Many years ago I spent a year building and prepping what I regarded as the perfect Elephant Rally bike only to have it stolen a couple of weeks before we were due to leave. The only bike I could scrounge in the time was a little 100cc Suzuki trail bike which I duly thrashed down to the middle of Europe and back.

I reurned it with near terminal little end rattle and although I would have been happy to do the repairs my friend sold it within a couple of days at a 50% profit using the sales pitch "it must be reliable, it's just been to Austria and back" He was Irish as well!

On Ted's question, I'm not sure an overland prep service would be of much interest to me. Planning a long trip (or even a short one) means being on top of a lot of stuff - paperwork, politics, climate, health etc and knowing the bike well is high up the list. Some sort of turn-key purchase, where someone else has taken on the task of overhauling of the engine, chosing the luggage, deciding what spares to take etc would worry me.

If it breaks down and all I know is where the key goes and how to put fuel in where does that leave me in the middle of the Sahara? Whoever prepped it won't be turning up to rescue me. I've no problem outsourcing work but you have to take responsibility, not just take things on trust.

A agree with backofbeyond also.. And I think most people would rather have a go themselves.

However, I do think there is a market out there full of people limited on time, confidence or experience to self-prep.

If there a market for it which could support a small business for Overland ready bikes... hmmmmm I don't think so.
There are already companies out there who've got it covered for custom prep. Zen Overland etc.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Ted
i would love to see a pimped off road grand touring version of my bike - ST1300
Hang on , i think i had one in the 70 s , it was called a C90 with the leg shields removed

I didn't vote

THE most important (IMHO) mod to any motorcycle is its suspension.
For some reason, it features way down the list of 'must haves' after touring boxes, tents etc which is a little perplexing considering the load it will need to carry for a long time and way!

It seems to come down to what 'Adventurizing a bike' really means to each individual. I can't say I like that term for it's over use means it has become meaningless- a bit like ' it's nice' !

A new suspension isn't perceived as 'sexy' as new touring gleaming cases or top box or whatever.

Maybe it would be worth putting up a poll Ted asking what people thought was more important to them?

As always, it is about choice. What is important for one person may not be for the next. Some, for example, may accept/believe their OE suspension will be fine for say 10,000 kms after which they plan to sell the bike and fly home- so would not want to put expensive kit on their steed which they may not get back-
and it may well be fine or it can all go pear shape if they take one too many trails/bumps when heavily loaded- and so on.

With every other type of vehicle modification it's accepted that a modified vehicle is worth less than the sum total of the modifications and the closest you'd get to recouping your investment is breaking the vehicle and selling the parts

I've never understood why overlanders think if they've spent x thousands modifying the vehicle it makes it worth the same amount more than a standard unmolested vehicle

Yes.. Many people do think that. They learn fast though

Second hand bolt ons and fabrications rarely keep their resale value. Talk about depreciation.


Thing is, the actual material cost of a sump guard is about £20 and would take a skilled fab/welder half a day to make from a piece of sheet.

Price in a plasma cutter, TIG welder, grinders, cutters, workshop, tools, clamps, polishers etc etc etc...... then it's HUGELY expensive.

That's why they cost £150-£200. Why Touratech ones cost £300 is another thread altogether

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

I'm one of the guilty who's spent a bit of cash 'adventurising' my KTM 690 Enduro. I've done the cheap TTR250 'adventurising' as well and throughly enjoyed making everything myself, apart from the bashplate!

Last year I came into a bit of cash and wanted to treat myself to a KTM 690 Enduro, especially after riding around the Balkans with a bunch of these bikes and being impressed with them.......anyway that's another story!

I paid £5000 for a 11 month old bike with 450 miles on the clock 12 months ago.



