Hi folks!
I'm new to this forum and new to biking too.....
I passed my bike test in November last year and I was unsure about what bike to get. I knew that I wanted to get something which would see me and my weary bones alright on a longish journey, a CBR 600F or something like that....then, for my Christmas, I got both of Ewan McGregor's and Charlie Boorman's DVDs (Long Way Round and Long Way Down) and now I have the bug and a have been branded "obsessed" by my girlfriend!! Is this normal???

Anyway, I have now booked a test ride on a BMW 1200GS Adventure and I am looking for somewhere to go to really get a feel for what it will be like to go on an adventure. I plan to leave Rochester in Kent (England) at 10am on Saturday 17th January and I have the bike overnight until I have to be back in Rochester at 2pm the following day.
Can anyone suggest a route which will have a bit of off road that I can go on for my first journey? I have a tent and sleeping bag but there will be no panniers on the bike, a cheap B&B might be an idea en route.

This, to me, is a really exciting trip and I would love to hear from anyone about their first time adventures and suggestions on where i could go.

It feels great to have a purpose and a goal and I now know why i wanted my bike licence so much.

Speak soon,

Scottie

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Home is a place to be when there's no where better to go.......

Hi Scottie

I'm new to HU too and glad to hear you're so enthusiastic about your first trip and welcome to the motorcycling fraternity!

I and many others on here will agree with your girlfriend that it all is a bit of an obsession and once the bug bites, your girlfriend may become a lonely lady, unless she mounts up and joins you on the forthcoming advetures you have in store.

For a real pannier packing insight into what you may get into, buy a great read, "Uneasy Rider by Mike Carter" as a non biking 42 year old, entering his (first?) mid life crisis stage, he passes his test and a month later wobbles off towards Europe on an R1200GS and writes a hilarious account of his brilliant first attempt that covers 20,000 miles in 6 months, that sees him ride to Mount Arafat and back!

However, although Mike Carter got away with it, the only reservation I have about your first journey is that you are doing it on an R1200GS, a great all rounder, but just about the biggest bike out there, apart from Wings and things!

As for taking it off road, I would say you'd need a few hundred miles under your belt before contemplating that ambitious undertaking, as you may find out the hard way how much BMW's test ride insurance excess is!

Mind you, I'm only 5'10" and about 14 stone and find them a little intimidating, but fantastic once on the move. However, if you are a big bloke, say 6' plus, with relative weight and long legs, then you should find the bike easier to handle then us shorties.

Perhaps you should switch your first ride to a F800 GS, as that's what I would be looking at if I was buying a new BM to tour on, a lightweight twin, that can cope with all that a tour has to offer, plus has the badly needed extra horses compared to the F650GS. Did your BM dealer offer this as an alternative?



Just some friendly advice from a life long biker and if you are plotting a route that takes you through the Cotswolds, you are welcome to call in for a cuppa and a sarnie.

We are between Chipping Norton and Banbury, Oxon and if I were you, I'd leave the camping for later on in the year, as I can book you in at the Ellie, one of our local pubs for about £25 B&B for one night, one person or a bit more if the other half decideds to join you.

Good luck with your trip and look forward to reading about it when you return.

Cheers


Chris
01295 722272

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[/SIZE] "Live dangerously for as long as you can!"

Bikes definitely are a great way to travel, if you dont mind being a little uncomfortable sometimes!

But you dont really need a very big and heavy bike, like 1200GS, to be able to do that. I´m not saying you should not get it - just saying that there are plenty of other good options around, and people do big trips on much smaller bikes. Its very important that the bike feels right for you, and that you´re comfortable with your travel bike.

When people recommend something, or say they dislike this and that, it´s their own opinion or experience, and these may or may not be true with you. For example, how good is the wind protection, whether you´re 5 cm taller or shorter, can make a big difference, which only becomes bigger, when spending long days on the saddle.

So I´d advice to test as many bikes as possible, before making any decision.

