Trans Sahara preparations....

Gecko · May 26, 2003

Well not exactly Sahara - more like Eastern Belgium in fact

Ok folks here it is. Me and MiGSel have been mad enough to enrol in a one day off-road riding course in the East of Belgium on 31st May.
I have just been looking at the weather forecast and bugger me ...... it's heading towards 30 degrees C this coming weekend !!!!
It's hard the beleive after all the rain and cool temperatures of the last few weeks but it looks like it's going to be a corker !

My bike is as ready as it will ever be - everything stripped off that as I try to avoid unwelcome repair bills. I have even put some transparent 25mm rubber tubing on the likely contact areas of the H&B bars and low adhesive rubber tape on the bits of the tank that may make contact oh yeah , and removed the aux lights.....any other suggestions anyone ?

Watch this space for post carnage pics after the weekend

Zwerver · May 27, 2003

If you have a TOuratech/Wunderlich Kahedo tankbag with sidebags, put those sidebags on, and fill then with some
30x20cm hardplastic (kitchen) cutting plate... It really saves your tank...

Strand-wolf · May 28, 2003

I agree with Zwerver, the tank bags save a lot of damage. Not sure about cutting boards though, they are a bit tough themselves on the bags.
Best padding I've found was when my girlfriend packed for a welsh weekend - no shoes but lots of underwear! Dropped it several times no damage except my pride.

Gecko · May 28, 2003

Strand-wolf said:
I agree with Zwerver, the tank bags save a lot of damage. Not sure about cutting boards though, they are a bit tough themselves on the bags.
Best padding I've found was when my girlfriend packed for a welsh weekend - no shoes but lots of underwear! Dropped it several times no damage except my pride.

Can you send me some of your girlfriends underwear to protect my tank please

MikeO · May 28, 2003

Gecko said:
Can you send me some of your girlfriends underwear to protect my tank please

I'll send you some of my ex-wife's - you'll be able to protect the whole bloody bike.....

TERRY RYAN · May 29, 2003

Mike O said:
I'll send you some of my ex-wife's - you'll be able to protect the whole bloody bike.....

you could market them for a light weight Bike cover

Gecko · May 29, 2003

Mike O said:
I'll send you some of my ex-wife's - you'll be able to protect the whole bloody bike.....

I think I'll pass thanks

Gecko · May 31, 2003

Well I don't know how hot it was in Morrocco but it was sweltering in Belgium today. 30 degrees C is no temperature to go off roading but we did....and we survived. MiGSel took an early mud bath, in fact in the first mud we came to

. I think he did it to gain some cudos and make his bike look 'used'

The group was just 5 bikes, 2 Adventures, my 11GS , an Africa Twin and a Transalp.
We picked our way through the countryside and broke the ride with some welcome refreshment stops which were much needed.
Here's some of the pics.

Gecko · May 31, 2003

splash down

GS with bow wave

Gecko · May 31, 2003

MiGSel - after having taken his mud bath approached the water a bit more conservatively second time

Gecko · May 31, 2003

Pit stop - somewhere in a Belgium forest

Gecko · May 31, 2003

Get the power down......

Gecko · May 31, 2003

Yours truely - absolutely knackered - That T-shirt is soaked in sweat , not the Belgium beers

Gecko · May 31, 2003

End os a good day - MiGSel checking out the GPS and saving the route so we can do it all again another day. He's got some pics too which I hope he will share . Great ride but sooooooo HOT today we were getting to the point of heat exhaustion. It really puts things in perspective when you consider wrestling a GS through the Sahara.....lot's of respect to those guys.

timmy · Jun 4, 2003

Gecko Hi,

That looks fun and within my capabilities! How did you get to hear of this course - I wanna go. Or failing that, is that BMW course still running in Germany for GS owners?

Nice piccies and looked fun shame about the heat!

timmy

Gecko · Jun 4, 2003

Tim
It's run by a training school who , among other things, teach the Belgium cops how to ride. It gave me a lot of confidence that I was missing. I have messed around with other bikes off road but this was a good day of confidence building without making you feel like a total beginner. It cost Euro 150 for the day which included breakfast , lunch and several refreshment stops during the day. The mud holes were a bit worrying at first because none of us had knobblies - just plain old Tourances so the idea of sliding the GS through the mud was a bit daunting but as you can see the confidence went up with the size of the splashes

If there is interest I am sure they would make an English language course for those interested. We were with just 4 of us an the instructor so the group wouldn't need to be that big to make it possible. If any one wants I can put them in touch with the right people and help you set something up. They are based in Tongeren in the East of Belgium (close to Maastricht - Holland)
Cheers
Gecko

timmy · Jun 5, 2003

Cheers Gecko,
I hadnt realised that you were based in Belgium. The problem would be drumming up enough interest for people to go. Iam after something like your day out so that i can use the GS gently off road and build my confidence as well as have a bit of fun.

BMW did run an off road course in Germany for their GS range, but I'm not sure if it still runs.

Cheers timmy

Trans Sahara preparations....

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