If you have any questions about Lucky or Libby that we didn't cover in the video, please ask here in the comments. I had great fun kitting Lucky out. By the time I got her, I’d learnt so much more than when I set off to travel on my R80GS Libby - that’s short for Liberty by the way. It’s what she gives me. 🙂 I was a total novice with Libby and I bought or made some daft stuff. When I bought Lucky, part of the fun was knowing exactly what I wanted and hunting out those parts. To my delight, some upgrades I was keen on were already fitted to the bike by the previous owner. Mark had great taste in mods. Oh and the clock? I suspect that a good chunk of my brain is analogue and don’t fight it 😊
Thanks for sharing Sam! There is some sort of exhaust heat deflector installed --- what was the reason to install it? my understanding is that most of the time you travel alone in Lucky. When are you coming to Mexico to visit us?
@@oesda Hi, nice question. I think you are referring to 'Mark's Mod'. There's a story here, of course 😊. I bought Lucky from a man who was going to turn into a very good friend over the next years. A top bloke as we would say here in the UK. I was staying with Mark and his wife Lu one one year and he noticed that the BMW supplied heat reflector/boot protector was missing. We'd been riding dirt... So he made me one. When riding Lucky, the back end of my boot would have been very close to the exhaust, and the exhaust there can get really hot so... I love that his part is amongst the life story that Lucky has. Your second thought. Yes, I mostly ride alone in the USA. In Europe I ride alone a lot but I also do bigger trips with my partner Birgit. She and I rode together for 4 of the 8 years I was riding around the world. She's brilliant fun to ride with but that's another story. She rides her own bike too 🙂 Mexico? I would love to get back again one day. We spent 3 months riding in Mexico and loved it. What a fascinating country!
@@sammanicom7092 Thanks for sharing Sam. I got it... the original part was missing. (heat reflector). I pretty much started to read your book "Under Asian skies" -- I read when you meet a german girl ; ) Birgit (your actual partner). nice! When you decide, you are more than welcome in Mexico... Some of your friends are having (I hope) a good time here. (Michnus and Elsebie) -- we had the opportunity to have them at home. Cheers.
Cheers! We all learn from each other don't we. I must give a tip of the helmet to Mark Carrera, the guy I bought Lucky from. Mark had already done such things as upgrading the suspension, putting trail footpegs on, and he'd replaced one of the wheels with a Woodies Wheel. (I'll get to doing the other one day) He'd also changed the bulbs to LED. They were things on my 'Would like to do/have' list. Over the next visits with him and his wife Lu, we had some great evening conversations on their veranda about things that work and things that weren't vital. Don't you love conversations like that 😊I really like the fact that with all the gear options around now we can make our bikes our own. If things help us to ride with a smile...
Brilliant video Sam, the longevity of the BMW bikes is what makes them so popular and a few accessories like you've added personalise the bike to fit your own style of travel. After 7-8 years of travelling on a range of Japanese mid size bikes I've finally traded up to a GS1200 an older model with out the bits that can go wrong. Looking forwards to catching up during 2025.
Sam and I have many of the same accessory preferences and favorite brands. The only thing I’d recommend Mototrek consider is requiring disclosures for items that were given to Sam be added in the description or spoken out loud. I disclose any time I received a discount so viewers can flag any biases I may be sharing when giving an endorsement. this is not a criticism on Sam’s character. Just advice for the channel when featuring people talking about modifications.
Thanks for the feedback, Adam. I asked Sam to host this video because he has more experience traveling the world by motorcycle than most, and his opinions, preferences and chosen modifications matter. I'm certain that Sam's opinions, whether his gear is sponsored or not, are 100% credible. Just because Sam prefers the gear featured in this video does not mean the viewer will have the same experience or appreciation. If any viewer has gear experiences that do not align with Sam's we welcome that conversation here in the comments. MOTOTREK does not have a relationship with any of the gear manufacturers mentioned in this video, and this video is not sponsored in any way.
Nice info video from another experienced rider. Got the 800GS, same crash bars, hardcases for touring, the Denali aux lights...just the sheepskin is not my thing.
Good vid. Enjoyed. A lot of the old school we came from. Have to try some of those tires on my new UGS. Sam I am too. Next time. Safe travels. All good from east Kentucky USA
Hi Sam, great to hear from you. And cheers for the thumbs up! Sometimes 'old school' is still around because it works so well eh. 🙂East Kentucky? Wow. A beautiful area. I was riding there a couple of years back and promised I'd get back again. One day I will for sure! Safe travels to you too!!
Where I ride out in the desert I simply can't afford to have a flat tire. It could mean life or death. Does anyone out there inject slime tire sealant into their tubes. If so what were the results please. I ride on both hot asphalt road and rugged desert terrain.
Great build. My only gripe is the ditch lights. I say the same thing for off-road trucks, SUVs, wannabe BroDozers, etc., but the ditch lights should be aimed at the ditch rather than straight forward, especially if you're going to drive around with them on all the time. Aiming them straight forward and keeping them on is kind of a dick move to anyone in front of you.
