Bike Prep
Our Bike
Bike items updated 24.06.2018 for each section
Where do I start; I suppose firstly I’d like to say I’m not into the, at times ridiculous, discussions about, this is the only bike, or you need to go this brand, or it’s to heavy etc etc etc, do whatever feels right for you.
When we started out on this journey the first step for us was the bike; we looked at a number of options and after a bit of research we elected to hire a BMW GS from Offtrack Motorcycle rentals to see what the BMW was like before taking the plunge and spending $30,000+ (AUD 2015) to buy one. A couple of points to note, I had never spent that much money EVER on a vehicle, let alone buy a new one, my current Holden Frontera cost me $4000 10 years ago and as long as it keeps starting I cant see any reason to sell it, so for us this was a HUGE decision; and I realize there are probably many people saying WTF $30,000 on a bike, I bought mine for $500 and we went everywhere etc etc…….firstly we were very very lucky and had a win on the Stock market (thank you 21st Century Fox and high exchange rates) so this helped pay the majority and ……… well ……… its our journey and not others……. so if they don’t think its right………….. Stiff
Hire Bike
Bike items updated 24.06.2018 for each section
We hired the GS and turned up with bags and bags and bags of stuff we thought we’d need and headed off . We cant thank Grant from Offtrack Motorcycles enough for his patience and support in helping us load the bike up, lending us extra bags to carry stuff……….. i’m sure he must have been shaking his head. Grant also organised the BMW safari’s to touch base with him and he’ll point you in the right direction. http://www.offtrackmotorcycles.com.au
We have a place in the High Country at Aberfeldy we go to and made our way there, discussing aspects of the bike. For Em it was comfortable and for me easy to ride. We arrived stripped off all our riding gear, helmets, gloves etc and proceeded to grab a bottle of wine and attempt to ride up a steep hill to take in the views, drink the wine and relax. Perfect clothing for riding up a hill at the end of a long days riding!!! NOT…
Fitting Out the Bike
Again I stress there are no right or wrong ways to set things up for your our travels, these are simply the things I found worked for us and I’m sure as we go along we’ll add to the list.
I must start out by saying that i was always conscious of adding to much crap to the bike and there are company’s that serve the market very well with high quality after market gear. I describe them as the “ARB for motorbikes”, Like ARB have great quality items for 4 Wheel Drives you just don’t need everything they sell, so here is the list of items I’ve changed…….. whats worked and what hasn’t. Also I like to do all the work myself and feel confident enough to do it correctly.
Puig Front Screen
Update: 24.06.2018
Thanks to the Donkey that stepped sideways and we then hit!!, the bike cam to a dead stop and I went flying over the front….. taking the screen with me…… in a number of pieces. After dusting ourselves off we glued and wired the screen back together and it is still providing us with good protection. I do find that in cities and on the Ripio that I lower the screen to be able to see clearly in front, but on the highway stretches it works great.
Update: 1.10.2017
So far the screen is doing a great job and we have no complaints. When in the “fully up” position it seems to provide Em with the coverage needed and reduces any wind “buffeting” to a minimum. Only item I have noted is that it appears to have fine scratches on it now. ……. it’s like ive cleaned it some fine sandpaper. I cant remember if this is how it was when out of the packet, and I have only ever cleaned it with a soft cloth or paper…… it may simply have been the dirt/dust on it when I cleaned it. Either way it is still clear to look through if required…… its just a note. One other thing is I have red of peoples screens, “bouncing/ vibrating/ moving”around when in the “Up” position. This has not occurred to us at all and the screen is solid in all positions.
We found that Em was receiving a bit of buffering sitting up back and just that little bit higher so after a bit of research we purchased a Puig touring screen in smoke color from the guys at Online Motorcycle Spares in Morrabbin, Melbourne. We’ll comment further on this as we go and monitor its effectiveness and if there is any undue vibrating issues which some have reported.
