After reading a few threads, I got a few different answers...
I'm going on my Varadero 2001, and as I understood I will get approximately 300-350 kilometres out of it, touring with gear.
I don't want to suffer through dry petrol stations, and therefore I want to add for example this one, which is 20 litres, and 4 kilograms empty:

Is it needed?
Is it too much?
Is it a cheap, and pretty safe, insurance, that don't weight too much?
Do you have any other, better solution, at maximum 100 euro (This is about 32 euro)?
Am I stupid if I put it on it's side, where the top box usually are?

Last time I was down there the furthest I went without finding fuel was 220 miles (about 350km). That included going past a few fuel stations that were shut or out of fuel. So the standard tank on your Varadero should be fine.

But you don't want to be sweating as you watch the last few km of fuel vanish without a garage in sight so a bit of extra range is probably a good idea - but not 20L. I'd have thought 10L more than enough and as you're only going to need it for a short period some kind of roll up plastic container would be your best option.

That's assuming you're sticking to the main routes. If you're not then a Varadero might not be the weapon of choice irrespective of its range.

Hi, Jackiie,

Welcome to the HUBB

It depends on your route in Mauritania, from Nouakchott South to Senegal on the coast road is only about 200 kms, so it depends which border crossing you are using for this particular leg.
As backofbeyond says, 10 litres extra is as much as you should need, Mauritania does occasionally have fuel shortages, so it would be prudent to have some in reserve so you can skip a few fuel stations that are closed or have long line ups, but there are quite a few fuel stations around - that was even back in 2004 when I was last there.
The Jerrycan you show is heavy empty, bulky and once you fill it and mount it to your Varadero it will upset the handling, better to use 2 x 5 litre cans mounted low. A lot of riders who do this mount brackets to the passenger peg holes and strap a 5 litre fuel can to each bracket. The only problem with this is the cans are prone to being punctured if you drop the bike. Rotopax makes flat, tough fuel containers with a dedicated mounting bracket, this can be mounted where a top box would go (lying flat) or on a pannier frame, sometimes behind the soft or hard luggage, as close to the bike and as far forward as possible. Another alternative is to use a soft fuel bladder.

Fuel Bladders - Liquid Containment Bladders & Liners – Fuel, Water, Petrol, Diesel, Water Storage

Fuel Cans : Gas Pack : Gasoline Containers : RotopaX.com


Hope that helps!

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You'll be fine, no need to spend money on extra fuel capacity, spend it instead on the trip.

The last fuel in Western Sahara is about 80km north of the Mauri border. The first fuel station in Mauri on the way to Noakchott might only do diesel but there's another two on the main road, more in Noakchott itself.

Didn't have a problem in Senegal either.

Generally if you are anywhere remote there will normally be someone with a shash of fuel who will sell you some at 50% over the pump price.

I did run out of fuel heading north again from Noakchott. It was very early in the morning and the pump attendant was asleep under some rags so I checked my GPS for the next station, reckoned I had enough fuel and carried on without refueling.

When I got to my waypoint I realised it was for something else (I hadn't been wearing my glasses) by which time it was too far to go back to Noakchott. I overtook a petrol-engined car then slowed down and kept about 1km ahead of it and when I eventually ran out I was able to wave them down, bum some fuel off them and was back on the road in a couple of minutes.

But in that couple of minutes another vehicle had stopped anyway to offer assistance.

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I did this a couple of months ago. Fuel stations between Nouadhibou and Nouakchott had 'run out' of fuel and selling it at a 4x mark up.

I just bough plastic water bottles (one 5 litre and a few 1.5 L) and filled with fuel so that I wouldn't be caught short. Easy solution.

You can also but it on the side of the road from locals. One of our group had to do this.


No point lugging a big container all the way to Mauritania just for a few days.


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That's lots of help from you guys!
To be honest I have no problem even if I would be stranded for a day.
I will at least keep to tarmac and other "main roads", no off-road for me yet with this bike!
I'll probably just use a roll-up bag for the extra fuel instad. The plan is to only have the panniers and no top box to keep the weight pretty low.

Thansk lots for all the experiences! And great forum, I've spent so many hours here last week, there are really lots of experience here!

hi Jackie the Nouakchatt /Nouabhidou road is a stretch and advise is not to travel it at night and to do it in 1 go, we carried 2 5 litre cans each only needed 1 as the last station south had petrol but 3 months previous did not , the plastic cans are light and crashable , I had 2 metal cans mounted down by the engine
Leo

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Hi Slartybartfast!
Not much night traveling planned, I'm bringing my tent!

Do you know how many kilometres you had to ride before getting to a gas station?

The cans/plastic bottles take room .. even when empty. Better off with fuel bladders - they squash down when empty - less of a target.

Having said that ... I have carried the plastic fuel cans (2 x 10 litres) in some army ruck sacks - connected together over the fuel tank and an occy at the front to stop them flapping... that worked. Reasonably cheap.

If you're camping anywhere in Western Sahara take some binoculars and a star map. Best skies I've ever seen.

I'll bring a 10 litre bladder it looks like, and if that's not enough at least I'll get to have an adventure!

I'm bringing my DSLR! This will be awesome!

A bit late on this but there is no petrol in the stations from Nouadhibou (or at least one of the towns not too far after Nouadhibou ) until Nouakchott. There are petrol stations but they don't stock petrol. Anybody who makes long distance journeys in Mauritania has a diesel vehicle. I was told otherwise in Nouadhibou and ended up camped with the police for a night half way, waiting for the next police shift to bring some from Nouakchott. I did it last July.

If you haven't already set off, I'd advise you pick up a can in Nouadhibou. Stiff like that is ten a penny, and carry it for that leg with bunjy cords.

Rotopax bladders are practical. Not cheap but strong.

Like Slart's set up on the crash bars - best place for that extra weight.
Recent post about long-range fuel options.

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