Hi there, My name is Simon, am 24yrs old, Currently riding a F650 Dakar. Heading to paris first, then southern france, through portugal and spain into morroco. This will be my first big trip. Anyone heading that way??, and also Any tips on places to see, any good cheap campsites or hostels would also be really helpfully. Thank you. )

Hello mate, I'm from Bromley too and am in Morocco already! Sorry I missed you bud, would've been good to have someone along.

Morocco is great, everyone looks like a panto villain but give them the thumbs up and they're as friendly as you like.

As soon as you get on the ferry get yourself up to the main deck and join the huge queues to get your paperwork signed by the copper on the boat. You MUST get this signed BEFORE you leave the boat, or they'll send you straight back!

Once in Tangers you'll find yourself at the first checkpoint, they'll probably wave you to the front when they see the bike. you'll beed your V5 (logbook) for the bike, your passport and the signed paperwork form the boat. allow yourself up to an hour or so to get through. It took me ages a few days ago as it was some festival of slaughtering goats throughout Morocco, so EVERYONE was coming over!

One word of advice on the riding. Stick to the speed limits when you're on the toll roads or main roads. The old bill are EVERYWHERE.

the driving takes a bit of getting used to, but if you've ridden in central London you'll be just fine. Think like a bike courier and you won't go wrong.

To be honest I'd skip out Casablanca, it's a complete Kazi! Marrakesh is pretty special, but head out East past Fez for the real action. The Atlas mountains are incredible, head out to Ait Benhaddou and watch the sun rise in the morning, absolutely stunning.

I'm currently in Agadir and heading South to Western Sahara, then Mauritania, senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso and onwards down to Cape Town for New Year. then up the East side, through the middle east,. russia and beyond. 100,000 miles around the world. By GSX-R1000 too. Check out the site if you fancy.

Give me a shout if I can be of any more help bud, good on you for going for it. Take a bit of getting used to, but you'll be fine. One word of advice, try and get someone to go with you if you can. I'm used to my own company, or so I thought, but after 4 weeks I'd love to have someone along just to chat too!

Anyway, Live it, Love it.

All the best,

Bruce

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http://www.teapotone.com

I'm flying to Alicante in Spain and decided to buy a bike from there and get a driving licence for it(allowed to drive a truck but not a motorcycle). Wanna get to Dakar and find the way to SA from there, if interested some part of it, you can skip the Portugal and take the east side of Spain insteadily.
Cheers
Harri

Hi If you're heading due south from Paris on the A6 / A77 towards Clermont Ferrand, gimme shout, I'd be more than happy to put you up for board and lodge for the night free of charge. I can also put your motor in the garage so out of sight. Have a safe trip.

Or even if you're heading on the A20 towards Limoges from Paris, turn off at Bourges and head due east to my town.
La Charité-sur-Loire. It's 50km from the A20 free highway that takes you all the way south for nothin.

Ta-all-the-way