Planning to go

 

Sponsors:

Yamaha spare parts for Yamaha TT600

Tsubaki motorcycle chains

While I thank Mobil for providing oil and petrol from depots in Africa, Europe and Central Asia, I no longer support this company following the 25 January 2012 landslide disaster near an ExxonMobil LPG construction site in PNG.

PNG villagers burried alive in landslide disaster near ExxonMobil LNG project

 

WARNING:

Long Way Round and Long Way Down by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman has, no doubt, inspired a whole new generation of people wanting to travel to the distant corners of the earth by motorcycle (similar to what Jupiter's Travels by Ted Simon did for my generation).

Central Asia, in particular, is one of these places. With its proximity to Europe, especially Germany where motorcycle travel is revered like nothing else, Central Asia (Azerbiajan, Turkmanistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan), could soon be overrun with hordes of hungry motorcycle travellers. Not just hungry for the amazing off-road riding, scenery and gazing at stunningly beautiful women (if you are a man - and most motorcycle travellers are!), but hungry from a hard days riding. And this is when you find yourself being offered hospitality like no where else on earth.

For me, a single woman the impact I made was very small (I don't eat much and I would make sure I always had food to share), but for a man and especially if there are several men travelling together, they can literally eat a family 'out of house and home'. Why am I telling you this? Because the people of Central Asia, I found, were the most hospitable on the planet.

Just like all developing countries I have travelled through, hospitality is still deeply ingrained in the culture. It is still mostly a part of Australian culture. I found the same in Europe and the UK and I am sure it is the same in other developed countries as well, especially when you get 'off the beaten track'. Only difference is we've got the resources, most people in developing countries don't.

 

PLANNING TO GO:

When the idea to travel around the world on a motorcycle came to me literally 'out of the blue' as it seems to happen with those who seek, I did not have a travelling companion. At first, it was a concern but it was not going to stop me following my dream. As it turned out a work mate joined me for the first few months to Kenya. From then on I was on my own. But I soon discovered solo motorcycle travel is not about travelling alone.

Unless, the person you are travelling with shares the same dream, it is best to start your trip on your own because the one thing you don’t want to do is travel with someone just for the sake of someone to travel with! Life, and your trip, could very easily then become the trip to hell. 

Once on the road, you will be surprised how many other people you meet travelling on motorcycles. You may join up and travel with some of these people for a few days, weeks or months. Just like I did in Central Asia with Fabrice, Miky and Fredd – three French motorcycle travellers who I met in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

But as much as I enjoyed meeting other motorcycle travellers and travelling with them for short periods, I enjoyed travelling on my own because this is when you get to experience and learn things that would never happen if travelling with others.

When I travelled alone, I was never lonely – I was never alone.

 

When I started my world motorcycle adventure back in 1993, I had only basic mechanical skills.
I could not even repair a puncture but I soon learnt. I was in northern Kenya when I had my first flat and only managed to do the repair with the help of two Samburu warriors who happened to wander out of the desert right where I got the flat. This kind of thing (chance encounters) happened all to frequently while travelling on my own. The guys only managed to get the rear Michelan Desert off the rim by shear brute strength. But it was not long before I learnt the knack of fixing punctures. By the time I reached north Africa, I could repair a flat tyre in 10 minutes.

The best way to avoid breakdowns is regular maintenance. Change oil regulary (according to your bike's manual) as you are always riding in the dirt. Clean the air filter every day if you have been riding on dirt roads. Grease the swing arm regularly. Oil your chain every afternoon after a days riding when the chain is still hot so the oil can soak in overnight. If you run out of chain lube, which you will - use old oil from any petrol station or workshop. You soon learn to value your chain. They are heavy to carry and I went through four in Africa - two I carried, one I was lucky enough to buy in Kenya and one I had posted to me. Check and adjust tappets when recommended. On the Yamaha TT600, I hardly ever had to adjust the tappets; this is the way with this bike.

Take a set of connectors for between the carburettor and engine. On the Yamaha TT600 these wear out, I didn't notice until the dust had been going into the engine for a few days - a very quick way to kill the bike! So check this regularly. Go over the nuts and bolts regularly to tighten any that are loose, especially when you are riding on very corrugated roads. Clean out the petrol filters regularly - just keep an eye on this sort of thing.

Pack your bike's manual. Also a parts list, which you can get from your dealer copied from their microfiche (if they can't do it, contact head office). You will need to order parts at some stage so it just makes things easier if you can quote the correct part number.

