Blackbird - Morocco
 

Oh dear me what have you and Austin done to me. I have only been back from Ripley a day and I am aching to set off on an adventure.

As if that was not bad enough the wife has only just said literally minutes ago well if you want to do it do it, unbelievable. That might be a bit worrying in a way but lets worry about that later.

For now I want to ask whether, I just think of sand when I think of Morocco, whether riding my Blackbird there would present me with any particular problems, Is it tarmac all the way. I know its not up there with travelling along the road of bones but its a start surely.

Hi,
Absolutely, you could travel in Morocco on a Blackbird.
I wouldn't recomend exploring Erg Chebbi of off road on mountain pistes, but you could have a great trip on tarmac.
It's a wonderfull country with warm, friendly people and a good road network.
GO FOR IT

Edit: Get yourself a Michelin 742 and start planning

Happy travels
Sam

Sounds like you didn't get to see my Moroccan talk, otherwise you'd know my first trip to Morocco in 1972 was on a TriBSA cafe racer which makes the Blackbird seem an almost ideal steed.

Most roads in Morocco are fine. Come back if you want some routing advice.

Thanks Sam and Tim sorry never made your presentation, as you know fiiting it all in can be difficult, but rest assured I will be there next year so if you fancy doing it again I will be there. Regards Ted

Niva say niva is spot on. Morocco is awsome, and you don't need to be offroad to marvel at it's beauty.

Love Morocco
 

Just to give you an idea, we done twice in the last two years with my brother on an R1. He got it to the top of a sand dune (albeit a little one) and got the through the gorge to gorge link from Todra to Dades Gorges:funmeteryes:
better than us on GSA's and Varaderos, tough going but not a mark on the bike, still like new!
All said i would not recommend too much piste/off-road riding and a Blackbird will be fine for a lot of Morocco IMHO.

Does not matter which bike, just do it!

The blackbird is very bad offroad, believe me, I've tried it. I would stay away from the pistes in Morocco, but having said that, there are so many perfect asfalt roads in Morocco through the same stunning scenery, that it would be a shame not to go. Most of the hotels near the sanddunes in Merzouga are perfecty reachable on a blackbird, so go for it!

And Daithi: the" link from Todra to Dades Gorges" on a blackbird?:nono:
I really was strugling on my xt660z:innocent:

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_WuQzT3ePa0...B4/s320/vast1a
10 cm high rock and you're stuck
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_WuQzT3ePa0...7A/s320/vast2b
Not much good in the sand either

Can't say I'd recommend the Gorge Link piste, it's terribly unpredictable.

Lots of absolutely brilliant tarmac sections through the mountains with (normally) great weather, and inexpensive.

My wife and I did a 5 week trip to Morocco on our BMW K1200GT. We obviously stuck to tarmac and had a brilliant time. There were a few occasions when we'd have liked to take a more "off road" route but this did not detract at all from the trip.

In researching our trip I sometimes came across those that would make out that you have to go off road in Morocco to have a great time. This simply isn't true.

I have one basic piece of advice - go and have agreat time on your Blackbird :D

When all's said and done, I reckon that covers it.

Enjoy it......I'm sure you will

Just to resurrect this thread; did you go to Morocco on the 'bird?

I've got an 08 Blackbird and I'm off to Morocco in about 10 days - wife is coming too, but she's on her GS 1200.

Planning for loads of fun. Been there before on bikes a couple of times. Last time I ended up in Mali, not on the 'bird - took the wifes GS while she stayed at home.

Love those R1 n blackbird pics! Did it myself years ago on a blackbird, tried offpiste and ended up like those shots, came home and got a trailie! Fun but too much hard work. Stick to tarmac and you'll love it. Oops, just seen this is an ancient thread.

Hi Mag Man....im off on 12/4 from Plymouth heading for Morocco......when do you sail???beer