If anyone HAS to have a 1200GS and a BMW clown suit to go with it ,because they THINK that is what they need to tour the world ,then I would feel very sorry for that individual .
Pick any bike you like , someone, somewhere will have ridden one for a long distance .
Are there more GSs touring the world than any other type ? I seriously doubt it .
Are other bikes more moderate than the GS ? What does that mean ? How does a 990 KTM or a VStrom rate ?Or an R1 ?
Reliability is the most important factor in choosing a bike , your ability to get yourself going again when it , inevitably , fails is another factor .
You don't need the latest technology .

You will encounter poorer folks than you , the world is not fair , there's not much you can do about it .Maybe give away your expensive Touratwat panniers and have some made by a local craftsman - help THEIR local economy .Give the old woman a ride on the back of your bike , save her legs a bit -eh !

Who decides what is the best gear ? Do you judge by price ? Is the most expensive the best ? How much of it do you really NEED ?

You could probably buy a used 250 and tour three continents for the price of a new 1200GS.
But maybe maintaining an image is important to you ,so an expensive big bike is essential ?
These are just questions that spring to my mind and not a personal dig at you .

Myself ? I'd just chose a simple reliable bike that would cruise at the speeds I like to travel , buy my gear to suit my purpose for the cheapest I could find it and not worry about what others think I should have . But I kind of like going against the norm , it's more fun that way.

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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

I ride a 650, but most of my touring has been on a old '72 Honda XL250... a beast!

But for my last trip in SA, I chose a bike that were a very common in the areas we were traveling. I don't want to be so far removed from the people that I can't really interact with them. And the best part: I took next to nothing in spare parts because every town had what I might need!

Yes, I took a $100 GPS because I was traveling roads (and trails) that were not on the maps, but that was it for the high-techness. 43 days, 3 countries, all costs (including the bike): $3,000. At that rate I could have done RTW for the price of one BMW!

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http://www.aroundtheblockmotoadventures.com/
'We build the bike (in Peru) for your Epic Ride of South America.'

If I have grasped the catalyst for this thread correctly, the question you are asking is not whether or not you should take the best gear, but what should be the motivation for doing it. If its to throw yourself into all that the world has to offer and do so in the most comfortable and the least stress-free way then spend the money and take all the high spec gear that makes it possible. And there is nothing wrong with that, whether or not another overlander may have a negative opinion of your choices.

Just like the LWR guys. They wanted to do something, and wanted to do it in a way that they were probably more accustomed to. Aside from the money they may have made from doing it, I like to think that the idea did originally start as an adventure between two friends. The important thing, is the fact that they got off their arse and did something. One hopes that even with all their backup and gear, they have a better understanding of the countries and the people they came across than those people that sit at home on their arses and judge.

The key is to choose your motivation and accept the pros and the cons that go hand in hand. On one flip of the coin, if you take all the gear and accept the fact that you are going to come across countries, cities, communities, individuals that dont have a 100th of the gear/clothes/food you are using or carrying. On the other side, take the basics and accept there may be difficulties to overcome along the way....

I personally would go for the latter.....I mean we may hate the "difficulties" when they are upon us, but if it wasnt for the fact, say that you didnt have the right sized socket, and you have to walk a couple of miles to a village and find something or someone to help, you wouldnt have half the experiences. Or indeed (and I not advocating not taking GPS!), the simple things of asking for directions (which can always be fun and totally unproductive in a country where English is not widely spoken), or getting a local to try and understand a map that is foreign to them.

I think you have to be careful not to travel round the world on your motobike, in a bubble, unless of course thats what pickles your onion. Its like some people prefer to do package tours and some people prefer to just get the flight. I am of the opinon that the more things you posess that can solve your problems for you, the more likely you are to remain detached from the country or the people. Of course you need to take essentials, but what is essential to one person is not to another.

I have no idea if I am the right tracks here, but maybe something in my post makes sense?!

Char

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Don't be scared your life may end,
Be scared that it may never begin.......

You will encounter poorer folks than you , the world is not fair , there's not much you can do about it .Maybe give away your expensive Touratwat panniers and have some made by a local craftsman - help THEIR local economy .Give the old woman a ride on the back of your bike , save her legs a bit -eh!

'Touratwat panniers'..? Is that your view of the people that buy them or the people that sell them? maybe you have similar ideas on BMW...... 'Big Macho Wanker' or XTe..... 'Xtra Tight Everywhere'...? We have different ideas for a lot of things especially when it comes to spending money but if somebody wants to buy the best they can afford or think they need, then go for it. they'll learn through good and bad advice and experiences. Why don't you stand outside the Ferrari garage, approach the customers and offer them a ford instead? Buying good quality kit doesn't have to be expensive but it does have to be good quality and if that means 'Touratwat' then so be it.
Your perfectly correct in saying the world isn't fair, it isn't and I've seen enough of it to agree with you but surely travelling around it on ANY kind of bike is still contributing to the nation your in? (Unless your flying your food/fuel in by plane). I'm going off topic a bit here I know but it is annoying when the trip of a lifetime for people gets mixed up with an enviromental awareness routine. Am I selfish in thinking I'm not here to save the world but to see it from the ground up whether I've spent 2 or 20 grand on the costs?

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Geoffshing

'Security is a product of one's own imagination, it does not exist in nature as a rule, life is either a daring adventure or nothing.'

Whoops touched a raw nerve here -eh ?

A lot of the Touratwat stuff is vastly overpriced and marginally useful [ not all mind you ] , but if it "floats your boat" , more power to you .
My main point was to NOT be a lemming or a techno snob with your equipment purchases and ,if your conscience bothers you ,to make MORE use of the goods and services available in the countries you visit .

