Hi all,

I'm new to HUBB but have been reading it for quite some time and am really glad that I found it. (linked from Erin and Chris' Ratay's website ) I'm planning a RTW Trip with my wife in 2010. I've read a lot of threads about what bike to choose and how to equip it - great help.

We're planning to Start from UK and then India -> Asia -> Australia -> New Zealand -> South America -> Central America -> USA -> Europe(back to home).

There are a few things that always troubled me. We're going two up so I'm thinking about BMW 1200 GS or 1150 GS. The thing that I always was worried about is the fuel capacity of the tank. Is it difficult to get petrol in more remote areas of the world? If so is it better to have BMW 1200GS Adventure with a bigger tank or upgrade 1150 GS and give it a bigger tank or is that not an issue at all? How about the money for the trip - it's not like we're going to get a cash machine in the middle of nowhere so how do you guys do it? How much money do you carry with you at all times? Is it better to have a factory fitted panniers or maybe custom make them yourself. What about the top case - better to have it or is it better to fit some sort of a strapped bag on the back? What is a better route to India and Asia from Europe - north of Black Sea through all the ...stans or South of Black Sea through Turkey and Iran?

All help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks a lot in advance!
Andy

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Surely if you travel with a BMW you will need a laptop and diagnostic equipment in case of a breakdown?
There are many other bikes better suited to an RTW trip.
Bigger fuel tank? Carry jerrycans?
Unless you're going well off road I doubt that you will be further than 200/300 miles away from a source of fuel.
Keep in touch and let us know of any developments!

Get both of you off to the Ripley HU meeting .. BOOK NOW!

be prepared for 3 days of infomation .. split up so you both attend different talks .. take notes .. you learn a lot ..

Most of the basic stuff you have just asksed are answerd over on the left side bar .. it takes about a week of reading over there before you have that information down .. but even after a year here on the HUBB and with the stuff on the side bar .. you'll still get a lot out of a HU meeting ...

Oh - and welcome. Contribute your ideas and problems .. they help. Problems help by letting others know of the probelm .. and possibly solutions will come forward. Ideas are always welcome, don't expect all to agree .. but even total rejection causes further though on that area ..

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Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S

Great! We're definitely going to go to the HU Meeting in Ripley.

As far as the fuel goes I guess that it's better to carry a couple of jerrycans just in case, because we want to do a bit of off-road'in as well. I thought that the Beemers are quite electronicaly complicated - especially the newer ones. And the guy quoted me £13,500 for the new adventure, so I think that its better to buy a good bike for £4,000 -> £5,000 and modify it myself to suit our needs.

I'll try and dig in and find out which route to choose to Asia from Europe - north or south of black sea. And of course try and fnid out about the bike. If not a beemer then what Maybe an older beemer with less electronics? I dont't know why but I wuite fancy them somehow.

Anyway thanks a lot for your response. I'll start digging right away!

Cheers!
Andy

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Cool. I've read a lot about the GS1200 in comparison with Suzuki Vstrom650 and according to many people the suzuki is the way to go even two up so I think that we're going to test ride a couple and see. The only thing is the main difference to me: chain in comparison to drive shaft. I'm concerned that maintenance of the chain can be a little pain in the butt. What do you think guys?

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Don't get hung up about chain maintenance. It's good to get in the habit of looking around the bike at the end or start of each day. Oil the chain, check the engine oil. It's a lot better to notice a bolt or nut coming loose than trying to find a replacement. It doesn't have to be every day but once you know your bike you'll know how often is required.

If you want a chain oiler I can recommend the "Loobman" You stick any old engine oil in it. It's operated by hand as and when required and gravity delivers the oil to the chain. At £17 it's cheap and it works, what more could you need?

The only other advice I could give about a chain is once you're fully loaded up and both of you are sitting on the bike get someone to check there is still some slack in the chain. If it's too tight it'll cause you some problems down the line.

