The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returns to where it all started back in 1988, as Donington Park prepares to host Round 5 of the 2024 season. A circuit that needs no introduction, a classic across WorldSBK and the wider motorsport world, Donington has been a mainstay on the calendar during World Superbike’s history. Ahead of the Prosecco DOC UK Round, arm yourself with some fast facts below…
2023 race winners:
Alvaro Bautista (Ducati: Race 1, Race 2)
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha: Tissot Superpole Race)
Last three pole-sitters at Donington:
2023: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’26.041s
2022: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’26.080s
2021: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’40.101s
Manufacturer podium places (and wins) accumulated from all races at Donington:
Ducati: 59 (19)
Kawasaki: 54 (19)
Yamaha: 30 (15)
Honda: 22 (7)
Aprilia: 8
Suzuki: 9 (1)
BMW: 8 (1)
Bimota: 2 (2)
Key gaps from Donington 2023:
Front row covered by: 0.164s
1 second in Superpole covered… the top 12: 0.701s
Closest race gap between 1st and 2nd: 0.315s (Razgatlioglu 1st, Bautista 2nd, Superpole Race)
The FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup comes to Donington Park in the UK for Round 4 of the 2024 campaign, and as the season tips over its half-way point the title battle is heating up among the front runners.
Last time out in Misano onlookers were treated to one of the most spectacular races in the series’ young history with no fewer than eleven riders in winning contention on the run to the chequered flag in Race 2. While title-favourite Gonzalo Sanchez chalked up his fourth victory in the first race, the home riders charged to the front on Sunday and wildcard Christian Pucci took a maiden win.
Marc Vich remains Sanchez’s closest adversary after the Mallorcan collected 20 points for second place in Race 1 at Misano, and he now sits 28 points behind the rookie rider. However, after a run of consistent finishes, R3 stalwarts Dawid Nowak and Eduardo Burr have closed to within 17 and 18 points of Vich respectively. Following his best outing of the season so far, Italian rookie Alessandro di Persio has rocketed to fifth in the standings – just five points behind Burr – and Japan’s Takumi Takahashi and Shoma Yamane are separated by just one point in sixth and seventh.
Donington Park will offer the young bLU cRU riders the experience of racing on a classic track with all its quirks and challenges, along with its infamously changeable weather conditions. Another spectacle awaits as the stars of the future battle for their pass to the WorldSSP300 class and beyond.
Tune in LIVE on the Yamaha Racing YouTube channel at 17:15 CET on Saturday and Sunday to catch all the R3 World Cup action.
WorldSBK joins the Portuguese and wider motorsport community in paying tribute to the CEO of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve (AIA), Paulo Pinheiro, who has sadly passed away.
First a mechanical engineer by trade, Pinheiro became the driving force behind the creation of the AIA near his hometown of Portimão. When it opened and first hosted WorldSBK in 2008, it instantly joined the pantheon of greats as one of the most spectacular racetracks in the world.
Under Pinheiro’s leadership, the AIA quickly became a beloved fixture in the WorldSBK calendar. The iconic “rollercoaster” track layout provided thrilling races and unforgettable moments, cementing its place as a favourite among riders and fans alike.
WorldSBK extends our sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and community.
The MV Agusta Superveloce 1000 Serie Oro is a limited-edition model of 500 units worldwide described as “the shape of desire.” More a work of art than an every-garage bike, the Superveloce 1000 Serie Oro features premium components and state-of-the-art technology. Even if you can’t get your hands on one of the 500 units, you can still enjoy its visual beauty and save its high five-figure price for a rainy day.
Powering the MV Agusta Superveloce 1000 Serie Oro is the 998cc inline-Four also found in the Rush 1000 and Brutale 1000. MV Agusta claims the engine makes 208 hp at 13,000 rpm and 85.9 lb-ft of torque at 11,000 rpm, with redline at 14,000 rpm. Top-quality components here include forged titanium connecting rods, DLC-coated cams, and titanium valves. The Akrapovič four-exit titanium exhaust was developed specifically for this bike and features an “organ pipe” shape.
