J.O.G to MUK

mt60

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2011
J.O.G TO MUK
An advanced warning for the Mods on Ride Asia, some of the post may need moderating just in case a few naught words do appear from time to time. 555
In the later part of the UK summer 2012 I will be riding from John O Groats to my home here in Mukdahan on the Laos /Thailand border, many people have asked why? My parents think I am having a mid life crisis and the rest think I am talking crap, or have started taking drugs.
The reasons why? I don’t actually know why but its seems like a good idea at the time the second reason and now the main reason is to raise money for a local Orphanage here that looks after about 75 children with no parents and HIV in Yasothon.
Then reality hits, WTF am I really doing I need a bike, gear, visas and my head examining so where do I start, so I decided buy a bike then your arse is against the wall as the bike will be in Scotland and I am in Thailand, so I started looking about for a decent bike that won’t break the bank, super reliable big fuel tank, started looking at GS1200 ADV, F800 GS, 990 KTMs Super Tenere and the 660 Tenere, the first two where eliminate straight away as I have had a new G1200 ADV in New Zealand and proved not to be reliable in fact I must say it was a crap bike very much overrated in my opinion{ and we all know about opinions!}. So to keep it short I decided on a Yamaha XT660Z looked on EBay UK and found new ones could be picked up for 5700 quid, got the old Man to make contact with a local company to find me a nice new blue one. The same evening as I spoke to my Dad I was trolling the bike classified in the UK and found a 6 week old black one with 600 miles in Cambridge advertised at 4700 quid, being a tight arsed Yorkshire man I thought I will ring him and make an offer he would not take to test the water, the twat had the last laugh he accepted my bid of 4200, wish I had bid him 4000.
So that’s basically how the bike came about, and now I am committed the old man did say he does not want this fking bike in his garage for the next 5 years.
TBC
 
mt60 - sounds like a very exciting trip, any help or information you need along the way, please put here and we'll do our best to assist (maps, mechanics etc...)


Look forward to seeing the trip unwind.
 
Good luck mt60

Sod the language, we like it real & dirty on this forum!

:DD

mt60 said:
J.O.G TO MUK
An advanced warning for the Mods on Ride Asia, some of the post may need moderating just in case a few naught words do appear from time to time. 555


Ally
 
Yes i did here that on the Grape Vine about Phil.
Still Planning at this stage, will post route tomorrow as things have change week to week and with Iran over the last few days, so will head North, F them will spend my money some where else. So its a detour round the Caspian now.
 
mt60 said:
Yes i did here that on the Grape Vine about Phil.
Still Planning at this stage, will post route tomorrow as things have change week to week and with Iran over the last few days, so will head North, F them will spend my money some where else. So its a detour round the Caspian now.


With all the recent UK-Hate in Iran, with your British passports, might be best to give Iran a miss.

Are you getting Carnets? I'm told if you avoid Iran, it is doable without Carnets?
 
Hi Phil
Yes there will be no Carnet for me, that was the problem with Iran so i am glad the UK and Iran have fallen out, just means a few 1000km more.
My Oridginal plan was to cross the Caspian sea Baku to Turkmenistan but i have been told i need a guide there and with the irregular ferry service, i have heard of travellers waiting 7 days for a ferry, which would totally f things up as i need to be on the China border on the exact date and time.
So now plan to pass from Turkey into Georgia have a blast in the Tbilish mountains, then try to cross into Russia, but here may be a problem as these two contries have recently been fighting, if i cant cross will ride back into Turkey and take a ferry to Russia these run every other day.
So as you can see the world is a fked place and the exact route will depend on who is not fighting with who, so with this in mind i will have to build a 5/6 day buffer to allow for all problems on the way.
I will be allowing;
12 days to arrive in Turkey
30 days to arrive the border Kyrgyzstan/ China
35 days in China to Laos border
7 days in Laos to Muk or Ubon
A grant total 12 weeks and approx 18000km

Route.
UK
France
Luembourge
Germany
Austria
Hungary
Romania
Bulgaria
Turkey
Georgia
Russia
Kazakhstan
Uzbekistan
Kyrgystan
China
Laos
Thailand.
 
Here is the list of items i will be fitting to the bike and taking with me, it changes week to week but any ideas or things i have missed please reply.
Bike Gear 2012 trip.


