GS1100 tackling up.

[Felters]

oh well... if this is turning into a photo fest


Untitled by Mike Feltwell, on Flickr

That's my Trangia boiling a kettle. On Alcool a Bruler from Carrefour at £1 a litre. What's not to like?

Funny how camping cookers get hairy arsed bikers all passionate and defensive.

PS Not the best of tents - but I was in a bit of a rush and it was £18 in Milletts. Packs up very small and the poles are quite short - awning far too small though.

 

[STUBBS]

my 850 last autumn just before 2 weeks in italy

 

[Felters]

and I raise you...


Untitled by Mike Feltwell, on Flickr

 

[uncle dick]

and I raise you...


Untitled by Mike Feltwell, on Flickr

Very brave putting a loaded 1100 on its sidestand

 

[Felters]

errr... hasn't fallen over yet. Maybe the lump of steel plate that I welded to the side stand foot - but I don't think so.

 

[Dr Bones]

oh well... if this is turning into a photo fest

That's my Trangia boiling a kettle. On Alcool a Bruler from Carrefour at £1 a litre. What's not to like?

Likewise

Except I like to keep the stove a little further away from my tent

 

[MattW]

Very brave putting a loaded 1100 on its sidestand

I'm with you there - mine always teeters on the brink of lifting its front wheel and over balancing when it's loaded up. No way of fixing it really - the side stand is just too far forward (although the 20mm chunk of alloy I've bolted to the foot helps by reducing the lean angle a bit).

 

[k80matey]

Making progress; Touratech panniers fitted, tank bag bought.
I see Argos have Garmin Nuvi 50 on sale at £80. UK and ROI mapping. Assume further mapping can be added. I know nowt about sat nav. Worth considering?

 

[Canuck]

Making progress; Touratech panniers fitted, tank bag bought.
I see Argos have Garmin Nuvi 50 on sale at £80. UK and ROI mapping. Assume further mapping can be added. I know nowt about sat nav. Worth considering?

I'd just consider if it has a bike mounting and power kit, and how you will keep it waterproof. Thise things add up and sometimes I thinkf or an extra 50quid I'll just get the one that was designed to do the job.


ps is the nuvi a bke model? I have no idea!

 

[papa_jop]

A car navigator? Well, if you're only going to use it on the bike this one time, and afterwards will have great use for it in a car, then maybe this is the way to go. If you're main use will be on the bike I would have to recommend a bike specific navigator instead.
If you're tight on budget, use the £80 on a used Zümo instead. I'm not saying that I'm super impressed by these units, but compared to Tom-Tom etc. they win big time.
I use a Garmin Zümo 550 on the bike. In the car I use the Navigon app on my iPhone. Music, navigation and communication in one unit.

OT:
I wish somebody could come up with the ultimate bike app + HW kit for iPhone.
It would be sold with a BT mini helmet headset (with mic), waterproof powered case and a waterproof BT remote to mount on handlebar. The app would handle navigation (routing, waypoints, triplogs, traffic info etc), music, bike-to-bike/passenger communication and of course.... Phone calls.
If this was available I would kick my Zümo and my Scala Rider so hard in the ass that they would get a renewed taste of their breakfast...

 

[Vern]

Go with what you have already,and see how you get along,and next time,you'll be well sorted.
20 or 30 years ago,you stuck your sleeping bag and tent in a bin bag,and went with a stack of dosh in your pocket and had a great time.Now you need tons of stuff,just because everyone else does.You don't need anything electronic,gps,laptop,ipod or mobile phone.Leave them all at home,and go and have a good time and tell us all about it when you get back.

There,sorted

 

[motobiker]

Although I agree with what Vern says. I'm very much a 'make do' type. The one item that has made my yearly tour a joy, has been the sat nav, not so much for routes, I tend to make it up as I go along. But for finding a campsite at the end of each day - the sat nav is worth it's weight in gold. Last year I headed down to the toe of Italy, via the Ardennes, Vosges, Black Forest, Algau, Tyrol, Dolomites an Apennines. Each afternoon at around 5.... Sometimes later. I would simply ask the Zumo where the nearest campsite was and then make a beeline. No more having to keep eyes peeled for signs, or having to ask locals. Or taking maps or guides and having to stop to consult. Just a momentary pause and straight there. Last year I stopped at 11 different sites over 14 nights without any problems at all.

It helps having 30,000+ camp sites on the Zumo thanks to Archie and his marvellous database. This is well worth considering for a "make it up as you go along" tour.

 

[Vern]

Agreed,GPS brilliant for finding hotels and campsites,but it's not the end of the world if you haven't got the latest one.
One of the best campsite I have ever been on,wasn't on my GPS,and as far as I know,still isn't.

 

[Bendy toy]

This will be controversial but hey

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10241738@N07/


Uni Trak Dakar USA on GS1200 by dcg1963, on Flickr

I dont rate twin wheel trailers for bike towing but mono-wheels make sense to me. This one seems to be out of production, the tow arm looks seriously long and an axle mounted hitch would put less strain on the bike seat chassis. Replace the fuel cans with pannier cases and its carrying capacity is huge. It even looks simple enough to DIY though expect some teething trouble.

The tow hitch joint is a universal joint (car driveshaft or steering UJ)

At the camp site padlock it to a tree and the bike is unburdened for local tours. At speed if its not got such a hooge tow arm the box will sit in the bike's slip stream. Mono-trail are mega bux but nowhere like as long. http://www.mono-trail.co.uk/trailer...le-wheel-motorcycle-trailer.html#.UI5bbW8xp8E

To my mind, it makes more sense than piling stuff on the bike all high up and wobbly.

 

[Womble]

Agreed,GPS brilliant for finding hotels and campsites,but it's not the end of the world if you haven't got the latest one.
One of the best campsite I have ever been on,wasn't on my GPS,and as far as I know,still isn't.

Have you checked out the Archies list for the UK? There's about 5600 campsites in there with phone numbers and you just load them up as Points of Interest into your satnav.

 

[k80matey]

Trangia it is. Got a 27 on flea bay for £30 new. I use meths in my Brooks smoker anyway so will be handy.

Think I'm going to go for the Zumo 550. I see them at around £230 on Amazon and I think they may drop further after Christmas.

Anybody give me an idiots guide to mounting and connecting up. Any other parts required?

Thanks.