London to Sydney - changing a steamer into a dual sport

[BruKen]

Read about getting the carbs outta a "Steamer" before you go anywhere!

This is a must. Train to avoid disturbing the rubber on the mid cylinder when mouting the carbs again. This can be no fun at all along a windy road. But with exercise in advance, you´re much better off.

Do some tyre changes back home as well, using the tools you intend to carry,  if it´s new to you. And speaking of tools for puncture repair, this is what I´d bring:
Two tyre irons
One small air pump
Puncture repair kit

I´d drop the bottled repair stuff, but have little experience with it. It seems sensible to use it if you know you are getting a new inner tube in the next town, but otherwise just fix the hole roadside.

I know you've done this before... I've seen the pics and evidence... but when I got a flat in the rear I learnt you need a toolbox to get the back wheel of the tigger off.

2 19mm sockets
1 12mm socket
2 1/2 inch drivers
1 55 torx driver
2 12 mm hex drives
1 6mm hex drive
1 long nose pliers
1 brake caliper compressor or similar

then you need serious tyre levers to get 6 ply monsters off or a bead breaker
rubber patches
pump or O2 canisters

I'd sell my kids for a tubless solution


Or where did I go wrong?  :oops:

[Mustang]

I'd sell my kids for a tubless solution


Or where did I go wrong?  :oops:

I don't want your kids but............a lot of people have sealed their rims with silicone sealant around the spoke nipples and then covered the rim with the rim rubber and a few wraps of fiberglass or similar tape .
Most have had good results , with minimal to zero air leaks . YMMV

My toolkit is a cell phone and a master card .....

It's all part of the adventure  :D  :lol:

[BruKen]

I'd give that a go but I have serious concerns you'll struggle to get the wheel balanced afterwards.
I wonder if there is anyway one could pinchand fit a beemer GS rim where the spokes are laced outside to fit a steamer hub? Anybody got a beemer lying spare I can pinch the rim off :twisted:

[tropicalwallah]

Both side intakes are open. The Australian made Uni-filter pods are not oiled and are intended to catch larger particles such as: bugs, seeds, grass etc etc.... Hopefully the K&N filter in the air-box will filter out fine grit and dust. The very slight restriction of the uni-filters helps with the low speed tractability whilst providing minimal restriction at high rpms. The jetting was changed to:

Mikuni Carb

mains 125, 122.5, 125
needles 2 notches from the bottom
Pilot jet 40 (stock)
Pilot screw 2.25 turns out

The fuel economy at high speed is probably not great, but in a nanny state like Australia with an enforced 100kmhr speed limit, this is not a problem.
With a 19 front sprocket the engine is turning only 3841rpms @ 100kmph according to: www.gearingcommander.com

TROPICALWALLAH

[Rocinante]

Or where did I go wrong?  :oops:

You didn´t. :roll:

I didn´t count in the tools to get the wheel off because that should be part of the travel tool kit. My suggestions was only for the work after the wheel was off.

One long tyre iron is nice to have, but the work is doable with a combination of technic and brute force. My rear wheel is actually lying on the floor in the garage at the moment, awaiting the new tube I just bought because of a puncture and then another due to careless use of tyre irons. It´s very easy to puncture the tube again when you mount the tyre, if the tube get between the iron and the rim. Just imagine the annoyance when after finishing everything and at the moment where the wheel is going back on the bike, you hear a low whistle and you know you´re back at scratch. Been there too many times.

If you can get heavy duty tubes, then use that. I have it in the 21" front, but haven´t been able to find one for the rear.

[rybes]

just a thought. when i rebuilt my tiger last summer i replaced every nut and bolt with allen headed ones. i carry a set of allen keys and a 17 or 19 mm (cant remeber wich) in the bike with a flat head screw driver and a pair of pliers. this gives me the ability to almost pull the bike completley apart at the roadsie with out the need of lots of differnt tools to do it. just a set of allen keys and a spanner for sus linkage front wheel spindle and engine mountin bolts.

[BruKen]

The concept is good but hex drives and cap head bolts ... and me...   :oops:

[Milton]

I would look into sealing your wheels so you can run tubeless, makes flat repair so much easier. I just did this on my 98 and so far it is working great. It's always a real pain breaking a bead here in the comfort of the home garage I can't image what I would do along the side of the road/trail.

[tomski]

Read about getting the carbs outta a "Steamer" before you go anywhere!

I´d drop the bottled repair stuff, but have little experience with it. It seems sensible to use it if you know you are getting a new inner tube in the next town, but otherwise just fix the hole roadside.

Actually have changed/repaired a few tubes myself on enduro bikes but for a while now been using the tyre foam stuff...i know it says not meant to use on tubes but it worked so far 100% for me (well about 4 times)..with longest distance travelled about 300km and no drop in pressure at all....at the moment it seems my sports wheels (120 frnt and 180 rear) are tubeless so rims are sealed...though will need to find a replacement for bigger front (21) and thinner rear....

[rybes]

shame im so far away. if you was intersted i ddo you a straight swap. my wheels for your wheels. thatll give ya a 2001 tiger set of spoked wheels. but im in denmark, gutted !

[tomski]

Hey Rybes, what sort of wheels do you have? may be able to organise transport etc or a visit....by the way my wheels are sealed also....:)

[rybes]

i got these wheels mate



although they have now been powder coated with chrome rims and poweder coated silver hubs and the spokes have been polished. from what you say, im guessin you have 3 spokes on your bike ?

[tomski]

hey sorry for the delay was away for a few days...so i got the spoked wheels with a 180 rear and a 120 front...believe to be sealed from the inside (as mentioned by previous owner)  but will check them out properly...i'm guessing yours is a 140 rear and a 110 front?

[rybes]

guess again. ya right on the front but i got a 150 rear. not to worry bout the delay as long as ya had a good time away.

[tomski]

Heya Rybes, and once again, I had to take off abroad with work for a while and hten took some time out to go to the pyrenees on a different bike (DR Big)...as it happens my trip back home will need to wait till next year so now planning for start in July/Aug...the upshot is that i get to take off 6 months to do this at that time....anyhow just finishing my bike (the head gasket issue described in another post) and still aim to come via Denmark to visit a mate near Oslo but that will probably wait till end of September or so...so if yer wheels will still be about we could do a deal, would probably order some rubber to arrive at yours so that could fit them straight on....obviously if that would be possible :)

right, back on track anyhow with only a couple of months of delay lol...