Even though it is still two weeks to go before the WIMA Rally begins I can already see the signs of preparation on Facebook. Suitcases are being packed in Australia and routes plotted from Finland, Hungary, England and anywhere in between – destination Val-de-Travers Switzerland. I still have 10 days to ride off but I can’t wait to get going.
Although there are a couple weeks until I set out, all my preparations have to be finished by now. I’m flying to Sweden to spend the first two weeks of my summer holiday with my parents and when I’m back I set off.
What I’ve been up to lately regarding preparation can be seen on the newly updated page “The To-Do-List 2013”
The bike is prepared with maintenance according to the manual and some extra bits including a new rear tyre. The tyre was a complicated business. When reading on the internet, people seemed to change both rear and front at the same time. On the Ducati I always used two rear to one front and also now the front tyre looks fine while the rear is squared off and might not have enough rubber to last the holiday. Moreover, it seemed that most people got less mileage out of their Dunlop Sportmax than I have got and I could still use it if it wasn’t for the vacation.
In the end, I changed just the rear and hope the front will last so I can change both for another brand. From what I read on the Kawasaki Versys forum, most people would rather change for another tyre, saying that the Sportmax is not to be trusted in wet conditions. My riding style is not that provocative on tyres so I think I will be fine though. I really appreciate these forums and the members are often willing to help with information, the problem is to sort out what information to listen to in the end.
In two and a half weeks the adventure starts but now the bike is stored away safely and I fly to Sweden for a couple of weeks recreation in the countryside.