|
Suggested order of
purchase. |
|
Long Distance
Touring Modifications - mainly tar road and good weather.
|
| No |
Accessory |
Which bikes |
Explanation |
| 1 |
Engine protectors |
All motorcycles |
Motorcycles fall over - fact, often at walking
speed. Engine protectors can avoid expensive repairs to your bike
but also give additional room for your legs should they be trapped
under the fallen bike. On the big BMW GS models (see pic) the tappet
cover is made of a soft magnesium and is easily damaged. |
| 2 |
Pannier frames (and panniers and topbox) |
All motorcycles |
Without a luggage solution you're staying at home!
In addition pannier frames in conjunction with the engine protectors
help to avoid costly repairs when your bike goes down. |
| 3 |
Omni vision mirror |
All motorcycles |
Your motorcycle mirrors have to cover the real
estate directly behind the motorbike as well as the two blind spots
i.e. one on either side when riding on a multi lane highway. That's three areas
in total but your motorbike only has two mirrors! The
addition of an inexpensive omni mirror can cover the third and final blind spot. |
| 4 |
Long life, no maintenance battery |
All motorcycles |
More calls outs are received by towing services for
defective motorcycle batteries than any other single reason. In
addition maintenance on a regular battery is difficult and time
consuming resulting in the job being neglected. Therefore it makes
sense to fit a sealed battery that requires zero maintenance. |
| 5 |
High Touring Screen (clear or tinted) |
Where wind noise and buffeting is a problem |
Wind noise and buffeting can result in you arriving
at your destination tired and worn out. A high screen can make all
the difference. This one is available from
www.toursforafrica.co.za |
| 6 |
Aluminum reinforced hand guards |
All motorcycles |
The job of hand guards is to protect your hands when
the motorcycle goes down and the handlebars smash into the road
surface. In addition the guards protect the vulnerable clutch and
front brake levers which snap easily on impact. A broken clutch
lever in particular can mean the end of a tour unless a spare can be
found. |
| 7 |
Comfortable seat |
All motorcycles |
A burning aching butt can ruin a great day's riding.
In addition a vinyl seat at 40° C
causes your crotch to sweat. Therefore a seat that is comfortable
and resists excessive fluctuations in temperature is a great
investment. This particular example is sheepskin. |
| 8 |
12v power point |
Where a power point has not been provided i.e.
mainly older motorcycles |
Power for camping lights, compressors, GPS units,
electric vests and heated handgrips to name a few. Modern
motorcycles have at least two. |
| 9 |
Headlight protector |
All motorcycles |
Cracked headlamp lenses are expensive to repair and
are difficult to replace on tour. Therefore this headlight lens
protector is an excellent investment. |
| 10 |
Braded brake hoses |
For older motorcycles and bikes without ABS |
Braded hoses improve brake performance dramatically
particularly in older bikes. |
| 11 |
Big foot side stand |
All motorcycles |
You will only allow your motorcycle to fall over
once in soft sand before you fit a big foot accessory. A motorbike
that falls over can inflict thousands of rands of damage to itself
as it is likely to hit some other object on the way down. |
| 12 |
Spotlight kit |
All motorcycles |
Motorcycles should not be operated at night
especially in Africa with potholes, diesel spills, stray animals and
drunken pedestrians. If you insist on riding at night, then a
spotlight kit is an essential accessory. This one has the advantage
of being so small that it avoids getting broken should you drop the
bike. |
| 13 |
Jump start point |
All motorcycles |
Jump starting a motorcycle with its hidden battery
terminals is a big problem. A jump start point solves this by
providing a positive terminal for the jumper cable on the side of the
motorbike. The negative clamp merely fits onto the frame. |
| 14 |
Tank protectors |
All motorcycles |
Abrasive motorcycling long pants can ruin your paint
work particularly on the sides of the tank. |
| 15 |
GPS and adjustable GPS mount |
All motorcycles with a 12v power point |
A GPS is seldom an essential piece of equipment if
you stick to the tar. However if you do own one a handlebar mount
for it is essential. |
| 16 |
High quality long life oil filter |
All motorcycles |
Oil filters prolong your engine's life. Therefore a
filter that can filter out particles only microns in size will benefit
your bike enormously if you intend to put high mileage on your
motorcycle. |
| 17 |
High quality, long life air filter |
All motorcycles |
Air filters prolong your engines life. Therefore a
filter that can filter out particles microns in size will benefit
your bike enormously if you intend to put high mileage on your
motorbike. |
| 18 |
Oil cooler protector |
On bikes where the cooling fins are exposed |
Radiator cooling fins are delicate. If they are
exposed like the oil cooling fins on this BMW GS1100 then it makes
sense to protect them from flying stones etc. A damaged oil cooling
radiator can mean the end of your tour. |
| 19 |
Radiator protector |
On motorbikes with radiators that are exposed. |
Radiator cooling fins are delicate. If they are
exposed like the water cooling fins on this BMW F650 then it makes
sense to protect them from flying stones etc. A damaged water
cooling radiator can mean the end of your tour. |
| 20 |
Mud flap |
All motorcycles |
This rubber flap helps keep your motorcycle cleaner
and keeps your boots drier on a wet tour. No one wants
to wash their motorbike on tour and getting your boots to dry
overnight is difficult |
| 21 |
Long-life, ceramic clutch plate |
Big BMW GS models |
An indestructible clutch plate for long distance,
extreme conditions. The thrust bearing can still fail but they are
small and light whereas carrying a spare clutch plate is not
practical. |
|
This table - Long Distance
Touring Modifications - mainly tar road and good weather.
|
|
Table 2) Rural off-road touring on poor surfaces, all
weather, mud etc. Click
here |
