A Fantastic Off-road Motorcycle Tour in Morocco

[Moff]

In October 2008, I joined Motoaventures for the 7-day Desert Tour they offer in southeastern Morocco.
We were a group of 12 riders, all equipped with KTM 450 EXC bikes, in superb condition.
The group, guided by Motoaventures owners John Griffiths (riding) and Su Downham (driving the main support vehicule)
left Ouarzazate for a 5-day, approximately 1200 km off-road loop in a spectacular terrain of mountains, rocky desert flats and sand dunes.

A magnificent view over the Todra oasis looking towards Tinerhir, after a full day
of riding in river beds, winding mountain roads and gorges. The accommodation
was very nice and the beer was cold.

Day 2, this is my bike begging me to get on the track to Erfoud. To allow all levels of riding,
some guys opted for the tarmac and some chose to ride off-road. At the end of the day,
the hotel was excellent again, permitting a much-needed break after an adrenalin-charged 10 hours of riding.

Above, on day 3, heading towards Merzouga, the fast flats led us to the spectacular dunes of Erg Chebbi.

John (a Dakar veteran) gave us a valuable briefing on how to ride in the dunes.

My KTM, resting after a 650 feet cathedral dune adrenalin-charged climb.
(It is a good thing the motorcycles were maintained in tip-top condition by Houssain, the ride-along mechanic).

On day 4, the road to Zagora was actually a Dakar rally track. GPS navigation was mandatory
not only on the track, but also to find the desert auberge we stayed at for the night.

Above, my wife, a non-rider, tagging along, taking pictures and joking with Su and Houssain
in the Land Rover. Our safety was taken seriously, the support vehicule being filled with luggage,
water, medical supplies, sat-phone and a cooler filled with cold beers and Mars bars!

We rode back to Ouarzazate on Day 5, and Françoise and I decided to stay for an extra week
to visit and discover this wonderful Moroccan culture. The whole experience of the tour
was excellent, and I would do it again tomorrow.

A view over Essaouira, with its oceanfront Medina.

A vendor in Marrakesh, where the souks are labyrinths and the people helpful and welcoming.

Here is a link to a movie:
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bruno.lacelle/forum_pictures/fun_in_morocco_3.mov

If you want more information on Motoaventures, go to:
www.motoaventures.com

 

[Berin]

Looks excellent!

What level of ability (and fitness!) would you say is needed for this trip?

 

[Moff]

I think you should be intermediate level rider and have a good off-road experience.

I personally took an off-road course in Canada and train at my local motocross track once a week, 2-3 hours for 8 months.

I was also training cardiovascular and core exercises: (elliptical or swimming or jogging) two tree times a week.

But this is me!

Being in good physical condition, I was able to enjoy the riding without being tired.

We ride 8-9 hours a day. And I am telling you. I enjoyed every seconds of it!

You definitely don't need to be a Dakar veteran. But being in shape will give unforgettable hours of fun.

 

[Eunuch]

Looks good Moff. Liked the video too. Thanks for posting.

I'm looking for an off-road in Europe and will probably go Morocco this year with a rented bike there. I'll take a look at this bunch.

 

[Steptoe]

Nice ride report, or business advert i can't make my mind up which.

Odd that a person who's never been here before rolls up and introduces himself with a pitch for a business.

Perhaps it's just me.

 

[Moff]

I am just sharing information on a wonderful experience with my pictures dude!

As a matter of fact, user of this forum ask me for more! More information and more pictures.

I am new here because I am relatively new to the sport. I started doing motocross one year ago in "accelerated mode". Forums are new to me also.

I think it is important to share the nice experiences from the bad ones with the motorcyclists around the world especially in UK. A lot of the guys from the tour were from UK and that is why I am posting to this forum.

If Motoaventures were not doing a wonderful job like they did I would say so. I have been to lousy tours in the past were security was a concern and I shared my "experience" with others in the same matter.

Cheers!

 

[Steptoe]

I am just sharing information on a wonderful experience with my pictures dude!

As a matter of fact, user of this forum ask me for more! More information and more pictures.

I am new here because I am relatively new to the sport. I started doing motocross one year ago in an "accelerated" mode.

I think it is important to share the nice experiences from the bad ones with the motorcyclists around the world especially in UK. A lot of the guys from the tour were from UK and that is why I am posting to this forum.

If Motoaventures were not doing a wonderful job like they did I would say so. I have been to lousy tours in the past and I shared my experience with others in the same matter.

Cheers!

Thats sort of info would have been better given at the beginning.

Nothing to do with you being new to off road riding, just the normal way of doing things i'd have thought ?.
Otherwise we could have anyone joining and just using it as a means of plugging/advertising a business.

It would also carry more weight and be a better recommendation and not look so suspicious if the person posting is a regular user of UKGSer. IMHO.

As a matter of fact, user of this forum ask me for more! More information and more pictures.

And as a matter of fact i was asked by a forum member if you were plugging a business, thats what alerted me to this thread

 

[Tim Cullis]

I got a similar 'warm welcome' when I first posted on a KTM forum trying to locate Honda C90s for a charity organised by guys on this board. I didn't go back.

Your pre-trip training schedule was impressive, well beyond the pale compared to the average UKGSer.

What camera were you using for the wide angle shots?

Tim

 

[Moff]

Warm welcome indeed! Anyway, about the pictures

Thanks for your nice comments Tim.

