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What have I forgotten!?
Hi everyone,
Been snooping around this site for 6 months or so now, hoovering up information in preparation for my 3 week trip to Morocco that begins Dec 27th in Devon, UK. I've finally registered in order to ask some key questions! I'm travelling solo on my '01 Adventure 640 and I need your input. I've been prepping the bike for a proposed route taken mainly from the Gandini guides - I'm also pretty new to bike maintenance so any thoughts/ info would be appreciated! :helpsmilie: Basically, what have I forgotten to do? So far I have: Replced the sprockets and chain Fitted a 17 tooth front sprocket for the road down to Algeciras (and trial fitted the 16 tooth I'll be changing to) Trial fitted my Michelin deserts and tubes (massive pain in the derriere that one - any suggestions?!), again changing from more road based tyres when I get there. Locktited every little fastener until they scream for mercy. Just about to do an oil change and clutch change. Installed a second clutch cable alongside the first to be able to change it without removing the tank. Fitted a fish bowl type fuel filter into the fuel line after the tank equaliser t-piece. Filled the bars with silicone sealant to reduce the pesky vibrations. Just about to fit a second fan... The bike has only done about 15k miles, so I figure most of the suspension components will be ok(ish) ?c? I am taking with me -spares wise: Brake/clutch levers tubes patches assortment of fastenings small length of fuel line front brake pads chain link oil clutch cable (already in place) anybody got any other suggestions?! - I've trawled all the links for common KTM problems and have ruled out or addressed most of the major ones (head bearings, counter shaft bearings, clutch cables, overheating etc...) Cheers people! :clap: P.s. I'm using a happy trails rack with some homemade ali panniers - anyone know of any issues with these racks at all?? It seems pretty bombproof, but I'm def no expert! |
I'm going to get deservedly flamed for this, but reading your post (and maybe reading too much into it) my first suggestion is to chill out and stop worrying. I've been there and got the T-shirt that proves months or years planning while trying to hold down a job gives lots of time for building up a huge pile of kit and a head full of what ifs. Most of it is simply going to make the bike a pig on one surface or another and will never leave your panniers.
I get the impression that there is a lot of just in case stuff in your list. In three weeks will you really wear out a chain? Won't a clip type link, even if it's plain industrial type get you back into Spain IF the chain does break? It's a heck of a lot lighter. Have you ridden off road with your tyre and chain set up? I really haven't found anywhere that required that sort of weight and spannering time. If you struggle to fit the Deserts and burst enough tubes you are in big trouble. I'd rather go with TCK-80's or something fitted at home and save the hassle. The suspension will be fine. Only thing I'd add to your kit spares wise is epoxy putty and a bit of bailing wire. Feel free to tell me to mind my own business and enjoy your trip :thumbup1: Andy |
Haha, no worries - any advice is welcome! - thanks for your input!
The stuff that I have done/replaced to the bike before i go is in the top list, the bottom list is what I'm taking as spares... so after replacing the chain and sprockets before i go I'm only taking the chain link. The 17 tooth sprocket and the road tyres will be buried/ left with augberge owner once I get to morocco. The michelins were a pain to fit - took me about 90 minutes! but they eventually went on. Its just that I'd rather save their knobbles by using road tyres for the ride down as they are not cheap! |
oh yeah, also got 1 spare spark plug...
what else has anyone taken and found useful spares-wise or not taken and wished they had? any KTM specific tools etc? :confused1: |
How about - address(es) of any KTM mechanics on or near your route? I know the other day I was reading someone's trip report on advrider, and they had the name of a great and very friendly KTM guy they used in Morocco.
Might be worth a quick search? Oh and toothbrush of course. |
Kipp,
Your plan looks quite good to me, overall. Most of all have fun! Do the crap work now so you can relax on the ride! :D:wave: |
awesome, thanks alex/patrick!
I've got some HD tubes and prepared 1 front and 1 rear with 'goop' similar to ultraseal I think. I'm going to take 1 spare tube per wheel. Figure that the tube change takes place during the day if i get a flat, then tube repair happens in the evening (so long as i don't get two in one day!) I've had plenty of practice repairing mountain bike tubes so I figure the technique won't bee too different. Good call on the KTM garages too. Noting them down.:thumbup1: The frront brake pads idea was purely from my experience mountain biking - I always carry a pair (when mountain biking) as the conditions in the UK generally make quite a good grinding paste and no front brakes make for exciting riding. I'll do the change and that should save me some weight/space (every little helps) re. filter cleaning - i've heard a lot of differing opinions on how best to clean the foam filter - any suggestions? :confused1: Certainly will have fun! Its gonna be amazing - roll on the 27th!:clap: |
Air filter -
Take a number of filter skins .. just pull the dirty one off .. check the filter under neath is still cleanish and put a new clean filter skin on. Once you run out of clean filter skins .. then clean the air filter and filter skins .. this keeps you moveing longest and makes the 'workshop job' a little longer .. but you don't have to assemble the oil/wash bits so frequently. ---------Front forks - oil Changing the fork oil is a good idea. Like changing the engine oil .. except people don't think about the fork oil untill the seal goes and it leaks everywhere.... 3 weeks is not long .. enjoy. |
I have to agree with Threewheelbonnie - taking a second set of tyres with you is going to be a PITA and no fun on the ride down...
