Looking for a Yamaha DT 175 or similar in Uganda
 

Hi everyone,

Looking to have a small bike I can use to travel Uganda, two day trips, every month or so. Not a one-shot (long) tour.

I am thinking a Yamaha DT175 would be a perfect dual sport bike. Simple, small engine, fuel efficient, easy to work on and can handle most terrains out there.
Has anyone traveled Uganda in one of these? How difficult is it going to be to find a used say 2010-15 one? Where?

Anyone selling any similar japanese bike (175-400cc) dual sport bike in Uganda?

Thank you!!!

Finding japanese dual sport bikes used in good condition in Kampala is not the easiest task. There are dealers who import them directly from Japan or USA but with a very high pricetag, it´s a prestigious bike down there. Finding spareparts or tires/chains for them is even harder ...



I have travelled most parts of Uganda and Kenya on a Bajaj Boxer 150 which I bought used in Kampala for around 700-800$. Back then they were between 1200-1400$ new at the dealer. These bikes are very common means you´ll find spareparts for it everywhere also in Kenya,Tanzania and Rwanda. Also have a look at the TVS 150 bikes, which are also very popular and have a slightly higher seat height.


My first bike was a Indian made Bajaj Boxer 100 which I bought from a priest in Kampala in horrible (!!) condition and completely rebuild it from the ground up with new parts. Very reliable bike, rode it all the way from Kampala to Loyangalani at lake Turkana in northern Kenya without problems going the mainly offroad route through Maralal, the back then dry Milgis Luggar riverbed, South Horr etc. Other bikes my mates in the same group back then were riding inclueded Honda XR 600, KTM Adventure and XC, Husqvarna, KLR. We all made it, I was just a bit slower than the others ! ;-) The 100cc Version is significantly slower than the Bajaj Boxer 150 Version thats why I sold it in the end , they mainly us the smaller Version in Uganda contrary to the neighboring countries where you mainly find the big version. Travel speed on these ones will be around 80km/h.



Go for a bike popular with the locals where spare-parts are readily available. New cylinder incl. piston for a Bajaj 150 made in India was between 15-30$ if I remember correctly, enough life in it to ride to Cape-Town and maybe back, who knows. Most of the people I know who ride bigger bikes buy spare-parts back home in the UK/Europe on their holidays as most stuff simply isn´t available.




P.S.: Just saw how old this post is, anyway maybe somebody will find this info useful in the future ...






Cheers
Chris

Very useful to know - did you register in your name and was that difficult?

It´s not nessecary to have it in your name to be honest, I know in the Americas it´s an issues but not in east-africa. Crossed multiple borders with bajaj bikes not in my name and if you have all the ownership documents inclueding a photocopy of the previous owners passport and a written buyers-contract there was never an issue. Once sold a Bajaj 150 to a british guy in Malawi who continued with it all the way down to Namibia, no problems whatsoever. The only border where they asked about any documents apart insurance was the Ugandan one, been there multiple times on differant border-posts and never a problem with the bike not in your name. I am a 100% sure though that if you really want to have it in your name that is possible at the offices of the UNRA ( Uganda national road authority ) on Jinja road. Was never worth the hussle for me though, expect the process to take some time maybe a few wheels have to be "greased", or maybe not who knows ...



Greetings,
Chris