Trip delayed - will this ever end
 

I was going to leave on my RTW trip 2021 - now 2022 - but really? The new normal may be scary on many levels, and will we be out of the woods by spring 2022? I really hope so, cause I'm not gettin any younger....

I have gotten a lot done, but have SO much more to go.....

KRTW - that's me - K, just K, I'm not OK, nor KY - just K - and that's KRTW -
K Round The World.

My biggest decision has yet to be made - and that's a new motorcycle...and this decision is driving me crazy.....I have looked at everything....a while ago a friend let me ride his BMW and I was really impressed. Balance, smooth, fine engineering, but you know what - BMW is WAY down the list of reliable motorcycles on the Consumer Report. And reliable is what I seek....

I will be living on this bike for many years...comfort is important too. A bike is defined by the kind of riding you'll be doing, but I will be doing everything, and a LOT of off road. I know the adv bike is where I"m going, and I know I want to be in the 800cc range....I also know I want a used bike that I'm going to modify the shit out of. But BMW - maybe. Yamaha Tenere 700 - only new ones in Canada. Not a Triumph, that company does not seem stable at the moment. Take into consideration parts around the world....Honda does not have anything in the range that I like. KTM - maybe....but long-term reliability - here, where I live, there are more used KTMs available that anything else - why? I tried the DR 650 and hated it - too small. I want to keep weight down where possible so no 1200cc.....what to do? Driving me MAD! But due to the pandemic - I have time.

I hope this community is safe. Wondering if there is anybody else in my position - wanting to leave but stuck...what time frame they are looking at for leaving and what their thought process may be. I will spend my first year in Canada and the US. Second year or longer in South America before I head to Africa and then Europe.

I have looked at 1000's of hours of bike travels....read blogs and motorcycle magazines....talked with BMW owners and still fully at a loss as to how to move forward on the new bike....I think what will happen is that I will buy something in the range that's a great deal - and that will be that. I'm not a rider that is a fan of any company, I just love to ride. But I have to admit - the BMW sure was a nice ride......

All the best to everybody....I have finally become a member....no meetings for me this year with members, but maybe next year things will open up.

Be well.

I sympathise with your sentiments. This may blow over, or the danger of contracting COVID19 may be the new normal and we have to learn to mitigate those risks.

Either way a RTW trip ahead of you is very exciting. I'm jealous of that.

I don't know if you're asking for input on bikes, or just commenting on the difficulty in choosing one. I'm going assuming it's the former!! Ever met any biker who didn't like to pontificate about bikes?!

Anyway, the adventure bike market has exploded over the last 15 years. Every factory is selling the overland dream to commuters and sunday riders the world over. And by and large that really is who's buying them. The factories know this. That's not to say they are bad bikes. I'm sure they are great, but the vast majority will never ever see the likes of the Mongolian steppe or the Road of Bones. As such they are not built to handle them. That's not to say they couldn't cross either, but they were not built with that in mind. They were built to make the owners feel like they could ride those places.

First let's posit that the lighter a bike, generally the better. On the open road a juggernaut is fine. Stable and comfy, but on rougher roads, trails and tracks that challenge you to stay upright, that weight will be a major handicap: I know from experience. I rode a BMW R1150GS, two-up across South America and mostly it was fine, but on some gnarly roads (I'm not great off-roader), it was really hard work.

Generally, anything under 170 is usually akin to an enduro: so perhaps look at a weight max of 180kg, dry will allow you a bike that is decent on the open road and not unmanageable on the dirt. Opens up a lot of bikes of up to 800cc, I would say.

Meanwhile let's also posit that mechanical complexity and remote locations only play well when the former suddenly requires human input. In other words if your bike needs a USB, a laptop and an internet connection to be diagnosed, reprogrammed and tuned, you better hope it needs none of those off the grid.

Now what follows is not a sales pitch, it's simply my rationale for valuing my bike as a potential travel bike. It's also an admission that it's the best choice either.

I no longer have the BMW. I was relieved of its ownership when a nice lady ushered me into a crash barrier whilst I was riding home: this is after it survived 7,500 miles of South American mayhem. Anyway, with the exception of an XR400 that broke my butt, I have owned the same Honda 96 Transalp since then. Why do I like this bike for the idea of a more remote trip?
Lighter than a GS (but not light),
21" front,
decent suspension travel,
fuel economy is about 4.5litres per 100km, once reaching 3.5 on a very steady ride
decent tank size
Honda build (I mean the Honda of the 90s)
comfy seat
decent headlight
Carbs. No complex FI system.
Can do two-up at a push.
Decent power
V-twin (I love V-twins)

Those are the reasons I think it makes a good bike for such a trip. If I could make it air-cooled and weight 30kg less, I'd love it more. My point is that newer isn't necessarily the best.

My other point is that if you are so overwhelmed by the choice of bike, narrow the field by choosing a genuinely decent criterion to consider: weight. You will soon have a far more manageable shortlist.

I've been impressed by what some have managed on the likes of the CB500X and the CRF250L.

Once you've chosen it, by all means add a few clever bolt-ons but don't clutter it either: you may want to reinforce the sub-frame, add LED lights where you can, add an auxiliary/USB plug and a comfy seat, but if you really need to make major changes, then perhaps its not the right bike to begin with.

My bike works for me so I'm not going to tell you what to choose, but I would urge you not to discount some models because they are too small because, depending where you go, even they may feel too big.

The Transalp is a great bike...but old now....I don't even know if I could find one. Pedro Moto on youtube is a great example of that bike taking a beating...

