In May We Trust

Hi achternaam,

Soz... This is a bit late, Ok, Ok a lot late.

Leave me alone I've been busy.

Geez I've bin puttin' in at the ranch. I've been knocking up a set of bookshelves from reclaimed hard wood. Sanding, sawing, and casting interesing objects into the gashes and divots in the timber. Finding a project outside my motorcycle obsession is quite therapeutic. A bit like the feeling of totally engrossed riding, focused on a relaxing task with no stress or deadlines, no phone or to-do-lists. Some folks like gardening but whenever I get out there I find myself loaded with a shovel and given "dig a hole" instructions. My back aches at the thought of dirt and weeds. Concrete the lot I reckon! Then build a shed over it.

The next daunting task is a shed re-organisation... err... re-disorganisation. I picked up some nice steel frames from the verge next door to HQ and a massively heavy TAFE door, it's time to replace the rickety old folding table I used as a worktop. My welding skills leave a lot to be desired so I won't be showing you photos of when it's done!

By the time you get this the words and photos from testing Triumph's new gen 1200 and 800 Tigers for Motorcycle Trader are hitting the shelves. I can't tell tales out of school but they didn't disappoint!  Technologically on the cutting edge, sophisticated and smooth as baby poo. As most of you know I had an 800XC and liked it, the new 800XCa is streets ahead of that one.

To follow that the upcoming edition of AMCN will have a review of the quirky and impressive new Africa Twin Adventure Sport DCT.

Brother Tontine is making noises about getting a bit of Western country. As soon as it rains significantly he'll be under employed and looking to get a dose of the New South Wheals outback. I'm sure the Bumblewee will be keen too. Cold mornings and clear warm days sound like a reasonable plan. Who cares where we end up. Not many corners out that way though but I guess that's the lure of that country.

Thermalz Fire Up

As the days get shorter, the team that does the real work are ramping up the crafting of our Thermalz. Every time I wear mine I'm still amazed at how light and comfortable they are. They seem to keep me warm without weight but adjust as the temperature creeps up. I've always been a sceptical bugger and thought it was all just marketing spiel by Merino floggers but I'm a serious convert. Part of the testing was to wear them away for a weekend ride and then every day at work the next week. I tuned the girls up to the fact that they needed to tell me if I was getting on the bugle. Come the end of the week I got a clean sheet in the stink department and gave the Thermalz a wash 'cause they probably needed it. No need to baby them, just chuck 'em in the washing machine on warm, they line dry quick sticks too. Click here for the webpage Yes, we make Ladies cut pants too. Tops Unisex.

A Quick 'ello Chaps

Hi everyone!

My name is Ian Fletcher and I left my home of Ross-on-Wye on the England-South Wales border UK on the 9th of April 2017 at the age of 21 in search of adventure, having never left home or travelled abroad alone before, with a goal of riding around as much of the world as possible as cheaply as I could. My steed? A 1990 Honda XLR 250 I pet named ‘Little Red’. I nearly completely rebuilt her in the months before leaving engine, suspension, bearings and making my own luggage racks and mounting a 22l fuel tank. In the end almost none of my preventative preparations made any difference as anything that could go wrong pretty much did!

I took the Ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao Northern Spain where I snaked between the French and Spanish Pyrenees to Andorra where I then blasted up the French/Italian Alps to Chamonix in the snow, then headed for sunnier climbs in Italy, across to Slovenia to then follow the beautiful coastal road down nearly the whole length of Croatia, unfortunately mostly in the rain! I then cut across through Bosnia, Serbia, followed the border with Romania, through the centre of Bulgaria, across northern Turkey following the Black Sea, Georgia and rode to the ‘Old military road’ through freezing cold and drizzle in the mountains to the Russian border and up to Volgograd then crossed into the vast steppe of Kazakhstan down to the lush green and snow tipped mountains of Kyrgyzstan to follow the edge of Uzbekistan to the border of Tajikistan where the roads went higher and higher, the mountains got bigger and bigger! I followed the Tajiki border with Afghanistan from Dushanbe taking the famous Pamir highway and Wakkhan Valley reaching literally breathtaking heights of 4600 meters! Around the border with China then descended back down to Kyrgyzstan and back to Kazakhstan and to the former capital of KZ Almaty where I spent 53 days of organising, much alcoholism, frustration and a rapidly declining bank account waiting for parts to arrive from the UK and Netherlands after the XLRs little engine lost compression due to low octane fuel putting a hole in the top of the piston! The day my parts arrived, I rebuilt the engine and was ready to hit the road the next!! This time I was joined by a Czech and two German motorcycle travellers.

