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Bike through Africa
So I'm planning my North to South (west africa) trip and I'm thinking about what bike I should get.
As a background I have been riding my Versys-x 300 around Europe this year and I have been absolutely loving it. The bike is great for Europe, and I am sure it would handle Africa just fine, but I'm still thinking about switching. I have narrowed it down to 3 bikes: I would take my Versys: Upsides: I know the bike Fairly light and enough power Load capacity is good enough Good comfort Smooth Engine I already own it Downsides: Valve clearance is 12k km. Not horrible, but might be hard to find someone do the clearance in Africa. 19" in the front might be hard to find tyres. The bike is bright "kawi" green and it will attract a lot of attention. CRF 300 Rally: Upsides: Longer valve clearance interval 24k km. Lighter weight Big 21" wheel in the front 18" in the back Downsides: New model. Might be hard to find accessories. Reliability is unknown, but it's a Honda.. Probably can't carry as much weight as the Versys. I have to buy it. Tenere 700 Upsides: Longer valve clearance interval 40k km. Big 21" wheel in the front 18" in the back Seems to be very reliable Can carry a lot Downsides: Probably too heavy for me to pick it up by myself. (this is a big deal to me) High price in Europe. Very Tall, might be a problem for me. What do you guys think? Will the Honda be better for Africa? Money really isin't a big deciding factor - I'm not super rich, but I have more than enough. Just looking for the bike that will make the trip enjoyable. |
I would take the Kawasaki as you seem to like it, you will probably find someone to check the valves and these can often be left a lot longer without a problem, I recently checked them on my Honda XR125 for the first time at 30,000km and they were fine. 19" tyres are quite common now and should be available somewhere and the bright green will not stay that way for long in Africa.
If not the CRF300 would be a good choice. |
how are you going to carry all your stuff? do you already have appropriate luggage?
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Take the Versys! (Although keep thinking about other options - it's part of the fun of preparing for a trip!)
There is better tyre choice than there used to be, and you don't need knobblies anyway. I would be suprised if the valves drift out of adjustment so you could let it slide for a few thousand km if necessary. Wrap the plastics - will protect them from scratches and gives you a choice of patterns and colours. The T7 is a fabulous bike, 'till you have to pick it up, or paddle it through a tricky rutted or muddy section, or pay for it!! (How many km can you travel for the money you would be spending on the swap?) I bet the Versys seat is more comfortable than the Honda (although I stand to be corrected there) and by the way, never buy a used Honda from someone who says "It's a Honda" - probably means they've never bothered with an oil change 'cause "they're bombproof aint they" ;-) |
I took a classic Vespa all the way down to guinea bissau in about three weeks, and on another trip from Cape Town to nairobi - to make a point (and because of a fetish for Vespas). All bikes are capable, though not all are suitable.
The T7. If you are tall enough to ride the T7, you are strong enough to pick it up. It can be lowered 2 cm with lowering links with negible effects, and shave off another 2 cm off the saddle. With all your luggage it will sag a lot - so my bet is that if you are taller than 170 cm, you would do ok. If I was to get a bike of this size, the T7 would be at the top of my list. Bullet proof and proven engine, simple tech, 21 inch wheel, massive ground clearance, spiked wheels, and dirt cheap for what you get. I'm drooling over this bike, and although it is cheap in it's class, it is still a big stack of money to fork over. As with the CRF, you are not going to find used bikes that has depreciated significantly - people have to wait in line to get these. The CRF is a lot lighter, and cheaper still. However, riding a long trip like this (if you consider yourself a noob), you probably will take it very carefully. An adventure ride for a long weekend, or two weeks, is a completely different game than a trip that lasts for months or years. The consequences of injury or having your bike destroyed is usually much greater than if you are toying around morocco for a week, with a return planned, a job to go back to, a home waiting for you, no border crossings, etc - where you can gun it with close to nothing loaded into the bike. For such a trip, the CRF would probably be a better bet than the T7. But for an RTW, not so much. On that long trip, much of the lower weight benefits of the CRF would be eaten up by more gear carried and by a more careful riding style - one where you try to conserve body and bike to make the distance. You would still enjoy having a lighter bike, but you won't have a lot of power to haul you and your gear up steep hills, mud, sand, high altitudes, or on the long stretches where you would prefer to do 130 km/h. The Versys would certainly be a suitable bike, but the other two on your list a bit more. For Africa only, I think the CRF would be my choice. But, if I was to keep the bike for varied adventures around the world, the T7 - no contest. The Versys, it would certainly do it well, I just 4hink the Honda is a slightly better choice for Africa on every single attribute - it's like it was designed for it. |
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The 300 rally is fairly tall.
