2up to India via Tierra del Fuego

[Saeed]

Great pics & report!
What a fantastic place to ride

[bananaman]

Originally Posted by 2uprtw

Hi Max, The pre-filter is next on my list (right after the fork). I already installed the spare and after the sandstorm I think it too needs to be cleaned. Will have to wait though as everything in Sucre is now closed due to elections tomorrow.
The frame is cracking because I own a crappy bike (oops, did I say that?). I meant to say we (as in you and I) own crappy bikes. Scratch all that, I love the 1100 despite the fact that it doesn´t seem to want to go more than a month without a major repair!

You never talk about your old 1150. Do you wish you'd kept it?

I think you're just in a stretch of bad luck. Or something unexplainable.

The KTM you saw in Peru also needed to be welded. The nut-case riding around the world on an R1 had to weld his frame. Sometimes frames break.

Suddenly I wondered about your rear shock. How is it holding up? Does it need re-charging? Are you bottoming out regularly? What kind of stress if breaking your frame? I've seen how you're loaded, and you don't seem too over-loaded. Marie can't weigh more than 95 pounds...

ps: In Guatemala I met a german guy on a '96 airhead gs/pd thing, two-up, loaded down with 75 (or was it 90?) liter bags ON EACH SIDE. He absolutely loved his motorcycle. Ours are at least as strong as his.

[2uprtw]

Originally Posted by CarSalesman

Don't condemn the fork tube from looking at a photograph. The camera could easily have induced distortion which would make it look bent to us. As an example, look at the curve in the outer fork casing, and for that matter the tennis net in the background.

In your situation, I'd put the seal in and run it.

This is correct. I checked the tube again and to the naked eye you can't see any bend in the fork. But I must say that photo sure made it look like a lost cause! Today the city has reopened and now we go hunting for a seal. If we can't find one I'm putting the whole thing back together.

You never talk about your old 1150. Do you wish you'd kept it?

I think you're just in a stretch of bad luck. Or something unexplainable.

The KTM you saw in Peru also needed to be welded. The nut-case riding around the world on an R1 had to weld his frame. Sometimes frames break.

Suddenly I wondered about your rear shock. How is it holding up?

No, despite the bad luck we are very happy with the bike. I just like complaining about the thing when it isn't working but I woudn't trade it in for anything. Two-up they handle great in everything except sand.
As for the rear shock, so far so good!
The starter on the other hand...

I think the only way for that tube to get bent on that style of suspension is to have something wrong with the A-arm mounts. You might take a look at the ball joint at the front and the rear pivots. Make sure you don't have a more serious problem.

I checked the ball joint and rear pivots just to be sure and thankfully all seems well.

[bananaman]

I forgot to mention that I had a fork seal fail last summer. I didn't do the repair myself (lazy-butt that I am, I took it to the dealer) but it seemed easy (and it didn't cost much).

Hopefully everything that's going to break will just hurry and break because you don't want things to break later.

Beemerboneyard.com has the best price I've found on starters. I'm on my 3rd. I paid $4500 for my bike, and I've put $750 into starters. Totally my fault, though.

You'll want to replace your starter before having to replace the fly wheel.

There's a thread in g-spot about rebuiling starters. Sometimes they just need a good clean-and-lube.

[AdrenalineRider]

Amazing stuff .... great report..... fantastic place to ride....

[growingthirst]

Hei!
I wish you all the best from Italy guys! It looks like the further I go every weekend with my bike, the bigger arre the adventures I am finding on the web.
Just take care and have a lot of fun
This is the trip of a lifetime, hoe I'll live this adventure too ASAP!

[2uprtw]

No trip to the Salar is complete without a visit to the train cemetery just 3 kms from Uyuni. Most of you have probably seen pics of it before but here are a couple of ours...

[Frgich]

the second one is oustanding, post some more please

[Martincito]

Awesome trip man!
Is everything goes as planned soon I will be doing the same roads.

Let me know if you need any help in Argentina. I was born in Comodoro Rivadavia (Patagonia) and still have a cousin down there. Also I have my best friends in Buenos Aires and they will help you with anything if I ask them.
Good luck!
Keep posting

[2uprtw]

Originally Posted by GSdiablo

I have the same bike and if you really "need help" PM me

keep updating!!!!

Thanks for the offer! Update coming up in a few minutes...

I just came accross your ride report! I have trully enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your trip with us...

Happy you like it! As for the sharing, it gives me something to do between repairs!

What a fantastic place to ride

Amazing stuff .... great report..... fantastic place to ride....

Definetely! You just open the throttle and go...

Hei!
I wish you all the best from Italy guys! It looks like the further I go every weekend with my bike, the bigger arre the adventures I am finding on the web.
Just take care and have a lot of fun
This is the trip of a lifetime, hoe I'll live this adventure too ASAP!

We will probably be in your neck of the woods around March. Looking forward to riding there!

Awesome trip man!
Is everything goes as planned soon I will be doing the same roads.

