Morocco adventures

[squirdan]

Can anyone recommend a Moroccan motorbike adventure... dont really want a tour...do want some desert...dont want Dakar levels of difficulty !

I watched the Fuel Africa Scram video (link below) and just loved the idea of it, but sadly their 2022 event is fully sold

Hence just wondered if anyone has any experience to share

cheers

https://vimeo.com/346900943

[CAPP0]

squirdan said:

Can anyone recommend a Moroccan motorbike adventure... dont really want a tour...do want some desert...dont want Dakar levels of difficulty !

I watched the Fuel Africa Scram video (link below) and just loved the idea of it, but sadly their 2022 event is fully sold

Hence just wondered if anyone has any experience to share

cheers

https://vimeo.com/346900943

When you say "motorbike adventure....but not a tour", do you want to do this on your own or on an organised trip? What sort of bike do you want to ride? I've been 3 times, 3 different scenarios, it's a great place.

[gareth h]

I went with Wilderness Wheels a few years back, probably my best motorcycling experience, absolutely epic, we did do part of the Dakar route that was deep sand and and quite tough, but they have other routes too, have a chat with them I’m sure they will be able to recommend something to suit.
http://www.wildernesswheels.com/

[squirdan]

CAPP0 said:

squirdan said:

Can anyone recommend a Moroccan motorbike adventure... dont really want a tour...do want some desert...dont want Dakar levels of difficulty !

I watched the Fuel Africa Scram video (link below) and just loved the idea of it, but sadly their 2022 event is fully sold

Hence just wondered if anyone has any experience to share

cheers

https://vimeo.com/346900943

When you say "motorbike adventure....but not a tour", do you want to do this on your own or on an organised trip? What sort of bike do you want to ride? I've been 3 times, 3 different scenarios, it's a great place.

with a couple of mates....happy as part of a group... I suppose I mean not a mainly tarmac tour on shiny R1250GS

I see Desert Sled and Triumph Scrambler in their video but I think those are too heavy for my offroad skills...I'd probably buy a TET type bike for it. KTM 690 / G310GS with upgrades...that kind of thing

[squirdan]

gareth h said:

I went with Wilderness Wheels a few years back, probably my best motorcycling experience, absolutely epic, we did do part of the Dakar route that was deep sand and and quite tough, but they have other routes too, have a chat with them I’m sure they will be able to recommend something to suit.
http://www.wildernesswheels.com/

thanks, will check them out

[KTMsm]

A few of my TRF group just took their bikes over in a van and did it by themselves

They did say that you need to be careful, whilst they were there (on enduro bikes) a group of big bike riders got stuck in the sand and all died

Loads of stuff on Youtube - Harry Metcalfe did a trip with Desert Rose - looked good to me

[gareth h]

KTMsm said:

A few of my TRF group just took their bikes over in a van and did it by themselves

They did say that you need to be careful, whilst they were there (on enduro bikes) a group of big bike riders got stuck in the sand and all died

Loads of stuff on Youtube - Harry Metcalfe did a trip with Desert Rose - looked good to me

I think I’d want a support vehicle, some of the areas we went to were pretty remote, rthe company we went with had some cracking hotels too which was a bit of a bonus

[JBE68]

I can recommend Motoaventures https://motoaventures.com/motorbike-tours-morocco/ I spent a cracking week with them on a KTM and it was proper wilderness riding.

[KTMsm]

JBE68 said:

I can recommend Motoaventures https://motoaventures.com/motorbike-tours-morocco/ I spent a cracking week with them on a KTM and it was proper wilderness riding.

4 days riding for £1800 seems a bit steep to me

[Far Cough]

gareth h said:

I went with Wilderness Wheels a few years back, probably my best motorcycling experience, absolutely epic, we did do part of the Dakar route that was deep sand and and quite tough, but they have other routes too, have a chat with them I’m sure they will be able to recommend something to suit.
http://www.wildernesswheels.com/

Did the same and cannot recommend them highly enough. We had a CR450 and the rest were 250`s. We swapped about a bit but bottom line was the 250 was ample !!!

We did sand , desert , beaches and then into the mountains. They organised all the hotels which were spectacular ( especially "Cascades" in the mountains ). They have a 4x4 that shadows the group with all your kit so only riding in riding kit, no luggage and he also is responsible for setting up the lunch stops. Fantastci , one minute your riding in the middle of nowhere and then ride round the corner to be met with hot and cold refreshments laid on for you on a table.

We did the trip many years ago and still talk about it now. Its a must !

