Preparation

[Tsiklonaut]

Bike:

Removed the rear subframe for reinforcing and took all the shaft drive assembly off for inspection.

Rear subframe off (relatively big job):

Reinforcement spots on both sides:

Replaced swingarm and bevel box pivot bearings as "while I was there" job.

This went to 100 Celcius sauna with me and the bearings went to deep-freeze. Then they mated fine


Gecko donated me TouraTech twin headlamp frame I put Honda CBR400 headlight reflectors inside. Needed lot of grinding and stuff, but got them fit in the end.

Honda CBR400 reflectors:

Corners grinded off and fitted into TT frame:

Now 2x55W H4 bulbs possible:

Fuel filter:

Now routed outside the fuel tank - easier raplacement on the road if dirty fuel gets into the tank.


Leo Vince exhaust with Lambda sensor hole:

Stock exhaust is 12.0kg, Leo Vince is 3.7kg - over 8kg of weight savings. Thus the bike can carry 8kg more stuff:

Kicked in a random extension pipe I cut myself, so it carries away the heat from pannier:

With the extension pipe it now works much more silent too - really handy for riding long distances.



Radiator protector. Made it myself out of chavs car tuning grid:

CPC quick disconnects for the fuel tank:

Shortened the beak (just for nicer look fit for my eyes):

Mods that I don't have pics for yet:

• Put 30 litre GS Adventure tank on it I got off the fleaBay (modified the filler neck with drilling a hole and bent the overflow pipe, so it's now 32 liters of usable volume)
• Self made telelever protection (why to pay 80EURos for Touratech?)
• Front fender extension (made it myself)

A lot to do still... More will follow.

 

[Den]

Hi Margus . These metal quick connectors you have fitted. I saw them on an american website but they would not send anything overseas.
Where did you get your ones.
The ones I seen were exactly the same as the plastic ones in every detail except they were die-cast.

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Den,

got mine directly from CPC:

http://www.quickcouplings.net/

They did sent them outside USA to me, but instead of the quoted $12 they took $80 for the transport from my cretit card w/o notice!!! :cool

A big box came within 5 days (they've used mighty-fast shipping option, I wasn't in any hurry actually), with little things inside - seriously overpacked stuff.

So if you order something from CPC, do it in a bit bigger amounts (for friends etc), to balance the transport costs.

I can tell you the metal quick-couplings are much better quality than the plastic ones

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Some more tweaks:

Elastic turn signals, no more broken signals when going down (which inevitably happens lot in slow offroad speeds ):

MiGSel rear footpeg lowering kit, Kariina's now much happier with her position. I had to cut the stock pegs pannier support arm to fit tho:

Vernatech panniers:

Installed new steel break lines:

Garmin eTrex Legent HCx with RAM mount and loaded with WorldMap 4.

This'll be just for the reference and to keep track on our going. We're oldschool navigators by heart, 2 inch display doesn't replace 20" detailed map on the floor and compass. Garmin new Worldmap version 4 isn't nowhere close the ideal also, very poor detail, mind.

More later...

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Physical stuff and training

We've started to go out running 1-2 times a week to keep our physical side in level. My local transport is bone-powered bicycle. Feel much better now after all the office work

Also I've been doing some practice on 2 wheels occasionally (no £££ BMW-offroad school for us poor bastids ) We got some old camcoder, but this'll give you some idea how over 250kg bike with 2 big panniers handles:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MZ8UHaCFbec&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MZ8UHaCFbec&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
It's the locks and stuff in the panniers making that knocking sound going over the bumps. And a faulty DV-tape creating artifacts in some frames.

We do 2-up offroad too both standing up, but no-one to film it

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Vern panniers bombproofness test

And already got Vern panniers tested:

You don't see much, but turn on the sound LOUD to hear what sound the half-empty panniers make - the whole career echoes it:

<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/XQj3XnMyiU4&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/XQj3XnMyiU4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

It was about 40-50kph off at the beginning of offroad practice when I wasn't "warm" myself and overestimated my grip going over a mudpool, front washed away and landing directly into the rocks on the trail side.

After all that massive crash sound first thing I thought my r/h pannier is gone. But as soon as I lifted the bike up there wasn't any difference at all. Later when I washed mud off I found a dent and pannier's one wall just slightly bent:

All thanks to cut-out corners. Only dented. I'm pretty sure any "brick" design pannier would have resembled number "8" with its shape after that kind of crash when the corner had to take all the bike's speed and weight to be stopped.

And the slightly bent wall quickly made straight...

Frames weren't touched at all.


Simply bombproof panniers!

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Sorry mates, been offline for some time. Couple of family matters needed to be sorted out after 8 years:

But back now and starting our trip tomorrow, ...while I still have couple of minor mods left to do on the bike...

 

[Tsiklonaut]

Meanwhile I've just in case:

• replaced clutch.
• replaced crankshaft double radial seals
• replaced gearbox input seal
• replaced fork oil, oil seals and dust seals
• added 12V accessory socket (for the GPS thingy)
• put a separate relay for my 2x60W headlight bulbs
• replaced all the throttle cables (ooh, the bike is sooo smooth now)
• replaced rocker cover seals
• plus dozens of other minor works

Would have been fine w/o any of those mods, but hopefully strengthens my 10 years old and over 80K bike for the trip.

Cheers, Margus

 

[Thunder]

Sorry mates, been offline for some time. Couple of family matters needed to be sorted out after 8 years:

But back now and starting our trip tomorrow, ...while I still have couple of minor mods left to do on the bike...

Looks like congratulations are in order

 

[Bryn]

More congratulations

 

[brassmonkey001]

Sorry mates, been offline for some time. Couple of family matters needed to be sorted out after 8 years:

But back now and starting our trip tomorrow, ...while I still have couple of minor mods left to do on the bike...

Congratulations Margus

Bit of an extreme length to go to hide Verns panniers though?

 

[Steve the Kiwi]

Sorry mates, been offline for some time. Couple of family matters needed to be sorted out after 8 years:

But back now and starting our trip tomorrow, ...while I still have couple of minor mods left to do on the bike...

It's good to get those matters sorted isn't it? Congrats mate! And all the best for the trip!

Steve

 

[Dickieboy]

Congratulations Margus and Kariina

 

[the celt]

Congratulations to you both
Have a great trip.... cant wait to see the foto,s and read your reports
joe

 

[Rushy]

Well done Margus and Kariina. Congratulations to you both

She looks fab in that dress Margus you lucky bugger ............... TBH tho 'you look better in your bike gear

Good luck to you both

Ian

 

[Deleted account W]

Great news, all the best to you both.

It's Front Page News

 

[the celt]

Great news, all the best to you both.

It's Front Page News

Nice one Whatton

 

[Paul G (BHT)]

Congratulations to you both.

How come we didn't all get an invite

 

[Decster]

Cograts Margus and Karina

Why in a field?

 

[Hustler]

Ah I do like a happy ending.
Many many congratulations.