500cc is just not gonna do it for me....I have been riding a long time, of course not RTW - but I have 150,000 miles plus on a bike. There is a balance to reach between off-road and being throw off the road by 18 wheelers. Some weight is good.

I wonder if buying bikes as you go is a viable option....for instance, in Europe mostly tarmac. In India, a Himalaya...

I am seriously considering building a bike from almost scratch.....buying a motor, frame and wheels....doing custom suspension, and everything else. This would be AWESOME but imagine getting parts for it!!! I would know the beast inside and out.

Thanks for the post Warthog. I cannot really feel like I'm leaving till I have a bike for this. My current Yamaha Vstar 1100 ain't gonna cut it!

RTW bike
 

Very good answer Warthog !!!

To choose the right bike for your multiple years RTW trip is an important decision, so take your time and dont just buy the first bike because of its price or color.

Building one yourself give you the advantage that you know it inside out. I traveled together with a rider that had somebody else build the bike for his RTW trip and to tell you the truth the bike handled very badly off road (but I only rode it for a few kilometers).

For my RTW from 1999 to 2005 it also took some time to choose the right bike, and I first bought the wrong bike and after talking for a long weekend to a friend who had traveled for 16 years around the world on a bike, I knew which one to buy. So I sold the first one and bought another one and in my 6 1/2 years on the road I had no regrets and I am still today very thankful to my friend for his advise.

Choosing the wrong bike could mean that costs for parts/dealership services or transport costs after a break down will break your bank. A part in the US may cost 100 Dollars but in other parts of the world it will cost twice or three times as much, if it is available, or you have to pay huge import duties and shipping costs.

My advise is, choose a simple bike and learn to do all the servicing and most repairs yourself.

Good luck, and dont forget its your journey and it can be done on any bike ... enjoy it.

mika :scooter:

What was the "right" bike for you mika?

RTW bike
 

the right bike for me in 1999 was:

a then ten year old 1989 Yamaha XT600Z Tenere (1VJ - 1987 Model) in very good condition, with an original big petrol tank, electric starter and kickstarter ... and it was not cheap to buy, but I had no regrets paying over market value.

when I returned it had 270000km on the clock.

mika :scooter:

That bike was never available in Canada. That's why the Tenere 700 is on my list.

Mike, be sure to go to your User Options / control panel and put in your home country so people have an idea what's available to you.

As has been noted, WEIGHT MATTERS. In other parts of the world than Canada / USA and Europe, and to some extent Australia - unless you go off-road, then it MATTERS again.

Personally, if I was going RTW again, this time solo - it would be a DR650. CHEAP, easily modified to become the perfect bike for you, relatively light compared to the 800 up bikes, CHEAP, lots of them around, though used they're pricey - guess what they hold their value for a reason, and they're relatively CHEAP, and also important, super reliable, easy and simple to fix, will cruise at highway speeds forever, and still do well off-road. Oh and did I mention they're CHEAP? And there's LOT of mods and tweaks to make them YOURS. And no shortage of power for everywhere but here, and they're adequate for here.

I've got several days riding two different ones hard off-road, and a long fast days haul on the freeway on one, and although it's sure not my 1200GSA, it's ok, when you remember what it is and what ELSE it can do beside pavement. It's a great all-round bike.

Remember, what you've come to understand is "the perfect bike" is hugely coloured by riding in North America - and the culture here of "if it ain't a 1200 it's crap". And, you might want a different bike entirely for North America, and that makes sense. Until you want to do the TAT or TCAT. Then we're back to a DR650 or similar smaller bike. I wouldn't do a KLR, I personally hate them, but lots of people love them. They're probably a slightly better street bike than a DR, but the KLR is far worse off-road.

FWIW - I ride a 1200GSA off road and on road, but for real off-road I now have a 2002 DRZ400E, and love it off-road. Makes the 1200 look and feel like the tank it is. A friend rides off-road with me on his DR650, and it works really well at both street and dirt. The DRZ is small, and very light, over 50 pounds lighter than his DR, and we REALLY notice the difference dragging them around. We've also both had to pick up my 1200 when it rudely managed to fall over, wheels way up in the air and bars in the ditch. Darn near killed us both. Yup, weight matters.

Finally I'd suggest a whole lot less time in North America. My mother said to us when we left in 1987 for our RTW, "why don't you see our own country first?" Our answer, "We can do that when we're old in a motorhome - but we won't be touring Africa then." My advice: ride due south and keep going - by the time you get to Mexico, you'll have worked through any surprise teething troubles and be good to go. Of course you have lots of time before then to get a bike, and spend a lot of time getting it sorted to perfection before you leave - just remember to test WITH A FULL LOAD!

Best of luck deciding! Always remember, you can do it on any bike. See the Achievable Dream Video series on Vimeo!

Well that was a long post, but this topic seems to be generating long posts! :)

First year bike - pass!
Second year it could be THE bike to have - we'll see. Let someone else sort the teething troubles.

I looked at the 700: very nice power! As much as my TDM and "only" 200kg!

So basically TDM power at Transalp weight and decent looks!

But then I had a look at the DR650: 147kg, dry!! That is AMAZING!! And a 650 to boot!

Yep! Definitely see the benefits in that.

I toured Sweden (painfully) on a super moto XR400R. Excellent economy, surprising handling, fun performance, and 116kg dry: so easily to wheel about and lift.

It had a Dakar tank meaning about 20 litres of fuel and also meaning that I needed to get off an massage my backside 7 times between fill ups instead of just 3.