Neutrino Black Box
Update: 24.06.2018
So much to say; overall the tent has been great, we have put it up and down 300 days out of the year. After so many times we can set it up in around 5 minutes, while packing up takes a bit longer. The “Zip Sliders” (metal parts) on the inner door zips wore and I have replaced them with new sliders and now no issues. After 3 days of big winds down the Patagonia one of the “Peg Ties” ripped off the tent; but this was easily repaired; other than these things, we havent had any other problems. We dont store the bike in the “Garage” part as they are designed to, as it becomes to cumbersome, but this area is great to sit in, especially when the weather is bad. For future travels we will source a smaller tent with a similar add on vestibule to store equipment. The tent, with our clothes bag also forms part of the “backrest” form Em while on the bike; grey bag on top.
Update: 24.06.2018
Thanks to the Donkey that stepped sideways and we then hit!!, the bike cam to a dead stop and I went flying over the front….. taking the screen with me…… in a number of pieces. After dusting ourselves off we glued and wired the screen back together and it is still providing us with good protection. I do find that in cities and on the Ripio that I lower the screen to be able to see clearly in front, but on the highway stretches it works great.
Our Bike
Update 24.06.2018
The only update I would like to do with the pegs is with Em’s pegs. Apparently you can get a set of “Lowered” pegs for the passenger which would help her and the angle of the knee joint as well as providing an even lower center of gravity when we are both standing on the pegs.I’ll investigate this on our return
Update 1.10.2017
The pegs are all working well and the only change we have made was to take the “Angle Grinder” to Em’s rear pegs and Sharpen up the “points” as they were to smooth and didnt provide enough grip. after this little modification they have been ideal. We both “stand” during dirt/ rough sections and no more issues with slipping
I’ve installed a pair of Pivot pegs for me and was able to find a set of metal pegs for Em as the passenger. After her experience slipping off the standard rubber covered mounts I thought a pair of standard steel ones would be better . Problem was no one really does passenger pegs so I had to source through an Adventure bike company in South Africa; they were purchased and arrived within a week. I note that Wonderlich have lowered passenger pegs which are meant to provide a better leg angle for the passenger; for now Em has said she is comfortable with the current arrangement
Toolbox
Update: 24.06.2018
Did I say perfect…… I went for what my wife calls, “A boy ride”…… basically where I get time to myself and thrash the bike…. you know going fast…..ect etc. Anyway after one “Boy Ride” the toolbox fell apart……. it is now held together with straps and rope and so far has been OK. I considered getting it all welded and fixed up but so far all seems ok
Update: 1.10.2017
No issue at all with the toolbox……. its perfect
I installed a Touratech toolbox and so far this has been great, fits well and is solid
Seat
Update: 24.06.2018
Update: 24.06.2017
Still not convinced it is that much better than the original and worth the money. If it rains it tends to soak up the water and Em gets a wet bum!!
Update: 1.10.2017
The updated seat…………… well, it hasnt been too bad; I do sometimes wonder if there is any real advantage and unfortunately we didnt have a “Base Line” to compare it as we changed the original over in the early days.
One issue that occurred and which I wasnt impressed about was I replace the OEM tools that were under the original seat onto the new seat. The rubber which holds the tools in place perished after 4 months and this allowed the tools to fall away and bounce around under the seat and in one case, one of the tools had started to rub against some wiring. I sent an email letting them know of the quality issue, but like previous emails about where products could be improved I never received a reply!!!!
I purchased a Touratech passenger seat for Em, the one that makes her feel like she is floating on a bunch of clouds :). The old adage, “happy wife, happy life” was in my mind, but at $700 (AUD) it would want to make her very happy…… so far so good and we will review further as we go along. For me, I’m happy with the standard BMW seat
Protection
Update: 24.06.2018
Did I say we had dropped the bike “a couple of times”…… this should read…… we drop it every week!!. So far all the protection equipment has worked wonders with no issues.
Update:1.10.2017
No real change; we have dropped the bike a couple of times now and all the protection items we have in place seem to be working as required. The Touratech cylinder guards are still cable tied on and we never did hear anything back from them…… otherwise all good. Bark Busters…………. still working great and no issue.
The bike came with the BMW heavy duty bash plate and all the standard GSA protection bars. The only additions have been the Touratech Stainless Steel reinforcing strut for the original engine crash bars and a set of their Cylinder guards, again to suit the original bars. I contacted Touratech regarding the Cylinder guards and how I felt they could improve on them as my set was only attached solidly at the top of the guard with the remaining sections held in place using “curved/ hook type sections” which after the first time you drop the bike become all bent and loose resulting in the guard flapping around; I didn’t get a reply. I ended up cable tying mine and that seems to have worked well.