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Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light. - Spike Milligan
"When you come to a fork in the road ,take it ! When you come to a spoon in the road ,take that also ."

I think Charlotte Goose hit the nail on the head.

What you need on an overland RTW bike trip is a bike and some sort of luggage arangement, hard or soft.

That is it. Which bike is up to you and there is no righ or wrong answer, just right or wrong for you...

If you intend to rough it a bit then you also need shelter, and a means of cooking.
If you want to be able to fix your bike by the side of the road you need some basic decent tools.
Then, you should probably get a spare pair of underwear, in case you eat out, or need to soak up an oil spill.

After that, take what you want, that you tihnk will make the trip more fun, less hassle or both. I agree that it is better to travel light if you can, but light is subjective.

What ever you buy, get cheap, get expensive; does not matter, as long as you are happy with the price and its good kit as you will rely on it. If you don't, it's not worth taking...

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Adventure: it's an experience, not a style!
(so ride what you like, but ride it somewhere new!)

all you need is a moto,
half the balls you'll think you'll need
and a sense of humour

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Good to hear other opinions, and glad we've managed to maintain some glimmer of light-heartedness!

Oldbmw, I see your point with bike choice. What I should have mentioned is that I'm well into the bike preparation phase, and unlikely to change my bike now.
In case it makes any difference, it's an 03 XR650L. Which I hope covers all the suggested criteria you mentioned.. Apart from the seat height thing, but I'm freakishly tall :-)

DLbiten I like the possibly revealing last comment you made, and certainly I'm not about to shell out on top of the range panniers.
I'm extremely fortunate in having access to the materials and equipment I need, to make (probably terrible and more expensive) panniers for myself. Dull and self indulgent post on this subject to follow when I've finished!

Dodger your post made me grin. I'd like to go completely off topic and drone on about another of my insecurities; what the effect of (any kind) of travelling actually has on a host country, but I'll restrain myself.
I like your ethos on travel bike selection, and while I don't question the truth in your words, there seem to be more people that follow this policy on paper than actually travel on this kind of bike. ?

charapashanperu, I think you've described the kind of travel attitude that many daydream about, and I've got a lot of respect for you, for having the spirit to do it in this way.

Charlotte Goose, see you in the pub tomorrow. You owe me a pint.

AliBaba you know what I mean about the flash gear, but I see your point.

Andy, I can see what you're saying about the quality kit, but I'm slowly realising that the getting lost etc is what I'm interested in. The highlight of my last trip in Cambodia was changing a tyre, on the side of the road, with two spanners and 30+ onlookers.
The idea of getting back without any difficulties or breakdowns (unlikely as it is) scares me more than not going at all.
Like everyone's said, it is personal perspective.

Henryuk, I whole-heartedly agree with the dressing down, that's got to be a winner.

Geoff, what kind of panniers do you have? And how would you rate these panniers in terms of cost/durability?

Teflon I don't think this theory is water-tight. Surely the frequency with which you use something relates loosely in some way to its expected lifetime?
If a Chinese Kymco bike's good enough to ride to the shops and back, is it equally suitable for a multi continent journey?

MotoEdde, I agree with you absolutely. But surely there's some greater effect that you impart by going about your adventure in a hobo manor, as opposed to a space trooper?
Maybe I'm missing the point entirely, and your individual nature determines the kit you'll use, and to alter the actual equipment this doesn't change you any more than it would to buy your groceries from Fortman and Mason, rather than lidl!?



Thank you for your thought everyone.
If anyone's still reading this drivel, please have a look at the camping weekend we're organising for August. Lets fight it out in the flesh, rather than hiding behind our tft screens

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...-weekend-35394

What was the bet between you and Charlotte?

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I've a feeling I'm not in Kansas anymore.

I think a great point about this thread was made, whatever bike and kit you have dress it down as much as you can, the less you stand out the better.

I took a nearly new bike to Africa but I got it good and muddy first and got chain lube all over the thing, I had gaffa tape on the tank and all sorts of shit to make it look less desirable.

Hey when you get home you can always tart it up again.

Bugger. Have I got this all wrong? My Modus Operandi in one sentence.

Joel

You mean to say you've got a wristwatch?! And it works?!

Bugger - some people have all the best kit.

Ok, so they're my italics there , but I'm wondering what the motivation is for not standing out? As has already been said, you'll stand out anyway because of the colour of your skin, or the fact you wear a helmet or the fact there's only one of you on a motorbike and not an enitre family and two goats or simply the language, unless you're on a bike tour of your own country, you'll stick out like a sore thumb.

So given the fact you're different, why are you trying to blend in? Is it that word up there - desirable. And if it is what are you saying about the people in the countries you ride through? That you can't trust them maybe? That they'll club you over the head and nick your gear?

I have the same quandary as the OP about GPS, I look at it and think it's hugely useful and it'll tell me where to go so Idon't have to stop and pull out maps and compass, or ask people, but then I remind myself just how recent an invention it is, and just how many thousand, millions of people have travelled huge distances without it.

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All the passing travellers when they get around my neck of the woods all say they same thing "I wish I hadn,t packed all this crap I,ll never use".Transport,creditcard pick the rest up as you go.
Al theturtleshead

We moved to France from England last year and we try to fit in and "look" French but it simply doesn't work.
We drive down the road and have a little competition to work out who is French and who is British.
The Brits stand out, they look different, they act differently, they dress differently.
So if we can't move a few hundred miles without standing out then in deepest Africa you've got no chance.
But at the end of the day, does it really matter ?
Good thread by the way, thank you.