It rides on a steel trellis frame, and the single-sided swingarm is made of aluminum and has a height-adjustable connector pin. Suspension is provided by Öhlins with a 43mm inverted fork and a 36mm monoshock, both offering 4.7 inches of travel. The fork is electronically adjustable for compression and rebound and manually adjustable for spring preload, while the shock is electronically adjustable for preload, rebound, and compression. Also included is an electronically adjustable Öhlins steering damper.
Keeping with the theme of high-quality components, Brembo supplies the brakes. Up front are two 320mm discs with radially mounted Stylema 4-piston calipers, and in the rear is a 220mm disc with a Brembo 2-piston caliper. The cornering ABS system has two levels of intervention: Sport and Race modes.
Designed and built at the MV Agusta facilities on the shores of Lake Varese in Italy, the Superveloce 1000 Serie Oro is made to be admired. Key styling details include a round headlight, horizontal lines, and high-tech materials like carbon fiber. In fact, the bike’s entire bodywork is carbon fiber painted with Ago Silver, Pearl Shock Red, and Gold Ciclistica. MV Agusta says 41 components on the bike are made of carbon fiber using two different processes: forged and laminated. The seat is made of leather and Alcantara, and a leather strap runs down the fuel tank. The star-shaped wheels draw the eyes, and the rear wheel’s hub features the MV logo. The winglets provide visual impact and some downforce at speed.
Technology is abundant on the MV Agusta Superveloce 1000 Serie Oro. In addition to two-mode ABS, it features traction control with eight levels of intervention, front lift control to optimize wheelies, launch control, cruise control, the MV EAS 4.0 bi-directional quickshifter, and four ride modes: Rain, Sport, Race, and Custom.
Through the MV Ride app, riders can access turn-by-turn navigation that is displayed on the 5.5-inch TFT color instrumentation. The Trip Record function of the app allows riders to record their rides and view the completed route, speed, gear used, lean angle, altitude, and travel times, and they can share their recorded rides with the MV community on the app. It also includes an alarm managed through the Greenbox app to alert the owner if the bike is messed with, and MV provides one year of free use for the alarm.
As a limited-edition model, the MV Agusta Superveloce 1000 Serie Oro comes with a dedicated kit that includes a certificate of authenticity, a dedicated motorcycle cover, a passenger seat in leather and Alcantara, passenger footpegs, carbon passenger heel guards, CNC-machined brake and clutch levers, and height-adjustment plates for the swingarm pin.
MV Agusta hasn’t announced a U.S. price for the Superveloce 1000 Serie Oro, but the U.K. price is £61,400 (nearly USD $79,000). During the press briefing for the bike, MV Agusta said preorders were originally exclusive to brand collectors, and it claimed about 60% of the 500 units to be made are already spoken for. Those interested in one of these limited-edition motorcycles should make haste to their local dealer to inquire about ordering one.
Episode 2 of Track Day TIP’s now live presented by Cheshire Mouldings & Woodturnings Ltd
Welcome back everyone to another episode of Track day “Pro Tips” presented by Cheshire Mouldings. I’ve had a lot of questions after the first video so I’m d… Source: Jonathan Rea On Facebook
As the 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship gets set for the Prosecco DOC UK Round, one topic keeps coming up: the future of reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). The Spaniard is yet to confirm his plans beyond the end of this year and, ahead of the visit to Donington Park, WorldSBK commentator Steve English dissects the situation.
THE BAUTISTA CONUNDRUM: a contrast in form compared to last year…
Twelve months ago you’d have been rounded up and accused of rabble-rousing for even suggesting but… do Ducati need Alvaro Bautista? The Spaniard is a double World Champion for the Bologna manufacturer and the winner of 61 races. No rider has more wins for Ducati and by the end of the season no rider will have had more podiums for the Italian concern. However, there’s a growing sense around the WorldSBK paddock that change is in the air. Bautista arrived at Donington Park last year having won 14 of the opening 15 races. He would go on to win two races that weekend and finished the campaign with eight wins on the bounce. The perfect marriage of man and machine had dominated WorldSBK for a second season. Things couldn’t have been rosier.