Have you looked at the Himalayan? Low seat height and centre of gravity. If it’s perfect for the Himalayas it’ll be perfect for Africa BTW - I’m not sure why picking up a bike becomes the main feature for a lot of people’s bike choice. I’ve been riding bikes for over 35 years and i took up off road riding when I was 50 - I’ve never had to pick up a bike and I wouldn’t call myself a brilliant bike rider - just go steady. bier |
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Another issue is range. Most people I have seen attempt the west coast usually have 500km of range. I believe that is also just for insurance as fuel availability is sporadic. Of the three would I be right in thinking that the versys has the best range? The Tenere needs another 4-5L to get it to 500km, while the CRF 300 Rally needs another 3-4L. I would imagine something like a giant loop fuel bladder would be best as you could stow it away when not necessary. |
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The Himalayan should be a no go for parts availability vs reliability, in Africa. Power is on the low end also.
As for range, jerry cans will get you there. The T7 got plenty for 99% of the time. Just keep a can for those few legs where you believe availability to be scarce or unreliable. As for flipflop's comment. You ride any kind of technical stuff with a loaded bike, in the boonies, alone - you must be able to pick up your bike - your life could depend on it. The probability of you dropping the bike on that trip is higher than not. That much said, you can lift a heavier bike than you think - even without having to take the luggage off... with proper technique (lot's of videos out there on it). When it gets tough is if you drop it over and over the same day. See if you can find someone that has the bike you are considering and see if you can lift it - or a bike that is similar. Hard panniers might help in that aspect. A tall and heavy bike is easier to drop than a lighter bike that you can flatfoot with leg length to spare. At the same time, large wheels, long suspension travel, and high ground clearance will help to keep you upright in the technical bits. Therefore, the tallest bike that you can muster is your best bet. People that say you don't need to be able to flat foot a bike off-road are either really experienced (and forgotten what it is like not to be) or don't have any experience at all except for watching cortically youtubers who manage well. There will likely come times where you will need to paddle backwards or forwards, or catch your footing when the bike is on the higher part of uneven terrain - maybe on both sides of the bike even (riding on or over a ridge). Just about every adventure bike can be lowered quite a bit through both seat and suspension combined, with negible begative effects. If you end up with an uncomfortable seat, you could always slap on a cushion for the less technical bits, where you will spend hours at end in your saddle and where being vertically challenged doesn't matter much - i e. on smooth surfaces. |
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lolo cochet is a french moto journalist and his friend Amaury Baratin, Africa Eco race malle moto winner and dakar original by motul finisher, took two T7s all the way to Angola before being halted in their tracks by Covid. They had a service done in Dakar where I suspect they had all their components and tires shipped. They used michelin anakee wilds which are not the longest lasting tire. If you choose something like a motoz tractionator GPS you might be able to get a little further before needing a change (You can only get a rear for the Versys 300 I think). They brought extra clutch plates but did not used them, as well as some other items like air filters. https://youtu.be/Py9OyHUnP_Q |
How many spares and tools you need to bring with you depends on how fast you need to travel. If you have time, you can hang arround some place while you order and wait for parts to srrive, if you have less time you can have them shipped ahead to someone friendly, and if you have no time you need to carry everything for every eventuality.
I can attest to oil being difficult to find, especially two stroke oil. But if you have time on your side, and you don't absolutely require the best, you will find it. |
Take the bike you like best.
I'm not being dismissive, but you will be living with the bike for a few months, so take what you are happiest with. |
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That is a great mileage from a standard tank, you would not need more on the east route and you can get advice on the road about any stretches where a few more litres are needed in the west. |
One thing to consider. If you plan on keeping the bike, for years to come...
