Crossing Africa and leave bike there

[Taomorris]

Hi Guys,

I was thinking of crossing Africa, north to south, and due to the lack of possibility to stay away for months I'm planning to do it in several stages.

Idea will be to leave the bike there the first time, came back to Italy via plane, reach again the place at the following opportunity and proceed with the trip, and so on.

I'm quite confident that it will be possible to find people/places for leaving the bike there without risk of it being stolen (too optimistic?!?), or find a storage place to pay. But can you give me some advices? Do anybody heard/did this kind of plan? what about import docs for the bike: do you think I can leave it in a foreign country maybe for months?

Thanks!
Taomorris

[Richard Washington]

I drove a South African registered Land Rover from Cape Town up the east coast of Africa is stages, taking 3 or 4 years to do the drive. I only drove the vehicle in Decembers and Januaries. I left the vehicle in several countries along the way. I did have a carnet issued in South Africa for the vehicle. The carnet needed to be renewed from time to time and I did have to update the stamps with customs but it was not a problem to do any of this. It may have been more difficult without the carnet.

[Mike the Bike]

Hi Tao,

You can leave it at my yard in Lagos, Nigeria, if that would help. Any HUey's are welcome to. Try Burkina, Bobo Dialasso to Ouagadougo is great, then head for Kano, via Niamey and Zinder. In Kano go and see Dan Hausa's house, they will unlock it and show you round. From Kano go to Kaduna then Minna and see the old fort. Use the old military road from Ibadan to Lagos, don't go on the expressway unless you have to. Heading east, don't go through Onitsha. Route north of it. You can cross into Cameroon east of Aba, by a bush road, with a proper border crossing and no drama. The Aba taxi drivers will tell you how. I can also fix you up with a safe place to leave your bike in Aba too, if that would help.

Just keep you tank full, don't ride after sundown and have plenty of water on board.

Mike