I am all new to bike-travelling and I guess there's no stupid questions, so I'll just shoot out:
I have done some big overland travels before by car but now would like to switch over to a bike to do an africa overland trip. i have driven big size engine bikes in foreign countries before but my current license in europe is only valid for a 50ccm machine.
is it nevertheless possible to do an overland trip in africa with such a bike?
i don't mind driving with 50 or 60km/h max. or so but was wondering if I can do any offroad at all?
What are your opinions?
I appreciate any comments.
cheers
Mike

PS: I was looking at sth. like this:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/50ccm-4-Takt-...item3ce7cbe1a9

sure can I Japanese guy did it on a 50cc monkey bike

thanks monkey boy... i am pretty sure that it is somehow possible. i was just wondering if i would have to miss out on a lot of sights/roads as i wouldn't manage to get or drive there with a less powerless bike?

There might be a few places in the desert such a bike wouldn't get to but people manage to get just about everywhere with bicycles so it shouldn't be a problem. My concern would be the reliability of a Chinese bike and would go for something Japanese.

Yes Florian Rolke did it with a Simson Schwalbe: Slow Way Down - Mit der Simson Schwalbe durch Afrika
Unfortunately you have to pay to read his story but...it was in a magazine as well. He had to change the cylinder on the way

A guy from Leeds was on his way to Capetown on a Honda c90 before it fell into the Congo river. He had to have the engine changed a couple of times but not sure if that was down to dodgy mechanics or what. He certainly had a grand adventure.

As others said, if you can do it on a bicycle you could probably do it on a 50cc, but bicycles are also very light and can be lifted over bad terrain. Personally, I would feel much better with a 125, maybe a Honda CGL or a Yamaha YRB, as at least you can be reasonably confident that the engine and main components of the bike will, if looked after, almost certainly get you there and back.

That bike looks very plastikly, I bet a lot of things would break fairly quickly after the stress of poor roads. At 107kg dry it seems rather heavy and bukly for its size and engine power, and a top speed of under 30mph (too slow for me!), well, would maintaining the top speed for 8hours a day across long stretches be damaging? It does 2lt per 100k, well a Yahama YRB does the same and that will cruise a 120kpm and is a proven overlander with solid Japanese engineering.

I would be considering all these things, also at 1000 euro not exactly cheap, you could pick up a used Honda CGL with cash left over for your driving test. I think if you want to do it for the sake of doing it on a 50cc, it`s a no-brainer, but if it is more about the trip then I would be weighing up what it is going to cost you in cash and time in terms of breakdowns and downtime - just my opinion of course! If you do indeed head out please let us know if you decide to blog about it - Small bikes big adventures!!

My concern for you would be carrying 'stuff' as well as yourself. There are plenty of Chinese 'clone' DAX bikes in the 125cc range that are very reliable, but, alas, that is too big an engine for you.


On page 6 and 7 of this ride report, a friend of the writer meets the writer/rider in Cape Town, buys a cheap Chinese endure, and rides 6000 miles with the only issue being a chain stretching (the Chinese bike Achilles' heel) and if they had asked for advice, the first thing would have been to purchase a chain as a spare. Read the thread, and you will see--but again, that bike is a 250 (most likely a 229cc, but who's counting?


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...urfboard-72401


Actually read the whole thread and see if you are planning to ride a similar route from the beginning (he started out in Europe and rode south to Cape Town, where he met up with his buddy and girlfriend, and his friend joined him going back north for the first 6000 miles.


There are other African threads, too...


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...too-well-77534


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...kinshasa-53285


I am not trying to be a displacement snob by any means and suggest you ride anything over 800cc, but 50cc just sounds too small. See what kind of fun Simon Gandolfo had around the world with his 125cc bike(s). Yes, licensing issues for you, but maybe wait until you can ride something larger--even 100 or 110cc. And that it can haul 'stuff'


Just for comparison--different continent (N. America) and mostly paved, but here is a good example of a Chinese 125cc DAX clone making a long trip...


Scooters Across America: San Francisco to New York - ADVrider


Different continent (S. America) and kinds of bikes, but 125cc


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...americas-74600

OK, just got to look at the bike you are looking at from Ebay--Similar to the one in the 'Africa with a surfboard thread' but only 50cc. I would look for a Bashan 125cc enduro or a Skyteam 125cc enduro if I was you. Graduate your licensing. Too much weight for a 50, even if the bike is full sized!

Simon identified a key issue here.

Sure, you could get around Africa on a 50 cc bike (tens of thousands of 50 cc bikes are used by Africans every day), but what about the stuff you plan to bring with you? 50 cc bikes are generally designed to cope with one rider who has only minimal cargo (like, a few kilos of grocery shopping).

I think the suggestions made by others that you consider at least 125 or 150 cc are well meant. It's not going to be any fun for you if your engine, clutch, or suspension gives out before you are even 20% of the way into your trip.

Michael

Good luck and have fun!

__________________
Roborider
Rob Osborne
Vail (Tucson), Arizona USA

We rode to The Gambia on a fully loaded tandem. It took 2 months but if speed isn't your thing then that timeframe is fine. I think knowing the machine you're riding is the important thing so you can keep the thing on the road. Regarding tranporting gear as well as rider, there's no need to travel super heavyweight. Google 'ultralight cycle touring' for tips on this if interested. Finally I'd have thought if the 50cc bike broke beyond repair it would be cheap enough to source a replacement.

Sent from my GT-S5830 using Tapatalk 2

OK, the guy riding and writing the 'Africa with a surfboard' blog is also posting on Advrider. I asked him about buying a bike and engine size and this is what he had to say:

A 125 is OK, but on the big roads with big trucks, Mike was pretty glad to be on the 250. No idea what the process is in Kenya, but in SA, the only way we got the registration done quickly was to have a guy who was a resident let us use his address.

Obviously, 50cc is out, but 125cc should be taken off your short list, too, based on the above.

while you might find some countries that let you ride a bike that exceeds your licence don't expect to be covered by your travel insurance if you injure yourself.