2002-03-09
Thoughts on Magellan
I made it back home safely riding from Baker City, Oregon to Seattle. The roads were in good condition most of the way but temperatures in the mountains were below freezing and there was snow and ice in patches. The snow didn't bother me but I was concerned about not being able to see ice on the road if it was covered.
The real problem was the wind. It must have been gusting as much as 40 mph over the mountains and more than once threatened to push me off the road. Wind isn't a problem when it's consistent- just lean into it and keep going. But it can be dangerous in the mountains as it whips about first from one direction then instantly shifting to another.
Things calmed down as I neared Portland and the snow turned to rain. Although it was getting late I decided to just go all the way and not stop there overnight. Magellan functioned well the whole way home.
It was a pleasure to meet Tim Bernard and the people of Happy Trails. Tim is a true enthusiast and builds the kind of accessories that he likes to have on his own bikes. The result is first-rate equipment- Exactly the things you need to convert a stock dual-sport into a Magellan. I was impressed with the service as well. Tim went the extra mile for me and I can highly recommend Happy Trails to you.
My Magellan is based on a Kawasaki KLR 650 but it's not the only choice available. Another popular dual-sport is the BMW F650 GS Dakar. These two are, in my opinion, the best options for building a modern world touring bike for solo riding. If you intend to make the journey with a passenger you might consider the BMW R1150GS but it is a much bigger and heavier motorcycle and unlike earlier GS models is not well suited to off-road riding.
You might be surprised by how economical it is to build a Magellan. A stock KLR can usually be purchased new for an out-the-door price near $5,000. Accessories, if you load it up with as much as I did, will cost about about $6,000 including the GPS. You can save a few thousand by starting with a used KLR and doing much of the work yourself. For somewhere between $8,000 and $11,000 you can have a KLR that is fully converted into a Magellan and ready to tour the world. That is less than the cost of many stock motorcycles!
What does it cost to tour the world? I don't have first-hand experience with that yet but I'll pass along what I've learned from others. Use this information as a ballpark idea of what it might cost to give you a starting point for thinking about travelling.
The cost depends, more than anything else, on your style of travel. You can average hundreds of dollars a day by sleeping in five-star hotels and eating at gourmet restaurants or you can spend a fraction of that pitching a tent and cooking your own meals over a campfire. I'm biased more to the latter; partly from economic reality but mostly from the desire to avoid becoming insulated from the world around me.
The biggest costs are gas, food, shelter, tires, maintenance, and air or sea transport for yourself and your bike. Travel in first-world countries tends to cost more than third-world countries. Expect to average as little as $20 a day in India and Africa and as much as $100 a day in western Europe or North America. I've heard that $50 a day is a good average for a round-the-world trip.
A trip around the world could be done, in reasonable comfort and without rushing through it, for $30,000. Add $10,000 for the motorcycle for a total of $40,000. Some resourceful souls have even begun without enough money to complete it and worked their way around the world.
Food for thought: Would I rather have that new car or would I rather circle the globe on a motorcycle?
Here are some great books to get you thinking about making the journey:
Jupiters's Travels - If you read only one book make it this one. Twenty five years ago Ted Simon circled the world on a Triumph. His story of adventure and self-discovery is inspiring. Believe it or not, Mr. Simon, now seventy years old, is in the midst of doing it once again! Visit www.jupitalia.com for the latest news.
One Man Caravan - Robert Fulton Jr, the grandson of the famous steamship builder, travelled around the world on a dare in 1932. He was the first to circle the globe, a real adventurer, and a skilled writer.
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook - Chris Scott's book about the practical nuts-and-bolts of motorcycle touring. This is a good starting place when it's no longer just a whimsical notion and you're beginning to think seriously about making the trip.