Moving to Malawi. Which bike should I buy?
 

Hi all,

I will be moving to Malawi in a couple of months with work. Just passed motorbike test, so I'm relatively inexperienced. Want to bike a bit in the region, (Tanzania/ Zambia/Zim) but wondering if it best to wait to I arrive or to bring a bike with me (from UK). If so can anyone recommend a make that can cope with the terrain and is easy to maintain/find parts for.

Help much appreciated

wanderingsoul

WanderingS,
:welcome:
You don't say if you have read into the vast range of opinions that are in the thread "Which bike" - after reading that, your questions would probably be more specific.

From what I have seen of Malawi (not on a bike as it happens), the main roads are tarmac in good condition while there are plenty of dirt tracks that link to the numerous villages - the tracks that I saw were all pretty easy on a road bike, never mind a serious mud-plugger. After all, the locals want to get about their local areas and not engage in recreational off-roading; would/could be a different situation in heavy rains though.

Also, the bikes there are, like any 3rd world country, UJMs (universal jap machines) of small capacity - you may want one of them so that they can be repaired.

Hope this is of some use,

Dave

If you buy what the locals use, it probably works, and can be easily and cheaply repaired. On the other hand if you dream about a certain make/model every night, get that and be different and be happy :)

just come through malawi.. roads are great which will suit you if you have got small experience..

best to bring a bike with you as there are not a lot of options there.

get a relastively light bike like a BMW 650.. great bike for over here

The biggest bikes for sale on Malawi are DT 125 and XL125, both have pretty good spares backup. With anyhtiing else you will have to import spares from SA and unless you are in Blantyre and have a good connection you really should do ALL the service work yourself. The ex-pat community there is fairly into biking and they will be good guides.. Of course its Africa so anything is available- beware that many stolen bikes from SA find their way to Malawi.
Its a great country to have a bike!

If you are considering a BMW 650, note that the police in Lilongwe use them. They hooked me up with an inner tube and have access to spares.

If you want to go bigger than 125 get something that's readily available (sold officially) in SA. Won't be difficult to get stuff sent if you need anything.
I would definitely go DS as a road bike is too limiting and you will regret not having a DS within days.
Going into Mozambique or Zambia the roads can get pretty tough very quickly (requiring 4x4 or DS bike).

Good choice for a smallish bike is the Suzuki DR 200. Stone axe simple, light, rides nicely and performs well. Can cope with hectic stuff. Will get you anywhere unless your riding skills desert you :)
Next size up would be the DR 650. Same as above just bigger and faster.

Kawasaki KLR650 is an option as well. Both A and C models were sold in SA as is the new updated 2008 KLR 650. KL650A's of recent vintage (2004 to 2007) are readily available second hand. Get issues sorted before taking the bike to Malawi (doohickey, fork springs)

I would not go for the BMW F 650. Too pretty and too easy to break especially for a beginner. Also quite a handful looking at weight (even heavier than a KLR :o ) No decent knobbles available for the GS (19" front wheel) Very tall (Dakar). IMHO crap suspensions. Less suitable for DIY maintenance than the DR's or KLR.

Other smallish bike options would include agricultural bikes like Honda Bushlander and Yamaha TW 200.

Stay away from chinese crap. They fall apart as soon as you hit the third pothole. (Not sure if in general but in Africa)

Check for import regulations and possibilities to bring a bike with foreign registration and carnet or SA registration (depends on how long you plan to stay). I have heard rumors that import duties for vehicles going into Malawi are astronomic.

Africa is a wonderful place to ride
 

But can be high risk as well. I had a honda XR250 when I lived in Madagascar which was appropriate for the roads and where I was riding. Find out how much cycles cost there, what's available and which bikes you can get parts for. Reliability is critical. Often models are available in Africa that you can't get in Europe or America. If the roads are bad, or you plan on a lot of off road riding, get a bike with lots of suspension. If you are riding mostly on asphalt you have a lot more options.