Hey mate, I'm in Togo at the moment. Haven't had a single problem the whole way. You obviously get the corrupt police occasionally who don't pose much of a problem if you've got all your paperwork in order. I wouldn't dismiss the West Coast just because of safety concerns, as far as I'm concerned you're just as safe here in West Africa these days as being in Orlando, Paris, Brussels etc. The safety is not a problem, everybody is really friendly, always laughing and smiling, giving big thumbs up when you ride past with a big smile on their face. It's just common sense, I wouldn't ride up into the North of Mali or North East Nigeria, as that's just asking for trouble. I'd say the East Coast is more traveled and discovered route, more options for camping etc, I would just forget the "safety" factor entirely and do whichever route has more to offer for you (scenery, attractions, experience).
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