Hello!

Found this site after about a week of trawling through backpacking type websites and there's so much here I'm dead pleased!

I'm going into my last year of uni (on a course that in retrospect, I shouldn't really be doing... oh well I'm headed for a first anyway! ) and in June of next year will be getting on my bike and going! although the details are still a little sketchy...

I'm going to have a good look through past threads before asking any big questions to see if it's been said before but I'll just say a few things now to say hello -

Currently riding an SV650s - I don't think it's well suited to what I want to do, I think I'll be after more of a dual sport for some off road so that needs investigating.

Not got a solid idea of where yet either, though Europe/Russia/Iceland seems likely. Aiming for a large chunk of the world before I'm twenty five though (turn twenty one in November)

Need to learn more about how to finance this kinda thing, been dreaming of travel since I was a kid so the longer I can go without breaks the better... but got student debt to contend with... don't plan on living in the UK after uni. In fact I can say that whatever happens I will not be living in the UK, if I'm going to be poor anyway I'm gonna make sure I'm at least poor where I want to be...

So that's about it!

Hope to speak to you all pretty soon, I'm gonna get some reading done!

Cal

Welcome! This bulletin board is indeed an incredible source of information. I discovered it myself only recently, and I am amazed at all of the stuff people have done all over the world -- and I'm thankful that they've posted it so we can all benefit from their experiences.

You might be surprised at how capable your SV650 is. Always remember that people have done unbelievable stuff on equipment that makes your Suzuki look like the space shuttle. One thing you'll hear over and over is: Do it now, and do it on whatever you have. If you wait for "the perfect bike" you may not go at all. One of my heroes, Lois Pryce, rode from Alaska to Tierra Del Fuego on a 225cc Kawasaki dirt bike. Other people rode across the Sahara desert on tiny Honda trail bikes, and a couple featured on the Achievable Dream DVD rode through every country on earth on a gigantic Harley Davidson cruiser. I doubt they had quite as many options for dual-sport tires as you'd find for the SV.

My own start to adventure riding was a modest 2,000-mile trip in the USA on my CBR600 crotch rocket. It's certainly not a bike anyone would call an adventure bike or a tourer -- or event a sport tourer -- but it's what I have at the moment, so I loaded it up and took off. And the trip was great! I bet at least one person has ridden a sportbike around the world and lived to tell the tale.

Enjoy thinking about your adventure. The way I see it, dreaming and planning are a significant part of the fun!

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Craig Haggart
Sunnyvale, California
'Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness' - Mark Twain

You sound like you're in the same financial situation I was when I first got the idea to travel..

My only advice is to clear any loans and debts (exc Student loan) as a matter of priority. They are a huge shackle around an avid traveler and really slow you from saving.

Get saving and trawl this forum/website. It will expand your ideas to no end !

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

...to the madness! This is a good place, good folks and good information.

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Thomas

"Hey, ...I'm just ridin' shotgun"

Hello Cal,

I'd just like to welcome you and re-iterate what people have said above. We did our 'we're hardcore travelers' trip in our land rover, and met up a with a very nice fella doing the same trip on a Vespa! Through the 'Stans and onto Vietnam from Paris. The breakdowns were the highlights! He wasn't anythign special (apart form being a very nice guy), he just knew you could hope on and keep going forward!

As for debts, get them out the way (it was the first thing we did) and you'd be amazed how quickly your savings go up once you understand and control your debts.

Ted is right about the student loan of course. I was 30 before I even paid any attention to mine. Of course if you can pay it off, it is better in the long run, but should be your last debt.

Enjoy the feeling of graduating mate - in my eyes you've taken the best route to having a great life, whether you like your degree or not, it will open plenty of doors.

Good luck and welcome!

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Ollie

www.jollyfollies.com

Land's End to Sydney 2009

Hey Cal,

Just wanted to echo what the others have said -

I'm a newbie to motorcycling, but discovering this site is the best thing that could have happened to me in these early stages of my riding experience. I have a silly, exciting, wonderful, fantastical dream that I'm going to ride across Africa - and soon! - and this is one of the few places I can say that out loud without people looking at me like I'm a nutter who needs serious psychiatric treatment. (!!!!)

Stick around and you'll find warmth, friendship, advice, inspiration...you've come to the right place: the Hubb rocks!

Start saving, get your degree...then head for the horizon, I say!

Jeanie

Welcome among us!

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Nick and his 2010 Yamaha XT1200Z Super Ténéré