A lot of people wonder how we communicate while on the bikes.
The short story is that we have UHF radios and a electronic box that controls it.
The far more truthful (and slightly shameful) answer is that I have spent far too much time and money adding my phone, iPod, GPS, charging station, noise filter and now a Helmet Camera also plugged into a central unit.
The result is what looked like a cross between a 5 year old's fishing reel, and the contents of a Jaycar (Radio Shack) outlet.
All of this stuff has been shoe-horned into my tank bag (for the uninitiated, a tank bag is a small bag that straps to your motorcycle 'tank'. It's easy to access while still sitting on your bike, and is often used to hold things you need quick access to like you wallet, chapstick, papers, camera - you get the idea)
On our Russia ride I spent FAR too long packing and unpacking the bikes every morning and evening. I decided that this trip would be different, and that we would take less stuff and DEFINITELY not have to strap ANYTHING to the bikes with Occy Straps (bungee cords). It would just be our luggage, and that was it.
The problem with the tank bag, that as well as clipping it to the bikes, you also had to 'connect it up'.
As it houses a whole pile of electrical stuff that has to be charged each night, you constantly have to pull it apart and put it back together again.
This time I wanted to minimise the amount of fittings that needed to be undone, and to just basically or 'un-fuck' the whole process.
As it stands, I've had to make a checklist to make sure I remember to put the various electrical items on to charge at the close of business each day. 2 phones, 2 helmet cameras, 1 regular camera, 2 radios and an iPod all needed to be removed from the kit, the various chargers located, and set overnight to suck up some juice. Add this time to removing luggage, securing the bikes, setting camp - and pretty soon you have eaten up over an hour of your time, only to have to reverse everything in the morning.
Last ride it became routine after a few weeks, but it was still a really shitty job that had to be done twice a day, but I am digress, and lets face it having a bit of a whinge right now (boo fucking hoo!! suck it up Princess!)
So I've made some in-roads into simplifying the whole deal.
The easiest thing to fix was having to strap bags to the bikes. This was just a matter of just throwing money at the problem - we just bought lockable metal top-boxes for both bikes that carry 43L. This takes care of the water proof black bags we had strapped to out bikes in Russia, albeit at about 20L less of storage.
We fixed that by simply not taking as much stuff. For Russia, we carried a fair amount of spares; Jerry cans, Oil filters and Oil, Tyre levers, and even a spare battery. We're not taking anything like that this time - and if it doesn't fit - The it's not fucking coming!
And so back to the tank bag....
After shortening some wires, making my own remote volume control, and mounting stuff onto a board, it's all much neater. It doesn't look like it, but there is about 50hours of soldering, making custom cables to connect my helmet into the intercom system and some general jiggery-pokery.
I'm particularly proud of the Helmet cam interface that I made. All our helmet cam videos from Russia just have blasting wind noise for audio. Now you should be able to hear my music in the background, plus any conversations Megan and I are having via the Radio, and anything I am just saying to myself. So fair warning - you may want to lower the volume if you're at work and you click on a video to watch, otherwise you may hear a string of expletives that would make a Sailor blush.
As this tank bag will be carry on luggage I am now Paranoid that if I open it, Someone will see some wires and report me to TSA as carrying a you-know-what.
Followed shortly after by a rectal examination by a guy who needs custom made gloves if you know what I mean.
It was a toss up whether to check this or to carry it on.
If we carry on - we can explain what it's for and show pictures, documents etc. and still maybe make the flight.
If it's in our checked luggage. The first we know there is an issue is when get hauled off the plane as we are just sitting down and we definitely won't be going anywhere while they unload us and our bags from the cargo hold.
Oh well... at least it might make for a good story...
The short story is that we have UHF radios and a electronic box that controls it.
The far more truthful (and slightly shameful) answer is that I have spent far too much time and money adding my phone, iPod, GPS, charging station, noise filter and now a Helmet Camera also plugged into a central unit.
The result is what looked like a cross between a 5 year old's fishing reel, and the contents of a Jaycar (Radio Shack) outlet.
