Warthog's Travels

As suggested by Trev, The Eliminator!

ELIMINATOR said:

Nick............................ where are you. Read my reply to the gearbox oil level question, then post?!

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as requested, here is a breakdown of what we have got and packed etc ( and what we have left behind!!)

Bike:
R1150GS (silver) bought with 8500miles, and now with 14500.
H&B bars
Small PIAAs from Nick Marshall on a splendid light bar from The Eliminator.
Tank cover and Alpha bag
Givi E52 top box
A set of Vern's Panniers, so vast they have their own magnetic poles!!
A gramin Quest and RAM mount from Ram-man steve
2 x HG Roll bags 40ltr
NADY intercom (rider to pillion and bike to bike, if on foot….?!)
TKC 80s and spare rear
Alterations include a final drive breather tube and half a rubber mallet bolted to the side-stand to keep the bike upright, full major service & new pads
Steering lock Hard part
Centre-stand bash plate
Headlight protector
Home-made oil grille
Fire-extinguisher bolted under Givi

Camping etc,
Robert Saunders Moountain Trek 2 man.
Home made footprint for above made of rubble bags
2 x mountain equipment Firewalker 2 sleeping bags
2 x trail-lite Thermalite ground mats
2 x bag liners (cotton)
MSR Whisperlite International Multi fuel £65 ebay
MSR sauce pans x 2 and utensils
Tesco camping kettle
Tchibo folding cutlery x 2
1 x manhood enhancing survival knife courtesy of olbertone, in case stuff goes very wrong
1 x expandable water jerry can
2 x set of origaso flat pack crockery
1 x camping toaster (bit like one of those things for doing fish on a bbq)
2 x head torches
1 x hand torch
1 x wind-up torch
2 x survival tins
2 x folding stools
first aid kits
1 x Nokia
Dry food x some
bits and bobs...

Clothing each:
3 x pairs of undies and socks
2 x T-shirts
1 x Giali khaki bike trousers (zip into shorts)
1 x walking boots
2 x ice-breaker merino wool base layer leggings and tops
1 x hat
Bike trousers and jacket (IXS GTX) with liners
Boots (HG Tuareg)
Gloves (3 pairs for me, 2 for her)
Arai Quantum f for her, HJC Moto-x cross for me

Camera:
Dynax 7d with 18-70, and 200-400 and 2 x teleconverter, 3 spare batteries and 1 gb card (his for wildlife and low light)
Pentax z750 compact, spare battery, 1 gb card (his for everything else)
Samsung V800, 2 spare batteries, 1 gb card (hers)
40 Gb storage unit
USB and chargers

Tools and hardware
All tools needed to dismantle bike for crating and re-assembly
All tools for oil and filter change, remove panniers, remove wheels, change pads even do valves if needed
rachet strap
Rope
Para-rope
2 x 5ltr jerry cans for longer stretches without fuel stops
Spare oil/air filters

I think that is all….

And that is pared down as we were over the max wheel weight limit by 20kg, before I lost 5kg and shed 9 from the stuff on board!! Gonna re-distribute the rest to tank bag!!

Arrive on Sept 26th in Buenos Aires

Nick, you've got loads of space left on the topbox.

This sounds good, I read the thread in an earlier life.

Did you get around to weighing the total weight of the bike as opposed to each axle?

How many jabs have you had?

How many torches!

Go commando

Not shaving then? going for the,.......... CAN'T SPELL HIS NAME" cHARLIES MATE ON THE LONG WAY ROUND...LOOK.

That was hard to write, but I AM pissed

Camping toaster!!!!!!!!!! Is this the thing that looks like an old style tent, and sits above the burner? Try it first, probably consume toooooooooooooo much fuel, just to get a hint of brown! But, ther again, I don't know how fierce your stove is?

I only weighed the front and rear independently at an MOT station: thewhole is not such an issue as its going to be bloody heavy regardless, and I can sort of work it out:
Wet GS + 165kgs of people + 70kgs of luggage and gear, so about 475Kgs?...Poor suspension!!!

We've both had
Typhoid, Hep A and B, Tetanus and Dyptheria

Can't be arsed with shaving and if I go commando, I'll have to steam my bike jeans off by the end of this trip, so undies may be easier...

Why oh why did I ask this question?

Posting piccies on route?

Writing a book?

BMW back up crew, C/W numerous spares, and...................... Pepes to pick up the bike off camera when it's dropped?

Camping toaster??????????? Or do you just have a weakness for toast?

Not that I'm an expert, but I would dump the air filter, 12,000 mile service item? (blow it out with an airline?) Not piss taking here, just trying to save you space. Any opinions here anyone? Let's get a consensus.

Just rambling on with about the third edit, major service, this WAS a petrol filter was it? Are you taking one? Have you considered having it mounted externally? Steptoe has posted pictures. I haven't got a clue what S. american petrol quality is like, but forewarned is forarmed. Any more opinions from seasoned South American travellers?

Are the torches LED, longer battery life & "bulb" life.

Aah, yes. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.

However, we are going to post pictures, but not on here as I can never get itright. What we are doing isa Travel Diary online. I'll post details when we have it up and running andthen perhaps a reminder and link on here once we are on the way.

The spare rear, ooil and air filters will stay with Dakar Motos, in Buenos Aires to be posted when they are needed. Fuel filter I have not done yet:I may call Steptoe and ask what he thinks, but 95 RON fuelin these countries in not said to be a problem. Its also quite cheap, at about 65p/ltr, tops: just like here in the early nineties!!

The torches are all LED!!

Tere Nick,

i prefer the luggage roll not the solid top box myself (and for her too - it kicks her back rather than supports it on the bad roads, also it's keen to brake the rear supporting frame).

