RTW on a thumper...KTM - LC4 Round the World ADVenturization

[FINNDIAN]

Thanks for the camera tips at the HU meeting Paul. I learned a lot from the few minutes of instruction you gave me. Now to spend some time playing with the new camera and read your RR.
Ride safe.

[Kedgi]

Hi Paul

I have really enjoyed reading your report and hope to meet you on the Stahlratte in December.

I'm sending a you a pm.

Kedgi (Dwight)

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by GhostRiderFC

Sorry I'm so late to this party! It was great meeting you in North Carolina and thanks again for pushing me to attend. Was really a great event. It's not looking like I'll be able to go south this fall due to finances, but there is a powerball drawing this week! When you come through NM, ping me. We need to ride. I'm shopping for a dirt bike right now so I can beef up my off road skills.

I'm following your ride report and look forward to all the adventures! Let me know if you need anything.
Cheers!
CJ

great to have you along CJ, let me know how you get along with the dirt bike adventures, i'll stop by and see you on my return

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by FINNDIAN

Thanks for the camera tips at the HU meeting Paul. I learned a lot from the few minutes of instruction you gave me. Now to spend some time playing with the new camera and read your RR.
Ride safe.

not a problem, great meeting you too...drop me a PM if you have anymore questions

Originally Posted by Kedgi

Hi Paul

I have really enjoyed reading your report and hope to meet you on the Stahlratte in December.

I'm sending a you a pm.

Kedgi (Dwight)

got it...see you on the road or on the steel rat if we don't meet before - ride safe

[rtwpaul]

i crossed the border at Niagra Falls in the rain which had been falling all day long, i headed towards Dual Sport Plus in Stoney Creek, south of Toronto, thisis where my bike lived for the next few days as i stripped it down to try and figure out a an idle issue that would happen intermittently - the bike was idling around 3000 - 4000 rpm on occasion



the tech (Rick) helped out along the way but as an overlander you kind of want to work on your own bike wherever possible, the result of multiple times of stripping the bike rebuilding it, testing it - failure...rinse and repeat about 3-4 times

it looked like a sensor issue, having a bike in the states that isn't available here means a lot of internet research for parts that maybe compatible...every eventually pointed to a faulty sensor...OK order...buy...$171 (fuck)...didn't solve the issue (double fuck) electronic components cannot be returned (anyone need a sensor let me know part 5PS-82380-00)

in the end it was a fast idle issue on the bottom of the throttle body and crystalized coolant and carbon build up on the gas side





here's the broken part that let the dust/ sand get in to make this issue start



some cleaning and the 5 cent fix, a valve cap - yamaha would only sell a full throttle body for $600!!!!



a test ride, a longer test ride, an even longer test ride....all good

[rtwpaul]

now i have a bike that runs...head out to the HU meeting in Barrie, Ontario...meet with some friends (some of you may recognize) and do some camping in a field






this event will grow like crazy, if you are in the north eastern area of the country it will be well worth the ride, location may change next year so check HU closer to the event date

big camp fires every night, lots of talking and planning with lots of people coming over and asking questions, glad to help anyway i can to ease concerns about crossing borders



presentations ran constantly



my favorite slide of the whole weekend was by a guy called "Q" who is a self admitted over analyzer...this is joked about but i have never in a flow chart



once the event was done it was time to ride south, way south....

[rtwpaul]

riding south from Canada was wet and cold thru NewYork state where the old and modern collide next to each other




camped in Pennsylvania and it seems like winter arrived overnight and the trees didn't even get a chance to change color and catch up...no leaf peeping for me this time around




just a few hundred miles down the road in Ohio it was still summer



as i got back on the bike i noticed the front tire had worn down dramatically since leaving Canada, time to find a new or used one for the last thousand or so miles to Louisiana where i had new Heidenaus waiting



i stopped into Hometown Honda in marietta Ohio, the made me a great offer, instead of a used tire how about a new one mounted and balanced for $48 and we'll do it right now...SOLD - super friendly dealership, i was very impressed




back onto the road next to the Ohio river where its power is harnessed multiple times as you drive south



i rolled into a state park late, late enough that all the ducks were already sleeping but as i rode up all i could hear was - aflec, AFLEC, AFLEC



do these horses need miniature jockey's???



