Antwerp to Banjul (Gambia) Challenge
 

In octobre of this year I will ride the Antwerp-Banjul Challenge. A 7000km trip from Belgium to the Gambia, through 7 countries and the (a little piece of the) Sahara. When we arrive in the Gambia, the vehicles will be sold, and the money will go to charity. I'm going to buy an all/offroad bike for the challenge. My budget to buy a bike is about 1500 euro's. I find it difficult to find a reliable cheap bike, because I don't know what to look for, what bikes are good and which are not. One guy, who participated in this particular challenge before, recommended the Yamaha XT600 ('99 and newer). These are hard to find on the web, especially in this price range. What other bikes would you recommend for this trip? I hope you guys have some tips for me.

Thanks, Thijs