50 ccm enough for Africa?
 

I am all new to bike-travelling and I guess there's no stupid questions, so I'll just shoot out:
I have done some big overland travels before by car but now would like to switch over to a bike to do an africa overland trip. i have driven big size engine bikes in foreign countries before but my current license in europe is only valid for a 50ccm machine.
is it nevertheless possible to do an overland trip in africa with such a bike?
i don't mind driving with 50 or 60km/h max. or so but was wondering if I can do any offroad at all?
What are your opinions?
I appreciate any comments.
cheers
Mike

PS: I was looking at sth. like this:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/50ccm-4-Takt-...item3ce7cbe1a9

sure can I Japanese guy did it on a 50cc monkey bike

thanks monkey boy... i am pretty sure that it is somehow possible. i was just wondering if i would have to miss out on a lot of sights/roads as i wouldn't manage to get or drive there with a less powerless bike?

There might be a few places in the desert such a bike wouldn't get to but people manage to get just about everywhere with bicycles so it shouldn't be a problem. My concern would be the reliability of a Chinese bike and would go for something Japanese.

Yes Florian Rolke did it with a Simson Schwalbe: Slow Way Down - Mit der Simson Schwalbe durch Afrika
Unfortunately you have to pay to read his story but...it was in a magazine as well. He had to change the cylinder on the way :)

A guy from Leeds was on his way to Capetown on a Honda c90 before it fell into the Congo river. He had to have the engine changed a couple of times but not sure if that was down to dodgy mechanics or what. He certainly had a grand adventure.

As others said, if you can do it on a bicycle you could probably do it on a 50cc, but bicycles are also very light and can be lifted over bad terrain. Personally, I would feel much better with a 125, maybe a Honda CGL or a Yamaha YRB, as at least you can be reasonably confident that the engine and main components of the bike will, if looked after, almost certainly get you there and back.

That bike looks very plastikly, I bet a lot of things would break fairly quickly after the stress of poor roads. At 107kg dry it seems rather heavy and bukly for its size and engine power, and a top speed of under 30mph (too slow for me!), well, would maintaining the top speed for 8hours a day across long stretches be damaging? It does 2lt per 100k, well a Yahama YRB does the same and that will cruise a 120kpm and is a proven overlander with solid Japanese engineering.

I would be considering all these things, also at 1000 euro not exactly cheap, you could pick up a used Honda CGL with cash left over for your driving test. I think if you want to do it for the sake of doing it on a 50cc, it`s a no-brainer, but if it is more about the trip then I would be weighing up what it is going to cost you in cash and time in terms of breakdowns and downtime - just my opinion of course! If you do indeed head out please let us know if you decide to blog about it - Small bikes big adventures!!

:scooter:

My concern for you would be carrying 'stuff' as well as yourself. There are plenty of Chinese 'clone' DAX bikes in the 125cc range that are very reliable, but, alas, that is too big an engine for you.


On page 6 and 7 of this ride report, a friend of the writer meets the writer/rider in Cape Town, buys a cheap Chinese endure, and rides 6000 miles with the only issue being a chain stretching (the Chinese bike Achilles' heel) and if they had asked for advice, the first thing would have been to purchase a chain as a spare. Read the thread, and you will see--but again, that bike is a 250 (most likely a 229cc, but who's counting?


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...urfboard-72401


Actually read the whole thread and see if you are planning to ride a similar route from the beginning (he started out in Europe and rode south to Cape Town, where he met up with his buddy and girlfriend, and his friend joined him going back north for the first 6000 miles.


There are other African threads, too...


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...too-well-77534


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...kinshasa-53285


I am not trying to be a displacement snob by any means and suggest you ride anything over 800cc, but 50cc just sounds too small. See what kind of fun Simon Gandolfo had around the world with his 125cc bike(s). Yes, licensing issues for you, but maybe wait until you can ride something larger--even 100 or 110cc. And that it can haul 'stuff'


Just for comparison--different continent (N. America) and mostly paved, but here is a good example of a Chinese 125cc DAX clone making a long trip...


