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This Northern Life
Приєднався 19 бер 2013
We are a family of 5 with a serious affliction of wanderlust living in an old Finnish/American farmstead in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Follow along as we enjoy the outdoors in the north country along Lake Superior. This channel will cover everything from aspects of farmsteading using regenerative farming practices to our other passions like mountain biking, skiing, traveling, overlanding, camping, carpentry, vintage VW’s, tractors, campers, van life, cabin life, etc, etc. so yeah it’s kind of a gun shot blast variety.
First impressions of the XR150L
Walk around and initial (145 mile) impression of the Honda XR150l. Can a $2,971 new motorcycle be any good? What is it good for exactly? My thoughts about it in a first of a series on this bike.
Переглядів: 4 101
Відео
First Impressions and Walkthrough of Our Airstream Flying Cloud 19cb
Переглядів 2,1 тис.9 місяців тому
We recently came into this 2017 Flying Cloud 19cb. I do a walk through tour of it and cover what makes an Airstream an Airstream, some cool features as well as its shortcomings. This is a really cool little trailer packed with a ton of features and oozing with style.
Christmas Eve at the Offgrid Camp
Переглядів 31810 місяців тому
Well, the warm, snowless December continues. We broke records for how warm it was the Christmas and while we should be skiing right now, we lost the little snow we had. After a few foggy, drizzly days at the farm we decided to run out to camp in Christmas Eve which ended up being amazing as it wasn’t wet and foggy, even saw some teases of blue skies. So Christmas music playing, a campfire crack...
Celebrating our ten year anniversary
Переглядів 10210 місяців тому
Sharing this photo collage I put together for our ten year anniversary. What a wild decade it’s been between moving 7 times between Wyoming, Colorado, and Michigan while having three kids, changing careers, it’s been a nonstop evolution. So happy to have landed where we have now and look forward to what the next 10 bring.
Do you actually need AWD for winter driving?
Переглядів 1,5 тис.11 місяців тому
Spoiler alert, no. But also making the important point that AWD doesn’t help you vehicle turn or stop. A good 2wd vehicle with proper snow tires can get you through some of the worst weather. I may have to do a separate video about my slightly irrational love of this ‘98 Toyota Avalon at some point. Such a good car.
Checking on Camp and a Weak Start to Winter
Переглядів 25711 місяців тому
Winter seems to be evading us this year. Stuck in a loop of what seems like perpetual November the bonus is that it’s still easy to get out to our offgrid cabin “camp” on Lake Superior. It’s the new 4Runners first visit and it proved very comfortable for the “road” in. Tag along as we drive out to camp and unwind along the shores of Gitchi Gumi while making the best of no snow.
Unusual December in the Yoop, still riding dirt.
Переглядів 5811 місяців тому
An unusually warm, mid December day in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula riding the Harlow Lake Trails in Marquette.
First upgrade, wheels and tires
Переглядів 4,3 тис.11 місяців тому
In the 3rd installation in the series of our new 4Runner our new wheels and tires arrive. Definitely the most important single upgrade you can do to a 4wd vehicle is tires. More updates to come, thanks for watching.
Tour of How a 4Runner 3rd Row Works
Переглядів 3,9 тис.11 місяців тому
I put this together to show how the optional 3rd row works in the 5th gen Toyota 4Runner. The tour highlights the operation, use ability, and differences in these trucks as equipped versus the two row models all while answering the question of, “Is it actually a useful 3rd row?”
December Hike Pictured Rocks
Переглядів 2311 місяців тому
A hike during a rather mild December along the Northcountry Trail along Lake Superior in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
Hiking Wetmore Landing to Sugar Loaf
Переглядів 6611 місяців тому
Mid December with unseasonably warm weather and no snow along the Superior Coast near Marquette, MI. Family adventure as we make a summit bid from Wetmore Landing to the top of Sugar Loaf. Think snow!
Why buy a 5th Gen 4Runner when the new Land Cruiser is coming?
Переглядів 13 тис.11 місяців тому
Yes, the title is intentionally provocative but it begs a real question….. First impressions of our new 2023 Toyota 4Runner SR5 Premium 3 row. Is this the last great Toyota 4wd still on sale?
Tour of our tiny off-grid cabin on Lake Superior
Переглядів 19 тис.11 місяців тому
A tour of our offgrid cabin on the shores of Lake Superior as winter draws near in the north country.
2022 Chevy Colorado Duramax, the case for small diesel trucks
Переглядів 1,4 тис.Рік тому
An owner review of our ‘22 Chevy Colorado z71 Duramax, the things I love, the things I don’t.
Jayco Jayflight 264BH owner review. The case for a simpler camper.
Переглядів 13 тис.Рік тому
Jayco Jayflight 264BH owner review. The case for a simpler camper.
