RTW with Noah on a KTM 690

[MeinMotorrad]

That Fiat Panda 4x4. These cars are pretty damn good off road and in the snow, they can keep a Land Rover honest!

Can't agree about Ford diesels though - the fewer diesel engines in the world the better.

I can't remember what your plans are for winter. How are you going to avoid the european winter. Fly to India or somewhere maybe?

[RoninMoto]

Originally Posted by MeinMotorrad

That Fiat Panda 4x4. These cars are pretty damn good off road and in the snow, they can keep a Land Rover honest!

Can't agree about Ford diesels though - the fewer diesel engines in the world the better.

I can't remember what your plans are for winter. How are you going to avoid the european winter. Fly to India or somewhere maybe?

I would love to try a panda in the snow.
It depends on the application and the fuel but diesel engines are much more efficient if done correct. It is much easier to make bio-diesel then it is to make a bio-gasoline alternative. The fact that they don't even offer a diesel in the US is why I bring it up.
I'm going to spend 4 months snowboarding in the mountains of Georgia. I will be trying to learn some Russian, getting visas and prepping the moto for Siberia in the spring. I hope to be renting a place by mid January. At this point it will be another type of Ride report for a few months.

[Cortez]

Originally Posted by RhinoVonHawkrider

Cortez - What no snowmobiles??

I'd be surprised if there's more then a couple of dealers in the whole country.
Those things cost twice as much here then in US, and peple here tend to
drive $2000 cars.. so.. do the math.

[Cortez]

Originally Posted by MeinMotorrad

That Fiat Panda 4x4.

Wish it was.
It's a rather big Fiat Doblo Cargo Maxi van.. FWD only.

[kwakbiker]

Great pics and update, was that a raised eyebrow smiley I saw for the fiat panda, crazy little things.....and speaking of eyes, that red haired lass has beautiful eyes

[Lutz]

Well, Noah, this is awesome! I can only imagine the experience. I'm loving the pics of the places, the people, the critters...my imagination runs wild. So many places/experiences I wouldn't want to leave behind, and yet so many I'd want to hurry up and get to.

I will say, though, some of my favorite pics so far are some of the crazy road signs... the car driving off the cliff into the ocean in Scottland... the car driving into the tree in Germany (?)... the child with the giant lolipop in Poland. Serious signs, but with sense of humor it seems to me.

Here's my small world story. C-zulu turned me onto this thread quite a while back (prior to the bike theft) - though I haven't been able to catch up until today. He told me there was a friend from Tofte taking this trip around the world. So as I was reading through the thread, I noticed people mention your parents & Cobblestone Cabins. In the back of my mind that got me to thinking about a past neighbor whose daughter ran the place. Eventually I came to this post:

Originally Posted by RoninMoto

...
June 23 Mille Lacs MN to Tofte MN. 236 miles/ 379 km
With all the rain in the past few days and flooding in Duluth we went north to Eveleth MN to see my grand parrents. The Mississippi was swelling up pretty bad and many of the roads we tried to ride were closed. It took about an hour longer to Eveleth then we had orriginally planned because of all the zig-zagging. We took back roads to the North shore. It is good to be back in fimiliar terratory!


My Gramps is coming round the world with me!


Uncle, Aunt, grams and gramps.
...

That's when I finally made the connection. My wife and I rented the house next door to your grandparents for a year or so, back in '05-'06'. It was nice to see a picture of them now. I had a some nice conversations with your gramps, and from the cobwebs I seem to remember him telling me about his engineer grandson about the same age as me. Now I know who he was talking about...it'll be nice to actually meet you sometime when you're back home.

Anyway, have a great winter, and I'll be tagging along watching you see the world. Good travels.

[levain]

Noah!

Jealous.........

[RoninMoto]

Originally Posted by Lutz

That's when I finally made the connection. My wife and I rented the house next door to your grandparents for a year or so, back in '05-'06'. It was nice to see a picture of them now. I had a some nice conversations with your gramps, and from the cobwebs I seem to remember him telling me about his engineer grandson about the same age as me. Now I know who he was talking about...it'll be nice to actually meet you sometime when you're back home.

Anyway, have a great winter, and I'll be tagging along watching you see the world. Good travels.

Its a small world man!

[MeinMotorrad]

Originally Posted by Cortez

Wish it was.
It's a rather big Fiat Doblo Cargo Maxi van.. FWD only.

I'm referring to the silver small blue 2 door Panda car.

[Cortez]

Oh, sorry.

I always wanted the newer one..


Also available with 4x4 and a 70hp diesel.

[RingGap]

Noah, good luck on your trip

My 2 cents experience " get rid of that Scotts stainless steel filter" I and others have experienced engine wear & damage......!!!!!
Metal mesh is 2D while paper types are 3D and collect / trap particles that will slip through mesh filters, sorry don't mean to hijack just
some sound life experience advice

[RoninMoto]

Originally Posted by RingGap

Noah, good luck on your trip

My 2 cents experience " get rid of that Scotts stainless steel filter" I and others have experienced engine wear & damage......!!!!!
Metal mesh is 2D while paper types are 3D and collect / trap particles that will slip through mesh filters, sorry don't mean to hijack just
some sound life experience advice

I always welcome advice

Is it bad if I will run them even if its as an experiment? I figure I have been running them for almost 50,000 km so I might as well continue. I love the idea of a re-usable filter.. its so nice not having to find filters in the middle of nowhere. ... so I'm hoping my luck? results? continue.

[RingGap]

You will probably be ok, ?
But the theories I have read by oil lube specialist say imagine a micro needle like object that could pass through the smaller micron metal mesh screen, logic says that if will also thru the larger micron paper element, but in practice the paper types have may micro hairs both sides of there flat surface which have much greater chance of trapping these particles, this is what has been analyzed via microscopes.
There are many opinions out there, but also I along with many others only run diesel HD truck oil Chevron Delo 400 / Shell Rotella 15w/40 (and there equivalents if it states approved by Cummins Cat Detroit) + paper elements filters in everything ; bikes - cars - trucks.
Modern oils are compromised race oils make more BHP but don't last long Motul etc and nearly all the syn's are compromised not to contaminate Cat's provide improved fuel efficiency etc etc.
Truck oils are the only oils tested to 1 million miles they work by keeping carbon - sludge - fuel - & metal particles separated not allowing these items to join up, among many other attributes.
Well i've said way too much here, i'm sure I will upset many people but just google it you will be surprised how many people on many different motor forums follow this philosophy, I'll trade a little less bhp in exchange for increased engine life.

Just do oil analysis now for couple oil changes then again after the switch proof is in the testing, any fleet truck place can do this for you until you leave the westernized part of the world.

Good luck.

[RoninMoto]

Originally Posted by RingGap

Yo
There are many opinions out there, but also I along with many others only run diesel HD truck oil Chevron Delo 400 / Shell Rotella 15w/40 (and there equivalents if it states approved by Cummins Cat Detroit) + paper elements filters in everything ; bikes - cars - trucks.

Oh no you didn't just turn my RR into the diesel oil discussion :

KTM says 10W-60 synthetic for my bike. So that's what i'm running in her. At a minimum if I have a problem and take it to a dealer they can't blame it on the oil.

[RhinoVonHawkrider]

Originally Posted by RoninMoto

Oh no you didn't just turn my RR into the diesel oil discussion :

Since we're talking about earl, I swear by