Scooters Across America: San Francisco to New York - ADVrider


Different continent (S. America) and kinds of bikes, but 125cc


http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...americas-74600

OK, just got to look at the bike you are looking at from Ebay--Similar to the one in the 'Africa with a surfboard thread' but only 50cc. I would look for a Bashan 125cc enduro or a Skyteam 125cc enduro if I was you. Graduate your licensing. Too much weight for a 50, even if the bike is full sized!

You probably could do a trans Africa trip on a 50 but it's going to be so slow.
It can be done though - have a look at this guy's site - Moped Trip - 18660 km by moped for inspiration. He did 18,000km in 3 months round Canada on a mobylette moped.

The bike looks like it ought to be a 125 rather than a 50. Even as a 125 it would be heavy - my old Suzuki 125 is only 88kg. I wouldn't expect a 50cc bike to weight more than about 70kg. Really it's carrying your luggage already. By the time you load it up and get on it yourself it'll be 200kg+. That's a lot for a 50.

I did a short tour in Greece some time back with two people on a (rental) 50 (no luggage - we just went with what we stood up in), so about the same total weight, and there were some hills we had to get off and push the bike up with the engine running. On the flat and on tarmac I think you'd be lucky to cruise at 40 - 45kph. Up hills, on dirt or with a head wind you'll be down to walking pace.

Nothing wrong with any of those speeds - as others have said cyclists go at about the same rate or slower, but that particular bike looks overpriced, over weight and under powered. They don't do a 125 version as well where you could do a quick barrel and piston swap do they? Probably easier with smokers than 4T's though.

Hey guys,
thanks so much for all the infos and links.
I do not want to do the trip on a 50ccm just for the sake of doing it on a 50cmm.
I have done some more reading and was messaging some travellers who are currently on the road and now I have some new thoughts.
One thing is for sure - I do want to leave around End of November since I do not want to spend another winter in Europe.
But considering my current budget and the licensing issue I have a new idea.
Rather than driving a bike down and hassle with all the shipping, egyptians regulations and the sudan visa and also spending so much money on that process I could also fly to Nairobi and try to get a bike there. Also then I would take a 125ccm bike. I guess nobody cares in Africa.
I guess this post is not the right one to ask questions about purchasing and registerating a bike in Kenya and take it to other countries so I will put that in another topic. But of course please feel free to also post here or pm me on any thoughts or if possible at all... Thanks, Mike

If you are going to buy a bike in Africa, buy a 250 (it will actually be a 229cc or 223cc). Chinese bikes are relatively cheap (read the Africa with a surfboard thread I posted) and low power.

Hi yuma,

I did read the "surfboard on a bike" blog before.
I got so lost in it and spent hours reading. Thanks for sharing again.
I have been searching the internet now for quite some time but i can not find any information. So how stressfull is it to buy a bike in nairobi and get it registered? will I necessarily need a carnet? I just want to be around kenya, tanzania, sambia, zimbabwe and botswana. I got 3-4 months and would like to sell the bike afterwards again

50 ccm enough for Africa?

It is if you want to cut some firewood with a chainsaw :scooter::smartass:

Couldn't tell you, unfortunately, the buying process. It seemed fairly straightforward in S. Africa as I read I the 'surfboard' thread, but that is out of your way.

Simon identified a key issue here.

Sure, you could get around Africa on a 50 cc bike (tens of thousands of 50 cc bikes are used by Africans every day), but what about the stuff you plan to bring with you? 50 cc bikes are generally designed to cope with one rider who has only minimal cargo (like, a few kilos of grocery shopping).

I think the suggestions made by others that you consider at least 125 or 150 cc are well meant. It's not going to be any fun for you if your engine, clutch, or suspension gives out before you are even 20% of the way into your trip.

Michael