2009 swing arm bearings

[ron criswell]

Those Russki women makes you want to attempt a tough ride. Criswell Sent from my iPad

On Mar 28, 2012, at 5:20 PM, "Jud" wrote: > My favorite adventure tourer is Walter Colebatch. He did this and many other cool trips in Russia and central Asia: > http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442 > > He has done the road of bones, but here he spurns it in favor of the BAM road, a route well north of Bones, and fallen into disrepair since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Three guys, no support vehicle; Charlie and Ewan look like a couple of dilettantes by comparison. > > Great photos, cool bikes, and the best looking women on advrider. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddie" wrote: > > > > > > The LWR guys rode the Road of Bones. But, agreed - the support crew was > > enormous. Although in all fairness Charley and Ewan did tend to get a fair > > distance ahead and suffer their choice of motorcycles alone > > (weight/complexity) more than once.Still, it was more of a National > > Geographic expedition than two friends taking a trip. {I confess! I have an > > autographed photo of Charley Boorman on his Dakar race bike that my ex got > > me. LOL} > > > > If you ever get to the Barber Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama near > > Birmingham, you can see the two bikes the investment banker and his > > girlfriend used on their journey. If I recall, she didn't know how to ride > > when the trip began and he had sent her to BMW mechanic's school to act as > > their support crew. I saw a VHS of their trip and remember her confidently > > rebuilding a set of forks in remote Russia. Adventure! > > > > eddie > > > > > > > [Original Message] > > > From: Ron Criswell > > > > > > > > > You have to hand to the real ones that do a difficult trip solo with no > > nada. I read a book last year about an Australian who rode a KLR from > > Vladivostok Russia to Istanbul Turkey and even rode the Road of Bones which > > I think Long Way Around bypassed. To top it off, he was a lousy mechanic > > and the engine cratered a couple of times. Once he fixed it but had to get > > a real mechanic in China after his work caused it to explode. He even > > traveled close to the Afghanistan border. Those guys never get much fan > > fair. I read another book, Investment Biker is the title (I think) where a > > guy who had made some money investing took he and his girlfriend all the > > way around the world on 2 airhead BMW's. He even rode through Peru in the > > days when a gringo should not have due to the Marxist rebels which gave him > > some scary moments. I met Dr. Gregory Frazier in Moab once. What a > > character. And then, their is always the immortal....Punky and Lew.....who > > I met in Moab at the start of their journey. That should be a movie. > > > > > > Criswell > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[E Hines]

I know that on the Long way down and the Long way round they had a lot of support. They may not have roughed it as much as others have, but if Ewan or Charley called you and asked you to come along how many of you would have refused? I know I would have tried everything that I could to go on either one of their adventures. They kept my spirts up watching them while recovering from a broken leg two years ago. ________________________________ From: Ron Criswell To: Jud Cc: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wed, March 28, 2012 6:25:30 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: (NKLR) roughing it???? Those Russki women makes you want to attempt a tough ride. Criswell Sent from my iPad

