Dreaming of a motorcycle trip to distant climes? This section will help you to plan your trip, whether it's to the next state, country or all the way around the world! Start here!
The Achievable Dream 5-part series - the definitive video guide for planning your motorcycle adventure. Get Ready! covers planning, paperwork, medical and many other topics! "Inspirational and Awesome!" See the trailer here!
You could just get on a plane with your credit card and passport and buy or rent everything you need when you get there. That includes the bike, riding gear, etc. etc.
Gear Up! is a 2-DVD set, 6 hours! Which bike is right for me? How do I prepare the bike? What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers! "will save you a fortune!"See the trailer here!
So you've done it - got inspired, planned your trip, packed your stuff and you're on the road! This section is about staying healthy, happy and secure on your motorcycle adventure. And crossing borders, war zones or oceans!
On the Road! is 5.5 hours of the tips and advice you need to cross borders, break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
Tire Changing!Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
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Horizons Unlimited Presents!
Ladies on the Loose! For the first time ever, a motorcycle travel DVD made for women, by women! These intrepid women share their tips to help you plan your own motorcycle adventure. They also answer the women-only questions, and entertain you with amazing tales from the road! Presented by Lois Pryce, veteran solo traveller through South America and Africa and author of 'Lois on the Loose', and 'Red Tape and White Knuckles.'
"It has me all fired up to go out on my own adventure!" See the trailer here!
Meet people who don't think you're crazy for wanting to ride your bike to South America or across Asia! They will encourage you, share their experiences and advice on how to do it!
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Horizons Unlimited presents!
Achievable Dream The definitive guide to planning your motorcycle adventure! This insanely ambitious 2-year project has produced an informative and entertaining 5-part, 18 hour video series. "The ultimate round the world rider's how-to!" MCN UK.
"The series is 'free' because the tips and advice will save much more than you spend on buying the DVD's."
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Just wondering: Are you able to pick up your fully-loaded dropped bike by yourself (in the middle of nowhere)?
Seems important enough when traveling far from the beaten path but my bad back just doesn't allow it. Unsure how much of an issue that could be when overlanding. (Kawaski W650, 195 kg (429 lb) (dry))
My BMW R80GS is around 200kg with some petrol but no luggage and I can pick that up but add loaded panniers and the other luggage carried when travelling and I need to unpack it.
With hard panniers neither of my bikes falls flat on the ground—not difficult to yank them upright, especially adrenaline-fueled from embarrassment from dropping in a public place. I’ve added short loops of climbing webbing, one on each side, which serve as handles at just the right height so that I don’t have to bend my knees or back too far.
On the other hand, I once dropped my bike into a ditch consisting of bottomless silty mud, and had to unload it, find large branches for levers, weep and moan and curse the unforgiving universe, make deals with both god and the devil, and do a bunch of other crazy stuff to get the bike back to vertical on a (muddy) driving surface. I was a scary sight headed down the highway after that.
With hard panniers neither of my bikes falls flat on the ground—not difficult to yank them upright, especially adrenaline-fueled from embarrassment from dropping in a public place. I’ve added short loops of climbing webbing, one on each side, which serve as handles at just the right height so that I don’t have to bend my knees or back too far.
On the other hand, I once dropped my bike into a ditch consisting of bottomless silty mud, and had to unload it, find large branches for levers, weep and moan and curse the unforgiving universe, make deals with both god and the devil, and do a bunch of other crazy stuff to get the bike back to vertical on a (muddy) driving surface. I was a scary sight headed down the highway after that.
I like the idea of the webbing loops - you use the height of the vehicle as a lever. There are also demonstrations available on You Tube (?) that show how to lift the bike most easily. I will disappear off for a while to see if I can find links to them. Back soon with a little luck.
Also, I can imagine myself with my bike in the ditch with similar language etc.
On the other hand, I once dropped my bike into a ditch consisting of bottomless silty mud, and had to unload it, find large branches for levers, weep and moan and curse the unforgiving universe, make deals with both god and the devil, and do a bunch of other crazy stuff to get the bike back to vertical on a (muddy) driving surface. I was a scary sight headed down the highway after that.
