The vehicle I used for the ”Africa Transcontinental Trip” (2013 to 2014) that I wrote about in my former column was SUZUKI 400cc DR-Z400S. It withstood the 7,395 kilometer trip between Nairobi and Cape Town with no trouble. The distance I’ve traveled with my buddy so far is 134,435 kilometers.
The Eurasia Transcontinental Trip in 2002 was the first trip with DR-Z400S
I first rode DR-Z400S in 2002. It was my seventh time to attend the ”Motorcycle Tour with Takashi Kasori!” bike tour that touring agent ”Dosojin” had organized. It was a transcontinental trip of Eurasia.
The 4,6000 kilometer journey started from Vladivostok, Russia through Siberia, over the Ural Mountains, from Moscow to Eastern Europe, through the countries of western Europe, over the Pyrenees Mountains and finished at the west end of the Eurasia Continent, Cabo da Roca in Portugal.
During the tour, I didn’t have to replace any parts. The only things that required replacement were engine oil and oil filter. Tires got bald but didn’t flatten.
 *At Lake Baikal: which was so huge it looked like the ocean. |
 *Arriving at Cabo da Roca, the west end of the continent. |
After my first trip I took my DR-Z400S for a 6,763km trip to ”The Sahara”, 2,974km trip to ”Korea”, 13,171 trip to ”The Silk Road” 12,574km trip to ”South America and Andes”, 4,922km trip to ”Northwest Pacific Region” and 7,395km trip from Nairobi to Cape Town in Africa.
Let me explain briefly about the ”Motorcycle Tour with Takashi Kasori!”.
The Sahara Trip from 2004 to 2005
On the Sahara tour held from 2004 to 2005, we started of at Tunis, the capitol of Tunisia and traveled through the Sahara via the Hogar route in Algeria.
When we arrived at the dunes we climbed to the top of the sand-hills and looked across the endless desert. We were also hit by sandstorms.
 *Climbing sand-hills. |
 *Traveling through the Sahara. |
Soon after we left the Sahara, we saw a lot of trees. When we arrived at Accra, the capitol of Guinea, the view of the ocean from Guinea Port was stunning.
”Korea Tour” in 2005
The ”Korea Tour” was held in 2005, right after regulations were changed and motorcycles could enter the country from foreign countries. We departed from Shimonoseki Japan and arrived in Busan Korea. We crossed the 38th parallel and climbed the Goseong Unification Observatory.
The weather was great and we were able to observe the peaks of Mt. Kongouzan, the most popular mountain in the Korean Peninsula. Haegeumgang, where the mountain merges into the sea is the most beautiful coast of the Korean Peninsula. It is the territory of Democratic the People’s Republic of Korea.
Transcontinental Trip to the Silk Road in 2006
On the Silk Road Transcontinental Trip, held in 2006, we started from Tianjin and headed the Silk Road to the west. The party traveled through the Torugart Pass of the Tian Shan Mountains to Kirghiz and on to the Islamic Republic of Iran, passing through many central Asian countries till we arrived at Turkey. From there on we traveled through the Bosporus Strait that divides Europe and Asia and made our goal in Istanbul.
 Traveling through the Torugart Pass of the the Tian Shan Mountains |
 Arriving at Bosporus Strait that divides Europe and Asia. |
Southern America & Andes Trip from 2007 to 2008
For the Southern America & Andes Trip held from 2007 to 2008, we started at Lima, the capitol of Peru and headed south along the Andes Mountains. Our goal was Ushuaia of Argentina located in the southern most city of the world.
At Chile, we traveled south through the Atacama Desert and arrived at Argentina. From there on we came across the howling winds of the Andes Mountains of Patagonia.
We crossed the Magellan Channel to the Tierra del Fuego and arrived at Ushuaia, located 55th parallel south, the southern most city of the world. Ushuaia is cold, even in summer and we were shivering.
Trip to the Northwest Pacific Region in 2011
On the trip to the Northwest Pacific Region, we started off at Niigata, Japan.We traveled to Wakkanai City, Hokkaido along the Sea of Japan and took a ferry to Korsakov, located in Sakhalin Island, Russia.
We traveled through Sakhalin and set foot on Aniva Harbor in the Russian mainland via Kholmsk. This area is called the Mamiya Strait (Tatar Strait), north end of the Sea of Japan.
We traveled along the coastal regions of Russia and crossed the sea on a ferry from Vladivostok to Sakai Harbor in Tottori Prefecture Japan. From their on we traveled along the Sea of Japan to Niigata. We started at Niigata and ended at Niigata and completed our trip around the Sea of Japan.
Traveling Further with Tough Buddy DR-Z400S
Now you can see how I’ve been traveling with my DR-Z400S around the world, but when I’m in Japan I usually use it for trail touring. During the 2010 ”Trail Japan Round Trip” I covered 313 trail roads. DR is the best for trail touring.
My basic aims when touring are to ”travel further”. The advantage the DR offers is its toughness. I have traveled 134,435 kilometers and haven’t had trouble with it. Which is amazing and thankful.
This year (2016), I will be traveling 14,000 kilometers from Vladivostok, Russia to Istanbul, Turkey. DR, I have high hopes for you!
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