OMG! I am actually going to Uzbekistan in September on the London 2 Tbilisi trip!!
I’m sooooo excited!
Only problem now is getting a bike??!! :w00t:
Any advice would be massively appreciated, and on a serious note I actually don’t know what to do on the bike front, will try sponsership perhaps or if someone wants to do me a massive favour and lend me something?!!
If all else fails an option could be to buy something cheap and cheerful that wont break down so maybe advice on that front would be greatly appreciated!
If there isnt much off roading, a suitable bike could be something comfy and reliable that you can get your luggage on. I would take a BMW boxer i think - mine keeps going and going, but I’m using it sorry.
The roads aren’t good just here with pot holes everywhere. Like everything else out here. The pots they seem to make the holes with are bigger than back home but at least it’s quite easily to navigate most of the time. We deliberately take the wrong turn out the motel and head south instead of north. An easy mistake to make DOH
We stop for fuel (again). I reckon this place must be near to a cloning lab. Asking for my money is a woman/walrus cross breed that must have grown up behind the counter because there is no way she could get through the door. I’m just hoping I don’t smell of fish when in flaps her identical twin sister asking if we have any seal cubs in our luggage. It feels about 300 degrees inside my leathers as we approach Niagara Falls. It’s a Canadian holiday weekend and the palaces chock a block with Canadian tourists. We do the maid of the mists then cross the Rainbow Bridge into Canada. The traffic is queued up for miles across Customs but we filter through whilst speaking German in very loud voices. Heading north out of Niagara we go past ‘Balls Falls’ with a big queue of adolescent boys patiently waiting to leave. We’re approaching a vital turn and my map flies out the tank bag. I’m doing about 80 as I head for the emergency lane to stop. It’s at this point I remember the emergency lane is loose shingle on this section. By this time my crapometer starts to register 20%. The bike start to weave and skid and the crapometer quickly moves up to 80%. OK… I start looking for the eject handle as the crapometer goes through 100%. More by luck than judgement the bike sorts itself out and we stop. I don’t think I’ll be able to go to the toilet for weeks my bum is so tense. The bloke following me said it looked excellent with masses of dust filling the air. I tell him that wasn’t dust!
Great to have you coming Claire!! Even if a year earlier than planned
A BMW F800 or possibly F650 could be quite suitable. There’s probably going to be some off-road (or bad roads, gravel, dirt and maybe mud or sand). There are quite a few other off-road/tourer bikes around too, just a case of what’s available and reasonable price. KTMmartin may have a few suggestions too.
PS - if anyone’s curious the latest details on the trip are up at
I would agree with this. I ran one for two years and it was an economical, light and simple machine. With Metzeler Tourances (which lasted well over 10,000 miles) it could cope with tarmac and gravel/mud. I bought mine from Vines of Guildford for £2,200 - although it was an ex offroad school one and lots of panels had cable ties and every single bit of bodywork was scratched. Sold it on ebay for £1,800.
Two things: 1. Fit a Scottoiler as they’re hard on chains and it’s one less thing to do.
2. The standard exhaust contains a catalytic convertor and is very heavy and very quiet. Ditch it for a Scorpion single can for more noise and the ability to run on shite fuel.
See this thread here. For reference, in the second picture, my girlfriend is about 5’2.
Having just comprehended what youre going to do, gotta admit Claire that I’m really seriously ruddy massively envious. I’m intending to vist nearly everywhere in the next 30 years and i could have ticked really top priorities off. Do i really have to go to work? why why why
Zander, stop hijaking Claire’s thread and get your own!! :laugh:
Claire, I am super-jealous but super-excited for you!!!
I would let you use the Hornet if you wanted it but I’m not sure it’s the right kind of bike? :unsure:
Bloody hell Claire!:w00t: … you go for get girl! … will be fantastic…very envious… really didn’t think you would go for it… 4500+miles do you want a cushion! a gel pad or airhawk or all three!:P… when you see that number written down that is a lot miles in the saddle, will make the Lake district feel like a commute!..
Oh man or oh girl what a great adventure… you lucky thing… I want to come!
Your very welcome to have go on my bike to try it for size and feel if you like… but as much as would like to I don’t think I can lend it to you for the trip!
… though you could maybe sell your bike to Claire … ? 
Also an easy way to share a few useful links with her to make sure