FOAK: A bike for serious travel, possibly some off-road...

So the R1150GS is too heavy for me. I want to go to Jordan. Maybe
later down through africa. lois on the loose and her travels down
through africa have inspired me.
I think I want something 600cc or less, lightweight, reliable, simple,
capable of taking paniers + topbox, easy on fuel.
What is the top ten list that I should be looking at?

 

Seat height isn't a problem for a mantis like you, so stick to one of the
single/twin ADV style bikes. They are all much of a muchness so buy the one
in the colour you like.
BMW F650, Vstrom, Versys, Transalp, Pegaso, Tenere

 

DR650 is probably worth a look, too.

 

+1
A major factor in the Kawi's favor is the availability of parts en
route. (Well, it would be in most of the world - not sure about the
road to Jordan.)

FWIW, I did a lap of North Africa 30+ years ago. Not by motorcycle.
Went from Morocco to Algeria, then down through Niger to Nigeria,
Cameroun, then flew to Kenya. Up to the Sudan, and down the Nile to
Cairo. If you're going to ride a bike, I'd go through Algeria. The
only country in the world where I didn't meet at least one asshole.
Ghardaia, in the Sahara, is a stunningly beautiful village. From the
distance, it looks like a colorful adobe cone built on a small hill.
The walls blend from one pastel color to another. Going across the
Sahara is pretty easy, all the way. Most is paved, a large chunk is
gravel (with massive washboard, now that I think of it,) and a few
sand dunes. If you go through Egypt and Sudan, you have to skirt
around the Sudd, the vast swamp in Southern Sudan, or put your bike on
a boat and go up the river. If you go around, you either go through
Darfur to Uganda, or through Ethiopia. I don't know anything about
roads in Ethiopia, but they must be horrid.

 

Austin Vince and co went round the world on Suzuki DR350s

 

Yamaha XT600E. As basic as they come, air-cooled, indestructible, the
choice of many for long overland trips

BMW F650 GS single (OK, so fractionally over 600cc). Reliable, good
parts availability.

Honda C90 if you don't want to go fast. Cheap, fixable anywhere.

Honda CG125 (as above) (Makes Sign of Holy Pushrods)

 

^^^^^^

Mine does me fine and it copes with distance well.

--
Lozzo
Versys 650 Inter-Continental Hyperbolistic Missile , CBR600F-W racebike
in the making, TS250C, RD400F (somewhere)
BMW E46 318iSE (it's a car, not one of those 2-wheeled pieces of shite
they churn out)

 

I laughed out loud at the bit where she admitted she hadn't realised
she'd have to have insurance for her bike in Canadia.

Other than that, it sucked.

 

The only round the world bike videos I've ever enjoyed was Mondo Enduro
and Terra Circa. I've got copies if Owen wants to borrow them.

I like Ewan MacGregor but thought the Long Way Round/Down dull - the
reason I liked the Mondo E is it's about a group of mates who go off
without any real support (except their parents' cheque books at home...)

They also fail.

The book is also pretty funny, it makes the point their effort is the
last one pre-internet and pre-satnav.

LWR/D had a sense of being completely set up - whether or not it was is
beside the point. I felt it had false drama and could almost feel the
huge support crew behind the camera.

 

I think that if I was going to use an older Japanese single this is
the one I'd go for.

Most single cylinder bikes of the type Owen wants will be ok so the
overwhelming consideration has to be budget and if he was considering
an 1150GS then he's either got a £4k (minimum) budget or he was
dreaming when he thought about the GS. Once you're into the £4k area
you've got a much wider choice so dealer back up becomes one of the
most important factors.

 

Good bad or ugly, it got a lot of folk into biking, which is a good thing.

 

Owen already has an 1150GS.

Actually, something like an Armstrong would be ideal, apart from
issues around travelling in Africa with military-looking kit.

 

On 6 Nov 2010 09:36:55 GMT, "sweller" <>
wrote:

snip>

I didn't mind watching either series but neither trip was particularly
relevant to long distance bike trips of the type you or I would embark
upon but we wouldn't be trying to make money out of it.

Have you sorted out the sponsorship package for next year yet?

 

Paint it, then they look like any other off roader.

I've even got the hang of starting mine - first or second prod every time.

 

why?

 

We're more the "set sail and hope for the best" school of thought.

Sponsorship?

 

"lois on the loose" is a book, not aware of any video version.

the latter was by far the worst of the two - the bit when Ewan's wife
was shipped out on her "ickle" BMW and Charlie failed to see the funny
side was the only enjoyable bit.

 

By that token so did Boon (probably) or Junior Kickstart (which I'd like
to see again).

I still didn't enjoy LWR and didn't watch LWD.

 

Oh, didn't she marry Austin Vince - he of Mondo and Greenhornes fame?

 

Peter Purves - what a buffoon!