BLUE. Bits to be ordered later
RED. Bits on the way
BLACK. Bits to be ordered
# Bits here

1. Green Snot tyre gew 10.00#
2. Sump Guard, Guard it Tech 200#
3. Engine guard. Givi TN348. 162.00#
4. SW Motec foot pegs. 0 here versys 0#
5. Panniers Ard Cases UK and Pannier rack Holan fixed type. 520 Ard cases uk 555#
6. Top mounting plate UK firm. Guard it Tec 72 advspec 72#
7. High front mud guards. Off the Road DE 33.26#
8. Garmin world map 010-10215-01. Version 5. 47.98 eBay 47.98#
9. 12v Aux sockets. Two dash mount eBay 14 nov 13.58#
10. Piper Cross Air filter uk. 25.95#
11. SW Motec centre stand. Off The Road De 101.20#
12. Garmin 660 screen shade eBay. 6.70#
13. Holan head light protector. 60 ARDcase, to be delivered with panniers. 60#
14. Gold fren brake pad set. 30ebay 30#
15. Touring screen. Light tint Skid mark UK 80mm up 45.00
16. Garmin Zumo 660 pre loaded Europe, Pentagon free del 398.31#
17. Touratec 660 lockable mount 01-065-0520-0 92.57
18. Tank Bag. Famsa 109.96 advspec 109.96
19. Air Hawk seat. 79 eBay One on eBay 79
20. Bark Buster hand Guards. 91.86 advspec 91.86#
21. Magnetic oil plug. Off road De 5.50#
22. Tool Tubes. 12.51 advspec 25.02#
23. Fuel sack 12L from Auz
24. Water can. Waiting Ardbox
25. Rok straps. 2 pairs 8.99 18.00
26. Get Geared 50L bag waterproof. 21.95
27. Oxford heated grips EBay 45.00
28. V system Scott Oiler Amazon 54.00#
29. S/H sheep skin cover 15.00#
30. Scala Rider headset 60.00#
31. Bum Bag. 0#
32. 12Volt 100watt Inverter 20.00#



Spares.

1. Chain sprocket kit. DID 520 vmx-110 102 eBay 102#
3. Oil filters. Hiflo 3no 9.64 delivered eBay 9.64#
4. Spark plugs CR7EIX NGK iridium 2no delivered 10.87 10.87#
5. Original Brake Pads ones 500 miles. 0
6. Clutch cable. Off the road DE 12.45
7. Inner tubes H/D front and rear. 22.96 each 17/21 36.00#
8. Chain Links. Off Road DE 10#
9. Helmet visor Spare, Shoei DS. 39
10. Tyres Michelin Sirac F and R 165
12. Fuses
13. Cable ties assortment
14. Elect tape
15. Repair tape 10
17. Bulb Set.
18. Scott oil 10#
19. Engine oil 1 Litre.



Tools

1. Tyre spanners. Set 2 eBay delivered 7.00#
2. Rim protectors. EBay 5.14#
3. Spoke spanners. Own one 0#
4. Chain Riveting tool EBay 37
5. Spanners set. 0
6. Screwdrivers set. 0
7. T handles mini. Motion pro Tri drive 15.00 advspec 15#
8. Rear wheel spanners 22/24mm 0#
9. Puncture repair kit. 5.00#
11. Air Pump. Stop N Go Thailand 0#
12. Valve tool 0#
13. Plug spanner 0#
14. 14mm Hex key front wheel 0#




Gear

1. Camel Bak Rouge2011 3L 30 eBay 44.00#
2. Jacket and pants Revit Defender GTX. Panda Rider Thailand 0#
3. Gloves. Akito Edge 14.99 EBay 14.99#
3. Two pairs MX riding gloves 0#
4. TCX. X force. EBay 84 delivered 84.00#
5. Tent. Gelert Solo tent 25.99 Tents and Camping 25.99#
6. Mattress. Outwell self inflating 18.00 Tents and camping 18#
7. Sleeping Bag. Coleman Xylo 20.59 20.59#
8. Socks. Oxford scooter sock eBay. 7 pair 28
9. Shirts. 0 0
10. Pants, Track suit pants light 0
11. Under pants. 0 0
12. Swimming trunks. 0 0
13. Light shoes. 0 0
14. Water purifier Tablets. EBay 4.00#
15. First Aid. EBay 5.00
16. Washing powder. Thailand sachets 0
17. Helmet Tubes 0#
18. Toiletries, tablets diorea, iodine etc 0
19. Water proof suit, Get Geared UK 39.95
20. Survival suit and blanket. 2.00#
21. World paper Maps. 40.00#
22. Garmin Etrex backup 0#
23. Head torch
24. Army Knife
25. Lighter
26. Medical Insurance
27. Bike Insurance
28. International Licence
29. UK driver licence
30. Vaccinations
31. C cards, D Cards
32. Euros/USD/British Pounds Cash.
33. Phone sim worldwide coverage/ China sim
34. Hydration sachets
35. Pain Killers
36. Antiseptic cream.
37. Mozi spray.
38. Electrical adaptor
39. Sun Glasses
40. Glasses 2 pairs
41. Telephone EBay water proof quad band
42. Tubes Epoxy Metal
43. Thermal Underwear for the Himalayas
44. Eye drops
 
