We have just ridden 53,800 kilometers from Cape Town to Shanghai. 12,300 Kms were in China (incl. Tibet). I rode together with my girlfriend, who two months before we set didn't have a driving licence. We rode KTM 990 Adventures across Africa, Middle East and Europe and in China we rode the surprisingly good, CF Moto 650 TR which is the first good quality touring bike made in China. The next leg is Alaska to Chile and we will ride the new KTM/CF Moto Adventure bike. Our pictures and diary are at www.bigbiketrip.net
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Just got to the UK after spending the last 12 months riding 33,000 kilometers across Africa, the middle east and Europe and took an opportunity to test driven the Triumph Explorer, XC800 and Speed triple... The Speed Triple was by far the most fun followed by the XC800 which has a very sweet engine but I have doubts about its long term adventure ability. The Explorer was forgettable, not very well balanced and not that exciting and seems to be in the same category as all the big black tar bikes which look a bit adventure-like but are really roa...
We eventually arrived in the UK after riding 33,000 kilometers from our starting point in South Africa. Where we go from here is discussed in our diary at www.bigbiketrip.net. We looking for any views or suggestions on Americas route or west Africa routes.
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Video of KTMs riding from Cape Town to Hong Kong. So far 21,000 kms completed to Egypt. Next stop Turkey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X15RXT6GPe8...
Rupert & Fanny's Motorcycles and Kit for the Big Bike Trip
KTM 990 Adventure R - 2011
KTM 990 Adventure 2008
Extras for bikes:
Touratech aluminium 37 litre panniers and mounting frame; engine crash bars; KTM touring windscreens; heated handgrips; orange headlight protector; KTM tank bag; Touratach sump guard; heavy duty inner tubes; North Face water proof kit bags; Stotts steering dampeners; Ergo gel seat (except for Fanny who prefers the standard seat); Swing arm and front fork KTM Cape Town/WP protector stickers; Garmin Z...
Apart from very heavy down pours in Ethiopia, our KTM 990 Adventures hadn't been cleaned the entire trip and had gradually started to look a bit battle weary. They were both mechanically sound, but badly in need of a service. There was nothing really wrong with either of them, especially my newer R version, but I could tell from the engine sound and performance that the time had come to for them to visit the bike spa. The most pressing item was that the engine oil and filters needed changing.
It had been more than 9,000 kms since we left Na...
Fanny Fang, a former professional volleyball player from China has just ridden to Alexandria on northern tip of Africa having ridden 18,000+ kilometers across Africa from Arniston on the southern tip. No sponsorship, no fixers, no backup .... and with only 8 months of riding experience. We now have to cross either Libya or through Jordan and Syria to move on to our final destination in Shanghai. More challenges no doubt.
The trip, tips and details of the bikes are found at our two websites
http://www.bigbiketrip.net and Fa...
Latest chapters on Rupert & Fanny's Big Bike Trip at www.bigbiketrip.net.
Currently at Jungle Junction in Nairobi trying to get a northbound visa for Ethiopia (nearly impossible), deciding on tyres for our KTM 990 Advs for next leg, worrying about poor fuel, no fuel, riots, famine, bandits in north Kenya, routes out of Egypt (Ferry, Syria or Libya??) The beautiful and terrifying Lake Turkana route (Kenya/Ethiopia), and the other KTM 990s, 640s and beemers that have limped in or been carried to Jungle Junction because bad fuel has knackere...
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