TKC's are excellent all-round tyres - more than aggressive enough for off-road in Morocco, and comfortable on the road across Spain - and on the road sections in Morocco too - there are some stunning tarmac roads that you'll really want to ride too when you're down there. Fit Michelin UHD tubes and you really should have no problems at all - the TKC tyres should be good for 4000 miles, and if they are shot when you get back out of Morocco, just buy something else in Spain before the ride home? Of course if you've already invested in some Michelin Deserts, then I can see you might be reluctant not to use them - but really, they are race tyres (and very good at that) - but overkill for overlanding. If they are still new, ebay them, or just keep them for the future? While Michelin Deserts are actually pretty decent on the road and last reasonalby well for a knobblie, but you would be wasting them on the tarmac sections. Likewise the mousses - I used mousses on the Tuareg Rally (along with Michelin Deserts) and they are fantastic for off-road riding - you really can fit and forget and hit anything you like at pretty much any speed. However, as I say above, there are also a lot of on-road miles to cover in Morocco (nice scenic ones, that are well worth riding), and mousses are really limited to 70mph or less, otherwise they can overheat and deteriorate. I really can't rate TKCs highly enough, and fitted with UHD tubes, you really ought to have no problems and a lot less messing about once you are there? xxx |
Re-install carefully making sure you've it the filter placed in the right position all the way around.
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a medium duty tube to save space and ease flat repair.
YMMV. |
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An alternative is to buy them in Spain/Andora .. try to orgainise this before you leave so they have the tyres in stock.. Another way is to post them to Spain (no import duty as part of the EU... might even get VAT back if you get the dealer to do the posting?) |
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As for fitting, I swapped a set of tyres over (by hand, not machine x) before I went earlier this year, and the Michelin UHDs were surprisingly easy to fit... A good plan as mollydog says is to fit the UHDs before you go, and take regular tubes as spares which will pack down more easily... xxx |
Thanks for all the advice!
Probably should have asked these questions before investing in the Deserts... Ah well, I'm going to use what I have now. The tubes I have seem just a bit heavier weight than a standard tube - still pretty easy to work with. Transporting the tires down France and Spain shouldn't be too bad - I've been packing up my stuff into the panniers and apart from the sleeping bag it all fits into the boxes. (I made them to be quite slimline - so their volume is only 30 litres each - the rack makes them stick out quite far though - I might modify it to be a closer fit on the bike - less stress and better handling) Of course there will be times when I will be carrying extra food, water and possibly fuel, but by then I should have left the tires in northern Morocco. Going light is by far the best way in my experience! :thumbup1: |
Enjoy is the advice
Kipp,
I think you will be all set. You have done a good job preparing, and the folks gave good advice. I have not seen on the list rip-ties (fast cable ties) I think you call them. I have always a set of big ones tied to the front fork, some metal ones in the spare parts box. Also I am missing some fuses, take a couple 20 A and 10 A, the adventure needs those if something happens. I also had with me the Repair CD (does not eat room), but note the link from Matt Pope of the online manual. I also had a colored print out of the electric wiring loom (does not eat space either). Then the next on your list should be: Crash parts. means a piece of Ducktape, some Screws (that fit), metal wire. I have drilled a special hole in the gear shifter, so that if it bends, I can screw in a 6er pin and off we go. The engine cover is fine off work, we in the rallyes (I must have met JMo in the TUAREG, I go there every year) use tougher stuff, but its expensive. And please, take a 15 front sprocket if you want to hit the sand, otherwise you will go nuts. You need Revs. The Airfilter tip is correct, we use in the rallyes also a Dust Cover over the filters. And please insert the filter with grease around the flat side to prevent Sand coming in the air intake... Otherwise your piston will fail with burned to glas sand... Definately go for the Motocross tubes, you will hit the Arcady trees with the like steel stings, you will have flats. I run Mousse, but on tour I did use the "Poncho" method. Inside a Motocross tube, over it a cut open Tube, thats a thick layer of rubber. But if you lower the air pressure (which you will need for the sand to 0,8) then they start moving and melting inside. So think, where you go. If you go Sand, please mount tyre stoppers inside to prevent the valves to rip off. Oh, a little handpump and tyre levers are a must... Check the wheel spokes before you mount the tyres, if one sounds not a Kling, but a dark Klonk, then exchange it. Later it will cause you a flat. If you want to exchange your engine cover with one I use, stop by on your way South in Frankfurt and we mount it (lend, not sell...) Then you can carry extra water and tools there. And make pics and post them. Cheers Rasmus |
That's all good advice from Razmataz - especially about the airbox/filter. Even if you are not riding/following others, you'll be surprised how much sand and dust can get in there... one trick my service crew showed me on the rally was to wipe a film of grease all over the inside of the airbox, as it helps the dust swirling about in there to stick to the sides rather than clog the filter - it's a mess to clean out eventually, but will help while you are on the trip.
