For instance.....

If your bike had a value of £5000 when you bought it; how much extra would you have paid for the that same model if it were fully overland prepared ?

Would it have been worth £7000 it is was professionally 'pimped' ??


Could a base model XT600E worth £1300 be turned into something you could sell for £3000 if it were ready to jump on and conquer Africa on.

Not just a GPS bracket and top box. I mean a real over-hall with some custom made pieces and well educated upgrades based on a bespoke market.


Just out of interest....

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Ted,
I bought a Klr 650c for €1,150, got it overland ready myself and rode through central America on it
Sold it when I got home for €2,500 so it is possible to increase its value but you will decrease the number of buyers knocking on your door

What some consider 'overland ready' I consider 'overload ready'.

For me ;

Engine bash plate
Large fuel tank
Racks for panniers
Parts (seals, spark plug, cables, nuts + bolts, air filter skins)

and a good fettling - done by the rider as they will probably doing any fault finding beside the road so they may as well get to know the bike now rather than latter.

Most of the 'cost' is labor related to the fettling .. as you do that yourself it is simply your time. That does cost, as your probably busy earning money for the trip.. catch 22.

Many years ago I spent a year building and prepping what I regarded as the perfect Elephant Rally bike only to have it stolen a couple of weeks before we were due to leave. The only bike I could scrounge in the time was a little 100cc Suzuki trail bike which I duly thrashed down to the middle of Europe and back.

I reurned it with near terminal little end rattle and although I would have been happy to do the repairs my friend sold it within a couple of days at a 50% profit using the sales pitch "it must be reliable, it's just been to Austria and back" He was Irish as well!

On Ted's question, I'm not sure an overland prep service would be of much interest to me. Planning a long trip (or even a short one) means being on top of a lot of stuff - paperwork, politics, climate, health etc and knowing the bike well is high up the list. Some sort of turn-key purchase, where someone else has taken on the task of overhauling of the engine, chosing the luggage, deciding what spares to take etc would worry me.

If it breaks down and all I know is where the key goes and how to put fuel in where does that leave me in the middle of the Sahara? Whoever prepped it won't be turning up to rescue me. I've no problem outsourcing work but you have to take responsibility, not just take things on trust.

A agree with backofbeyond also.. And I think most people would rather have a go themselves.

However, I do think there is a market out there full of people limited on time, confidence or experience to self-prep.

If there a market for it which could support a small business for Overland ready bikes... hmmmmm I don't think so.
There are already companies out there who've got it covered for custom prep. Zen Overland etc.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Ted
i would love to see a pimped off road grand touring version of my bike - ST1300
Hang on , i think i had one in the 70 s , it was called a C90 with the leg shields removed

I didn't vote

THE most important (IMHO) mod to any motorcycle is its suspension.
For some reason, it features way down the list of 'must haves' after touring boxes, tents etc which is a little perplexing considering the load it will need to carry for a long time and way!

It seems to come down to what 'Adventurizing a bike' really means to each individual. I can't say I like that term for it's over use means it has become meaningless- a bit like ' it's nice' !

A new suspension isn't perceived as 'sexy' as new touring gleaming cases or top box or whatever.

Maybe it would be worth putting up a poll Ted asking what people thought was more important to them?

As always, it is about choice. What is important for one person may not be for the next. Some, for example, may accept/believe their OE suspension will be fine for say 10,000 kms after which they plan to sell the bike and fly home- so would not want to put expensive kit on their steed which they may not get back-
and it may well be fine or it can all go pear shape if they take one too many trails/bumps when heavily loaded- and so on.

The Charlies will complain when their £7000 XT600E doesn't stop the patch of mud on the industrial estate near Starbucks being a bit slippy.

The "Adventure Ready" rider will still want to get the tank off himself just to find all the electrical connectors he might need to find later when out and about with a bike that's not happy.

Adding a new shock to a second hand bike immediately makes the shock second hand. Prices reflect this.

The "happy" market then is people with more money than time, who already know all they need to know about their bikes and understand what level of added performance they are actually buying.

Sorry, did I just rain on a parade Apologies for my negativity.

I think there is a market for more specific products. A rack to go above the headlight with a maker willing to knock up variations. Means to mount a fuel can. Bash plates with built in tool boxes. If I didn't weld like someone with an engineering degree and knew a decent powder coater that's where I'd start.

