Bike prep's - Ready to go?

Well, one can only hope...

All prepped and ready to go (?)

It has been a long way getting there. Although I did a full service as recent as end of April this year, I decided to re-do it, before leaving for Europe. I've covered some 3500 km already this year and weren't far away from service anyhow.

Three items were the most important ones on the service list; valve check, oil change and tire change. I also knew I needed to change brake pad in the rear.

As it is only so-so fun servicing alone, I booked some time and space in my friend's garage. Although he is very knowledgeable on bikes, the really big plus was having company as well as getting some splendid food now and then. Big thanks M & L, couldn't have done it without you!

The service went well, everything changed that should be changed, cables, hoses, connections etc etc checked and full rebuild of rear brake done as well. After a full day's work I got on the bike at 23:30 to go back home and get some sleep.

I got 200 meters.

Since then it has been all trouble-shooting. For some reason the bike didn't get enough fuel and I couldn't really figure out why. It all has ended with a full fuel system clean-up. Carburetor rebuilt, fuel pump cleaned, fuel cocks, hoses and tank likewise. Finally I've installed a fuel filter. Yes, it's true. KTM has built a splendid dirt adventure bike and not installed a fuel filter from factory! Totally incomprehensible to me...

Yesterday the bike ran as it should again. It still does. Biggest problem though is to regain confidence in the bike continuing to run for the upcoming 8-10 000 km as well. I've done a +200 km test run, high speed, low speed, curves, starts, stops, letting it rest over night and such. Works fine, but I find myself starting to hear noises I can't recall hearing before. Guess I'll just have to do the trip and hopefully along the way me and the bike will get back to the level of mutual trust we used to have...

On the other hand I'm still happy it happened now. Would have been worse in the middle of nowhere, some 3000 km from home. As my friend with the garage put it: "You have a quite intelligent bike you know. It told you that if you (i.e. the bike and I) are going to do a long trip you better check this first!"

The new front bags.

Another upside: I now had the opportunity to do some further mods as well. Figure a good horn won't hurt in France and Spain and also installed some extra bags, hung on the engine bars.

We will continue to do shorter trips the rest of this week, Trüdl and I, to further build confidence. Yes, my Austrian girl has gotten a name now. Don't know if Trüdl actually is an Austrian girls-name, but it sounds like it and given the temper shown over the last couple of weeks it has to be a girl!

Update: As a tip for those who use the same kind of unpainted aluminium panniers I do. Make sure they are dead tight screwed on to the rack on the bike! If not, the paint on the rack will grind away due to vibrations. As the rack is steel, this will lead to serious galvanic corrosion of the panniers. You notice this as an extremely fine grey powder that stains virtually everything. Eventually the corrosion will lead to holes in the cases.
It is very easy to fix. Just make sure that the panniers are galvanically isolated from the rack. In my case, as I didn't have the time to powder coat or paint, I simply taped the rack with duct-tape. It'll have to do until I can make something more permanent.