to be honest there are plenty of 8 week biking challenges, without putting yourself in the Sahara during the summer.

While the Sahara Overland book will probably just get you more excited about that location, it also has pictures of an egg frying on a Land Rover front wing, etc, etc!

By the same author is the Adventure Motorcycling Handbook, which has plenty of worldwide areas to explore. Or, read the trip reports on his website to give you some alternative ideas.

cheers,

I have to agree, and with Brian E and Tim Cullis above too...

Without meaning to sounding condescending, why do you guys want to go to Dakar anyway? sure it's a great destination and you would see a lot of fantastic stuff on the way... but 8 weeks isn't really enough time to ride there and back (not if you want to spend any time doing anything other than sitting in a saddle), and the costs of shipping your bikes back would surely be better spent on having a good time somewhere else?

If you want to ride sand dunes (presuming you never have before) then seriously the Chebbi and Chegga dunes in Morocco have more than enough 'proper' sand, especially after the 100th time you've dropped your loaded bike and need to pick it up... to be faced with another 400Kms in front of you could possibly be too much to bare (remember Matt Hall in Race to Dakar?)

As Tim says, even Morocco is seriously hot in summer - I was in Ouzazate in July and it was already 47°C plus, it was hard enough picking up a glass of in the midday sun, never mind a laden bike!

If this is your first big trip, then my suggestion would be use Morocco as the destination itself, and spend more of your time (and money) exploring that country - the Atlas mountains are fantastic, and there is more than enough exciting and diverse off-road riding to keep you entertained for as long as you like... plus enjoy Europe on the way down and the ride back too.

Surely there is no point in killing yourselves and your machines on a punishing schedule, just so you can say you've done it? Personally I'd much rather have a hundred different stories about the people I met and the places I actually visited... not just passed though?

xxx

Hi Tom;
a friend and I will be attempting something similar in late march/early april. we plan to start in paris and end up in dakar along the atlantic route, spending about 2 weeks in morocco. I'd love to be in touch about planning and logistics via email as we will be encountering similar challenges!
thanks.