Yes I can imagine. I was running in a 10km race a few years ago when the (gale force) wind tore my glasses off and threw them into a goop filled drainage ditch. In the time it took me (not) to find them I ended up covered in black mud and had to finish the race like that. My wife wouldn't let me into the car so I had to walk the 2 miles back to where we were staying. I did get some very strange looks during that walk.
Re picking the bike up solo, I think you have to have thought this through beforehand. It's an important part of forward planning. Having a perfectly functional bike that you can't use because your foot slipped when you came to a halt and you can't pick it up is as daft a situation to find yourself in a running out of fuel in the desert. I travel on a whole range of bikes, one of which I can pick up and carry (just about), one of which I don't have a hope in hell of picking up on my own and others that are somewhere in between - at a push I can pick them up if I take them to bits (remove panniers / fuel tank / other heavy bits first). Pick up-ability is one of the factors I'll consider when deciding which one to use. It's not the only one but it is in there.
Yes I can imagine. I was running in a 10km race a few years ago when the (gale force) wind tore my glasses off and threw them into a goop filled drainage ditch. In the time it took me (not) to find them I ended up covered in black mud and had to finish the race like that. My wife wouldn't let me into the car so I had to walk the 2 miles back to where we were staying. I did get some very strange looks during that walk.
Re picking the bike up solo, I think you have to have thought this through beforehand. It's an important part of forward planning. Having a perfectly functional bike that you can't use because your foot slipped when you came to a halt and you can't pick it up is as daft a situation to find yourself in a running out of fuel in the desert. I travel on a whole range of bikes, one of which I can pick up and carry (just about), one of which I don't have a hope in hell of picking up on my own and others that are somewhere in between - at a push I can pick them up if I take them to bits (remove panniers / fuel tank / other heavy bits first). Pick up-ability is one of the factors I'll consider when deciding which one to use. It's not the only one but it is in there.
Its one of the main reasons I'm taking a crf250l to Africa. I had a gs800 but it wasn't suited for me for the trip. I dropped it in my front(very sandy) garden once and had to get a friends daughter to help me pick it up. I asked her not to say anything to anyone
usually yes, but all depends where and how you drop - on sand, mud can be a bigger problem or on the hill. Last time I dropped my tenere during log crossing took me 30 minutes to unload and push it over...
DustRiders makes a portable ratchet strap type hoist for lifting bikes. I carry one on solo off-pavement rides in the backcountry just in case I drop the bike in an awkward position or slippery ground with poor footing.
DustRiders makes a portable ratchet strap type hoist for lifting bikes. I carry one on solo off-pavement rides in the backcountry just in case I drop the bike in an awkward position or slippery ground with poor footing.
Last edited by Grant Johnson; 17 Oct 2019 at 18:18.
Reason: Edited so the youtube video is in line. Tip: paste into the window ONLY the bit after the last / select it with mouse, THEN click the red youtube button. Done.
DustRiders makes a portable ratchet strap type hoist for lifting bikes. I carry one on solo off-pavement rides in the backcountry just in case I drop the bike in an awkward position or slippery ground with poor footing.
I've had a couple of back surgeries and don't want another.
I had the DustRiders hoist and it worked well- I demo'd it on my buddies 1150GS and it came right up. Same with my fully loaded DR650. But it was heavy and bulky and usually when it came time to load up the bike, I left it home.
There's another outfit that uses the same idea, but has really streamlined the bulk and weight of their device: Dirtnapper
I just went out on a 2 day backcountry ride in Colorado, and had no qualms whatsoever about strapping it on my bike. (Didn't need to use it, so I'm happy about that too.)
Be aware (read the ADVRider thread) that this began as a very small scale manufacturing effort, and the company seems to have trouble keeping up with demand.
I'm not short on strength and have (many times!) picked up a fully loaded BMW 1200 GSA but it all depends on having the purchase points on a bike.
I dropped my XT660Z Tenere in a gorge I named 'Jaws of Jaffar' which leads to the famous Cirque de Jaffar in Morocco. Even though I unloaded the soft luggage I just couldn't lift it as there was no point low enough at the rear—a taller rider might have managed to get leverage.
No worries—even in the remotest part of Morocco, someone will be along shortly to help, and sure enough a couple of hours later a group of silver-haired French walkers came along the gorge and helped me lift it.
