CB 1300 S to OZ.... Viable??
 

Hi folks!!

Hope to ride to OZ next year when my immigration gets approved ( hopefully!! ) and the plan was Europe, turkey, Iran, Ferry to India, Ferry from India to Thailand, Indo, Oz.

I was concerned as to how bad the roads may become, and if the bike is up to the job. I have looked at various other bikes, AT, XT660Z, and as much as they may be better in the latter part of the trip, they are not half the bike for the road the 13 is. I have ridden it on loose shingle switchbacks ( Umbrail pass, Alps ) and to be honest it was absolutely fine.

Any opinions would be appreciated.

Lee.

Mate
guys have taken R1 s , Fireblades + good forbid a Goldwing around the world and on roads that can best be described as swamps !!!! i would have no problem taking your bike - riding it in India would freak them out :thumbup1: you could argue that it might be difficult for local mechanics to work on - but its a Honda - that bike will go on and on and we will all be dead and burried .
Safe rds

We rode 2-up on a DL650 (Europe-Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India-Thailand-Malaysia-Indonesia-Australia) last winter, 6 months. No, the roads werent that bad, if youll stick to the main routes, then 95% is fine with a streetbike. BUT you´ll need to watch out, and I would build some kind of protection under the engine & exhaust, the roads were often potholed, and there are huge speed bumps, unmarked, in many places.

So, in many places it is very different from Europe, and the bike will take some severe hits, and you mustnt go very fast (even the traffic is a good reason not to!!) I´d also examine how tough the wheels are, cos if they will be dented easily, then I´d probably find a more suitable bike. Plus I would find some crashbars to protect the tank and engine in case you drop the bike.

Otherwise, I think the 1300 would do fine.

BTW, there are no ferries going from Iran to India, from India to Thailand, or from Indonesia to Australia, you´ll most likely need to put the bike into a cargo ship or airplane. There wasnt even any ferry between Malaysia and Indonesia at the time we were there, but luckily there´s an easy freight option from Penang.

Would you Adam n Eve it!
 

The company sorting out my Oz visas has gone under, bang goes a thousand pounds!!
Maybee a change of plan is in order... Any ideas, i'll try anything once ( well almost anything!! )

Off Topic!!
 

:offtopic: Hi Lee,
Sorry to hear that your visa agent has gone bump :oops2: , just wondering did you pay by credit card you should be able to get some or most of it back.... Me and my G.F are in the process of goin to OZ on a 457 with a company doing all the paperwork for us, we should be there in 10 to 12 wks, we hoping b4 new year, have you got a name for the company thats gone bump would like to know who they are.

Thanks Roi n Bron.

The company was called Visa Connections. I went with them based on someone i loosely know who used them sucessfully. Shit happens i guess!!

I paid by debit card, so no chance of a refund i think.