Andy

This something I would be interested in. I'm new to Adventure Riding and the biggest hurdle for me is getting the bike sorted.

I know many have their own way of doing this, but what I am going through at the moment, is: Am I getting ALL the information I need to make an informed decision, on stuff like:

.... the pro's and con's of various options: Such as, older bike, and re-build, newer bike and outfit, FI or carburetor and so on.

Whilst the forum is packed with information, it's what I don't know that worries me. So my way of overcoming this would be to find an honest, reliable person/mechanic/build shop that I could discuss the pro's and con's above, and more, so I can and get to the point where I know I understand say 80% and the other 20% will be experience or learning as I go!

I would definitly use this type of service, especially if it could involve me sitting in on the re-build, so I could learn as much as possible.

For ME .....This sort of service would be a god send!

Alex

__________________
Age does not protect you from motorbikes. But motorbikes, to some extent, protect you from age.

You're lucky to be in Oz. From what I've read here and elsewhere ... there are lots of skilled fabricators and mechanics there experienced in doing custom work. We've hardly any here in USA.

And seems many Aussies understand how to set up a good travel bike ... BONUS! ... and I'd even bet you'll pay less there than you would in the UK or USA for these services. (but not as cheap as Vietnam!)

Custom work costs of fortune here in California. I'm lucky to know a GREAT machinist ... but I still pay him for all his work. Sad thing is ... kids are no longer taught these skills ... and few have the desire to learn. I think Oz is better off in this regard.

I've been on forums with Aussies like Bergdonk and Meso, (who is a member here I think) both skilled and knowledgable mechanics. They have home workshops and access to every machine imaginable.
Both seem well acquainted with the after market as well ... so may be able to steer you right regards things you can just buy and bolt on. Simple!

First thing to do? Decide on a bike. A good model, hopefully.
Sign onto bike specific forums for that bike and start reading. Lots to learn.

Next, find Ride Reports from guys who've done serious riding with your model bike. Find out it's issues and how best to deal with them.

Next, try to arrange some Tech Days within your bike specific forum in your local community. Here guys with the same bike get together and do projects ... hopefully while supervised by someone who actually knows what the Hell they are doing! (this is how I learned everything about my former Vstrom and could strip that bike in 15 minutes! Confidence!)

At this point ... you are ready to start bodging about on your own bike. Yes ... mistakes will be made. But hopefully the above steps will mean fewer mistakes and more moving forward doing your maintenance and mods.
Maintenance and Mods are FUN! (once you know how!)

Good luck!

You're a dealer aren't you?

I'm never buying one your bikes!

Jeez.

If you mean me I'm about as far from a dealer as you're ever likely to get. At the time of the Elephant Rally episode I was a biochemist working in a research lab. Spannering is purely a pastime.

My mistake.

I still wouldn't buy a bike from ya, though.

How much extra?

Absolutely nothing! Why would you? Money saved is more funds for trip.

Do you need gps? Large tank? Alloy boxes? Really?

Nice to have but not essential. I'm now back in Delhi having just ridden all around india for over 4 months and 10,000 miles on a 150 locally produced hero Honda (800 ukp). Link on here to blog (my first ever) but suffice to say, snow, ice, extreme heat, monsoon, sand and water etc etc and it made it. Ride what you have - you really don't need the extras.

A map, compass and a 5 litre can on the back (if you must) and you're good to go.

I've ridden in many countries using this simple approach and I've always been okay. Getting 'lost' is part of the fun.

Save your cash and have more away time - perfect!

I did have a multi purpose top box though - it's also my plane hand luggage

Each to their own as to how one rides and likes to travel.

Large tank? = Each to there own but i really feel a large tank is needed but it all depends on where you travel to and when, like if you ride during the night in remote areas then yes it would be hard to get fuel

Do you need gps?= I had one for alittle while but now travel with out one however citys are my nemis due to not having a GPS so i try avoide citys, i agree a map and compass is more fun

Alloy boxes?= All the smart kids use soft bags these days

All comes down to what makes you happy, yes alot of people cracking on with C90s but if that makes them happy why not. i like a enduro type bike with a large fuel range and a few other extras suited to how i travel/ride and if that costs alittle extra i will happy spend it as if thats make my trip a better trip then why not.