Air Filters
Update: 24.06.2018
Have serviced the bike numerous times now and the filters are still performing well with no issues at all….. probably one of the best items we purchased for the trip
Update: 1.10.2017
Ive only completed one service so far and all the filters were removed and cleaned. The Pre filters were full of dirt/ bugs/ dust and the internal Airbox filters were clean so they all appear to be doing the job. One note was that when I cleaned them I washed them in petrol….. because it was just to wash the filters I chose the cheapest petrol which was E10 (10% Enthanol)….. now I’m not sure if it was the Ethanol but the glue on the Prefiters started to soften up and come apart. This stopped when they dried out and I was able to simply able to “re stick” them back together and I cant recall it happening initially when at home and I used “Normal” petrol; so just a note and I’ll monitor next time I give them a clean.
All I’ve installed here is a complete set of Uni Filter foam air filters, Pre and air box.
Tyre’s
Update: 24.06.2018
Well allot has passed since the last review and we have been using Heidenau since and where available I will keep using them we have gone through 3 rears and 1 front. The front tyre has lasted nearly 25k which is amazing when you consider most of our riding is 50/50 dirt/ road. The rear tyre we are getting around 15k from and on speaking to a Chillian tour operator who runs a fleet of 30 hire bikes, BM’s etc and also runs Heidenau’s, he suggested we run 46psi instead of the recommend 44psi due to the extra weight carried and in operation the tyre pressure usually only goes up by 2 or 3 psi.
Update: 01.10.2017
We purchased Metzler Karoo 3’s and I am no expert and have nothing really to compare them to but I’m very happy with them. The rear has 10,000km on it and will need replacing in another 2,000km I think. The front is still like brand new and I’d expect another 10,000km from it. Travel has been approximately 70% bitumin and 30 dirt……. with the dirt being very knarley and rocky. We have been running 32-34 in the front and around 35-37 in the rear as it is carrying allot of weight. It appears to be wearing fine nearly down to the “replacement indicators” and is only showing slight “feathering on the trailing edge of the outside lugs….. overall I think its worn very well. We have asked BMW if they have a replacement when we get to Lima and I will post a price. Touratech Lima have suggested Hienden’s but i’m happy with what I have so will try and keep the same type while available. The broken leading edges you can see are only recent as a result of getting bogged in the sand and trying to get out…….. my fault!
This will be an ongoing review; where we stand at the moment is we have Continental TKC-80 3rd set, and prior to leaving we are looking at either the Heidenau or the Karoo 3’s. Currently around town, riding hard, stopping hard we are only getting around 5000km which is to be expected. My intention is to be nice and gentle on all areas while riding and I’d expect allot more Km’s.
There is so much discussion when it comes to tyres; if the majority of travel will be on dirt then the Heidenau may be the way to go, but by all accounts we will simply have to use whatever is available at the time…….. this will be an ongoing commentary.
Bags and Luggage
Update: 24.06.2018
No real change here……. it would still be great if the Touratech bags were waterproof…….but for now, if it rains we’ll keep using garbage bags around them
Update: 1.10.2017
The Touratech bags are working well and make life so much easier when having to unpack….. so a “Tick” for them. The Kriega bag is one of our best purchases. We use it to store our Wet Weather gear in, second set of gloves and extra food when we are camping wild. It is built well and does the job perfectly…… its great! The two front Wonderlich bags are also great; we only have light stuff in them like, first aid, bandages etc and the other has all our travel drugs (Altitude, Diarrhea, antibiotics etc) and they are extremely practical and well made. The small rear Touratech bag is a bit of a waste, in that its small and can be difficult to get things in and out of. In saying that it has come in handy to simply store those items we dont use allot and are small and flexible; our cable lock, siphon hose for the camp stove….. stuff like that.
We are using the standard BMW panniers which unfortunately for us leak due to being bashed around a bit. Inside these we have been trailing a Touratech bag but these aren’t waterproof, so we either try and spray it to make it waterproof or find something else.