Afternoon sail Rebel Rascal 14’ Lake Leelanau
Переглядів 2503 роки тому
Afternoon sail Rebel Rascal 14’ Lake Leelanau
SV Serendipity Labor Day Sail, Lake Superior
Переглядів 916 років тому
SV Serendipity Labor Day Sail, Lake Superior
Summer Evening Family Sail on Lake Superior, Catalina 27 Serendipity
Переглядів 5076 років тому
Summer Evening Family Sail on Lake Superior, Catalina 27 Serendipity
SV Serendipity Afternoon Sail Lake Superior
Переглядів 1046 років тому
SV Serendipity Afternoon Sail Lake Superior
Great review. I have a 2017 GMC Canyon with the same engine. I routinely get 32-33 mpg on the highway! It's too bad GM dropped the diesel in favor of the 2.7 L gas engine which gets way worse fuel mileage.
excellent review. really hit the points on what makes this little bike special. Found a used one with 2500 miles in my area for $2600. feel like i stole it. been very content with its build quality so far
Thanks for this. I have a 2024 Limited with a 3rd row. When I signed the paperwork, I did not know this had the 3rd row. I traded in a 2012 limited w/o 3rd row and I miss the space. (We don't have kids at home.) I do see the value with kids. I just need to be happy with the 3rd row and keep it tucked away.
Is this an all season camper or no???
@@deanm2774 it’s a 3 season camper. They are available with an enclosed belly and heated belly now but to be a 4 season camper you need double pane windows, heated tanks and a much more robust insulation package and thermal barrier. That being said, if you are dry camping in winter without using the plumbing it stays warm decently, especially compared to an ultralight canker which essentially has no insulation in the walls.
Did you add that blue light in the bedroom? We just purchased a 2025 pick it up next Saturday. Love this review!
I owned a 2016 264BH. The problem with the newer year models is the rear storage door hits the bottom bunk glass window. Such a failure by Jayco
Intelligent and mature review
This was the best walk through I have found. Great Job and thank you for taking the time to do this. This convinced me to go with this model. Im so glad we did, easy to tow, quick and nimble.
This is a great review. This helped me understand the value proposition and use cases for this truck. What a great truck for rural travel where MPG and 4WD are important.
Very nice spot and cabin!! J & C
What size tv is that in the main room and where did you get the cutting board over the sink? I have the 264bh and I’m looking for a TV and cutting board. Thanks
$3800 out the door lexington ky love my white xr150l.
Pinag iipunan ko pa lang yan. Mga dalawang taon pa, meron na ko nyan bai.
Does it have vents?
@@kyusencol8394 no vents to the third row, just the second row like a 2 row has
A bucket of sawdust is the best composting toilet. Just don't pee in it.
You can actually fold the 3rd row down in two steps instead of three. If you pull up the latch on the back of the third row seat instead of the latch on the top, the bottom part and the backrest will fold down at the same time.
I have a 2019 Jayflight 26bh, it has the darker interior and cabinetry above the short queen. Love this thing! My 19 Ram 1500, 11,200 pound towing capacity, doesnt even feel it. You got me excited though. I had to run out and check my sofa for the cupholders, no dice. Oh well, happy camping.
So tired of living in the city. What a wonderful place you have. Great job.
So tired of living in the city. What a wonderful place you have. Great job.
Good review. I love this bike as well. I have 620 miles on mine, came to life for me once I hit 500 miles. As for MPG, I'm getting 95-100mpg riding hard packed clay roads at about 5000 ft, mostly 35-55 mph on average. Shifting is incredible, no problem cruising at 45-50 mph. Wait till you have 500 miles!
Awesome review. I totally agree with everything you said. It’s just a fun bike to cruise around on. And my son wants to ride so it’s a great learning bike also. Plus I don’t have to worry about him speeding around and being crazy on it. The bike is just tame and a joy to ride. It reminds me of the 1985 DR200 I had when I was a kid
Thanks for taking the time to make this video for the rest of us! You the man!
I bought the 2019 154bh. Its way better then the new ones. 300w on roof 200ah lithium. Way overkill on the little trailer but i can charge my trolling motor batteries for week long fishing trips
Thank you for your video! We are also a family of 5, and our youngest is about 6 months. Do you think a pack and play could be set up at night in the kitchenette area?
If you removed the dinette you probably could but I bet it might stick out a bit. We had our youngest in a pack and play with our former travel trailer but that had a slide and a lot of floors space. But I would think you could make it happen in the dinette area
Got one yesterday and paid MSRP plus taxes and dmv fees (and $300 dealerships documents fee) and was out the door at 3800 with a tag and ready to hit the road. Can’t beat the price for a street legal vehicle that gets great gas mileage and has Honda backing it.
I just got this bike and have about same miles. Everything you said is exactly how I rate this bike. I`m a happy camper!
I'm 6'4" 250 pounds. what ya think would it handle me?
