Me
Hi everybody!
I’m not really into talking about myself so I shall just give you a a few basics.
Just turned 70. Just got my pension card. Got a bike. Got a dream. So I’m off.
For years I have though about flying to Germany, buying a BMW bike and riding it home. I never got to do that. Women, kids, work, bills all the usual things that keep us bashing away living everyone else’s life except our own.
So a couple of years ago when I finally found myself with no wife, grown up kids, and some money I also found an immaculate 2009 BMW F650GS twin with all of 3000km on the clock. Just love it.
It was therefore necessary to rejig the dream, so I reversed the idea and am going to try riding from Australia to Europe. I emphasise try cause I had the original dream before I was 25 and was of course indestructible.
For some reason at 70, I don’t possess that same concept.
I will get as far as I get and probably a lot slower than most. I tell you, some days…
The bike has had about 50kg of protection added to the original mostly from Tourtech. Panniers from MTD. Garmin. Sena. All the normal expensive stuff.
The first blog I read about this route to Europe was Nathan the Postman, so I feel like a bit of a fraud, but I’m old I’ll handle it. I have since read many more blogs, manly thanks to links on Horizons Unlimited.
The more I read the more I wanted to do it and the more apprehensive I have became, but I just have to go for a ride and some of the fear fades. If it doesn’t kill you it doesn’t matter… right?
The Bike “Cherry Red”
Model:- 2009 BMW F650GS twin
I purchased this bike back in 2014. It was 5years old and had all of 3000Kms on the clock. Needless to say it was in pristine condition.
BMW650GS twin
Since then I have clocked up another 15000. It is the best bike I have ridden and I have owned a few.
It came with a couple of options fitted. A high screen, bark busters and a center stand. I have since added a few in preparation for my current trip to Europe. These include:-
- Set of panniers and rack from www.mtdtours.com
- From Tourtech, skid plate, bottom crash bars, handlebar risers, ABS sensor, front and rear brake protectors
- Orbito 40litre dry bag
- 30ltr dry bag from Aldi
- Garmin Zumo 660 navigator
- Spot tracker
- Upper crash bars from China to fit the lower crash bars
- Denali D4 Flood & Spot Hybrid LED Auxiliary Lighting Kit from Twisted Throttle
- Fuel bottles and racks from coyotetrips.com
- Top box rack
- Seat customisation from custommotorcycleseats.com.au
- One black lamb’s wool hide that I cut down for a seat cover