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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 26 Jun 2014
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Older bike/person ride
I'm planning to do longer trips in 2015 once I have my bike fettled. The machine is a 1953 Ariel,year I was born. I've had a lot of experience of these bikes and decided this one needs to be more ISDT style to do the trips. It's got rear springing and plan a sprung saddle as a token to comfort. So far things like valves and seats haven't been altered to cope with modern fuels but like to hear if anyone else has done trips on older machines and their experiences. thanks
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  #2  
Old 26 Jun 2014
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Quote:
Originally Posted by svliker View Post
The machine is a 1953 Ariel,year I was born. I've had a lot of experience of these bikes
Good for you (and the bike)

Welcome to the 'hub'.

The older bikes tend to be light, simple, easily fixed and have common parts that can be found most places that have parts! If you know the bike, can take the time for 'mechanical diversions' and have the right attitude you'll have heaps of fun. As long as there are no 'special parts' of unobtainium or unfixablity. Go for it!

I know one fellow who runs 2 old bikes .. the velo is nice and clean and only goes on small civilized trips. The other thing is covered in oil, battered and dented. About every week he cleans the generator ... or dymo .. whatever it is .. I think that thing has been every where I've been ... in my home country at least. Those places include stuff requiring miles of deep sand, corrugations, river crossings etc etc.It runs on the cheapest bits he can find. Oh .. it has a sprung saddle. It goes a bit slower than me, but then I sit and wait, worth it for the company.
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  #3  
Old 26 Jun 2014
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Depends what you mean by older bikes / people. I born two years before the Ariel and have done trips using 1960's bikes - but they weren't that old when I rode them, they've just aged since.

At the moment I have a few 70's bikes that I've done trips on. The chief one is a mid 70's Suzuki 125 that I've posted about here before. The main advantage of the older stuff - and probably even more so with the Ariel - is the stone age simplicity of them. If you've prepped them well before you go and ride them within their limits it's great fun. Just don't expect to be overtaking GSs on the motorway.
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Old 27 Jun 2014
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Older bike/person
The model of bike is Red Hunter and I use all the same post 1938 iron motors that have enclosed rockerboxes and valvegear. Lovely things like same crankcases from 250 LH thru' 350NH,500 VH and even the sidevalve VB 600,so things can be swapped,similarly not too many gearbox options. Like all good old tugs they've been raced,trialed,scrambled and ridden to work. Diverting a moment I had a BSA M21 ex-RAC for 9 years and just rode it everyday; 1 puncture and 1 dynamo falure, a real round the world bike.
However times and kit change and not being a purist I appreciate other peoples experience in making my choices. For example; 6 volt bulbs in other countries? How practical,or is 12 volts the rule,guess it depends on my route.
As I live in France most of the time I don't have to worry about ferries to start with. Initially I have ideas to visit friends in Bulgaria and Greece . I've driven my van to BG a few times and only fly in the ointment I would say is Romania;least at night as no law is evident and lorry drivers go nuts,never even slept there,just kept going,what are the pro's and cons of camping near your bike versus motel ?. On bikes do you need a Vignette as we did on van ?
Questions about fuel problems in other countries along this route ? Once again,any thoughts,thanks.
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  #5  
Old 27 Jun 2014
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I have bimbled my way around most of Europe on my Enfield.. rides were all pretty enjoyable. Not and old bike but same technology without the quality .

I avoid toll roads where possible, and from preference will use country roads avoiding as many cites or large towns as possible. thankfully most have ring roads.
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Old 28 Jun 2014
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Sounds about right,so any issues running the Enfield ? Eventually I hope to venture further East,two targets; China and Ethiophia .Thanks
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