On Mar 28, 2012, at 5:20 PM, "Jud" wrote: > My favorite adventure tourer is Walter Colebatch. He did this and many other >cool trips in Russia and central Asia: > http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442 > > He has done the road of bones, but here he spurns it in favor of the BAM road, >a route well north of Bones, and fallen into disrepair since the collapse of the >Soviet Union. Three guys, no support vehicle; Charlie and Ewan look like a >couple of dilettantes by comparison. > > Great photos, cool bikes, and the best looking women on advrider. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddie" wrote: > > > > > > The LWR guys rode the Road of Bones. But, agreed - the support crew was > > enormous. Although in all fairness Charley and Ewan did tend to get a fair > > distance ahead and suffer their choice of motorcycles alone > > (weight/complexity) more than once.Still, it was more of a National > > Geographic expedition than two friends taking a trip. {I confess! I have an > > autographed photo of Charley Boorman on his Dakar race bike that my ex got > > me. LOL} > > > > If you ever get to the Barber Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama near > > Birmingham, you can see the two bikes the investment banker and his > > girlfriend used on their journey. If I recall, she didn't know how to ride > > when the trip began and he had sent her to BMW mechanic's school to act as > > their support crew. I saw a VHS of their trip and remember her confidently > > rebuilding a set of forks in remote Russia. Adventure! > > > > eddie > > > > > > > [Original Message] > > > From: Ron Criswell > > > > > > > > > You have to hand to the real ones that do a difficult trip solo with no > > nada. I read a book last year about an Australian who rode a KLR from > > Vladivostok Russia to Istanbul Turkey and even rode the Road of Bones which > > I think Long Way Around bypassed. To top it off, he was a lousy mechanic > > and the engine cratered a couple of times. Once he fixed it but had to get > > a real mechanic in China after his work caused it to explode. He even > > traveled close to the Afghanistan border. Those guys never get much fan > > fair. I read another book, Investment Biker is the title (I think) where a > > guy who had made some money investing took he and his girlfriend all the > > way around the world on 2 airhead BMW's. He even rode through Peru in the > > days when a gringo should not have due to the Marxist rebels which gave him > > some scary moments. I met Dr. Gregory Frazier in Moab once. What a > > character. And then, their is always the immortal....Punky and Lew.....who > > I met in Moab at the start of their journey. That should be a movie. > > > > > > Criswell > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[mark ward]

To Clarify, My main thoughts were....... First Nice artical AND they used KLR650's. 2nd, He said (Ad-libbed) My father taught me NEVER take the easy path, SO WE ROUGHED IT. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE A SUPPORT VAN EVERY WHERE I WENT. to Carry EVERYTHING, including a nice big reclining lawn chair. And have it all set up at the end on where I decide to stop. YES!

--- On Thu, 3/29/12, E Hines wrote: From: E Hines Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: (NKLR) roughing it???? To: "Ron Criswell" , "Jud" Cc: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Date: Thursday, March 29, 2012, 12:53 PM I know that on the Long way down and the Long way round they had a lot of support. They may not have roughed it as much as others have, but if Ewan or Charley called you and asked you to come along how many of you would have refused? I know I would have tried everything that I could to go on either one of their adventures. They kept my spirts up watching them while recovering from a broken leg two years ago. ________________________________ From: Ron Criswell To: Jud Cc: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wed, March 28, 2012 6:25:30 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: (NKLR) roughing it???? Those Russki women makes you want to attempt a tough ride. Criswell Sent from my iPad On Mar 28, 2012, at 5:20 PM, "Jud" wrote: > My favorite adventure tourer is Walter Colebatch. He did this and many other >cool trips in Russia and central Asia: > http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442 > > He has done the road of bones, but here he spurns it in favor of the BAM road, >a route well north of Bones, and fallen into disrepair since the collapse of the >Soviet Union. Three guys, no support vehicle; Charlie and Ewan look like a >couple of dilettantes by comparison. > > Great photos, cool bikes, and the best looking women on advrider. > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddie" wrote: > > > > > > The LWR guys rode the Road of Bones. But, agreed - the support crew was > > enormous. Although in all fairness Charley and Ewan did tend to get a fair > > distance ahead and suffer their choice of motorcycles alone > > (weight/complexity) more than once.Still, it was more of a National > > Geographic expedition than two friends taking a trip. {I confess! I have an > > autographed photo of Charley Boorman on his Dakar race bike that my ex got > > me. LOL} > > > > If you ever get to the Barber Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama near > > Birmingham, you can see the two bikes the investment banker and his > > girlfriend used on their journey. If I recall, she didn't know how to ride > > when the trip began and he had sent her to BMW mechanic's school to act as > > their support crew. I saw a VHS of their trip and remember her confidently > > rebuilding a set of forks in remote Russia. Adventure! > > > > eddie > > > > > > > [Original Message] > > > From: Ron Criswell > > > > > > > > > You have to hand to the real ones that do a difficult trip solo with no > > nada. I read a book last year about an Australian who rode a KLR from > > Vladivostok Russia to Istanbul Turkey and even rode the Road of Bones which > > I think Long Way Around bypassed. To top it off, he was a lousy mechanic > > and the engine cratered a couple of times. Once he fixed it but had to get > > a real mechanic in China after his work caused it to explode. He even > > traveled close to the Afghanistan border. Those guys never get much fan > > fair. I read another book, Investment Biker is the title (I think) where a > > guy who had made some money investing took he and his girlfriend all the > > way around the world on 2 airhead BMW's. He even rode through Peru in the > > days when a gringo should not have due to the Marxist rebels which gave him > > some scary moments. I met Dr. Gregory Frazier in Moab once. What a > > character. And then, their is always the immortal....Punky and Lew.....who > > I met in Moab at the start of their journey. That should be a movie. > > > > > > Criswell > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[dat brooklyn bum]

