Wanted: 2 cheap bikes in Ghana
 

Hi all!
A friend and I are planning a short trip to Ghana for late October 2024 (8 days).
Our very preliminary idea is taking a flight to Accra, then fly to Tamale. Then see the North and possibly drive back to Accra seeing things along the East.

It would be awesome if we could rent the bikes considering the short time we will spend in this trip, but it seems impossible in this country.

We have located a dealer in Tamale that would help us with the paperwork for buying a couple of used motorbikes. The problem would be that it seems to take "around 2 days" to get the paperwork done... and you know, Africa, these 2 days can turn into 3, 4 or whatever, which would make no sense buying the motorbikes. The other option would be sending the money, buying two used motorbikes that we have not seen and not tested and cross fingers! It sounds like a bad idea.

If anyone here had a bike parked in the country and we could make a deal, it would be awesome.

The other problem we face is that, for selling it, we would just drop the bike in a dealer and pray for receiving any money back when they sell it. (any experience of this kind anyone can share?)

Any idea, experience, advice is more than welcome!

We have never done this kind of trip so far.

Thanks!

Lots of reports over the years of people buying Chinese bikes in Accra--there is reportedly an area around "Circle" where this is often done. I've never tried this or looked into it myself.

I've posted before, so won't go into detail again (but suggest a site search): first, many of the larger bikes and familiar adv/dual sport models you'll see in West Africa are illegal, so beware.

Second, I've found it easy to just show up and start asking hotel desk clerks, taxi drivers, repair shops or other local contacts if they know anyone who'd like to rent for a week or so. It usually takes a day or so for someone to turn up with a newer Chinese bike in reasonable repair. Be extremely wary of bikes that have been around the block a bit, since repair standards are not what you're used to, and be sure to figure out insurance, carry documentation covering the bike and the owner's permission to ride it.

Best deal I had was for a few weeks two years running when the bike I found was government-owned and rented to me by a low-level bureaucrat. Riding that one, I breezed through police checks and never had any breakdowns. Another year I rented an almost-new Chinese "jungle bike," i.e., dual sport styled to look like a trail bike, from a hotel clerk I'd never met before. Of course, I also once paid too much for an unremarkable Japanese 200cc, and another year ended up with a totally unreliable older 650. Caveat emptor.

Hope that's helpful.

Mark

Edit to add: There's lots more involved in riding in West Africa. Think it through, read some trip reports, and be careful. Also, even in Ghana, keep your ear to the ground about civil unrest and banditry.

Thank you markharf for the input, it's very useful! I used the site search but didn't find anything on rentals, it may be my bad :)

I will certainly check the ride reports!

Cheers!