Morocco Christmas/New Year 2014/15
 

Seeking 1 or 2 riding buddies for a predominantly off road trip in Morocco. I’ll be on a BMW X-Challenge. The links in my signature tell a few bike trip stories. This will be my 5th trip to Morocco. Some details are at Morocco TBSdotCom

Apart from the obligatory trip round and through the dunes at Merzouga, I’m hoping to spend most of my time south of the line Marrakesh/ Ouarzazate/ Zagora, an area I’ve not visited before.

The bike is currently parked near Gibraltar and I’m flying there and back on 19Dec14/05Jan15. The bike will stay in Spain for an Easter 2015 trip through Portugal. Being a school teacher (and having booked the flights a long time ago…) these dates are unfortunately non-negotiable.

Are you planning something like this too? Maybe drop me a PM/ email (see my website) or reply here.

Ride safely.

Hello Chris!

Well, I am expecting a child and I don't want to leave my wife alone, so no ride adventures for me for a while. But I've just moved near the Gibraltar area and I will be available for a beer when you were here. I can even host you for a few days if you need it.

All the very best for your impending parenthood. Beer sounds great. Let's liaise closer to the time. I should be OK ref accommodation with the friends where I've parked the bike, but if there's a change of plan in that respect, I'll gladly take up your offer. Many thanks.

Oh yeh, the bike is in La Linea. Where are you?

Thank you Chris. I'm in San Roque, just let me know if you need something and send a message when you are here.

Hi Chris,

Im flying into UK on the 5th Dec to collect my bike. I have a small suspension job that im getting done at Rally Raid to sort out my suspension for a trip down to Cape Town. Your timing is almost spot on with my arrival to Morocco.
Id be keen to catch up. I to have done my fair share of morocco because I spent a season there driving overland trucks around it.

Regards

Patrick

Hi Patrick
Words like Rally Raid lead me to assume KTM690 for your trans-Africa trip.:cool4: (Edit: Read your London/CT thread and I'm right :innocent:) It'd be great to catchup/ chat before Morocco. I'm in West Yorkshire, about 200 miles north of London.

cheers
Chris

Sounds good. Rally Raid is I think 66miles north of Heathrow Airport so I wont be far away? As I said John (rally raid) is going to get it sorted for the heavier weight bike. Should only take a couple days?
PM me your details would love to come chat!!

Cheers
Patrick

PS yeah went the 690 after much thought. I wanted a 990 but thought bit big and heavy for this trip!!

Patrick
135 odd kg of light bike will be far superior to a big rig like a 990 when it's time to ride the interesting stuff.

Sent you a PM :thumbup1:

Chris

Hi Chris, Just letting you know that Im still on track to be able to make the ferry to Morocco on the 19th Dec. Bike has 2 more weeks to go at sea before it arrives in the UK. Only 3 weeks till I fly out of Australia:D:thumbup1::scooter::scooter:

Great Pat.

I'm going out for some Yorkshire/Welsh mud plugging on my DRZ for a couple of weekends between now and mid December. Should be great prep for dry piste/ hamada/ sand... (Not!)

See you in December, inshallah.

I'm headed that way in early December. Hopefully I'll see you guys on the road.

I will be a litle bit ahead of you guys, but maybe I slow donw in Morocco...

keep me posted!

Cool. If you're still in Morocco at the end on December, maybe post here.

It's quite possible that Patrick (patdavey78) and myself will ride together. 2 options are clockwise or anticlockwise around the High Atlas.

Hey Martin

Same message to you as above. Post here if you're still around Moroc at the end of Dec.

Enjoy your ride.

Maybe the North York Moors trailriding practice this weekend will be of use in Morocco.... http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...orocco-78382-2

http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/p...orsNov2014.jpg

Hi Chris

Yeah im thinking we might have to trade our bikes in for a boat for Morocco!!

Patrick

Chris will post again from Morocco and paths might cross somewhere.
Iain

Hello Chris, I'm hopefully also going to be heading for Morrocco around that date too. on a Ktm 640. Pat Davey and I have had a very brief message swap and hopefully shall speak with one another on Monday 8.12.14. I'd be keen to team up with you as well if that works for you. What do you think?

