I've got a proper update ready, along with some photographs, but we've had very limited internet access through Iran and now in to Pakistan. I'll post this later, but for now folks just a quickie
The last few miles to the exit border of Iran were long and dusty and we had to have an armed escort for most of the way. We had teamed up with a couple of other bikers, Andreas (F650GS Dakar) from Austria who now lives in New Zealand, who in turn had hooked up with Paul (R1200GS-A) from Belgium. We decided to stay together through the border.
The only problem was that there was no vehicle for the last leg to the border for the 'armed guard' so the young lad, he didn't even have a catapult, sat on the rear of the least loaded bike.... Andreas' F650GS The lad managed to get us lost looking for the exit and we had to spend another night in Iran
The border didn't pose too many problems, usual documentation etc. but the friendly staff helped us through. We were told that the Carnet Office was closed until the afternoon, so we broke the stove out and brewed up coffee for us all... and the office duly opened. Our antics caused much amusement though. Entry in to the Pakistan side was pure bedlam but we were ushered through the crowd and dealt with most proficiently.
We were told that we would have to have an armed escort from the border all the way to Quetta. We would be staying over night at the small town of Dalbandin, for it's a ten hour ride to Quetta from the border.
The guy detailed to look after us had his AK47 slung over his shoulder, but didn't have transport and so he too picked Andreas F650 to ride on the back of. He would have to sit on the top of the roll bag just as the young lad on the Iranian side had. Andrea was not keen on the idea, so when we had started the engines and the soldier went inside to bid farewell, or visit the toilet, we scarpered and rode out of town without an escort Naughty naughty
They caught up with us eventually and took us in to Dalbandin, except that just outside the town the F650GS ground to a halt with sudden loss of power. We had no sooner ground to a halt when two army pick ups stopped, soldiers jumped out, priming their weapons, and taking up 'the position' to the front and rear. We were told by the guy in charge that this was dangerous territory indeed and not safe for us out here. We are just 20 miles from the Afghan border and a couple of months ago a French guy had been kidnapped.
We pushed the F650 the remaining mile to the hotel by shoving with the foot on the pannier. The soldiers followed all the way until the hotel gates were closed. We we're told not to go outside on our own without an armed escort.
Next morning we were picked up by a soldier on a motorcycle, taken for some 'black market' petrol, and then to the army/police camp where we had a bollocking from the guy in charge for running off the day before without an escort. He was nice about it though, but in no uncertain terms would we be going any further without armed escort.
Over 230 miles later we neared Quetta, being handed over from escort to escort, we made our final run in on terrible unmade roads, in the process of total refurbishment, so much dust and rocks that at times you couldn't see.
Just outside Quetta we were handed over to an escort riding a motorcycle, the passenger cocked and primed his AK47 and took the safety off before climing on the back. Through Quetta's very busy streets, 'tuck tucks' trying to get between us, trying to race us, the armed escort holding them back, warning them off. Into Quetta and chaos. We stopped along side a couple of armed jeeps, the F650 called it a day, stalled and wouldn't start, the F800GS dumped steaming hot water all over the instruments, windscreen, with the oil light flickering, the temperature guage flashing up and down, lights on the dashboard everywhere. Andreas is busy with his F650, I'm trying to sort the F800 out, water everywhere, steaming. All of a sudden such a commotion and the police start beating someone up. He's on the floor, gets up and starts fighting. A quick blow with a rifle but and he's back down again. I'm too bothered about my bike and forget to put the on board camera on... it would have made some great footage. I'll never make a Claudio
We get the F650 started by wiggling the wires for the prop stand kill switch, and we limp in to the hotel rear parking and the gates close behind us My bike is till steaming
We have a bier, but only one.... it's five euros a bottle. It's late, my bike's still steaming hot so I leave it to the next day.
The radiator fan won't move, then I dislodge some grit and stone and the fan moves OK but makes a graunching noise. I pull the cowling away as much as I can with the one screw removed at the bottom and some grit falls out. Eventually I get the fan to move easilly and without noise. I'm hoping the fan wouldn't/couldn't work because of the stones/grit and so the engine overheated. Is the fan OK? I hope it's not burnt out the motor trying to run when it couldn't. I top the radiator up, it takes maybe half a pint of water, put the radiator cap on and top up the overflow tank to mid level.
I fire the engine up, starts, no strange noises, I leave it running, fingers crossed. No oil light flickering (there's plenty of oil in) eventually the fan cuts in without a problem and runs sweetly. Fingers crossed now that there's no permanent damage to the engine.
