Africa travel advice

[Highlander1]

Hi everyone

I am glad to have found the site and look forward to having a chat. This looks like the place I need to be at.

I am not new to touring in Europe last year I travelled 4,500 miles in 2 weeks for charity with 6 others in a group.

I now want to expand things and realise my abmition towards getting to Cape town and back. I hope to go down one coast and back up the other as far as the road net work allows.

If I am able to I would rather use my old battle scarred ZZR1100 but realise this would need reasonably good roads, Romania and Bulgaria were not a problem we had a couple of muddy tracks which we managed to survive due mainly to diversions.

I am looking to those who know Africa and who may be able to tell me if this is a reality or if I would need to buy something else maybe an African twin 750cc.

I have been dreaming about doing this for many years and want to plan it as the first thing I do when I retire which is not too far away. I don't have a time limit for the trip I would expect it to take me about 10 weeks from Highlands and back again.

Thanks in anticipation. I am not very hot on computers so hope this thread works and is in the right section.

Cheers H

[Todd & Christina]

good luck with the trip but only giving yourself a measly 10 weeks is craziness! you're gonna be retired so take your time and enjoy. Africa is about the people and it's hard to meet anybody by flying thru the continent at that pace.
slow down and reap the rewards.....have a good one!

[Highlander1]

^Thanks for the reply what would be a realistic time limit. If the roads are good I am used to travelling 600 mile days on the ZZR but don't expect this in Africa so Highlands to South England would be done in one hit maybe 2 days at the most same with France and Spain.

I am looking forward to this. does anyone have a route plan already prepared for the West coast returning on East coast. I would love to have a definitive answer regards to the road network before starting any paper-working.

The ZZR is a Superbike for all types of road which are hard packed but it is hopeless on anything else gravel tracks are a pig to ride on unless at a crawl.

Cheers H

[kk2ct]

Highlander
- There is no 'definitive answer to road network'. A lot of it is made up as you go along.
- If you get stuck into this website you'll soon discover 10 months is a more realistic time scale than 10 weeks (were you serious?)
- I would suggest it is not impossible, but you would be creating serious hardship for yourself by taking a bike that heavy
- My website Home details my (present) trip down the West coast and back up the East - I'm holed up in Addis Ababa at the moment..
- But what I've learnt since starting the journey is that despite all the preparation and research, it really is just a matter of getting up in the morning, packing the bike, riding, eating, sleeping... and the same the next day. (There are certainly things that make life easier that can't be got en route.)
Best of luck. Enjoy the anticipation - part of it!
Hugh

[uk_vette]

Well, perhaps 10 months is a bit of "over the top"

However 10 weeks is definatly a "no - no"

10 weeks just going down C.T. is "do'able . . . . at a sprint.
You would have to organise many of your visas before hand though, as reading many of the threads, you can spend some thing like half as much time getting the paperwork sorted, as sitting in the saddle.

[Frank Warner]

Originally Posted by Highlander1

The ZZR is a Superbike for all types of road which are hard packed

Mind reset ... you are thinking of roads where people expect vehicles at speed ...

What if the locals expect vehicles at max speeds of 30 mph .. everywhere .. where vehicles wander around as the driver is looking at the crop at the time .. Doing 50mph here is dangerous ... like doing 150mph in your part of the world.. all about expectations, and mind sets.

600 mile days .. in Africa think 200 mile days .. and plan on every 7th day off!

So 10 weeks of 600 mile days becomes 10*3 * 7/6 = say 34 weeks .. say 9 months ... 10 months was not far out?

What is the rush about anyway? Take 3 weeks off as a taster and do Morocco.. then see what you think? Takes me some time to adjust to the hoiliday mode - about 2 weeks .. to slow down .. relax .. forget about the timetable and go with the flow. It is not about getting somewhere by tonight .. but experiencing the place, including the bit you are now in.

10 weeks for Africa would be like Scotland in 3 days .. why bother...

[kk2ct]

[quote=uk_vette;165897]Well, perhaps 10 months is a bit of "over the top"

What do you mean "over the top"? On what are you basing that? Different folks have different approaches to overland travel. I suggest 10 months is a very 'realistic time limit'.

[kevinrbeech]

Not the best place to mention this book, but take a look at Long Way Down, by Charlie and Ewan. I guess there are plenty of others but I'm reading it now and it highlights all of the problems and the frustrations of not having enough time. Although I've only been to Tunisia, so far, Africa is one of those places, if you don't give yourself long enough, you'll regret it forever, and.............

......... "Forever is a very long time".
Kevin

[sadoblazo]

Originally Posted by kevinrbeech

Not the best place to mention this book, but take a look at Long Way Down, by Charlie and Ewan. I guess there are plenty of others but I'm reading it now and it highlights all of the problems and the frustrations of not having enough time. Although I've only been to Tunisia, so far, Africa is one of those places, if you don't give yourself long enough, you'll regret it forever, and.............