[squirdan]

Cheers all

Bike shed beers scheduled for Jan with my mates to nail down dates.

[Krikkit]

Far Cough said:

gareth h said:

I went with Wilderness Wheels a few years back, probably my best motorcycling experience, absolutely epic, we did do part of the Dakar route that was deep sand and and quite tough, but they have other routes too, have a chat with them I’m sure they will be able to recommend something to suit.
http://www.wildernesswheels.com/

Did the same and cannot recommend them highly enough. We had a CR450 and the rest were 250`s. We swapped about a bit but bottom line was the 250 was ample !!!

We did sand , desert , beaches and then into the mountains. They organised all the hotels which were spectacular ( especially "Cascades" in the mountains ). They have a 4x4 that shadows the group with all your kit so only riding in riding kit, no luggage and he also is responsible for setting up the lunch stops. Fantastci , one minute your riding in the middle of nowhere and then ride round the corner to be met with hot and cold refreshments laid on for you on a table.

We did the trip many years ago and still talk about it now. Its a must !

Sounds like a mega trip, any pics?

[CAPP0]

KTMsm said:

JBE68 said:

I can recommend Motoaventures https://motoaventures.com/motorbike-tours-morocco/ I spent a cracking week with them on a KTM and it was proper wilderness riding.

4 days riding for £1800 seems a bit steep to me

I've been with Motoaventures. The trips are quite well organised, you ride by GPS at whatever pace you want to and there is a backup vehicle sweeping. You do get properly out into the middle of nowhere, and most tours also include a night in the desert in Berber tents.

Downsides to Motoaventures, other than cost, are that the bikes although well maintained, are usually quite old, and they stripe you for every little bit of damage at the end of the trip. Dinged a wheel on a rock because the route they gave you took you up a rocky river bed? Down to you. The mechanic goes over every bike with a fine tooth comb and a clipboard and then you get a bill, and he told us that he can't ignore damage because if he doesn't flag it, he gets charged for it himself. I've argued it with them before. They take a charge on your credit card before you set off so you can't just walk.

There is also the aspect of the guy who runs it being, hmm, what can I say, a bit of a cock. If you've done it, he's done it bigger and better than you, no matter what it is, and he'll talk down to you while he tells you so. Bit of a drag tbh.

There are other KTM enduro tour companies, and there is also Torotrail in Spain who will do Morocco tours, either on enduros in northern Morocco or (I know you said you didn't want this) bigger tours around the whole country on GSs.

If you are going to take your own bike, it's no big deal once you are in the country, but the border crossing into Morocco from Ceuta is a little hectic. Fine if you're familiar with that sort of place. You'll get hustled no end until you're through, and you might have to offer the border guys a nice meal out with his wife to get your papers stamped etc. Once you're in Morocco, the locals are generally excellent although again, if you enter a larger town or city, you'll get buzzed by loads of kids on mopeds trying to get you to stay in their uncle's hotel, etc - usual stuff.

[Far Cough]

Krikkit said:

Sounds like a mega trip, any pics?

Loads , but picked a few better ones out :


















Top picture is Cascades as the hotel is built into the side of the mountain on many levels. The pool at the bottom and was fed by a natural spring from the mountain water. We were told it was heated !! 3 Adams apples later we soon got out. The next picture is the view from the balcony where we had dinner..... superb place.

[squirdan]

booked Motoadventures desert trip in the end...combination of dates and preferences

5 days riding...6th May...cant wait. 8 riders in total

next job a day with Ady Smith to polish up the skills

loving all the Dakar footage, hope Sam Sunderland wins it

thx for all replies

[gareth h]

squirdan said:

booked Motoadventures desert trip in the end...combination of dates and preferences

5 days riding...6th May...cant wait. 8 riders in total

next job a day with Ady Smith to polish up the skills

loving all the Dakar footage, hope Sam Sunderland wins it

thx for all replies

Congrats, you’ll love it, be prepared to be bksed at the end of each day

[Nick928]

Doesn’t Mick Extance do Morocco trips?
If they’re running them this year then theirs are definitely the tour to do.
Relaxed and good fun and Mick & Richard obviously know it like the back of their hands.

[squirdan]

Cannot recommend this highly enough - Motoaventures desert trip - 5 days riding. Was absolutely mega. Terrifying in parts (as an off-road novice) and thoroughly life affirming !

[Iamnotkloot]

Wow! That looks awesome!

[vivofford]

There is also the self organised, fly and ride option:

https://youtu.be/lHMYR_GcFsE