The tide has turned in 2024 though. Bautista has won just two of 12 races and sits third in the standings. Having been the only rider able to consistently perform on the Panigale V4 R, he now sits behind his rookie teammate, Nicolo Bulega, in the Championship standings. Does Bautista still have the upper hand in negotiations with Ducati? It would be debatable to say that he does. Ducati have already shown how cut-throat they can be with the Spaniard. Back in 2019 they let him walk after his fortunes started to falter mid-season. Having seen how life was at Team HRC in 2020 and 2021, it must be clear to Bautista that his success is tied to the red machine.
WHAT’S CAUSED THE DOWNTURN IN FORM? Multiple forces impact Bautista
Serious injuries suffered in a post-season test have clearly affected Bautista. The same can be said for the changes to the regulation but the extent of his turnaround is stark. And worrying. A heavier motorcycle was always going to affect the diminutive Bautista more than any other rider, but the extent of that weight penalty is much debated. Has he added 5kg or a lot less due to the Ducati being close to the weight limit? Has the extra RPM helped other Ducati riders but not Bautista? The Championship table and results show the impact that these forces have had on Alvaro. If all things are equal, he can still be a WorldSBK superstar but as things stand his power at the negotiating table is being lessened each weekend.
WAITING IN THE WINGS: a decision to be made for Ducati?
Until last year Donington could have been seen as a bogey track for Bautista. A 1-2-1 weekend put that to bed but now he needs something similar if he’s to keep in the good graces of the Ducati hierarchy. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) has had an up and down campaign as he returns from his four-year doping ban, but the Italian has always said that he has a “special relationship” with Ducati and Gigi Dall’Igna. Is it enough to pluck him from the Independent GoEleven squad or is it too soon to do that?
Time will tell but if Bautista has another tough weekend, it will get harder and harder to justify meeting his demands. The simplest solution is a one-year deal and to keep things stable within the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati squad but until Alvaro gets back to his best there’ll be a nagging question as to whether he has fallen off the cliff and now can’t climb back to the top.
WILL TOPRAK’S FORM DICTATE THINGS? Two crucial rounds coming up…
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and BMW are only going to get stronger. Bulega will only continue to grow. Is a MotoGP™ exile a possibility? Ducati need to think about the future too and is a 40-year-old Bautista the rider they’d choose to back? His success and track record certainly warrants viewing this season as a blip. The next two weekends – back-to-back rounds at Donington and Most – will likely determine Ducati’s decision. Bautista needs to be at his best at two tracks where Toprak has traditionally excelled. We won’t see a more motivated Bautista than during this time.
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship hits Donington Park for Round 5 of the season and Pirelli have unveiled their tyre allocation for the Prosecco DOC UK Round. The Italian manufacturer have opted for an all-standard set of tyres this weekend, at both the front and rear, at a track that can be very demanding on tyres especially after last year’s resurfacing.
NO DEVELOPMENT TYRES: standard front solutions
Pirelli often opt to bring development solutions to rounds as they enhance and innovate but the UK Round is different with only standard solutions available. At the front, the tyres available are the standard SC1 medium and SC2 hard on a track that has everything: fast and flowing corners as well as hard braking areas and slow hairpins. Following on from last year’s resurfacing, Pirelli have opted to bring the harder front tyres to Donington.
REAR TYRE CHOICES: softer options available
At the rear, Pirelli have again brought only standard solutions but this time from the softer end of the range. The SCX super soft and SC0 soft will be the tyres available in all races, although the SC0 was the tyre of choice last year in longer races. The SCQ extra soft tyre is also at Donington, although its use is limited to Free Practice sessions, the Tissot Superpole session and the Tissot Superpole Race.