A smaller bike can use less fuel, can be easier&cheaper to maintain, can be sent a bit cheaper by sea or by air (very hard to avoid having to freight sometimes, if you plan to travel around the world) and can be more easily managed, when doing some river crossings by small boats, for example. Whether or not you need big power from your bike, is once again fully up to you (and also depend a lot on where you plan to go)... but I know many places, where you most certainly would be able to do the trip just as well on a smaller bike.

I couldnt find any place to insure my bike, when heading to Asia, so I would´ve lost all money invested in it, had it been stolen, or otherwise completely lost. For me, that´s another good reason not to get a very expensive bike, when planning trips to faraway places. New and shiny bike probably wont look new and shiny after coming back, and its resale value will plummet, so another reason to get one, that´s already seen some traveling.

To echo what everyone else is saying, and I'll say it stronger, forget the actor and his friend and whatever staged photo's BMW's marketing put in your head. The Insurance on a new R1200GS is going to be a total killer unless you are loaded and even after you've been on the BMW off road course and bought half the Touratech catalogue, the only thing it'll do much better than a three year old generic large trailie is exceed the speed limit on the motorway. As your first off roader, I will guarantee you will drop it and break something. This is less hassle if it doesn't involve the Uber dealer wanting to respray it, or being unable to get hold of some electronic bit. If you want new, I'd seriously suggest the Yam Tenere and BMW F's for comparison.

BMW dealers BTW ALWAYS try and sell the R1200GS to anyone who asks about any bike, it's part of their strategy to keep a bike in the top ten sellers.

Back to the point. On your test ride, head up the A-roads and get round London inside the M-25. Then hit the Motorway and head for Cardiff. Before you get there, turn off and head into the hills towards/past Hereford. There is a decent (basic) campsite at Llanthoney Abbey that should be open. My idea would be to get the feel of the beast then get onto smaller and smaller roads until the bike feels too big for them. The South Wales routes IMHO give the option to get back onto the bigger stuff if it all gets too much. Likewise, if it's a pig in traffic round London you know you might as take it home before you waste a load of petrol.

Sorry to rain on your parade. If you really want the big BM, go for it. In terms of advice, I've had litre plus bikes (R1100's) and all they seem to do is cost money and get me points. I went "back" to 650's then "up" to the 790 and am much happier as a result.

Andy

Trust a Yorkshire man to say it as it is! Not like us soft shandy drinking Southerners, pussyfooting round the subject that has to be said!

Also a really good point about trying the bike through traffic, coz if the mirrors don't get the cars on each side of you, the pots will!!!

Chris

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[/SIZE] "Live dangerously for as long as you can!"

Hi Scottie

You never mentioned your age cause if your young then the ins is going to kill you (unless your stinking rich lol)

I passed my test 5 years ago at the age of 42, for years I had wanted to get back into biking.

My first bike was a yamaha virgo 535 but within a year i had grown out of it. my next bike was a suzuki intruder 1500 which i did a couple of european tours and then I found the love of my life

My 4 year old Suzuki Wee strom (DL650) Within a couple of weeks my Intruder was sold as I could never go back to riding a big ol heavy bike

The Wee is a delight to ride and even though Im only 5'6 I have got used to riding it and it doesnt seem so big now. Im using the winter break to fit it out with all my little luxuries like cruise control etc.

I now have 5 years riding experiance and I think thats why I find the wee easy to ride.

So take the GS on the test ride but open your eyes to other good bikes out there.

Have fun

Cheers
Geordie

Remind me to buy you a pint of Shandy if we ever meet

Andy

Why does everyone think you need a GS to go touring???

I agree with all the great advice given here. The image of Ewan McGregor repeatedly dropping the GS always sticks in my mind. New rider + expensive new bike = huge insurance premium too.

Enjoy your test ride but don't sign on the dotted line until you've ridden something to compare it to. Try the previously mentioned Suzuki V-Strom and BMW F800GS or even a Kawasaki Versys. After that, if you're still dead set on a GS, there's a couple of 1100GS's on Autotrader going for around the £2.5k mark. At least that way, it's not going to be too expensive when (not if) you drop it

CBR-F's are a great first big bike and very reasonably priced now everyone wants the more focused RR version. If you're still after something like that, also look at the Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat which is a very similar kind of bike. The Kawasaki ZZR600 is more upright and focused towards long distance touring than the other two which are more sporty but the ZZR is still a great bike. My pick would be a 2002 model, 636cc version of the Kawasaki ZX6-R before the whole 600cc class went all race track focused.

