Hello All,

My name is Simon and I'm currently living in The Gambia. I'm now planning my journey back to UK by bike. I own a Taiwanese made, Gambian registered Sym xs 150 3a, and am hoping to ride it overland back to the UK. I'm posting to find out if anyone can help me with a few gaps I've got in the planning I've been doing, particularly in the area of paperwork.

So far I'm planning to ride:

Gambia-Senegal-Mauri-WS-Morocco-Spain-France-Roscoff-Plymouth (and back home to Torquay)

Issues:

- I do not have a UK motorbike licence, although I will have a full Gambian motorbike licence along with an International Driving licence if necessary. Will this be acceptable through the countries I'm riding and also in the UK?

- What Insurance do I need when I pass through the EU countries? The problem is that the bike is Taiwanese made and doesn't come up as a known bike on even the specialist insurance company websites, for the purpose of quotes.

- How much is the ferry crossing at tangier to tarifa with 1/2 people and a bike?

- do you need laissez passée for mauri/Morocco/Spain/France? I do not have a carnet, and was hoping that I wouldn't need one...

- What procedure do I need to follow for registering my bike in the UK? Is it likely that the bike will meet the EU criteria, I can't find any specific info on my bike on line although it is similar to the wolf classic (it is called a wolf, but the specific model is different)

- will the bike hold up for the journey? I can usually cruise at about 60km/h. Was thinking that I could change the gear ratio or cogs?

- How much luggage is it possible to carry? Would i need the special bags (pan-somethings) or a back box, or could I just carry a large bag on my back or strap it to the back of the bike?

- What would be the range on such a bike. The manual I have says it is 9.5l although I would tend to think that it is closer to 7.5.... I have never filled it up fully.

Any comments/suggestions/advice/answers would be massively appreciated. Im currently working out if its doable, as I will be leaving in early July.

Many thanks,

Simon

PS. have many other questions