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Morocco Topics specific to Morocco, including Western Sahara west of the berm
Photo by Paul Stewart, in Tajikistan, hello on the Bartang

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Photo by Paul Stewart,
in Tajikistan, a hello on the Bartang



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  #1  
Old 22 Sep 2017
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Broke Down in Dahkla
Hi guys, blew up a piston on an X challenge in Mauritania, put the bike on a truck and got it to Dahkla, what is the best way to get parts into Morocco, I am going to need a new piston and valves. The cylinder is fine.
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  #2  
Old 22 Sep 2017
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This thread mentions a BMW dealer in Casa. Not very encouraging about parts supply though.
Could you arrange for parts to be couriered from home? I don't know if customs will impose duty charges or cause delays. Maybe call to the customs office to enquire - why not!
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  #3  
Old 23 Sep 2017
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Possibly fastest to order parts from the UK .. motobins?
You can be stung with duty .. but that will happen anyway through the local dealer.
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  #4  
Old 23 Sep 2017
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If it was me, I'd either get a mate to fly in with parts (as Austin V did a couple of years back with a similar issue); or lodge the bike with Customs and fly out and back with the parts.
Unless Casa BMW come through, it's the most efficient way to get back on the road.
I am flying to Marrakech on Oct 4, fwiw. Can leave them there....

Otherwise, now could be the time to learn kite surfing ;-)

[added] ... now I think of it, the rental place in Marrakech where I could leave them may be able to do the repair. I think they have/had an X bike in their collection; they certainly know Sertaos and the like.
Or, if you want to DIY, probably better off staying in Dakhla.
Last edited by Chris Scott; 23 Sep 2017 at 11:09.
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  #5  
Old 23 Sep 2017
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You've got two problems, one to get the parts and the other to get it repaired. It sounds like you've got the bike stripped down, once you get the parts do you think you will be OK refitting?

I'm asking that because the garages mentioned in Two Wheels Good's thread are all 1,500km or more away from Dakhla (not Dahkla) and I don't have any experience of any nearer ones.

I used Smeia, the BMW dealer in Casablanca, many years ago. They were competent and trained to BMW standards. They should be able to get the parts but don't hold your breath whilst they do it. And there's many cheaper places around who will do a decent job if you can get the parts into the country separately.

Skyscanner is showing London to Dakhla return at less than £250, so I'd be inclined to go for Chris' suggestion above.

Peter at Bikershome could transport your bike if he's not otherwise engaged, but would look to lodge it at a garage. Mohamed Gordito based in Zagora died a year or so back, but his cousin Ali Nassir with a workshop almost next door is similarly well-regarded and is used to single cylinder KTMs.

Let us know how you get on as your experiences might help others.

Tim
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  #6  
Old 23 Sep 2017
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Not a definite solution but might be worth asking around at the Kite surf camps at the top of the lagoon, they may know a local mechanic who is reliable or may be able to help with transport north or getting parts brought down south.

A lot of the foreign staff are on 3 month visas so do the leave the country and re enter to renew. Many of them fly in and out of the Canaries A few of the camps are tied into the surf camps around Essaouira and Agadir so may have a vehicle heading north or south.

I'd recommend Ali Nassir if you make it to Zagora, used him for 6 years now and never had a problem.
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  #7  
Old 23 Sep 2017
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This is not going to be an exciting story, someone on ADV rider is giving me a new Piston+cylinder+complete top end for free, I am going to fly to Germany to pick it up, the only exciting part will be if we can get the bike back together, luckily my friend and I are capable mechanics and we have a lot of help from this local shop with tools we dont have. Ill let you guys know how it goes.
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  #8  
Old 23 Sep 2017
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Glad it's on the way to getting sorted.
Do you know why it broke - bad fuel, got hot?

I always felt my X bike's motor was a bit harsh.
Plugged some sensor gadget into the airbox to de-lean it; not sure it made a difference.
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Old 23 Sep 2017
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chris Scott View Post
Glad it's on the way to getting sorted.
Do you know why it broke - bad fuel, got hot?

I always felt my X bike's motor was a bit harsh.
Plugged some sensor gadget into the airbox to de-lean it; not sure it made a difference.
My guess: radiator on the G650X is already pretty small and was running hot for all thru the summer in western US + senegal and there was some water loss. I checked the aux tank and couldnt see the fluid level but saw that there was some in the bottom so I figured it was ok. I filled up in nouakchott with some not terrible but not great gas. The heat + low rad fluid + Mauri gas caused some knocking that I did not hear due to my earplugs in/inexperience with engine knock.

Its possible my rad was so low as well that water wasn't even making it to the temp sensor on initial startup. Anyway at the end of the day the issue boils down to heat and owner neglect IMO. We rode in 110 degree weather in UT a few months before without issue.
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Old 26 Sep 2017
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Good to read you have the parts sourced.
Don't overlook internal flights with Royal Air Maroc. Last time I checked (a few years ago) fares did not seem excessive.
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  #11  
Old 3 Oct 2017
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Bike fixed, now north of Laayone.

Yassine Auto Diak (23°41'41.4"N 15°56'22.3"W) is a great resource. Guy knows everyone you need in town, got me coolant, matching spark plugs, a guy to look at my radiator, copies of our bike keys, a relay for my friend etc. He is an electrical guy by trade but he has a lot of mechanical knowledge as well. He also has a friend who owns a moto shop who did the majority of replacing my cylinder, piston and head. Just go to him and he will sort you out

Flying with a complete top end of an engine in your carryon may arouse some looks but by far noone cared. Unfortunately the one guy who gave a shit was working when I put my bag through the scanner at customs and I got dinged for a 500 dirham duty even though I tried to explain this was personal use.... too bad
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Old 6 Oct 2017
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Met these 2 guys a few days ago in WS. Bike looked fine and they were playing in the sand. They seem well chilled and sounds like a great trip East is planned. Glad the issue is sorted. G650x's are great bikes! I was on an xcCountry and had checked my coolent level after reading this post.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk
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  #13  
Old 12 Jan 2019
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Originally Posted by Stoep View Post
Flying with a complete top end of an engine in your carryon may arouse some looks but by far noone cared. Unfortunately the one guy who gave a shit was working when I put my bag through the scanner at customs and I got dinged for a 500 dirham duty even though I tried to explain this was personal use.... too bad
I wonder, for future similar problems at customs, if a few photos of you (in your riding gear but no helmet so they can see you) and your broken bike in pieces in front of you may have convinced the customs guy that it really was for personal use.

"Sidi - you'll never guess what happened - I was down in ad Dakhla last week having fun when suddenly the bike blew up, so naturally I just flew home to get my old engine - check out my holiday pics!"

Personally my best ever Moroccan customs question was at Dar al Beida airport 20+ years ago - "what is in this bag - shoes?"
The scruffy dustcover over my large rucksack had made me look like an international shoe smuggler. It took a big of explaining that I only had the boots I was standing in and a pair of flipflops - the rest was a change of clothing and backpacking gear. He looked very dissapointed and let me go - they were obviously on high alert for shoe importers that day.
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