I've been a bit naive about vehicle registration in West Africa and really screwed up.

In 2015 I rode the west coast route to Cape Town, however due to problems with a couple of borders (ebola related) I missed out a few countries which I've since been dying to explore.

Along with three friends we decided to buy cheap local bikes (125cc chinese copies) in Abidjan in mid December and ride them to Banjul where we would fly home in early January. We would leave the bikes there, return in 6 months and ride them home to the UK. We've paid for our flights, and paid for and received all the necessary visas in advance.

However today I've just found that tourists cannot register vehicles in Cote D'Ivoire. Not only this but if we managed to get a local to register them in their name it takes 8-12 weeks. Even if this was done in time, whilst we could get a letter of permission and ride them in the country we wouldn't be able to leave the country with them not in our own name.

I know it was stupid of me to over look this. I've screwed up badly. Can anyone think of any creative ways to get round this situation? Buying bikes in the UK and flying them out is too expensive.

We can't get refunds on our flights, visas or all the kit we've bought. I'm determined to make this work some how.

This is much easier to do in Ghana. I Don't have any details though.

Exactly. You can be in Accra in a day, easily...but you'll need a visa. Some people have had good luck applying for Ghana visas in Abidjan, so it's a least worth a try. It's also possible to purchase in Lomé, but you'd need to fly in the absence of a Ghana visa.

Otherwise, unless C.I. has changed a lot since I was last there, you can accomplish almost any bureaucratic task very quickly if you're willing to pay for it. Start asking around, manifesting all the ignorant innocence you can muster. Bargain hard.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Thank you.

Ghana is definitely doable in terms of logistics. I can apply for a visa next week at the Embassy in London and I can get a coach to Accra from Abidjan quite easily.

Do you happen to know anymore details about the process of buying? Looking online it seems you might need a card showing you are a resident.

So you haven't left home yet--that simplifies things. It's at least as easy flying direct to Accra as it would be to fly London to Abidjan. Lome is a bit more awkward, but simpler than doing it on the ground.

I've looked into buying in Ghana a couple of times, but I honestly don't remember the details--just that it was clearly possible, legal (not always the same thing), and quick.

When I was last there about a year ago I spoke at length with a guy who imports lightly-used bikes from Japan and resells them in Accra--that looked like the best bet for a reliable, legal 250-650 bike. A nice guy, with what looked like clean, well-maintained bikes. Turned out I knew his chief mechanic from several years back, too. He wasn't very happy about how the business was going, so might have given up--or not. Magnus Trading Ltd, Kasardjan Yard, North Kaneshi, Accra, ph: 0561511805.

I've also read reports from people who've purchased Chinese bikes, registered them, and driven off happily within the day. The area of Accra north of "Circle" seems to be the place to go. I've borrowed and rented a few of those Chinese models, and they sure start deteriorating quickly--but you probably know that, right? Personally, I don't want to spend my holiday getting repairs every other day, no matter how easy this might be. YMMV.

One danger with Ghana purchases is that stolen bikes abound, apparently brought down from Europe (so they tell me). If not buying new, beware. You definitely need to have proper papers in all of the countries you'll transit between CI/Ghana and The Gambia.

Last, unless things have changed dramatically, those direct coaches from Abidjan to Accra take a lot longer than the Peugeot wagons and 12-passenger vans which ply the coastal route. I'd go directly from the airport to Grand Bassam and start asking about fast transport to the border, then walk across and start looking for fast transit all the way through to Accra. But then, I'm weary of crammed buses full of people without papers taking an eternity at every police barricade and border crossing.

That's my $0.02. Hope it's helpful.

Mark

Thanks Mark thats really helpful.

Unfortunately we already have flights (we land December 14th) and its too expensive to change them to Accra, so overland it is!

I'm aware that our bikes will probably fall apart, although I'm hoping that the bits that fall off/sheer off can hopefully be replaced along the route. There's no shortage of chinese copies of cg125's and gn125's, so hopefully lots of parts. Buying brand new looks to be about £400ish, should hopefully make registration easier and avoid the pitfalls of stolen bikes.

So it looks like we're going to Ghana! I think it should only add three days or so to the trip, which we can hopefully make up with some long days. On the plus side I'm very fond of Ghana so it would be nice to go back to it, even if only briefly.

Thanks for all your tips!

You sent me an email as I was leaving CI last weekend & feel guilty I've not replied

I land back in CI the same weekend as you arrive ... It can be sorted, I will make enquiries now

I'm still here for you, don't give up hope Jimmy, I manage to accomplish most things in CI fairly easily!

See you soon!

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Thanks Chloe, I've been a bit panicked about the registration element.

One person told me it took 8-12 weeks to register a motorcycle and only resident's could do it, another said that it was possible for anyone to register but it took two weeks.

If the latter source is correct, and its possible do it by proxy it won't be too much of an issue as we can hopefully buy them in advance of our arrival.

However at the moment the alternative plan is to head into Ghana. As much I love Ghana we're already pushed for time and it could be quite a lengthy detour. We don't have that long before our return flight from banjul.

Any tips or advice would be hugely appreciated. Thank you so much for all the help so far.

James

Check your emails please!

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