Ride The World !

The bikes

The bike we choosed for this trip is without any doubt the best modern dual sport bike for such an adventure ! The KTM 990 Adventure !

We could have choosen BMW 12GS but we are too short on budget to afford the 2 or 3 support trucks it would take :D
What is good with travelling with the same bike is that it's easier to carry spares and tools. Also, the bikes can handle the same tracks, have the same fuel range, need the same services at the same time, etc.

From stock the bikes are ready for travel, you only need to add luggage. But to travel in the best conditions possible we did some modification on our bikes during their preparation.

Preparation

Before we go we had to perform a complete maintenance on both bikes. This includes :

  • oil change
  • valves clearance check
  • brake fluid change
  • clutch fluid change
  • fork oil change
  • new brake pads
  • new tyres
  • new heavy duty tubes
  • greasing of bearings
  • general inspection

We also added some accessories to make our travel more confortable and correct some weakness of this bike :

  • XPC Racing seat
  • Touratech aluminum panniers
  • AdvTank rear fuel tank with 2-in-1 exhaust pipe
  • KickStand.com sidestand relocation bracket
  • CJ Designs Clutch cover
  • Evoluzione clutch slave cylinder
  • FutureVision HID lights
  • TireMoni tyres pressure monitor
  • Skid plate
  • Crash bars
  • PIAA Horn
  • Side stand extension
  • Akrapovic exhaust
  • UniFilter additional air-filter
  • Swinging arm vent

Spares

Because we know the bikes are going to suffer... here is the list of the spares we're taking with us on this trip.

For our two bikes :

  • 1 pair of front wheel bearings
  • 2 pairs of real wheel bearings
  • 1 rear sprocket carrier bearing
  • 1 pair of steering bearings
  • 2 fuel pump filters kits
  • 2 front tubes (heavy duty tubes will be installed in the tyres before leaving)
  • 2 rear tubes (heavy duty tubes will be installed in the tyres before leaving)
  • 2 pairs of fork seals
  • 11 clutch friction discs
  • 2 water pump repair kit (with clutch cover gasket)
  • 1 chain repair kit
  • 2 oil change kit
  • 2 full tools box
  • 2 sets of tyres levers with 12V compressor and manual pump
  • 1 tube repair kit

Maintenance

And here is what we had to do so far on Loic's bike :

Days since departure Kms since departure Kms moto Maintenance
0 0 28194 Big maintenance before leaving
8 2836 31030 Low beam HID ballast dead, replaced with high beam ballast
18 4419 32613 Switched to TKC80 for a ride in the dunes
21 4699 32893 Switched to Scorpions to ride on pavement
28 4701 32895 Pre-Air filter cleaning
40 8785 36979 Bike cleaning, water pump shaft and seal change, oil change, coolant change, pre-air filter cleaning, high-beam HID replaced by regular H3
43 9585 37779 Front puncture, damaged luggage, lost bolts, broken turn-signal
55 10400 38594 Air-filters cleaning
65 12600 40794 Bike cleaning, luggage locks lubed
75 15205 43399 Coolant top-up
87 16875 45069 Rear tyre replaced by a TKC80
87 16881 45075 Rear puncture
87 16981 45175 Rear puncture
88 17218 45412 Big maintenance, oil change, front tyre replaced by a TKC80, tubes replaced, pre-air-filter cleaning, ai-filter change
145 27870 56064 Big maintenance, oil change, oil filters, fork oil change, valve adjustment, air-filter, pre-air filter cleaning, spark plugs change, rear brake switch, exhaust rebuild, brake disc fluid change, clutch fluid change, front tyre change, rear tyre change (with a second hand tyre), zega case reinforcement
165 28306 56500 Change the 2 fork seals
172 29966 58160 Re-weld the brocken GPS support bracket (upper bracket)
180 33256 61450 Re weld the brockenGPS support bracket (lower bracket), replace the rear tire by a second hand Metzeler Enduro 3 Sahara tire (140/60-18)
188 35286 63480 Change engine oil + oil filter, clean air pre filter, change water pump shaft & seal, change the broken upper shock bolt, put new rivets on exhaust, install repare kit for rear brake master cylinder.
198 37456 65650 Change left fork seal by a Yamaha seal, change rear tire by Continental TKC80 already used in Lesotho.
230 40206 68400 Clear air pre filter

