Laos and Beyond : Part I - Planning A Long Ride

Few times I sat down with experience bikers who has done thousands of miles. Thought I would share it with you. In summary, there are only 3 things that will let you start your journey and kept it going :
1. Money
2. Bike
3. Health

1. Money
No money, no talk. Sounds a little harsh, but we are facing reality here. Let's go to basic first before we crunching the calculator for the long way ride. How much money do you think maintaining a superbike in a month? Or let it be a year so you divide and plan your income monthly? I'll draw down what's it needed for a brand new liter bike, but not much difference for a 600cc or 1400cc bike too :

1. RM 1,000.00 for the tyre, average 3 swaps in a year if you're a regular rider.
2. RM 250.00 for for engine oil and filter, average of 4 times in a year.
3. RM 2,000.00 + RM 350.00 for road tax and insurance.

The basics will had you RM 530.00 for a month. And in every 2 years, you need another RM 1,000.00 for the chain & sprocket. Some more hundreds for the bearing & prepare another RM 2,000 for doing a valve clearance. This is maintenance, you can option to skip it of course, but this will not leave your bike in tip top form. So that will make us save about RM 650.00 per month. Did you notice, I did say to maintain a bike, means you already have one right? So do you buy it cash? If you do, this wouldn't be much a problem since you pocket is that deep. I had to finance my bike, couldn't afford to get it in cash, an depending on your loan, average guy pay RM600.00-RM1,000.00 installment a month for their bike. Teh tarik and fuel, let say it would cost RM50 a week, so altogether, RM 650 + RM 750 + RM 200 = RM 1,600.00 is an ideal amount for you to spend on a your bike monthly.

I wouldn't want to go how much more you need for a track day, gears, and accessories for your bike because it just ain't basic and you'll always have a choice to have them or not. What I'm stressing is the necessities. So, to sum it up, you squeeze out RM 1,600 from your pocket monthly... just for enjoyment. If your eyes widen reading this figure, I'm sorry to say, it's not your time yet... Not to mean that you can't own one, but you have to wait until you find this is OK. InsyaAllah. I'm struggling myself, but if you asked me why? The enjoyment is priceless!

So let's get to the long ride. RM 6,000.00 is the minimum for a 10 days Laos ride. How do I know the figure? Ask them who had been there. That would covers accommodations, foods and fuel for you & the bike. I would love to breakdown the figure, because I too want to know, but that'll take me sometime. I'll be back on this article. A 14 days trip to the Golden-Triangle cost a friend of mine RM15K. Gulp... That would be me swallowing back my saliva.

So, to plan a trip there. Start saving... and do plan for some contingencies too.

2. Bike
No bike no ride. It's easy, right? But if you reverse it, Got bike, got ride. It not necessary to be true. Would you think my Zx10R would survey that long ride. I doubt it, may be, but I need some more money for the repair bills. A supersports was meant for the track. An environment that's clone a track is a good paved tarmac road with twisties. A long straight highway doesn't do justice for the bike too, especially for the tyres. An ideal bike for this ride would be to get a dual-purpose. That's it for me. And easy riding bike like a Sportstourer, Street Naked, & Cruiser will be fine up until you find a gravel & mud that you have to come to. You'll curse and grief.

So, let save ourselves some more money and get a dual-purpose. Just for the sake of this ride.

3. Health
Ho..ho..ho... Start exercising. The long way ride test you only one thing. Endurance. Your body and mind should be clear. Getting excited with the trip is good. But would you be that excited as well to get back? That just a test for your mind. You're body should be kept fit as well. Epol advise us to prepare an international medical card. Hmm... should get advise from Bro Fino about this. To say, you have to stay healty for the ride. I'm very pleased that we played futsal every week now. If we keep this up, I bet all of us is ready for the ride by the end of next year, right? We also have to consider our families and our commitment to them. It might not be a problem much to get a two week leave. But let us prepare for it a well. Our mind should stay focus all the time.

So I guess you'll get the point. I never been to a very long ride before, so all of this is from what I heard and think what is should, not from experience. I may sounds more cons than pros, but this is just a tips to make it be a pleasant trip. A great adventure is one without plan. The hassles, the difficulties, the stressfulness and all the wrong ones if much more enjoyable to remember, but would not be pleasant at that moment, would you like to share them to the one you love and care? I love traveling, I always want to do it without the money, but that'll make me selfish for myself. If it was me, and I'm not obligated to anything, I'll start my bike and head north all the way now.

To be continue...
1. Part II - Imagine