nathanthepostman
Registered user
In just under a week's time, if everything goes to plan, I'll be air freighting the bike into Las Vegas and spending 5 weeks exploring Utah, Nevada and Colorado, two up, before provisionally sea freighting it back out of New York.
It's not the first time I've ridden in America but it is the first time two up and on a larger capacity bike. We've not planned it much, only booking the flights the other week so it's a quick case of getting the bike ready in time.
The bike is a 2014 model ex Si Pavey training school bike, bought from Bahnstormers in Maidenhead. It'd done 3800 miles when I got it and now has around 7400. It was obviously a bit beaten up what with being an ex training school bike but that's what I wanted, a bike that I could use and not worry too much about dinging or dropping. I fitted TKC80s not long after getting it and have done a fair bit of off-roading, which I find okay once you get the hang of it.
A few months ago I fitted the full AltRider crash bar set up, with the engine guards, the upper guards and the sump guard. The engine guards were easy enough to fit, coming with a longer top engine mounting bolt, bolting to a lug just ahead of the engine and then down at the engine mounts at the bottom of the frame. They've taken a good few whacks and seem to be holding up okay. The upper guards are a bit of a pain in the baskside to fit as you need to take the top cowls off to get at the front frame mounts; about a two hour job. The sump guard is a swine as it doesn't actually bolt to the sump as on the original. Instead it bolts to the engine guards, and then to the centre stand pivot points to give a total of 6 mounting points (3 each side).
To bolt to the centre stand you have to knock out the original pins and replace them with AltRider's own. The trick is to knock the old ones out with the new ones. Fail in doing that, as I did, and the centre stand drops and you have the mission of getting that and the springs back on. Not fun, but now it's on it's properly secure, just reduces the ground clearance a touch but the idea is that if it takes a good wallop it doesn't rip out the sump lugs, and as you can't buy a new sump you need a complete engine, or so I'm told.
I've just put some Metal Mule panniers on, the Utes, which are the budget Mule's. They just manage without the quick release system, grab handles and fancy blue silicon seal around the lid, but they're about £400 less and within the width of the bars, which is what I wanted. I've gone for a 31 on the right and a 38-litre on the left. Like the Touratech frames and a few others that bolt through the exhaust mount and through the rear pillion peg lugs there is that chicken and the egg of needing to take the exhaust off and the rear pegs and not being able to tighten them both back up. Metal Mule solved it with a replacement exhaust mount bolt with a socket head rather than the standard allen key fitment (you couldn't get the alen key in for the way the MM frames blocked access).
I've also fitted the Metal Mule rear rack which is where the camping gear's going to sit in a dry bag.
Other modifications over the past few months have also included Pivot Pegz to replace the slightly bent standard ones. I also wanted a wider foot platform for off roading. Not sure if I like the Pivot Pegz yet. I've still not got used to the rocking sensation and would probably prefer a fixed platform.
I've also fitted a Wunderlich adjustable gear change to replace the bent one the bike came with. Does the job and makes the bike look neater.
The only other thing I've fitted is a Wunderlich screen brace which are only £30 and take out all the flap. They just bolt to the screen and the lugs on the dials. I fitted them because not longer after getting the bike the screen collapsed after the two plastic retainer arms that run up and down on a pin snapped. Too much vibration off road I think. They were a swine to replace. I since heard there was an easier way, but I ended up with the headlight and clocks out to replace them. Not happening again I thought, so hopefully the Wunderlich supports will stop it happening again.
I've also got a pair of Conti TKC70s to fit. I rode a few bikes on them a while ago and liked them, and they should do 5-6k miles, which is what we intend to do.
Just got a few other bits and bobs to sort out and that's it. Will have to get the bike serviced out there but that should be okay.
A few pics...
This is the replacement bolt they send you instead of the allen key to mount the panniers through the exhaust mount
Wobbly pic of Pivot Pegz. Still not convinced.
The screen braces from Wunderlich. You can still adjust the screen, just have to loosen and then tighten the lock nuts.
You can see from this pic the three mounting points of the AltRider sump guard
The underside of the upper guards. You have to take all the tank plastics off to get at the front harness to mount the bracket. A bit fiddly but once the bracket's on you can leave it on, even if you want to take the bars off.
The Ute's lose the quick release system of the Max, so they screw on just like the old Zegas.
Hoping to fit some AltRider top bags on top of the panniers.
Apparently with the AltRider engine guards off you can still get the engine covers off for valve inspection without having to remove the bars. Will find out next service.
I like that the panniers are narrower than the bars
Also fitted a headlight guard. Once the frame's in place the perspex just pushes on and off with lugs through rubber bugs. So easy to clean.
Another shot of the screen support
The TKC80s have been pretty good. So far I've got about 2500 miles out of the rear. It's getting worn now and whilst I didn't like them on the road to begin with I've got used to them now. Switching to the 70s. Tried them before and found them good on the road and good enough for any of the trails we might do in the States.
Wunderlich gear lever was easy to fit and gives good adjustment. I like the look of it as well.
Another shot of how it all bolts together.