Other bags we use are the Kriega; a waterproof bag we will use for our wet weather gear that will get attached to one of the pannier lids. Ortlib bag for our clothes to go in as this is waterproof and pretty tough, again we’ll update as we go along.
We also have some small Wonderlich bags at the front which are used for small items that we may need in a hurry, such as first aid etc
Other Stuff
Update: 1.10.2017 /24.06.2018
These mirrors are also one of the best purchases/ additions we made; they just work…… there is no bullshit about them. They are well made, simple and make life easier
I installed a set of Double Take mirrors because I like that they can easily be adjusted and claim to be virtually unbreakable….. Plus the original all become loose at some stage and then flap around and never seem to be totally secured after that. We will let you kno
Intercom
Update: 24.06.2017
Well……..2 years old and the Senas failed. We contacted Sena and they said as we were one month out of the warranty period there was nothing that could be done. What we found was that as the Sena intercom unit mounts onto the “Base Unit” the point of contact is with “Pins” from the base, to “flat contact points” on the intercom unit. At this join the “Flat contact points: started to corrode, until they completely corroded away….. so so more contact and the units failed. In addition as the units, “clip on and off” and we were taking them off every night to recharge the plastic clip point broke and so we had to “cable tie” the intercom to the base. We are disappointed as they cost allot and now are useless. We now communicate through hand gestures and yelling
Update: 1.10.2017
The Sena’s have been working well, except for one, which randomly, after showing “Fully Charged” will announce and hour or two into travelling that it has a Low Battery. Sometimes I can turn off and back on and this will reset; sometimes we need to charge it back up again. I read on the forums that this happens every now and then and we’ll keep monitoring the situation and let you know.
We settled on the Sena 20s for our communications. While I’m pretty good with electronics and computers, the Sena’s gave us some initial grief getting them all set up and working correctly, playing around with settings etc. Eventually we got things all set up and working well. I have a couple of points on how we use the Sena:
- The Sena connects to my Samsung S4 and BMW GPS and randomly a SR10 and UHF radio (when I use them). All units connect automatically, but I had to download a “Bluetooth Auto Connect” app for Samsung so it would work correctly
- I tend to listen to Podcasts and intend on listening to E books all streamed from the Samsung
- Em listens to her dance music streamed from her iPhone 6
Earplugs
Update: 1.10.2017 /24.06.2018
These mirrors are also one of the best purchases/ additions we made; they just work…… there is no bullshit about them. They are well made, simple and make life easier
I installed a set of Double Take mirrors because I like that they can easily be adjusted and claim to be virtually unbreakable….. Plus the original all become loose at some stage and then flap around and never seem to be totally secured after that. We will let you kno
Additional Power Outlets
Update: 1.10.2017
No issue and working excellent………. for cheap fittings they are perfect
I installed some additional 12 volt power outlets to the front instrument area and to the right hand side
Denali Split Air Horn
Update: 24.06.2018
The horn stopped working and has been removed. First the electric pump had an issue which I think came from vibration riding on dirt roads. I fixed this and then the “Horn” unit simply stopped working and being a sealed unit there was no way of knowing why….. it could have had water or dirt inside, who knows!
Update: 1.10.2017
Horn is working well and my initial concerns are fine. The position of the horn does not seem to be any issue to both bike or for the horn itself. Connected to the Black Box I am still able to give a “short” toot on the normal bike horn before the relay kicks in on the BB and the air horns kick in. Great for short “Hi’s” as we pass people.
This is really the last addition to the bike; while to me the standard horn was OK, I decided that the better people could hear me the safer we would be. again after a bit of research we settled on the Denali split two tone horn which I got from Adventure Moto. the Split seemed the way to go for the BMW due to the restrictions of space and even then it was a bugger! I mounted the air pump after making up a bracket and fitting it on the LHS next to the air intake but the only place i could find to mount the horn was off one of the crash bars. My concern with this is that it is now exposed to rock strikes etc so we’ll see how it goes. Also it may restrict the air flow to the left cylinder slightly but I believe it will be OK. Wiring it up to the Neutrino Black box required a Diode to be fitted but Dan from Neutrino has been a great help with all this.
My only initial concern is when there are times when you simply want to give a friendly “toot” to people as you pass by to say Hello, which will now blast them away!….. we’ll see how it works out.
