Yes, and no. I realise I am in the majority on this one but I have spent many years on the road riding all sorts of unsuitable machinery in all the wrong conditions.

What are we really trying to achieve? The vast majority of our riding is done on bitumen NOT off road. The vast majority of our off road riding is on tracks travelled regularly by locals in non off-road vehicles.

Yes, it's great to have a super light bike and premium price super light / super compact luggage but what are we really trying to achieve here?

International travellers are usually spending extended time on the road and require a few creature comforts. They are also not usually facing tight deadlines (or why else would we do these rides), and an extra day here and there spent taking a "not the best bike for the conditions" vehicle through difficult conditions is not a major problem - if it is then we can usually change our plans accordingly.

So where do you compromise? Do you want the lightest bike with the lightest (most expensive) luggage so you can get the farthest off the beaten track in the shortest possible time, or do you want some creature comforts and are prepared to pay the price - going a little slower and taking a little more time? You still get there in the end either way - look at the people who did these rides 80-90 years ago, the roads were a lot worse then and the equipment was much heavier and a lot less reliable and there wasn't a posse of other RTW riders a day or two behind them who they could ask for help if they really got stuck.

Hmm, then again maybe I'm just getting old.

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Garry from Oz - powered by Burgman