But the DR: I just know I'm gonna start looking at the used bike ads now, not that I need another bike!

If the idea is to spend the first year travelling around the US and Canada then your bike choice may not be as critical as it might be if you were heading straight to Africa for example. You'll be fine on something bigger and heavier and more complicated in North America than would work elsewhere and after a year you'll know whether that bike works for you. Having said that I've ridden across a lot of the US on a variety of bikes from 200cc to 1800cc and for solo use my pick of the lot would be a KLR650. Like Grant's DR650 or Mika's XT600 Tenere (neither of which I've ridden so I can't comment on them) it's a middle of the road bike that hits the sweet spot between weight, power, complexity, reliability longevity, comfort, fuel range, parts availability etc.

And, believe me, on a really long trip a bland bike that just works and gets you where you want to go without fuss is what you want. If it doesn't blend into the background with time whatever its downsides are will drive you crazy. You don't need it to be the fastest or the flashiest or the most sophisticated or even the newest. What you need is that it starts and runs and gets you to where you want to go. Ultimately it's a two wheel pack animal. It might be boring but a donkey does that job better in the long run than a racehorse.

Wouldn't an older, cheaper bike be better for country import duties/carnet de passage etc ? Or am I out of date ?!

I think the common notion that older bikes are problem magnets is rather false (general observation. No reference to the OP, here).

Take my Transalp. It is now in its 24 year! That is old and I'd probably be concerned about buying a bike of that age and yet, it also only has 46,000 miles on the clock and the XL600V lump is one of the most understressed engines out there.

After a winter indoors, it usual starts within 5 seconds of pressing the starter. Even a weak battery can often still get it to chug into life.

Admittedly I had to replace the clutch on mine, do a swingarm rebuild and the headrace bearings, but otherwise trouble free.

Insurance is negligible, and indeed, value-based border entry fees will be far far less. The only issue now is availability of OEM parts.

In other words, if the bike has been well-looked after and the mileage is not excessive, it's probably a perfectly good bike.

Great posts! Thanks all. I updated my profile. That may help. A few things....Yes, I am going to cross my country one last time from the East Coast, then to Alaska, then south....doing a RTW means RTW - and being in my own country for the first 5 or 6 months lets me shootout my systems, gear, the bike, everything and makes more sense than heading straight into the fray.

And second - after riding a DR650 - I understand the arguments, but I am not spending 6 or 7 years on that bike. It may be a 650 but has 46 horsepower. The Tenere - 72....these are very different bikes - and people, comfort counts. With a full load on - the DR will bog on climbs, wait to pass 18 wheelers.....all the reasons stated make sense - but this is not a bike for me or this trip.

I have ridden in India and have some idea of at least one different and beautiful country that is not North America. Smaller bikes. Terrible roads. Crazy drivers. Where the horn is more important than brakes.....

So the bike issue goes around and around and is indeed an important decision. I have seen everything being used....sport bikes, Honda C90 scooters, to huge touring monsters....My brother rode from BC to Ecuador on his GS 1200 - loves the bike, but wished he had a smaller bike for the trip.

Each of us is unique. Riding style/plans/expectations/ and an important one for me is that I will not be returning to Canada. Part of this trip is to find a place to retire, where I don't have to shovel winter, and the rents are not $2000/month....

And I want to say goodbye....Newfoundland is a unique place and there are a few areas I have yet to see. The Labrador hiway calls my name - and Alaska is a must. The Dalton.....then I can go south.....all the way south...Patagonia.

On paper, the DR ticks an awful lot of boxes. Important boxes.

But, ultimately, it's your trip, your bike.

No bike is perfect in all situations.

If the Ten' 7 will give you the ride you want most of the time and you can live with its limitations those times that it does not, then it sounds like a viable choice.

Go for it.

You've presumably had test rides, and read testimonials and at some point you simply need to take a leap of faith. Look at your route, make a note of any and all Yamaha specialists and HU communities along the way, and then just ride it as you've planned.

I heartily recommend going online to Adventure Rider Radio and find one of the podcasts from last year, I think. It was a compilation of some of the best interviews. Our own Grant Johnson was one of them. There was a report on properly setting up a bike: very handy, and cheaper than buying "comfort improvements" that might not be needed.

Do listen to it, and also research tricks for the overlander that may well save you spending a fortune on all the shiny add ons catalogues would love to convince you to buy.

krtw that does clarify things a lot, thanks! :)

You DO have a difficult decision ahead! Weight versus comfort is always the hardest thing to balance.

Keep this in mind: Sjaak Lucassen said on our Achievable Dream video series "Don't look for the perfect bike... take the bike of your heart" - this from the guy who rode a CBR900RR and an R1 on two trips around the world, and is working on riding an R1 to the North Pole.

MOST important in other words is that YOU LIKE the bike. You'll put up with it's foibles and flaws, but if you hate it to start with, you won't! So forget perfection - what do you WANT to ride?

And it's not always the weight - an 800GS weighs a fair bit less than a 1200GS - but people say the 1200 is much easier to pick up because the 800 falls flat, and the 1200 never quite does because of the big fat cylinders.

I second this.

I've bought things because they made more sense or were cheaper (not just bikes) and then still hankered for what I'd left behind as it had been what I really wanted.

What's gonna put the biggest smile on your face?

Whatever bike I get I am going to modify with the intent to lose weight. I've been studying ways to accomplish this.

I think the process in dealing with the pandemic is this: Keep getting ready to go. Be patient and informed. And I await a vaccine.....

