hop on it right after riding the standard transmission version, but it’s not something you think about on your average off-road ride and you quickly adjust. Also, directly off idle there is a slight hesitation in clutch engagement. As you crack the throttle open, you hear the rpm start to rise then a split second later you feel the bike start to move. And that initial motion is a little bit jerky. We bring this up because with a clutch, the rider can make that initial engagement extremely smooth and the DCT doesn’t give you that option. This is, at best, just a slight annoyance when creeping along in first gear looking for a parking spot, or, at worse, it can cause you to not clear a section of the trail. While riding a particular difficult rocky section, there was a ledge that we got the front wheel up, then the back wheel, but started to roll backward. When we cracked the throttle open again the slight hesitation allowed enough time for the back wheel to roll back down the ledge and we were stuck. The good news is that the 2018 Africa Twin(s) don’t have this issue because of their throttle-by-wire system.

So, why did I buy the DCT Africa Twin? Initially I was split, to be honest. I was raised riding motorcycles and have over 48 years of direct interaction with a clutch and gears, so Standard was the only standard, and I thought it would be too hard to give up. But on the toughest trails, where I was told that I might second-guess that decision. I felt that the confidence boost would let me explore all the backcountry that I might not on a big bike or a bike that was too tall for me. In normal Hwy touring circumstances you always want your maximum focus on other drivers. In the Backcountry it’s always nice to be able to enjoy the views a bit more while managing a bike less which is the primary purpose and focus for getting on adventure these days.