Hi Chase, I agree. I spend time setting my spots to the right angles and direction, and when I'm changing my luggage load I reposition them accordingly. Simple to do eh. My nearside spot is aimed at the side of the road (my side). The offside light, angled lower (key) so I'm not dazzling people, is aimed towards the centre of my lane. I think it's dangerous, and rude, for me to dazzle oncoming traffic. These Denali's are really bright, so I don't need to risk dazzling others. So many cars now have really bright LED headlights don't they. I think we motorcyclists more than most know how dangerous they make life when they are blasting towards us on a dark night.
Motorcyclists are a peculiar bunch of people. They talk about freedom and about hardware, bikes and mods. As important as hardware is, especially when on demanding trips, it's your "software", skills, attitude. Not many talk about that. Sort of like: Buy a Stradivari, it makes you a better violinist ;-) Like your videos, Günter/Nürnberg
Hi Gunter, I totally agree with you. You can ride the world on literally anything if your mindset is right. We just have to look back at the early days riders don't we. One of the things I didn't get right when I set off on the big trip, was that I had very few riding skills. I was very much the novice and I know that I was really lucky to get away with some of the tumbles I had. I, with hindsight would have been safer and had even more fun if I had, for example, learnt how to ride on gravel, mud and sand. The most important things I travelled with and still do, are respect for others and their cultures, awareness that I am out there to learn, and a handshake and a smile. I also know, as I suspect most watching this clip know, that things are going to go wrong as well as go wonderfully right. When they go wrong. it's how a person deals with them that's so important isn't it. A 'disaster' or the beginning of an unexpected adventure? I get the feeling that you are of the same mind-set Gunter! Happy travels to you!! 🙂
@@MOTOTREK Oh yes, I saw all of them. Very much appreciated! My answer was directly to Sam's mods & bits video, because it's all about hardware. Happy days, Günter/Nürnberg
@@sammanicom7092 We are of the same mindset, Sam. Of course you need some hardware to get you from A to B. But in order to play a fine riding tune you need training. And a positive attitude. And some good luck ;-) Happy days, Günter/Nürnberg
If you have any questions about Lucky or Libby that we didn't cover in the video, please ask here in the comments. I had great fun kitting Lucky out. By the time I got her, I’d learnt so much more than when I set off to travel on my R80GS Libby - that’s short for Liberty by the way. It’s what she gives me. 🙂
I was a total novice with Libby and I bought or made some daft stuff. When I bought Lucky, part of the fun was knowing exactly what I wanted and hunting out those parts. To my delight, some upgrades I was keen on were already fitted to the bike by the previous owner. Mark had great taste in mods. Oh and the clock? I suspect that a good chunk of my brain is analogue and don’t fight it 😊
Thanks for sharing Sam!
There is some sort of exhaust heat deflector installed --- what was the reason to install it? my understanding is that most of the time you travel alone in Lucky.
When are you coming to Mexico to visit us?
@@oesda Hi, nice question. I think you are referring to 'Mark's Mod'. There's a story here, of course 😊. I bought Lucky from a man who was going to turn into a very good friend over the next years. A top bloke as we would say here in the UK. I was staying with Mark and his wife Lu one one year and he noticed that the BMW supplied heat reflector/boot protector was missing. We'd been riding dirt... So he made me one. When riding Lucky, the back end of my boot would have been very close to the exhaust, and the exhaust there can get really hot so... I love that his part is amongst the life story that Lucky has. Your second thought. Yes, I mostly ride alone in the USA. In Europe I ride alone a lot but I also do bigger trips with my partner Birgit. She and I rode together for 4 of the 8 years I was riding around the world. She's brilliant fun to ride with but that's another story. She rides her own bike too 🙂 Mexico? I would love to get back again one day. We spent 3 months riding in Mexico and loved it. What a fascinating country!
@@sammanicom7092 Thanks for sharing Sam.
I got it... the original part was missing. (heat reflector).
I pretty much started to read your book "Under Asian skies" -- I read when you meet a german girl ; ) Birgit (your actual partner). nice!
When you decide, you are more than welcome in Mexico... Some of your friends are having (I hope) a good time here. (Michnus and Elsebie) -- we had the opportunity to have them at home. Cheers.
Nice! I like the literal bike content and seeing how an experienced rider like Sam kits out his bike makes it all the more note-worthy.
Cheers! We all learn from each other don't we. I must give a tip of the helmet to Mark Carrera, the guy I bought Lucky from. Mark had already done such things as upgrading the suspension, putting trail footpegs on, and he'd replaced one of the wheels with a Woodies Wheel. (I'll get to doing the other one day) He'd also changed the bulbs to LED. They were things on my 'Would like to do/have' list. Over the next visits with him and his wife Lu, we had some great evening conversations on their veranda about things that work and things that weren't vital. Don't you love conversations like that 😊I really like the fact that with all the gear options around now we can make our bikes our own. If things help us to ride with a smile...
Awesome overview of a well traveled bike!
I would love more of these. It's like seeing an artist's sketch book.
