Anybody have ambition to ride around the world?

Visian · Jan 6, 2020

vark said:
Hadn’t heard of that new Tenere 700 model. Wow, looks very interesting. If the rumored smaller Africa Twin arrives this fall, too, there are going to be some very interesting new options on the market.

I like how simple and straightforward the T7 is, without all the electronic gizmos and hi-tec clutter. If they offer a low-suspension/low-seat option, I predict it will have broad appeal for ADV riders.

KTM/Husqvarna have a nice offer in this segment... I, too, look forward to the Honda. I think the BMW 850 is too heavy.

About 6-7 years ago I sensed a trend to smaller and lighter bikes, and wrote about it in my "Always an Adventure" column. Over the years the category has gone heavyweight and highly technical to increase sales prices and profits.

Simple and straightforward is for me, too... all the electronic maps and modes, who needs them?

Unfortunately, long-travel suspension = more seat height. Instead of lowering a bike like the T7, Yamaha makes the MT-07, which is essential what BMW does with R models... same basic platform with shorter, more street-oriented suspension.

PoorUB · Jan 6, 2020

brownie0486 said:
The world isn't a safe place, it's less safe not more safe every day. Anyone doing a solo RTW, best of luck.

I am 60 years old, fat and ugly, and there are many places in this world I wouldn't ride. Now be a relatively good looking women. May as well paste a target on your back.

skibum69 · Jan 6, 2020

Sure there are plenty of places in the world that aren't the safest but that certainly applies to the good old US of A too so don't fret about it. The tour I'm siging up for includes a foray into Afghanistan which would terrify most people to even think about but I have to say I'm pretty excited about it. We're keeping that part quiet so we can have more fun telling the story after the fact.

I will concur that Horizons Unlimited is a great resource. Have a look at their site and see if you can get to any of their meetups. There's one happening up here in Newfoundland in August, hoping to get to it but it's only 2 weeks after I get back from the stans. Have a look at that event, we're opening a B&B for touring motorcycles so you could add a spin our way to your itinerary. Yes I know it's long way from Texas, look at it as a good warmup ride.

One of the links I posted was from ADVrider.com which is also a great resource with over 350 000 members around the world. Many RTW folks post on there and there are discussion boards on any topic you could possibly think of and many many helpful folks that will answer all of your questions.

Visian · Jan 7, 2020

PoorUB said:
I am 60 years old, fat and ugly, and there are many places in this world I wouldn't ride. Now be a relatively good looking women. May as well paste a target on your back.

You obviously are not aware of my friend Tiffany Coates and dozens of other women out there touring the world alone.

rpr1200rt · Jan 7, 2020

You may want to check out Compass Expeditions who lead a group on that trip every couple years. I have a 650 VStrom and an 2018 RT and I would not consider taking the RT. I would take either a 650 VStrom or a DR650.

skibum69 · Jan 7, 2020

Tiffany was supposed to stay at my place when she was in Newfoundland a few years ago but a speaking engagement at Bob's BMW came up and she had to hightail it south. Great lady! Lois Pryce is another one who has ventured far solo and her books are a good read. She's hoping to head my way one of these days too.

PoorUB · Jan 7, 2020

Visian said:
You obviously are not aware of my friend Tiffany Coates and dozens of other women out there touring the world alone.

Not by name, but I realize woman riders are out there. I just don't think it is a good idea. For example another family was ambushed in Mexico the other day.

pglaves · Jan 8, 2020

PoorUB said:
Not by name, but I realize woman riders are out there. I just don't think it is a good idea. For example another family was ambushed in Mexico the other day.

And how many in Chicago? Baltimore? Oakland?

PoorUB · Jan 8, 2020

PGlaves said:
And how many in Chicago? Baltimore? Oakland?

I don't ride in those areas either.

Look, I don't care whet anyone does or where they ride. Areas of the world are risky places to be, in the USA or Central/South America, plus others. Travel there if you want, just be aware of your surroundings and the potential for negative human interaction is higher in many areas. Don't go with blinders on plus your rose colored glasses.

I have friends that have traveled in Mexico for years without issues, they stopped going south a few years ago, to much risk they said.

I have a problem with people that take risks, have problems then cry about it. Man up, chose you level of risk and deal with it when bad crap happens.

riderr1150gsadv · Jan 8, 2020

For the Russian adventure I'd get a hold of Walter Colebatch of Sibirsky Extreme fame...https://advrider.com/colebatch/

A 1200 GSA is too big of a bike for an RTW trip. Nice for closer to home, but not for BFE where repairs would be near impossible. A lighter bike would be my choice as well..YMMV

powwow · Jan 8, 2020

+ 1 on check out ADV Rider...lots of trip reports from folks who are currently or have done RTW trips. It will really help you with your planning and I've no doubt many of them would gladly provide you with some input from their perspective.

Good luck!

skibum69 · Jan 8, 2020

I'm reading up to the ens of a bit of a RTW thread on ADV right now of a South African couple who did Africa a bit of the US and have been in South America for a couple of years. They absolutely loved Mexico and the people they met there. That being said a friend of mine was murdered there so good and bad like anywhere. Many RTW RR's on ADV, I've read a bunch of them. Elspeth Baird's book about her adventures RTW is good too and was released not too long ago. I really enjoy the books too and there are stories going back to the 20's available.

randyjaco · Jan 8, 2020

Anybody read "Lone Rider" by Elspeth Beard? It's a good read if you are even considering the trip.
Randy

susan-nc · Jan 9, 2020

randyjaco said:
Anybody read "Lone Rider" by Elspeth Beard? It's a good read if you are even considering the trip.
Randy

"One Man Caravan" by Robert Edison Fulton, Jr., is a very good book documenting his around the world experience back in the early '30s.

skibum69 · Jan 9, 2020

I've read both of those books and a couple of Lois Pryce: "Lois on the Loose" and "Revolutionary Ride"and they're all worth reading. Also Charlie Boorman's "Long Way Back" and Chantal Simon's "She'll be Right" Chris Scott's "Desert Travels" gives some insight into the Sahara if you want to head that way.

