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1 Oct 2016
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Join Date: Jun 2008
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I suppose what I was trying to say is that three years on the road taught me that a lot of the time I spent planning (and it was a lot!) wasn't necessarily time well spent. Things change and often fast. Other people's descriptions of the same experience can be wildly different. It is actually really difficult to get hold of reliable facts. So by all means do your planning, just be prepared for things to turn out differently.
Re the Sudanese visa in Nairobi I would very much doubt you'll have an issue with getting a transit visa within 2 or 3 days (unless you are American).I would drop an email to Chris Handschuh at Jungle Junction in Nairobi and check with him, he will have travelers staying there who are doing this every day and will know the current score.
Have you had a look at the Africa overland network? Following current blogs will give you lots of up to date info.
As regards your time, you only have what you have. Just give it as much as you can, you won't regret it. It's nothing to do with what you get to see, more the pressure you put on yourself. So much of the joy of trip like this is about having freedom and when you have tight timescales and deadlines looming it can get pretty stressful.
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1 Oct 2016
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ta-rider
Did you try to ride them offroad as well? I bought the Honda i 2x crossed Africa with for just 700 Euro and im still riding it every day (Honda was able to make liquid cooles bikes 30 Years ago ;-) )
1) Used bikes dont have a big loss of value -> more money left to travel.
2) Old bikes are way easyer to repair in third world countrys
3) Bikes with less nonsense electronics are light weight and better for riding offroad. The real Africa starts were the tarmac ends...
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ta-rider,
my bike is 5 years old... it depreciate for sure... it's ok...
I read your accounts on your blog about african trip... not like your bike didn't have bunch of issues ... every bike is prone .. obviously single cylinder bare basics will have less issues than say electronically driven BMW.
I've chatted to people , and of course will take more opinions on, at this point i have a bike already ... getting another would mean something else... i tried Tenere offroad... didn't like it... but i am not averse to trying again.
i'd like to pick a bike that has reasonable speed capacity when 500km needs to be done in short time, can carry some weight, maybe doesn't need to be lubricated many times every week ... i guess that was my motivation for getting GSA
I do understand what you mean now.
My biggest issue by far is time ... i just don't have 6-9 months to spend one-two weeks at places , unfortunately ... 
just have to figure out how to create more hours in 2+ months i guess
thank you once again
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1 Oct 2016
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Registered Users
HUBB regular
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itchyfeet38
I suppose what I was trying to say is that three years on the road taught me that a lot of the time I spent planning (and it was a lot!) wasn't necessarily time well spent. Things change and often fast. Other people's descriptions of the same experience can be wildly different. It is actually really difficult to get hold of reliable facts. So by all means do your planning, just be prepared for things to turn out differently.
Re the Sudanese visa in Nairobi I would very much doubt you'll have an issue with getting a transit visa within 2 or 3 days (unless you are American).I would drop an email to Chris Handschuh at Jungle Junction in Nairobi and check with him, he will have travelers staying there who are doing this every day and will know the current score.
Have you had a look at the Africa overland network? Following current blogs will give you lots of up to date info.
As regards your time, you only have what you have. Just give it as much as you can, you won't regret it. It's nothing to do with what you get to see, more the pressure you put on yourself. So much of the joy of trip like this is about having freedom and when you have tight timescales and deadlines looming it can get pretty stressful.
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Itchyfeet38,
thank you for the advice. i'll email Chris and ask what's the situation on the ground.
I'll try to find africa overland network, just google i suppose thanks a lot, that's very helpful.
I'll give as much time as i can and take what i can out of the trip. i might move my departing time to earlier so that i don;t get into too much dodgy weather in europe toward the end of my trip
I won't sweat the small stuff... just get some bearings in my head and proceed with adjustments as i go along.
thanks once again
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1 Oct 2016
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: UK, Devon
Posts: 59
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I can also recommend Moto Freight from London to Cape Town and their South African counterpart Econo Trans (or Econtrans) in Cape Town. Both are fast, efficient and honest.
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7 Oct 2016
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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quick update
going to apply for a second passport in just about 2 weeks, hopefully that goes smoothly and will open some extra possibilities as far as easy of movement across Africa.
Ordered Track4Africa Maps , so that's ready to go.
Bike got new shoes - Heidenau K60 Scouts, might need to change them before leaving... but perhaps just change them for the newer ones before leaving and save what's left for later.
Got Cardo Packtalk.
Picking up new boots and lid in a week.
slowly getting there.
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7 Oct 2016
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Lifetime Member
Veteran HUBBer
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 365
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sweetrolls
quick update
going to apply for a second passport in just about 2 weeks, hopefully that goes smoothly and will open some extra possibilities as far as easy of movement across Africa.
Ordered Track4Africa Maps , so that's ready to go.
Bike got new shoes - Heidenau K60 Scouts, might need to change them before leaving... but perhaps just change them for the newer ones before leaving and save what's left for later.
Got Cardo Packtalk.
Picking up new boots and lid in a week.
slowly getting there.