Let's not start the Ewan & Charleyy wars again. If they've attracted someone to something we love we should rejoice, and take the time to welcome them.
I say welcome in mate, and ignore the grumpies (feel free to search for Ewan & Charlie though).

Like you they pulled me into the thought of motorbike touring, but unlike you I didn't opt for a BMW Panzer-tourer and until yesterday I'd never ridden one. God, they're heavy, I've only been riding for about 6 months and the thing is a pig, or maybe two pigs, on roller skates. I'm sure it's lovely, but God is it heavy, I can't imagine trying to ride one fully loaded, let alone off-road. Made me laugh though parking it next to my 125cc Derbi.

Anyway, just wanted to say, welcome, and hello, and good luck, but don't be fixated on the need for cubes, while my 125 might be a bit small, having ten times that might be a bit much (and a bit expensive too).

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Hey folks......well, I've just logged on in the anticipation that there may be a reply or maybe even two and i'm blown away with passion, criticism (constructive of course) with a little sarcasm and wit thrown in for good measure......love it, thanks

To cover a few points given to me....(i'd quote you but i dunno how)


Thanks for the welcome and the advice Welolvebikes. My girlfriend has confirmed that I am obsessed with books, articles, websites and anything to do with taking off around the world on two wheels and I know from past experience that this will only get worse. With foresite, and to get her involved, I have committed to taking her to Athens this summer, she'll either love it or hate and this will shape many future trips i'm sure.
Being 5'11, 13 stone and physically fit I like the look of the 1200GS but as you say, once I get on it might feel over the top and I will have fun i'm sure testing the other models in the BM range not to mention any other maufacturer I am guided towards. The F800GS may be a good option if it is able to carry my GF (she is only about 8stone, but she does like to carry lots of shoes )
Will the 800 cope well with a pillion?
The BM dealer didn't really offer anything else and I'd not planned to look at anything either. I thought that the 1200GS was the tool for the job but I now realise that I have plenty of time to look around and that there are many options......
I will gve you a shout if I am heading across your way so that we can meet up for a cuppa and a chat, the chances are I will be going to Wales as recommended by Threewheelbonnie. It is like Scotland and I am feeling a little homesick anyway.....no, i'm not missing the sheep!!
I will try to get "Uneasy Rider by Mike Carter" as soon as I can but at the moment I am eating my way through Chris Scott's Motorcycle Adventure Handbook and The Wrong Way Round, yes, even after watching the DVD's religously all Christmas....

Yes Craig76 "another Ewan/Charley Boring Man wannabe!!!" and loving it! I'll not be signing any dotted line until nearer the summer and I'm not sure if I would be buying a new bike anyway. It would be good to have the money to buy really expensive toys but the insurance may kill the idea as well as the heart ache (and wallet ache) when it is dropped. The other thing about new expensive stuff, I have read, is the cost of getting Carnets and the risk of theft, especially when there is no insurance in some countries. My next trip after Greece will be RTW or to Capetown in 2010 and I have to make sure that I can afford to get through Egypt and other countrires with out having to mortgage someone elses house to do it! It has really opened my eyes to the ways of other countries and their dodgy border crossing rituals and I have felt a bit like a total novice on a planet I thought I was so familiar with, so naive having only travelled on package tours or back packing in relatively civilised safe zones.
Funny you should mention the Thundercat as this is the other bike I have been looking at and more in the price range if I want to buy something sooner and without finance. I've always liked this bike and it has been the driving force to get my licence up until wanting to be just like Ewan and Charlie, aren't they wonderful.....I know you love em deep down, you just have to admit it to yourself, you're so sweet! LOL

I like the bike testing idea pecha72 especially as I have not been out on many different makes and models yet. I was at the Bike show in Birmingham last year but I was not sure of what I wanted so I probably didnt get as much out of it as I could have. I will be going to the London show at the end of the month and with a more focused attitude I will be arranging more play-time on different machines. I had not thought about river boat crossings or transport either and it has made me realise that it is not all about jumping on and just going, there is much more to consider everytime I read something. This is only adding to the excitment of the whole thing!!

