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Hi Steve,
In less than a month you'll be heading off to Tunisia with your XT500. All I've been hearing from you lately is: "I don't have time, I still have to prepare the XTs for the trip." What's going on? Who are you riding with and what are you doing to the bikes?
The whole project turned out to be a bit more extensive than initially planned. As Stephan and I both ride with softbags, we had to build our own racks so that the bags don't come into contact with the shocks. There wasn't really anything ready-made to buy, so we had to take what was available and modify it until it suited our purposes. And now that we had the angle grinder and the welding machine in our hands, we added a few other modifications... In the end, the XT was almost completely disassembled and many things were rebuilt for the tour.
Unfortunately, you're still struggling a bit with your knee - how do a broken knee and a trip like this go together?
Hopefully well. At the moment I'm very confident that it will work well. The only concern was the daily starting, but the conversion to E-Start has solved that problem. The rest should no longer be a big problem.
...a motocross rider since his earliest childhood, Steve has retained his passion for enduro bikes. Thanks to his father, who also gave his brother the petrol gene.
We look forward to his reports from Tunisia.
I've heard it's your first rally in Africa - tell me honestly, how excited are you at the moment and what are your biggest concerns?
Honestly, a lot. It's a bit different to going to Sweden or Poland, both in terms of the preparation and the supplies along the way. I'm particularly curious about how the food will be tolerated and the supply of fresh drinking water, but luckily some of my fellow travelers have been to Africa before and know how things work there, which is very reassuring.
You've been riding motocross since you were four years old, deal with cars and bikes for a living and know exactly which vehicle is perfect for which application. We think it's great that you choose an old XT for a trip like this....
In my opinion, the XT is definitely not perfect for a trip like this; there are now many other bikes that are faster, quieter and more comfortable. However, I am a big fan of the Dakar rallies of the early years, when the bikes were largely the same as what you could buy from the dealer on the next corner. Modified here and there, of course, but basically quite simple. And yet the guys and gals arrived at their destination after thousands of kilometers through tough terrain. So if I'm ever going to go to Africa, I'm going to do it in a way that feels as close as possible.
Tell us about your equipment - tent and sleeping bag is clear, but what else? Do you have any special tools or do you need your own espresso in the morning, or a fishing rod or one of your RC cars?
I don't have any special stuff and probably have far too much of the normal stuff. With the exception of a small "travel washing machine", which saves on clothes. At least that's the idea behind it. But now that you mention the RC car...maybe I need another holder.
How do you prepare for a trip like this? - Is it enough that your bike is in perfect condition, what about your fitness, how do you find out about the destination?
As far as fitness is concerned, regular road cycling and occasional cross cycling should be enough, that's where I worry least about it. Unlike a sports rally, we don't have any time pressure, so if you run out of breath, you just take a break.
The whole trip takes place via the tour operator "Dudes of Dust", which provides some basic information about the destination and what you should look out for when preparing. I also found out about important vaccinations and the medical situation in the country from Globetrotter in the travel practice section. For the rest, it's actually very useful that some of the group have already been on a trip like this. What do I absolutely need? How do I navigate? Where is the best place to stow my chocolate on the motorcycle in the shade at 35°? With all these questions, it's nice to be able to ask someone who has done something like this before.
Why do you think people do such crazy, exciting, great things so rarely in life?
I think it's because it's time-consuming and sometimes it takes a bit of effort. Family, job, hobbies... doing a tour like this more often on the side is somehow difficult, unfortunately. I also have to say quite clearly that "peer pressure" plays a big role here, in a positive sense. It's somehow easier to say "I'll just do it now" when you're already with people you really enjoy spending time with.
Thank you very much, Steve.
We wish you an exciting and safe journey and stay tuned. We look forward to your pictures and anecdotes.
There will certainly be a lot to report.