WORLD SUPERSPORT TYRES: development front soft in the UK
Pirelli’s record of bringing new tyres extends to WorldSSP and that continues at Donington with the SC1-A development soft compound tyre. It’s designed to offer greater stability and precision compared to the standard SC1 soft, which is also available for riders to pick. There is also the option of the standard SC2 medium, while at the rear, it’s a choice between the standard SCX super soft and SC0 soft tyres.
PIRELLI SAYS: “We don’t rule out the possibility that we might see the SCX in action, more likely in the Superpole Race…”
Discussing the tyre allocation, Pirelli’s Motorcycle Racing Director, Giorgio Barbier, said: “In 2023 we raced at Donington, for the first time in two decades, on a new asphalt that offers more grip and a more even surface, but at the same time, also being more abrasive. Given these characteristics, the rear standard SC0 was the key choice for success in both classes last year, which is why we consider it a good choice for this year’s allocation as well. However, we don’t rule out the possibility that we might also see the SCX in action, more likely in the Superpole Race, as the teams have now gained more experience with it and, with the right weather and track conditions, it could offer that extra bit of grip that the riders like. Both specifications are standard solutions that are regularly found on the market, available to all motorcyclists, and are also successfully used in the British Superbike championship. For WorldSSP, in addition to the stock solutions we are also reintroducing the soft front SC1 development tyre in specification D0444, which we introduced for the first time at Misano, and which has already been the choice of almost half the grid in both Race 1 and Race 2. This will serve us well in gathering further information for the future development of this specification.”
It was a breathtaking opening to the inaugural FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship, with the combined gap between first and second across the first two races bringing the closest start a motorcycle World Championship ever. With that in mind and the last lap battles fresh in memory, the Championship now goes to the United Kingdom for Donington Park and round two, where perhaps the tide will change with a quirky, tricky British layout – and that famed British summer weather – threatening to play a pivotal part.
HERRERA ON TOP: can she be dethroned at Donington?
Two wins from two and not afraid to get her elbows out in last lap scraps, Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Racing) has a perfect 50 points after Misano but Donington Park could be different; it’s not a track that Herrera has ever raced at so she’ll need to learn the way around. Joint second in the standings, Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) and Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros. Racing Yamaha Team) with 36 each after their Misano rostrums. Sanchez nearly beat Herrera in Race 2 but was denied at the last corner whilst Carrasco was muscled out the way by the Championship leader in the first-ever race but the #22 has track knowledge in her favour here. A winner at the track in 2018’s WorldSSP300 race, she’ll hope that she can make gains. On the fringe of the podium, Beatriz Neila (Ampito/Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was denied twice at Misano; she won’t want to give it up this round, with it being her team’s home round.
DARK HORSES: will Ponziani, Yochay and Ongaro challenge for leading places?
Completing the top five in the Championship standings is Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team), who after a fourth and a fifth at home, will seek a podium charge in the UK. Next up is Isis Carreno (AD78 FIM Latinoamerica by Team GP3), with the Chilean rider having clinched a double top six at Misano; she’ll be absent from Donington Park after an injury sustained between rounds. It was a solid start to 2024 for Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team), with the 21-year-old Israeli bagging two P8 finishes, just missing out on P7 in Race 2 to the charismatic Ornella Ongaro (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team). It’ll be their first time at Donington Park although Yochay has been in action at Mugello for the CIV Yamaha R7 Cup.
It’ll be a first Donington visit for Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) and Lucy Michel (TSL-Racing), who round out the top ten. Just outside the top ten is Taiwanese rider Chun Mei Liu (WT Racing Team Taiwan); the oldest rider on the grid at 42 years old, she took a fine P7 at Misano and will search for a top six on British soil. Whilst she’s not inside the top ten, Jessica Howden (Team Trasimeno) was a regular feature inside the top six across the weekend at Misano until her Race 1 crash left her unfit for the rest of the weekend; get to know more about here and her journey to the World Championship here.
