The Bikes We Ride
After 13-years on the road, on the same bikes, the idea of changing to new machines was as unnerving as it was wonderfully exciting. New bikes, new possibilities and a new leash of life. Exciting and bloody surreal! That’s how I’d describe our recent bike build orgy.
To anyone living in ‘the real world’, the idea of being handed new bikes and being lavished with upgrades and accessories is the stuff of, well, fairy tales. It just doesn’t happen in real life, does it? A chance social meeting with the CEO of ‘LXV OUTDOOR’ would change our lives.
The Concept
The idea of what we wanted to create was clear; we wanted to take all that was best and exciting about our original bikes and transpose those modifications onto machines that were four generation younger. We wanted to make two heavy machines lighter, taller, more off-road capable and able to carry us through another 49 countries. I said the idea was clear, not simple.
We gathered the essentials; two bottles of our favourite rum (Guatemalan), ice, a notepad, a set of coloured pencils and a quiet room borrowed from a friend. We then sat and scribbled. We listed every modification and upgrade we’d made to our bikes over the last decade and scored their value. We needed to recognize what was bling and what had been essential. What was good, great or silly and what had genuinely added to the riding experience? It was longfriggin’ list!
“We’ll buy you two new bikes, any brand, any style and any model. What you two have done is incredible...but you need to finish this journey”. After coughing out whatever I was eating, I looked at Lisa, she stared at me and I eloquently sputtered “Uh, what”?
It was true, our bikes (a 1999 R1100GS and 2001 F650GS) were tired, but then so would you be after 400,000 miles.
Our bikes had done us proud, but for the last five to six years, we’d been the riding personification of the phrase “the definition of permanent is a temporary fix that’s holding”. Over the course of our 13-year global journey, we’d made hundreds of roadside repairs. In the end, all that was holding our precious babies together was cheap electrical wire and an assortment of hastily found nuts and bolts collected in countless backstreet bazaars from around the world. Haemorrhaging oil from engine cases had become our ‘normal’. Still, the idea of finishing our ride on anything else than these two bikes was as alien as it was unlikely. There’s no point denying it, we’d become (and are still) incredibly sentimental about our original bikes. After all, we’ve been through, how could we not be?
After weeks of deliberating and tonnes of soul searching, we excitedly accepted the offer. Following another 4 weeks of frantic two-wheeled research, we came full circle and chose to stick with a familiar brand. When we finally got our hands on the new bikes, a 2015 BMW F800GS for Lisa and a BMW 2015 R1200GSA LC for me, the pressure was on.
After 13-years on the road we’ve picked up a few ‘industry friends’, lucky really because if we were to have any chance of creating bikes that were as capable as our old steeds, we were going to need their support. Both bikes we purchased from BMW Motorcycles of Riverside, who had offered an incredible deal for the bikes but has also offered to sponsor the labor for the entire rebuild of both new machines.
We’d planned on reaching Deadhorse Alaska this year, but with winter fast approaching and our US visa’s running out, we were left with just 10 weeks to strip and rebuild both bikes.
Fast forward ten weeks and what we’ve ended up with are two motorcycles beyond belief. Think I’m being over-the-top? Normally with any project, there’s a degree of compromise, underpinned by budget, or lack thereof. Not here!
Let's look at how we transformed an already impressive machine, my R1200GSA and turned it into something unique that could take on the world.
