He writes. 'Where was that man, that "Jupiter", who once sat contentedly under a tree by the roadside in India, confident that somehow, someone would bring help and usher in a new adventure?'

I don't think he saw the improved reliability as a bonus, I think he drops the bike at some point and struggles to pick it up and as a passing truck stops to help, he begins to remember the essence of his first trip where the help and interaction of others afforded him his unique experience.

Absolutely!
The breakdown was just part of the experience for TS.
He is a traveller/author who happened to be using a motorcycle as the means of transport.

__________________
Dave

and there was one mention where this two admitted that the KTM adventure most probably would have been the better choice and that they may would have been better off just buying this them self than asking for this "free - Bavarian - propaganda" bikes...
well at a point where they bogged down there GS's in Russia... but the camera man on his Russian bike just went past them across the heavy section without trouble and keeped filming the two prat's stuck in the mud... they went jalousie that moment which they admitted...

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The trouble is that he was talking in philosophy, but they were listening in gibberish.

Sorry Jason!
I was the first to go

Back on topic, how did your tourathings perform on the Stella Alpina??

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Dave

Hello


I have met only a few 1200GS on the road.
Most of them stay on the tarmac.
If you ask them why they travel with that bike , they always say something like this:
There's a lot of evidence around that you can do it "even" with a 1200GS.

Jason

Since you already have the bike and bought some TT stuff then go with it.
If you haven't bought all, then just stop buying.
Except for this:
Frame protectors BMW R 1200 GS/Adventure silver | Touratech AG
or your frame will brake.


sushi

__________________
My RTW:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrXt660ztenere

I would never ride two up on my XT.
Anywhere, or any distance, and particularly not with the wife on the back (I have to live with her after all).
Incidentally, those who choose to advocate suchlike should say something about their marital status and just how they are getting along with their "better half".




So, how was the GS on top of the Stella last year? There were quite a few up there in 2011.

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Dave

Didn't quite get to the top because of the snow, had a really blast

No,No, going of topic is fine, anyway the touratech stuff probably wasn't needed as i didn't drop the bike, up or down.

I'm doing the americas this year with my 1200gsa and Lisa the missus will be on her f650gs. The weight of my bike could be a issue as i intend to ride it on terrain it was designed for but i'm confident i shouldn't have any real problems. I've had it off road before.

There are a lot of pros and cons about which bike to take for a trip.

For me, a bike has to be
- easy to repair
- lightweight
- good to handle offroad
- robust (nothing gone after a crash)
BMW 12GS -> very comfortable, but NOT really a light bike (better: the old R80G/S), good for most gravel roads, but heavy, mechanically robust, but a lot of stupid electronics
KTM LC8 Adventure: Best offroad bike of the big ones, quite comfortable, very robust, but NOT easy to service (need to have some mechanical skills to change the spark plugs e.g.)
KTM 640 LC4 Adventure: More or less light, very good offroad - but a nightmare for the pillion, "good" vibrations
KTM 690 Enduro: With some mods it would be my choice for the next big trip. Low fuel consumption, light, strong engine.
Yamaha XT 660Z Ténéré: Very good compromise, easy to repair - but needs some mods for the big trip, which are already built in at the KTMs (crash plate, fork springs, rear damper)
BMW F800G/S: Good compromise as well for single riders and with pillion, not too heavy, but would choose it as single rider only

After 30000km last year, the most important things for the next trip for me would be:
- Weight: Take as few luggage (and the lightest) as possible with you
- luggage system: If you're alone, take soft luggage instead of alloy boxes (like Wolfman, Kriega, Enduristan). They don't hurt, when you crash
- Clothes: Rather take a light jacket and some additional layers, than a heavy, all-built-in jacket
- If you have enough time, you can lift up the heaviest bike.

What I want to say: Take your time, it's a journey, not a race

And in every situation, these Two words out of a famous book helped me a lot:

DON'T PANIC

Thanks for your advice

Exactly my thought. But, let me go a little bit deeper.
As someone said on this forum:
-"While on the road, the first thing that you will wish for is less weight, not power, not comfort: less weight!"

