Attn. Capt. Simon Morgan!! Or associates!

[andy230]

Hello chief!  That looks like quite a trip.

With the race dates close to finalised, Im just about to book the summer jollies with the diminutive, attractive and long-suffering girlfriend. 

We're going to go on the DR (ha!!  Yes, I know, she probably wont make it!) for 3 weeks.  Switzerland, italy or vienna will be the furthest point, not sure yet.  If it goes pop so be it.  I've been threatening attempt to squeeze a Norton twin in there anyway!  However, I digress.  Holidays...

To this end, can I ask you about you pannier frame?  Got any photos, or dimensions?  Did you make it yourself?

And I know this may be a touchy topic, but has anyone got any contact details for Simon Birch?  Do they still have the gaff at Evron??  I smell a blag on the way!

Cheers for now, my email address is on the topic about petrol tanks (entitled "charity request")

andy 

[Simon#83]

To this end, can I ask you about you pannier frame?  Got any photos, or dimensions?  Did you make it yourself?

And I know this may be a touchy topic, but has anyone got any contact details for Simon Birch?  Do they still have the gaff at Evron??  I smell a blag on the way!

andy 

Andy,

You're a brave sole going two up on the DR!

I bought the pannier frame from a contractor who used to work here a few years ago. He was selling his DR and offered me first refusal on it along with a few other bits and pieces.

It doesn't look home made to me, but I don't recall seeing any markings on it to indicate who made it. I take a look under the grime and rust to see if I can find anything!

I've sourced a lot of DR bits and pieces from German sellers on Ebay. I think the DR was popular out in Germany. I bought my engine crash bars from a German company.

Simon

[andy230]

I've sourced a lot of DR bits and pieces from German sellers on Ebay. I think the DR was popular out in Germany. I bought my engine crash bars from a German company.

Any details?  Cheers mate.

And yeah, i've just got some bits n bobs from a guy in Strasbourg.  They were quite popular in Europe I think.

To compound it, mine's a US import, 1991 model.  All the others had lecky start, or lecky + kick.  This is kickstart only, so CDI's etc will be different I presume.  Also cases, generator, head (decompressor) etc...  The carb is a bit funny too (US emission laws)

I'm looking to take with me

CDI
Coil
Reg-rect
all levers
all cables

No faith in anything!  Especially a knackered 16 year old japanese bike!!!

a

[Allan.]

I.m taking a 20 year & 10 year old savage to tour france in june and I know which one ive got most faith in

[mini-thumper]

When I went to Norway for two weeks last year I took no spares at all. Martyn was surprised that I didn't even have a spare fuse! Did have a few spanners and a puncture kit but never used either. Never have been big on carrying loads of extra stuff that then overloads the bike and causes breakdowns. Or maybe I'm just lucky/foolish!

BB

[guest27]

Mmm think the days are long gone when you did not drink the water 'abroad' I think most European contries can fix a moder (read less than 30 year old) bike - just as to whether you want to wait for the parts or take them.  Personally I would take stuff to adjust the chain etc and good European recovery. 

R

[squirrelciv]

Carry most of my repair kit in my wallet. An AA card :-) Spare cables, puncture repair kit, universal nipples (steady Vile Nin!) spare split link, the odd bulb and a spark plug. Add the few tools needed to change these parts and forget the rest. Lets face it, anywhere in Europe (and most other places come to think of it) you will get access to spares. If you've done your maintenance before you go, you should be fine.

All that said, the most important things to carry are;

Water
A hat
Some food (chocolate, or mints. anything to fight off hunger pangs I like oat cakes, ain't that right Bill)
Water
pack of wet wipes
torch
water
Mobile
waterproofs
water

A minor breakdown can become a major trauma when your waiting for hours in baking sun/freezing rain without protection, starving and dehydrated. And don't assume it will always be light when you conk out, or finish off that puncture repair.

[themoudie]

Aye Pat,

Universal nipples after our lochside repairs incident!

As for oatcakes, staple part of the diet. Light, easy to carry and 70 calories each with plenty of soluble roughage.

I know I had more in the tool roll that weekend, but then I still think in AJS 500S 1953 or Duke single terms. Cantankerous and less likelihood of spares!

Regards, Bill

[Andy M]

Depends on the trip for me. Two up in summer I carry hardly more than fuses, stuff for the chain and the obligatory light bulbs. Solo in winter I carry enough gear to find and replace a corroded connector, get to a town after a puncture, remove a coil for drying etc. For me it's all down to weight, space and what you can get locally. Ignoring England where service is crap, you can usually get a puncture fixed the same day. Assuming you aren't trying to do 1000 mile days, you'll catch up and the worst bit is standing in the sun for an hour until the local boys turn up. My last puncture in France cost me 2 hours and BMW Narvik gave me a choice of Bridgestone or Michelin's plus a discount for being a tourist. All those guys on the same road who packed for a trip to Mauretania must have felt really silly, especially the ones who didn't know how to fit the spare bits they were carrying!

Andy