Nice video, I've had mine for about a week now, and you echoed my first impressions. Question on the handguards, which ones did you go with and do you have to cut off the end of the grips to install them or just punch a hole in them? I also replaced the footpegs with the same as you, but I don't like that on my shifting foot the spikes seem to restrict my ability to slide my foot forward for shifting, I think I'll remove some of the spikes to see if this helps. I live in an acreage neighborhood, so just as you said this bike is perfect for tooling around the hood paved roads as well as riding around my acreage off-road. My first pic was the CRF300LS (same 32" seat height as this XR150L), but no dealer nearby had one and they didn't know when one was coming in. So I ended up with the XR150 which was my second choice, and overall it may have been the better option for my specific situation, the larger 300LS I just don't think would be as maneuverable on my acreage for slow riding, although would be better for the higher speeds on paved roads and better for more aggressive off-roading.
Follow-up, reading some of the comments below, you answered my handguards question already, thanks!
Can the ac and heater and other things run from connecting it to a home outlet? 120 electricity?
Heat can run off battery or plugged into 30amp or a standard 110-120 outlet. The AC really needs 30amp if you are running it for any length of time. It will run plugged just to a standard outlet but it isn’t great for the unit after while and can cause damage to the unit. I do it from time to time but not for more than 30 minutes or so.
Rumor has it that the 2025 4Runner will be rebranded as the 4Banger.
This bike is $1000 cheaper in the Philippines. The dealers are making a killing on the bike here in the USA.
I have a 21 foot Jayco and like it. I live alone. But I would love the space in this! For me, the bunk area would be pulled out for storage lol
I got mine last week ! In southwest Mich. it was 4,200 out the door, Dealer would not come off the price, I found them hard to locate , dealers said they were having hard time getting them , I called all over Southern Mi and northern Ind. I have no regrets getting it , it's a blast.
Great video! Can I ask which dealership you bought it from? I'm from WI and I'm looking at getting one. Thanks!
Cycle City in Escanaba. Great folks, no bs, I will definitely be using them in the future.
@@Kristian_Saile Thanks much!
My guess is the other three will offer something in the same class. They already make them. Markets are no longer big CC bikes. Its all about back to basics.
Great video! Bought this exact 4Runner a month ago. Have three grandkids we spend a lot of time with. Like you, this vehicle is perfect for us!
Great review! Thank you for posting this. The info on the regen topic is really helpful. I am like you and have always been a fan of small diesel truck. I am looking for a used Colorado or Canyon now. I don't drive much during the week, maybe 5-6 miles to pick up my kids from school, but my son is in travel soccer. His games are usually 7 to 26 miles away. Do you think I will have issues with the exhaust system? Also, do you use any additives in your fuel?
You probably would be fine. Our 2016 Colorado seemed to be more susceptible to it, the ‘22 never did that to us. We ended up selling this truck to a friend and he does alot of short trips with it and hadn’t had an issue. The harder you drive it the more frequently it needs to regen so for us, taking it easy it was once a week roughly. So I feel like if it gets at least one good drive over 10 miles weekly it’s good to go.
I have had mine 6 months and 2100 miles, and I'm the same height as you and am really comfortable on it. I like the fuel efficiency (I'm getting 100 mpg!) and simplicity. I think it's misleading when people say a 3k motorcycle though, I don't know anyone getting it for that so if you did get MSRP that is miraculous. I was 3800 out the door on mine and I think I've seen some pay 4500 or more. What hand guards did you use? I'm going to get some for mine when I swap out the bars for some protapers. And yes, let me tell you, from 6 months and 2100 miles of riding, this is the absolute PERFECT commuter bike. It makes my ride though winding roads to work so much fun, you can wind it out every gear and yes ride it hard, I love going over speed humps that say "slow", I speed up for them and this thing glides over them.
That’s great mileage, especially given that you are riding it hard. Here are the handguards. amzn.to/43bQWeT I used Adventure Undone’s list for pegs and hand guards, probably going to go with his choice of skid plate too.
s@@Kristian_Saile Thanks! Yea I measured 3 times on the fuel milage calculation and it was mid 90s up to 107. The range on the tank is great, just one more nice design element of this bike. Honda really designed this for practicality. Not a performance bike, but a great utility machine.
The simplicity and lack of tech is what I like about this bike. Performance on mine really improved at about 1100 miles.
Great overview! I'm on a waiting list up in Canada, still snowy here though. How was the hand guard install? Are the bar ends hollow and did they allow the guard pin insert easily? Another video showed a need to drill out a solid weight at the bar ends, but that was not the new North American model. Thanks in advance!
Thank you. Yeah so the install was easy aside from the need to cut out a plastic lip on the throttle side. I just used a razor knife on both sides to cut out the grip ends and was able to cut the plastic in the throttle side fairly easy. Snow and winter returned to us in the UP, we actually bailed and headed south to go find some nice weather and mountain bike. The endless mud season this year with late snow has been rough.
