Help! Touring novice - Bike is tipping up

Rubbish!
Don't listen to any of the advice previously given!

Get rid of the varios, fit aluminium luggage, and fit extenders as shown below, take double of everything you've already packed, and double it again!

:jes
;)

Have a good trip!

And a humungeous top box. I read about them here.
 
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There is something about 80’s snaps, that 21st century pin sharp digital cannot match. The disembodied head in this one is just a bit spooky.
 
And a humungeous top box

I always tour with JUST the humungous top box.

I have had numerous sets of panniers but I can't live with the 'stickyoutishness' (word of the day ??) of them and find myself second guessing every gap. Curiously, my head can completely dismiss the fact that the BMW cylinders probably stick out further than the panniers.

AND.....I can remove the top box and wander into any hotel anywhere looking like a bloke with just a suitcase (sort of) Relieving me from the certain anguish of wondering if I should/shouldn't remove my panniers when staying somewhere overnight.

Win Win...:thumb2
 
"The disembodied head in this one is just a bit spooky."

All down to the evening (lack of) light and my fumbling with a light meter to set the Zenith 35mm SLR exposure :rob

That was the first stop in Belgium after crossing. The camp site reception guy looked at us with some suspicion until we assured him that we were not Germans.....

You haven't lived until you try coming down an Alpine pass fully loaded with a single leading shoe at the front - I can't refer to it as a brake because it didn't.....

The only one of us with "proper" bike gear was my mate Pete (on the 900GTS) in his red leather jacket. We all wore Derri Boots so at least our feet stayed dry.
 
The only one of us with "proper" bike gear was my mate Pete (on the 900GTS) in his red leather jacket. We all wore Derri Boots so at least our feet stayed dry.

You had Derri boots? One up from me in the 1980's. My feet got as wet as the rest of me.

It's a great picture. Happy days.
 
Hi Guys.

Off to Scotland for a couple of weeks on the R1200 GS - packed as light as possible 'no frills' considering time away.

Bike is currently on the centre stand in the garage ready to go - I attach the side panniers (Vario), all good. Once I attach the rear pannier the bike tilts back lifting the front wheel off the floor.

Should I not use centre stand when fully laden? Is this normal or a warning to get rid of more (not sure how) kit?

I am a total touring novice, help appreciated!

Cheers

Smithmas, if you feel so inclined, when you return why not do a little piece on your first trip? I am certain you'll not be the last bod on the site to make their first jaunt, so what you learn and any mistakes you make will be of help to them, I'm sure. Make it as amusing and self-deprecating as you like. If nothing else it will be a record that you'll be able to look back on in X number of years and say to yourself "Why the hell did I do that?".

Richard

PS Include some pictures.

PPS Any more questions you might have. Ask away.
 
The third rule is: Remember, you’ll not be meeting royalty on your travels. If, on the very small slight chance that you might, they won’t mind.

The Royals are at Balmoral, including the RIght Honourable Peado one, so If I was you I would stay on the west coast.
There will be items like midge spray cream you might not know about ,but purchase that up there.

Stop panicking, start enjoying. Great learning curve when travelling
 
what you learn and any mistakes you make will be of help to them.

The big mistake I made on my first trip abroad was not buying, or taking pannier bags - I didn't give it a second thought about getting clothing to rooms etc. That was until we'd loaded on the ferry down to Santander and I had to lug a full 52ltr case up the steps to our room. Thereafter, every night lugging the cases up steps to a room - never found a hotel that didn't require me to carry the panniers up steps, usually in 30 degrees plus heat.
 
The big mistake I made on my first trip abroad was not buying, or taking pannier bags - I didn't give it a second thought about getting clothing to rooms…. Thereafter, every night lugging the cases up steps to a room - never found a hotel that didn't require me to carry the panniers up steps, usually in 30 degrees plus heat.

Character building, I believe they call it.

Excellent.
 
The big mistake I made on my first trip abroad was not buying, or taking pannier bags

Good point and being a Scotsman I use cheapo (£12), but relatively waterproof, Argos cool bags as my pannier bags.
Plus maybe stating the obvious but make sure you pack your clothes in such a way that if you did loose a pannier, you don't just have socks and undies to wear.
Otherwise you might find your wife's / girlfriend's pants bit tight in the crotch! :D
 
Hi Guys.

Off to Scotland for a couple of weeks on the R1200 GS - packed as light as possible 'no frills' considering time away.

Bike is currently on the centre stand in the garage ready to go - I attach the side panniers (Vario), all good. Once I attach the rear pannier the bike tilts back lifting the front wheel off the floor.

Should I not use centre stand when fully laden? Is this normal or a warning to get rid of more (not sure how) kit?

I am a total touring novice, help appreciated!

Cheers

It's an adventure bike; perfect centre stand balance for wheel removal all helps towards fixing punctures on some goat track you may have wandered down; or Tesco car park;:D
 
Bike is currently on the centre stand in the garage ready to go - I attach the side panniers (Vario), all good. Once I attach the rear pannier the bike tilts back lifting the front wheel off the floor.
Cheers
How absolutely brilliant!
When I had an 1100rt, it was exactly the same, and when it was time to set off, I just climbed onto the bike, started the engine and hit the throttle. I left like I was launched.
Bought a 1200rt with the stand mounted too far back on tha later models. I was never able to ride off the stand on it, no matter how much luggage I had on board.
 
How absolutely brilliant!
When I had an 1100rt, it was exactly the same, and when it was time to set off, I just climbed onto the bike, started the engine and hit the throttle. I left like I was launched.
Bought a 1200rt with the stand mounted too far back on tha later models. I was never able to ride off the stand on it, no matter how much luggage I had on board.


I was in Morocco, January 2006. Spare tyres strapped on the back, not required in the end, i'd been seduced by the pictures of previous adventurists carrying spare tyres across the awesome wilderness and thought it was compulsory.
Anyway, i'd filled up at a remote petrol station (large 32ltr fuel tank) and attempted to ride off the main stand, it wasn't happening, due to the spilt diesel and sand covered surface of the forecourt the rear tyre was just spinning... so tried a couple of attempts to rock the fully loaded bike forward with no luck.... suddenly i was unexpectedly punted forward at an explosive rate and ended up rolling off the back of the bike onto the floor and my bike slowly meandering forwards riderless until it toppled over.
"WTF happened there" i wondered ?.

Turned out the two young lads who were operating the petrol pumps had seen my struggles and thought they'd help the silly old sod on his fully loaded touring barge get the bike rolling, which they did by both shoving me forwards as hard as they could.

I thanked them for their consideration but explained it would have helped no end if they'd have warned me of their plan.
 


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