Anyways, give it a go and then you know what to change on the way if there is a need of course!

Good luck and keep us posted.

Happy Travels, Margus

Tsiklonaut said:

i prefer the luggage roll not the solid top box myself (and for her too - it kicks her back rather than supports it on the bad roads, also it's keen to brake the rear supporting frame).

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Tervist Margus,

As you can see on the picture, we already have two roll bags on the bike and the Top box provides another locked area and I have fitted a back rest, so I hope that this will make life easier for Kristina's kidneys!

The ruta 40 in Argentina is said to be mostly off road. Any basic off-road riding advice for me as my first attmept will be with a 450kg bike, inc passenger and I know NOTHING about off-road riding.

I think the road to Persia may well have given you good experience and good tips!

Tips.. but no expert..

Ummm I will probably get shot down in flames by the many majorly experienced off road guys but from my limited past experience..

1). Slightly softere running pressures will let your tyres spread out, increase grip and allow the tyre to deform over rock edges, sticks etc lessoning the chances of a puncture, good for sand and mud.

2). Momentum is great for a big bike BUT..only keep speed up where you can see a good distance ahead.

3). Get the bars raised on your GS and foot pegs lowered, as to handle rough terrain standing up will lower the centre of gravity, increase your view ahead and its easier and more comfortable with these mods.. ( I havent dont this to my bike, but from speaking with likes of Timolga et al... it makes sence).

4). Dont be in a hurry..

5). Dont drive into puddles.. in the UK we tend to drive through the odd puddles but on mud roads (my experience in africa) puddles of muddy water can be 6mm deep or 26" deep..you cant tell till the front ends.

6). Take some webbing/strapping material to double as tow rope and for multitude of other things, but if you over cook a bend and put the bike in a drainage ditch etc, this kind of thing is most usefull..

7). Smooth throttling and avoid wheel spin where possible. Grip is what keeps you going and upright.

8). Take a small piece of metal, sort of like a trowel if you can fit it in somewhere. Works great for helping to dig wheels out, clearing mud encased suspension and wheels.

9). Dont be afraid to get off and walk a section of road first.. timely but in places like south america, with seasonal rains, giant trucks etc.

Well, i hope they help.

When do you leave ? Have a bag to return to Dakar Moto's (small - you could use for some of your stuff on way out?). We used it on return flight. If possible good, if not, no worries. we're in Yorkshire.
You WILL LOVE IT. Advice on riding Ruta 40...just go as slow as you're comfortable with and only go faster as confidence matches experience Faster is better some times...but never when crashing allow plenty of time and be prepared to cut short the ride to prevent stress Envious
Sandra and Javier are the best people you could meet on arrival, salt of the earth, please say hello from us.


Neither of you are veggies are you

PS talk to Javier about maps for GPS - detail is available

Warthog said:

We've both had
Typhoid, Hep A and B, Tetanus and Diphtheria.

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Hi Nick

Not rabies? I did, and would again .

Regards, Mick

No rabies. We thought about it, but its not a vaccine as such. If we have a problem, we still need to get half a dozen jabs, and I don't intend to let any animals behaving strangely get too close!!

And I'm a

I had two of the rabies jabs after a bite many moons ago.Have the jab if you can get it.Nuff said

Warthog said:

I don't intend to let any animals behaving strangely get too close!!

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I was waiting at traffic lights in Comodoro and was surrounded by three German Shepherds, one of which seized me by the ankle. Luckily the lights changed quickly and it let go once its pads caught fire without having pierced my boot. Lots of dodgy looking semi feral dogs in the towns, especially Ushuaia outskirts. Pretending to throw something in their direction sends them packing .

Vern said:

I had two of the rabies jabs after a bite many moons ago.

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It all makes sense now.........................

Regards, Mick

What do you meeeeaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnoooooooooooooowwwwwwwwllllllllll

Luckily, there are virtually no dogs in South America...








believe that, you'll believe there's no monkeys in the Amazon




But you might...just might...have to run a guantlet like this

Tere Nick,

offroad tips sayed before. Don't even consider a hard offroad, you're two up full of luggage, remember.

Just take those few short legs of dirt easy, you'll be fine. GS takes the smooth dirt roads easy with the same speed as tar, just avoid the farking potholes on dirt and tar both!

Maybe consider a kidney belt for her? Also warm clothing, especially for her, coz i think you plan to do high altitudes, right? But if you really want to make her really-really happy, buy her a heated (adjustable) vest! Your life will be much less miserable in the harder weather conditions and she'll be a happy bunny, believe me

And get the rabies injection done on both you asap! It is 97-99% fatal if you get one...

Nael rehvi, Margus

I know rabies is a nasty disease, but Vaccine or no, you still need to get to a clinic within 24 hrs. The vaccine does not really exempt you from risk as demonstrated by Vern's encounter and Argentina and Chile are the same risk category as many countries such as France and Estonia is considered a high risk region to Argentina's, Chile's and France's medium!!

I see everyone's point but I don't know that the benefit is so great...

As for the warmth tips, MArgus, I have already got the heated liner and kidney belt: my little insurance policy against an unhappy lady....

Well don't come around here frothing at the mouth

Vern said:

Well don't come around here frothing at the mouth

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Firstly, its not frothing, I just like eating shaving cream...

Secondly, DON'T BRING THAT GLASS OF WATER ANYWHERE NEAR ME!!

Warthog said:

Firstly, its not frothing, I just like eating shaving cream...

Secondly, DON'T BRING THAT GLASS OF WATER ANYWHERE NEAR ME!!

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Now feck off,and don't forget to bring back a stick of rock,and send a postcard