12 months on and I've spent over £3000 on upgrades, which in my opinion make the bike better to ride long distance, perhaps over to top for some folk, but hey it's my cash and my bike, plus the only thing in my like that I enjoy spending on. So, here's what I bought:

Bashplate
Disc Guard
Case saver
4kg lighter exhaust
Lynx Headlight fairing with dash
USB Charger(dash mounted)
12v socket(dash mounted)
Fuel mapping switch(dash mounted)
Heated clothing socket(dash mounted)
Garmin Montana(dash mounted)
50W HID's -Dip and fast main beam
EXC front forks
Steering Damper
Tractive suspension pre load adjuster
10 litre twin fuel tanks
Renazco Seat
Pannier frames
Rear rack
Heated grips
Plus a few smaller trinkets!!

Anyway this is it now, well two weeks ago anyway

they are £37.50 for Enfields (Hitchcocks) And I always try to ride overland, not sure the electrics would stand up to a sea crossing

The Charlies will complain when their £7000 XT600E doesn't stop the patch of mud on the industrial estate near Starbucks being a bit slippy.

The "Adventure Ready" rider will still want to get the tank off himself just to find all the electrical connectors he might need to find later when out and about with a bike that's not happy.

Adding a new shock to a second hand bike immediately makes the shock second hand. Prices reflect this.

The "happy" market then is people with more money than time, who already know all they need to know about their bikes and understand what level of added performance they are actually buying.

Sorry, did I just rain on a parade Apologies for my negativity.

I think there is a market for more specific products. A rack to go above the headlight with a maker willing to knock up variations. Means to mount a fuel can. Bash plates with built in tool boxes. If I didn't weld like someone with an engineering degree and knew a decent powder coater that's where I'd start.

Andy

This something I would be interested in. I'm new to Adventure Riding and the biggest hurdle for me is getting the bike sorted.

I know many have their own way of doing this, but what I am going through at the moment, is: Am I getting ALL the information I need to make an informed decision, on stuff like:

.... the pro's and con's of various options: Such as, older bike, and re-build, newer bike and outfit, FI or carburetor and so on.

Whilst the forum is packed with information, it's what I don't know that worries me. So my way of overcoming this would be to find an honest, reliable person/mechanic/build shop that I could discuss the pro's and con's above, and more, so I can and get to the point where I know I understand say 80% and the other 20% will be experience or learning as I go!

I would definitly use this type of service, especially if it could involve me sitting in on the re-build, so I could learn as much as possible.

For ME .....This sort of service would be a god send!

Alex

__________________
Age does not protect you from motorbikes. But motorbikes, to some extent, protect you from age.

You're lucky to be in Oz. From what I've read here and elsewhere ... there are lots of skilled fabricators and mechanics there experienced in doing custom work. We've hardly any here in USA.

And seems many Aussies understand how to set up a good travel bike ... BONUS! ... and I'd even bet you'll pay less there than you would in the UK or USA for these services. (but not as cheap as Vietnam!)

Custom work costs of fortune here in California. I'm lucky to know a GREAT machinist ... but I still pay him for all his work. Sad thing is ... kids are no longer taught these skills ... and few have the desire to learn. I think Oz is better off in this regard.

I've been on forums with Aussies like Bergdonk and Meso, (who is a member here I think) both skilled and knowledgable mechanics. They have home workshops and access to every machine imaginable.
Both seem well acquainted with the after market as well ... so may be able to steer you right regards things you can just buy and bolt on. Simple!

First thing to do? Decide on a bike. A good model, hopefully.
Sign onto bike specific forums for that bike and start reading. Lots to learn.

Next, find Ride Reports from guys who've done serious riding with your model bike. Find out it's issues and how best to deal with them.

Next, try to arrange some Tech Days within your bike specific forum in your local community. Here guys with the same bike get together and do projects ... hopefully while supervised by someone who actually knows what the Hell they are doing! (this is how I learned everything about my former Vstrom and could strip that bike in 15 minutes! Confidence!)

At this point ... you are ready to start bodging about on your own bike. Yes ... mistakes will be made. But hopefully the above steps will mean fewer mistakes and more moving forward doing your maintenance and mods.
Maintenance and Mods are FUN! (once you know how!)

Good luck!