Just got a tank bag to go on and then we're pretty much ready to go. I need to take the bike down to James Cargo on Thursday. We fly in a week later. The bike should be there by then. Fingers crossed!
It's not the first time I've ridden in America but it is the first time two up and on a larger capacity bike. We've not planned it much, only booking the flights the other week so it's a quick case of getting the bike ready in time.
The bike is a 2014 model ex Si Pavey training school bike, bought from Bahnstormers in Maidenhead. It'd done 3800 miles when I got it and now has around 7400. It was obviously a bit beaten up what with being an ex training school bike but that's what I wanted, a bike that I could use and not worry too much about dinging or dropping. I fitted TKC80s not long after getting it and have done a fair bit of off-roading, which I find okay once you get the hang of it.
A few months ago I fitted the full AltRider crash bar set up, with the engine guards, the upper guards and the sump guard. The engine guards were easy enough to fit, coming with a longer top engine mounting bolt, bolting to a lug just ahead of the engine and then down at the engine mounts at the bottom of the frame. They've taken a good few whacks and seem to be holding up okay. The upper guards are a bit of a pain in the baskside to fit as you need to take the top cowls off to get at the front frame mounts; about a two hour job. The sump guard is a swine as it doesn't actually bolt to the sump as on the original. Instead it bolts to the engine guards, and then to the centre stand pivot points to give a total of 6 mounting points (3 each side).
To bolt to the centre stand you have to knock out the original pins and replace them with AltRider's own. The trick is to knock the old ones out with the new ones. Fail in doing that, as I did, and the centre stand drops and you have the mission of getting that and the springs back on. Not fun, but now it's on it's properly secure, just reduces the ground clearance a touch but the idea is that if it takes a good wallop it doesn't rip out the sump lugs, and as you can't buy a new sump you need a complete engine, or so I'm told.
I've just put some Metal Mule panniers on, the Utes, which are the budget Mule's. They just manage without the quick release system, grab handles and fancy blue silicon seal around the lid, but they're about £400 less and within the width of the bars, which is what I wanted. I've gone for a 31 on the right and a 38-litre on the left. Like the Touratech frames and a few others that bolt through the exhaust mount and through the rear pillion peg lugs there is that chicken and the egg of needing to take the exhaust off and the rear pegs and not being able to tighten them both back up. Metal Mule solved it with a replacement exhaust mount bolt with a socket head rather than the standard allen key fitment (you couldn't get the alen key in for the way the MM frames blocked access).
I've also fitted the Metal Mule rear rack which is where the camping gear's going to sit in a dry bag.
Other modifications over the past few months have also included Pivot Pegz to replace the slightly bent standard ones. I also wanted a wider foot platform for off roading. Not sure if I like the Pivot Pegz yet. I've still not got used to the rocking sensation and would probably prefer a fixed platform.
I've also fitted a Wunderlich adjustable gear change to replace the bent one the bike came with. Does the job and makes the bike look neater.
The only other thing I've fitted is a Wunderlich screen brace which are only £30 and take out all the flap. They just bolt to the screen and the lugs on the dials. I fitted them because not longer after getting the bike the screen collapsed after the two plastic retainer arms that run up and down on a pin snapped. Too much vibration off road I think. They were a swine to replace. I since heard there was an easier way, but I ended up with the headlight and clocks out to replace them. Not happening again I thought, so hopefully the Wunderlich supports will stop it happening again.
I've also got a pair of Conti TKC70s to fit. I rode a few bikes on them a while ago and liked them, and they should do 5-6k miles, which is what we intend to do.
Just got a few other bits and bobs to sort out and that's it. Will have to get the bike serviced out there but that should be okay.
A few pics...
This is the replacement bolt they send you instead of the allen key to mount the panniers through the exhaust mount
Wobbly pic of Pivot Pegz. Still not convinced.
The screen braces from Wunderlich. You can still adjust the screen, just have to loosen and then tighten the lock nuts.
You can see from this pic the three mounting points of the AltRider sump guard
The underside of the upper guards. You have to take all the tank plastics off to get at the front harness to mount the bracket. A bit fiddly but once the bracket's on you can leave it on, even if you want to take the bars off.
The Ute's lose the quick release system of the Max, so they screw on just like the old Zegas.
Hoping to fit some AltRider top bags on top of the panniers.
Apparently with the AltRider engine guards off you can still get the engine covers off for valve inspection without having to remove the bars. Will find out next service.
I like that the panniers are narrower than the bars
Also fitted a headlight guard. Once the frame's in place the perspex just pushes on and off with lugs through rubber bugs. So easy to clean.
Another shot of the screen support
The TKC80s have been pretty good. So far I've got about 2500 miles out of the rear. It's getting worn now and whilst I didn't like them on the road to begin with I've got used to them now. Switching to the 70s. Tried them before and found them good on the road and good enough for any of the trails we might do in the States.
Wunderlich gear lever was easy to fit and gives good adjustment. I like the look of it as well.
Another shot of how it all bolts together.
Just got a tank bag to go on and then we're pretty much ready to go. I need to take the bike down to James Cargo on Thursday. We fly in a week later. The bike should be there by then. Fingers crossed!
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