Equipping an older bike with new and relatively very expensive gear, might be painful as you know any equipment you sell as part of the bike will depreciate a lot. If you buy a used bike with garbled you don't need or would like to change, you will have paid a premium for something you won't benefit from as much as you would like. It may put you in a position where you either cannot justify the expense of equipping it the way you would have liked, for a bike you don't plan on keeping... Or, you go ahead on equipping it to a great extent and later find that you keep it longer than you want to because you can't justify taking such a big loss without having utilized it more - only to have to make a new investment. Therefore, if you don't have any long term plans, then buying an inexpensive adventure ready bike and keeping the mods to a minimum could be the good way to go about it. As the Versys is quite suitable for this job as is, and you already have it, then I would not write it off as a top contender. You probably have all the gear you need to be able to leave as soon as you've had it serviced, collected some spares, and gotten your paperwork in order. I am in a similar predicament. Buy a used semi farkled up xt660z or a new T7 Rally - which with all the extras would cost me three times as much. I've also considered the CRF, but find it lacking in power on the smoother stuff. But it is still one of the top runners for my GF (beginner) due to weight, cost and her abilities today. But also here, thinking more long term, she will likely end up with the xt660z. |
Sounds like you want to take the Versys so I’d go with that, don’t forget that where you’re going there a lots of people who use motorcycles for their every day transport and very few will be adventure style ones.
If you’re worried about reliability then how about chopping in your old Versys for a new one then just take service items such as filters and brake pads etc and, perhaps a cable. It’s a small jap twin - just routine services for 30K miles, if not more Google Geals in west Africa A story of 2 guys who circumvented Africa - one on an old 1150gs and one on a new Jap/Chinese 125 bought in Africa. The 1150 had some problems but it was old and the guy hadn’t really planned to go right round Africa so had done no prep. The 125 was trouble free. It a brilliant read by both riders. |
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I left home on a KLR with almost 50k miles (~80k km), rode it all over Central, South, and parts of North America, returned home and sold it at just under 100k miles (~160k km). Its new owner is still riding it around my town. It gave me some trouble from time to time, but certainly no more in its second 50k than it had in its first 50k. One distinct benefit: if I'd had to abandon the KLR for any reason, it had by then very little market value.
If I'd owned a Versys, I'd have taken it instead. No matter what you're riding, there'll be times you wish you'd chosen differently and times it serves you perfectly. The real point is to just go...then make the best of it. Hope that's helpful. Mark |
The Versys will be great. 50k kms on a thumper is ok, you can do another 100k - but start out with a new clutch (in addition to your typical - like brakes, tyres, etc, and consider also overhauling the top end as well
I would have invested in pannier racks and hard panniers for that trip. Holan seems equivalent to Touratech in quality, but cheaper. The panniers you take with you on your next bike, the rack sticks with the old bike. |
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At 50K I’d price up a good overhaul, as Wheelie says a new clutch, new brake master cylinders and cables all round as well as the usual. Then compare this to chopping in for a new one. Have you considered approaching Kawasaki for sponsorship? I don’t remember reading about anyone who’s done this kind of thing on a Versys before, you never know - Honda have been generous with the CRF in the past. Main thing is it looks like you’ve got your bike choice sorted :thumbup1: |
FlipFlop makes a good argument. Putting your Versys in top notch will cost time and money, especially so if you farm out the work. When it came to swap my clutch on my F650GS dakar at 50k, I was too busy and unmotivated at that time for such a time consuming job, and farming it out just didn't make economical sense compared to selling it and getting something else. I ended up selling it and never regretted it. Had it happened now, with less work on my plate, I might have gone down the route of looking high and low for a good deal on good parts and doing the work myself - but probably not.