All of this stuff has been shoe-horned into my tank bag (for the uninitiated, a tank bag is a small bag that straps to your motorcycle 'tank'. It's easy to access while still sitting on your bike, and is often used to hold things you need quick access to like you wallet, chapstick, papers, camera - you get the idea)
On our Russia ride I spent FAR too long packing and unpacking the bikes every morning and evening. I decided that this trip would be different, and that we would take less stuff and DEFINITELY not have to strap ANYTHING to the bikes with Occy Straps (bungee cords). It would just be our luggage, and that was it.
The problem with the tank bag, that as well as clipping it to the bikes, you also had to 'connect it up'.
As it houses a whole pile of electrical stuff that has to be charged each night, you constantly have to pull it apart and put it back together again.
This time I wanted to minimise the amount of fittings that needed to be undone, and to just basically or 'un-fuck' the whole process.
As it stands, I've had to make a checklist to make sure I remember to put the various electrical items on to charge at the close of business each day. 2 phones, 2 helmet cameras, 1 regular camera, 2 radios and an iPod all needed to be removed from the kit, the various chargers located, and set overnight to suck up some juice. Add this time to removing luggage, securing the bikes, setting camp - and pretty soon you have eaten up over an hour of your time, only to have to reverse everything in the morning.
Last ride it became routine after a few weeks, but it was still a really shitty job that had to be done twice a day, but I am digress, and lets face it having a bit of a whinge right now (boo fucking hoo!! suck it up Princess!)
So I've made some in-roads into simplifying the whole deal.
The easiest thing to fix was having to strap bags to the bikes. This was just a matter of just throwing money at the problem - we just bought lockable metal top-boxes for both bikes that carry 43L. This takes care of the water proof black bags we had strapped to out bikes in Russia, albeit at about 20L less of storage.
 |
| The bikes in Russia the day we left Vladivostok - with all kinds of crap tied to them |
 |
| My bike with my new shiny top box. Clean as a whistle! and not a strap in sight |
 |
| Just after we were told there was a 400km stretch without fuel in Russia. Turned out not to be true and we carried these Jerry cans for about 3000km for nothing! |
We fixed that by simply not taking as much stuff. For Russia, we carried a fair amount of spares; Jerry cans, Oil filters and Oil, Tyre levers, and even a spare battery. We're not taking anything like that this time - and if it doesn't fit - The it's not fucking coming!
And so back to the tank bag....
After shortening some wires, making my own remote volume control, and mounting stuff onto a board, it's all much neater. It doesn't look like it, but there is about 50hours of soldering, making custom cables to connect my helmet into the intercom system and some general jiggery-pokery.
I'm particularly proud of the Helmet cam interface that I made. All our helmet cam videos from Russia just have blasting wind noise for audio. Now you should be able to hear my music in the background, plus any conversations Megan and I are having via the Radio, and anything I am just saying to myself. So fair warning - you may want to lower the volume if you're at work and you click on a video to watch, otherwise you may hear a string of expletives that would make a Sailor blush.
 |
| The Intercom 'box' with my iPod connected in, and push-to-talk button for the radio, all zip tied to a board for neatness |
 | ||
| All fitted into my tank bag, and also showing the noise filter, (back box on bottom right),the charging station (with the two ciggy lighter and USB sockets) UHF radio, PTT button, and Helmet connection (top) and the power in and GPS connection wires (Left) |
As this tank bag will be carry on luggage I am now Paranoid that if I open it, Someone will see some wires and report me to TSA as carrying a you-know-what.
Followed shortly after by a rectal examination by a guy who needs custom made gloves if you know what I mean.
It was a toss up whether to check this or to carry it on.
If we carry on - we can explain what it's for and show pictures, documents etc. and still maybe make the flight.
If it's in our checked luggage. The first we know there is an issue is when get hauled off the plane as we are just sitting down and we definitely won't be going anywhere while they unload us and our bags from the cargo hold.
Oh well... at least it might make for a good story...
Bloody brilliant - wish I was going with you!
ReplyDeletePlenty of roads left :)
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