M'Lady and I are planning our trip now and starting to get our bikes ready. They are two TS185ER Suzukis. Read more (a LOT more!!!) about it in the Suzuki tech forum,
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000016.html.

Regards

Nigel & Kitty in NZ


------------------


[This message has been edited by Nigel Marx (edited 26 February 2003).]

Hi, I'm planning on my rtw on a 1966 Ducati 250 single. Not leaving until Sept. 2004 though. I'm flying from California to Sydney, Australia.

I sure am glad I found this site. It makes planning this trip way easier.

Does anyone have any experience with mounting panniers (hard or soft) on a Honda XR250L? I would love to take my 250 on an extended Asia/Africa trip as I love the gas mileage, the light weight, and dirt handling, but I am worried a bit about how much you can haul with one of these. What kind of luggage systems have people used with an XR250L?

Dave

Tray contacting the folks at
http://www.happy-trail.com

They make a nice rack for XR650Ls and can probalby help you out.

WRight

I travelled around australia on a 1979 XT250. I couldn't get a bigger bike at the time because I was on a restricted licence. Turns out it was a good thing - I had no idea what I was doing and got myself and the 250 into some sticky situations:
- bogged 2ft down in a swamp
- bogged in sand numerous times
- got halfway up a VERY steep and high gravel slope before realising I couldn't keep going or turn around
- bogged on Lake Eyre
- fell off, fell off, fell off
etc etc etc

All great learning experiences but I would have been in a right mess with a larger bike. It would do 80km/h without fuss, which is my preferred speed even now on a bigger bike. Excellent fuel consumption and could be lifted onto the back of a road-train by a single truck-driver (try doing that with a BMW...)

Digressing here slightly...
Unless there are more than one, I too met the Japanese girl going around australia on a Honda CT, except is was an ex-Australia Post CT110. This was in 1989/90. Also met a French guy on a new (!) 3AJ Tenere who had travelled all through the Americas and Africa. It was his example that has had me plotting and dreaming for the past 13 years, and inspired me to buy a blue one - just like his.

------------------
Barry
3AJ Tenere

Thanks for the help, guys.

BTW, Barry...what kind of luggage (if any)did you use on your Australia trip?

Dave

Hi all,

Just a note on the small bike concept. In 1992 or so I was first exposed to this type of bike travel by a couple from Europe. They were riding two up from argentina to Canada on a Honda 250 dual sport. They had luggage on the back and a small gas can mounted to the handle bars. They were in northern California at the time and doing fine from what I could tell. I talked to them for a few minutes when they inquired about a camp site.


John

Hi, when I was in Bolivia, I saw a bike called the Yamaha AG200, it was used for agricultular purposes, but it seemed to me the perfect bike for traveling, it had a 200cc 4 stroke engine, a comfortable solo seat, a huge cargo rack in the back another rack in front of the headlight, knoby tires, 2 sidekick stands, engine guard, and the chain was completely encased; the only problem was the size of the fuel tank, has anyone seen this bike used for traveling?
Motor.

There's a very rare book by a young girl named Peggy Iris Thomas called "Gasoline Gypsy" (a.k.a. "A Ride In The Sun") about her trip around the US and Mexico on a BSA Bantam (125cc) in the early 50's. On top of all her luggage, she brought an Airedale as well, riding pillion! If you find a copy, snatch it up, it's impossible to find.

I've been thinking about getting a Honda Nighthawk 250cc for just such a trip... anybody have any experience? Is there places to load up the gear?

[This message has been edited by swelle (edited 10 October 2003).]

Depends on where you live... you can't buy them in the US; I think that they sell several versions in Australia. All, or almost all, the major japanese bike companies sell versions of this. I want one, but since you can't buy them here... It would work if you started your trip from a country where you could buy one. And if you didn't mind going slooooooow on the main roads.

Chris Scott's "Adventure Motorcycling Handbook" has a snippet about someone who toured on a similar bike.

I used a 90 or 100cc version two-up (with only a backpack as luggage) and it did just fine, albeit slow and not very comfy. One up is the way to go.

To add to the smaller bike topic, i just got a Yamaha XT 350 which seems fine from doing a days trail to road work, it may not be an enduro or pocket rocket but seems a good work horse which is capable and pretty competent off road due to it's lighter weight compared to a 600.
One thing ive not loaded it up though but if I were to travell with it It would be 1 up and a ruck sak anyway.

my favorite: honda nx 250!

have been travelling tough roads with this extremely light, small and economic bike. algeria (hoggar south, b.o.d to illizi), south america (for example: uyuni to san pedro / pictures here) and morocco (taouz-mhamid etc.) - no problems so far...
the small size of the bike gives you full control even in dangerous terrain. with a "white power" rear shock absorber you will be ready for any challenge, even with lots of stuff (the original absorber is the one weak part of the bike). the fuel comsumption of 3-3,5 l /100km saves a lot of money and logistics while travelling long and "dry" roads.
the honda nx 250 is extremely reliable - my south american one is looking back on 110000 km. there has been no breakdown, no mechanical problem - nothing.
this bike is cheap in germany (built until 95), and - because it is a favorite by women - usually in perfect condition.
you will need the original 20kw for sandy deserts, most of the older ones have full power.
one problem are the tires. the front one lasts about 35000km, so no problem here. but the rear one (120-90/16) is virtually not available in poorer countries. worse than that, life expectance of both available products adds to only about 10000km. so bring along two, if you're going a long way from home!

with a bike like this i'm sure you will share my travel experience:
half cost - double fun!

good luck to everyone

that's right I got a yumbo 200cc 6speeds dakar 200 ds bike with 1200 miles so far .and I would put it up with klr650's dr650's f650gs' all day.

For me it would be an MZ ETZ250 or the later ETZ251. Tough, cheap, reliable, fully encased chain and above all fixable. Spent this morning with a mate thrashing a couple on and off road through the mountains of West Wales. Didn't miss a beat and when it came to fallen trees and tricky spots hey its a 250 2T so man handling is no problem. No, we went places they would have stopped big bikes in their tracks.

Stephen

I agree on the 250! I drove a Yamaha XT 250 from Quito, Ecuador to the middle of Peru. My goal was Bolivia but a pig got in my way. Killed the pig, and the bike, and left me wobbling around Ayacucho, Peru for two weeks (best part of my trip). I reached local fame, "el gringo que mato el chancho". A friend, myth, legend, Jodi Thomas, rode a Yamaha 250 from Cochabamba, Bolivia around South America for over a year with only one rule, no asphalt. She hit a cow, broke a collar bone, but kept going.

Remember, beware farm animals, and any mechanical part can be made.

Chris