RTW - BMW K75S
| Who | Edde M ~ email ~ website |
| Profession | Accountant |
| Born 1973 | Nationality US Citizen |
| Previous travel experience | Served in Senegal (W. Africa) as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years. |
| Previous bike travels | Traveled in the US, and West Africa. |
| This trip | RTW |
| Departure date | November, 2006 |
| Number in group | 1 |
| Trip duration | 10 months |
| Distance covered | 35,000 miles |
| Cost of trip (not incl. bike) | $25,000 |
| Best day | Any day of the trip! |
| Worst/ hardest day | Middle of the Sahara and digging the bike out of the sand 10 times... |
| Favourite place | Ghardaia |
| Biggest headache | My inept mechanical skills... |
| Biggest mistake | Underestimating the focus necessary to keep travelling when I arrived back in North America... |
| Most pleasant surprise | The support of complete strangers online and en route... |
| Any illness | malaria |
| Other trips planned | - |
| One travel tip | Be patient in all respects of the trip...things happen for a reason, and only with hindsight are you smart enough to figure out why. |
| Bike Model | 1993 K75s |
| Age/ mileage on departure | 52-53k miles |
| Modifications | After market rear shock, reinforced fairing mount and drop bars... |
| Mods you wish you'd done | The above mods before the trip instead of en route, but IF I did in the States....MUCH more expensive...see travel tip! |
| Type of baggage | Standard BMW Integral Bags |
| Tyres used | Metzeler ME 88 Rear, Michelin Anakee Rear, Metzeler Me 880 Front |
| Number of punctures | 1 |
| Bike's weak point | Incompetent rider at times... |
| Bike's strong point | Makes imcompetent riders and mechanics look good... |
| Bike problems | A couple caused by incompetent rider mechanic... |
| Number of accidents | A few drops in the sand...nothing tragic. |
| Same bike again? | Without a doubt...best off on road combination for the money. |
| One biking tip | Just because a bike may be newer, the presumption it will give you fewer issues is categorically without merit. Choose something you're comfortable with...riding wise and mechanically familiar with. |