GONE EAST 13 (The Motorcycle diary - Pamir Highway & Wakhan Valley) 

That was Yashikul lake, and above it, the location of the thermal spring is: Yashikul Thermal Springs maps.app.goo.gl/FLhHZJLNCBPh7Wdn7

Wow I paid 15$ in 2018

Hi Henry, no nothing at all at that particular moment, I mean it's not pleasant to drive through it, so I sort of adjusted the speed. BTW, I was checking bike every now and then if something loosen up and adjusted it, reason being too much off road riding. Later on when passing through Kazakhstan my front suspension broke, but it's hard to tell was it because of potholes or off road, in any case I changed it in Novosibirsk, since it was still under warranty. Also some issues I had on the road of bones with panniers support, but managed to fix it. It wouldn't be fun if something would not be broken so that we can fix it 😉

Thanks George. From Dushanbe, Tajikistan up to Krasnoyarsk in Russia I was on Continental TKC80, and before and after Heidenau K60 Scout.

second half of June, 2019

When I started exploring what could be the right motorcycle I started with V Storm, but... one thing is certain you can do your road trip with anything. Why I took GSA, it's very well proven bike, cardan driven, meaning long service period (10000km), then many service places around the world, bike is heavy but has low center of gravity because of boxer engine so it's very easy to drive on road and off road. Because boxer motor creates vibrations left and right and not up to your spine, I was doing huge amount of km/day, on tarmac around 1000. Having boxer engine is protecting your feet as well. The only issue I had with bike was in west Kazakhstan, front suspension died and I managed to reach Novo Simbirsk and resolve it. The thing is I was really pushing bike to off road limits. Bike is more then good, Covid stopped me from big tours for nearby future... If I would choose now, for the similar trip I would again go with this one (GSA), but also KTM or BMW or Tenere or new V storm 750cc, soft panniers that I would recommend ....

​@@letsride3604 Thanks a lot for a such detailed reply, Drago. And yes I agree on soft panniers, I use Givi GRT709 and I absolutely love them. They are basically poor man's Mosko bags :)

@@letsride3604 Dear Drago, you comment is very meaningful. I had several types of bikes, and several 1200GS. Alt least I went back to a 1150 GSA, because of electric problems of the 1200. You mentioned the different types of vibration, and that.s a counting issue. My Honda CB1300 was so vibrant, that I sold it one year later. A Honda AT RD 07a was better, but had only 5 gears. For long distance rides no option (for me). The Boxer has a very smooth motor culture, only near to 7000 rpm you get a vibrant frame. But on the most roads/highways you even can.t run more than 140km/h, and that.s ok. The low center of gravity is the most positive aspect, and therefore the boxer-GS for me is first choice (ok, mud and sand is diffcult, but therefore a moto cross machine is required).