Motojohn, I agree totally with Ted, you should stick with the XT600. Unless you stay on the main highways, but that would be a shame.
Once you leave Europe you need a light, nimble (and simple to repair) bike, not an elephant!


Ted: about bloody time :)


I will be doing a presentation, with Alistair (my other half!) about Russia and the Stans, at the UK HUBB in June (about logistics and everything you need to organise and survive on the road there), come and join us if you can. Not sure what time we will be on "duty" yet.

I'll be sure to attend ! It will be nice to catch up with you guys too bier

I'll do the BAM and OSR with you next year Ted!!! My plan is to get to Ulaanbaatar this year and leave the bike there over winter and ready for the final leg to Magadan in 2018.

Exciting times!

I plan to go to the UK HUBB so it will be good to hear your presentation Maria and hopefully meet some interesting and fun people :)

So, today I made my first step. I asked work whether I could take 6 months off next year, from June to Nov/Dec, and it all looks very promising. I decided that my cat will just have to make do at my mums house for 6 months ;) Hopefully she'll forgive me and I will try to rent out my house to help pay the bills.

I need to start thinking about which countries I definitely want to see. At first I was thinking America (LWR), but I've just exchanged some messages with a lovely lady called Danielle Murdoch who rode to Africa from Australia, and that looks pretty cool too! So then I started thinking about doing a massive round trip, up to Nordkapp, riding the West coast, then riding down Finland to St Petersburg and through Russia to Kazakhstan, then to Mongolia, south to China, then Thailand (is this even do-able?), Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Romania e.t.c Home. What about America though? Is it easy to get to South America, Peru e.t.c? I'm thinking I may have to plan another trip in a few years time just to ride America, but then I'd also like to ride through Africa. So wow, yes, where to start!?

I just realised I should probably be on a different thread now, perhaps "Route Planning"?

Thanks,
Katy

on the way
 

hi all
Still reading here.
I will make my point end of year, after two rides around here : Portugal and motocco .
The point is about the "other" questions : family, time, health and so like other important projects. :D
the bike could be either a 600 old style or a new ten if is not too heavy .. GOOD for road .
Anyway i will like to hear the presentation , on youtube or paper maybe
cheers :scooter:

That could work :scooter:

Are you keeping a blog ??

I think I'll create a Facebook page and put updates on that. Setting off on 17th May.
We never got to have that brew!!!:)

We will before you go. Come and show me your bike...Or ill drop in. Are we friends on Facebook. Ioose track of usernames etc :)

Find me on Facebook: MotoTed & MotoRevive.

Just thought I'd show a bit of continued interest for this one as I've managed to pick up an F650GS Dakar that came up for sale locally already which is looking like the perfect all rounder (rather than finding and kitting out an Xchallenge) so if a trip like this for 2018 becomes a reality that's another step in the right direction. Easy to justify too - three BMWs at any one time is surely the perfect amount, right?

Cheers everyone.

Hi Katy hope to meet you too at the HUBB in June.


Regarding your cat: don't worry!
Our first big trip was one year (in South America). We had a cat. A very old cat (about 18) and to be fair we never thought she would still be around at the time of our departure. She spent one year with friends and came back home like nothing ever happened. she was not the sulking type!


Since then we have ended up with a dog, adopted during our time in Brazil (long story). for our trip to Mongolia in 2014 he spent 4 months in Wales with friends. He was happy there.


Last summer we spent 3 months across Russia and central Asia again and this time we could not find any house for him. So I found this site:
https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/


I joined (for a fee!) and put my house and dog in there. I had lots of applications and found a lovely retired couple to stay, live and look after our dog (for free!) in our house. I totally recommend this site.
I recommended to one of my friend who has 3 jack Russels. He found a young couple from Alaska to stay in his place. No money exchanged and happy pets.


Pets are a big problem when planning trips but there are solutions out there.


Have fun preparing your trip! :)

Aw thanks Maria, that's really sweet! It's amazing how attached we get to our pets isn't it. I'll be interested in hearing your story about your dog, hopefully we can chat in person at the HUBB. :)

I'm still confused working out where I'm going to go next year but I have a little while yet to decide. I could just be spontaneous but I'd rather have a rough plan in place. I'm hoping HUBB UK will help with that!

Hi Katy, good news I have started to apply for my passport and cha is still keen for me to go away next year il send you a message,

Cheers mikey

Thanks all for the interest in this thread still, I have a rough route planned through the stans - see pic on my profile page (i hope).

Im not going for the Transalp - so dont worry about that!lol. Although my next choice will also be contentious. I wont be doing highways, will be doing the full back routes and camping experience so have gone for a lighter bike with twin cylinder.

Looking for some buddies still - memories better shared.

Ciao!

PM you, are you still planning to leave the month before me? Also can't view the route still on your profile? Happy to meet up when I'm over in Devon for the wedding last weekend of March if you're about? Would be cool to discuss your ideas :)

Backroads are the best! Much more fun and much less traffic. Highways and main roads are a pain usually, especially in Russia! And you will meet great people there... more than you would by staying on what s basically the local motorways!