sorting out the trip ,packing ,carnets,licences,crating the bike.etc.are just part of the deal.Ive now got to learn how to do this computer stuff,not that im complaining, its all fun .Africa, what does that do to the mind,well i can tell u it seems to worry many of my friends and facinates others.Ive been on the move for over 3 years now sort of drifting from one place to another, never knowing where ill be next.The time has been used up travelling Australia,Vietnam,Canada,Alaska and a little of the USA.Now its time to do Africa.Ive learnt a lot,read a lot,chatted a lot and even seen some docos on the country called Africa,but im sure all that will not compare with what im about to experience in the flesh.
The goal was/is to travel from Aust. to South Africa by plane (with bike) then ride up the west coast to England and catch the Isle of Man races.That all sounds rather straight forward,well over the coming months ill be telling if that is so.I would'nt put myself in the real adventurious type bracket but ive done a few things in the past so i recon ill be OK.
Being the first page to this and im still in Australia,i want to just break the ice and give a little run down on the bike and some stuff ive done to prepare for the trip.Im using my 30,000klm DR650 suzuki 02 model,ive owned this for a few years,bought it 2nd hand with 3000ks on the clock.
mods are- 1/33lt safari fuel tank -best range so far 650klm.
2/solo seat from 2nd dealer,came of some late model BMW.
3/home made racks/panels
4/home made cruze control
5/andy strappz touring bags
Thats sort of it,i like to keep things reasonably simple(i must remember that when i make this more complicated)
When i figured out i was going on such an adventure i started a get fitter campain.I was in Brisbane(Queensland) renovating a house for 6 months and funny enough there was a gym near by that was offering personal training one on one or in groups of 6 max.I opted for the group sex,no sorry i mean group of six.I went to that gym for like 3 months or so and i can say they where fantastic.A little plug for them ,their in the suburb of Wynnum, call themselves "Personal Training Plus",great people.
I was to also start sorting out needles that where needed.Rang the 'Travel Doctor' and went with their advise,rather simple just roll up get jabbed and pay up.
How to get the bike there was the next step,after e-mails back and forth,even more phone calls and checking out the web sites,i found TOLL International.They are handling the pick up from home(at the moment thats Albury NSW) and the transport by plane to Johannesburg, South Africa.Now this has'nt happened yet so ill give details on this after i get it and myself to Joburg.All i had to do was get the bike packed in/on a crate.Well that is actually rather easy in my opinion,i went to the local m/bike shop and they gave me a used crate with tiedowns etc.Now if your thinking a big ,heavy wooden object think again.I didnt know but they use lite pressed metal as a pallet,with slots for the forklift arms and tiedown eyes with a cardboard box to cover it all.The only extra i bought was some "shrinkwrap" to wrap around the bike and bits after i had dimantled the bike
to a smaller package to save on size(more on that later).
That will do for today,ill post more and if i can figure it out some photos of the bike and crate etc.
ride safe Brian B