Left : Ranger in his best Del ( traditional coat ). Blue horses and Motoki ( donor from Japan ) in backround . Photo Joel Caldwell Right : Mike Britton and Rechindaava , the Ranger who received our donated bike
In 2015 , with input from friends and customers ( including some KR readers ), we raised funds to purchase one of the AG200s ourselves . Mike and 19 others rode the bikes from the capital of Ulan Baatar up to the remote region of Ulan Uul , where the bikes were handed over to 20 happy rangers . Over the two years By The Backroads was involved with the project , a total of 35 bikes were donated .
MAINTENANCE ISSUES To give the rangers these motorcycles is a wonderful idea . The Yamahas , regularly used on Antipodean farms , are well known for being robust and reliable ... but even the renowned AG200s need maintenance . Like so many charity projects the focus has been on getting more and more bikes to more and more rangers ( not just in Mongolia , but other countries too ) without properly considering the long-term follow-up plan . Maintenance of the donated bikes has been minimal and inconsistent . Some of the rangers don ’ t have the mechanical skills - that combined with lack of funds , and / or access to spare parts means that many of those 35 donated AGs are now unusable for lack of often very simple things , like a new chain and sprockets . Rather than despairing at this waste of time , money , resources and energy we have decided to do something .
COME WITH US AND HELP THE RANGERS We are confident that many of the rangers ’ motorcycles from the 2014 and 2015 rallies can be returned to useable condition with replacement of parts and some basic maintenance . Our plan is to combine the 2023 Mongolia adventure with a day of hands-on bike maintenance for the rangers as well as any ranger bikes we come across on route ( time allowing ). By incorporating a repair day into our Mongolia tour schedule , we can give back in a small way to a country that has become special to us , and indeed to anyone who travels there . We will have with us a supply of parts for the AGs – all the usual suspects like the
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