No great surprise, the motorbike's preparation first step is to find one ! And at this stage, each one will choose depending on his/her project, affinities, and above all the available budget with respect to local market offers. There's much to read about it, and it's naturally a great moment to try to project yourself on various models and finally choose your travelling companion for the next months, but as far as I understand it can de done with any machine since it's the heart's choice, ranging from the scooter to the Yamaha R1 through the whole past & present diversity of the 2-wheel's world...
(Adam Hutchinson_Europe on a scooter & Reinhard Hohler_R1-RTW)
On my side, the "trail" type (mix paved / off-road) stood out as the reasonable's part of the choice, first in prevision of the dirt tracks I plan to ride so as to enjoy at best the crossed zones, and then willing not to suffer of a lack of confort in position & shock absorption, considering the important duration of the journey.
The 600cc cubage's category on its part seemed to me like the fair equilibrium between having some ability to carry luggages on one hand, and on the other to limit the weight in movement. The pleasant 130kg of a 250cc like the Tornado would hardly allow a minimum of autonomy (camping / maintenance / etc), but I really wouldn't be confortable with the 240kg out of luggages of a monster like the BMW 1200GS while entering sandy or muddy zones... And anyway this kind of engine is just not in my budget to say it softly ! :D
Fortunately, the model I chose after some hours reading and investigating this subject turned out to be available in Argentina, although at a quite prohibitive price : the Kawasaki KLR650 - alias the 2-wheel's jeep, probably the most capable to leave paved roads in this category (apart from the KTM 690 but it hardly fits for travelling). Fortunately once again, I had the opportunity to purchase late 2013 a second hand with 15.000kms for the appreciable amount of 75.000 AR$ (equivalent at this moment to nearly 10.000 US$... :x), just before the new wave of importation taxe's increase in early 2014 that made double its price in a few months...
The 600cc cubage's category on its part seemed to me like the fair equilibrium between having some ability to carry luggages on one hand, and on the other to limit the weight in movement. The pleasant 130kg of a 250cc like the Tornado would hardly allow a minimum of autonomy (camping / maintenance / etc), but I really wouldn't be confortable with the 240kg out of luggages of a monster like the BMW 1200GS while entering sandy or muddy zones... And anyway this kind of engine is just not in my budget to say it softly ! :D
Fortunately, the model I chose after some hours reading and investigating this subject turned out to be available in Argentina, although at a quite prohibitive price : the Kawasaki KLR650 - alias the 2-wheel's jeep, probably the most capable to leave paved roads in this category (apart from the KTM 690 but it hardly fits for travelling). Fortunately once again, I had the opportunity to purchase late 2013 a second hand with 15.000kms for the appreciable amount of 75.000 AR$ (equivalent at this moment to nearly 10.000 US$... :x), just before the new wave of importation taxe's increase in early 2014 that made double its price in a few months...
(Screen-shot of the classified ad of the KLR end of 2013)
For a quick overview of my 2-wheel's experience, first to say is that I never had a moped/scooter - apart from driving my friend's one, my buddy Cheb still remembers about it - and that my initiation to motorcycles a little decade ago in France was completed on a Yamaha FZ6n-S1, a reasonable little "naked" of 78hp (600cc in 4 cylinders for those who understand it, and 4-stroke of course) to start softly... Actually far more than necessary but all considered it wasn't such a bad choice.
I went on in France with two others 600 naked : a Triumph Street Triple R (675 in 3 cylinders, just magic !) with which I initiated to speed track's pleasures during the time of a crazy summer, and a Kawa ER6n (650 in 2 playful cylinders) for the last months in France before leaving to Argentina.
I thus lost 1 cylinder at each engine change, and followed this tendance in Argentina where I rode only on mono(cylinder)s... It will be time soon to reverse this tendance ! :D
I went on in France with two others 600 naked : a Triumph Street Triple R (675 in 3 cylinders, just magic !) with which I initiated to speed track's pleasures during the time of a crazy summer, and a Kawa ER6n (650 in 2 playful cylinders) for the last months in France before leaving to Argentina.
I thus lost 1 cylinder at each engine change, and followed this tendance in Argentina where I rode only on mono(cylinder)s... It will be time soon to reverse this tendance ! :D
(FZ6 & ER6 at the top, ST3R at the bottom)
Once arrived in this new country, my hope to finally get a more than 100hp bike (France is the only country in the world to restrain its bikes to 100hp :x) was instantaneously washed by the astonishing prices of the local market (2 to 3 times the european one) and the condition of my savings after this fantastic tracker summer and the international relocation...
