Jammin thru the Global South

[linksIT]

awesome stuff as always thank you!!

[Jammin]

Yay!! I'm all thru with my exams and that means I'm done with my Masters of Science in Sustainable Development degree from SOAS I started it in 2010, when I began this motorcycle journey and studied while moving across the Global South. I did my research in the fields of rural Kenya and completed a thesis on gender and water management. Now when the results and certificate are released in December, I'll be all set to take the next step... to where exactly I don't know yet, but it'll come

I think I need a loooong vacation. Dreaming of some beach time in Mozambique...

New stator for sanDRina has arrived in Nairobi and parts from India have shipped Now to re-apply for visas that have expired and then it's on to rescuing sanDRina. My mechanic buddy in Kibondo has been texting me and says sanDRina's doing fine, just waiting for some new parts.

[MrBob]

Originally Posted by Jammin

Yay!! I'm all thru with my exams and that means I'm done with my Masters of Science in Sustainable Development degree from SOAS I started it in 2010, when I began this motorcycle journey and studied while moving across the Global South. I did my research in the fields of rural Kenya and completed a thesis on gender and water management. Now when the results and certificate are released in December, I'll be all set to take the next step... to where exactly I don't know yet, but it'll come

Following your thread has me quite curious about Africa. I see so many interesting faces in your photos; I'd love to have a conversation with these people and learn more about their lives.
Adding your academic credentials to your extensive and diverse travel experiences makes you a genuinely educated person, IMHO.
It's the incidences like mechanical breakdown that take us from the realm of tourist into adventurer but I'm glad your bike will soon be healthy again.

[WeazyBuddha]

Congratulations on the degree!!!

I've been following you for some time now. Have you considered just going ahead and going for the doctorate while you're still used to school work. I think you should, combined with your experiences it will open a lot of doors and you'll probably be able to make a more pronounced difference in whatever pursuits you choose.

[far]

Congratulations Jay on your Masters of Science and riding sanDRine thru the Global South

[AdventureAnimal]

Awesome stuff! Do you have any idea when you'll be hitting South Africa? Would be great to meet up and go for a ride. PM me.

[Rider14]

Please keep us posted on the install of the new parts, and congrats on finishing your exams. I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results!

And how's the substitute bike treating you?

- Dan

[Jammin]

Originally Posted by BushCaptain

Awesome! Thanks alot for the well written and explaining report. I hope your ride has taken you where you wanted to go ;) This gives me alot of inspiration, keep it up!

Thanks! Yup, the ride has definitely taken me where I thought I wanted to go when I dreamt up this trip

Originally Posted by SS in Vzla.

As always Jay, those have been very great and detailed updates.
Are you planning to visit some more of those countries on your way back north? Or your "vagabonding" time is running short?
Good luck on those exams

Thanks, buddy I think my route around Africa is changing and I might be coming back up this same way. Need to get some more information on things...
Well, I finally feel free after completing this Masters, so vagabonding is on! but I think I'd still like to finish up middle of next year...

Originally Posted by cwc

I don't know if you have checked this, but when the system is NOT working you can measure the high voltage to the CDI (Black wire and white wire) which should be a BIG signal at cranking speed like 80-200 VAC depending on what you use to measure it.

Similarly the pickup coil (blue wire and green wire) should be a very small signal, but should show up on low range of a VOM as a little blip each time the magnet passes the coil.

Either of those could fail such that they work cold, but not hot.

If you have signal both places then you could re-measure when the bike IS running to see if there is a difference.

Ill try that when I get back to the bike. I just hope all the parts I have are going to be all I need

Originally Posted by vintagespeed

loving the report Jay, i've got some catching up to do.

on the power problem, it sounds like a relay heating up & disconnecting power. then cooling off & reconnecting again.

also try some WD40 in your ignition switch and cycle it a few times, mine caused an intermittent misfire on my recent trip.

I asked about any relays in the system and seems like there's only the turn signal flasher relay. I'm taking almost a whole replacement charging system back with me and will spray WD there. Cheers.

Originally Posted by Ganjora

sorry the parts didn't work Jay.
looking forward to meeting you in SA.

Don't sweat it, Dave. I'll get to SA and we'll have a few beers

Originally Posted by linksIT

awesome stuff as always thank you!!

[Jammin]

Originally Posted by MrBob

Following your thread has me quite curious about Africa. I see so many interesting faces in your photos; I'd love to have a conversation with these people and learn more about their lives.
Adding your academic credentials to your extensive and diverse travel experiences makes you a genuinely educated person, IMHO.
It's the incidences like mechanical breakdown that take us from the realm of tourist into adventurer but I'm glad your bike will soon be healthy again.

