The BAM Road - ultimate test of man and machine

[Bli55]

Look what I stubled upon, reading around russian "loaf of bread" forums.



quote:
"За время ожидания познакомились с двумя иностранными мотоциклистами, покоряющими Колыму на мотоциклах марки BMW. Первый из них - Вальтер, парень лет тридцати пяти, похоже, профессиональный путешественник, спонсируемый баварцами, второй, англичанин, катается с Вальтером на старости лет от скуки. Показали им буханку, объяснили, что выпускается она 50 лет без изменений и является "русиш милитари машин". Иностранцы очень удивлялись конструкции и аскетизму внутри, что ГУРа нет, кругом рессоры и в КПП всего 4 передачи. Так же они сообщили очень интересную информацию, что в Якутию и летом можно попасть минуя трассу М-56 с ее колдобинами, проплыв с Усть-Кута на Мирный на барже за четыре дня, и далее, по Вилюйской трассе, проехать в Якутск. Баржа стоит 4 тысячи рублей за один метр длины автомобиля, но мотоциклы вместе с ними довезли бесплатно, из уважения к ним."


...Walter, professional traveller, sponsored by Bavarians, second, englishman, riding around bored of his old age..


http://www.udarnik-truda.ru/puteshes...ladik-2009.htm

[tee bee]

I don,t think you will find Tony bored of anything, he's seems to be having the time of his life in moscow ...

[Colebatch]

Originally Posted by Bli55

Look what I stubled upon, reading around russian "loaf of bread" forums.

Yeah we met those guys on the Road of Bones. Moscovites who decided to buy a "loaf of bread" (wazzik / khleboboulka) and kit it out and drive to Magadan. The Olive green "loaf of bread" behind us was their vehicle.

[Don T]

This is without doubt one of the best RR's on ADVrider.
I have really enjoyed following the story and it has sharpened my appetite to explore the former USSR.

[Blackveg]

Originally Posted by Colebatch

Prices are unfortunately things that cant really be helped. The problem is in making a VERY low volume, large format book with lots of colour pictures. Each one of those factors makes it very expensive. Its not a universal consumption book that can sell 50,000 copies and retail at GBP 19.99.

It was suggested I do it like most of the other adventure motorcycling books out there, small format, black and white, just a few pages of pics, much less text, much more general thoughts than specifics to help it appeal to as wide as possible an audience and done it for a normal adventure motorcycling book price of about 15 quid. But the pictures are such a big part of the story. To not do a book with those pictures in it kinda isnt the result I was looking for. Even if it means only 100 books sell instead of 1000. Its a specialised book covering a specialised topic and the landscapes and images are, to me, a part of that uniqueness.

The sad reality is the adventure bike market is small ... really small. A top selling ADV book, like the new book in the Haynes series - Great Adventure Motorcycling Routes book is going to sell 10,000 copies or so - in bookstores around the world, promoted in magazines, 4th book in a well established series etc. Thats priced at 25 quid. For 264 pages. If a book like that sells 10,000 copies, then I am never going to sell more than a few hundred, at best.

So for someone trying to make a book with loads of colour pics that might sell a few hundred copies if you are lucky, its not a viable economic exercise at any price less than what it is. As it is, no-one makes anything out of it, and loads of people have donated all their time for free. So when someone is unhappy with the price, they are effectively unhappy that the book even exists. Because it cant exist at a lesser price.

The reality is some people will want to buy it, despite the fact that its not cheap. Not everyone, for sure, but some will. I know there are a lot of people who wont be able to afford it, but there is nothing you can do about it. As it is I am doing all I can. To buy it thru normal channels (even Amazon) it would cost a lot more,. By cutting out loads of layers and doing it direct thru Adventure Spec its a lot cheaper. Its a unique topic, full of unique information and experiences. I kinda hope that people who are prepared to pay 30,000 USD for a tour across Siberia would think that 49 quid ($75) for a unique insight and record as part of their preparation is not so unreasonable. So if even just a handful of people want to buy it, then its probably worth making the book. The hundreds and hundreds of hours that go into it will never be paid for. So you do it simply for the aim of sharing the experiences.

Its really not a choice to make the book a 49 pound book. The only alternative was to not make the book in the first place.

And after making it through this absolutely massive one month of your trek I want to hear the rest. It may take me a little while, but I will own this epic story.

Originally Posted by Colebatch

Of course there is ... who do you want me to get to sign it for you?

Well, Titanium Tony comes to mind! I even if I have to stand everyone for a pint of two, I can only imagine the stories get better!

[calibro]

I would never said it better....It is really fantastic

[Deseret Rider]

I am late but just finished this read----and find that the book is still available on Amazon (and other places) but in paperback only? I would have liked to had a copy in hardback? Wondering if anyone knows where a hardback copy can be had?

[6USMC6]

I've only seen it available in a soft cover edition and I don't believe it was available as a hardcover.

[WVhillbilly]

http://www.adventure-spec.com/defaul...-mongolia.html

[6USMC6]

As I said, softcover only.