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- Oct 10, 2004
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I'm in the final stages of preparation for my first trip of 2010 to Morocco. It will be the first serious outing for the Tenere, so I've been even more anal than usual in preparation.
Luggage: although I have Metal Mule panniers that I use on other bikes I decided to go with soft luggage on this trip, so I'll be using Oxford throw-overs either side of the exhaust pipes, a 70-litre roll bag across the rear seat, plus a tank bag and Kriega hydration rucksack. I've been peed off at the rubbing damage to paintwork on other trips, so I've installed wonderweb round the exhaust shields and stuck some protection discs on the tank where the tank bag straps might rub.
Apart from lots of warm clothng my packing is fairly lightweight until it comes to adding the notebook PC (for GPS tracklogs) and various guidebooks--Rough Guide, Morocco Overland and a couple of the Gandini piste guides. I have a new Panasonic Lumix TZ7 camera which I will be using this trip which takes really wide angle shots.
Electrics: I installed an auxilliary fusebox under the seat connected via a relay to the sidelights so the ancilliary equipment is only live when the bike's electrics are switched on. Connections include heated jacket, heated grips (both can be necessary in the winter in Morocco), twin auxilliary spots and Zumo GPS. Oh, and I replaced the sidelights with LEDs.
Engine preparation: I wasn't happy with the lumpy response at low revs in higher gears, so I've fitted a stage 2 DNA air filter assembly together with a fuel mod to enrich things slightly. Not that concerned with power, I tend to ride quite gently most of the time.
Offroad preparation: I've fitted TKC80 tyres, Yamaha bashplate and engine bars. Also a centre stand to aid puncture repairs.
Tools and spares: I much prefer tubeless tyres where you can plug a puncture, so I've had to beef up my tools to be able to remove Yamaha wheels and change tyres. In addition to a very nice Kriega tool roll I'm carrying tyre levers, rim protectors and a spare front inner tube. I'm hesitating whether to rely on my hand pump that also takes CO2 cartridges or take the Slime 12v electric pump.
Modus operandi: I'm planning to leave the Tenere in southern Spain for the next few months. On Monday I dropped it off with James Cargo near Heathrow (whose warehouse is currently full with Globebuster bikes just arrived back) and they will ship it down to Malaga. I fly in on 3 February and will ride the Tenere down to Marrakech where a couple of friends (Simondippenhall of this parish and another) are flying in on the 6th who are hiring XT660s from Loc2Roues.
I've sorted a variety of new-to-me tracks to tackle and we'll go off for a week. When the friends go back I will continue on my own for another couple of weeks.
Tim
Luggage: although I have Metal Mule panniers that I use on other bikes I decided to go with soft luggage on this trip, so I'll be using Oxford throw-overs either side of the exhaust pipes, a 70-litre roll bag across the rear seat, plus a tank bag and Kriega hydration rucksack. I've been peed off at the rubbing damage to paintwork on other trips, so I've installed wonderweb round the exhaust shields and stuck some protection discs on the tank where the tank bag straps might rub.
Apart from lots of warm clothng my packing is fairly lightweight until it comes to adding the notebook PC (for GPS tracklogs) and various guidebooks--Rough Guide, Morocco Overland and a couple of the Gandini piste guides. I have a new Panasonic Lumix TZ7 camera which I will be using this trip which takes really wide angle shots.
Electrics: I installed an auxilliary fusebox under the seat connected via a relay to the sidelights so the ancilliary equipment is only live when the bike's electrics are switched on. Connections include heated jacket, heated grips (both can be necessary in the winter in Morocco), twin auxilliary spots and Zumo GPS. Oh, and I replaced the sidelights with LEDs.
Engine preparation: I wasn't happy with the lumpy response at low revs in higher gears, so I've fitted a stage 2 DNA air filter assembly together with a fuel mod to enrich things slightly. Not that concerned with power, I tend to ride quite gently most of the time.
Offroad preparation: I've fitted TKC80 tyres, Yamaha bashplate and engine bars. Also a centre stand to aid puncture repairs.
Tools and spares: I much prefer tubeless tyres where you can plug a puncture, so I've had to beef up my tools to be able to remove Yamaha wheels and change tyres. In addition to a very nice Kriega tool roll I'm carrying tyre levers, rim protectors and a spare front inner tube. I'm hesitating whether to rely on my hand pump that also takes CO2 cartridges or take the Slime 12v electric pump.
Modus operandi: I'm planning to leave the Tenere in southern Spain for the next few months. On Monday I dropped it off with James Cargo near Heathrow (whose warehouse is currently full with Globebuster bikes just arrived back) and they will ship it down to Malaga. I fly in on 3 February and will ride the Tenere down to Marrakech where a couple of friends (Simondippenhall of this parish and another) are flying in on the 6th who are hiring XT660s from Loc2Roues.
I've sorted a variety of new-to-me tracks to tackle and we'll go off for a week. When the friends go back I will continue on my own for another couple of weeks.
Tim
