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
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…
This sounded good in theory but half way up I lost momentum, came to a stop, went to put the foot out to balance, lost balance and over we went. Em hit the rocks first and I landed on top of her, no damage to the bike but poor Em suffered bad bruising.
After our first mishap the rest of the weekend went well and we started to enjoy the bike more and more. On arriving home Em went to get off, putting her weight on the left peg as she swung her other leg over the mound of stuff we had packed and in the process slipped off the left peg landing flat, face down on the ground, where she started to cry……………….. a great way to end our test run.
So this is how we came to decide on the BMW which we then went out and bought.
One other note, if I purchase anything I use it for what it intended, in that the bike is NOT a showroom item, its there to be used, dropped, get dirty etc. I try and look after things mechanically but I’m definitely not going to cry if I drop the bike (which we have done numerous times) and it gets scratched or dented….. thats life!
Two Up, sitting down, loaded for a weekend away and “target fixation” on a large rock results in us both coming off again 🙂
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.
Driving Lights
Update: 24.06.2018
Still working faultlessly!
Update: 1.10.2017
So far the lights have performed faultlessly….. are they of any real benifit at night……. not really, they light up only a couple of meters in front, but for me the real advantage is having the extra lights to break up the image of the bike and make it more visible to the South American drivers!!!!. We only travel during the day and It has got to the stage where I dont feel comfortable driving without the extra lights on. We tend to get allot of other drivers “flashing us”, we assume letting us know the lights are on and for us….. thats a good thing……they have seen us!
I couldn’t justify spending $1200 (AUD) on a set of Clear-water lights but I knew I wanted to add to the existing BMW lights, firstly because they are only really Fog lights and if we ever got stuck at night I felt I needed extra light, and secondly to break up the shape of the bike further to assist in being seen. I looked at various types, from LED light bars through and in the end settled on a $20 (AUD) a pair from eBay. I attached these using a set of PIAA universal 360 light brackets with some packing rubber to the crash bar and they seem to be just right. They sit up high providing the visibility and break up I was looking for and are protected if the bike ends up on its side. I understand the optics may not be those of the Clear-water but they suit us. I can also easily run them at 10% during the day if needed using the Neutrino Black Box. The switch I also got through eBay for $3.00 (AUD)
I took the bike apart and ran all the wires in self closing wire wrap from Jaycar and where required soldered and heat shrunk joins all back to the Black Box. As we go along I’ll let you know how these $20 (AUD) lights go. 😉
Neutrino Black Box
Update: 24.06.2018
Most of the little annoying issues have been sorted and the unit is working great. I have found that if there is a big voltage drop…. say if using the air horn for an extended period…say 15 seconds, the unit “Locks Up” and I need to disconnect it from the battery to reset things and get it working again. I also found the WiFi fitting was starting to get a bit of rust in it so have sprayed some WD40 on this to keep the connections clean.
Update: 1.10.2017
So far the black box has performed as expected and ‘m very happy with it. There have been little items that came up, and which I contacted Dan the developer and we’ve been able to resolve without any concern.
The main issue which arose was not the fault of the Black Box but mine; I had set the “Cut Off ” voltage to 11.5 volts, and the Box did its job correctly and turned off our LED tent lights when the bike battery got down to the 11.5……… problem was….. in the morning only having 11.5 volts was enough to operate the bikes electrics (display, lights etc) it was obviously to low a voltage for the bike to allow the starter motor to operate and we couldnt start the bike. I tried to “Roll/ bump” start using 2nd gear and having enough power to operate the bikes electrics etc but this didnt work (and Ive now read maybe I should of used 3rd gear) and trying to find a battery charger/ Jumper leads in the middle of Peru can be very difficult……. but its all part of the adventure and eventually I got things sorted.
