The Essential Buyers Guide – BMW GS

If you have been inspired to take a trip of a lifetime by one of the Ewan McGregor TV series, or the Hairy Bikers for instance, then this book is a must read. Written by Robert Wicks it gives pretty comprehensive run through everything you will need to know and consider when planning and executing your ride.

Himself a seasoned two-wheeled world traveller, Wicks text will help you plan for virtually all eventualities and make you think clearly about what you want to do and how to achieve it. Certainly time sent in a comfortable chair with this book, will help prevent time spent uncomfortably at the side of a remote track, or even worse a foreign jail!

Everything from planning, machine preparation, paperwork, clothing training courses, tools, money, the list of things covered is endless. At the end of the book are some itineries to give you ideas, along with a useful list of suppliers and websites for further reading.

The book is well laid out and it is easy to find the information you want quickly and without fuss. The book is well illustrated, although the pictures almost lead you to believe that any trip must be on a BMW or KTM.  Albeit these are the most popular bikes for world travel, but you can use other machines as many have proved!

Just a small point in an otherwise excellent and one might say indispensable book if the itch to ride to remote destinations is causing you to think about giving it a good scratch. If that is so, then this is a good investment and could be the cheapest part of your adventure at a very modest £19.99.

Available form all good booksellers or direct from Haynes Publishing (www.haynes.co.uk) ISBN 978 1 84425 435 4

Review by Ian Kerr