The Yamaha TT600 only travelled 43,000kms before it needed a total engine rebuild! But Straubel Yamaha in Hameln, Germany advised it's premature death was due to an assembly fault with the piston rings (Sahara desert sand also might have had something to do with it!). After this rebuild the TT600 only did another 40,000kms motorcycle couriering in London before the main bearing seized. But then to be fair, couriering is hard on a motorcycle and so was I, as during this time regular maintenance became an afterthought due to other things – London things – occupying my mind and time.

My Yamaha TT600 has had more demanded of it than most motorcycles but it is still going strong.

 

EQUIPMENT LIST:
Approximate total set up costs in 1993 - US$10,000 (inc. motorcycle)
plus $1500 for the cargo ship to Africa
Packed weight including motorcycle was approximately 200kgs

MOTORCYCLE
Yamaha TT600 (1992) dry weight 120 kg
Replaced muffler with lightweight stainless steel Aussie Muffler
Replaced 11litre standard tank with Acerbis 21 litre plastic tank
Fitter Tim Goddard Bark Busters to handlebars
Trimmed half of the foam from the seat (to suit my height of 165cm)
Nolan (N19R) helmet with peak and clear visor
Sheep skin for seat
Wine cask bladder (used inflated under the sheepskin for long distances to avoid numb bum especially as I'd removed half the foam from the seat)
Made and fitted by a friend:
Solid steel crash cage with stainless steel cylinder used to carry tools bolted
to bottom of crash plate and frame
Steel angle iron carry rack bolted to front forks

Tyres:
On bike to start:
Cheng Shin 4 ply front
Michelan T65 rear
Spare Tyres:
Cheng Shin 6 ply front
Michelin Desert 8ply rear
*(spare tyres sent by rail from South Africa to Zimbabwe, then air freight to Kenya)
Tubes:
Michelin Enduro, front and rear
Spares general use, front and rear (are lighter to carry)

LUGGAGE
Leather panniers (500 x 400 x 200 mm) with steel frame bolted to bike
Gearsack bag (large size)
Canvas daypack

SPARE PARTS (supplied by Yamaha Australia)
Decompression cable
Speedo cable (never used)
Clutch cable(never used)
Rear sprocket 48 tooth x 2
Front sprocket 15 tooth x 2
Oil filter x 6
Set of front spokes (never used)
Set of rear spokes (never used)
Set of front wheel bearings (never used)
Set of back wheel bearings (never used)
Set of steering head bearings (never used)
Clutch plate kit
Clutch lever
Front brake lever (never used)
Air cleaner filter
Chain runner plate
Oil filter O ring
Front brake pads x 2
Spare parts posted to Nairobi, Kenya for collection:
Exhaust valve adjuster cap
Carburettor float bowl O ring
Plastic side cover RH
Rear sprocket 50 tooth
Front sprocket 14 tooth
Oil filters x 4
Front brake pads x 1 set
Drive chains (supplied by Tsubaki Motorcycle chains)
520 Omega S O ring chain x 2 (one on bike and one as spare)
XQR non-O ring chain

Spare parts purchased in Africa:
Izumi Champion ES520SDR O ring chain

TOOLS
Ring and closed end metric spanners, (8, 10 x 2, 12 x 2, 14, 16, 18)
Yamaha 24/22 closed end spanner for rear axle nut
Yamaha spark plug spanner
Yamaha Steering head adjuster
Yamaha spoke tightening tool
Metric feeler gauge
Screw drivers - Philips: stubby, small, medium, long.
Flat end - small, medium, long.
Steel punch x 2 (used as chain breaker)
Steel files, pocket size (fine and medium)
Steel head hammer
Socket size 19mm and wrench (for turning engine to TDC to check valve clearances).
Hacksaw blade
Pliers, heavy duty
Pliers, long nosed
Multi-Grip Pliers
Tyre levers 12 inch x 2
Tappet adjuster tool
Cable grabber tool
Tin of grease (small)
WD40 (small size)
Air filter oil
Spray can chain lube (when this ran out, I used old truck oil)
Roll of 3M duct tape
Tin of nuts, washers and bolts, various sizes
Tin of miscellaneous odds and ends, (clip pins, chain links, wire, electrical tape, steel
tape, contact glue, Locktite for nuts and bolts, steel putty for engine casing repair)
Tip top puncture repair kit, (assorted patchesx20, spare valves and caps, valve tool)

 