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I used K60s on my KLR. Top tyre for Africa - had them fitted in Cape Town and they lasted the 27,000 km I did to Greece with no dramas. Fairly square at the end but plenty of tread. If you do need to change tyres halfway Jungle Junction, Nairobi, Kenya can organise them for you (no idea at what cost though)
Sent from my SM-P350 using Tapatalk
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8 Oct 2016
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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Quote:
Originally Posted by navalarchitect
I used K60s on my KLR. Top tyre for Africa - had them fitted in Cape Town and they lasted the 27,000 km I did to Greece with no dramas. Fairly square at the end but plenty of tread. If you do need to change tyres halfway Jungle Junction, Nairobi, Kenya can organise them for you (no idea at what cost though)
Sent from my SM-P350 using Tapatalk
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Martin, was thinking of shipping them from CPT on the way in that should solve the issue
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25 Oct 2016
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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Little update
2nd passport sorted
new bike gear sorted - sidi boots, bering jacket, held pants and arai helmet
T4A map arrived and installed.
now just need to start looking into camping gear i guess
do some more offroad riding ... actually planning on taking some courses.
oh, and hopefully Ethiopia is not blowing up any time soon... it would be a shame.
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15 Nov 2016
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New on the HUBB
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Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Cape Town
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Sent you a PM
Im in Cape Town,planning on leaving April 2017
Im on a KTM 990R
Ride up the west coast sand route for practice,after a while its quite easy.
Mate did your route on a LC12,no problems,he is now doing north to south USA
IT all depends on which route you map out and how many main cities you have to go into
What sort of time frame are you looking at?
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15 Nov 2016
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Registered Users
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
Posts: 42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by steveT
Sent you a PM
Im in Cape Town,planning on leaving April 2017
Im on a KTM 990R
Ride up the west coast sand route for practice,after a while its quite easy.
Mate did your route on a LC12,no problems,he is now doing north to south USA
IT all depends on which route you map out and how many main cities you have to go into
What sort of time frame are you looking at?
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SteveT,
this is awesome. Sent you PM too.
let's try to meet up sometime
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28 Nov 2016
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Muscat, Oman
Posts: 11
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Long Way down From Sudan to Cape Town - August 2017
https://www.google.com.sg/maps/dir/S...8685!3e0?hl=en
We are planning to travel by motorcycle BMW R1200GS Adventures from Muscat, Oman to Cape Town, South Africa. Our journey starts on 23rd July 2017 until the end month of August 2017. covering an average 500 Km per day.
our route as follow:
Muscat to Abu Dhabi to Jeddah. then taking a ferry to Suakin Port in Sudan. Then from Suakin Port to Metema (Sudan/ Ethiopia border) - We would like to know the road condition this route.
We heard the road condition northern of Kenya is better now. We don't know how true it is. Any idea?
We will continue and entering to Kenya, Uganda via Malaba border.
then to Rwanda, Tanzania, Zambia, Botswana then South Africa up to last destination "Cape Town"
Please advise if this route is fine. 
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25 Dec 2016
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Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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Anyone knows of any further news on crossing from egypt to israel by bike?
Are bikes still not allowed to cross the channel ?
Alternatively , anyone has any clear ideas on going from Port Sudan to Saudi and then transiting it fast to get to Jordan and Israel and onto Europe/turkey .
TIA
Last edited by sweetrolls; 29 Dec 2016 at 13:06.
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15 Feb 2017
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Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
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Short update again
got camping gear - tent, sleeping bag, mattress, multi fuel stove, pots, pans, cups and cutlery.
will need to do a 4-5 day shakedown soon here.
Plan is still to leave mid april from Cape Town.
few questions still outstanding
- anyone has any fresh news on Suez and bikes?
- anyone has any fresh news on Sudan to Saudi ferry and then onto Joran/Israel?
lastly, are Sudanese visas still being issues in Adis? ... anyone ?
thank you all in advance
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Check the RAW segments; Grant, your HU host is on every month!
Episodes below to listen to while you, err, pretend to do something or other...
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Lots more comments here!
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New to motorcycle travelling? New to the HU site? Confused? Too many options? It's really very simple - just 4 easy steps!
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Read more about Grant & Susan's story
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Horizons Unlimited is not a big multi-national company, just two people who love motorcycle travel and have grown what started as a hobby in 1997 into a full time job (usually 8-10 hours per day and 7 days a week) and a labour of love. To keep it going and a roof over our heads, we run events all over the world with the help of volunteers; we sell inspirational and informative DVDs; we have a few selected advertisers; and we make a small amount from memberships.
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helps answer the question - Why Go? Inspirational stories by veteran travellers Greg Frazier (5 times RTW), Peter and Kay Forwood (193 countries), Tiffany Coates (Mongolia Mayhem) and Rene Cormier (University of Gravel Roads).
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What stuff do I need - riding gear, clothing, camping gear, first aid kit, tires, maps and GPS? What don't I need? How do I pack it all in? Lots of opinions from over 150 travellers!
break down language barriers, overcome culture shock, ship the bike and deal with breakdowns and emergencies."Just makes me want to pack up and go!" See the trailer here!
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The definitive guide to planning your motorcycle adventure! This insanely ambitious 2-year project has produced an informative and entertaining 5-part, 18 hour video series. "The ultimate round the world rider's how-to!" MCN UK.
Long Way down From Sudan to Cape Town - August 2017
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