Speaking for myself personally, it's not that they were able to ride with a full support crew, I'd love nothing more. What could be better than riding all day with nothing but emergency tools, water, and food on the bike and coming into a fully set up camp. My issue, is with the whiny attitude that Charley seems to have in spite of his blessed existence. That being said, I was impressed with his attitude of continuing support once he crashed out of his Dakar attempt. Almost won me back over. Almost. My attitude when I'm on a ride tends to be positive because I LOVE being on a bike. Fighting through hardships and obstacles makes the adventure and makes me feel like I'm alive, not just going through the motions. No knock to anyone who gets out there and does it, in any means available to them. I just wouldn't ride with someone who can find complaints in the midst of a golden opportunity. I prefer riding with (and watching others for that matter) people who find the golden moment in the midst of struggle. rant off, da Vermonster

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, E Hines wrote: > > I know that on the Long way down and the Long way round they had a lot of > support. They may not have roughed it as much as others have, but if Ewan or > Charley called you and asked you to come along how many of you would have > refused? I know I would have tried everything that I could to go on either one > of their adventures. They kept my spirts up watching them while recovering from > a broken leg two years ago. > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Ron Criswell > To: Jud > Cc: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Wed, March 28, 2012 6:25:30 PM > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: (NKLR) roughing it???? > > > Those Russki women makes you want to attempt a tough ride. > > Criswell > > Sent from my iPad > > On Mar 28, 2012, at 5:20 PM, "Jud" wrote: > > > My favorite adventure tourer is Walter Colebatch. He did this and many other > >cool trips in Russia and central Asia: > > http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442 > > > > He has done the road of bones, but here he spurns it in favor of the BAM road, > >a route well north of Bones, and fallen into disrepair since the collapse of the > >Soviet Union. Three guys, no support vehicle; Charlie and Ewan look like a > >couple of dilettantes by comparison. > > > > Great photos, cool bikes, and the best looking women on advrider. > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddie" wrote: > > > > > > > > > The LWR guys rode the Road of Bones. But, agreed - the support crew was > > > enormous. Although in all fairness Charley and Ewan did tend to get a fair > > > distance ahead and suffer their choice of motorcycles alone > > > (weight/complexity) more than once.Still, it was more of a National > > > Geographic expedition than two friends taking a trip. {I confess! I have an > > > autographed photo of Charley Boorman on his Dakar race bike that my ex got > > > me. LOL} > > > > > > If you ever get to the Barber Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama near > > > Birmingham, you can see the two bikes the investment banker and his > > > girlfriend used on their journey. If I recall, she didn't know how to ride > > > when the trip began and he had sent her to BMW mechanic's school to act as > > > their support crew. I saw a VHS of their trip and remember her confidently > > > rebuilding a set of forks in remote Russia. Adventure! > > > > > > eddie > > > > > > > > > > [Original Message] > > > > From: Ron Criswell > > > > > > > > > > > > You have to hand to the real ones that do a difficult trip solo with no > > > nada. I read a book last year about an Australian who rode a KLR from > > > Vladivostok Russia to Istanbul Turkey and even rode the Road of Bones which > > > I think Long Way Around bypassed. To top it off, he was a lousy mechanic > > > and the engine cratered a couple of times. Once he fixed it but had to get > > > a real mechanic in China after his work caused it to explode. He even > > > traveled close to the Afghanistan border. Those guys never get much fan > > > fair. I read another book, Investment Biker is the title (I think) where a > > > guy who had made some money investing took he and his girlfriend all the > > > way around the world on 2 airhead BMW's. He even rode through Peru in the > > > days when a gringo should not have due to the Marxist rebels which gave him > > > some scary moments. I met Dr. Gregory Frazier in Moab once. What a > > > character. And then, their is always the immortal....Punky and Lew.....who > > > I met in Moab at the start of their journey. That should be a movie. > > > > > > > > Criswell > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Jud]

