Thanks for the input -- much appreciated. I do appreciate and enjoy the notion that the tool for the job is not often the 'right' tool, but the one you or I like the look of.

To Ian: What's the plan in South Korea, or is Korea just a target at the end of your trip? I lived there for a while, and still have contacts there, so if you need some input, just ask. My contact details are all on my little website -- www.ronmcmillan.com

To Reggie: I sent you a PM here, but called you Ian by mistake. Sorry!


ron

Sorry guys, it's late. I STILL got the names reversed in my latest post. I think.


ron

Well put Ian.

As I said earlier, it's all about the ride.

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I'm not lost, I'm right here.
'05 650GS

The BMW F650 would be the best choice but expensive. If you want a cheaper bike I'd go with a used Suz. GS500, Kaw. 500 or 250 ninja, Hon 250 Rebel. There are other choices like Hyosung GT250 but those are the bikes you'll have the easiest time finding. You can do it on bikes like the XT225 or a DR350 but it wouldn't be any fun in the "plain states" its not just a BHP thing, there's allot of distance between places and you might want to cover more then 200mi in South Dakota or Nebraska.

If making a statement is part of the trip doing it on a BMW F 650 like "every one else" I can´t se that statment will be a very strong one - just a thought. I'm not saying that the F 650 is bad just that it won´t make your effort stand out as spectacular.

Ian, that vulcan looks like a Yahama YBR 125 - saw a website with a guy from chile doing a RTW on a YBR 125.

Yep the Vulcan Harrier is a chinese Yamaha YBR copy. Points to watch are the Ikky Electrics with only one 10 amp fuse and things falling off due to lack of locktite or similar. Once these issues are addressed, its not a bad little bike for the money although it was one of the more expensive Chinese copies but at least it does not arrive in bits in a crate with no registration. I just sold my 2 year old Harrier for more than I paid for it so its helped to fund another bike. ( What bike? Dunno yet..I already got a Fazer 600 and a BMW R80/7). Depends on the gig!

As already stated, I plan a liesurely ride to Vladivostok on my R80. Then ferry to Sokcho. After that, I'll just bum around Korea for a while till cash or time runs out. I used to teach English in Korea so plan to return to some of my old haunts down South in Chollonam Do ( Kwangju, Sunchon, Yosu etc.) Maybe drop in on the BMW dealership in Seoul. Maybe drop in on the Barons or Daegu riders. Visit a lot of temples and "National Treasures" Re-visit some charming Korean ladies, ride lots of stonking highways and get indigestion from eating too much Kimchi. ( not to mention the headache from drinking too much Soju) Yea! I know Soju too!!

Anecdote time:
Whenn aaah werre a lad......( Sorry it was the Hovis Butty..honest!) I rode various bikes with the British army in the 60's. The standard issue was the Triumph 500 twin. The army version was more or less the standard road bike with a solo saddle. Later we got BSA 350's which were identical to the civvy road bikes. We rode those bikes in ALL weathers and ALL conditions. Up mountains, across rivers, over cliffs ( the bike didn't survive that one) , rode them up and over stuff and even jumped them with the Signals Display team. If we got ordered to ride around the world on one, we would have packed a small pack and asked what direction?

Point is, if all you got is a clapped out Lambretta and you want to go, ... just go...the worst that can happen is you might have to walk back...so take some walking boots for the return trip. You don't need a new BMW, half a ton of stuff, 10 grands worth of Carnets, a second mortgage and three years off work to do it.
So long as you travel within your limitations and have done some planning you''ll get there..sooner or later.

Me,...I'm going thataway---------------->

Ian.

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If you never make mistakes, you ain't trying..

Almost forgot...If I was going to ride for endless miles on pavement ( American pavement, not OUR pavements..that would be illegal) I think that the experience would be enhanced greatly if the scoot could maintain a comfortable cruising speed. (min 70mph on A roads) Some of the smaller bikes are near their limit at that and it will get tiring after a while. Not to mention the wear and tear associated with "hammering" a bike for prolonged periods. I loved green-laning on my 125 ( 50 - 60 mph) but endless highways would need a different solution. Maybe the Royal Enfield or similar previously mentioned by others might be a good compromise between economy and practicality. I was under the impression that gas was as cheap in the States as the roads are long. Maybe it balances out.
What does anyone think about a Triumph Tiger for my next bike..??
(I'm thinking of rougher pastures for the future)

Have a good ride
Ian.

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If you never make mistakes, you ain't trying..

Hi
I run a 1981 Yamaha XT 500 and get approx. 71mpg.

see http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...machines-10808

Been using it for more than 3.5yrs, 42500kms now.

Highway cruising @ 80-85 : it gives 40-42kms to a litre
Highway Cruising @ 100-105 : it gives 30-32 kms to a litre
Overall himalayan ride avg is 34-36kms to a litre.

223cc, 17bhp, single cylinder four stroke bike

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The future's diesel.

BMW has a 450:-)

Mollydog, not all diesel is that bad!

As I understand it, a lot of the new european diesal Car engines, incorporating particle fileters etc, (e.g. Peugeot and VW group) are a lot cleaner than petrol engines. However they are not available to most of the world due to the quality level of diesel required. They need low sulphur levels.

Currently this is only available in europe. I think it is less than 100ppm sulphur.
where as diesel in the US and australia has a commercial limit of 500ppm. The figures may be wrong but the orders of magnitude are roughly right.

Australia has introduced leglilation to lower the limit over the next few years. But i guess that won´t happen in the states due to the lack of low popularity of diesel. So you may never see the newest geneation diesels there.

As for motorbikes these measures are not practical, so i agree with you there. From reading about diesels I understood the biggest problem for motorbikes was the compressor needed to get the very high pressure´s needed for diesel injection. Large and heavy. Also most diesels use cast iron cylinder blocks. also very heavy. No idea what the diesel KLRs use.

As for supercharging, there is a crazy dutchbloke i think that has supercharged a BMW R1150GS. thinks he sells a kit. And also one that has NOS´d one. now stupidly quick. Can´t remember the website but very clever and interesting.

cheers
mike

Why not hydrogen? seems to work well in this little machine:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6333729.stm

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Pictures, Mauritania 2011

Mollydog said
If Diesel was a viable technology for bikes the major OEM's would be pursueing
it. Far as I know they are not. Not only are Diesel engines dirty and more polluting than gasoline, they are naturally heavy...not an ideal feature on a motorcycle.

you might want to look here, I think it promises to be the first ( for me) viable diesel bike the EVA

DieselBike.net - Diesel Motorcycles

The diesel engined KLR's you guys are on about were the prototypes. An English firm, and if memory serves me right, a university took some KLR rolling chassis's and developed the first ever bike specific DERV engine to go in it. Think it was 600 / 650cc? Top speed was stated at 90mph for US army and 80mph for NATO, with performance very similar to that of a petrol single of the same cc. The NATO bikes were to be more fuel efficient so that they got the required 400 miles to a fuel tank. Last I read the first batch of bikes were going to be assessed by the US Marine Corps, that must have been over a year ago.
I remember the article because it also rumoured that Ducati had been playing with a V twin turbo diesel

These bikes will be very 'clean' as they may probably have to meet the pending 'EURO III' emissions regs.
I can't wait to get my hands on one when the MOD starts getting rid of them

The future's bright, the future's DERV.

Just found this link HDT - Hayes Diversified Technologies - Technology

The future's even brighter, the future's BIO DERV !!!!!!