You have clearly stated how I feel about this....no bike is perfect, and neither am I, but we have to be partners on a long voyage....thank you.

Great advice. Having done a lot of trips on a bike, I have a fair idea of some things I want and need....For the most part I plan to build what I want in regards to comfort....I have some things to learn about the actual setup of the bike for my size and riding style. That learning will come into play when I get the bike. Also when I start to accumulate the clothes, and gear I'm taking with me......

Honestly - this is like standing naked in the world - and re-defining every element of my life. Shoes, socks, underwear....all the way up to computers and internet access. And the process is breathing new passion for being here on this planet - and I am fortunate enough to be healthy, capable and in a position to do this.....and I know I am fortunate.....It is also a process of letting go - cause I am going to say goodbye to people I love and care about - and a whole life that's pretty cool.....and I'm ready.

So I paid paid for this series of video's - Vimeo says I own them - but when I hit the play now, nothing happens and I am unable to watch...What am I missing?

I have never purchased anything from Vimeo before.

I found the stream...but only one video is there. I paid $26 and believed I was buying the series....Part 2 Which Bike. is all that appears.

I think it's horses for courses. I ride 2 bikes, 2005 F650 Dakar (176 kg dry) in South America and 2001 R1150GS (230 kg dry) in Europe. I have fallen off both all too frequently and the 1150 is a helluva lot easier to pick for the engine configuration, even for a geriatric of 75 years of age. That said I have found the Dakar with Mitus E07s to be a good compromise for slab and off-road. The Rotax engine is unbustable, consumption is 70 mpg and FI allows operation between sea level and 15000 ft without a problem. Only issues with this model are headstock bearings and water pump seals, neither of which are show stoppers.

Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk

Do you have an opinion on the newer BMW's. Say from 2010 up? Some really great points were made about getting work done on a bike with an ECU in the middle of Africa, for instance.

The 1200 is a lot lighter than the 1150 but I have no experience. I would limit yourself to a 650 for a solo RTW. But don't agonize over which bike because any will do, the limits are defined by the rider. I have been corresponding with a guy riding a 650 Vstrom, From Australia across Russia then through South America and he swore by the bike. On my recent travels I met a girl rider from Belurus on a F650 GS with 180K miles on the clock. So it's not the bike but the journey!

Sent from my moto g(7) using Tapatalk

A lot of truth in that and it lends weight to the notion of going for the bike that gets your juices flowing!

I recognise your dilemma mate, that's why I built two very different travel bikes. One from scratch with a bomb proof engine for two up and one from two bikes to make a solo offroad oriented bike. You have the time now to go custom, I'm so glad I did..!!

I'm supposed to be doing the full TCAT east to west right now but for covid, real game/life changer for sure...

Interested to see which direction you take with both bike choice and trip detail, keep posting [emoji40][emoji41]

Sent from my SM-G973F using Tapatalk

I went into the centre of Derby to get a job done with younger daughter and we wore our masks. Unlike about 75% of the people there. The worst people were the pensioners, I really can’t get over how dense people are. Arses.

I didn’t even get the bloody job done as Vodafone’s back office system, that I needed to be working, wasn’t. Arse.

Still, on the the other hand, I have handed myself a perfect opportunity to go again next weekend (when everyone in the UK has to wear masks in shops - still the muppets will put the mask over their mouth but leave the nose exposed - arses) as this evening I managed to tread on my glasses that had fallen out of my pocket so I am now using the spare pair. Arse.

Still, on the other hand, I have got to get some new glasses as I realised today that my prescription has changed sufficiently that I now am only marginally better off with glasses when driving than without - in other words my eyesight is getting longer sighted and correcting the short sightedness that I have had since I was 18 years. I can’t see anything with my glasses on near to so I am going to have to get bifocals. Arse.

So on the basis that the UK populations are made up of 75% idiots and at least one clumsy, ageing motorcyclist I suspect that, firstly, the Covid situation in the UK will get worse and we have a second national lockdown (I have little doubt that the idiots of Derby are not alone) and secondly, that I will still manage to lose my new glasses regularly.

Pretty much the same down here in 'rural' Oxfordshire - virtually nobody wearing masks unless they're forced to (on buses for example). Tuesday is market day here and more or less consists of people in their 50's and 60's selling stuff to people in their 70's and 80's. All in the high or very high risk category but when I went past the market last week the number of people wearing masks was - none. Not one single person. Be interesting to see if that changes when masks in shops becomes compulsory - do market stalls count as shops? My local barber (I really need a haircut!) was wearing one when I went to check out the queue in the shop, but covering his chin only. doh

I've been building (rebuilding really) a bike for the last 9 months for a travel project that in the innocent pre Covid days of last autumn was meant to start on 1st August - 10 days time. The effect of the virus has been to knock that on the head but its effect on some of the businesses I've had to use during the rebuild has been quite striking - some have been swamped with work from people on furlough while some others have been kicking their heels. Three months to get a rebore done vs vapour blasting 'while you wait' for example. Still others have just packed up. Just as well the 1st Aug departure date has been binned as the bike is still in bits but I've rescheduled a shorter trip (to the French HU event) in mid Sept. Whether that goes ahead is anyone's guess.

That must be wild. I can almost smell the adrenaline!

Care to share the details of the bike and the destination?

My Central European jaunt is still on track for now. Fingers-crossed....

