The WRONG Way Round.... on a Chopper!

[rtwdoug]

ok, so Im finally getting started on this ride report. Im in a hotel in france right now that has wifi (or weeefeee as the french call it) so I can upload some pics.
I did a thread in old skool on building this bike. its a 1962 Harley Panhead. I did a RTW trip on a 48 Indian in 06, & wanted to see if a Harley would do as good. I probably wont do alot of text on here, as Im doing more in depth on my webpage, but I'll add a vew stories & some pics as I travel.

!st I ride to Toronto, where me & the bike catch a flight to Glasgow, Scotland. From there, a week in Ireland, then over to Brussels, where I meet my G/F Polina, who is flying up from Bulgaria. We'll buy her a bike there, & she'll travel with me back to BG. I'll head north to Moscow, then east across Russia to Vladivostok, then Japan, then fly to the west coast & home. I should be home by the 1st of October. I hope. hahaha

and yes, I know Im an idiot, as I have a perfectly good triumph tiger collecting dust in my garage. I dont have an entourage, a camera crew, or a huge TV sponsorship. Im not using a free bike for promotional purposes.
and I probably wont cry into a camera after a hard day.
So I'll never be famous.







the obligatory ADV sticker, courtesy of JohnTM


Outside The Horse chopper mag office, I'll be doing stories for them as I travel.



bike crated & ready for flight!

[Gadget Boy]

Man that's ballsy doing that kind of riding on that bike! Good luck and keep us posted You could say it's the hard way around too!

[petefromberkeley]

You forgot to tell them about this: http://www.k1tracking.com/dougdemoprompt.html

It's super cool. You can see where doug is on a map that you can zoom or from a satellite photo that you can also zoom. And it updates every few seconds. I've been checking in on him since he left (I was following his build thread).

Check out the brass knucke kick start and Lennin head gear shift knob on that bike. Class.

Have a great ride dude.

[knybanjo]

I've been following the GPS tracker...



p.s. how do you feel after riding a hardtail through the Irish countryside?

[ElGringo]

Dude, Ive been waiting on this one! Way to go.

Hope you have an awesome ride!

H

[rtwdoug]

I met up with some of the Ontario ADV guys, they offered me a free dinner in exchange for showin pics of my 06 RTW trip. Hey, free food? Im in!

Got to Scotland ok, except for a hassle at customs (for me, the bike was easy) but they let me in, so off I went. Went into Galway then headed south along the coat to catch a boat to Ireland. It was raining. Well, I thought it was rain, but some old guy said it was only a 'light scottish mist'
I was starting to miss having a front fender, but hey, its a chopper! so I tied a rag around the forks. it helps a little.











bike tied down on the boat to ireland


I stopped at a local BMW dealer to buy a can of chain lube. and left a big harley oil/chain lube stain on their clean parking lot. They were cool tho, & didnt seem to mind. I dont think a bmw shop in the US would feel the same way.

[zataomm]

Ok, let me get a jump on everybody else and declare that this will be the best ride report of the year.

I am really looking forward to this!

Happy trails Doug - make Alabama proud.

[rtwdoug]

I met up with my friend Liam about 1/2 way thru Ireland. it finally quit raining. He showed up on his 46 Indian. and his goofy lookin don johnson rainsuit. it worked tho, it seemed to scare the clouds away. He lives in Limerick, which is famous for its poets.
'there once was a man from nantucket.....'








old prodestant church






Sump plug came loose, luckily it fell out as I got to Liams house, & also lucky it was laying against the frame. this woulda sucked on the road.

[gallinastrips]

Nice going and great trip. How about the Real Way Around

[petefromberkeley]

[I was starting to miss having a front fender]


Dude, you went from having the bike with the most front fender in history to none at all.

[petefromberkeley]

Originally Posted by gallinastrips

Nice going and great trip. How about the Real Way Around

The Old Skool Way Round

[petefromberkeley]

So we have one ADVrider going around the world on a clapped out 50cc Honda moped and one on a chopped Pan. I love this place!

Anyone who does it on a BMW is just a pussy.

[tslewisz]

Originally Posted by petefromberkeley

...Old Skool...

I hate that phrase. Gonna love this thread, though!

[rtwdoug]

I rode down to a biker party near Cork (I'll be going to many biker parties as I travel, they are big fun!)
Lots of nice guys there, and the entertainment was fat old strippers, while the band played 'whole lotta rosie (no, I ant makin this shit up) I'm not gonna post pics of em tho, as I'd get banned....hahaha

I won an award...


and I found out my new tent is waterproof. this is good.

some cool bikes were there





after the party, a guy took me to a shop, Kaos Kustoms. Gary has a nice shop, & deals with many older Harleys. My primary chain was worn out. Seems I lost a tranny adjuster bolt (hey, its a harley....) and the tranny musta cocked sideways a little, & ate the chain. he let me use his shop, & gave me a good used chain, as he didnt have a new one. He even hooked me up with a spare, & wouldnt take a dime from me. Very cool guy.







behind a local pub


Liams BMW streetfighter. I have dibs on it when he gets tired of it. I'd LOVE to take this to a BMW rally. I'd get rocks thrown at me Im sure!



I took the ferry to france, & heading to Brussels tomorrow, with a stop off at the D-Day beaches. I'll add more later.

Doug

[Asphalt Rat]

Congratulations, an amazing ride, I'll keep checking. keep going