UPGRADE ITEM | PURCHASE LINK | 2RTW REVIEW | ||||
DRI-RIDE SEAT | TOURATECH USA LINK | 2RTW LINK | ||||
HANDLEBAR RISER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
GPS BRACKET ADAPTOR | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
ADJUSTABLE FOLDING REAR BRAKE LEVER KIT | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
QUICK RELEASE STAINLESS STEEL HEADLIGHT GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
HAND GAURDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
UPPER SPOILER FOR HAND GAURDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
ADVENTURE UPPER CRASH BAR EXTENSION | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
STAINLESS STEEL RADIATOR GUARDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
EXPEDITION SKID PLATE XL | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FINAL DRIVE GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FINAL DRIVE SLIDER (CRASH BUNG) | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FRONT ABS SENSOR GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
BRAKE CALIPER COVER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
REAR BRAKE RESERVOIR FLUID GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
EXHAUST HEADER GUARDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
LARGE FRAME PROTECTOR (left) | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
LARGE FRAME PROTECTOR (right) | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FINAL DRIVE BREATHER RELOCATION KIT | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
DRI-RIDE SPORT SEAT | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
PIVOT PEGZ MARK 3 | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
EXTREME FRONT SHOCK | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
EXTREME REAR SHOCK | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
TOURATECH STEARING DAMPNER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
DECAL SET | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
REAR FENDER TABS COVER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
AC SCHNITZER STEALTH REAR SILENCER | TOURATECH UK LINK | |||||
ADJUSTABLE FOLDING REAR BRAEK LEAVER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
SIDE STAND BASE EXTENSION | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
SIDE STAND SWITCH GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
SIDE PANEL SET | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
EXPANDABLE TANK BAG | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
TANK SADDLE BAGS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
UNDER LUGGAGE RACK BAG | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
LUGGAGE RACK SIDE BAGS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
REAR LUGGAGE RACK EXTENSION | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
STAINLESS STEEL PANNIER RACK | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
MINI USB GPS POWER CABLE | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
STAINLESS STEEL CYLINDER GUARDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
CLEARWATER HYBRID LED LIGHTS | CLEARWATER LINK | 2RTW LINK | ||||
WAVE ROTORS | GALFER LINK | |||||
DOUBLE-TAKE ADVENTURE MIRRORS | DOUBLE-TAKE LINK | |||||
EXCEL RIMS REAR | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FLEXX HANDLEBAR | FASST COMPANY | 2RTW LINK | ||||
EXCEL RIM FRONT | TOURATECH USA LINK | 2RTW LINK | ||||
WOODYS WHEEL WORKS BILLET HUBS | WOODYS WHEEL LINK | 2RTW LINK | ||||
UPGRADE ITEM | PURCHASE LINK | 2RTW REVIEW | ||||
TOURATECH TANK CONVERSION KIT | TOURATECH GERMANY LINK | |||||
FLEXX HANDLEBAR | FASST COMPANY LINK | 2RTW LINK | ||||
CROSS BAR | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
DOUBLE-TAKE ADVENTURE MIRRORS | DOUBLE-TAKE LINK | |||||
FOLDING BRAKE AND CLUTCH LEVER SET | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
HANDLEBAR RISERS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FRONT BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
REAR BRAKE RESERVOIR GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
GPS HANDLEBAR BRACKET | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
HAND PROTECTORS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
END PROTECTORS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
QUICK RELEASE CLEAR HEADLIGHT GUARDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
ANTI-GLARE SHIELD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
LED BLINKERS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
TOURATECH EXPLORE LOW SHOCK OPTION | TOURATECH USA LINK | 2RTW LINK | ||||
LOCKALBE OIL FILLER CAP | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
DECAL SET | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
SFK FORK SEAL AND DUST COVER SET | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
MULTI-TOOL REAR SHOCK ADJUSTMENT TOOL | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
ACERBIS LOWER FRONT FORK GUARD | KTM LINK | |||||
UNI FOAM AIR FILTER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
Ridden from 2002 - 2016 | ||||||
UPGRADE ITEM | PURCHASE LINK | 2RTW REVIEW | ||||
TOURATECH EXTRA CAPACITY FUEL TANK 41 LITER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
HAND GUARDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
LARGE SIDSTAND FOOT | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
LARGE HAND GUARD SPOILER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
CYLINDER HEAD GUARDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
ZEGA PRO PANNIER SYSTEM | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
MUDGAURD TABS COVER | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
OIL COOLER PROTECTION | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
REAR LUGGAGE EXTENSION | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
SUMP GAURD EXTENSION | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
HARD PART GV (FRAME REINFORCEMENT) | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
HARD PART LV (STEERING STOP REINFORCEMENT) | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
SIDE PANELS RED | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
CRASHBARS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
SPORT SEAT (HIGH) | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
CERAMIC CLUTCH | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
OHLINS SHOCK FRONT | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
OHLINS SHOCK REAR | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
ABS SENSOR GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
ADAPTORS 60MM RISERS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
TOURATECH EXPLORE SHOCK FRONT | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
TOURATECH EXPLORE SHOCK REAR | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
Ridden from 2002 - 2016 | ||||||
UPGRADE ITEM | PURCHASE LINK | 2RTW REVIEW | ||||
LARGE LUGGAGE RACK | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
STAINLESS STEEL PANNIER RACK | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FOLDING BRAKE PEDAL | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
TOURATECH 39 LITER FUEL TANK KIT | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
ZEGA PRO PANNIER SYSTEM | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
RALLYE SPROCKET GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
CHAIN GUARD OFF-ROAD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
13 TOOTH COUNTERHSAFT SPROCKET | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
REAR BRAKE MASTER CYLINDER GUARD | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FRONT FORTK GUARDS | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
LICENSE PLATE BRACKET | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
FOOTPEG RALLYE RELOCATION KIT | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
TAIL LATCH BRACE | TOURATECH USA LINK | |||||
RADIATOR GUARD | TOURATECH UK LINK | |||||
https://www.2ridetheworld.com/bikes-r1200gsa-lc-special#sigProId48e2e3a3c4