AIMING FOR THE TOP 10: names further back, a home star and a returnee
Just missing out on a top ten finish at Misano, the likes of Nicole van Aswegen (Andalaft Racing), Lena Kemmer (Bertl K. Racing Team), Adela Ourednickova (Dafit Motoracing by Smrz), Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) and Astrid Madrigal (ITALIKA Racing FIMLA) all came close at various points at Misano but couldn’t quite get it across the line. For the likes of Van Aswegen, she’s been testing at Portimao, as has Emily Bondi (YART Zelos Black Knights Team), whilst Relph did take part in a test at Donington Park too. Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team) has been racing in the USA between rounds and it’s her teammate’s home round at Donington Park, so British fans can cheer on Alyssia Whitmore. In wet weather, keep an eye on Dobbs and Madrigal, both strong in inclement conditions.
FIRST POINTS AND HOUSEKEEPING: Hirano leads chasing pack for breakthrough, Varon returns
Luna Hirano (Team Luna), Andrea Sibaja (Deza – Box 77 Racing Team) and Iryna Nadieieva (MPS.RT) all seek their first points too; for Sibaja, she’ll not need to be doubling her duty this weekend as there are no WorldSSP300 races, so she doesn’t have to manage the team she’s racing for in WorldWCR. Other side notes include Colombian star Sara Varon (ITALIKA Racing FIMLA) returning to action and getting her World Championship story underway. For the latest news regarding Mia Rushten after her Race 1 incident at Misano, click here.
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Greg’s BMW taking a dirt nap along the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route. Photos by Greg Drevenstedt.
This story is about a ride that took place in 2013 on the original Oregon Backcountry Discovery Route, which was developed by the Oregon Off-Highway Vehicle Association. The nonprofit Backcountry Discovery Routes organization developed a new ORBDR that was released in 2023. For more information, visit the Backcountry Discovery Routes website. –Ed.
Route 5 of the original ORBDR includes hundreds of miles of gravel roads much like this one, plus a decent helping of dirt, sand, rock gardens, and river crossings.
When your bike topples over in the middle of nowhere, when your bike and its week’s worth of gear weigh more than 600 lb, when you’re hot and sweaty and tired, it’s good to have friends along to lend a hand.
At the California-Oregon border before venturing off-pavement on the ORBDR.
We were three days and nearly 300 miles into the 750-mile, California-to-Washington Route 5 of the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Routes (ORBDR), a network of off-road routes crisscrossing the state’s vast national forests. While struggling my way up a technical jeep road full of embedded rocks, I high-centered the BMW’s skid plate, dabbed my left foot into a hole, lost my balance, and toppled over in a big, dusty heap.
Lead rider Paul was off in the distance, so sweep rider Marten navigated around me, parked his bike on a level spot, and came back to help. Other than some badge-of-honor scratches on the bike, the only damage was to my pride, and I was soon making forward progress again.
Just a few miles into the ORBDR, we took a spur road to the summit of 8,000-foot Crane Mountain, where we enjoyed 360-degree views of California and Oregon.
Backcountry Discovery Routes is a nonprofit organization that establishes and preserves off-highway routes for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles. BDR has mapped and documented north-south routes in most states west of the Rockies as well as mid-Atlantic and Northeast routes and shorter BDR-X routes. Inspiration for these routes came from the ORBDR, which, according to BDR’s website, “was created a few decades ago by Bob and Cheryl Greenstreet as a concept to promote managed travel in the backcountry” and is maintained by the Oregon Off-Highway Vehicle Association.
The view from Fremont Point on Oregon’s Winter Rim.
Paul, Marten, and I wanted to ride the granddaddy of the Backcountry Discovery Routes, so I bought paper maps for Route 5 from OOHVA and Paul spent two weeks creating GPS tracks for us. (GPS tracks are now available upon request when maps are purchased from OOHVA.) Since most of the ORBDR is at 4,000-8,000 feet of elevation, we planned our trip for August to avoid snowpack.
A long-time adventure-riding and homebrewing buddy of mine, Paul Beck, is a computer guy. Since he created our tracks and led our group (his GPS was the only one that worked reliably), we dubbed him the Navigator. Marten Walkker, another riding buddy, is a master carpenter. He made his own tailbag, auxiliary gas tank, toolbox, and highway pegs for this trip, so we called him the Fabricator. And since I kept a journal, shot photos, and sent daily postcards to my wife, I became the Chronicler.
