Ok... It seems that BMW may not be the right choice and I thank everyone for their help and sharing their knowledge on this matter.

I didn't want to buy an old bike. I was thinking of spending about £5000 on a good quality second hand bike with not too many miles.

My question to everyone out there... if you were to do this trip to Cape Town in ungodly conditions, you need comfort, you need sucurity, you need reliability, spares, and mostly a bike that you can ride for many years to come....

What would you buy with £5000?? Its Africa....:censored:

I'd say a Guzzi Quota, obviously, but then I'm half crazy anyway.

I think this one will suit your needs (I have one myself ;-), the Yamaha XT660Z Ténéré.



Long range (450 km + per full tank), long service intervals (10000 km, 20000 between valve adjustments), built for ease of maintenance, bomb proof proven engine, etc. Price: GBP 4899,- at your nearest Yamaha dealer.

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HansP
All you wanted to know
about riding in Norway

Your instincts are good, newer the better is a good strategy. Hans has picked a good bike for you, IMO. The new Tenere' will be hard to beat. With BMW, to me, its about value for money. The Yamaha gives you more bike and fewer headaches later on.

The Guzzi idea is OK if you know, love and understand the Guzzi. But still, a bit on the heavy side perhaps?

If set up correctly, you should not need many spares. Tires are your main concern. Expensive and hard to find. Think about mailing them ahead? Or? With bark busters fitted, your bars, levers and instruments will survive a crash. Cables no problem until three or four years out. You may bend a shift lever or punch a hole in a case, or break a tail light, but decent guards can help prevent some of this.

A ton of info on prepping bikes here.

Treat yourself to the Tenere' and spend the money you've saved by not buying the BMW on the most important things ....
more travel time!

Patrick

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Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Treat yourself to the Tenere' and spend the money you've saved by not buying the BMW on the most important things ....
more travel time!

Patrick[/quote]


I've been having a look at the Tenere. It's a stunner and unbelievable that it cost the same new as a second hand BMW.
Busy reading the reports but you guys have done well to change my mind.
I think I'll buy one in the new year when there are a few around with 1 -3000miles on the clock. Then spend some cash to get it Africa ready.

I'm so excited!

And for us short ones "off the road" has just manufactured a 35mm lowering link for the rear. http://www.offtheroad.de/ Makes the seat a slightly less bxll breaking 860mm.

Well done. A good choice. (Another one won over from the Dark Side...;-)

Now, get over to the XT660.com forum and seek out all the specific info you want and need regarding the Tenere.

__________________
HansP
All you wanted to know
about riding in Norway

I've been having a look at the Tenere. It's a stunner and unbelievable that it cost the same new as a second hand BMW.
Busy reading the reports but you guys have done well to change my mind.
I think I'll buy one in the new year when there are a few around with 1 -3000miles on the clock. Then spend some cash to get it Africa ready.

I'm so excited![/quote]

Now that sounds like a plan

Enjoy yourself

Sure you don't fancy trying a Triumph outfit? Much harder to fall off, plenty of space for the essentials (G&T etc.) and not much heavier than the Guzzi Quota

Andy

If I should cross Africa with a single it would have been with F650GS or an old XT.

The new XT is the most interesting single which have been introduced in the last years but it’s still a new bike and you will not find someone who can serve it properly before you reach South Africa, maybe Namibia.

Despite what people says here the “old” 650GS has proven to be a reliable bike which easily can do more then 100kkm. The police in Kenya and Zambia (and maybe other places) use some kind of F650GS so it’s possible to buy some parts from the police.
Remember that the locals in Africa don’t run big bikes and you will probably not find a bike-shop that sells parts before you get to South Africa or Namibia. Even tires, chain and sprockets are close to impossible to find in the “shops”.
Most African countries have a BMW-shop (there are always some rich guys that want BMW-cars). The shops normally don’t have spares for bikes (they have a few parts in Nairobi and Zambia) but they have the channels to order them. It’s no problem to order parts from Europe but sometime customs could take time – and money.


A friend of mine recently bought an F650GS with 140kkm.on the clock, beside the clutch and a top gasket the engine was untouched.
The plan was to set it up with a TT39 kit from Touratech, the bike would then have a range of 1000kms which would be outstanding in the bike-world. The range would make it possible to go places in Africa where unsupported bikes normally have to stop. Maybe it’s possible to convert some of the tanks to water; it would have been a nice desert-cruiser.
Anyway, he didn’t like to drive a single so he changed it for a 1986 R80 G/S PD which gives more comfort, same offroad abilities and it’s easier (and cheaper) to maintain.


For some reasons a lot of people that drive jap-bikes tends to bash BMW. My BMW has made 200kkm through three continents and 60-70 countries, it’s not outstanding in the BMW-world but when did you last see another bike with the same records?

Well - BMW is the Dark Side, after all..

Oh, btw: Here are a bunch of Guzzis with a couple of miles on the clock.



Bill Stokes' '73 V7 Sport has more than 300 000 miles on the odo. Photo: GuzziTech.com

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HansP
All you wanted to know
about riding in Norway

I did a lot of research into the best bike for my needs. I seriously looked at the Dakar, but the prices, even second hand, are crazy. If I had the money, I would definitely have gone for the new Tenere, no question, no contest. Ended up buying a second hand Pegaso Trail. Mainly due to it being my first bike; very reasonable price; it also has the same engine (?) as the Tenere. Very happy with my choice, but I still lust after the Tenere; maybe next year

Sorry Indu, I should have written "when did you last see a jap-bike with the same records?" :-)

We are still talking about offroad touring bikes, right?