Thank you for the great collaboration
Suzuki
Many thanks to Suzuki for sponsoring a new V-Strom 1000 ABS with service and insurance for the duration of the trip.
When we came to Peter Bogoly on a Friday in April 2018, we were really excited to get the new bike for our big trip. A few days earlier we have finalized our partnership with Suzuki Austria. We finished the paperwork and hit the road with a brand new motorcycle showing a mileage of zero kilometers.
A big thank you to Peter Bogoly and the great team of Suzuki Austria for providing insurance, servicing the bike and helping with useful knowledge while we were on the road. We can really count on the V-Strom as well as on the great team behind it.
You can also find an article about RoadsUp on the Suzuki website covering the trip from Austria to Singapore. In their Way of Life Magazine you can read the story “300 Tage ostwärts” online and an extended version in the printed Magazine.
Givi
A big thank you to Givi for sponsoring a list of over 30 new accessory parts to make the V-Strom a perfect travel bike.
Givi was an extraordinary partner throughout the whole trip from Austria to Singapore. Even when we damaged a softbag because of dropping the bike multiple times, they immediately sent us a new one. The products we got are ideal not just for a short trip for the weekend, but also for travelling many months.
Their portal dedicated to motorcycle travels and adventure lovers is Givi Explorer. There is a map with the location of many motorcycle travellers around the world. On this website you can also find articles about RoadsUp in different countries, about the team RoadsUp and the travel along the Silkroad.
Wilbers
Thanks to Wilbers for producing and mounting an individual suspension system as a sponsorship for RoadsUp.
When going on a long motorcycle trip, a good suspension is extremely important. Especially when riding two up with a lot of luggage, it makes sense to adapt the suspension. Wilbers did an amazing job!
With the new suspension the Suzuki V-Strom became much easier to handle and felt much lighter on paved roads as well as heavy offroad. On the road we met many travellers, that had problems with their suspension because of overloading the bike and heavy offroading. Therefore the Wilbers suspension not just guaranteed a better ride but also put our minds at ease.
Before starting the trip we tried to find the perfect suspension together. We provided them with necessary information like type of bike, number of passengers, weight of the bike, weight of Claudia and Peter, kind of load and roads that we planned to take. They then manufactured and mounted an adjustable front and rear suspension into the new V-Strom. We met up at their production site in Nordhorn, that is growing so fast, that they now built a new manufacturing plant.
Schuberth
A great thank you to Schuberth for sponsoring us two of their best helmets – E1 and R2.
When going on a long distance motorcycle trip, one of the most important things is safety. Schuberth is the perfect partner for RoadsUp because they fulfill this in several ways.
First of all their helmets are of unique build quality. But that is not all. On our trip through 30 countries we were often riding at sunrise and sunset. When the sun is very low the sun shield gives additional safety. It feels like wearing a baseball cap and keeps the sun from shining directly in your eyes. The retractable sun visor acted as sunglasses, that can be easily removed when we enter a tunnel or come from sunlight to the shade. When stopping at the side of the road, it is extremely useful that the Schuberth E1 is a flip up helmet. Therfore it is much easier to spontaneously chat with locals or ask them for directions.
We had these two helmets on our heads nearly every day for ten months and never felt uncomfortable. That is unique.
Heidenau
Thanks to Heidenau for providing us with their universal enduro motorcycle tyres K 60 Scout.
When planning our longest motorcycle trip so far, we were searching for the perfect tires to do the job. Many long distance travellers rely on Heidenau. And that is for a reason. The K60 Scout is an amazing tire for adventure motorbikers. It is the perfect mix of a road tire and an offroad one.
The dimensions we need for the Suzuki V-Strom are 110/80 R19 in the front and 150/70 R17 in the back. This one has a continuous stripe in the middle of the rear tire. That creates a smooth ride on paved roads and at highway speeds. For offroading the tire has a great grip and it was possible to ride on sand in Turkmenistan on soft gravel roads in Tajikistan in the mountains of Pakistan and on the beach on Ko Samui in Thailand.
We really want so say a big thank you to Sabine, who organized to send new sponsored tires to change in Kyrgyzstan. She sent the tires to Dave Fuchser from ZorroMoto in Osh. We then changed the tires at MuzToo – also in Osh.
Rukka
Thanks a lot to Rukka for equipping us with their exceptionally well made weather proof motorcycle clothing.
Before we had our awesome Rukka clothes, we did not have waterproof motorcycle clothing. In rain we were either totally wet because we did not have waterproof clothes, or we were totally wet because we had waterproof clothes made out of “plastic” that made us sweat like waterfalls.
Especially in cold, rainy weather conditions the Rukka Realer for Peter and the Rukka Orbita for Claudia were the perfect choice. Also in hot climates they were comfortable to wear and the ventilation was ok. In the desert in Iran it was a bit hot, but it is just impossible to produce motorcycle gear for the temperature range of our trip (-8°C in the mountains in Pakistan to +50°C in the desert in Turkmensistan).
We were also able to test many different types of clothes underneath the jackets. Here we especially loved the down jacket and down trousers that come with the Realer. We look like a black Michelin man. When riding in cold weather it keeps us warm underneath the jacket. A special use for motorcycle travellers is camping: When it is cold in the tent, we wear the down jacket and trousers like a second inner sleeping bag. Therefore our sleeping bag does not have to be that bulky and we are prepared for different temperatures. In hot weather we really like the Outlast underwear, that transports the sweat away from the body and makes us feel cooled.
Abus
Thanks to Abus for keeping the Suzuki secure by sponsoring a set of different locks for the bike, the luggage and clothes.
Videos with Partners
Wilbers
Suzuki
Heidenau
Info Box
How we found partners
What did the trick for us where personal meetings on motorcycle fairs without appointment with fast follow up written concepts.
We were talking to the important guys of the brands. It started with Rukka and Suzuki. When we had those two sponsors it was easier to get other companies to join.
The written concept
The 5 page concept pdf-file for potential partners has the following structure:
– the brand: how clients are activated and emotions are conveyed, goal: customers desire for the product, positive influence on the brand image and purchase behavior
– facts about the project: previous trips and achievements, planned route, timetable, team
– implementation: benefits for the brand, description of cooperation, ideal partnership, next steps
Authenticity
All the brands we approached, we honestly liked before. As an example, our own bike is a Suzuki V-Strom 2007 model. We love it and it did many great trips with us, e.g. to Morocco or the North Cape.
