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Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia



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  #1  
Old 10 Jan 2008
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You might like to consider a 250 .. much lighter. Ok it won't be happy at 120km/h .. but most of the time you'll be doing 100km/h or less ...

If you insit on a bigger bke .. the suzi DR650 is lowerable (all the bits are there - except for the shorter side stand - that you could cut and reuse the original).

Read a few blogs of couples travelling together to get ideas on what bikes they used .. and their experience with them.

Going to the HU meeting in Feb?
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motorcycles BMW R80 G/S 1981, BMW K11LT 1993, BMW K75 G/S
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  #2  
Old 10 Jan 2008
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If it were me I would seriously consider a pair of Enfield Electras. What you save on purchase price would pay for an awful lot of repairs/shipping should you need it. They come with a 760mm seat height as standard, there is a low seat option for 720mm. £130 will buy a 20 litre tank which will give over 320 mile range. weigh 160kg. From what I hear about these bikes from owners on the enfield forums is they are much more reliable than popular urban myths would have you beleive. Be prepared to take 6k miles at least to run in the nicasil barrel, this is a huge step forward from the old cast iron 1949 model engine.

As an aside, seems the barrels, cranks and pistons are made in the same factory as makes bmw, porsche, mecedes and Mack castings and forgings.
Last edited by oldbmw; 10 Jan 2008 at 22:29. Reason: typos
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  #3  
Old 10 Jan 2008
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Small Is Best
Choice of bike depends on where you travel. BMW spares are non existent in many places. I ride a Honda 125. Spares are available everywhere. The bike has transported me from Mexico to Tierra del Fuego without mechanical trouble and I am now back in Panama heading north to the US. Next ride I will chose a 200 and have a custom seat built to accomodate my fat old butt. While traveling the past two years, I have met many bikers on big bikes. They drop a big bike on a leg, they end in hospital. Their accidents were more costly than mine, some waited weeks for spares. Finally, a big bike is a flag of afluence in poor countries. Forget that the bike is second hand - the image counts. Flags of afluence can make you a target. You can find a Blog of my trip at home
Good luck and have fun...
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  #4  
Old 11 Jan 2008
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V.True!
Quote:
Originally Posted by simongandolfi View Post
Finally, a big bike is a flag of afluence in poor countries. Forget that the bike is second hand - the image counts. Flags of afluence can make you a target.
You are Spot on with that Simon! Big Bike and you may as well have a sign saying "IM RICH" in the Local language hung round your neck!
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  #5  
Old 11 Jan 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Frank Warner View Post
You might like to consider a 250 .. much lighter. Ok it won't be happy at 120km/h .. but most of the time you'll be doing 100km/h or less ...

If you insit on a bigger bke .. the suzi DR650 is lowerable (all the bits are there - except for the shorter side stand - that you could cut and reuse the original).

Read a few blogs of couples travelling together to get ideas on what bikes they used .. and their experience with them.

Going to the HU meeting in Feb?
I'll double down on Frank's post. :thumb

Read the real-world posts, not the fancy magazine advertisements...really.
When you're there, it wan't be fantasy thinking...
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  #6  
Old 11 Jan 2008
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I'd personally save my money and invest in two pairs of roller skates, that way you get fit quick as well, I mean just look at what running did for Forest Gump and you will be travelling at least twice as fast as him, so should get twice as much done.

Lee
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