I'm in a similar boat, not actually going RTW but UK to Magadan on the Trans-Siberian and back via the Pamirs and Silk Road. A trip in the planning since 2016, many decisions made, one of which was to wait until the first 790 Adventure hit the shops. Wanted a light bike for the dirty stuff but also one capable of effortless road use, and not old because with the best will in the world and attention, old bikes do break things - and to me that's not an adventure, it's a PITA. Yes, the KTM is more money than I wanted to spend and has more electronics than I'd like, but you can't have everything.

Last year I did a little trip round southern Europe to try out the bike and my travel kit (and test myself), learned a few lessons and ready for the big one (or so I thought). Got as far as applying for visas before cancelling in March when it became obvious what was happening (and people on here were saying "just go").

The "developed world" may well have beaten the virus with a vaccine by mid 2021 but globally, I can't see borders being freely open and travellers welcomed until at least 2022. I can tour near home but it's a long and frustrating wait until I can do the one I really want to do, and by the time I go that'll be 6 years after I first started planning. :(

Oh yes, it's certainly (g)rave culture on a Tuesday morning round here! :rofl:
I tend to stay well away from the market - the out of control mobility scooter drivers are far more dangerous than the roads.


The bike is an old 250 Yamaha two stroke - just like this one in fact:

https://i.postimg.cc/4y2KTtK2/1970.jpg

That picture was taken in Morocco in 1970 and what I wanted to do was redo that trip on the same (model) bike 50yrs later and write a book about how things have moved on - or not, whether 50yrs has given me any more insight into how the world works, that kind of thing. I made a start on the book last year but the virus has affected every aspect of the original idea to the point where even if the bike was running and it was possible to actually ride the route, it wouldn't be the same. So far just about the only thing that seems to be directly comparable seems to be the length of my hair. Then it was out of hippy ideals choice, now it's because all the barbers are shut. So the trip, like everything else, is postponed to next year.

Part one of the book in its work in progress form:

https://i.postimg.cc/yNWPBd6g/DoE2-2.jpg

A year back I did work through a 'risk assessment' of what could possibly go wrong with this idea. A global plague decimating, if not populations, certainly economies, and closing down borders that had taken the last 50yrs to open was not even on the long list. I think nuclear war came higher up. :rofl:

We're only half way through 2020...

Either way, great idea, albeit mad! I hope to get to read a copy once written!

(And keep the hair! It'll give the Tuesday market crowd something to grumble about)

With regard to the sentiment of "Fear Of Missing Out" - ie, that a trip in 2022 or later will be somehow worse - I'm actually now a bit relieved that my big intercontinental trip is going to probably be 2023 if all goes well, because as an American I feel like it's gonna be a few years before I'm properly welcome internationally again. Gives me more time to save and farkle up in the meantime!

My bike, a CRF250L, will do up to 85 surprisingly handily with me weighing in at 174 lbs/79 kg. It's the one I'm hoping to do major USA overland trips like the TAT with, as well as internationally.

It's a shame that to feel that way. Can't comment on how valid a concern it is, but it's a shame that one doesn't feel welcome somewhere.

One thing I've noticed on long trips, including international, is that once you get going, it doesn't matter a whole lot what motorcycle you are riding. Don't sweat your motorcycle choice too much. Focus on your "places to see & experience". Study a new language. Those are the important things.

Are you traveling to ride your motorcycle around the world, or are you traveling to experience the people of the world?

So long as you can confidently ride it where you want to go, it's not too heavy, you can pick it up with confidence, it's reliable, and it can get repaired locally. Remember, there will be slimy, muddy, steep detours somewhere - you will "want to go" there in order to get past the obstacle. You want to be free to get off the main road to meet and experience where the locals live. That may result in unintended challenges, what later are retold as adventures. You may terminally rip a tire or blow a shock absorber and need to figure out what to do. Don't let your moto choice limit those decisions. Often those decisions are a highlight of the trip. Often the unintended challenges include extensive interaction with the local population.

It's freeing to travel on a simple and inexpensive moto - in many ways.

If you're planning to come down under it could be quite a wait.

The head of Australia's biggest airline, QANTAS, has stated that he thinks it will be 2030 before international travel in and out of Oz returns to what it was prior to March this year.

There aren't going to be too many Aussies leaving the country for quite some while, in the meantime Aussies returning home need to stump up $3k to pay for 2 weeks quarantine on arrival.

I was lucky, I set off on my last trip in January and was able to spend six glorious weeks in warm climes before dashing home mid March.

I was daydreaming yesterday about how long this all might last, then I thought of someone in summer 1939 who might have been planning a bicycle tour of Europe. So things could be worse, and hopefully we will get a vaccine some time in the next nine months.

Good advice in the above post, I set off for Africa in the 1970s on a TriBSA cafe racer (Triumph engine in BSA frame) with clip ons, rear sets and a close ratio racing gearbox. It was the only bike I had, so that's what I went on.

Hmmm, good point...

My first bike in Africa was a Matchless 500 single (ex-police). Heavy, and not much clearance. Travelled around what is now Zimbabwe and Botswana, including way out in the Kalahari, with no problem...

Interesting question. "Are you traveling to ride your motorcycle around the world, or are you traveling to experience the people of the world? "

The answer of course is both....I love to ride. Been on a bike since I was 12 years old....But the best answer to why I want to do a trip like this: Life Squared.....I am a musician. Being on stage playing music is a unique experience....Time flows very differently. And when the band is in sync....Life Squared takes place....that feeling of being fully present to the moment and bursting with life force.....riding a bike can create the same experience. I have been transported out of my body while riding...the bike becomes an extension of your mind...the road an endless adventure with nothing but new around every corner....and ya can't get that in a car...well at least not in the same way....

