Turkish filmmaker Tolga Basol has already ridden across Asia on a KTM 1190 Adventure R, now he’s enjoying the desert southwest of the United States. He added a camerman to his solo journey to help document the trip for Turkish television. This pic is the KTM 640 Adventure Tolga bought in LA for his cameraman to ride.
Here’s a recent post on his Ride Must Go On page:
I am getting some questions about the luggage system I am using, so I wanted to share my thoughts about the topic here. I have used hard panniers in the past on my travels to Middle East, Central Asia, Europe so I have tasted both.
– Hard panniers are way more heavier then a soft luggage setup. That being said, I try to travel on dirt roads as much as possible so the weight is an issue for me. The lighter the bike it is, the happier I am.
– I have managed to bend hard panniers, stuck my leg between the pannier and the bike couple of times, hit something hard while riding off road… The results are not good. Soft panniers are way more durable and sturdy than hard ones imho. Even if you manage to tear them apart, they are much more easier to fix.
– I have witnessed self destruction of hard panniers in Road Of Bones. My friend with hard panniers had to abandon them because the cases and rack system were destroyed.
– My soft luggage setup is totally waterproof, flexible and have pockets so when needed I can carry lots of stuff with them.
– I use Giant Loop equipment, I was already using their products so I believe they are the best on the market now. I asked them to support me for my RTW and I am happy they are.
– I have Siskiyou Panniers, Tillamook Dry Bag, Fandango Tank Bag along with pannier pockets. To keep them steady on the bike I use Pronghorn Straps which are one of the best equipment so far I have ever used.