all you need is a moto,
half the balls you'll think you'll need
and a sense of humour

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Good to hear other opinions, and glad we've managed to maintain some glimmer of light-heartedness!

Oldbmw, I see your point with bike choice. What I should have mentioned is that I'm well into the bike preparation phase, and unlikely to change my bike now.
In case it makes any difference, it's an 03 XR650L. Which I hope covers all the suggested criteria you mentioned.. Apart from the seat height thing, but I'm freakishly tall :-)

DLbiten I like the possibly revealing last comment you made, and certainly I'm not about to shell out on top of the range panniers.
I'm extremely fortunate in having access to the materials and equipment I need, to make (probably terrible and more expensive) panniers for myself. Dull and self indulgent post on this subject to follow when I've finished!

Dodger your post made me grin. I'd like to go completely off topic and drone on about another of my insecurities; what the effect of (any kind) of travelling actually has on a host country, but I'll restrain myself.
I like your ethos on travel bike selection, and while I don't question the truth in your words, there seem to be more people that follow this policy on paper than actually travel on this kind of bike. ?

charapashanperu, I think you've described the kind of travel attitude that many daydream about, and I've got a lot of respect for you, for having the spirit to do it in this way.

Charlotte Goose, see you in the pub tomorrow. You owe me a pint.

AliBaba you know what I mean about the flash gear, but I see your point.

Andy, I can see what you're saying about the quality kit, but I'm slowly realising that the getting lost etc is what I'm interested in. The highlight of my last trip in Cambodia was changing a tyre, on the side of the road, with two spanners and 30+ onlookers.
The idea of getting back without any difficulties or breakdowns (unlikely as it is) scares me more than not going at all.
Like everyone's said, it is personal perspective.

Henryuk, I whole-heartedly agree with the dressing down, that's got to be a winner.

Geoff, what kind of panniers do you have? And how would you rate these panniers in terms of cost/durability?

Teflon I don't think this theory is water-tight. Surely the frequency with which you use something relates loosely in some way to its expected lifetime?
If a Chinese Kymco bike's good enough to ride to the shops and back, is it equally suitable for a multi continent journey?

MotoEdde, I agree with you absolutely. But surely there's some greater effect that you impart by going about your adventure in a hobo manor, as opposed to a space trooper?
Maybe I'm missing the point entirely, and your individual nature determines the kit you'll use, and to alter the actual equipment this doesn't change you any more than it would to buy your groceries from Fortman and Mason, rather than lidl!?



Thank you for your thought everyone.
If anyone's still reading this drivel, please have a look at the camping weekend we're organising for August. Lets fight it out in the flesh, rather than hiding behind our tft screens

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-weekend-35394

What was the bet between you and Charlotte?

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I've a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore.

I think a great point about this thread was made, whatever bike and kit you have dress it down as much as you can, the less you stand out the better.

I took a nearly new bike to Africa but I got it good and muddy first and got chain lube all over the thing, I had gaffa tape on the tank and all sorts of shit to make it look less desirable.

Hey when you get home you can always tart it up again.

Bugger. Have I got this all wrong? My Modus Operandi in one sentence.

Joel

Ok, so they're my italics there , but I'm wondering what the motivation is for not standing out? As has already been said, you'll stand out anyway because of the colour of your skin, or the fact you wear a helmet or the fact there's only one of you on a motorbike and not an enitre family and two goats or simply the language, unless you're on a bike tour of your own country, you'll stick out like a sore thumb.

So given the fact you're different, why are you trying to blend in? Is it that word up there - desirable. And if it is what are you saying about the people in the countries you ride through? That you can't trust them maybe? That they'll club you over the head and nick your gear?

I have the same quandary as the OP about GPS, I look at it and think it's hugely useful and it'll tell me where to go so Idon't have to stop and pull out maps and compass, or ask people, but then I remind myself just how recent an invention it is, and just how many thousand, millions of people have travelled huge distances without it.