When you sum up all the parts and labor (put a value on your own time if you are to do it yourself). How much further would you have to dig into your pocket to get the bike that you want, and how much would the resale value be of that bike compared to the versys - after the trip? Now, I'm not the best advocate as of what to do here. I opted for completely overhauling and kitting an old classic 200 cc Vespa scooter to participate in the Budapest Bamako Rally (ended up in Guniea Bissau). With 12 hp, 10 inch wheels, virtually no ground clearance or shock travel, very unreliable - it is fair to say that it was unsuitable (but capable). Conscidering I had the Dakar and a 250 enduro bike in my garage - I understand what it means to ride what you love. I also understand that for every km you ride, the less preoccupied you will become about bike legacy and senitmental attributes, and the more you will come to desire the most suitable functional attributes for the ride you are on. To put it short - for such a long trip. Get the most capable bike your time and budget allows for. The Versys will be a good bike if you put it back into shape - but following FlipFlops argument, the Versys might not be the most sensible choice still. If you go for the Versys, you won't make a very wrong decision though, just not necessarily the most optimal deciscion. |
All great points, however, riding a motorcycle is a an emotional choice not a logical one - as you say, hence the Vespa :clap:
I had a choice to make a few years ago. My 1100gs had 115K miles on the clock, it was still running but needed some work. Do I spend the money on the bike or change it for a newer model? At the time I was doing a 500 mile a week commute + other usual rides - it was a 500 mile round trip to see my mum. I decided to spend the money on the bike, which was around £2K less than upgrading to the bike I wanted. I went on to do another 65K miles by which time my long commute stopped. I then sold it, for not much money, and upgraded to a bike which isn’t piling on the mileage - I average about 12K a year now (not with Covid, obviously) This was a logical decision which turned out to be a good one - the emotional bit comes that I chose the same bike, just a newer model. My wife had a bike that she never really jelled with - even though she did 30K miles in under 4 years. It had a repair that was going to cost around £1K, she ended up paying a hell of a lot more money to upgrade. She absolutely loves the bike she has now. So 2 different stories, both with happy endings - which probably won’t help with your decision doh My plan is to do some off-road days on various different bikes over the next 2 years. Honda, Yamaha and BMW offer them in the UK plus there are places you can go with your own bike. Then I’ll probably just take my own bike :cool4: bier |
I am getting some mixed advice :) . So my current plan is to ride the Versys for now, then when the CRF 300 Rally is available I will test ride it. If I fall for her, I will buy one. Else I'll just keep my first love the Versys.
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You will usually allways get mixed advice. I guess, when it comes down to it, your choices - they are all good. So, we are probably just mostly talking about minute differences in personal preferences and priorities. You can't go truely wrong with any of the options mentioned - they are all more than capable, and all fairly suitable. If you think the Versys is best - go for it. I personally would have chosen the Honda for myself - but then again, I am not you and I have never walked in your shoes. But, I would be more than happy to cross africa on the other options as well - in addition to a whole list of other favorites of mine:
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Take what you have and know well. Spend the extra money on traveling longer, or be able to splurge once or twice along the way. It’ll give you way more joy. Switching will cost you, equipping the new bike will cost you, learning to maintain the new bike will cost you. Re money, see above, re your time and energy, spend it on figuring out visa, routes and backup routes.
(I’ve done Africa and Asia on a KTM LC4) Edit: some of the bikes suggested above are awesome. WR, T7, 690R/701LR... if I had unlimited money out of these a rallye equipped 701/690 is the best bike hands down (for me). BUT: it will cost you between 6,000 and 10,000 EUR extra over what you have, which is 6-10 months worth of traveling Africa. When you are there, you’ll make your versys work and the adventure will be great. No matter what bike you have, there are always 3-5 days when you curse and wish for a lighter bike, and there are always 3-5 days when you wish for a better tourer, but the other 200 days you’re smiling. |
I went and test rode the T7 today. Did some highway, gravel and light off road.
Comparing vs my Versys: Upsides - great power and an absolute blast to ride, can overtake people very easily, you are almost always the fastest thing on the road. - very stable on the highway - Engine is more quiet at highway speeds, revs stay low - Nice big wheels and ground clearance makes it easy to drive over bumps Even: - The vibrations at highway speed are about the same as my VX-300 - Longer valve clearance, shorter engine oil interval Downsides - clutch lever is a lot stiffer, hard to go back to something like this after the VX slipper clutch - cant flat foot it, lowering removes upside of ground clearance - heavier, top heavy, harder to pick up - not as nimble, harder to 180 turn - especially on a hill (happens quite often when I explore small roads that end abruptly) - smaller fuel tank My thoughts: It's not clear to me that the T7 is an upgrade. Maybe if you are a lot taller and stronger than I am, it might be a better bike for you. Or if you ride in a group and don't worry about picking it up or getting stuck. It is more fun than my VX-300 for sure, and that counts for a lot. But for me the VX is a better choice. --- Hopefully going to test ride the 300 Rally next week. :scooter: |
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