Long Way Home 2
Bike Preparation - Mick
2006 Yamaha TT250R - Sue
The bike was bought when just three years old and with 800 miles on the clock. This is a similar ‘bike to that used by Lois Pryce on her trip through Africa so we knew it was well up to the job, Sue having bought it specifically for our overland trip to India. Apart from a full service there was little to be done to the TTR for it came with an alloy engine bash plate and, unusually, a 
genuine Yamaha oil cooler.
22 litre Acerbis tank
Pannier frames and rack (home made)
TTR Kouba rear lowering link (Sue is only 5’ 2”)
Front suspension lifted up through the fork yokes to lower the front end by an equivalent amount to the rear
Washers placed under the handlebar mounts to raise the handlebars ¼” also a handlebar raising kit to facilitate raising the fork legs
Oxford heated grips
12v socket
Set of excellent quality Andy Strapz throw over panniers made from heavy duty canvas
Wolfman ‘enduro’ bag fastened above the headlight
Tie wraps securing where the spokes cross
Prop stand shortened because of suspension
Wunderlich/Ortleib roll bag
Garmin 550 Zumo GPS
DID HD Chain with after market sprockets
Home made pannier frames were made to keep the panniers in place, made for the princely sum of four quid, along with a rear rack for roll bag support.
2008 BMW F800GS - Mick
Bought new in 2008 and one of the first models available. It came with all options apart from ABS. There was 26,000 miles on the clock before the start of the trip. Most ‘after market’ parts have been supplied by Wunderlich in exchange for some location shots for their 2010 catalogue. Their 2009 catalogue, in the F650GS section, contains several pictures of Mick and Sue’s crossing of Siberia, Mongolia, the Gobi Desert in 1995.
BMW Extended screen 
Touratech hand guards
Following parts supplied by Wunderlich
Engine bash plate
Oil filter protection plate
Crash bars
Oil temperature gauge
Centre stand protection plate
Rear rack plate
Trax panniers and frames
Wilbers rear suspension Wilbers front fork springs and oil
Rear hugger
Seat
Bike start kit (heavy duty 12v socket direct to battery, with jump cables)
Radiator protection grill
Throttle control
Ortleib roll bag
Tank bag
Pivot Pegz (footrests that pivot)
Brake reservoir protection pieces
Oil filter protection plate
Crash bars
Oil temperature gauge
Centre stand protection plate
Rear rack plate
Trax panniers and frames
Wilbers rear suspension Wilbers front fork springs and oil
Rear hugger
Seat
Bike start kit (heavy duty 12v socket direct to battery, with jump cables)
Radiator protection grill
Throttle control
Ortleib roll bag
Tank bag
Pivot Pegz (footrests that pivot)
Brake reservoir protection pieces
Front-mounted Bullet Camera
The rear Wilbers suspension unit will be returned to the manufacturers after the trip, to be stripped down and examined, and then rebuilt and handed back. (This was done and the suspension returned with nothing required to be done - Mick)
The Wunderlich seat is a prototype for test and evaluation. I’ve already discussed with them that the pan of the seat wants to be flat and not sloping forward as it does. It tends to crush my nuts on downhill braking! Oh no, not the Himalayas! It’s not the depth of padding that is important, rather the quality and the shape.
In addition the F800GS has been fitted with DID HD chain and BMW sprockets. Garmin 
loaded with the ‘World Map’ and BMW Navigator III+ with full maps of Europe.
Mick