We rode together to Russia where at Barnaul the Germans continued through Russia and myself and now good friend Antonin the Czech rode together through Mongolia’s remote North consuming much Vodka and dirt roads to Mongolia’s capital Ulaanbataar! 

After 5 and a half months from leaving the UK, I flew as planned to Melbourne Australia and took a bus to South Australia and bought a 2002 KTM LC4, rode to NSW to work on a farm and earn some money during the summer harvest. After summer I took the ferry and toured around Tasmania for a few weeks mostly in the rain!

What’s next? Well, this June I am competing in the infamous Tatts Finke Desert race on my LC4! So, for those going keep you’re eye out for number 254! After the race I’ll cross the Simpson Desert and then basically ride around exploring Australia over 3-4 months!

Hopefully I’ll keep you all updated on my Australian adventure and my lovely Avduro Pannierz via this Andystrapz newsletter! Or For more detailed Shenanigans follow me on Facebook at “Ian and the XLR-LC4”.

Ciao for now!

Nah, It's pining for the Fjords.

It never looks as steep or wet in the photos. The biggest problem is the distance to the ground from the seat!

Tunes 'n' Ridin'

Some days on the road require the head down bum up approach to riding, whether on a sports bike, Adventure rig or cruiser. Especially this time of year when the big yellow torch buggers off early, kays need to be knocked over with a diciplined approach.

Music in my head makes it so much more interesting and I reckon somehwhat safer. When the uninitiated start to get their head around the concept they often talk of not being able to concentrate. My response is "do you have the radio on in the car?" "Why?". Often the response is "along the lines of... To keep me alert, stimulated, or something like that.

Taking it that step further, stitching a winding mountain road together with a favourite sound track is one of the special times out there. And... making time on the long diesel strips with podcasts or talking books could save a life and/or sanity.

Old Faithfuls

I've made sure we have plenty of our socks on the shelves as the mecury slides. Made exclusively for us by Stockpile in Geelong. All Merino wool with some cotton reinforcing in the heel and toe they are a staple for many of our mates out there. $17 a pair or $46 for a three pack. Click here

 SW Motech Step Up

Our long association with our mates at SW Motech Oz has been snicked up a gear. We've been asked to be more active and essentially be the Melbourne contact point for all things SW. Of course we'll look after everybody no matter where they live.

Naturally we can't stock the whole range, sheesh HQ can't keep the shelves full. What we can do is show those who are able to pop into the showroom or suss out the best options for those who can't, then get it to you.

The first cab off the rank are their dry bags. I've checked them out over the last few months and they are top notch. A step up from the Ortlieb bags that are no longer stocked due to distributor changes.

The SW Drybags include tiedown strapping, reflective panels and a double adjustable belly strap. In grey or safety yellow, 35 or 60 litre sizes. The sixty is massive, but you don't have to fill it I guess.

Check out the new lines here

The V-Strom Update.

Bumblewee moves to completion as the SW Motech crash bars finally arrived. After a seaside holiday courtesy of Australia's Border Farce they have been slipped on with a set of the LED lights off the long lost Tiger.

This installment of the video gives you a closer look at the gear and how it went on. Unfortunatley the crash bars weren't immediately available so I've had a nervous wait for the crash bars and rear rack plate. I had visions of Murphy playing his part and having a rough road or parking incident, bruising the tank and cracking plastic. Fitting those, a new rear shock and a pair of driving lights will be featured in the next vid. Ride impressions and road testing too.

Click here for the vid

Photo - Wilko Photo - Motorcycle Trader

Mr Smith Tome

That's about all I have to write at ya for now.

Copyalater