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Travellers' questions that don't fit anywhere else This is an opportunity to ask any question, and post any notice you wish that doesn't fit into one of the other sections.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 9 Mar 2011
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Country flags bumper stickers on panniers
For those of you sticking on country flags bumper stickers on you panniers,: Are you doing it to show people where the bike or where the rider has travelled in the past?
The reason I am asking is that I am on the middle of a trip, came back from Mexico, got a flag, now in the U.S.A. got another flag bumper sticker to put on my panniers.
I am actually doing this trip on a Dakar, but In the 90s I made a trip to Madagascar on a Tenere, which I don't own anymore, samething with previous trips done on Kawasaki and Honda to most of the Western European countries.
There again, those bikes have been long gone.
Do you guys think it is to much of showing off to have stickers on your panniers from ride that were done on a different bike,.
but you were the rider into these countries

Thanks
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  #2  
Old 9 Mar 2011
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I think there are no rules, save those you invent to suit your own purposes.

My KLR is so thoroughly plastered with stickers that it's actually somewhat embarrassing to ride. My DL just has a select few, including from places it has no hope of ever going. My rules, not yours.

enjoy,

Mark
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  #3  
Old 9 Mar 2011
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My stickers have two puposes:

1. Each bike wears a large Union Jack visible from each direction. These are a security feature for the UK as even the thickest plod (who won't have a clue about say Touratech boxes) can spot them if reported stolen quickly enough and make things like the screen harder for scum to flog on e-bay. Outside the UK they also maybe give the idea I might be lost and therefore more likely to get confused, a back up to the GB sticker.

2. I'm given stickers at rallies and occasionally buy them as lighweight souveniers. These get stuck on as a reminder of the good times. Definately no "scoreboard" aspect.

Andy
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  #4  
Old 9 Mar 2011
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There are no rules so you are free to do whatever you like.
I have been asked numerous times if the bike has been all the places the stickers indicate and personally I would have been ashamed of saying no (or lying).
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  #5  
Old 10 Mar 2011
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vagabondtwo View Post
For those of you sticking on country flags bumper stickers on you panniers,: Are you doing it to show people where the bike or where the rider has travelled in the past?
Hey Vagabond,

In general people do whatever they want but most of the time the stickers relate to the person in some fairly direct way, shape or form and help tell his/her story. Anyone even slightly older is going to have had more than one bike and if they like reminders of former places they have ridden or even travelled, so be it.

And I would guess that for any UN-NATO veteran, any stickers of places that you served, whether you rode a bike there or not, would be a big part of their story and as such would only be treated with respect from your fellow riders and others.
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  #6  
Old 10 Mar 2011
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It's whatever you feel like doing. The stickers on my panniers currently all relate to where the actual bike has been. But that's only because it's been to the countries all my previous bikes have been to as well. I would probably put country flags on my bike for any countries where I was with other bikes, if that were the case. In fact, it is the case with my bicycle which is full of little flag stickers from all countries where I've bicycled with previous bikes.

Just do whatever turns your crank.


...Michelle
www.scrabblebiker.com
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  #7  
Old 8 Jan 2016
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Flags
I like a bike that tells a story. It's a great conversation starter.
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Old 9 Jan 2016
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Nice to resurrect some of these old topics

I have a few on various bits of a number of bikes - including a few country stickers but mostly they've come from places rather than counties. I bought three or four from various parts of the US this year - Yellowstone for example. They do act as conversation starters every now and again - we've chatted to people in traffic jams, supermarket car parks etc when they've seen a particular sticker and asked about it. The only rule I have is that I must have actually been there by bike.

Over the time I've been biking stickers have become more and more exotic as people travel further and further - anyone UK based with a few years on the clock might remember the craze for "Ive been to Clacton / Bognor" pennant shaped car window stickers in the 60's.
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