I am bringing music with me.....no details here, but I will be working with indigenous artists and performing and recording the entire time....not while riding of course, but I am turning my motorcycle into a musical instrument. This is where the people enter in a big way....So its not just a motorcycle, and its not just the people, and its not just the world - its Life Squared....

This is the second last chapter of my life, maybe the last. I refuse to sit around feeling old and useless.....and I have no fear. So its off on the road.

Here is how the motorcycle thing is going to go down. I am putting up $5000 in the fall for a bike. That's my budget. And I am going to buy the best bike I can for that much or under....I don't care too much what it is. But then all winter I will mod it to my specs and needs.....Learn every nut and bolt, custom build things I want, and get ready....There is a DIY shop in my city and I am going to go there and strip the engine down under a mechanics supervision...and put it back together - this will help me make my tool kit and know this bike literally inside and out. So the what bike question is answered kinda - it will cost under 5K - that's all I know at this point.

What a great bunch of posts from everybody....I have to section my life into chunks....band, work, study, caregiver, then trip - and I have been working a lot of hours lately....Got a chunk of time today to get caught up. Thanks everybody.

Australia would be close to the last country I visit.....maybe 7 years from when I leave...so 2030 works....but a vaccination that's tested and works may change things drastically...that's what I'm hoping for....

With the uncertainty of Covid etc is it worth travelling the world without locking into one bike, but buy and sell bikes as you go and also use other forms of transport where more appropriate?

You seem to be in no hurry which means you could spend a heap of time in one country getting to see it and using the mode of transport that best suits.

Just before Covid we were about to head OS with the family for an extended period using airbnb’s and buying cars when needed.

Covid stopped it but I couldn’t imagine the hassle if we were OS with camper and had to leave it to come home in a hurry.

At least when its just you that headache is out of the picture. Just a thought.
:)


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I have considered this option, but no longer mainly due to technical issues. It would be too difficult to build what I'm building, then mod it for each use....I'm not just going on a motorcycle trip - nor am I just going around the world....I am filming, recording, creating VR - and all of this will be modded into the bike - and it will be a motorcycle cause there is NO other way to experience the world that interests me....Having said this, time will tell how much I am going to be forced to alter plans due to Covid....and that remains a fact for all of us.

Thanks for the thoughtful post.

Here is my bike KRTW, it's taken 6 years to build with work and family being priorities put before it. Built from scratch using a super smooth K75 engine.
I'm interested to know what bike you would build and what priorities/ necessaries would dictate the build...???

I only ask because I feel I have learnt many things about a build project including the pitfalls which I would gladly pass on.....https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...20e63c35f0.jpg

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Someone mentioned picking up the bike and I think that was a very good point. My back still hurts 15 years later from all the times I had to pickup a 2003 F650 that I took to Argentina. Maybe going with a friend is a good idea because of the save your back aspect.

I recently bought a DRZ400 and was thinking about using it for an around the world trip. I found out that I do not really have the patience for doing any highway riding on anything smaller than a 650.

The DR650 sounds like a good choice, but I think a KLR650 or F650 dakar would also be good choices. I think having a sub $5k bike is a good idea, because if it gets stolen, has a serious break down, has a bad crash, etc you are just out of the $5k. Sometimes you will have to leave the bike in an unsecure location and it is going to be a whole lot less stressful if it is a sub $5k bike.

That bike has a lot of very intentional features: the front end assembly, the panelling down by the sump, the design of the side boxes, even the engine.

Would you mind talking us through the choices and reasons?

I’m guessing each one has a story or purpose!

https://r.tapatalk.com/shareLink/top...ink_source=app

Have a goosey gander on here, my build thread.. .

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Absolutely beautiful bike......I have to go to work, but later today will post a list of my wishes for a bike - and would love to hear the pitfalls and lessons leaned from your build.

I traveled two up for a year (North and South America)

On this year long trip, I used a 1000cc 120hp big bike for North America (Open roads of the US and western Canada)

Then for South America, I used a 650cc vtwin bike.

I felt like the bikes were well matched for the job. I personally would not want bigger than a 650 for SA. My only regret was not spending more money in suspension upgrades for the 650.


I also want to add that the bike doesnt matter as much as you think as long as you get to do the trip.

Don't overthink the bike but do make the trip happen if you can.

After TONS of research, and watching some fantastic vids made from the great people here at HU - you are absolutely correct about the bike....I looked deeply into the Yamaha Tenere 700 - and when I finally got to see and sit on one - its not the bike for me....Top of running right now, is the BMW F800 GS - or some version of it....

One of the things that shook me when I looked at the Tenere - its build quality....basically its made out of plastic....and for me - I would have to make so many mods to the bike to make it fit my needs - forget it...Plus the fact of a new bike and parts distribution around the world....no.

I want a used bike - with known issues, well tested....that will not cost a fortune, that I can modify to my hearts content....

The biggest issue I have with the BMW is weight, and I will be seeking ways to drop that weight as much as possible.

Getting close to bike purchase time - fall. I have a space all set up for work on the bike, and will have all winter plus to get some work done.

Thanks for the post.

Setting your sights on a particular model is one big step taken care of! Good stuff.

As for dropping weight, I am no expert. A lot of the stuff on the bike has to be there, so there's not much to discard. It's more a case of replacement and as one variation of the saying goes: light, cheap, durable: pick two!!

You might want to look at polymer fuel tanks, perhaps replacement rear shocks might be lighter with the added bonus of improving ride quality, and of course some bodywork can be removed although that might leave some components exposed and vulnerable.

