Help - UK to India on a 1150GS

colesyboy · Sep 2, 2005

Hi all,

I'm planning on doing a trip from London to India on my GS, and am keen to talk to someone about how their bike performed and possible problems with the bike in this part world. Planning on 8 months travel.

I took my Africa Twin around the America's last year for one year. I came back thinking that I won't take the same bike again for a similar trip because it's too heavy. I bought a GS last November and sold the Africa Twin. This was because I needed a good strong motorway motorbike for the work I do with touring capabilities.

Now I find I'm planning a trip to India and thinking about taking the GS which is heavier than Africa Twin. I'll be travelling two up.

I'm not massively mechanically minded - can do the basics (services). I think my main worry is that the GS carries more electronics than the Honda and is shaft driven.

I'm very interested in any comments - after a brief scan, there does not seem to be a great deal of people on this site have travelled to India on these beasites - and am wondering if there is a very good reason for that (expensive carnet costings / shipping aside)

Cheers

Brian

Jon · Sep 3, 2005

Brian,

You might get more feedback on http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/ regarding India (probably more the country than the bike tho)

HTH

:beerjug:

Jon

colesyboy · Sep 3, 2005

cheers

Cheers Jon,

Have posted there before here, not much in the way of replies - just need to speak to someone that has done it - unsure of carnet costs.

Brian

Steptoe · Sep 3, 2005

Try Nobby -

Tsiklonaut · Sep 4, 2005

colesyboy said:
Cheers Jon,

Have posted there before here, not much in the way of replies - just need to speak to someone that has done it - unsure of carnet costs.

Brian

Sorry Brian,

i was travelling for a month - didn't see the post!

Don't worry about the bike - all bikes MAY have some problems, but nowaday DHL, FEDEX etc works everywhere on Earth and 99% of technical problems are solvable on the remote areas wether with help from mechanics or doing it alone.

I just did 18 000 kilometres trip to Iran with my 1100GS two up full of luggage and had more weight than Gross Weight on paper allowed - with lot of kicking in 40 degree celsius weather Tehran traffic till some serious suspension killing in offroad - and all worked - without any servicing on bike - just riding it hard - and... no mechanical problems!

But if you have any problems just post thread here and HUBB or e-mail me - for sure we can help.

Have a safe journey and ENJOY! The boxer GS really is the best option (low rpm power, comfort and security) for two up travelling on this part of world my practice shows after riding with couple of 650GS, Africa Twin and KTM 950.

Cheers, Margus

colesyboy · Sep 5, 2005

Thanks guys,

And thanks Marcus for your reply also.

I have to admit the GS is much more comfortable than the Africa Twin. And I'm sure my girlfriend will appreciate that. Now I need to find lots of cheap parts to fit the bike out with like panniers well actually panniers is all I really need I guess I think some crash bars would be a good investment also. Trouble is it's all very costly.

I've got about 10 months until the trip starts at 10 months of saving and 10 months of looking around the cheap panniers!

Has anyone got any good ideas on what I really should get to the bike for a trip like this? Not bothered about big fuel tank so much as I did fine with a similar sized tank on the Africa Twin.

Cheers guys,

Brian

Tsiklonaut · Sep 5, 2005

Hey Brian!

basics remain the same... Thicker'n'stronger stuff if you need more reliable equipment in a bit extremer conditions:

Caja Sahel
Poject VND
Bernd Tesch
Al Jesse
Happy Tralis
MicaTech
+ few others

I went to Caja Sahels. They took lot of beating on our Iran/Persia expedition i'm just about to finish. Couple of harder falls, lotsa scratches and they stay mounted on undisturbed. I prefer the Caja's design - the very low positioning, decent room (circa 41 litres on exhaust & 43L other one as Caja states).

I've heard good experiences the others in the list above too. I think in HUBB meeting in UK you can see few of them on various bikes.

Touratech, Därr etc cheaper (=thinner aluminium and thinner steel frames mostly) ones not that much recommended, heard some disturbing things about them in extreme conditions. Also the hyped Hepco & Becker Gobi aren't that good - just met a austrian KTM950 dude coming from Sicilia and had one box gone missing

Cheers, Margus

Tsiklonaut · Sep 5, 2005

But if you'd want to be sure what critical spares to carry to make a bit more self-assurance then they'd be:

Fuel pump
Hall sensors
Alternator belt
Some spokes for front and rear wheel
Speedo cable + spare cable kit (if having GPS forget it for mile counting)
(maybe) the final drive's bevel box's big bearing and seal (i carry it at least)

The most rest problems are:
Duct tape for things that move but shouldn't
WD-40 for things that are blocked' but should move

And caution on your direction: Istanbul is the last hope to get spares/tyres on the place between Europe and Singapore. So make sure you have good tyres till Singapore. But you may always order them with some DHL/UPS/FEDEX etc, but a bit expensive business though...

I had tyre problem and Iran and it was hopless to get some stuff on the place. Rided with temporary solution till Ankara Turkey couple of thousand kilometres with some risk factor the tyre can blow any time... (financially poor people like me don't want to use DHL you know

)

Margus

Frank Warner · Sep 8, 2005

Tsiklonaut said:
But if you'd want to be sure what critical spares to carry to make a bit more self-assurance then they'd be:

Fuel pump
Hall sensors
Alternator belt
Some spokes for front and rear wheel
Speedo cable + spare cable kit (if having GPS forget it for mile counting)
(maybe) the final drive's bevel box's big bearing and seal (i carry it at least)

I'd put fuel filterS in front of that lot. And I'd change the order and group them thus - most importent first

2 fuel Filters
Alternator belt

Hall sensors
Some spokes for front and rear wheel

Speedo cable
Fuel pump

demito · Sep 9, 2005

Tsiklonaut said:
Sorry Brian,

i was travelling for a month - didn't see the post!

Don't worry about the bike - all bikes MAY have some problems, but nowaday DHL, FEDEX etc works everywhere on Earth and 99% of technical problems are solvable on the remote areas wether with help from mechanics or doing it alone.

I just did 18 000 kilometres trip to Iran with my 1100GS two up full of luggage and had more weight than Gross Weight on paper allowed - with lot of kicking in 40 degree celsius weather Tehran traffic till some serious suspension killing in offroad - and all worked - without any servicing on bike - just riding it hard - and... no mechanical problems!

But if you have any problems just post thread here and HUBB or e-mail me - for sure we can help.

Have a safe journey and ENJOY! The boxer GS really is the best option (low rpm power, comfort and security) for two up travelling on this part of world my practice shows after riding with couple of 650GS, Africa Twin and KTM 950.

Cheers, Margus

No doubt you have some lovely pictures of your trip. Any chance of having a look at them?

Cheers

Demito

Sean Kelly · Sep 9, 2005

Carnet shouldn't be expensive. You need to setup a bank guarantee for umpty thousand pounds which costs a few hundred quid a year. Talk to the wonderful Sue Collins at the RAC.

Sean

colesyboy · Sep 10, 2005

Cheers Sean - Sue is not there any more - left the RAC, very friendly woman as I seem to remember.

Help - UK to India on a 1150GS

colesyboy

Active member

Jon

Well-known member

colesyboy

Active member

Steptoe

What a waste.

Tsiklonaut

GS pervert

colesyboy

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Tsiklonaut

GS pervert

Tsiklonaut

GS pervert

Frank Warner

Registered user

demito

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Sean Kelly

Registered user

colesyboy

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