2. The Story today….
Introduction's
The humble beginning
Plans, aspirations and preparation
The exciting bit !
◦ Australia….twice
◦ South America, plan, what plan ?
Lessons and still learning
So what next ?
Q & A
4. Plans, aspirations and preparation
So where to start?
◦ The bike
◦ Lots and lots of kit !
◦ The dreaded paperwork
◦ Health, fitness and safety
◦ Getting there
5. Stock KTM 690 Enduro R
Rally Raid Evo 2 KTM 690 Enduro R
6. The bike
2015 KTM 690 Enduro R
◦ Why this bike ?
◦ Key modifications
◦ Rally Raid Evo 2 full kit
◦ 4 fuel tanks, 27lt = 650km range
◦ Suspension
◦ Full Akrapovic
◦ ‘Woody's Wheel Works’ custom build wheels
◦ Evo Airbox
◦ Fuel and air filtration
◦ Luggage racks & soft luggage system
◦ Scotts rotary steering damper
◦ GPS mount
◦ Renzco seat
◦ Michelin UHD tubes
◦ USB charger
◦ Automatrics GPS/GSM tracker
◦ ‘Hard’ parts protection
◦ TM design works chain guide
13. Plans, aspirations and preparation
So where to start?
◦ The bike
◦ Lots and lots of kit
◦ The dreaded paperwork
◦ Health, fitness and safety
◦ Getting there
14. Australia…..twice
A shaky start
Bedding in on the east coast
Cross Australia…..the hard way
Rest, recuperation and the tourist route east
Sydney and planning for the crossing the pond
16. South America…..who needs a plan
Culture shock and Colombia
Getting into the flow in Ecuador
The highs and lows of Peru
Chile….its just goes on forever
Bolivia….14 days of adrenalin and desperation
Chile, again
Tierra del Fuego…special mention
Argentina at last
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22. So what actually did we do for 6 months ?
“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So
that you can see the place you came from with new eyes
and extra colours. And the people there see you
differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not
the same as never leaving.”
― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky
23. So what actually did we do for 6 months ?
33,632 km's travelled
200 days on the road
Crossed the equator
6 times Hospitalisation
once !
Via 10 border crossings, 4
deserts and the Andes top to
bottom
Travelled through 2
continents and 7
country's
5 long haul flights, 3
shipments for Katie, 4
ferries
Katie; 4 major services, 2 minor, 4 minor
technical issues, 2 punctures, 7 sets of tyres
used, 10 oil changes, averaged 23.8km's per
litre (that's over 1,413 litres !), and ZERO
breakdowns
Round the World
once !
Lodging v camping
60/40
Quality = incalculable
Difficulty = moderate
to extreme
Effort = a lot !
24. Lessons and still learning
How did the bike and kit perform?
What was the biggest challenge?
What will I do different next time?
What was the best bit (and the worst !)
25. …..what’s next then ?
Major bike rebuild & website updates
2017 planning
5 continents left & lots more challenges !
Aisa – Russia, STANS, Mongolia, BAM
Africa
North America – Alaska, Rockies, Utah, Baja
Agenda
Aiming for 40 min presentation
A short collection of photos from Aus and SA and an edited 5min video on each
Followed by 20min Q&A but happy to take questions throughout
Try not to do death by holiday pics – focused mainly on the how and the where
First airing of this presentation so any constructive feedback would be great
My background and experience as a rider
What drives me
How did I get the opportunity
Hardest part – making the decision to go
Why – search for a bigger adventure, what's over the horizon feeling
When – gave myself a year out, needed to balance the seasons/weather
Where – started thinking east then decided on Aus and Dakar, easy bit first !
What for – to see what's over the horizon, personal drive to get my mojo back !
Objectives – Cross Australia the hard way)
Bonus of friends in Sydney
Meeting up with the Dakar 2016
As much off road as possible and off the tourist trail
Solo
Camp v lodging
Go over the bike choice. Starting with 1190 – 690 adventurised. Bike weight, off road capability, known package, crash proof !
Summary of objectives behind all the kit, solo = must be self sustainable
Lightweight
Durability
Performance
Serviceability
Luggage
Camping gear
Tools
Spares – used Rolling Hobo etc, planned for service stops/drops. Changes set throughout
Advice and guidance
Paperwork
Carnet for Australia, not required for SA
Bike documentation, insurance etc
Flights, passport, IDP, Travel Insurance for off road stuff and motorcycle travel
Health
Eyes !
Hand op
Boots/Doctors health travel check, vaccinations and tablets, malaria etc
Travel/health insurance
Personal fitness
Safety
Tracking for both me and the bike, technology
De Lorme Inreach SE
Bike Automatrics
Checked in daily on/off road
Bike shipping
Motorfreight
In and out of Aus and SA
Customs clearance
Aus – getting the bike out of customs
Where next ?
2 weeks up the east coast, a little off road and camping. Meeting DarrenAirlie Beech for 31st Aug start
Cross Australia
Week in Perth and servicing the bike
Tourist route across south of Aus, Nullabore etc
Sydney, servicing bike, planning shipping.
Bike key points
Only one major failure (but no breakdown) clutch in Simpson
A couple of minor fuel leaks, both in Aus
Lack of shakedown time
Learnt lesson of quality and frequent oil changes
Obsessive about fuel quality and filters
Suspension pretty harsh, compromise between endure and adventure bike
Plenty enough power
100% best choice of bike for terrain
Could lighten further
Tyre wear
Kit
Just about everything was 100%.
Adventure spec panniers, great crash protection !
Camping gear, could go lighter still but compromise comfort
Tech flawless
Camera v iPhone
Biggest challenge
Solo and language and how I coped
The Simpson without doubt hardest riding
Different – not a lot
Language skills
More confident in bike servicing/tyre changing
Best bit – completing the Simpson/cross Aus
SA – Punta Olimpica and Oxapampa
Worst – 100% Bolivia hospitalisation and missing the Dakar