In the end it doesn't really matter what bike you have as long as it'll carry you where you want to go. Think light and simple, no-one wishes they were on a heavier more complicated bike!

hello,

good choice to spend a part of your life travelling on a bike. you have found the right website to prepare your trip. dont forget that the most difficult day of your journey will be the first day, leaving home. I have met many people that prepared for years and never left.

I agree with all what is said from others travellers in this thread. here are a few of my advises.

- set a date when you are going to leave

- than go to the HU meeting together with your girlfriend/wife, than buy the bike (or bikes).

- take your time choosing the bike, it will be an important part of your trip. you will ride it around the world, so very important is that you (and only you !!) feel comfortable with the bike. dont underestimate the different costs of the different bikes and ask yourself how much you can do yourself on the bike. you will meet millions of people on your trip and they will look at the bike as well and judge your budget according to the bike model. e.g. you ride a 200cc farm bike your budget will be lower to them, if you would ride a big bmw or ktm.

- quit your job min. two month before you leave and learn everything about your bike that you can before leaving. do a complete service on the bike yourself, work very careful. service the bike allways yourself on the journey, and do it regularly.

- calculate your budget very careful

- never hurry, never ride at night, never pay a policeman or a border guard

enjoy the preparation and make your own decisions, because its going to be your trip

greetings from switzerland

mika (rtw 1999-2005 on a yamaha tenere)

Hi Mika,

Thanks for a warm wellcome. We're going to leave home on the 5th of May 2010 or thereabouts. About the bike - do you suggest that we should go to a HU Meeting before we buy it?Budget - is 30000 dollars enough for 2-3 years long RTW Trip? We're planning to do as much camping as we can.

Thanks a lot for help!
Andy.

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Why has no one suggested the Transalp??
Solid build quality, Proven engine, biggest support network in the world, and i'm pretty sure they have spoked wheels.
Your choice, but dont write them off. IMHO, better than a Suzuki.

If riding solo, I agree the Transalp (or Africa Twin) are great choices. Very reliable, and comfortable, too.

But if riding 2-up, I think The Weestrom is better than Transalp. Much sturdier frame, the Suzi carries more weight without starting to feel like its got a hinge in the middle (like both Transalp and Africa Twin do). Ever taken the tank off these, and compared - the difference is in fact huge.

The newest, 700cc Transalp gets close, but still doesnt quite match the DL on power and ability 2-up. All older 650/600-versions are far behind, especially on the highways the Weestrom will cruise effortlessly at 120-140 kms per hour, with all the luggage and everything, and thats when the Honda (especially 600/650) feels underpowered.

The Stroms cast wheels can take the abuse (that most of us can subject a bike to, I mean), and unlike spoked wheels, they wont require regular maintenance, spoke tensioning, etc., so unless you actually manage to bend or break them, and that´s rare, you dont have to worry about them at all.

You CAN do a RTW-trip 2-up on any of these bikes, its just that one´s got abilities, that are better suited for that purpose, than the others. Price is another thing to consider. All of them are very reliable, if properly maintained.

I dont think you can ride much ´off-road´ 2-up, and your RTW-trip luggage on it, on any bike. Your wife will most likely soon want to fly back home, if you try!!

Even bikes that are great for off-roading, would completely change with that much weight on board. And they would probably break subframes, etc, possibly even engines, ´cos they arent designed to pull such a load around the world.

Anther thing that brings me closer to the decision of buying a wee Thanks a lot!

hehehe...

You seem to know my wife very well...or maybe they're all made this way? (Big Kiss to all you wifes out there helping and supporting us all the way - you're the best!!)

The Offroad experience was always something that I was worried about. I dont have a lot of experience in that area, plus it gets really hard to choose a bike that would suit these somewhat two different categories of riding. Thanks a lot for the comments and help!

I'll think about buying a bike after the HU Meeting but then this would mean that I would have to get to the meeting using a car Not the best idea

See you all out there!
Andy

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If you can - Yes.
It comes down to a personal; decission. What is right for me may be wrong for you. But you'll get lots more ideas at a HU meeting ..

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Regards Frank Warner
motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S