We want to make more too!
Always a pleasure to see Sam on more stuff.
More Sam Manicom is always good. Such a likeable guy on screen.
Brilliant video Sam, the longevity of the BMW bikes is what makes them so popular and a few accessories like you've added personalise the bike to fit your own style of travel.
After 7-8 years of travelling on a range of Japanese mid size bikes I've finally traded up to a GS1200 an older model with out the bits that can go wrong.
Looking forwards to catching up during 2025.
Sam and I have many of the same accessory preferences and favorite brands. The only thing I’d recommend Mototrek consider is requiring disclosures for items that were given to Sam be added in the description or spoken out loud. I disclose any time I received a discount so viewers can flag any biases I may be sharing when giving an endorsement. this is not a criticism on Sam’s character. Just advice for the channel when featuring people talking about modifications.
Thanks for the feedback, Adam.
I asked Sam to host this video because he has more experience traveling the world by motorcycle than most, and his opinions, preferences and chosen modifications matter. I'm certain that Sam's opinions, whether his gear is sponsored or not, are 100% credible. Just because Sam prefers the gear featured in this video does not mean the viewer will have the same experience or appreciation. If any viewer has gear experiences that do not align with Sam's we welcome that conversation here in the comments.
MOTOTREK does not have a relationship with any of the gear manufacturers mentioned in this video, and this video is not sponsored in any way.
Nice info video from another experienced rider. Got the 800GS, same crash bars, hardcases for touring, the Denali aux lights...just the sheepskin is not my thing.
F800gsa is the legend!
Since when? 😂
@Doko88 from now on! ;D
Good vid. Enjoyed. A lot of the old school we came from. Have to try some of those tires on my new UGS. Sam I am too. Next time. Safe travels. All good from east Kentucky USA
Hi Sam, great to hear from you. And cheers for the thumbs up! Sometimes 'old school' is still around because it works so well eh. 🙂East Kentucky? Wow. A beautiful area. I was riding there a couple of years back and promised I'd get back again. One day I will for sure! Safe travels to you too!!
@sammanicom7092 let me know hang out awhile I know it like the back of my hand great riding in my backyard
Where I ride out in the desert I simply can't afford to have a flat tire. It could mean life or death. Does anyone out there inject slime tire sealant into their tubes. If so what were the results please. I ride on both hot asphalt road and rugged desert terrain.
Great build. My only gripe is the ditch lights. I say the same thing for off-road trucks, SUVs, wannabe BroDozers, etc., but the ditch lights should be aimed at the ditch rather than straight forward, especially if you're going to drive around with them on all the time. Aiming them straight forward and keeping them on is kind of a dick move to anyone in front of you.
Good quality aux lights can be aimed and dimmed to not blind oncoming traffic.
@MOTOTREK yeah, down and to the left and right.
Hi Chase, I agree. I spend time setting my spots to the right angles and direction, and when I'm changing my luggage load I reposition them accordingly. Simple to do eh. My nearside spot is aimed at the side of the road (my side). The offside light, angled lower (key) so I'm not dazzling people, is aimed towards the centre of my lane. I think it's dangerous, and rude, for me to dazzle oncoming traffic. These Denali's are really bright, so I don't need to risk dazzling others. So many cars now have really bright LED headlights don't they. I think we motorcyclists more than most know how dangerous they make life when they are blasting towards us on a dark night.
Motorcyclists are a peculiar bunch of people. They talk about freedom and about hardware, bikes and mods. As important as hardware is, especially when on demanding trips, it's your "software", skills, attitude. Not many talk about that. Sort of like: Buy a Stradivari, it makes you a better violinist ;-) Like your videos, Günter/Nürnberg
Have you not seen the 100+ videos we've already made about riding skills? :)
Hi Gunter, I totally agree with you. You can ride the world on literally anything if your mindset is right. We just have to look back at the early days riders don't we. One of the things I didn't get right when I set off on the big trip, was that I had very few riding skills. I was very much the novice and I know that I was really lucky to get away with some of the tumbles I had. I, with hindsight would have been safer and had even more fun if I had, for example, learnt how to ride on gravel, mud and sand. The most important things I travelled with and still do, are respect for others and their cultures, awareness that I am out there to learn, and a handshake and a smile. I also know, as I suspect most watching this clip know, that things are going to go wrong as well as go wonderfully right. When they go wrong. it's how a person deals with them that's so important isn't it. A 'disaster' or the beginning of an unexpected adventure? I get the feeling that you are of the same mind-set Gunter! Happy travels to you!! 🙂
@@MOTOTREK Oh yes, I saw all of them. Very much appreciated! My answer was directly to Sam's mods & bits video, because it's all about hardware. Happy days, Günter/Nürnberg
@@sammanicom7092 We are of the same mindset, Sam. Of course you need some hardware to get you from A to B. But in order to play a fine riding tune you need training. And a positive attitude. And some good luck ;-) Happy days, Günter/Nürnberg
@@enduromotorradtouren ooh! Yes! I forgot luck! ☺Plenty of that please.