And on Aurel's bike :

Days since departure Kms since departure Kms moto Maintenance
0 53215 106430 Big maintenance before leaving
5 54380 107595 Repair of the aux lights wiring cut because of vibrations
18 58000 111215 Fuel filter change
28 58817 112032 Pre-air filter cleaning
40 62000 115215 Cleaning of the bike, repair of the water pump (axle and seal), oil change, coolant change, pre-air filter cleaning
43 62800 116015 Rear puncture
55 63200 116415 Rear puncture
55 63615 116830 Pre-air filter cleaning
60 65000 118215 Welding of the cracked left luggage
68 67277 120492 Installation of TKC80, aux lights bulbs change
88 71241 124456 Big maintenance, oil change, steering bearings lubbed, air filter change, pre-air filter cleaning, bike cleaning, general check
123 77777 130992 New chain kit, new rear brake disc, new rear brake pads, installation of a rear second hand TKC80
131 79800 133015 New clutch discs
145 81800 135015 Big maintenance, oil change, fork oil change, oil filters, fork seals change, valve adjustment, front brake pads change, front wheel axle change, pre-air filter cleaning, spark plugs change, exhaust rebuild, brake disc fluid change, clutch fluid change, front tyre change
191 89800 143015 Fuel filter change
200 88238 141453 Installation of a rear TKC80
203 107291 160506 Rear puncture
223 93245 146460 Air filter change, pre-air filter cleaning, oil change
226 93758 146973 Front puncture
234 96380 149595 Rear puncture
235 96541 149756 Rear puncture and rear brake pads change
236 96726 149941 Rear puncture
237 96913 150128 Rear puncture
238 97051 150266 Rear puncture
239 97225 150440 Front puncture
240 97324 150539 Rear puncture
240 97449 150664 Rear puncture
250 100147 153362 Oil change, spark plugs change, valves adjustment, coolant change, fork oil change, fork seals change, installation of fork socks, installation of new Pirelli Scorpions, tubes change, front rim change, front wheel spacers change, front wheel seals change, horn repair, battery change, low fuel sensor change, brake fluid change, clutch fluid change
253 100602 153817 Front brake pad change (inefficient after the big fork oil leak)
301 107238 160453 New chain kit, oil change and Scottoiler installation
302 107288 160503 Rear wheel right bearing change
302 107291 160506 Rear puncture
304 107895 161110 Rear brake pads change
323 109990 163205 Repair of the starter relay damaged by corrosion.
337 111300 164515 Rear puncture
348 111800 165015 Tyres change for used Scorpions, turn signals change for LED, exhaust change for a Remus, pre-air cleaning, GPS and mount change for a Garmin 60CSX, swingarm chain protector change
362 114300 167515 Valve adjustment, new heavy duty tubes, new air filter, new spark plugs, new brake light bulb, new valve covers gaskets, new balancer shaft seal, new radiator cap
372 117111 170326 Rear tyre change with a second-hand TKC80
382 119800 173015 Oil change
396 123900 177115 New rear tyre Scorpion
403 125212 178427 Pre air-filter cleaning, new rear brake pads, new exhaust gaskets
424 130560 183775 Repair of the cracked engine case after we hit a rock on a trail
429 132578 185793 Oil change and pre-air filter cleaning
437 135118 188333 Rear tyre change with a used Scorpion
442 137059 190274 Front tyre change with a used Scorpion
449 139800 193015 Coolant change, new rear brake pads, new countersprocket nut
457 141938 195153 Kit chain change with a used one
493 144987 198202 Rear tyre change with a used one, new steering bearings, new air filter, new clutch master cylinder piston, new rear brake master cylinder piston
505 147921 201136 New front and rear tyres, oil change


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