Tires for mixed travel on Kalahari Basic

[topher]

Twisticles

Thanks for the suggestion about getting a second passport. I am British, but am not sure if I would qualify on work grounds - most of my travelling is private. I'll look into it.

Cheers

Topher

 

[Namastebuzz]

TCKs last longer than Tourances. As you say most of the way is tarmac so road biased tyres are fine. Some people use an enduro type tyre on the front which gives you a lot better ability on loose surfaces where rear grip is never too much of a problem. TBH you can go offroad with anything and you'll find a way to keep upright so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

If you're going solo - take spares. If you only take one spare, take a rear. If not, tyres can be sent but India and Pakistan can be awkward with 500% import duties. In theory your carnet will allow you to import spares to replace the same item already on the bike but it doesn't always work that way.

Compressors are really handy. These days they can be had for £5 and are quite compact.
Or try http://www.nippynormans.com/prodinfo.asp?number=TES-STI1&variation=&aitem=1&mitem=1

You'll never be too far away from help and people can fix tyres anywhere.

 

[GSPeter]

Thanks for response on both tire and mini-compressor, been away in mountains for ten day bad weather trip. No Internet.....no electricity. Hope to get good deal on Tourance from local rubber man Joar, so be it. Found sites on american internet about cheap compressors from China where you throw away the plastic housing and strap working parts on plywood, have to change valve connection from plastic to metal for reliability. Worth trying, save Nkr 800,- or more. Reckon to carry spare front and rear tires, necessary evil. I won't make any jokes about body armour, but the conflict level seems to be escalating all along my route. Maybe I should find somewhere else to go.

Peter, in Oslo

 

[nud1e]

Hi GSPeter,

I read your post with interest as I will have to make a similar choice about tyres in the near future - I am planning to ride from Bavaria to Nepal (probably on a r100GS - see my post of earlier today) leaving sometime in August 2008. I intend to ride the fairly classic route (Turkey, Iran, Pakistan, India, Nepal). Which route are you planning?

I would be interested to hear how you are getting on with visa applications etc. - I must confess to being a little bit chaotic in the planning department but will get busy in the near future - I have to apply for a new British passport first as mine will expire early next year, then plan to apply first for the Iranian visa - I am told that the Iranian embassy will almost certainly decline the first application but that if one applies through an "agency" (for a fee) it is possible to get the visa. Apparently, the visas for Pakistan and India are easy to get but can be time consuming. My problem is that I frequently need my passport and have to plan the visa applications at times when I don't need to travel.

If you are interested in exchanging relevant information/ experience related to the planning of such a trip, my email address is:

[email protected]

Please, no jokes about the need for bullet-proof vests!


Best wishes

Topher

You might want to read The Celt (Jose) thread - he's returning from India at present http://65.38.186.190/forums/showthread.php?t=122156