The Three Amigos at Fremont Point, 3,000 feet above seasonally dry Summer Lake.
Similar in pace and temperament and always ready for a quick laugh, we were compatible travelers, like the Three Amigos. We were all of German descent and riding BMWs – Paul on an R 1200 GS, Marten on a G 650 Xchallenge, and me on an F 800 GS Adventure – so Drei Freunde is more accurate, but it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue.
We had to cross the high desert through Christmas Valley to get from the mountains of Fremont National Forest to the mountains of Malheur National Forest.
Departing from Ventura on California’s southern coast, our first 750 miles were on pavement as we made our way up to the northeastern corner of the state. A half-mile before the Oregon border on the afternoon of our second day, we turned from U.S. Route 395 onto the unpaved County Road 2 and entered Modoc National Forest as we climbed into the Warner Mountains. We had to shift our brains from the grip and monotony of wide-open pavement to the delicate balance of riding top-heavy adventure bikes on loose, uneven dirt and gravel. The road leveled out within a few miles, and we turned north, passing through the green meadows of the (not so) Dismal Swamp and crossing into Oregon.
River crossings are nerve-racking with an audience of forest service workers, but Marten made it through like a pro.
After riding a challenging spur road up to the top of 8,000-foot Crane Mountain for panoramic views and navigating through a herd of cows, we stopped at Willow Creek Campground, which was deserted. We crossed a cattle guard to get into the campground, and even though it was surrounded by a fence, we still had to pick our way through a minefield of cow patties to set up our tents. After bathing and rinsing out our sweaty clothes in the creek (but not drinking the water), we fortified ourselves with backpacker meals and relaxed around the campfire, swapping stories and sipping whiskey.
Cooling off in Delintment Lake in Malheur National Forest.
The OOHVA’s detailed, full-color ORBDR map booklets offer the following words of advice: “Your journey will be one of few contacts with others. One needs to plan for being self-sufficient. Travel with others is highly recommended. If one’s means of transport fails, it can be a really, really long hike, and it could be many days before someone comes along.”
The early bird gets to enjoy the sunrise.
Over the course of five days on the ORBDR, we saw only a handful of people – a few ranchers, a couple of 4×4 trucks, and the occasional hunter. We traveled as a group, each of us brought our own food, water, and gear, and we carried a SPOT satellite tracker/communicator. Gas was available every 100 miles or so, often in small towns or at convenience stores near the route, and we filled up our tanks and hydration backpacks at every opportunity.
Lunch stops at local cafes provided welcome relief from the hot, dusty trail.
“Much energy has been spent to provide you with maps that provide the information needed to successfully navigate without on-ground signs,” says the OOHVA. We saw only a few faded, old ORBDR signs over the entire 750-mile route.
“The development of route was financed by the Oregon ATV Allocation Funds,” said Leonard Kerns, president of the OOHVA, in a blog on Touratech-USA’s website. “On-the-ground signs were placed and the route was dedicated in the summer of 2000. Unfortunately, it did not take long for people opposed to the route to bring legal action. Support from the Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management was lost and all remaining funds were used to remove the signs. At that point, OOHVA stepped in and created the maps using GPS to navigate.”
Breakfast of champions.
The ORBDR is on public land, so anyone can travel the route using a street-legal vehicle, but much of it passes through areas used for grazing and logging. We crossed dozens of cattle guards and stopped often to open and close barbed-wire gates. Forest land in central and eastern Oregon is all but empty, yet it’s crisscrossed with so many access roads that without GPS tracks and paper maps, getting lost is all but assured.
Even with GPS tracks, sometimes we hit dead ends and had to find a way back to the correct trail.
One of several massive fallen trees we had to navigate around since going over wasn’t an option!