As for language barriers don't worry about it, I've travelled all over the world for work and by my 2nd trip I stopped buying language books and never had an issue getting by in any country. Learning hello, please and thank you and beer in local language gets you very far. Charades is a fun game you always get into and it never ceases to bring smiles and laughter.

As for guns that's pretty much an American thing, that attitude will far more likely bring you grief everywhere. Knives are tools for cooking and cutting rope etc, thinking of them as weapons is not beneficial.

jkjohnson · Jan 9, 2020

Potholes

Lots of potholes, even on paved roads where they sneak up on you when riding at highway speeds, in many parts of the world. They sneak up on you. You might do it with an RT, but I think more likely that you would end up damaging an RT, eventually. And when you eventually dropped it the plastic fairings/luggage would be likely damaged. The GS/GSA are built more like tanks/tractors, can take a beating. Also, those plastic fairings would start having attachment issues when routinely subjected to hard pounding, washboard roads.

My limited "international" experience comes from riding a couple thousand kilometers in Brasil (RS to Bonito and return.) Lots of potholes, cattle guards of logs, etc. My friends down there traded in their Harley's for GSA's because they were better suited for inadvertent pothole pounding (though one still has a Goldwing.) I think it would be the same for RTs.

vark · Jan 9, 2020

skibum69 said:
....

As for guns that's pretty much an American thing, that attitude will far more likely bring you grief everywhere. Knives are tools for cooking and cutting rope etc, thinking of them as weapons is not beneficial.

I don’t view this as an “American thing.” Prior to their epic rides, Charlie Boorman and Ewan McGregor underwent some pretty intense personal-safety training provided by professional security experts. They practiced self-defense and hostage situations, including operation of small firearms. It wasn’t their leg across the usa that they were worried about, either.

Additionally, for a large section of their transit across Africa (“The Long Way Down”), they were accompanied by a hired security detail consisting of extra vehicles and mercenary guards armed with AK-47s.

Seeing to one’s own self-defense isn’t an american cowboy attitude. Throughout Africa and much of Central and South America, carrying defensive firearms is not unusual and much more commonplace than in the US.

chadwick · Jan 9, 2020

Thanks for the many responses, recommendations, and thoughts. It didn't take a lot of research to agree that an 800gs adventure would be a much better option than my RT. I'll spend the next few weeks reading through some of the resources mentioned here.

This is something I'll almost certainly be doing alone. Personal security is obviously a huge concern, but I would not be considering taking a firearm or any other weapons that could get me thrown in some funky prison in some random place. I have previously trained in Krav Maga, so there's something, but mostly I'd be trying to keep myself inconspicuous (yeah right!) and off the radar in unfriendly/unfamiliar places.

I was originally thinking of staying in the northern hemisphere, but maybe adding south america and africa to the trek isn't a bad idea? Or maybe save those for a second ATW trip? Who knows.

Anyway, there are a million logistical problems to consider and find solutions and back-up solutions for before I embark. In the meantime, I'm shopping for a second Beemer!

Now which one of you crazy bastards is coming with me?

Chadwick

skibum69 · Jan 9, 2020

Sure some people go for security training etc but most by far just go. Just now I came across this article on ADV: https://advrider.com/weapons-can-lead-to-an-adventure-of-a-different-kind/

Yeah potholes, I did an 8 day offload rally in Mongolia and there's not much pavement in the whole country, happily I was riding a KTM 640 Enduro.

skibum69 · Jan 9, 2020

As I said I'm reading the RR from the South Africans, here's a reply from Michnus about their DR 650's vs the BMW 650 Dakars they had in Africa and some other stuff they've run across.

Hi Mich and Else!
Have the DR's given you any troubles?
If so, what kind? Also, what kind of impact would these bikes have made on your first trip if you chose the Suzuki and not the Beemer's?
Besides the obvious answer; they will carry more beer and ice! hotog

Have fun , Edi says "Hi"!
Touch wood, nothing! Except for the shocks, which was I think in most part the people that serviced them. But for the rest I am actually amazed how well they have kept up with all the offroad we did. As for BMW, not on a long trip ever again for me! Learned my lesson with them and got the tshirt. With the DR650's I am so much more relaxed and have way more peace of mind. Breakages won't cost a fortune as like with the BMW's, they are easier to troubleshoot and fix. Just an example, I can rip the rear shock out of the DR in 20min, the Dakar was a bloody 2-3 hour job. The DR I only have 200gram stand, the Dakar needed a 3kg center stand.
The BMWs are good for no kit travel in a developed country, long term proper fun offroad, they can rather stay home

The weight makes such a difference, it does not matter how much people want to swing dicks about riding big loaded bikes, to date all the people we have seen, met and know off did not do any of the nice offroad parts. Even the Dakar's were heavy when it got too real offroad parts.
We have traveled with people on 800gs's and those bikes off-road and with weight are monsters to ride, they are cumbersome and left the riders bloody tired. One road we picked those bike's up 4 times, **** man! That's not fun, the DR's ate those bits for breakfast.

And for our budget, I am happy with them.

Anybody have ambition to ride around the world?

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