Sure. The more the merrier as long as you like riding off-pavement :scooter:. Itinerary is quite flexible. A lot will depend on the weather/ floods etc. I was hoping to get south of the line Zagora/ Oarzazate/ Marrakesh for a lot of the trip, but that's also where a lot of the flooding seems be! Maybe it'll dry out in the next 2 weeks.

Great stuff Iain

http://unsaneproject.files.wordpress...09/batbike.jpg

Maybe something like this? :palm:

That's fine by me. By 'off pavement' i assume you mean the rocky/sandy pistes, or are you talking full on desert dune riding? But where I come from the pavement is the bit beside the road reserved for pedestrians. Any of the above including the sidewalk's fine by me but will need to know as it will dictate which choices of tyre and luggage I use. Incidentally are you taking hard or soft luggage?
Jason

By "off pavement" I'm using the American terminology. They drive on the pavement and walk on the sidewalk. If commuting to work on a bike in the UK I have been known to ride "creatively" (=if the road is blocked with cars and trucks: ride on the bit where people walk or straight across the middle of a roundabout amongst other cunning stunts :oops2:)

Indeed, I mean rocky/sandy piste (with luggage), but also full on sand dunes at places like Erg Chebbi (without luggage). I'll have soft luggage/Michelin Desert tyres (although on the slab south from Tangiers/Ceuta the offroad tyres will be tied on the back while I totally kill the current rubber on the bike). If it's clockwise around the high Atlas, I'll probably swap rubber at Risanni.

Hi Chris,

i just see your post now. I would like to go to Morocco for New year at the same date but it's no possible to me to send you a private message :)

It's my 4th time in Morocco, i have a bmw gs 1200.

Thanks

Boris

Hi Boris
Why send me a PM when you can post here?

However, unless you're a Jimmy Lewis or John Deacon (RIP) on a GS, you might struggle on a 12gs in some of the places where we're planning to go.

It'd be good to drink a tea or beer somewhere.

Indeed, I mean rocky/sandy piste (with luggage), but also full on sand dunes at places like Erg Chebbi (without luggage). I'll have soft luggage/Michelin Desert tyres (although on the slab south from Tangiers/Ceuta the offroad tyres will be tied on the back while I totally kill the current rubber on the bike). If it's clockwise around the high Atlas, I'll probably swap rubber at Risanni.[/QUOTE]

Chris,

Have you bought tyres in Morocco before? As im now riding all the way from UK not catching the ferry to Spain my tyres will be looking a little worse for wear by the time I get to southern Spain. Its going to be a couple of cold days as I ride down there!!! It was 40c when I left Australia 3 days ago. Not liking this freezing temps!! See you in just over a week.

Patrick

It's a little chilly isn't it. Have you seen the weather forecast just for tomorrow! :freezing::rofl:

I think you misunderstand my above comment. I already have the MichDes tyres: I used them for 500km in the Pyrenees in the summer, before fitting a shagged pair of old rubber I blagged where I was staying for the slab to southern Spain and the forthcoming "liaison section" across northern Morocco.

I'd be very surprised if it's easy to buy suitable bike tyres in Morocco. Then again I really have no idea. Every time I've been there I've either ridden a road/touring bike or, in the case of my 2 DRZ trips, the bike arrived/left in the back of a mate's van.

Let's have a chat on the phone before you leave the UK.

Chris

Hi everyone!

I am also planning my first trip to Morocco next week!

Be sweet to meet up with some of you lot!

My ferry is from the UK on the 16th and arrives in Santander on the 17th, I reckon i will be in Gibraltar on the 18th!

Hi Jamie,

Ill be in Gibraltar on the 19th. Then meeting up with Chris early on the 20th to catch the ferry to Morocco. Maybe we can all catch up and talk on the ferry ride to Morocco?

Patrick

Hi Patrick

Which ferry you planning on taking?

Probably the one that's leaving next, once we arrive at Algeceiras: ideally to Tangier Med as getting into Moroc is more straight forward. Ceuta wasn't that bad from what I remember either though.

