Buying a Bike in Banjul, Gambia
I want to buy a small bike (50cc-125cc?) to learn to ride on in West Africa. I can fly to Banjul for £100 from the UK, so I would like to start somewhere around there. - is Banjul as good and cheap as anywhere to buy a bike, or is it better to take a bus to another country to look? [I would need someone to give me lessons on quiet roads too, so this would be another consideration; is there too much traffic and tourist-industry-related hassle in Gambia for this?]
- are there any particular models of bike to look out for (or avoid), and roughly how much can I expect to pay? [I would want something capable of taking panniers and riding off-road through West Africa once I have learnt to ride properly; it doesn't have to be fast, just reliable]
- are stuff like racks, panniers/boxes, locks, helmets etc easy to find, or do I need to buy stuff like that before flying out?
- what is the procedure once I've bought the bike? do I need to register it with anyone - what papers should I expect to recieve in return? what about crossing borders with my new bike?
As you can see, I am a complete beginner, so sorry if I come accross as naive. I have travelled in West Africa before and think that the quiet roads and friendly people would make learning to ride a bike there a pleasure. Thanks for any help,
Dave.
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