TV2 The Long Way Round

[Mr Skid]

I thought they test rode the ktm 950 somethingrather. Regardless they stuck one up ktm's rear end, I wish at the end they could show the guys ring up ktm and let them know of their success.

I vaugely recall they demo'd the BMW F650GS Dakar, R1150GS, KTM 950 Adventure, and LC4 640. I can't remember whether they'd trialed the 640 enduro, or 640 adventure. Either way, they'd be similar weights.

[Motu]

I know how they feel with a big bike in those conditions,you just want a helicopter to come along and pluck you out.Body English pays a huge part in bike control off road,if your weight is insignificant compared to the weight of the bike there is very little you can do to influence the bike.Charlie is a pretty good rider,and he's helping the other two along,but you can see him in big trouble too.Confidence goes down,the whole bum trip feeds on itself.But oh,the memories,the sense of achievement...

When I saw the arc welder come out I thought - uh oh....

[SpankMe]

So do you guys think they are going to wimp out and head for Russia, or keep pushing though Mongolia ?

[Wolf]

Hope you guys caught this last night.

Nope.

5. Before going on a world tour, learn how to pick up a big bike properly (http://www.ibmwr.org/otech/pickup.html)

6. have more than 1 days riding experience on the bikes you're gong to ride through some of the roughest terrain on earth.

Point 5: And possibly have a lighter bike with less shit on it. I'd go for the R80GS Paris-Dakar or R100GS Paris-Dakar personally if I were going with BMW (which I probably would, since I like Beemers) and carry less stuff - like ditch what tools I couldn't use (as you suggest). After reading Jupiter's Travels, I'd ensure my panniers etc could be easily removed as Ted Simon recounted having to unload his bike to get it out of various situations. Pop the paniers off, right the bike using the proper technique, pop the paniers back on and "Robert is your Avuncular Relative".

Seriously, according to the Horizons Unlimited site, people have done world tours on titchy little bikes - they carry less gear, obviously, and it takes longer to get there but they do it. I know someone who does the most fantastic distances by push bike - he could teach university-level classes on "Carrying Only What You Need". Not only does he have bugger-all room to carry stuff, he has to move it using his own muscle power.

Smaller bikes and get someone who does bicycle touring to pack for you...

Point 6: Oh yes. Vitally important. Would suggest at the very least a couple of weeks hard-out riding around your own country starting with familiar roads and working your way up to ones you don't know - if you're not using the same bike you've been riding for the last few years.

I'd also suggest digging out the tool kit, strip the bike as far as you can, putting all the tools you use into a separate bag as you do so. Reassemble the bike ensuring you've adjusted everything properly as you go (using the tools from that bag) and when you pack, that bag of tools goes on the bike, all the rest of your tools can go back in the garage - no need for a full metric/imperial socket set if your bike only uses 7, 10, 12 and 14mm bolts. Better to carry just the sockets you need and use the weight and space you save to carry that extra long extension that you had to buy to get the sockets where you needed 'em.

Not only will you have all the tools you need/can use competently, you will be setting forth in the knowledge that you can strip the bike should you need to and you know precisely the state of the bike (everything adjusted, torque settings as per the workshop manual etc.)

When I took the Zundapp Bella 154 to Whangarei and back I knew that the tools I had would be sufficient to strip the bike down to almost nothing and I knew that the only thing on that bike that I had not completely dismantled and recently reassembled was the engine. I felt bloody confident that whatever happened, I knew enough to strip the bike completely, if it came to that.

I do like the idea that the BMW will run on any old crap fuel. Ted Simon's Triumph was like that - one of the reasons he chose it.

[SpankMe]

Yep definitely easier if you got a small support convey of 4x4s following you and a team to organize everything.

[bugjuice]

fukin missed it..
fortunately Postie recorded it tho. So I'll let you lot off this once..

[Mr Skid]

Yep definitely easier if you got a small support convey of 4x4s following you and a team to organize everything.

..and not even the support crew can keep it upright!

[kerryg]

Shit..I had a look at that Horizons Unlimited site and now I just have to go....

Intersting point: you can buy a brand new Enfield 350 in India for about USD1200....cheap way to see the country

[Wolf]

Shit..I had a look at that Horizons Unlimited site and now I just have to go....

I have to wait until the boys are old enough to ride their own bikes, now. Juliet is pregnant again so we'll soon have three kids and we can only carry one pillion per bike...

I've racked up some serious kms over the years, love setting forth on long journeys on the bike and would love to give proper "Adventure Riding" a go (not that some of my long journeys weren't "adventures"). The World Tour is on the "To Do" list - after doing some proper adventure Riding around NZ (would be a nong not to do so, really. Best to come to grips with some of NZs more adventuresome trails before tackling "The World's Worst")

Oscar posted some links a while back in one of the other adventure ride threads - Farrrrrking spectacular pics. Do a search and have a look, if Adventure Riding flips your switch the photos will be a wet dream for you and to actually go on them you can buy an Enduro here and just go, no plane fares/shipping costs. Great practise for the big WT (World Tour, not the famous KBer of those initials) and you get to do it now to slake your thirst (or whet your appetite for more).

[Wolf]

I was also suprised that with all the luggage they couldn't find the space to carry a factory service manual.

Hah! Nongs.

"The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft agley" - even more so do the ill-prepared schemes.

I'd have said manual nested inside three zip-lock plastic bags and duct-taped to the inside of the lid of the panier where I can get to it without having to unpack the whole bike.

Also, unlike Ted Simon, if I were riding a twin I would carry two spare pistons... Apparently he rolled out of the Meridian factory on a 500cc twin with one spare piston.

[Motu]

If they had used XT600E Yamaha's there would be no need for a service manual,special tools or the need to keep picking up a heavy bike.Any Mongolian shepard could repair it with bones from a yak skeleton,the daily market would have some Yamaha they could rob parts from.The only place on earth you can't find XT600E parts is the USA.

[Hitcher]

So do you guys think they are going to wimp out and head for Russia, or keep pushing though Mongolia ?

Well, given that they've freighted Claudio's bike with its fried ABS chip to Ulan Bator, I suspect that Mongolia may have some appeal.

[XP@]

Hope you guys caught this last night. Talk about hard going! There are a number of things that struck me about this episode....

Missed half of it, my daughter picked some really inappropriate times to be

2. If someone asks you "would you like some nuts?", make SURE they're not talking about sheeps balls!!

If you are going to go to mongolia then expect to eat sheeps / bull balls to chow down matey and enjoy them (nothing a few swigs of local vodka won't hide)

4. Speaking of big Beemers, never take one into a bog FFS.

If you are going to take beemer, take an F650.
but any way throw away half of what you have packed before you set off.
re-inforce your frame, roads like that are a tad more than the bikes were designed for.

6. have more than 1 days riding experience on the bikes you're gong to ride through some of the roughest terrain on earth.

Met a austrian couple on transalps a couple of years ago, they had made it here from germany. She had ridden once before they set off. the young lady in question was extremely pettite yet she had had no thing more than a few minor ooops's at 0kph. Oh, and she had to get the bike to the border in a truck cos she didn't have a licence ( i think she was using a library card or something)

[TwoSeven]

The only thing I havnt been able to work out on the show yet, is where are they getting their fuel from (especially quality stuff).

[XP@]

The only thing I havnt been able to work out on the show yet, is where are they getting their fuel from (especially quality stuff).

Urrr... petrol stations... (well petrol in the eye, just ask Euan)