The Bike & stuff
What follows is a tour of the bike and all the gear that I
took on my journey. I rode a 
XRV 750 Africa
Twin. I have made a few modifications in preparation for the kind of conditions I
can expect to endure.
Firstly I changed the original 25 litre tank to that of one with a capacity of 45 litres. As a result I had to respray the entire machine to match the colour of the new tank; matt black, in fact. I chose this colour to play the bike down, hopefully making it a little less desirable. This tank will got me about 420 miles between fill-ups. And to protect this sizeable new tank, and the engine, I added some crash bars too.
You can't see them from the photo, but I
updated the suspension to cope with all the extra weight from the tank and
equipment. The original fork springs were replaced with 
progressive springs and a heavier oil
(SAE15). This was all topped off with strong rally handlebars for added security.
To compensate for the loss of power due to the extra weight I fitted a
air filter. It
give me a little more power, and I only had to clean it rather than replace it every so
many thousand miles.
Then there is my luggage. Two large aluminium panniers either side of the bike did the trick. I also had an 89 litre waterproof bag that strapped on the back. All this combined was more than enough to accommodate all the luggage I took with me.
The panniers have special bags that act as a lining and protect everything from aluminium dust. They have handy straps to enable me to lug them about. Everything else on the bike was as standard. I adjusted the rear shock to a setting more suitable to the weight and I used a sheepskin on the seat in sympathy for my bum.
There is no use riding a bike that looks the part without the gear to match. So; ta daaa!!
This rather snazzy Hein Gericke suit is exactly the sort of clothing best suited to this kind of adventure. Totally waterproof, it also has very effective linings against the cold that can be taken out when the temperature goes up. If it is very warm, there are vents that can be zipped open to let in air. The protective pads are abundant, but light. Pockets galore, with a front pouch and a kidney belt for my Kitkats. Never skimp on the helmet. I bought myself one of the best on the market, an Arai, and if I'm on the bike, it's on my head. Gaerne helped me out with some very comfortable boots. They have to be strong, but not too sweltering (that can be controlled with socks if need be) and you want to be able to walk in them too. These are just the job.
