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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
Photo by Alessio Corradini, on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia, of two locals

I haven't been everywhere...
but it's on my list!


Photo by Alessio Corradini,
on the Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia,
of two locals



Trans Sahara Routes.

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  #1  
Old 11 Apr 2002
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Location: York, Yorkshire, UK or Cairo, Egypt
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Newbie biker!
Hiya
I am contemplating buying a Yamaha tenere (1985, 18000km) for desert work. Ive never owned a bike, I have no UK licence. Is this utterly stupid? What do I need to look at on the bike to see what its like and what do i need to do to it when I get it? (if!)

Thanks! (sounds silly doesnt it...)

LRN
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  #2  
Old 11 Apr 2002
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Location: Bielsko-Biala, Poland
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Hellou... Yamaha Tenere is quite good bike for a desert... But little strange is that it has only 18000 km... 17 years of using and only 18 kilo km? If you don't have any experiences with the bikes take a friend who knows something about it.. He'll tell you to buy or not to buy this model...

Greetings
Pawel

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  #3  
Old 12 Apr 2002
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I know, I had wondered about that. My friend has just bought an 85 Tenere with 25K on the clock so either we have been identically diddled or they are genuine low mileages.
My battered copy of Chris' book has been open at new chapters today.... never thought really about desert biking before.

Well at least nobody has flooded the BB with 'you are bonkers' statements! Im only contemplating this because the Egyptian government makes it so damn hard to bring cars in and I am blowed if I am going to give them hard-earned tokens merely so they can be bloodyminded. There is a Brit couple involved with the customs at Alexandria at the mo - these officials having refused to allow their Discovery into Egypt for 18 months now because their UK-sourced documents need translating into Arabic (and, one suspects, because enough baksheesh hasnt changed hands)

LRN
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  #4  
Old 14 Apr 2002
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If youve never owned a bike you probably dont have much experience riding one either. Learning to ride a bike in the desert is not easy and even less so on a XT600. If you dont intend to carry heavy loads around then you are probably better off on a 250 or even a 125. They are much easier to ride and control (and to lift up) in sand than a 600. From living in Mali I know that most people get around on DT or DR 125´s. They are also much easier to repair and maintain and spares and tyres are usually more readily available I suppose if you have the height and strtength then take the 600 if not consider something smaller.
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Old 15 Apr 2002
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You've right, but fuel tanks of the 125s are to small for any adventure activities... The distances from one fuel supply to the next one are sometimes very long... Of course I agree that 600cc is not so good for the first steps...

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Old 15 Apr 2002
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Hi all.. thanks for that. I took a friend's Tenere 600 out to the desert two days ago and loved every minute, apart from it being a real sod to kick-start and I kept stalling it (changing gear is a smidge different from a diesel Land Rover... ). Many colleages here have agreed with your comments about the size of the bike but my reasons for a 600 are ease of travel over long road distances - I am looking at runs like Cairo/Siwa (about 600 miles) with an overnight stop etc.

LRN

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Old 1 May 2002
GWJ GWJ is offline
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HI LRN,
In the '80s and '90s Cubes ruled the desert! Here in Australia, anything less than 600cc was not given a sideways glance. But more cubes = more fuel = more weight. So a balance is all important! The new wave of light weight, high powered 400cc bikes are sweeping this country and so many others by storm. With electric start, digital ignition they give excellent power & torque without chewing through the juice (unless you are a throttle jockey). A couple of years ago a guy came 5th or 6th in the Australian safari on Suzuki DRZ250, which was run almost stock standard off the shelf. Another guy rode across the country on a Honda 110 posties bike (including the Gunbarrel- normally done by well equipped 4WDS). So with the right preparation, skills & equipment - anything can be done.
Cheers, Spl@tt
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