Help and advice

[sting-stiz]

Ok helpful people. As I've just come from a sports bike (with leathers and no luggage) and Enduro, to an Africa twin I need to know :

1) Suggested soft panniers for trip to Morocco (think plastic ones may shatter in the event of a crash / tip). Make & model numbers if possible. Do any clear the hot exhaust ?

2) Any tips for gear (Jacket / trousers) - Already have boots/helmet.

3) Anyone know any shops who cater for childrens bike clothing (just jacket/pants) - my son is 14 years old.

4) Tyre tips - was going to buy Tourace to use from here to Morocco (sailing to top of Spain - Santander so missing out France), then swap to Mich Deserts in Morocco to do off roading bit to Marakesh. Dump the Mich Deserts in Marakesh (all roads on way back as with my son pillion - again missing out France) and swap back to Tourace. This means carrying tyres until Marakesh. My question - would the Mich Deserts last all the way from here, through spain, through the Atlas bits (off roading as much as possible) and home to save carrying two sets of tyres until Marakesh. My son is flying out and meeting me in Marakesh (with my travel mates fiancee).

Any seasoned travel people have any advice ?

[RuftyTufty]

Ok helpful people. As I've just come from a sports bike (with leathers and no luggage) and Enduro, to an Africa twin I need to know :

1) Suggested soft panniers for trip to Morocco (think plastic ones may shatter in the event of a crash / tip). Make & model numbers if possible. Do any clear the hot exhaust ?

2) Any tips for gear (Jacket / trousers) - Already have boots/helmet.

3) Anyone know any shops who cater for childrens bike clothing (just jacket/pants) - my son is 14 years old.

4) Tyre tips - was going to buy Tourace to use from here to Morocco (sailing to top of Spain - Santander so missing out France), then swap to Mich Deserts in Morocco to do off roading bit to Marakesh. Dump the Mich Deserts in Marakesh (all roads on way back as with my son pillion - again missing out France) and swap back to Tourace. This means carrying tyres until Marakesh. My question - would the Mich Deserts last all the way from here, through spain, through the Atlas bits (off roading as much as possible) and home to save carrying two sets of tyres until Marakesh. My son is flying out and meeting me in Marakesh (with my travel mates fiancee).

Any seasoned travel people have any advice ?

Hard Aluminium panniers -Alpos are the cheapest.

Jacket etc - get something with airvents

Tyres - read this months BIKE magazine

[sting-stiz]

Hard Aluminium panniers -Alpos are the cheapest.

Jacket etc - get something with airvents

Tyres - read this months BIKE magazine

Anyone got a contact for Paul Cave at EIBC for the Alpos panniers - the web page I've found does not exist - http://www.eibcltd.co.uk/

Martin.

[Sharribee]

I seem to rememeber that Paul Cave is no longer trading. Please someone correct me if I am wrong.

As for kids clothing, look on ebay for small or extra small adult bike wear and you may get lucky. I did for my 10 year old.

Soft panniers, I've got oxford ones and have done loads of miles with them without a problem

[Whealie]

Bike mag does not cover off/on road combinations, such as the TKC 80s, which I and many others swear by.
Paul Cave is no longer trading.
I suggest we set up a second hand trading post for kids gear. I got some of my daughter's stuff from Alpslapper and when she grows out if it I'll post here. My son's stuff is just small/medium adult - he's a big lad for his age. Gear you can get off ebay.

[Robster]

Hi Mate.

I'm a big advocate of plastic luggage. I guess there is some stuff out there that's brittle, but my Hepco & Becker stuff that I had on my AT stood up to at least half a dozen drops from me on my big trip (http://www.transmedenduro.com) and were barely scratched. I'm sure they can split or crack in the event of a big off, but then so can the Alu boxes. If you're going to go with soft luggage then I think a lot of people use Sportsbike throwovers as they sit a little higher than some of the others. My mate used Oxford First Time and they were ok.

I personally wouldn't go to the extra hassle and expense of carrying (and changing) a spare set of tyres for your trip. Get a pair of Continental TKC80's on there and you'll be fine. They'll do everything you want them to and are pretty superb even on the twisties. Tyre life varies dramatically in the experience of folks on this site, some say they're only getting 3,000 miles out of a set whereas I got nearer 12,000 miles from one pair and the front looked like it'd do another 6,000 easy.

I bought some Frank Thomas mesh kit for the trip, which I'm still using now as Summer gear. All armoured and what have you but predominantly mesh so you get a nice breeze through as you move. That said though with temperatures in Morocco in the very high 40C's then nothing's gonna keep you that cool.

Sounds like you'll have a great trip anyway! Enjoy!

[Pussyhorse]

Yeah, I was pleased that bike ran the article, but confused as to why they did a road/track test on the tyres. Road and trail would've made more sense. Still, makes a pleasant change from which 600 sports bike is the best.

[magwa]

Well I have a mate thats just done the same trip....
Shame I couldn't go

He used the TKC 80's all the way there and back ( 4000 mile in total) the Back is pretty Sha**ed now but the front is fine.
He was on a R100GSPD ( 25yr old bike)

As for luggage, a set of side tubular carriers and a Set of Allits( alloy panniers) will do fine.
See link on this site:

ALLOY PANNIERS By ALLIT

My alloy ( allit) top box went to Africa and back NO PROB ( on my mates bike)

Good luck with your trip

Magwa

[Pigglet]

With regard to riding kit it really depends on how much you want to spend and whether you want a one jacket and pair of pants to do everything.
Rukka are regarded as being the best maker of textile bike kit. The advantage of their stuff is that the outer material incorporates goretex so it doesn't get wet. It's pricy but will should last 10 years and there are german based retailers on ebay uk selling for half the price of uk stockists.
I personally love my BMW kit. It's not cheap but the quality is superb. I had some hein gerricke gear which was good but the BM gear is in another league.
I have a rallye suit and a savanna jacket. the rally is designed for off-road expedition type riding and incorporates lots of nice features including great armour, pockets, vents and a drinking system holder. The jacket arms come off to for the hot/slow sections
The downside of it is that the waterproof bit is a seperate inner goretex layer and while it keeps you dry, the outer jacket gets wet and gets heavier. Washing the outer jacket with nikwax tx direct every now and then helps prevent this though.
In an ideal world i'd have rukka kit for road use and Bm rallye for off-road but i can only afford one at the mo so I chose the bm kit, it does everything and I love it

[Ashley M]

Myself and a friend went to Morocco last year on our 650AT I used SPADA jacket and trousers the jacket has vents across the back and on the arms and the trousers had mesh panels but still offered good protection on the knees and hips i still wear them for green laning the jacket was about £100 and the trousers £60. We used soft luggage called Andy Strapz these are made from waterproof canvas very tough, not sure if you are going to go off road, if you are interested we can meet up and i can show you some of the routes we took.