I can't speak for you, personally, but I can speak for myself. When I was planning a big trip, I too wanted to reduce the weight seeing as the bike was a beast and we were two up. What with kit and luggage all I seemed to be doing was adding weight.

There was one component of the equation I could influence: me. I decided to lose some weight! I lost about 8kg-10kg in the months before our departure. My partner did the same and between us, the bike was carrying about 16 less than it would have been. And we felt better for it. It was not masses in the grand scheme seeing as the bike was 240kg by itself, unladen, but it offset some of what we packed.

So..., if you have a few pounds that could be shed, that is one way to go. Otherwise, in practical terms it becomes more about adding as little as possible, rather than actually lightening the bike. I recommend at least bearing that perspective in mind.

I have thought of this...but more.....I am a skinny wiry guy...6' 77kg (170 LBS)....I lost about 7kg working out every day....and that's what I mean....if I'm going on this trip, I need to be in the best shape I can get into...and have to maintain it....Looking at resistance bands that can be used as tie downs...double use, so I can work out on the road.

On the bike for weight loss: Exhaust...but I don't want loud....Aluminum sprocket and smaller chain....gas tank....yes, research deeper when I have a tank to replace. There is much I have to learn...can I save weight by replacing plastic covers with carbon fiber? Would magnesium alloy make better lighter crash bars? Is there a way to save weight in the tires....soft vs hard panniers....

A friend of mine works in a CnC shop....he can make me custom parts out of whatever I want....so maybe replacing engine covers....lighter seat....

Gear - buying the best and lightest travel gear for the road...clothes, camp gear, everything.....and being really efficient with tools, and everything that is going will be weighed so I know what I"m dealing with.....

Weight is a big issue. Right now I travel 2up on an 1100 and the weight is incredible....We camp...At slow speeds I can hardly stay upright, and at the end of day of riding my arms and shoulders are sore....

I am even researching replacing the frame.....and I do mean researching...to see if this much work and expense is worth the weight loss....No idea right now....

But I have over a year. Will have the bike in a month to a month and half....prime bike buying time here in Canada.....and once that is done I can really get to work.

Thanks for the post.

Stick with steel for the durability - ally is great for racers but durability is poor. You CAN get steel ringed alloy-centre sprockets and that might be worthwhile - but only until you're somewhere less well stocked, then you're back to steel. Chain - My recommendation is DEFINITELY stick with stock - they've picked that size for a reason, and trying to source special sprockets is a headache you don't want on the road.


https://www.shopbmwmotorcycle.com/pr...onal-fuel-tank

But of course that will simply ADD weight!
Not NEAR enough for the price and effort involved! We're talking almost nothing anyway for the average plastic cover.

Lighter, not stronger, and when you crash and generate a whole lot of sparks and set the mag on fire... ;)

Some tires are much lighter than others. Check the specs, but don't get carried away about it.

Soft is definitely lighter!
Engine covers is in the much too hard category for a few ounces - note that the DRZ400 as an example comes with magnesium covers - and everyone ends up putting a steel case saver on top - because mag is FRAGILE. With the seat you can save a little weight at the expense of comfort - probably. Maybe...

That's the area you'll get the most bang for the buck and effort! If you don't take it, it weighs nothing!

Strongly recommend research into Ergonomics - See the Achievable Dream series where I go into ergos quite a bit - and also fitness - and that means RIDING fitness, not just general fitness. Also lessons on riding a big bike off-road - skill can reduce effort massively, and with good ergos greatly reduce or eliminate the pain at the end of a long day.

I can't believe you'll save more than a few pounds at incredible expense and effort.


KISS principle! Eliminate weight where it's straightforward and you can get big gains, and don't worry about a few grams at great cost, unless of course your budget is unlimited and you WANT to do it!
Hope that helps!

I don’t want to come across as a nay-sayer but the changes you are looking at would be incredibly expensive for only a few kilos saved. And I mean a few: the most you might shave off is 5-10kg max, IMHO.

Earlier you mentioned some things being out of your price range, but I think you’ll end spending more on getting all the extras for the 800 than you would buy a more expensive bike.

For that expense, perhaps you can simply be looking at the new Husqvarna 701. Although, there you’d have a bike that has not had much field testing by the time you go and poorer dealer support than any of the other bikes.

As before the ultimate decision is yours, but I truly believe that trying to lighten the bike once bought will be a huge expense for the weight savings made, as Grant pointed out.

Here’s an alternative to mull over:

Like you I have been on a big Beemer (1150GS) two-up and it was hard work on dirt. Difficult terrain was taxing mentally and physically and I bet the latter was partly due to my being so tense about the riding conditions.

One way you can overcome this obstacle is to learn to mitigate the weight that there is.

Rather than spending 1000s on replacement this and replacement that, put half that money into off-road riding and control courses.

Learn to ride a bike of that size in difficult conditions rather than trying to make it more manageable by shaving a couple of ounces from this component or that.

There was another rider from Estonia about 10 years ago that went RTW two up also. He was on a R1100GS. I went to the local sand quarry with him and he could ride that thing in the dirt like it was a 450.

The net result was that when it came to the trip and he wasn’t zooming around, the bike’s weight and speed was well within his comfort zone.

And on top of that you’ll have transferable skills to any bike, not to mention having greater control on asphalt too.

It's something I wish I'd done.

All excellent advice - but I am still going to look into it.....not necessarily do it.....I have time.

Riding off road is not the issue that the weight of the bike concerns me. I am riding alone, I'm older, and will be picking this thing up myself....and plan to go to inaccessible places....and this still is a hesitation about going with the F800.. weight.