towards the end of the day (by now i'm in Alabama) i stop at an intersection and as i pull away i hear a loud crunch in the rear end...what now!!!

i pull in the first open driveway, my right side rear sealed wheel bearing had shattered and there were the inner ball bearings bouncing down the road...not good

the sun was starting to set, a woman came out of the house looked at me as i was pulling off the rear wheel - "i'm calling my son he rides a motosickle" (yes she did say 'motosickle') not two minutes later i red pick up truck stops next to me.

the owner Chad told me he rode a Harley but if there was anything he could to help just ask? then he said "i have a friend who rides around the world on bikes, his name is Doug do you know him?" Do you mean RTWdoug? yep thats him he lives just down the road...but he's not there right now as he's doing the Cannonball Run

i had the tools and the bearing and cush drive rubbers with me (as my bike isn't available here in the states) just incase, i used his tailgate as a work bench and my tools and we were done in about 30 minutes or so and the bike was ready to ride, i didn't take photos as i was doing it as the sun was setting behind the hills, time was short with an unrideable bike



all the time his young son was looking at the bike so of course he had to have a sit on it when it was back together, if could have reached the bars and pegs i think he would have rode off on it

[rtwpaul]

down into Florida's panhandle and some camping by the beach, mainly to look at the Gulf of Mexico from this side as the next time i'll see it will be in Veracruz with MikeMike at his place



a week after freezing my nuts off in Canada at night i was now walking in the warm water



stayed on the beach until the sunset




i went back to the tent made some food and had the feeling i was being watched...




these little suckers were everywhere...

[rtwpaul]

so this summers ride which included the following states:

Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, South Carolina, North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Florida and Ontario

all that tallied up to 14,500 miles and kind of looked like this: not real exact but you get the idea that i looped around a lot




Now its time to head south of the border

[Patrol]

AWE.SOME. wow

[rtwpaul]

my original RTW plan was to go to Africa next year but if you have seen the news at all it is completely FUBAR over there right now, and having lived there in the past i'm really in no rush...

so a simple 180, do my route in reverse, kind of, but as you can see by the map in the previous post it could take a while to hit Africa as i just don't travel in a straight line point to point

so heading south and further south still, yes i know, you are going to Mexico are you crazy...blah, blah, blah

also remember if you read my previous ride report from last year i was chased by the Cartels and a friend was kidnapped, and i still feel safer in Mexico than in Africa right now, does that put it in perspective for you

so it's time to leave the (relative) safety of the States



so i had found this video and i'm sure some of you have seen it before - watch the whole thing it kind of explains a few things in its own special way!!!

[BluNozr]

Great video. Have fun... and don't drink the water.

[SS in Vzla.]

That video is hilarious...

The story of your breakdown close to RTWDoug's house is very cool, meeting him would have been even cooler.

Don't sweat it about Mexico, you'll be ok. Just get out of the border ASAP and ride south. There are some hotspots in the country (the same as in Colombia)... just avoid them as best as possible and you'll have a blast.

Oh... and remember not to drink the water. (find yourself a good, cold Bohemia Obscura instead)

Buen viaje

[rtwpaul]

Originally Posted by SS in Vzla.

That story of your breakdown close to RTWDoug's house is very cool, meeting him would have been even cooler.

Don't sweat it about Mexico, you'll be ok. Just get out of the border ASAP and ride south. There are some hotspots in the country (the same as in Colombia)... just avoid them as best as possible and you'll have a blast.

Buen viaje

not really concerned about mexico, i'll do an early morning crossing to give me time to be south far enough in the day and have plenty of time for a few cervezas later in the day

small world for sure, meeting doug would have been very cool, funny of all the places i break down and he's not there!!! ...but at least he was out riding and not working

[NoobIAm]

In a bit late, but it was a great read for the past few hours. And as someone who made a living with a camera for several years, I love your shots. Looking forward to what's to come in the next few months. Be safe!