Portugal off road trip

OK I've decided that I'm going to start planning a full off-road trip from Braganca (Northern Portugal) to Cascias (Lisbon area-mid Portugal). It's about a 700 mile round trip by my estimate, maybe a little bit more.

The routes are already mapped/planned thanks to guys from ADV Rider and are nearly all off road.

I will truck the bike (s) to Braganca from the UK and then ride from there and return to there. I'm allowing about 9 days in total UK-Portugal-UK.

The bike I'm taking is my 03' FE450e.

What tips as far as preventative maintanance, on trip maintanance, tools and kit would any of you recommend?

I will be carrying very little as far as luggage goes, one off bike clothes change, basic toiletries and essential paperwork and communications tool ie.e mobile phones etc.

Riding gear will be my usual off road gear. Waterproof gear will be carried as well.

Any thoughts?

Have any of you done a trip of this scale and can offer practical advice?


Tools will be my basic Berg specific tool roll plus extra oil filters, spare pre-oiled air filter, spare bulbs and fuses.
I will also carry my usual First Aid kit and emergency recovery kit i.e. tow rope, spare levers, cables etc.
I run mousses so don't need tubes and levers.

The bike will have a Wolfman Enduro tank bag fitted as well as a small tailpack, I will ware a Kriega R35 rucksac.

I want to keep the weight to a minimum and apart from the rucksac, keep it as centralised as possible.

I drop the oil after every rideout over 100 miles and change the filter every 2-3 trips so I'd do the same on this trip. New filter at start, new oil filter in Cascais and then last one back in Braganca at the end of the trip.

Re: RE: Portugal off road trip

Taffy said:

you don't do things by halves do you spike?

just remember that your presence is required in august 2009 at the manx gp during august BH weekend. we have a force ride on the isle of man.....

regards

Taffy

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2008 or 2009? I'd have a dilemma as well as a friend of mine on the Island has a Cannondale S440 and I'd want to take mine over so I might have to van that and the Berg to keep everyone happy..

What size large tanks are available for the Berg? I like the look of the ali ones, especially the under seat job made by Omereto but I doubt I'd ever get my money back on it and the supply from Omereto can be very erratic or so I've heard.