Issue link: http://trailridermagazine.uberflip.com/i/1366987
Copper Canyon Caper - Part One - Copper Canyon Caper - Part One - Getting There and Getting Started Getting There and Getting Started By Jim Bird By Jim Bird 24 Trail Rider www.TrailRider.com Last month you all got to read about a KTM 690 makeover in prepara on for a late no ce trip to Copper Canyon, Mexico. JJ Lewis of Good Adventure Tours had let some of us east coasters know that there were spots available for his Copper Canyon Tour the first week of March. Two of us said "Si'" and cri cal mass was achieved. First ques on was how to get to the Benson, AZ start point. My moto buddy and Copper Canyon Co-conspirator, Jay, assured me that his 1994 conversion van would be out of the shop and ready to roll a er a total restora on. And since he was planning on buying a trailer this year, he'd buy it now. Way cool! Thanks, Jay. Meanwhile, I was busy prepping the 690, and ge ng the required docu- ments, maps, and insurance in order. Eventually, departure day arrived, and Jay urged me not to rush over since he's "s ll working on some van things." I showed up at Jay's a few hours later than planned with gear and bikes, to learn that the conver- sion van power system is kaput. The dual aux ba er- ies are dead and nothing conversion electrical works. We soon suspected that the 30 amp auto rese ng circuit breaker connec ng the alternator to AUX bat- teries was no longer rese ng and was stuck open. To test this theory, we wrapped 12 AWG solid house wire (fusing current 235 amps) around the circuit breaker terminals to see if the AUX ba eries would start charging. They did. Hadn't even le the driveway and the trail hacks were already be- ing deployed. Super. To further test this theory, we le the house wire wrapped around the terminals for 2600 miles. Thankfully, all good.