......... "Forever is a very long time".
Kevin

long way what? did u really just say what i think you said?

[uk_vette]

[quote=kk2ct;166018]

Originally Posted by uk_vette

Well, perhaps 10 months is a bit of "over the top"

What do you mean "over the top"? On what are you basing that? Different folks have different approaches to overland travel. I suggest 10 months is a very 'realistic time limit'.

,
,
,
You are very correct 10 months is an ideal time to take, and enjoy the run down.
,
It was mentioned that the OP wanted to run it down in 10 weeks!
Just impossible, but if his mind is set on doing it as quickly as possible, then I thought it could be done in less than 10 months.
I quite agree, big mile days in parts of Africa just doesn't happen.
The only place I can confidently say he will do 800 miles in a day, would be South Africa,
I drive from CT to JNB fairly regular,
N1 all the way for best part of 850 miles, and the best times are around 13 hours, and more true'r times are 15 hours

[pockey]

one thing you must remember when you are in africa you are in africa time time takes for ever and hardly anyone wears watches, there is only day time and night time.

[stevesawol]

Kevin wasn't far off mentioning Long Way Down. (yeah yeah i know). With Their legion (i think the count was 26) of helpers organising visas, flying in parts from the Uk etc, etc, etc. They still Bitched and complained the whole time about not enough time and their trip took 4 months (give or take)

I know a lot of people shift to the lip of their chair very quickly and get rather feisty at the mere mention of LWR/D. But in my mind (ok so it's slighty twisted) They still did it. It may not have been in a way that you or I could have afforded or desired for that matter. but they still did it. In the process have rasied the profile of the sport(past-time? lifestyle?) of Adventure motoring. Bringing more money/research/bikes etc into the area.

However I understand the pain they bring though; After my new(ish) girlfriend watching LWR. I mentioned to her of my idea of heading through the 'Stans and Mongolia... Her reply...... "what about the support vehicles? You'll need support vehicles! you can't do it without them!" ...sigh..head shaking ... leave room....

And if i dare be perfectly honest.... (cringe) LWR caused me to dust off a long-ago shelved dream of doing "a big trip" I'd not seen or heard of anybody else doing such a thing. I watched LWR and thought ''WTF! If those two can do it, I sure the hell can!" I then found this website and can now go forward with the trip/planning well grounded and informed

Sorry it got a bit off topic but i guess i was trying to pad this statement...... LWD/R is still worth a read ( and pinch of salt)
And a donation to Riders for health while you're on the job

[craigcc]

10 months or 10 weeks? Never done the trip, but couple of folks I know did it in a speedy but comfortable six months. This included some time off and fun diversions.

Bike? Well in theory you could do it on anything. It depends on how much hard work you want and how good you are at maintenance and repairs and how much you like lifting and pushing. There's at least two characters who have done it on Harleys, one a full dresser job with tassles. But with some hard work and interesting times.

I would have thought that a ZZR would represent very hard work!, much frustration and ultimately, trashed bodywork. I wouldn't fancy it at all. But on the other hand, it's not compulsory to go for the full 'overland-kit-biker' mode in your choice of bike either.

A middle-weight road bike with a reasonable luggage system, a few mods and decent tyres would probably be more than adeqaute if you wanted to stick to a basic level of bike.

I've been as far south as The Gambia by road and although most main roads to get there are damn good, it would be lunacy to speed on these roads. They are variable at times, there are pot holes, debris, animals, people, diesel, checkpoints, sand berms and so on -- plus very bad driving from the locals at times.

A good day is cruising at an average of about 50mph, keeping an eye on the road ahead, enjoying the scenery.

An 'interesting' day is only a few miles over the entire day, wrestling with sand, in the middle of nowhere on an overloaded and heavy bike in 40 degree heat, with the wrong tyres.

From experience BMW's old GS650 is a good 'median' benchmark, the 1150/1200 GS range is better for loads, passengers and long mileage on good roads. Very manageable on/off pistes even if you're a crap rider like me.

Several Japanese bikes fit the bill perfectly as well. Small trailies are perfectly capable bikes as well.

It's difficult to avoid lots of time away from sealed roads, so leave the sports bike at home for fun times on tarmac and chose something else from the range of excellent bikes out there.

Oh, it's true what was said about African Time.

Keep your expectations to 250-300 miles a day max (on tarmac, on good days) and you'll avoid a lot of grief, fatigue and accident situations.

And: the simpler the bike, the easier it is to fix.

Craig

[JAmBer]

FWIW, these guys did Africa in 39 days!

The Epic Scooters Pizza Delivery

But that's a little crazy.