But comfort counts.

I am going to take most of whatever bike I get apart so I know every inch of this motorcycle inside out - before I leave. Most everything I do will be DIY - and your, and not only your advice about becoming familiar with riding the motorcycle in as many conditions as possible before hand is a must do...Agree, completely.

I grew up on dirt and motorcycles....but not a big monster adv bike....so learning curve....

I have a serious dislike of branded anything. I tossed every shirt I had that a brand logo on it years ago....So, unless a company is sponsoring me (doubtful in the extreme) and partly for security - I would like to, I think the term is blacken - mask the identity of the bike....No BMW anywhere....so engine covers may go anyway.....

One thing is really clear....no decisions or actions will take place until I:
A) - have the bike
B) - consult with experts
C) - consult with others who have experience on that same bike
D) - know my mod budget and time line
E) - budget EVERYTHING so I know best how to allocate funds

I believe all the advice and that mods will be minimal - but I'm gonna look into it and see.

Thanks for the great post.

One thing, not about the bike I have been considering is taking a first aid course and getting some kind of St. John Ambulance first aid certification....

I definitely am going to take a riding course next spring. Been riding long enough to have some habits that need correcting, specially on dirt.

And the first 9 months of my trip will be in North America - a shootout for my systems, before I go deep south.....

The ONLY benefit of Covid - is time to plan and think.......

Re Picking the bike up - see https://eastbound.shop/
I have just received the winch and tire tools - beautifully engineered, top quality stuff. I have yet to test it all out, will report when I do, but I have no doubt it will work well. I have used the leg provided for a lift jack to oil the chain on my DRZ, - it's very solid.

I’ve just mentally spent a fortune on the site! Great stuff!!

A must buy...!!
 

Thanks Grant...… You've just added 2.3kg to my bike....!!!!!

Nice piece of kit this have to say. Chances are that it would only be used when remote and alone. Good folk are abound and generally will come to your aid if you drop the bike but this piece of kit would justify taking any boxer engine bike on your trip KRTW.....

K.i.s.s.
 

KRTW, I would like to offer some advice on your healthy obsession of weight and your unorthodox approach to resolving it. There has been offered all the great advice already on this thread and I think your about there with bike choice. My default bike as an alternative to building the 'K' bike was indeed a GS800 P/twin.
What I would like to say is this, swopping frames, replacing for carbon fibre components etc is a bad idea. When you start messing with what the OE manufacturer has spent millions on with R&D then your on a road of hurt. It will cost you valuable time and unnecessary expenditure. If $5k is your budget for a donor bike before you start modding the shiz out of it then think double if not triple that if you get carried away, trust me I've built many specials over the decades, save your loot and keep it standard...!!!

It sounds like you will be taking quite a lot of tech gear for recording this trip so I'm guessing 'Hard Luggage' for protection and security yeah..??

I've looked at this device and am looking forward to hearing from you what you think. For an older solo rider, basically a must have....Thank you.

To save weight, dont mod your bike, bring LESS STUFF.

Works every time!

The dark art of packing light!

I envy effective practitioners!

Yup - but I'm not just going on a camping trip...The bike itself weighs 500 lbs....the bike will virtually be my home.

I'm spending lots of time, researching, listening to (and here I promote the HU video's - great investment) video's, and other people's experiences...But in the end, this is MY experience....getting weight off the bike counts. Cause not one thing is being overlooked, or researched....and this entire process is a gas! Fun!

Clothing - light weight - quick dry - only what's needed - extra's can be bought everywhere in the world.

Camping - quality - lightweight and small - I want to tent a lot, and am considering a tent larger than I would like (and expensive) for two reasons...I'll be living in it, working in it - and this tent includes a cover for the bike itself.....which means packing in the rain, no issue, and more importantly, the bike is hidden. But again, I have not purchased, as I continue to research options.

The most weight will be my tech stuff which is extensive. Every device will be re-packaged for weight, and protection. And I'm not going into all this - you'll have to watch the videos when I start actually building them. To get an idea of what I'm up to.....here's a small hint - I just purchased a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB - for use on the bike.

Thanks for the post - I appreciate every single idea.

Last night I went to a concert in Nottingham, UK. The concert was really good. It was sooo good to see live music again - not my preferred genre - but so good to see music being made again. SWMBO was in the orchestra and they were all buzzing afterwards. Apparently it was the first live music event in the region for months - everyone was very sensible, keeping their distance and virtually everyone was wearing a mask throughout (except the players when playing).

It can be done, its not the same, but it is a start - and I think that that is going to be true for many aspects of life going forward for some time - we will do things differently, but we will still do them, albeit differently, taking into account the new circumstances. One step at a time.

In my area we are on a second lock-down due to massive increase in Covid cases and deaths.....Happy for your concert...and what this says to me is that things will change, but not in the same way, at the same pace, around the world...

I have started wondering what my own band will be doing for the next while. There are no gigs. And LOTS of venue's for bands have closed, and more are dying....Even after this, it will take YEARS for this industry to recover....

I'll be on the road by then.

Lot of other industries in a similar situation. I’m currently on my first out of area trip since March (UK to France) and it’s shocking how few people are travelling. I doubt there were 50 people on the Dover ferry - probably closer to 1000 in a normal summer. The hotel I’ve just arrived at - 3 guests out of about 100 capacity. Even on the main routes all you see are local cars. I’ve been travelling this route for 15yrs and never seen it like this

Wow, your bike is really underpowered - you could have walked it in that time :D