I use the stitch mode on my 200$ canadian dollars Canon Powershot 1000.

It is a fairly inexpensive camera and very "portable" for the offroad trips.

I just did not want to bring an expansive camera on this kind of riding.

7.5 megapixel in a box the size of a playing card deck, I could put it in my front pocket and get it in a snap.

Canon provide "PhotoStitch" along with the camera. It is a software to assemble the pieces of your panoramic pictures.

I also finish and adjust the overlaps in Adobe Photoshop CS3. Voila!

 

[Fanum]

Thanks for your nice comments Tim.

I use the stitch mode on my 200$ canadian dollars Canon Powershot 1000.

It is a fairly inexpensive camera and very "portable" for the offroad trips.

I just did not want to bring an expansive camera on this kind of riding.

7.5 megapixel in a box the size of a playing card deck, I could put it in my front pocket and get it in a snap.

Canon provide "PhotoStitch" along with the camera. It is a software to assemble the pieces of your panoramic pictures.

I also finish and adjust the overlaps in Adobe Photoshop CS3. Voila!

Nice results from a very inexpensive hardware setup- good colour and feeling of depth

Motoaventures are a nice bunch

 

[Moff]

Pictures

...and I am not advertising for Canon I promised!

 

[Jeremy]

Great report Moff, I'd seen your post on AdvRider. It was this time last year I was on their Dakar tour, worth every penny and a great way to see the best of Morocco. Sue and John at Motoaventures are top notch. They are just launching a new South African trip from Cape Town to Livingstone and it looks spectacular.

Jeremy

 

[Moff]

Yes! The dakar tour. Amost went on that one.

I was willing to got on that same one myself. Lucky you!

Did you know that your guides Henric and Annie are racing the Dakar right now in Perou? I watch the results on tv every day.

 

[Jeremy]

They deserve it. Annie is an amazing individual and tough as a coffin nail. It was amazing to see her handle the bike through the dunes at Erg Chebbi, huge respect.

 

[Steptoe]

I got a similar 'warm welcome' when I first posted on a KTM forum trying to locate Honda C90s for a charity organised by guys on this board. I didn't go back.

you don't go down so well here sometimes

 

[Rushy]

...and I am not advertising for Canon I promised!

Aaah but you do work for Adobe don't ya !

 

[Moff]

African trip from Cape Town to Livingstone

Sue and John at Motoaventures are top notch. They are just launching a new South African trip from Cape Town to Livingstone and it looks spectacular.

Wow! I just got on the site, it is spectacular indeed!

 

[IluvmyGS]

Myself and two friends are doing the MotoAventures trip in May, only we're doing the Patsy Quick tour!!! AWESOME, I can't wait!!! thanks for sharing your pictures.

I've never been to Africa before. Did you do the night in the Bivouac (sp??) we are!! wooo hoo . . a night I sleep with my boots on! hehehee

I have to ask this, what was the food like? I'm not worried about the riding, I know I'll have a blast, but I am worried about getting an upset stomach!!

So long as I haven't got to eat camel stew / testicle soup etc, I'll be fine.

Cheers

Shirley

 

[Moff]

I have to ask this, what was the food like? I'm not worried about the riding, I know I'll have a blast, but I am worried about getting an upset stomach!!

So long as I haven't got to eat camel stew / testicle soup etc, I'll be fine.2

No bivouac on my trip but a very nice night in that auberge (see picture). That place was so cool.

I missed Patsy by an hour! She was there in my hotel for her tour when I left for my cab heading to Essaouira. I would have loved to have my helmet signed by Patsy.

The main concern is not so much the food but the water you should be cautious about I think. Emodium should be in your camel back just in case. The tour carry bottled water all the time and it was not a concern for me.

As soon as you feel odd you should take one. The last thing you want is to stop riding your bike and miss some of this off road heaven.

As per the food, It was very good most of the time and very diversified on this tour. Buffet style diners and breakfasts with everything you need to start your day fully loaded.

When you get far from the big cities you get a bit more exotic with the menu but nothing like testicle soup .. "Tagines" most of the time.

I had the best brochette of my life in the Tichka pass in the Altas. A must!

I probably had more olives during that week than during my entire life!

Tim Cullis on this forum (see page 1) is an infinite resource of information on Morocco on top of being a true gentleman. He seems to know this part of the world like no one else.

You are going to enjoy every seconds of that trip.

Nice bike by the way!

 

[IluvmyGS]

Thanks Moff

I'm sure I'll be fine I've already spoken to my GP who said he could prescribe something for me to take with me for the 'colli wobbles'!! and suggested also to take a supply of Immodium with me too!! I'll buy the entire stock from the chemists before I go! if I'm fully armed, hopefully I won't need it!

Yeah, we're on Patsys tour and I can't wait! Clive Town (Zippy), Patsys co-rider in the Dakar, has been my instructor at the BMW off-raod course in Wales a couple of times, and it was he who suggested I go on this trip! I'm sooo excited. I'm trying to get a lot of swimming in for my general fitness . . . I'm reasonably fit, but not as fit as I have been in years gone by when I used to do Kickboxing 3 times a week!!

My friends and I go on May 13th . . . .I'll be sure to do a write up here when I return . . .hopefully with some pictures, but I'm sure they won't be as good as yours!!

Cheers

Shirley