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All the passing travellers when they get around my neck of the woods all say they same thing "I wish I hadn,t packed all this crap I,ll never use".Transport,creditcard pick the rest up as you go.
Al theturtleshead

You mean to say you've got a wristwatch?! And it works?!

Bugger - some people have all the best kit.

Well, I still have two months before I actually set off, maybe I will manage to get one before then!

Like the Visas, the Basha, the IDP, the copies of docs, and a dozen other things that I should possess, but am to laissez faire to have sorted out.

Joel

We moved to France from England last year and we try to fit in and "look" French but it simply doesn't work.
We drive down the road and have a little competition to work out who is French and who is British.
The Brits stand out, they look different, they act differently, they dress differently.
So if we can't move a few hundred miles without standing out then in deepest Africa you've got no chance.
But at the end of the day, does it really matter ?
Good thread by the way, thank you.

Hustler I know what you mean, I've been here nearly 11 years and even though all my clothes are bought in France, I have a French haircut and a French ciggie hanging out the corner of my mouth, there are still some people who will greet me with "oh you're English" and I can't quite work out how they know.

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I fully agree with this Dodger Dude!
Keep It Simple.
If you have a 1200 BMW and lets say, an electronic part or controller fails in Africa, you are as they say..... screwed!
If on the other hand you have an older model bike, with carbs, points, atc, if it goes wrong, the chances are you can find SOMETHING to fit it. ( I used a set of points and a condenser off a Skoda to make my BMW R80 run again when the Points spring broke....... Ok i needed to file it a bit here and there, make it fit, it didnt run very well, but it RAN. it lasted 3000 miles untill I got to a place where I could get BMW parts sent to me from Motobins....)

But the choice is yours.

All I can say is BE AN INDIVIDUAL.... who cares what you ride, or where, or how far? just ride!

Hi all, excellent thread and thanks as always to the Originals for setting up HU. I normally TRY to accept others' opinions but....Metal Mule panniers are FAR superior to the touratech ones. There is no question. They have been seen to act as crash bars in crashes and slides down the road at high speeds. I feel if anyone thinks otherwise they've not yet seen the M. Mules. Also for me to travel round the world I'd want to try and make it a journey. Take the most suitable bike for learning as you go/ meeting people and really travelling. That means slowly. Seriously it's the Honda C90. Reliable, small enough to carry, spares everywhere, simple and totally adequate if seeing and experiencing the journey is the aim. Finally I think the idea is to take what would be no loss if lost, wrecked or stolen. If the cheap as chips C90 expires take a bus or whatever till you find another cheapo. Meet the locals. I'm no different from the others in zooming past too fast but I try to remember that for me the reason for travelling is the actual travelling! Fair enough to others but Celtic and I seem to see it similarly. Whatever, enjoy your trips, Linzi.

Honda C90s are lovely bikes, but if you dont have one you can always travel slower on your bigger bike, by relaxed throttle control. Argos tents are just fine too. No need for a mountain quality tent if you are camping by the road. And if once or twice your cheap tent is used in stormy conditions, well that's no reason to spend a fortune on a mountain tent.

There is a tendency around to buy the most expensive kit, as if that guaranteed quality. I notice how many bust a gut to buy hideously overpriced boxes - Jeez, theyre only boxes!

Charlotte or Warthog were right - that African village woman doesnt know or care what bike you ride - but you're white and therefore rich. But none of us can substitute for any country's nonexistent social security system or negate the effects of rampant, unrestrained capitalism. To think otherwise is naive and sentimental.

However none of the above should stop us travelling on the bike.

Or on the other hand it could be rampant unrestrained Marxist-Leninist ideology or rampant unrestrained absolute monarchy . Or the people running the countries could merely be rampant unrestrained crooks . You can't blame capitalism for all the worlds's woes .

But anyway the average traveller can't do much about it except to observe and learn.
Hopefully their travel will have a more profound effect upon them and their way of thinking rather than just ticking off the list of "bought the gear- been there -seen that- got drunk -got the tee shirt" ethos that seems to appeal to many .

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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."