CAMPING EQUIPMENT
Tent dome, three man
Light weight Thermarest mattress
Down sleeping bag (J&H Super)
Petrol stove
Cooking pot with lid (also used to store stove)
Small billy can with lid
Film canisters x 3 (salt, pepper, curry powder)
Tin Sardines x 2 (carried most of the time as emergency food)
Katadyn mini water purifier
*(only used on Zaire River barges, mostly used micropur purification drops).
Nalgene plastic bottles 500ml size x 4, (for sugar, tea, coffee)
Utility straps x 5
Nylon rope, 2 x 6 meter lengths
Ground sheet
Heavy duty plastic map case x 2 (one use for stationary)
10 lt plastic jerry used for water (covered with thick hessian)
10 lt plastic jerry used for petrol (covered with thick hessian)
1 lt plastic water bottle
Leather stitcher
Small torch
Leatherman tool
Plastic dinner plate
Plastic mug x 2
Stainless steel knife, fork, spoon
Cigarette lighter
Heavy duty camping toiletry bag

 

CAMERA & ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT

Nikon F601 SLR camera body
Tamron 28 to 200 auto focus zoom lens
Padded camera case to fit Nikon and lens
Polarizer and UV filter
Yashica J3 pocket camera
Fuji slide film x 20 rolls 100 ASA 36 exp (this was before digital cameras)
Fuji slide film x 2 rolls 400 ASA 36 exp
Camera (Nikon) battery
Lens cleaning tissue and camera cleaning brush
Nikon binoculars 9 x 24

DOCUMENTS
Australian Passport (64 page frequent traveller)
British Passport
Carnet de Passage (30 page)*
(*In East Africa you need a genuine carnet. As for the rest of Africa, I saw a variety of forged designs used by a variety of motorcycle travellers! I did not need a carnet for Central Asia or Russia.)

Travel Insurance (valid 12 months)
RAC membership
Australian Drivers Licence
International Drivers Licence
International Medical Vaccination Card (Hepatitis A, Cholera, Yellow fever, Meningitis, tetnus, Hepatitis A)
Motorcycle Registration papers
Motorcycle purchase invoice

MONEY
Credit cards - American Express, Mastercard
American Express travellers cheques
($4000 US purchased in lots of $1000 from Australia, Kenya x 2 and Uganda,
some converted to $US and French francs cash in Nairobi and Kampala)
American dollars cash in 5, 10 and 20 denominations x $500 (purchased Australia)

SECURITY
Pelican plastic resin case #1400 locked with two padlocks.
(I disguised this case by cutting out the bottom of an old plastic jerry,
fitting it over the box, covering it with a hessian bag and locking it to the bike)
Bike lock and light weight wire rope bike lock (for the Pelican case).
Padlocks x 6.(get the ones with all the same key, unless you particularly like keys)

BOOKS AND STATIONERY
Clymers TT600 workshop manual
Ruled writing book used as diary
Address book
Airmail paper and envelopes
Box of ball point pens
Ink pad and date stamp (for visa date extensions)
Michelin maps (955 Africa Central and South, 953 Africa North and West)
Guide book (‘Africa on a Shoestring’, Lonely Planet)
Tally-hos
Novel (exchanged with other travellers/expats at every opportunity. Even read the bible while waiting for five days to cross with a 4WD convoy on a back road from Congo to Gabon as the border was closed due to civil war. I'm fortunate I had this opportunity.)
Photocopies of front page of passport, carnet and drivers licence
Pocket album with photos of family, home etc (these are of great interest to others)

FIRST AID
Larium (one years supply, used as a malaria prophylactic).
Check the latest medical recommendations on Larium.
Halfan (malaria treatment). I am allergic to Fansidar.
Flagyl (giardias, dysentery treatment)
Mersyndol (painkillers), Panadeine (painkillers), Panadol
Antibiotic powder
*very important as applied daily to small cuts which can easily turn ulcerous.
Chlorsig eye ointment
Effervescent rehydration salts
Betadine antiseptic ointment and antiseptic liquid
Surgical spirit
anti- fungicidal cream
Bandages non-stick dressings, combine dressing, wound closure strips, bandaids, Leukoplast tape, elastic crimp bandage
Scissors tweezers, needles, roll of black cotton, safety pins. Scalpel and razor blades. Syringes and needles
Cotton buds, cotton wool, Insect repellent
Micropur water purification liquid

TOILETRIES
All readily available everywhere in Africa.

BIKE CLOTHING
Gortex MS Enduro Jacket (stolen in Zaire, replaced with a navy blue overcoat).
Kidney belt, Reusch summer motorcycle gloves, thick denim jeans, leather belt with inside zip to store cash, steel cap leather work boots for Africa. After London, I wore Sidi motocross boots.

 

GENERAL CLOTHING
Sarong, T'shirt, singlet, long sleeved shirt, sweat shirt, polartec pullover, denim shorts, swimsuit, leggings, underwear, thick cotton socks, thongs, sports shoes, hat and sunglasses.

 

 

one woman’s motorcycle journey of discovery available late 2012.