In order, what you should look for in a motorcycle should be:
1) Lightweight:
Maximum 170 kilo. You should be able to pick it up and go with it anywhere.
2) Reliability:
Buy a motorcycle that you KNOW will not fail you in the middle of no where. Bring spare parts with you: what other owners say usually fail.
3) Easy to service/repair:
No over-complicate electronic stuff. The bike that you own should be repairable in the most remote workshop with the most simple tool. For instance in a small town in Africa, in old soviet countries or even with a rock (sometime...).
4) Off road capability/ robustness:
If you want to go anywhere&everywhere... you should be able to!
5) Cheap:
Why would you buying a motorcycle worth 20 000 USD? When you can buy one which will do the job (sometime better) for less then 2000 USD? All the money you save when buying your bike, is money that you can spend while travelling. Plus, you won't cry when a part of your fairing has been scratch/fall-down with those.

Some of the bike that, somehow, fit into this are:
-Honda: XR400, 600, 650 ; Old Transalp 600, maybe Africa Twin 650.
-Suzuki: Drz 350, 400, 650.
-Yamaha: xt600z, 660z.
-Kawazaki: KLR650.
-KTM: 640 Adventure (Very reliable after 2003!)
-BMW: R80gs, bmw 650gs(single cylinder one).

Of course, any bike can make the journey, but after the journey is over, you will kind of regret to not have been able to take some small roads because you knew your bike was too heavy/expensive/unreliable/fragile to go there.



Luggage:
-Use soft luggage: cheaper, lighter, won't break if you fall/easily fixable if it breaks (Wolfman pack are great/ Military bag also).
If you are afraid someone will took your stuff: use impermeable cover on them, it make them less desirable, if you are really afraid, use pack-safe net.
-What to put inside your luggage:
Think versatility/flexibility/lightness.
If you definitively need it and won't be able to find it on the road, take it. If you maybe need it but you can buy it on the road: Don't take it.
Do not forget: Tools, Spare parts, duct tape, superglue... and positive attitude in every situation!

I keep my life weight down to 25kg, even on the big BMWs.
As far as off roading in Africa is concerned - and I shall be honest here in spite of being a life long BMW fan. The BMW GS handles like a Jumbo Jet with flat wheels on rough terrrain fully loaded. (At least the older models give the rider some feedback to the actual conditions of the surface) The new Adventures are being produced with fancy suspension units controlled by a computer making decisions for the rider making it perhaps into a situation whereby the computer replaces experience. A fully loaded bike depending on it's position on a rough track on a hill will be impossible to lift on ones own. Many riders are alone. I have learn't to do my off road riding after I have located my base camp on a main tarred or gravelled route. For off roading I then just carry my survival kit in a back pack.

I agree with comments about the cons of such a heavy bike as the 1200gsa particularly off-road. Picking the bike up is more of a concern than its ability to ride off-road even in really rough terrain. I've seen and experienced first hand what these bikes are capable of - i've attended several off road courses with Simon Pavey (Dakar veteran) down in south Wales UK, and in the right hands it can tackle the terrain of a much smaller bike.

Weight is the bigger concern - The bike pictured at the beginning of this thread is of my bike on a trip around europe and as you can see i was carrying everything including the kitchen sink but i was 2 up and had the missus' stuff as well. I lost my balance when getting on, too enthusiastically and couldn't pick it up without unloading the bike, so will trying to keep the weight super light for my trip to the americas this year.

Sälü
Mucho_Gusto_68
u n'ä Gruäss i mi Heimat nach Bärn.

back to topic:
Aswell for the luggage system.
On my crash the heavy but strong alloy boxes saved my leg.
The best thing about the 1200GS is the big cyliders which will protect you, aswell prevent the bike from lying flat on the side so together with the boxes it's easier to lift it up.

sushi

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My RTW:
http://www.youtube.com/user/MrXt660ztenere