I am 36 geordie_e and I will have to get an insurance quote before commiting to any bike. I am not (stinking rich) not even close but I do have a clean licence and one insurance claim for a company car bump I have in 2005, not sure if this counts in Bike insurance land?? I had a scooter for about 9months about 5 years ago and I paid the insurance for a yearhoping to get a real bike and use the no claims bonus sometime, i'll have to check to see if it is still valid.

Unless someone comes up with something better I will be heading to Wales as suggested by Threewheelbonnie. It was high on the list anyway andI like the idea of the contrast between city and rural as this is what I need to feel like i am on a real adventure.

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Home is a place to be when there's no where better to go.......

Hi Andy

Anytime mate and now I'm half way to Yorkshire, having moved from West London 10 years ago, I've converted from lager and now have half a bitter in it!

Cheers


Chris

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[/SIZE] "Live dangerously for as long as you can!"

Cheers mate Did you go for a test ride or use a mates 1200?

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Home is a place to be when there's no where better to go.......

No, they kind of sneer at me in the local BMW place, I don't know why, is it the lack of wallet bulge or the fact I turn up on one of these?


So I had a go on a mates new Christmas present to himself.

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Scottie, to the dark side. You're sure to fall in love with the Behemoth but i'd just crank up a few miles (tour the Weald to, say, Hants?) and find a bit of soft waste ground to fall over on...will the bike be on road tyres or semi-knobblies? Are you also getting the loan of some warm clothing as it looks like it'll be pretty Baltic . You'll likely need to enlighten the Significant Other or any future adventures may be somewhat foreshortened . If the test is a success then i'd look to doing the BMW off-road course (as per the DVD's) or having the summer holiday doing a novice off-road tour with an operator in Morocco/Crete/Spain/wherever, or hiring a bike for a spot of tarmac-touring somewhere nice. Don't lose track that E+C's trips are self-financing and flash destinations really cost to the rest of us in the real world, Bugger. Keep the faith.

Hi Scottie

Glad to throw my tupenneth in and perhaps the F800 would be better suited to a solo trip, as 20 stone plus shoes may be a little to much for that bike.

I suppose I was thinking within the BMW range, when really it was along the lines of the other contributers who have suggested that you look at all the other bikes available.

I use a fully loaded 04 Triumph Tiger 955i at the moment, but I love Pan Europeans and Varaderos and if I had the money, I'd have a hybrid built for me combining the two, a Honda 1300 V4 Varadreo. Now that is what Honda should have made!

Sorry if I'm ramblin on a bit, but that may make sense to some of the others.

You are only a couple of hours from my place via the M25 and M40, (which will give you the motorway test and enable you to get used to the bike) and then I'll send you on a route along the A40 into Wales, which is the route we often take and have been in the West End Cafe, Llandovery,


via Ross on Wye and the Brecons within two and a half hours (mind you, that was a quick one, as we were all on R1's and Blades!)

The other thought, as we love Betws y Coed is via Worcester, Kidderminster, Bridgnorth, with a stop for a cuppa at the bikers cafe at Quatford and then through Shrewsbury, where you pick up the A5 to Betws y Coed.

Have a night there, up early and then stop for second breakfast at the Ponderosa Cafe at Llangolen on the Horseshoe Pass, on the way back. Or you can stay there for the night for £35.

Welcome to the Horshoe Pass & The Ponderosa cafe Complex.

Now you know why bikers are fat! Okay, I'll speak for myself!

Hope this helps and the second trip may be a bit tight on time, but if you get back late and upset BMW, it may be a blessing as they'll take you off there bladdy mailing list! I test rode an 1100 GS over 12 years ago and I still get mailings from Heatrow BMW, even though I moved 10 years ago!

Good luck and if you do take this route, you can take the Tiger out for a spin, as I'll ride with you for part of the way. Also have a 1300 Pan, which is different yet again!

Cheers


Chris

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[/SIZE] "Live dangerously for as long as you can!"