Chris

hi,

it seems it coud be that I will also be in Gibraltar next week. I am currently in Granada for a few days, than moving to Malaga. I have to fix some cooling system problems with my bike, unfortunatly.

I woud really like to join, but i am not sure if i'm capable to go wherever you want to go. i have an old africa twin with more luggage then i hoped :). i have seen enough pavement ,so that's not why i want to go to morocco, but pure sand and dunes...don't know if that will work out for me. maybe if you give me a quick lesson :)
I took 2 courses of all-road riding before my departure. unfortunatly, the sand course was cancelled...


cya!


oh, and I still have pavement tires on. and they are almost finished...i still need new ones.
what do you recommend guys? buying tires here in spain? wich ones?
changing them in morocco i guess... (I did a lot already on bikes, but somehow, changing tires is something I only did once...)

As Chris said,

Patrick

Could end up with quite a crew of people at this rate!

Im happy with any off road we can find!

Ratte when are you aiming to be in Gibralter? We could go for some off road around there while we wait for the other two to show up?!

What time are you (Patrick and Chris) aiming to get to port on the 20th?

why not.
I have to pick up my carnet de passage in Malaga on monday anyway, and i will stay at least till friday here in Granada... don't know yet how or where to fix my cooling problem...
but if i'm at Gibraltar before the 19th, sure we can!

I love Honda V Twins: I own 2 Transalps (87 and 88) and an Africa Twin (95). I know a lot about them. That's why I'm riding an XChallenge in Morocco on this trip. An AT with a lot of luggage (and stock suspension? And road tyres?) won't be a lot of fun in the sand or even if the track is vaguely interesting. I've toasted 2 clutches off-road on a Transalp, never on a DRZ or XC.

Then again you might be a demon off road...

Riding in sand on a shed of a bike isn't just something you can learn just like that.

Probably best to buy tyres in Spain and know how to fit them yourself. Others are unlikely to want to do it for you.

Beers en route are always fine. I don't think anyone wants to be frustrated because they're being left behind/having to wait excessively. Everybody should be on their own trip and willing and able to be self-sufficient.

What bike are you riding?

To be confirmed.

Agreed

Funny enough im on an OLD shed of a transalp 600 doh

Its far from standard though :thumbup1:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O...4/IMGP5033.jpg

What exactly is your cooling problem?

I note the USD forks: What are they off? Have you uprated the shock?

EDIT: YOU'VE TAKEN DOWN THE PICTURE... ?!??

In Morocco in 2005 I learnt that 1987 XL600v v-twin clutch plates are identical to 1980 XL500 ones. The bloke in Risanni had an old engine off one in the back room. Note excessive luggage... His were very used and slipped, but still better than mine. :thumbup1: It allowed me to ride the pavement back to Ceuta.

http://www.thebrightstuff.com/Moroc2...ted_clutch.jpg

http://www.thebrightstuff.com/Moroc2...oc37_Brian.jpg

http://www.thebrightstuff.com/Moroc2...h_is_toast.jpg

Just wanted to put a more recent picture up :oops2:

The front forks are from an EXC with uprated springs

The rear is a fully adjustable Nitron unit

What tires you running on the Alp in that pic Chris?

Also whats the availability of petrol in Morocco, what sort of range should i have?

Conti Tkc80s. Mitas also do a C02 crosser in 17 inch. I used that in 2013 in Siberia before the beast retired hurt (See RR in my sig below).

On the main roads there's loads of fuel, although at the time some of it was leaded (that was 2010). The longest stretch I did without a fuel station was 250 something km between Merzouga and Zagora. Best to check Chris Scott's guide book for advice.

In villages there might also be overpriced (watered down?) petrol from barrels.

Iv seen your RR from Siberia with the old beast :clap:

I can squeeze about 250km max from my tank, was debating to strap an extra jerry can on or just fill up some plastic bottles when i need them

Plastic cola bottles as/when needed is a much better idea imho.

