Trouble in Morocco? Seeking local advice
 

Hi All

I'm in the Pyrenees with a friend and we're turning down to ride towards Morocco today - Our plan is to cross over in a day or two and then ride a loop that runs down the interior, along the edge of the desert, down into the Western Sahara, and then back up the coast, entering and exiting via Tangier Med. We'll be on the main roads, not the pistes

We're not doing this on the usual bikes, so I'm certain we will stand out - we're on a Ducati Diavel and a Z1000. It probably doesn't help that my backpack is a UK military Desert Camo piece either, but the last couple of days we've been advised (by a Moroccan in Southern France and also by locals in Northern Spain) that this is not a smart trip to take on now due to word of increasing tension/issues with fanatics in Morocco.

I've been around enough to know that you can't always trust the gossips, but we do want to find out if we've missed something over, or if there's some risk to factor / areas to avoid.

Has anyone got local knowledge? Are we being daft bringing ourselves down that way and standing out like a sore thumb? Is there tension / risk?

Thanks
Gav

Morocco Current security issues: http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...y-issues-78468

Gav I'm a couple of days ahead of you. Just having a coffe north of Rabat. If you see a black landcruiser stop and say hello

You'll be fine in Morocco and the WS particularly if you on the black stuff. Security in Morocco is very good, even in remote areas

Perfect, I'll keep an eye out for you. You certainly won't miss us!

Thanks for the update re security too :)

Camouflage design is popular in Morocco, lots of outdoor enthusiasts who go fishing and shooting. You can find camouflage trousers, jackets etc in the markets, so you can safely ignore the advice above.

Tension with fanatics? Where do people get these thoughts from? Morocco is totally laid back. You might find people staring at you (staring is not considered rude in Morocco), in which case give them a smile and wave and they will smile and wave back. I deliberately wear an open face helmet in Morocco.

Best advice is to get off the main roads wherever possible, the side roads are quieter, safer and often more scenic. Stop several times a day for a coffee (nus nus) and glass of local tap water (l'ma) and people watch. And don't be too ambitious with the distances.

Oh, and I've been in Morocco for four weeks this trip, in lots of really remote places often dozens of km from tarmac roads, riding solo, not a single concern about security. You can see the photos of this trip in my public Facebook Morocco Sep/Oct 2014 album.

.

thanks for sharing your pics Tim, It's got me all excited for next year!

I was there in may of this year....
Morrocco is pretty relax...and they don't care about what bikes you are driving.....just stop when the policy asks you to do so...

for the rest, just enjoy....really limited risk....just make sure you're bikes sleep indoor at night...(closed parking at hotel with guard)...

Just enjoy it