I will look into your suggestions... thanks for the info

__________________
Age does not protect you from motorbikes. But motorbikes, to some extent, protect you from age.

Sorry for getting the details wrong there Mezo ... I was just tossing out ideas and I'd remembered your earlier builds ... thought you were in Oz.

My point was that if Citsym looks around in Oz I'm betting he could find guys to help out with the skills/tools/facilities to do the work and get him up to speed on the basics.

I suppose I am going to shock the cogniscenti when I reveal that I am over 70 and have covered 220 000 km on an elderly Harley Sportster, over all the boring roads of Australia, and fun roads of NZ.
I have done some suspension mods (YSS shocks and Intimators in the front end) and that is about as far as I will take the modifications. I have even kept the original 13 litre peanut tank.

No, I will not ride the Sandover or Plenty Highways on this bike. They have giant holes gouged by road trains, and filled with drifting bulldust, that would take a 1200 GS or a RangeRover to hit and survive.

I did ride the "Thorntonia-Yelverton Rd" to Gregory Downs some years ago, and had a shit time doing it. But like the previous roads I mentioned, There is a perfectly decent sealed road to ride to the same destinations not so far away.

While I have not done a great amount of modification, I have made a number of good decisions. First of all, the bike itself: many riders, including the sainted Ted Simon himself, have said "never tour on a Harley".

Total bollocks. Simon had to do a giant rebuild on his Triumph during his first RTW. Peter and Kaye Forwood rode their huge and totally inappropriate Harley Davidson Electa Glide to every country in the world. And have you ever seen a Harley rider with one of those "Air Hawk" bum pads? There is no need. The bike is comfortable right off the showroom floor.

So no: I am not going to cross the Simpson Desert, or the Tanami Highway (!). And ask those who do what they saw along the way!

Rob

First off ... HUGE ups for getting out there and staying out there.
I hope I'm still riding at 70 ... but I'm close behind you mate at 65.

Having met Ted Simon on several occasions and heard several of his live presentations (going back to the early 1990's) I don't recall him ever commenting about HD's. Perhaps he did? :confused1:

If he did, I imagine it was more "tongue in cheek". Also, consider that Ted's reference may have been about pre 1985 Harley's. As I'm sure you know, 1985 is the magic year for Harley with the intro of the "all new" EVO motor ... this changed everything. Before that ... HD's had truly CRAP reliability.
But the EVO changed all that.

Remember, Ted's first ride was in around 1973.
Rob, I'm guessing your HD is an Evo motor? (post 1985) It was at this point the HD guys started really racking up very impressive trouble free miles.
Big miles ...

True ... actually Ted did at least 3 complete rebuilds of that Triumph 500 ... and he always carried a complete set of Pistons, rings, gaskets and more ... on board.

One of those rebuilds he did himself on the side of the road, another was done by Triumph in India and I believe another done by Triumph in USA? But that was Triumph ... THEN. Now, it's a whole new bike.

Same with HD. I would not hesitate to take off cross country on any modern Harley. Would I enjoy it? ...erm ... maybe not so much. And trust me ... not all HD's have comfortable seats as standard.

I met Peter and Kay at a HUBB meeting in Canada, saw their RTW presentation. Impressive as Hell. I could not believe that overloaded HD made it through that African MUD! Also note that Peter is an excellent HD technician and kept up with maintenance. They also had some help along the way ... expected after about 800,000 kms!

But because they MADE IT ... IMHO, does not mean for a fact that they were on the very best bike. Maybe "for them"? ... but not for me, and not for everyone. Bike choice is subjective and personal.

Having ridden (and raced against) HD's as a kid (starting at age 14) I have certain opinions about the motor company best not expressed here.

Honestly, the only HD I've ever really liked was the 70's CR model (Cafe Racer) and the various Buell bikes. But Buell are not really HD but as close as I'll likely ever get.

The main thing is getting out there and doing it. I had fun on my Vespa 150, my Bultaco Matador and my Honda 50 as a kid ... I'm happy on nearly any bike. I hope I'm lucky enough to maintain that enthusiasm on down the road.