The OOHVA’s maps were created in 2002, and in the years since, some roads have been closed and new ones have been cut. Even following the purple line on Paul’s GPS, we still made wrong turns or hit dead-ends and had to figure out how to re-route ourselves. We also encountered the unexpected, such as fallen trees and man-made barricades. Therein lies the adventure. Riding a backcountry route is not like following the Yellow Brick Road; it requires not only preparation and riding skills but also teamwork, patience, and adaptability.
Being far from anywhere, we had campgrounds largely to ourselves and were fortunate to have either a stream or lake nearby.
We quickly established a routine: waking early to heat up water for coffee and oatmeal using portable stoves, breaking camp, riding for several hours, stopping for lunch and gas, riding for several more hours, then stopping early to set up camp and relax. Paul was always in the lead, which meant his gear stayed clean and we had someone to blame for wrong turns. I followed Paul and Marten followed me, and even with space between us the dust filled our noses and covered our gear, making zippers and buckles hard to open and close. We planned to camp every night, but it didn’t work out that way, to our surprise and benefit.
Lead rider Paul stayed clean; sweep rider Marten stayed dirty.
During our five days on the ORBDR, we experienced a steady stream of good luck. We enjoyed mostly warm, dry weather and had no flat tires, breakdowns, or injuries. Rather than eating jerky and energy bars for lunch, we usually found a cafe in a small town where we’d refresh ourselves with air conditioning, limitless iced tea, and other luxuries, and there was always a gas station nearby to fill up and resupply.
We smelled smoke but had no idea the 1,000-acre Vinegar Fire was burning in the area until we popped out of the trees and came upon this U.S. Forest Service fire security truck. Our route was supposed to go down that gravel road in the distance, but we were re-routed onto pavement to the town of Ukiah.
During the three nights we camped, there was either a cool stream or a lake we could swim in to wash off the dust and relax our creaky joints. On our second day on the ORBDR, after a challenging, tiring section with lots of sand and rocks, we ended up in the town of Christmas Valley, where the Lakeview Terrace motel/restaurant spoiled us with cheeseburgers, fries, cold beers, hot showers, and soft beds.
Antlers Inn in Ukiah has a room-size meat cooler to store your game.
Even when we had to leave the ORBDR to route around the 1,000-acre Vinegar Fire, we got to ride 50 miles on the freshly paved Blue Mountain Scenic Byway and ended up in Ukiah on a damp, foggy night. Instead of pitching tents and eating freeze-dried meals in the rain, we stayed warm and dry at the Antlers Inn and savored burgers and beers at the Thicket Cafe & Bar. We enjoy roughing it, but we’re not too proud to take advantage of good fortune when it lands in our laps.
Chris ran the Antlers Inn and served us at the Thicket Cafe & Bar, where she recommended an Oregon-distilled whiskey.
Our five days and three nights on the ORBDR provided us with as much adventure as we could hope for. We rode more than 700 miles on dirt and gravel roads through the backcountry of Oregon, through dense forests, across high-desert plains, along mountain ridges, away from cities and people and normal obligations. We rode through rock gardens and sand washes, forded rivers, and navigated over or around countless obstacles, challenging ourselves and having fun. We had campgrounds to ourselves, where we enjoyed star-filled nights and soul-warming campfires, and we stumbled upon cozy motels and restaurants, where we enjoyed creature comforts.
We were treated to some of the best scenery of the ORBDR, such as wide-ranging views from Kendall Skyline Road in Umatilla National Forest, on the final day.
Paul, Marten, and I – the Navigator, Fabricator, and Chronicler – bonded over the experience. When we reached Walla Walla, Washington, the northern terminus of the ORBDR, having ridden 1,500 miles together, we high-fived and celebrated our shared accomplishment. The next day we headed off in different directions, Paul to Seattle, Marten to Calgary, and me home to Ventura, completing an Iron Butt SaddleSore 1000 in the process, but that’s another story.
After five days and 750 long-and-dusty, not-so-straight south-to-north miles, we completed Route 5 of the ORBDR and arrived in Walla Walla, Washington.
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