This is the planned China route, its going to be my best adventure yet.
DAYS PLACE TO PLACE DAILY KMS MAIN ATTRACTIONS
1 Arrival in via Turgart - Kashgar 60 Border paper works & riding to Kashgar
2 Kashgar- police station - Kashgar 90 motorbikes' checking for the number tags & driving permits.
3 Kashgar - Tashikorgan 260 Karakuri Lake en route.
4 Tashikorgan - Kashgar 260 Stone Fort,Karakuri Lake en route
5 Kashgar sightseeing 90 Abakh Khoja Tomb, Id Kah Mosque, Sunday Bazaar & Old Town.
6 Kashgar -Yecheng 260
7 Yecheng - Mazha-Dahongliutan 500 Cross the checking point & bike to high altitude area.
8 Dahongliutan - Songxi 250 Beautiful nature, Antelope
9 Songxi-Dormar-Bangong Tso (Ritu) 260 Bangong Tso Lake
10 Bangong Tso Lake-Shiquanhe 170
11 Shiquanhe-Zhada 350
12 Zhada sightseeing Ruins of Guge Kingdom, Toling Monastery
13 Zhada-Mt.Kailash-Lake Manasarova 270 Zhada Mound Forest
14 Lake Manasarova-Payang 280
15 Payang-Saga 280
16 Saga-Jilong - Tingri 250 Pikutso Lake
17 Tingri - Base Camp of Mt. Everet - Tingri 200
18 Tingri - Xigartse 240 Tashlunpo Monastery,
19 Xigartse-Gyangtse- Lhasa 360 Pelkhor Choede, Yamdrok Lake
20 Lhasa sightseeing Potola Palace,Sera Monastery
21 Lhasa sightseeing Barkhor Street,Jokhang Temple, Tibet Museum
22 Lhasa- Nyingchi 400 Tingri and then onward to Zhangmu Pass. T
23 Nyingchi-Bomi 180 30km bad hilly road & destroyed by floods almost every year.
24 Bomi-Bangda-Zuogong 400 Ranwu Lake
25 Zuogong-Markham-Deqin 350 road renovation from Zuogong-Markham and now it opens at night
26 Deqin-Shangri'La 180 road renovation now,Dukezong Old City
27 Shangri'La sightseeing Songzanlin Monastery,Napa Lake
28 Shangri'la-Tiger Leaping Valley 200 White Water Terraces,cycling along the east line(new tar road)
29 Tiger Leaping Valley-Lijiang 90 Middle Tiger Leaping Valley Treking
30 Lijiang sightseeing Lijiang Old City
31 Lijiang-Dali 200 Dali Old City, Three Pogadas
32 Dali-Jingdong 230 Hilly road
33 Jingdong-Puer 310 Hilly road
34 Puer-Mohan Pass 350
35 Drive out of China
 
Yes Phil
planning, buying has taken me 6 weeks, been on the internet 6/8 hours everyday, feel drained, how people work on computers all day for a living is beyond me.
Visas will be done nearer the time
Just renewing my UK passport, drivers Licence and International Licence.
Heading to the UK in Feb to spend 1 week kitting the bike out, panniers etc, wiring, GPS mounts and see what room all my gear will take up so i can order two water proof bags to sit on top of the panniers.
The hardest part is the bike is in the UK and i am here, would love to spend a few hours each day riding the bike and fitting all the accessories, but i suppose if it was all easy ,it would not be an adventure of a life time.
So the testing time for me and the bike will be the ride from lockerbie to John O Groats and back after that the trip is on.
 
We should probably make the beginning of this thread a sticky as it's a fantastic packing list for someone planning an extended trip. I admire your organization.
 
Back
Top Bottom