If you are unaware you cannot simply accessories to a BMW due to their electronics being controlled by a CanBus system; basically its a computer controlled system that if you were to simply add an accessory connecting to the bikes power supply it would think there was a fault with the extra load and have a melt down. So the trick is to connect a unit to the bike that draws very little power, allowing the bike to continue on its merry way and allow you to add electrical accessories. When I first started researching this area and what i needed I originally purchased a PDM Power distribution module, this would do what I needed, allowing me to connect lights and mount power sockets for heated jackets and seemed to have good reviews. The night before installing the unit a came across the Neutrino Black box. This would do everything the PDM could do plus allot more in what I felt was a better built and designed unit. One of the biggest advantages was it’s use of Bluetooth on the unit connecting to your phone via the specific App. This allows you to simply alter any of the many available parameters the unit is capable of
I mounted the unit under the seats and once set up it has been great. I currently have a Narva twin accessory socket fitted for our heated jackets while riding and at the end of the day one socket is rated at 20 amps to allow us to use an air pump to inflate our Exped 9M mattresses (Its our one little luxury item) and the other socket remains on for 2 hrs turning off automatically after this time or if the battery level gets below a preset value which we connect the LED strip light we use in our tent at night. I also run the front spot lights which I can have at 10% power during the day as “running” lights and which I can easily change to 100% at sunset if full power is needed and finally additional power sockets up on the dash for bits and pieces. The other big plus is, if there is a fault, instead of blowing a fuse and having to replace the fuse, you simply find the fault then reset the using the App on your phone………….. I think the unit is great and the company has provided great support to any of my many questions. Neutrino Black Box
Pegs
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
The Pivot pegs offer a bit more of a base to spread the load when I’m standing for extended periods and we’ll keep reviewing these as we go
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: 24.06.2017
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.
Handle bars, I installed a set of Bark Busters……………. what can I say, they are the best going around and imitated by many.
I know I can get little guards for this and that but where do you stop, so for now that’s about it.
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.
Luggage Plate
Update: 24.06.2018
Still working great and one of the best homemade items on the bike……. thanks Richard.
Update: 1.10.2017
The plate has worked out perfect; I thought it may not be thick enough and would bend; but there has been no issue at all and it works great.
After listening to Shirley and Brian Hardy Rix on an episode of Adventure Rider Radio RAW we decided to ditch the BMW Top box and simply use a luggage plate to attach tent etc onto. I wasn’t going to spend $300 (AUD) dollars on one so a good friend had one made up for $80 (AUD) and it does the job just fine!
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
Double Take Mirrors
Update: 24.06.2018
Still perfect and an excellent buy
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 know how these go.
Having been a 4WD person and using Diff breather extension pipes previously, I’ve also looked at the breather hoses Touratech offer to help reduce the potential for water intake when crossing streams etc. I intend on speaking to the expert Chris from BM motorcycles in Ringwood, Victoria and I will take his advice on this; and anyone wanting the best service and down to earth advice with no bullshit, give him a call regarding anything to do with BMW’s. http://www.bmmotorcycles.com.au/
Helmets
Update: 24.06.2018
The Schuberth is crap!
The tinted visor no longer goes up or down freely, even after cleaning and lubrication of the mechanism. The slide “switch” for the tinted visor can be difficult to use and it only has minimal point of grip to making movement easy. The “PinLock” inner screen came loose, even after adjusting the locks and scratched the main clear visor….. plus you simply cant get a replacement PinLock screen in South America……. in the end I removed the PinLock visor all together. Now the “Peak” is starting to come loose all the time and repeatedly needs to be “ReLocked”!!!
The Shoei…..is still perfect and more common around the world if parts are needed…… I should of bought a Shoei
Update: 1.10.2017
Keep in mind these comments are simply our experience………………… Compared to the Shoei, the Schuberth is not of the same quality, even though I feel it is “Touted” as being one of the best. One major and two minor issues; the clear visor on the Schu simply doesnt stay fully up and keeps slipping down to just above eye level and needs to be constantly pushed back up. I have tried to “Pack Out” the mechanism to tighten up the movement and stop it falling down and this has helped a bit but its not ideal. The quality and build of the visor mechanism just doesnt even compare to that of the Shoie which is solid and effective. Being Flip Up helmets the locking mechanism of the Schu again does not compare to the Positive and Solid feel of the Shoie and sometimes, misaligns and doesnt close positively. The last minor issue is that the Schu weighs allot more than the Shoie which after a while can make a difference. The only real positive of the Schu is the front visor which has assisted when riding into the sun; if Shoie came out with a helmet with a front visor it would be the perfect helmet……. in my opinion.