Great, Bob, glad you can feel that from the photos and writing. I'm so glad I'm spending so much in Africa, even if most of that hasn't been on the bike, but that's allowed me to get a proper feel for each country and learn a bit more about how life goes here.
Thank you for those kind words. Much appreciated
Yup, breakdowns make for good stories

Originally Posted by WeazyBuddha

Congratulations on the degree!!!
I've been following you for some time now. Have you considered just going ahead and going for the doctorate while you're still used to school work. I think you should, combined with your experiences it will open a lot of doors and you'll probably be able to make a more pronounced difference in whatever pursuits you choose.

Thanks for the support! But no, I think I'm done with studying. PhD is interesting but not for me now. Let's see what I can do with this degree and experience when I get to India...

Originally Posted by far

Congratulations Jay on your Masters of Science and riding sanDRine thru the Global South

Thanks! I'm glad I could finish what I said I would do when I started this trip (at least on the academic side, now to ride to India )

Originally Posted by AdventureAnimal

Awesome stuff! Do you have any idea when you'll be hitting South Africa? Would be great to meet up and go for a ride. PM me.

I think now I'll be hitting SA around first half of December... I'll ping you when I get close.

Originally Posted by Rider14

Please keep us posted on the install of the new parts, and congrats on finishing your exams. I'm sure you'll be pleased with the results!

And how's the substitute bike treating you?

- Dan

Thanks, Dan! Yeah, so happy to be done with the studying and glad I could manage it all.

All the parts I need have arrived. Now, just need to mount new stator in side cover and wait for visas, then bus it down to Kibondo.

The XR250L has been a blast to ride! It's my first small-engined dirt bike that I've properly ridden and lived with for a while. What a hoot it is. It has a loud exhaust and a 50 tooth rear sprocket, so it just pulls like mad. Overtaking is so much fun But poor girl needs some work. I've taken her to Milan to get a proper servicing and we've found that the timing chain is worn, one exhaust rocker arm was worn out, kick starter has a crack in it. I'll give her back to Ash better than he gave her to me

[Jammin]

I got paid for my first writing gig! Chris Scott asked me to do a contributing piece on food in Latin America for the 6th edition of the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, which launches this Saturday. If you're just getting into bike traveling, this book covers most of the questions you'll have. But the answers will come when you hit the road...

[Jammin]

Update: I've received all the parts I need for sanDRina (CDI, wiring harness, stator and already have rectifier and ignition coil) but now get to spend some more time in Nairobi as I wait to apply for my new South African visa. They wont let me apply for a new one until my current one expires, which is in a week's time. In the meantime, I went to the Pakistani High Commission and picked up the application form specific to Indian nationals. The processing time is over two months and they want 6 copies of everything including every stamped page in my passport and 8 passport photos but the fee is only $1 I've contacted the helpful Pakistan BikersClub for references and a Pakistani friend in Nairobi is helping out

And then I'm working on the Iran visa. I used to live with this Iranian guy when I first got to Nairobi and just ran into him today and he said he'll help with the visa since he runs a travel agency.

This weekend, Im heading out to support my mechanic friend, Milan, in his first rally raid race. He's been preparing an old Honda XR600 and I designed and made a GPS mount for him Will be out in the bush as support crew with the fuel guys and taking some pictures of him. Should be fun to head out of town and see how a proper rally takes place.

[prince_ruben]

Originally Posted by Jammin

Update: I've received all the parts I need for sanDRina (CDI, wiring harness, stator and already have rectifier and ignition coil) but now get to spend some more time in Nairobi as I wait to apply for my new South African visa. They wont let me apply for a new one until my current one expires, which is in a week's time. In the meantime, I went to the Pakistani High Commission and picked up the application form specific to Indian nationals. The processing time is over two months and they want 6 copies of everything including every stamped page in my passport and 8 passport photos but the fee is only $1 I've contacted the helpful Pakistan BikersClub for references and a Pakistani friend in Nairobi is helping out

And then I'm working on the Iran visa. I used to live with this Iranian guy when I first got to Nairobi and just ran into him today and he said he'll help with the visa since he runs a travel agency.

This weekend, Im heading out to support my mechanic friend, Milan, in his first rally raid race. He's been preparing an old Honda XR600 and I designed and made a GPS mount for him Will be out in the bush as support crew with the fuel guys and taking some pictures of him. Should be fun to head out of town and see how a proper rally takes place.

Nice jay. Would love to see pics of the XR!

[eakins]

sweet! i have a blurb in there i wrote about traveling to mexico.

Originally Posted by Jammin

I got paid for my first writing gig! Chris Scott asked me to do a contributing piece on food in Latin America for the 6th edition of the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, which launches this Saturday. If you're just getting into bike traveling, this book covers most of the questions you'll have. But the answers will come when you hit the road...

[LXIV-Dragon]

Jay - great stuff as always

Almost unbelievable that someone would consider studying while on the road let alone a Masters! Wow Congrats!!

Double congrats on the publishing gig

Loving the panoramic photos.

Ride safe.

[Eagletalon]

Just got done with the last two pages of updates. So informational and rich in pictures like always. Stay safe out there and cant wait to see where this journey takes you next

Later
John