Of course, I would go along. I'll go out on a limb here, though, and suggest that neither Charlie nor Ewan spent a dime of his own money. They had a producer, a production budget, sponsors (like BMW), a cameraman and support personnel, all of whom no doubt got paid. So if Charlie and Ewan called and said, Jud, we're going on this fabulous adventure, and we'd love to have you come; all you need is a bike, gear and about three hundred grand for your share of the support crew, etc., I'd have to say, sorry, I can't miss Sturgis, and I think I have to rearrange my sock drawer. If on the other hand, they said, Jud, come on along, you are so much fun around a camp fire, and we need you to provide comic relief at the mud holes and water crossings, and it'll be easier to teach you to run a movie camera than it will be to teach Fabio how to ride a motor bike, and you can even ride one of the Russian 2-strokes, well then, I'm your huckleberry. But I'd really rather go with Walter and meet all the Russian girls.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, E Hines wrote: > > I know that on the Long way down and the Long way round they had a lot of > support. They may not have roughed it as much as others have, but if Ewan or > Charley called you and asked you to come along how many of you would have > refused? I know I would have tried everything that I could to go on either one > of their adventures. They kept my spirts up watching them while recovering from > a broken leg two years ago. > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Ron Criswell > To: Jud > Cc: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Wed, March 28, 2012 6:25:30 PM > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: (NKLR) roughing it???? > > > Those Russki women makes you want to attempt a tough ride. > > Criswell > > Sent from my iPad > > On Mar 28, 2012, at 5:20 PM, "Jud" wrote: > > > My favorite adventure tourer is Walter Colebatch. He did this and many other > >cool trips in Russia and central Asia: > > http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442 > > > > He has done the road of bones, but here he spurns it in favor of the BAM road, > >a route well north of Bones, and fallen into disrepair since the collapse of the > >Soviet Union. Three guys, no support vehicle; Charlie and Ewan look like a > >couple of dilettantes by comparison. > > > > Great photos, cool bikes, and the best looking women on advrider. > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddie" wrote: > > > > > > > > > The LWR guys rode the Road of Bones. But, agreed - the support crew was > > > enormous. Although in all fairness Charley and Ewan did tend to get a fair > > > distance ahead and suffer their choice of motorcycles alone > > > (weight/complexity) more than once.Still, it was more of a National > > > Geographic expedition than two friends taking a trip. {I confess! I have an > > > autographed photo of Charley Boorman on his Dakar race bike that my ex got > > > me. LOL} > > > > > > If you ever get to the Barber Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama near > > > Birmingham, you can see the two bikes the investment banker and his > > > girlfriend used on their journey. If I recall, she didn't know how to ride > > > when the trip began and he had sent her to BMW mechanic's school to act as > > > their support crew. I saw a VHS of their trip and remember her confidently > > > rebuilding a set of forks in remote Russia. Adventure! > > > > > > eddie > > > > > > > > > > [Original Message] > > > > From: Ron Criswell > > > > > > > > > > > > You have to hand to the real ones that do a difficult trip solo with no > > > nada. I read a book last year about an Australian who rode a KLR from > > > Vladivostok Russia to Istanbul Turkey and even rode the Road of Bones which > > > I think Long Way Around bypassed. To top it off, he was a lousy mechanic > > > and the engine cratered a couple of times. Once he fixed it but had to get > > > a real mechanic in China after his work caused it to explode. He even > > > traveled close to the Afghanistan border. Those guys never get much fan > > > fair. I read another book, Investment Biker is the title (I think) where a > > > guy who had made some money investing took he and his girlfriend all the > > > way around the world on 2 airhead BMW's. He even rode through Peru in the > > > days when a gringo should not have due to the Marxist rebels which gave him > > > some scary moments. I met Dr. Gregory Frazier in Moab once. What a > > > character. And then, their is always the immortal....Punky and Lew.....who > > > I met in Moab at the start of their journey. That should be a movie. > > > > > > > > Criswell > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Jud]