Probably the best review so far. I opted to ‘up it one’ (I hope) and ordered a 2024 KLX 230, but I can still buy the Honda if I want (same dealer) as the KLX hasn’t came in yet. So now you have me thinking... The Honda is $2000.00 cheaper out the door too.
I haven’t ridden the KLX but it looks like a great bike. Our local Kawi dealership went out of business otherwise I would consider that for our next bike. I think it friends on your riding style. If you want to cruise around and sight see off the beaten path, the XR is great but I am certain the KLX will add a whole different level of performance with more power and probably more importantly, more suspension travel and performance. If you want to do long rides I will bet that the XR seat will be a big hit.
The XR seat was a very important item I knew I was going to give up. Like I said, your video has me Re thinking things, lol. Supposedly they made the seat better for 2024 on the KLX. I hope so. Cheers
There is no 2024 KLX 230 regular size, just a S and SM versions for 2024. At least according to the Kawasaki website.
Correct, I ordered one. They seem to have found a happy medium, yet still call the only one (except the SM) an S.
@@mikem9953 The 230 is sold overseas in regular size but only S and SM in the USA. I did notice the new S is supposed to have a slightly higher seat and lots of nice improvements such as better suspension, softer seat, new electronics, etc. I think it looks great, and look forward to seeing them in person. I love the XR150L but also have my eye on the 230. NOTE: I went and looked at a 230 in December, was on sale at a dealer and was 5200 out the door. But the seat was like sitting on a 2x4, hard as a rock, and the controls felt flimsy and cheap compared to the Honda. It just was not at all comfortable even though it would have a bit more power and top end speed. So I walked away and got home loving my Honda. But the NEW ones are supposed to have some nice upgrades so let's see. NOT parting with my Honda XR without good reason and really noticeable differences.
Nice review, thanks.
Great vid. I was already a Jayco fan but for sure my first trailer will be a Jayco 264 BH. Thanks
It’s an outhouse
I just found this and thank you for the open and honest review. It was truly very helpful.
You are very welcome, glad it was helpful for you 👍
Why change what has always worked so well? These bikes, with a little maintenance will run for 40 years. Ask me, I own a dozen Hond ATC's that are still near bulletproof. Who wants to go over 100MPH anyway?? It may feel exhilqarating until someone cuts you off. No one pays attention, they're holding a coffee, their phone or a dog, people are just waiting to die at higher speeds...
The appeal of this bike for me is its simplicity and reliability. I am not planning to change anything other than the pegs, hand guards, a skid plate, and probably tires. But it’s perfect for its mission of being low cost, supremely comfortable, and efficient while cruising dirt or pavement. 👍
@@Kristian_Saile Since the bike was so cheap and I had no plans to finance I used my credit card and used my earned points to basically trick out the bike. Some people say why put so much money into a start up bike but, it was really only about 10% of the bike cost and I'm a 61 year old whos been riding for 45+ years. This is my last bike, not a starter bike. In fact, my starter bike was an RD250 which was way more quicker and faster than this. I have 1300 miles on mine so far and loving it. Mine is also black because I didn't want to be 3rd in line for a white one and now after the upgrades, I like the black better. I weigh 230 lbs so my best mileage was about 75 but, after adding weight in accessories I'm getting about 70 now. I've also hit 65 on flat ground. Enjoy.
@@RedBud315 I got 100 mpg on mine both times I measured, but I'm only 160 lbs. Love this simple bike.
@@Kristian_Saile nice review, what hand-guards did you get please? Thank you
I had that model when we lived in Mexico. I could always find a parking spot
I bet, everything in this thing is just easy, well aside highway riding I suppose.
After 2700 miles it's alot faster.I can reach 65 mph on a level road with no wind.
@@toddford9112 I felt a noticeable improvement at 1100 miles. I'm at 2100 miles now, are you saying it gets even better? I love this simple little bike.
Greetings from the northern lower! Looks like a fun little bike. Too small for me though. I sold my cr500 about 12 years ago. Just too much for my aging body! Still riding though, a r1200rt. Might get a klr for the backroads.
Yeah honestly I have wanted a KLR for quite awhile. I could still see getting one but dang for trail riding with the kids this is going to be great… I think. Time will tell. I think for both my wife and I, not tempting ourselves with a bunch of speed on tap is going to go a long way to preserving our bodies. 😆 CR500, such a legend!
The KLR is a good bike (as are the other 650's). The little 150L is light and fun on a budget though.
Are there any more vibrations with the pegs?
Not that I have noticed. Being a small bore the bike isn’t terribly buzzy when wound out so I don’t get much through the legs anyway. Haven’t logged a ton of miles on them yet though.
Great Video, I love my 2.8 it's great on the highway