Let me know if you need any help in Argentina. I was born in Comodoro Rivadavia (Patagonia) and still have a cousin down there. Also I have my best friends in Buenos Aires and they will help you with anything if I ask them.
Good luck!
Keep posting

And if you need any tips for your trip you know how to reach us

the second one is oustanding, post some more please

OK, not quite as good but here are more pics...



oops, Now how in the hell did that shot get in there? (this is how we got over the nice little ride from Uyuni to Potosi) Oh, and also how we got over the ride from La Paz to Potosi, and the ride from Puno to Copacabana, and, and ,and....

The train cemetery...

[2uprtw]

I don't think I posted any pics of La Paz so here goes. There was a festival on one of the days we were there. Live band...



Even the kids had a good time...



They were teaching them to obey these which I though was a good idea (the lights rather than the Zebras )...

[Frgich]

Damn those skyes are so clean, and the pics have great colour because of that.

Amazing stuff

[Yardstick]

Very cool ride report! I've been wondering how many people do big trips 2-up. You guys are doing a HUGE trip 2-up! Very cool!

If you can't find a new seal and are still having trouble here's a trick you can try (provided your seal isn't torn, bent or otherwise compromised). Fork seals (almost all seals, really) have a little loop spring in them that helps put pressure on the sealing lip. Find and carefully remove that little spring. Take a close look to find the seam where the spring is put together. They are never one continuous loop. Twist the spring apart -usually counter-clockwise. Snip just two or three coils off the female (larger) end of the spring. Make it a circle again and then give it a couple twists the opposite way it came apart and then re-join the ends. You might have to do it a couple of times to get it to come together just right and back to completely round. Put the spring back in the location it came out of. Presto, more force to help hold the lip of the seal onto the fork leg. It's a lot simpler than it probably sounds/looks, but I'm trying to convey as much info as I can here. I've done this a few times on different bikes and it has extended the useful life of the seal(s).

[2uprtw]

Originally Posted by Frgich

Damn those skyes are so clean, and the pics have great colour because of that.

Amazing stuff

Could also have been the photographer's skill with the camera! But kidding aside, the altitude has a big effect on the clarity of the skies. You notice it as soon as you go up on the altiplano. And on the Salar the expanse is so great that the effect is multiplied (lots and lots of nothingness means you can see a very very long way).

Very cool ride report! I've been wondering how many people do big trips 2-up. You guys are doing a HUGE trip 2-up! Very cool!

If you can't find a new seal and are still having trouble here's a trick you can try (provided your seal isn't torn, bent or otherwise compromised). Fork seals (almost all seals, really) have a little loop spring in them that helps put pressure on the sealing lip. Find and carefully remove that little spring. Take a close look to find the seam where the spring is put together. They are never one continuous loop. Twist the spring apart -usually counter-clockwise. Snip just two or three coils off the female (larger) end of the spring. Make it a circle again and then give it a couple twists the opposite way it came apart and then re-join the ends. You might have to do it a couple of times to get it to come together just right and back to completely round. Put the spring back in the location it came out of. Presto, more force to help hold the lip of the seal onto the fork leg. It's a lot simpler than it probably sounds/looks, but I'm trying to convey as much info as I can here. I've done this a few times on different bikes and it has extended the useful life of the seal(s).

We were lucky to find a seal so all is well on that front. But if we ever find ourselves with the same problem and without a seal I will give the above a shot. Very good tip!

[2uprtw]

Hard to believe but we have been in Sucre for over 2 weeks now and are getting antsy to hit the road again. While here we took care of a bit of maintenance for the bike. First we repaired the fork seal (so far no more leak) with the help of some members of this site who provided much needed advice. Next up was a much needed oil change. Then I took the starter apart to see if I could find out what all the grinding noises were about when we tried the start the bike up. Turns out it only needed a bit of lubrification. Oh, and last but not least I improvised a GPS holder out of wood, duct tape and a few bolts (it works!).

So between all these repairs we spent our time either checking out the sites here in town (the most well maintained central plaza we have ever seen)...





Sometimes deserted streets...



We also spent a few days volunteering at a local orphanage after hearing about it from another tourist. We had never done this kind of thing before but we are happy we did and plan on volunteering again later on during this trip (probably in India). Here is a shot of the outside of the orphanage...



Looks so serene from the outside... But once you walk through the doors all hell breaks loose. There is nothing like the site of 5 or 6 adults trying to feed about 20 one to two year olds at the same time!

As far as orphanages go we have heard from others that this one ranks right up there in terms of cleanliness and organisation.

A rare photo of me holding a kid. If you look closely at my eyes you might just make out the fear!





In addition to providing us with some nice memories the little ones also provided me with a nasty cold (how sweet!). Nothing serious, just need to take it easy for a bit.

As for the place we are staying at it seems to be a bit of a motorcyclist pit stop (Hostal Pachamama). While there we have met 3 people on bikes (2 KTMs and something that used to be a KLR many, many years ago). We also got invaded one weekend by Bolivian bikers complete with Harley Davidson coats, stickers, gadgets, black leather, etc. The only thing missing was a Harley Davidson bike but they were a good bunch and seemed to be having a blast (about 10 people in total). One of these machines doesn't quite fit in...



So now the plan is to go back to Potosi in about 2 days and leave for Tupiza the following day. We hope to be in Argentina in about 1 week.