That's about it folks... 6,45pm and I'm going for a even at five euro's, and I'll let someone else take over this tiny overheated cubicle in Quetta
More later
PS If you go offroading with your F650/800 GS twin make sure of the free running of the radiator fan. It was that last run in on unmade roads to Quetta that no doubt caused the problem
The last few miles to the exit border of Iran were long and dusty and we had to have an armed escort for most of the way. We had teamed up with a couple of other bikers, Andreas (F650GS Dakar) from Austria who now lives in New Zealand, who in turn had hooked up with Paul (R1200GS-A) from Belgium. We decided to stay together through the border.
The only problem was that there was no vehicle for the last leg to the border for the 'armed guard' so the young lad, he didn't even have a catapult, sat on the rear of the least loaded bike.... Andreas' F650GS The lad managed to get us lost looking for the exit and we had to spend another night in Iran
The border didn't pose too many problems, usual documentation etc. but the friendly staff helped us through. We were told that the Carnet Office was closed until the afternoon, so we broke the stove out and brewed up coffee for us all... and the office duly opened. Our antics caused much amusement though. Entry in to the Pakistan side was pure bedlam but we were ushered through the crowd and dealt with most proficiently.
We were told that we would have to have an armed escort from the border all the way to Quetta. We would be staying over night at the small town of Dalbandin, for it's a ten hour ride to Quetta from the border.
The guy detailed to look after us had his AK47 slung over his shoulder, but didn't have transport and so he too picked Andreas F650 to ride on the back of. He would have to sit on the top of the roll bag just as the young lad on the Iranian side had. Andrea was not keen on the idea, so when we had started the engines and the soldier went inside to bid farewell, or visit the toilet, we scarpered and rode out of town without an escort Naughty naughty
They caught up with us eventually and took us in to Dalbandin, except that just outside the town the F650GS ground to a halt with sudden loss of power. We had no sooner ground to a halt when two army pick ups stopped, soldiers jumped out, priming their weapons, and taking up 'the position' to the front and rear. We were told by the guy in charge that this was dangerous territory indeed and not safe for us out here. We are just 20 miles from the Afghan border and a couple of months ago a French guy had been kidnapped.
We pushed the F650 the remaining mile to the hotel by shoving with the foot on the pannier. The soldiers followed all the way until the hotel gates were closed. We we're told not to go outside on our own without an armed escort.
Next morning we were picked up by a soldier on a motorcycle, taken for some 'black market' petrol, and then to the army/police camp where we had a bollocking from the guy in charge for running off the day before without an escort. He was nice about it though, but in no uncertain terms would we be going any further without armed escort.
Over 230 miles later we neared Quetta, being handed over from escort to escort, we made our final run in on terrible unmade roads, in the process of total refurbishment, so much dust and rocks that at times you couldn't see.
Just outside Quetta we were handed over to an escort riding a motorcycle, the passenger cocked and primed his AK47 and took the safety off before climing on the back. Through Quetta's very busy streets, 'tuck tucks' trying to get between us, trying to race us, the armed escort holding them back, warning them off. Into Quetta and chaos. We stopped along side a couple of armed jeeps, the F650 called it a day, stalled and wouldn't start, the F800GS dumped steaming hot water all over the instruments, windscreen, with the oil light flickering, the temperature guage flashing up and down, lights on the dashboard everywhere. Andreas is busy with his F650, I'm trying to sort the F800 out, water everywhere, steaming. All of a sudden such a commotion and the police start beating someone up. He's on the floor, gets up and starts fighting. A quick blow with a rifle but and he's back down again. I'm too bothered about my bike and forget to put the on board camera on... it would have made some great footage. I'll never make a Claudio
We get the F650 started by wiggling the wires for the prop stand kill switch, and we limp in to the hotel rear parking and the gates close behind us My bike is till steaming
We have a bier, but only one.... it's five euros a bottle. It's late, my bike's still steaming hot so I leave it to the next day.
The radiator fan won't move, then I dislodge some grit and stone and the fan moves OK but makes a graunching noise. I pull the cowling away as much as I can with the one screw removed at the bottom and some grit falls out. Eventually I get the fan to move easilly and without noise. I'm hoping the fan wouldn't/couldn't work because of the stones/grit and so the engine overheated. Is the fan OK? I hope it's not burnt out the motor trying to run when it couldn't. I top the radiator up, it takes maybe half a pint of water, put the radiator cap on and top up the overflow tank to mid level.
I fire the engine up, starts, no strange noises, I leave it running, fingers crossed. No oil light flickering (there's plenty of oil in) eventually the fan cuts in without a problem and runs sweetly. Fingers crossed now that there's no permanent damage to the engine.
That's about it folks... 6,45pm and I'm going for a even at five euro's, and I'll let someone else take over this tiny overheated cubicle in Quetta
More later
PS If you go offroading with your F650/800 GS twin make sure of the free running of the radiator fan. It was that last run in on unmade roads to Quetta that no doubt caused the problem