Originally we started out using our old Full Face helmets which had done us proud for many years but as things progressed and after some research we decided that new “flip up” type helmets were the way to go. We decided on these helmets for a number of reasons;
- Our old helmets were over 5 years old so time to update;
- The ability to be able to “flip up” the front to be able to greet people, talk at boarder crossings, smile and hold a normal conversation instead of having to remove the helmet each time; and
- The ability to quickly raise the front when stopped at the lights to provide quick relief and some fresh air
With the change in helmet laws (Australia 2016) we were now able to purchase helmets approved for use overseas this expanded our choices.
After trying on various models/ types, Em went for a Shoei Neotec as she found it to be the best fit and most comfortable. I went for a Schuberth E1 which I took the chance and ordered online from Helmet City in the UK. I had tried on the Touratech version which was based on the E1 so felt confident things would work out. The Helmet arrived within a week from the UK and fitted fine. After 1 week the top vent section flew off …… somewhere on the road so i contacted Schuberth letting them know my displeasure as to what had occurred. They didn’t seem to concerned and told me to contact the supplier who were the complete opposite and had a replacement posted out free of charge within the week…… thank you Maria at Helmet City. 🙂
One thing that is new for the both of us was the change to the “chin strap” and “Clip” type fastener instead of the old “D clips”. With the change in helmet legislation the new type of fasteners were a great addition.
The addition of a Sun visor on both helmets was also another item we had never had previously and which are a wonderful addition.
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
Couple of points….. from our perspective/ opinions……. are they good …… yes they are……. but
- For us the voice activation component does not work at all. I was hoping that things may improve with the purchase of the new helmet with it being purported to be one of the quietest on the market I thought the voice control may work…… but again not luck. I must admit though that trying to get Sena to reply can be a source of amusement (well to me anyway) when things don’t work and you start swearing at Sena as if she can actually understand you.
- Unless you are using the unit everyday it can be hard to remember the exact sequence, at times, of buttons/ dials etc to operate things. For example if Em is listening to a good song and wants to share with me or the phone rings or you want to change songs then trying to remember the exact sequence of events can be difficult and you end up just pushing a heap of buttons hoping for the best
- We charge the units at night from a battery power bank charged off the bike during the day
- Randomly comms between the two units seems to stop working as it has been with no changes to settings etc and this can be frustrating
- When mounting the units to the helmets there can be some awkwardness or appear untidy with the microphones. In our case we have cut a little slit in the side padding and fed the microphone through that. Allot of people could never imagine, what they may consider, damaging their pride and joy helmet by cutting some material but to use, things are there to be used and we will modify things as needed.
Earplugs
Update: 24.06.2018
The earplugs have stopped working…….basically the wires…..being thin, broke! This is a real pity as, when they were working they were great.
We each had a set of molded earplugs made with bass and tweeter speakers installed. I love listening to Podcasts (Adventure Rider Radio) and Em loves listening to her music so while a bit expensive they are well worth the money……… plus working in construction we were able to claim them as PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) at Tax time and get our money back 🙂
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.
Bottle Holders
Update: 24.06.2018
Still going well; we have now attached “Clips” and an elastic strap to keep these in place and ensure we dont loose them
We attached a couple of bottle holders as shown. White for water, Red for Wine and one for the Fuel Canister. They have worked well…………… except for one lesson………… even when strapped in, we tragically lost our wine bottle (Red one). The only thing we could think of was that we had traveled approximately 30Km on a hard dirt road and it had slipped out. It hadnt been stolen we knew that; so the only the other conclusion was that it had fallen out. While loosing the wine was bad enough; if we had lost the Fuel bottle then that would of really thrown a spanner in the works as getting a replacement for a Sato brand of stove would have been nigh on impossible. If it was an MSR that may have been a different story and one I touch on under Camping Equipment. We bought cheap “Spring Clips” as an additional security measure and these seem to be doing the job well
Bike Cover
We bought a simple bike cover which we use when we want to “Hide” the Gringo’s bike from prying eyes or when its raining overnight…… got to look after our baby!!