(as for a modest thread hijack - I was on the red and black XR650R with the AQ fairing/acerbis tank (no.77) this year Razmataz...) xxx |
Thanks Raz, JMo
I'm not sure I'm going to need the two tubes option for my style of riding - I'm pretty new to this (as you can probably tell!) so really the KTM is probably overkill and will stand up to anything I intend to do! - Likewise the tires etc are way too rally orientated. But hey, I've got them now... Mollydog: re. muddy conditions and brake pads... The reports from morocco are that most of it washed away this sept/oct so thats the logic behind the pads - might just take the old ones as spares (they have 50% left...) I'm beginning to have second thoughts about taking my alloy boxes... They cost me nothing to make (I work in a factory that makes sheet metal stuff!) So 2mm ali sheet, formed then tig welded, then powder coated cost me just a few coffees for the guys in the maintenance dept who are expert welders... If anyone has some nearly new zega-flex panniers they would like to swap...!? I'll post some photos later today... Finally getting to the end of my list of things to do - just the oil/clutch change change then ready for the off! cheers for everyones help! :D |
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As for the Michelin Deserts, they are an excellent hard-wearing knobblie - and I found them perfectly acceptable on the tarmac too - they will be more than fine, and you'll appriciate their strength and grip in off-road situations certainly. All I (and others) were suggesting is that the TKC is great all-round tyre, that would last the distance without having to change over half way though the trip, that's all... xxx |
It might pay to have a look at the jet needle in the carb as I've known these to wear very thin where they vibrate in the piston.
Enjoy the trip. |
What I had...
Rubber tipped float needle, head gasket, clutch lever, set of cables esp. clutch and throttle, spare fork seals, spare regular tubes(one each), 2 part epoxy, water pump rotor and seals, consider bearings and a shaft, consider Honda bond to reseal valve gear box, rear brake pads if not new, correct extra master links(they are chain specic now as are links), grease the steering head bearings, swing arm and pivot, spare oil filters, plenty of fuses. Nuts and bolts in a bag, carry where handy, beef up your tools. I am not an Africa guy but I did S. Ameica and Russia, Mongolia(rode the Gobi) and never needed HD tubes, I like Pirelli Rallycross tires, easy to change and long lasting, very good off road. For the air filter, it only gets dirty on the top, turn it upside down, then wash and reoil, I threw away the filter skins, fell off. I washed the filter every 5k miles. Take the spoke advice seriously, mine were zip tied at the cross. I ran KTM folding mirrors and needed them. I blew a head gasket in the desert...tighten the external head bolts, lock tight them. Just my ideas, do what you want, have fun. Wish it was me. b. |
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Hi Kipp
Seems like you've a lot of good reliable info from all the posts!! I have to agree with Jmo, use TKC80's with h/d Michelin tubes; they're good on the tarmac and adequate for any offroading in Maroc. I left Milton Keynes in March '07 on my adventure; had a new TKC on the front and carried a new TKC rear on the back which I fitted in Zagora and ditched the road tyre rear (left with Peter at Bikershome). Strap an assortment of cable ties to one fork leg and some rope to the other fork (you might need to drag the bike out of a ditch). I'm not sure if the earlier Adv's have the same very vunerable fuel tap as on my '06 model, it wont take much of a knock to rip it out....try to build some protection around it if you can! Most importantly...relax and have a great time Kev |
Only things I can think of are people who race the weston beach race, run the chain dry to stop the sand sticking to the lube.
If you're running an alloy rear sprocket, that may wear - however, I race a KTM through all kinds of gunk and it would last 3 weeks no problem. Though I have known people wear pads down pretty quick at sandy (but wet) events. I reckon you're OK - isn't half the fun being stuck somwhere trying to get it sorted anyway??? RTS |
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My chain and sprockets went 20k miles, I use a Pro-oiler. Pro-Oiler, the ultimate automatic chain oiler, microprocessor-controlled, pumped, economical, hassle-free, fit and forget, the future of chain maintenance. b |
Thanks people!
Got back from Morocco about a week or so ago - I had an AWESOME time!
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap: Unfortunately I didn't do half of the tracks I had originally planned to do due to the snow and the problems of landslips and river crossings related to the bad weather in the autumn, and had a number of accidents - but I still loved it! Thanks to everyone for their help and advice - every bit of it was valid. I've put some photos and report on Morocco by motorbike (no www in front of it) The title pretty much says it all - it was a pretty steep learning curve as I only learnt to ride last June. Sink and swim and all that?! :thumbup1: Pete |
Great ride Pete! Nice job mate!:thumbup1:
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