I thus first set my sights on a Honda XR250 - Tornado (typed nearly enduro) bought used in Bariloche (18.000 AR$ & 20.000kms), that finally nearly fulfilled my needs and that I kept until switching to the KLR. In between, over the three and a half years in Argentina before trip departure, I will have also gone a few months through a Honda NX4 - Falcon (little 400cc trail, a bit disappointed for a price duplicating the Tornado's) and a few weeks through a Honda CB250 - Twister (little naked with the Tornado's motor) to check if maybe this other type of bike could help me with accepting the low cubage... Nothing to do about it, I had already get used to the 600cc's motor & cycle part (frame's rigidity / shock-absorption / braking) level of prestation, and even if it was with a little pinch of sadness that I sold my Tornado, even if the KLR wins the palm of the lowest motor of its category, still I was really happy to get back to this level of engine.
I thus first set my sights on a Honda XR250 - Tornado (typed nearly enduro) bought used in Bariloche (18.000 AR$ & 20.000kms), that finally nearly fulfilled my needs and that I kept until switching to the KLR. In between, over the three and a half years in Argentina before trip departure, I will have also gone a few months through a Honda NX4 - Falcon (little 400cc trail, a bit disappointed for a price duplicating the Tornado's) and a few weeks through a Honda CB250 - Twister (little naked with the Tornado's motor) to check if maybe this other type of bike could help me with accepting the low cubage... Nothing to do about it, I had already get used to the 600cc's motor & cycle part (frame's rigidity / shock-absorption / braking) level of prestation, and even if it was with a little pinch of sadness that I sold my Tornado, even if the KLR wins the palm of the lowest motor of its category, still I was really happy to get back to this level of engine.
(Tornado at the top - you'll notice that between the 2 pics I lost the license plate that was hanging on the 1st, Falcon & Twister at the bottom)
From october 2013 to september 2015, It's thus for two years that I've been using this KLR in daily office to home & leisures routes, giving me time to learn quietly about it and to begin by little hits the preparation for this journey I planned it for since purchase.
Among others, I had the opportunity to check until which water level I can go on riding, during a flood as there are some in my last residence zone (Tigre) due to what they locally call "una sudestada" - combination of rising tide and south-east wind that pushes the Rio de la Plata's water toward lands and makes overflow many waterways on the audaciously close urban zones. I've been lucky this day not to bend the piston's rod, but il helped me in determining the maximum ridable water level : when it reaches my knees - just above the air filter's entry, it's really time to think either to an alternative way or to shut down the motor and go on hand-pushing, what I ended doing this day for three more kilometers in about one meter high water to reach my flat...!
Among others, I had the opportunity to check until which water level I can go on riding, during a flood as there are some in my last residence zone (Tigre) due to what they locally call "una sudestada" - combination of rising tide and south-east wind that pushes the Rio de la Plata's water toward lands and makes overflow many waterways on the audaciously close urban zones. I've been lucky this day not to bend the piston's rod, but il helped me in determining the maximum ridable water level : when it reaches my knees - just above the air filter's entry, it's really time to think either to an alternative way or to shut down the motor and go on hand-pushing, what I ended doing this day for three more kilometers in about one meter high water to reach my flat...!
(The KLR in amphibie mode)
This KLR being fully original and without accessories, apart from the top-case that I carried for this trip, I had to do it a complete preparation to fit this project's needs : various protections, cycle's part improvement (adapted shock-absorber & steel braided braking flexible), installation of lateral supports for panniers & adaptation of the interface supports/panniers, addition of some accessories for particular needs (battery monitoring and petrol extraction tap + petrol filter), correction of a known design default (the famous "doohickey" for those interested in the KLR), and installation of superior quality consumibles (brake pads, tyres, and chain kit). Here's a brief description of the material and its installation.
- Protections :
I must admit, the probability that I fall flat a few times along the trip and my dirt track capacitation is fairly high, and to install some protections can't be a bad investment. This pack includes lever's protectors purchased in BsAs (RaceTech), lateral defenses also found on site (here they call it "dog-killer" due to the impressive quantity of dogs throwing themselves to try and bite the wheels), and a bottom motor protector homemade with alu to replace the plastic original one. The panniers supports - and actually the panniers themselves - will also serve as rear loop protector.
