TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PART 1: PRACTICALITIES

Planning and preparation 9

Getting information 14

Paperwork 17

Choosing a motorcycle 27
Top Ten overlanders 31
Bike preparation and maintenance 45
Carrying extra fuel 51
Tyres 58
Load carrying 70

Clothing for the long ride 80

Shipping overseas 84

Women and adventure motorcycling 88
Riding in Asia 88
Trans-America Muchacha 91

Life on the road 95
Setting off 95
Attitudes to security 97
Borders and checkpoints 98
Equipment checklist 101
Changing money 102

Two-wheel camping 103

Health and medical emergencies 108

Navigation and survival 122

Off-highway riding 128
Dirt roads 129
Riding in sand 131
River crossings 133

PART 2: CONTINENTAL ROUTE OUTLINES

Asia
Overland to India 140
Pakistan and the Karakoram 143
‘India: you’re standing in it’ 146
India on an Enfield 150
Southeast Asia 156
Central Asia, Russia and Mongolia 162
Central Asia Trip Notes 164
Trans-Russia and Mongolia 166

Australia 171
Major Outback tracks 173
Life on the Outback road 175

Africa 177
North Africa and the Sahara 179
West Africa 185
Western Route via Angola and Namibia 186
Egypt to Ethiopia 187
Kenya and the road to the Cape 189

Central and South America 190
Mexico and Central America 190
South America 195
The Pan-American Highway 197
Up and across the Amazon basin 201

North America 204
Renting, buying and importation guidelines 204
Northwestern Canada and Alaska 204

PART 3: TALES FROM THE SADDLE

Lois on the Loose, Lois Pryce 207
It Pours, Man it Pours, Andy Bell 214
In Search of Veal Veng, Richard Virr 220
Deadhorse, Fish Story, Gregory Frazier 224
Over the Page and Far Away, Maciek Swinarski 229
How did Pakistan get its name?, Georgie Simmonds 233
Old Boxers Never Die, Simon McCarthy 238
Up Top, Down Under, David Brown 242
Desert Riders, Chris Scott 245
No Turning Back, Arno Backes 250
Ladakh and the Valley of the Gods, Sameer Shisodia 254

APPENDIX

Some dvds and videos on adventure motorcycling 258
Conversion tables 259
Contributors 260

INDEX 269