Bikes & Kit

2017 – Vladivostok to London

After reading a number of blogs we decided to leave our bigger bikes at home and go with 2x Yamaha XT250’s this time – we feel the smaller bikes on the rougher terrain will work better for us, and they are still good on sealed roads too.

Modifications: (on each bike)

Fitted an Ohlins spring to the rear shock and improved the front springs

Sump Guard

Swapped out the footrests for Super Tenere footrests

Oxford heated grips

Barkbuster handguards

National Cycle Windscreens

Had a professional alter the seats

Happy Trails pannier and topbox racks

Andy Strapz pannier bags

Pelican case as a topbox

Small Oxford tankbag each

Fitted a PDM60 (power distribution module)

Wired in a 12v connector to charge accessories if needed while on the road

Tube inside rack on Janet’s bike. and a plate for the toolbox inside Charlie’s

Fitted Mitas EO7 tyres to front and back

Our kit:

Updated below

Spares:

2 inner tubes

Brake pads

Air filters

Front sprockets

2014/15 – The Americas – Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia

Charlie’s Bike – Yamaha 1200 Super Tenere

Named: Angus

Modifications:

Touratech panniers

Givi topbox

Sargent seat

Givi sumpguard

Givi engine protection bars

Touratech headlight protector (added later)

Touratech petrol carriers

Nitron rear shock absorber

Yamaha heated grips

Janet’s Bike – Yamaha XT660R

Named: Jet – as in “deep black”     “going somewhere”

Modifications:

We made a couple of modifications to lower the bike so I can now almost get my feet flat – I’m 5’6.  We changed the lowering links to longer ones to drop the overall height by 40mm, and reshaped the seat which lowered the bike a further 25-30mm

Added Andistraps soft luggage

Metalmule sumpguard

Givi screen

Renthal bars

Barkbuster handguards

Oxford heated handgrips

Ohlins rear shock absorber

Changed the exhaust, 2 into 1 with a Barrett muffler, dropping approx 10kgs weight

Added 110mm tube for extra storage in the space left vacant from the 2nd muffler

Yamaha topbox

Wired in a 12v connector to charge accessories if needed while on the road

Our Kit

Clothing:

We found some good tips when looking at other riders kit, so hope this list will do the same for someone else.

Charlie:

• Arai helmet – Chaser V / Vector 2
• Alpinestars Long Range 2 jacket     2017 Changed to Klim Badlands jacket and pants
• Draggin Jeans    (not for 2017)
• Spidi overtrousers    (not for 2017)
• Revit rain jacket and pants – Update: Charlie found the Revit pants leaked so changed them for his old faithful Teknic raingear
• Sidi Canyon boots
• 2x pair gloves – summer and Revit winter gloves
• Icebreakers – 2 long and 3 short sleeved t-shirts, 3 singlets
• Arcteryx sweatshirt – very lightweight but warm
• Ansai heated vest     (not for 2017)
• Jeans, shorts, togs
• Lightweight Nike shoes,  jandals
• Socks etc

Janet:

• Shoei helmet – GT Air
• Revit Indigo jacket – leaving the thermal liner at home as it can’t be worn on its own
• Revit Sand Ladies pants       2017 – Changed to Klim Altitude jacket and pants
• Revit rain jacket and pants
• Sidi Canyon boots
• 2x pair gloves – summer and Revit winter gloves
• Icebreakers – 2 each, long and short sleeved t-shirts, singlets
• Arcteryx sweatshirt – as above
• Macpac down jacket
• Ansai heated vest    (not for 2017)
• Jeans, skirt, togs    2017 – added scarf and long top for muslim countries
• Lightweight Nike shoes, jandals
• Socks, etc

Other

Camping:

• Wanderers Pod 3 tent
• Sea to Summit down sleeping bags
• Exped Synmats sleeping mats
• Silk liners
• Exped pillows

Technical:

• 2x Notebooks
• 2x Smartphones
• Sena SMH20 Bluetooth bike to bike intercom
• Tom Tom GPS   Update:  TomTom is great for North America and Canada but insufficient maps for Central and South.  Now using a Garmin Zumo instead.  Garmin have incomplete maps for Mexico Central and South, but you can download OpenStreetMap which is compatible with Garmin and is free.
• An excellent App – Maps.Me – doesnt need a signal and has helped us out often.
• Sony action cam
• Lumix camera
• ALL the chargers!
• USB multi box plus ordinary multi box
• 2017 – Inreach SE tracker

 Misc:

• First Aid kit, toiletries, clothesline
• Tool kit