RTW on a thumper...KTM - LC4 Round the World ADVenturization

[AndyT]

Originally Posted by IRIDE56

and any thing past Mexico the paper maps are a bitch to track down,,,
Thanks
Mike

Try these guys: http://www.itmb.ca/ Their stuff is available on Amazon, or at Barnes & Noble.

[Adv Grifter]

Gore-tex gear works better in COLD than in heat. And don't forget doing S. America means just as much COLD as heat. Once you're up in the Andes of Ecuador, Peru', Bolivia and Patagonia ... it's cold, rainy windy.

So you need gear to cover both situations.
In heat I wear dirt riding gear with my own elbow, knee, and back protector.
My jacket has armor removed, I just wear it OVER my armor ... and in heat strap it back of bike. Simply, cheap rain gear adds extra warmth over any decent riding jacket.
I wear leathers in cold. I carry both. The dirt pants pack down to nothing and leathers are good up to about 85F.

Honestly guys ... you really don't need a $1250 made in China Klim jacket.
Sure, they are well made and designed. But there's much more to it ... it's really a simple issue.

[Dracula]

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

Gore-tex gear works better in COLD than in heat. .

My Goretex REV'IT! Everest GTX Jacket stayed at home for my Alaska trip. Too hot when when is hot and not enough warmth due to it's breath-ability when really cold. And I had plenty of both extremes with 40F in Alaska and 125F coming back in July last year.

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

Honestly guys ... you really don't need a $1250 made in China Klim jacket.
Sure, they are well made and designed. But there's much more to it ... it's really a simple issue.

Totally agree, all in one suit compromises don't work for me in extremes of heat or cold.
Just used the REV'IT! Sand which works well in hot weather, supplementing with layers and a Motoport rain suit on really cold and or rainy days.
For all in one, my 10 year old Roadcrafter still rocks, but has it's limitations. At least they custom make them to your size and you can get it repaired for many years since the company stands behind their product.

[sonnyboy]

Originally Posted by rtwpaul

must be that sign of dementia, Thanks enjoying the the places you showing and taking the good with the bad.

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by AndyT

Try these guys: http://www.itmb.ca/ Their stuff is available on Amazon, or at Barnes & Noble.

+1 on this for paper maps, they are usually the most up to date out there, but buy them in the states, difficult to find once you are south of the border... and if you use GPS get your maps from http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ they are free and updated a lot

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by Dracula

Totally agree, all in one suit compromises don't work for me in extremes of heat or cold.

true but if you are on the road for very long periods you just have to deal with it, or end up looking like a pack mule

Originally Posted by Adv Grifter

Honestly guys ... you really don't need a $1250 made in China Klim jacket.
Sure, they are well made and designed. But there's much more to it ... it's really a simple issue.

this is so true, in the 80's and 90's i did long trips 15,000 miles plus wearing jeans and a leather jacket, and carrying fishermans waterproofs...don't let the budget of riding gear stop the overall objective 'THE TRIP' get what you can afford and go, it'll all work in the end

[Dracula]

Originally Posted by rtwpaul

true but if you are on the road for very long periods you just have to deal with it, or end up looking like a pack mule

You are absolutely right and it's a PITA to deal with

Proof of my own lack of packing skills. I hope next trip I'll be wiser.

[sturmgewehr]

Originally Posted by rtwpaul

so my main focus in Kansas was Garmin and my now defunct Garmin Zumo 550, i was kind of using Kansas as a good excuse not to have to ride all the way across Texas again...seeing i did that in June this year already

so off to head office...

i walked in the front door, grubby dirty adventure rider, not knowing what to expect...what i got was the warmest welcome, the epitome of professionalism from EVERY single person i spoke to, even people passing in the lobby (with Garmin Badges on) stopped to say hello, it was very refreshing and when i met "Mr. Zumo" he was the most helpful and professional of everyone i had met so far.

The Zumo 550 is now obsolete but Garmin are still having parts made but they are in short supply and as my luck would have it they were out right then, so i had two choices: wait for a delivery, there was a date but it was possible it could change (not good for a RTW rider) or an offer of a move to a different unit of my choice. They did not try and downgrade me, quite the opposite, i walked out with a new zumo 660 and all the fixings!!!

i left the building refreshed by the genuine care that was offered to me from a big corporation, and Mr. Zumo if you're reading this, thank you again

Had I been following along, you could have crashed at my place, I live 1/2 mile from Garmin! Enjoying the report.

[daveburton]

Hi Paul,

Hope all going well with yourself.

Thanks for the maps advice, I'm about to try and download some to see how they work.

Do you have a thread that covers the bike. With that kind of mileage it would be great to see what you did and why and what you thought was nice to have together with what you considered essential. A lot of people are using the Rotax based bikes for difficult terrain whilst others are choosing the KLR. The 660 seems to be the other option as it has injection and more power than the KLR and a bit more than the Rotax I think.

Would you use the same again.

cheers dave

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by sturmgewehr

Had I been following along, you could have crashed at my place, I live 1/2 mile from Garmin! Enjoying the report.

thats for the belated offer, if i am close to you again i'll contact you so we can have a drink

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by daveburton

Hi Paul,

Hope all going well with yourself.

Thanks for the maps advice, I'm about to try and download some to see how they work.

Do you have a thread that covers the bike. With that kind of mileage it would be great to see what you did and why and what you thought was nice to have together with what you considered essential. A lot of people are using the Rotax based bikes for difficult terrain whilst others are choosing the KLR. The 660 seems to be the other option as it has injection and more power than the KLR and a bit more than the Rotax I think.

Would you use the same again.

cheers dave

slowly getting things done here...

do smaller selections of the maps and save them as unique files (for example don't do the whole of south america, break into countries or regions) they are very detailed, more so than garmin of the similar areas

i have a report about all the upgrades and changes i did to the XT HERE

would i pick it again...yes for the type of riding i did want it for, a KLR isn't and will never be a bike i own for lots of reasons but i am changing my bike to something very different, its actually sitting in my garage right now...i'll fill in more details of what i'm doing/ riding in the coming weeks. too much other crap to deal with than that right now

[JDowns]

You bought a Super Sherpa? WTH?

Hey just kidding. You tease you.

Best,
John Downs
johnthomasdowns.blogspot.com

[daveburton]

Originally Posted by JDowns

You bought a Super Sherpa? WTH?

Hey just kidding. You tease you.

Best,
John Downs
johnthomasdowns.blogspot.com

Now you have me guessing.

Uly trike .... ??

dave

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by JDowns

You bought a Super Sherpa? WTH?

Originally Posted by daveburton

Now you have me guessing - trike .... ??

dave

here's a photo of the garage i just moved into and when i get a few minutes i'll get some shots of it...its under one of those covers

just a few pounds heavier than your sherpa John, more than double the horse power, and when i'm done with it i'll have 31 liters of fuel, and Dave its not a trike or a BMW

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by Dracula

Proof of my own lack of packing skills. I hope next trip I'll be wiser.

right back at ya...circa 1998 with TOO much luggage on a 19,000 mile road trip on a V Max of all things

note the high end riding gear we were talking about ...we don't need no stinkin' Goretex