The Bike

It is a BMW GS 800.

BMW F 800 GS in the dealer’s showroom.

BMW F 800 GS in real life.

I tried the big Adventure and it was too big, heavy and expensive. I tried a KTM 990 Supermoto T, but it did not feel that special, the BMW was more fun. I did not have to try the KTM adventure as it looks hideous and it’s too big. The 800 is the best of the lot I think and it seems to have a good reputation.

Real Men would use a BMW R75 with a sidecar.

Other kit:

• Panniers - Touratech 41 liters. I need a “WIDE LOAD” sign on the bike. If it was any wider, I would need a pilot’s license for this thing.
  
• Top box - Caribou case, thirty something liters. And it's yellow.
  
• Crash bars and bash plate - Adventure spec.
• Adjustable Screen - Wunderlich (the adjustment mechanism is one big joke).
  
• Headlight protector - Wunderlich (identical with a similar Touratech product).
• Tank bag – Bags connect enduro.
  
• Tank "saddle bags" - Wolfman luggage. Attached to the crash bars. Also yellow.

The seat is still a stock seat and it probably should be changed. All the options are expensive but what would a man not do for his ass. The 20 Euro sheepskin cover from Ikea will probably not survive for very long.

Also, the stock exhaust sounds like a cement mixer. Unless I want to numb my brain with that noise for ten weeks, I should do something about it.

All in all, it’s maybe a bit too much. People have done "something like this" with so much less. The more volume you can carry on the bike, the more shit (and more weight) you will inevitably carry. This is not necessarily a good thing.