Travelling round europe - the best way!

pearse15 · Post by **pearse15** » 27 Jan 2005, 17:51

Hi all, i'm hoping to go travelling through europe on a motobike. Was kinda thinking bout using an xr400 but been put off, so some sort of trail 600.

Anyone got any advice on what to ride, or even better, where to ride? What countries have yall rode through? Must be some veterans out there that've been round the world on a chicken chaser!

come on lads post us ur experiences

pearse

pearse15 · Post by **pearse15** » 31 Jan 2005, 18:42

Has no one got any advice. I've been thinking bout the following bikes:

1) Honda xr 600

2) Honda Africa Twin

Anyone know much about these bikes? think the africa would be better for touring on than the xr, i just love everything bout the xr's

n e 1?

pearse

phil1 · Post by **phil1** » 31 Jan 2005, 19:45

both would do it, but the africa twin is larger and as its says a twin, so better and smoother. also has a bit of a fairing which helps.
XR600, has a bit of a small single disc, so with a lot of luggage could take a bit more stopping. depends what type of riding you do, and how far your going. and your budget.

Fungus GS · Post by **Fungus GS** » 31 Jan 2005, 19:57

BMW GS - favoured steed of most overlanders. Shaft drive, reliability & comfort combined with plenty of luggage options & off-road capability.

Seemed to work well for Ewan Macgregor & Charlie Boorman.......but then, I'm biased.

Post by **admin** » 31 Jan 2005, 20:37

am off to spain in may for a week, looks like i will be taking the 916 and getting luggage to suit that. should be in serious pain when i get back i suspect

pearse15 · Post by **pearse15** » 31 Jan 2005, 22:08

Thanx for reply. Wouldn't fancy it on a 916, you must be really small and flexible as my back would be killing.

I'll take a look at the bmw. Don't really like the BMW's, not sure on that shape so i'll take a look. It'll mainly be road riding i'll be doing through mountains etc. camping in different places.

So far i think we'll going:

France - Italy - Austria then hopefully germany. Italy has some nice mountain roads, thought maybe an xr motod would be awesome, it's just the long riding i'm not sure bout on that, and as you said with the luggage etc.

Harry Carter · Post by **Harry Carter** » 01 Feb 2005, 12:30

I would suggest the Xr 600 my Brother had one and it was almost bullet proof! Or try the Xr 650. i suggest you watch the video called \"the longway around\" cause if you look at that you'll no what your going to experiance. and its a bloody good video tho.

pearse15 · Post by **pearse15** » 01 Feb 2005, 19:40

thanx for that mate, just ordered it off amazon for £8. Hope it's good. The XR looks the bollox, need to find the xr forum for some advice

Harry Carter · Post by **Harry Carter** » 01 Feb 2005, 19:47

£8 thats a good price seeming as we paid £18 as soon as it came out.
The video is about 7hrs long by the way so do get yourself comfordable.
With some beers

45grum · Post by **45grum** » 02 Feb 2005, 14:05

Hi there

I must agree with Fungus and say get a BMW GS but like fungus I am biased as i have an R1100GS fitted with Zega boxes which I bought for £2500 they are an acquired taste but once you get used to their quirks you would not swap it for anything ( cept a newer one with more toys on it ) they are good alrounders that will take anything in europe in its stride.
as for the route I am planning a similar jaunt but I plan to get ferry to Northern Spain then ride along the pyranees ( however you spell it ) through Andorra then south of France and up to the Alps and over into Italy then up to Switzerland then northern France and back home.

should be a nice long weekend.

Cheers Graham.

Harry Carter · Post by **Harry Carter** » 02 Feb 2005, 14:55

By chance any of you old boys got Remus cans on your bikes. Cause they sound awsum.......... I reckon there some sort of bug going around. All my mates have suddenly got BMW 1150GS's. I hope i don't catch this bug. Any way i ant bloody tall enough.

Fungus GS · Post by **Fungus GS** » 02 Feb 2005, 18:31

Remus end can & Y piece (replaces cat/collector box), K&N filter, R1100s inlet manifolds, Superchip, Hyperpro shocks, Adventure (30 litre) tank, alloy wheels with BT020's......

The list goes on.

Check out GS TT videos for some images & videos & information.

pearse15 · Post by **pearse15** » 02 Feb 2005, 19:33

like you say there an aquired taste. Just been watching those videos and they look ace. Just the thing got touring like you said. Hopefully that dvd will come tomoz, got plenty of time to decide what bike. so far

XR600
AFRICA TWIN
BMW GS1150

The trip u've got planned 45grum sounds awesome, when you planning on going? I'm hoping to go august september. Planning it now as i gotta get a bike first

cheers, pearse

Harry Carter · Post by **Harry Carter** » 03 Feb 2005, 11:39

Well its up to you what you want to ride. If you asked me i would say an Xr because there reasonably cheap, reliable, bullet proof and much more.............i think!

A African twin is just out of the question and i don't no anybody who's got one. And they bore me.

Bmw 1150GS's my old man would say choose this only cause he has one. But it depends on how much you wanna spend on this trip.

Anyway r u going to make a video out of this?

Harry Carter · Post by **Harry Carter** » 03 Feb 2005, 12:17

Hey fungusGS,

I am really shocked. I fort that you GS would be faster than my Crm

. jokin. My old man got the same bike as you so there must be some bug going around................................... scarey!. all of a sudden hes gone from a 955i trumph speed triple which had all the bits to a 900 Fireblade who the original owner had won the lottery(lucky ba#*!ard) to a Bmw from north oxford and it had a bent subframe, electric problems then it was only firing on one cylinder. But he still loves it and hes loving it up all the time. And hes Bmw problems have gone now. mabe all bmw's have to go through these problem to join the gang. Next minute everybody will have them and riding around like there

hells angles

.

Travelling round europe - the best way!

Travelling round europe - the best way!

what bike

8 quid

what bike/route?

remus

?

brrrruuuuuummmmmm!