I am an experienced snowboarder, and I know exactly what you mean with that :)

but are you only going to ride sand?
If you woud have nothing against it, it really woud like to try riding with you guys...
If it doens't work out, then no problem, but at least I want to give it a chance. and I am not intending to follow you in the dunes...



maybe Jamie, if we do some riding around gibraltar, you can evaluate if i will be able to catch up or not...

about the tires, i have no choice. I will buy some here in spain, but i will have to find a garage in morocco where they can help me changing them. If they do it once for me/with me, I will be able to do it alone i think.


and if nothing of this all works, i'd still be glad to have a beer with you so you can tell me a few good routes to take ;)

oh and about the cooling system.
it just don't work properly. thermostat was totally finished, so I changed it.
put new coolant in...no result.

or a radiator is stuck, or water pump is broke (it doens't leak tough)

I can't honest say where I'll be going. It'll depend a bit on the weather but I will be actively looking to get off the beaten track. The tracks from my 2 2007 DRZ trips were on an old gps that broke. I'll be generally following Chris Scott's guide book and some other tracks I do have. Maybe just see a track on the ground and just follow it? I don't have the answer to the question "What are the tracks like?" nor am I anyone's guide.

If not already done so, I suggest you buy a guidebook/ a map/ download Olaf on your GPS unit if you have one. That way if people's itineraries are similar we can ride the same way at the same time.

What I do remember from 2007 is that some parts of some routes were most definitely not suitable on a big and overloaded Africa Twin with stock suspension etc. They were hard enough on a light DRZ with good suspension and minimal luggage. You also need to sort out your cooling issue! It'll be very hot going on any bike.

Lots of places won't have beer so I might bring a bottle of Scotch from Spain. :cool4:

ok ok i got the message.
good travels everyone!


i ride already before in morocco, I know it's hard to find beers :)

Ratte i don't mind showing you how to change a tire, I will be changing my front when i get down there, its easy.

I have no fixed route or itinerary so im pretty flexible on where we go

Also although iv never been on a bike to Morocco before i think a lot of tracks are hard pack gravel/rocks (mud with recent weather) with some sand thrown in for good measure.

I don't imagine I will be Paris Dakar style dune bashing across miles of open desert

i do imagine i will be paris dakar style dune bashing across miles of open desert! haha
no,
ok i will keep you updated how it goes...in granada till sunday maybe....

Does anyone know anywhere in Gibraltar or near by that will stock any decent 21" off road tires?

I could get one in the UK but don't fancy carting it all the way down!

Contact Quick Fit in Gibraltar. Sorry, don't have a number, but probably googleable. After crossing the frontier and crossing the runway, they are left at the first roundabout, a little way along on the right. I was last there in 2005.

Also try contacting Malaga based bike tour companies. They must have to satisfy their demand for off road rubber from somewhere.

Currently in Agadir
 

Hi guys,

Im hanging out in Agadir at the moment and will be heading back up to Rabat in the next week or so to sort out my Visas.
I was traveling with Chris but he had a small accident and has had to head back to UK. Hope all is well Chris. So if there is anyone that would like to catch up get in touch.

Cheers

Patrick

https://www.facebook.com/drcanafricanadventure

Arrived back in the Uk last night. Had to wait a couple of days in Spain for a flight. Snow and ice here. No trains running and multiple roads closed. A friend was nice enough to collect me from the airport in his Landrover.

Enjoy the trip. Hope the pump is still working... :rofl:

Hi Chris, Pump is doing well!! I changed out the tube with one of the ones you gave me and all is good now. I used my old tube to make a new liner for the wheel. Should not have to worry about the spokes damaging the tube?
Been hanging out at my mates for the last few days just chilling.
Went for a run down the beach the other day and ran over a fisherman's net and really mad a mess of it. Wrapped it around the rear wheel quite a few times before I pulled it up.
What was the name of that place or a GPS or google map location of where we were going to get those pictures of arches?

Cheers

Patrick

The arches are at Legzira beach

Legzira Beach - Sidi Ifni

That reminds me of the Praia das Catedrais, but bigger.

We (2 bikes) are also planning a trip to Morocco from the Netherlands between 9 and 17 May 2015. If anyone interested in, let me know.