- Shock-absorbers :
Considering the heavy luggage load added for this trip (between 70 & 100kg) and the importance to have an adapted shock-absorber, and despite the appreciable cost (380 US$ in Happy-Trail + 120 US$ of postal sending cost to France where I picked it up during brilliant pre-departure holidays), I proceeded in buying a good rear shock-absorber correctly calibrated - i.e. with a ressort corresponding to the foreseen load ("465 Series Progressive Shock"). Concerning front shock absorption, it seemed to me sufficient as it was and I didn't change anything here (neither progressive fork ressorts, nor even changing oil for a higher viscosity), and up to now nearly nothing to complain about.
But I must recognize that I'm trying to compensate my carried weight excess by a pre-load adjustment (the two rings constraining the ressort) over recommendations, and I'm quite sure it won't be the solution to my problem...
But I must recognize that I'm trying to compensate my carried weight excess by a pre-load adjustment (the two rings constraining the ressort) over recommendations, and I'm quite sure it won't be the solution to my problem...
- Braking :
I contemplated a moment the idea of adding a second disk and caliper in the front wheel, but the operation would have been quite expensive for a result quite uncertain. I thus settled on changing the front plastic original brake flexible for a steel braided one (that doesn't deforms with heat and thus maintains its braking efficiency) - said "type avia" for aviation in french.
Impossible to find in Argentine, this steel braided flexible and 2 sets of superior quality brake pads were ordered in Happy-Trail, for a price inferior to one single set of pads here.
Impossible to find in Argentine, this steel braided flexible and 2 sets of superior quality brake pads were ordered in Happy-Trail, for a price inferior to one single set of pads here.
- Rear supports & panniers :
An inescapable of motorbike travelling. One can choose between soft or rigid baggages, but there isn't many solutions with respect to their location on the bike : either you choose to travel lightly and to limit yourself to a few bags on the seat, or you try to carry a bit more and thus must install a structure on the rear loop's sides. And despite it's then possible and even recommended to add some luggages on the front to equilibrate the total load, there's no doubt that a large majority of the weight will be located on the passenger's seat - from there the utility to change at least the ressort of the rear absorber.
Personally I went for rigid panniers, considering that the protection against shocks & water brought to their content - thinking about sensible and important items like first aid kit / water filter / petrol stove - would be worth the added weight compared to soft option. Until now, I'm still satisfied of this choice !
Despite argentinian's importation restrictions had once more limited the choice, I have to recognize first that products available in Europe & USA seemed to me fairly expensive (in the order of 800 US$ mini for a pair of panniers and around 300 US$ for their supports), and second that Argentina seems to have developed in response to these limitations a wider alternative offers of lower quality but appreciably cheaper. I thus managed to buy locally a set of supports and a pair of panniers for approximately 4.000 AR$, about 400 US$ at this time. Although I had then to work a bit on their compatibility, this number is clearly more in my budget !
I thus first installed the supports without facing any difficulty, and then adapted with Carlos the panniers to the supports... Well, to be honest, here he's the one that did everything, due to the metal arc welding necessary for which I had neither the material nor the knowhow !
For this adaptation, "we" first welded at the bottom of the panniers a rail with shape of a "U" opened downward to come and make the weight resting on the lowest part of the support. Then we welded at the top of each support two littles plates drilled of one hole each to receive a big screw we installed coming out from inside the panniers, each screw being itself drilled to receive a lock-pin once inserted in the support's plate. As a result the pannier's weight is nearly completely supported by the lower part, and the higher one only serves to maintain the pannier laterally sticked. Not ideal, but still the best we managed with available means ! Finally a second hole in one screw of each panniers allows me to install a key padlock, correctly guarantying this way their fixation to the motorbike when I let it out of sight.
And last finition was to add some straps fixed by rivets to the panniers allowing me to carry some spare petrol liters just in case, corresponding with 4 jerrikans of 2L each to an autonomy improvement of about 30%, approximately from 400 to 550kms.
Personally I went for rigid panniers, considering that the protection against shocks & water brought to their content - thinking about sensible and important items like first aid kit / water filter / petrol stove - would be worth the added weight compared to soft option. Until now, I'm still satisfied of this choice !
Despite argentinian's importation restrictions had once more limited the choice, I have to recognize first that products available in Europe & USA seemed to me fairly expensive (in the order of 800 US$ mini for a pair of panniers and around 300 US$ for their supports), and second that Argentina seems to have developed in response to these limitations a wider alternative offers of lower quality but appreciably cheaper. I thus managed to buy locally a set of supports and a pair of panniers for approximately 4.000 AR$, about 400 US$ at this time. Although I had then to work a bit on their compatibility, this number is clearly more in my budget !