p.s. not to mention that Walter and Tony ate shashlik and drank vodka. Charlie and Ewan drank curdled yak milk and ate goat eyeballs.

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, E Hines wrote: > > I know that on the Long way down and the Long way round they had a lot of > support. They may not have roughed it as much as others have, but if Ewan or > Charley called you and asked you to come along how many of you would have > refused? I know I would have tried everything that I could to go on either one > of their adventures. They kept my spirts up watching them while recovering from > a broken leg two years ago. > > > > > ________________________________ > From: Ron Criswell > To: Jud > Cc: "DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com" DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Wed, March 28, 2012 6:25:30 PM > Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: (NKLR) roughing it???? > > > Those Russki women makes you want to attempt a tough ride. > > Criswell > > Sent from my iPad > > On Mar 28, 2012, at 5:20 PM, "Jud" wrote: > > > My favorite adventure tourer is Walter Colebatch. He did this and many other > >cool trips in Russia and central Asia: > > http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=533442 > > > > He has done the road of bones, but here he spurns it in favor of the BAM road, > >a route well north of Bones, and fallen into disrepair since the collapse of the > >Soviet Union. Three guys, no support vehicle; Charlie and Ewan look like a > >couple of dilettantes by comparison. > > > > Great photos, cool bikes, and the best looking women on advrider. > > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "eddie" wrote: > > > > > > > > > The LWR guys rode the Road of Bones. But, agreed - the support crew was > > > enormous. Although in all fairness Charley and Ewan did tend to get a fair > > > distance ahead and suffer their choice of motorcycles alone > > > (weight/complexity) more than once.Still, it was more of a National > > > Geographic expedition than two friends taking a trip. {I confess! I have an > > > autographed photo of Charley Boorman on his Dakar race bike that my ex got > > > me. LOL} > > > > > > If you ever get to the Barber Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama near > > > Birmingham, you can see the two bikes the investment banker and his > > > girlfriend used on their journey. If I recall, she didn't know how to ride > > > when the trip began and he had sent her to BMW mechanic's school to act as > > > their support crew. I saw a VHS of their trip and remember her confidently > > > rebuilding a set of forks in remote Russia. Adventure! > > > > > > eddie > > > > > > > > > > [Original Message] > > > > From: Ron Criswell > > > > > > > > > > > > You have to hand to the real ones that do a difficult trip solo with no > > > nada. I read a book last year about an Australian who rode a KLR from > > > Vladivostok Russia to Istanbul Turkey and even rode the Road of Bones which > > > I think Long Way Around bypassed. To top it off, he was a lousy mechanic > > > and the engine cratered a couple of times. Once he fixed it but had to get > > > a real mechanic in China after his work caused it to explode. He even > > > traveled close to the Afghanistan border. Those guys never get much fan > > > fair. I read another book, Investment Biker is the title (I think) where a > > > guy who had made some money investing took he and his girlfriend all the > > > way around the world on 2 airhead BMW's. He even rode through Peru in the > > > days when a gringo should not have due to the Marxist rebels which gave him > > > some scary moments. I met Dr. Gregory Frazier in Moab once. What a > > > character. And then, their is always the immortal....Punky and Lew.....who > > > I met in Moab at the start of their journey. That should be a movie. > > > > > > > > Criswell > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] >

[Eckert, Christopher (Infrastructure Solut]