Later I fitted pannier rails and found these made lifting the Tenere child's play.
__________________ "For sheer delight there is nothing like altitude; it gives one the thrill of adventure
and enlarges the world in which you live," Irving Mather (1892-1966)
...No worries—even in the remotest part of Morocco, someone will be along shortly to help...
Exactly. If your moto falls over, just step off it, vent out your favourite profanities, light up a cigarette, and wait for someone to come along and help you lift it. No need at all to lift the thing up by yourself, or (unless you are going waaaaay off-road) bring along any kind of hoisting device.
Exactly. If your moto falls over, just step off it, vent out your favourite profanities, light up a cigarette, and wait for someone to come along and help you lift it. No need at all to lift the thing up by yourself, or (unless you are going waaaaay off-road) bring along any kind of hoisting device.
Michael
It's always great when things work out that way, and they do, often.
There are lots of places where I don't find that to be a great strategy, though.
Exactly. If your moto falls over, just step off it, vent out your favourite profanities, light up a cigarette, and wait for someone to come along and help you lift it. No need at all to lift the thing up by yourself, or (unless you are going waaaaay off-road) bring along any kind of hoisting device.
Michael
In many parts of the US no one will stop. How often do you stop to help someone who appears to have broken down? My car died outside Vaughn NM. Lucky me, I told the 3 little kids to get out of the car and play next to the fence. Gentleman drives by sees the kids, and felt safe enough to stop and gave a lift into town. The most most kids I ever carried on my bike was two, and that was only a short ride in town. Probably would not have been enough to get help.
Have YOU ever wondered who has ridden around the world? We did too - and now here's thelist of Circumnavigators!
Check it out now, and add your information if we didn't find you.
Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
2020 Edition of Chris Scott's Adventure Motorcycling Handbook.
"Ultimate global guide for red-blooded bikers planning overseas exploration. Covers choice & preparation of best bike, shipping overseas, baggage design, riding techniques, travel health, visas, documentation, safety and useful addresses." Recommended. (Grant)
Led by special operations veterans, Stanford Medicine affiliated physicians, paramedics and other travel experts, Ripcord is perfect for adventure seekers, climbers, skiers, sports enthusiasts, hunters, international travelers, humanitarian efforts, expeditions and more.
Ripcord Rescue Travel Insurance™ combines into a single integrated program the best evacuation and rescue with the premier travel insurance coverages designed for adventurers and travel is covered on motorcycles of all sizes.
(ONLY US RESIDENTS and currently has a limit of 60 days.)
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Refreshingly honest and compelling tales: the hights and lows of a life on the road. Solo, unsupported, budget journeys of discovery.
Authentic, engaging and evocative travel memoirs, overland, around the world and through life.
All 8 books availablefrom the author or as eBooks and audio books
Back Road Map Books and Backroad GPS Maps for all of Canada - a must have!
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helps answer the question - Why Go? Inspirational stories by veteran travellers Greg Frazier (5 times RTW), Peter and Kay Forwood (193 countries), Tiffany Coates (Mongolia Mayhem) and Rene Cormier (University of Gravel Roads).
Get Ready! covers planning, paperwork, medical and many other topics! "Inspirational and Awesome!" See the trailer here!
What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers!
break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
Grant demystifies the black art of Tire Changing and Repair to help you STAY on the road! "Very informative and practical." See the trailer here!
Ladies on the Loose! For the first time ever, a motorcycle travel DVD made for women, by women! These intrepid women share their tips to help you plan your own motorcycle adventure. They also answer the women-only questions, and entertain you with amazing tales from the road! Presented by Lois Pryce, veteran solo traveller through South America and Africa and author of 'Lois on the Loose', and 'Red Tape and White Knuckles.'
Cotton or synth sweat-wicking t-shirts with the cool Horizons Unlimited graphic on the front and a snappy slogan (changing every year) on the back.
Show your route on your panniers. Great conversation starter when you meet people on the road!
Motorcycle and travel books to inspire and inform you!
The definitive guide to planning your motorcycle adventure! This insanely ambitious 2-year project has produced an informative and entertaining 5-part, 18 hour video series. "The ultimate round the world rider's how-to!" MCN UK.
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