I thus first installed the supports without facing any difficulty, and then adapted with Carlos the panniers to the supports... Well, to be honest, here he's the one that did everything, due to the metal arc welding necessary for which I had neither the material nor the knowhow !
For this adaptation, "we" first welded at the bottom of the panniers a rail with shape of a "U" opened downward to come and make the weight resting on the lowest part of the support. Then we welded at the top of each support two littles plates drilled of one hole each to receive a big screw we installed coming out from inside the panniers, each screw being itself drilled to receive a lock-pin once inserted in the support's plate. As a result the pannier's weight is nearly completely supported by the lower part, and the higher one only serves to maintain the pannier laterally sticked. Not ideal, but still the best we managed with available means ! Finally a second hole in one screw of each panniers allows me to install a key padlock, correctly guarantying this way their fixation to the motorbike when I let it out of sight.
And last finition was to add some straps fixed by rivets to the panniers allowing me to carry some spare petrol liters just in case, corresponding with 4 jerrikans of 2L each to an autonomy improvement of about 30%, approximately from 400 to 550kms.
- Accessories :
Unlike european batteries that are sealed and doesn't need regular liquid level check, I discovered after some vain ignition tentatives that most of argentinian's ones can and should be opened from time to time, their cells needing to be +/- frequently filled with demineralized water. To be able to detect in advance the lack of water and monitor battery's voltage without having to dismount parts of the bike (lateral panels and seat), I purchased in Happy-Trail a multimeter that stays permanently connected to the battery, and that apart shows the temperature measured by a deported sensor and gives the hour (finally not so useless). A little homemade support arranged with/by Carlos came to settle above the driving board to receive it.
Additionally, my choice to use a petrol stove needing an easy access to motorbike's tank one, we inserted a pluggable junction between tank and carburator, and took advantage to add a petrol filter in prevision of lowest quality ones in remoter zones (Thanks Toto !).
And finally, I added a central stand found in BsAs to ease the maintenance and reparations, and a 12V plug to connect the GPS or the electric compressor, or even the heating gloves (yes, this little marvel of winter protection exists, Gerbing's among others brands).
Additionally, my choice to use a petrol stove needing an easy access to motorbike's tank one, we inserted a pluggable junction between tank and carburator, and took advantage to add a petrol filter in prevision of lowest quality ones in remoter zones (Thanks Toto !).
And finally, I added a central stand found in BsAs to ease the maintenance and reparations, and a 12V plug to connect the GPS or the electric compressor, or even the heating gloves (yes, this little marvel of winter protection exists, Gerbing's among others brands).
To finish, I had to take care of this KLR's long known default : an error in a motor's internal element design, the famous "doohickey", a primary chain tensor that showed high rates of failure and that in case of braking while the engine is running has a great probability to irremediably destroy the motor by setting free this chain to go and crash in the surrounding gears. This default is supposed to be corrected since the unique design modification that Kawasaki deigned to do after 20 years lifetime of this model, in 2008 for a first selling in 1987, but most are not convinced and recommend to change it yourself, just in case. I didn't hesitate long for a problem manageable at low cost that else risks to let me stuck in the middle of the desert with a definitely dead bike, I bought and changed this piece as soon as possible.
Besides, contemplating the various manipulations foreseen and to maximize my chances to be able to fix a problem on my own, I purchased the maintenance/reparation user manual dedicated to the KLR, in its paper version to be independent from computer's battery limitations in case of needing it on the road side.
I wish I could tell that I globally prepared this bike on my own, but one must return to Cesar what belongs to Cesar : a great Thanks to you Carlos, my golden mechanic and now friend that without any doubt will have been one of those that made my journey become reality ! :)
Effectively, despite I tried my best to learn by practicing, asking him to guide and explain me, it's finally him who completed most of the job, with the newbie by his side trying to learn watching (and asking tons of questions !).
Great Pingo ! :)
And just for fun, while I had pinched only one or two times in 4 years in BsAs, I caught a nail in the rear tyre on my way to Carlos's workshop at not more than a few hundreds meters to arrive, the day after having installed the brand new inner tubes & tyres, hardly a week before departure... Result after having chosen to go on riding 500m on the wheel rim until the workshop instead of repairing it on site : 8 holes in the inner tube, 8 patches to install as an intensive training to punctures !!!!!!!!
And finally, just in time for the great departure but without having time to go out for a test run of a week in the zone, the jeep was ready to fight ! Vamos ! Ready to go on a ride through South America !
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