In planning what is hopefully an upcoming expedition one thing I have found is that it takes a lot more gear than you would think to do an extended expedition. A ride through central or South America takes you past stores and gas stations that can be counted on enough for a pleasure ride. When you have the equipment requirements that come with making a TV series and financial requirements from the supporting Studio "counted on enough" isnt good enough. Where we are going there is no option for 4 wheel support but a boat will have to meet us at regular intervals to swap out film gear and resupply us with fuel and food. The Video takes a lot of storage for HD film. You shoot at least 6 hours for every hour of usable film and that is on the light side. A 21 week series of 60 minutes shows ends up with at least 120 hours of HD, 220 or 320 is more probably. Add that up in terms of carrying tape and computers to back it up and making redundant copies of all your video... Next add a back up camera, not a minuscule Handy Cam by the way, and make sure the computer that makes copies is redundant... The support vehicle becomes the film production studio. In their case they had a studio in an SUV. Now make that $200k worth of equipment get across 29 borders. Now you have Tech staff, transport staff and organizational staff for the border crossings... It blows up in your face really fast when you start trying to plan something like this. Also you need to figure availability into the equation. On the road of bones there was probably little option of getting three sets of tires for a GS. A spare shock is not an option and fuel is an iffy thing at times.Thus SUV #2 becomes the supply ship. Where I am going there is NO hope of finding these things. The Boat is our Gas Station, our tire store, our freezer full of 3 months worth of food... In the end it wont be on the ride with us. It is just something we have to meet up with to gas up and pick up food from time to time. You people are thinking in terms of taking a pleasure ride with personal gear. That is easy, hell people have done that with mopeds. Ewan and Charlie Made a TV series about a motorcycle trip and they managed to do it in a few little SUVs. Look at it this way. Most TV series are made using a 30 million dollar studio. From this perspective Long Way Around was one of the all time greatest price point achievements in the film industry, ever! Chris

> I know that on A the Long way down and the Long way round they had a

lot of

> support. They may not have roughed it as much as others have, but if

Ewan or

> Charley called you and asked you to come along how many of you would

have

> refused?

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[Robert Rhinehart]

I remember an issue with dry swing arm bearings on older models. I got into my 04 and it was mostly void of grease and needed some in a bad way. My question is whether the new models have the same lack of grease from the factory issue? Thanks! robert [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[David Nichols]

I have been to the Barber museum. I highly recommend it! ________________________________ From: eddie To: KLR650 list DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 28, 2012 6:30 AM Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Re: (NKLR) roughing it???? The LWR guys rode the Road of Bones. But, agreed - the support crew was enormous. Although in all fairness Charley and Ewan did tend to get a fair distance ahead and suffer their choice of motorcycles alone (weight/complexity) more than once.Still, it was more of a National Geographic expedition than two friends taking a trip. {I confess! I have an autographed photo of Charley Boorman on his Dakar race bike that my ex got me. LOL} If you ever get to the Barber Motorsports Museum in Leeds, Alabama near Birmingham, you can see the two bikes the investment banker and his girlfriend used on their journey. If I recall, she didn't know how to ride when the trip began and he had sent her to BMW mechanic's school to act as their support crew. I saw a VHS of their trip and remember her confidently rebuilding a set of forks in remote Russia. Adventure! eddie

> [Original Message] > From: Ron Criswell > > > You have to hand to the real ones that do a difficult trip solo with no

nada. I read a book last year about an Australian who rode a KLR from Vladivostok Russia to Istanbul Turkey and even rode the Road of Bones which I think Long Way Around bypassed. To top it off, he was a lousy mechanic and the engine cratered a couple of times. Once he fixed it but had to get a real mechanic in China after his work caused it to explode. He even traveled close to the Afghanistan border. Those guys never get much fan fair. I read another book, Investment Biker is the title (I think) where a guy who had made some money investing took he and his girlfriend all the way around the world on 2 airhead BMW's. He even rode through Peru in the days when a gringo should not have due to the Marxist rebels which gave him some scary moments. I met Dr. Gregory Frazier in Moab once. What a character. And then, their is always the immortal....Punky and Lew.....who I met in Moab at the start of their journey. That should be a movie.

> > Criswell

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]