A Bike To Travel The World?

Yes I like Shiraz also

 

I'd go with a CB500X fitted with Rally Raid mods. The motor is strong enough to cruise tarmac at decent speed all day but only sips fuel. Rally raid mods include spoked wheels and uprated suspension as well. Thing with spoked wheels is if you bash a rock the rim might buckle - on a tubeless bike you are then screwed as it will not hold air. Spoked wheel allows you to carry on and bash out the dent at a more convenient moment. This begs the question why you would have spoked, tubeless wheels. Unless it is a fashion statement on your coffee shop tourer. The other things about the Honda are total reliability and every mechanic on planet Earth knows how to fix one if it does go wrong.

 

If you are thinking of buying a bike in India, check carefully as I believe you need to be resident to buy one in your own name.

Itchyboots had to buy hers in her friends name, and travelling with a bike that is not in your name can cause problems at border crossings.

 

@SuperHans, have you watched "The Long Way Round" with Charlie Boorman and Ewan McGregor? Your posts made me this of this documentary series. It's quite an enjoyable watch plus may contain a few ideas related to your planning. If you enjoy it, there's a second adventure, too called "The Long Way Down".

 

The second series is terrific, SuperHans. Great adventures as well as videography. Enjoy!!

 

In both series they had a back up crew which must have made it easier for them

 

Yes, Tiglet, I'm certain the backup crew made it easier. Plus the two of them rode with a third person (can't remember his name offhand) who was the videographer. When Mr. Sandi and I first started watching Long Way Round, we commented that Charlie and Ewan were a bit wimpy to have that backup crew. But after watching the whole series, we definitely changed our tune! It was still an incredible--and incredibly difficult--journey even with the backup crew. Who, interestingly, were sometimes nowhere to be seen. One of the things I found fascinating was that the riders as well as the backup crew essentially had local "fixers" at most border crossings to facilitate into (and perhaps out of?) various countries.

 

If I remember correctly the guy who did the filming only past his motorcycle test a day or so before they departed London.
Now that’s more of an achievement in my eyes.

 

Yes, there was definitely an issue with the cameraman and his motorcycle test. What I remember is that he hadn't even passed his test before they departed and had to stay behind and catch up later after he did finally pass.. I think he actually failed it a time or two, also. Word was that he was a very good rider but had never taken a licensure test until he was hired for the trip. Maybe Mr. Sandi and I will rewatch the series--it was certainly a fun watch!

 

Right, I remembered there was an issue from when I watch the series when it was first shown here in the UK.