As a professional BMW dealer technician and someone who has done a similar route, I would list a big 1200 BMW near the bottom of the list for taking to Africa. Great for poncing around Europe with BMW assistance a phone call away but more of them don't make it through without significant issues than do... Of course, if you can throw money at it all day long and are happy to wait weeks for parts that no one knows how to fit it, then it will get you anywhere. But so will a Chromed up Harley Davidson or a Ducati race bike..

They're too heavy to enjoy the best of Africa on. Restricting you to highways and girlie trails. And they make you look like a t*at when you roll into a village on a bike that costs more than their town hall. Its also a massively expensive commodity to be attached to if it all goes pear shaped. And then there's the carnet cost.

Yes, there are lots of blogs and videos of 1200s riding in far off places, but you rarely get a GS rider admitting they bought the wrong bike or they're heavily supported with fat wallets or a tour company carrying spares and a mechanic.

You never see a 1200GS parked next to hammock at a serene moonlit lakeside in Ethiopia at the bottom of a rugged trail. Because unless you're an excellent rider, they just cant get there.

Same goes for all the big super 'adventure' bikes. I'm not just picking on BMW. They should be called touring bikes like they used to be before the 'adventure' bandwagon got rolling.

Africa is wild and rugged and those massive bikes are built for Starbucks.

If you're taking anything bigger than a 650/800 then you're really limiting your adventure...

Have you done similar trips ???

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.