Jaws100
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- Sep 10, 2007
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morocco short trip January
- Thread starter de crowe
- Start date
In case it is of any interest here is some practical info from the trip
Bike Rental.
We rented the bikes from a company called B.M. Attitude.
Effectively B.M. Attitude is the long established rental company LOC2ROUES offering BMW bikes.
here is the link to their web page, http://www.bm-attitude.com/
The office is located in a very central location in Marrakesh in the modern section of the city close to many hotels, the main train station etc.
The bikes are located within the building complex so every thing is very convenient. A booking deposit is required to secure a bike and the balance payable when you pick up the bike. A credit card imprinted blank foil is retained with the rental contact as security deposit. (the old manual credit card dockets, signed, swiped but blank in the amount)
The cost of the rental was 4,800 dirham for 5 days rental which is approximately €90 per day.
We attended the office at 9 am on the first day of rental and returned the bikes at 5.30 ish on the last day. I was very happy with Noureddine, (I am hoping I got his name right), a straight forward guy interested in bikes , featureud in the history of gs book, etc. The credit card docket was returned to me/us after the bike returned no problems or issues.All in all very much a thumbs up here.
Bikes BMW G650GS Sertao.
While their is a choice of bikes at various prices, having read recent reviews of this bike and knowing the bike should be fairly fresh I chose this model. I have been in morocco before using 12 GS/12GSA yamaha xt6 and older honda transalp. My own view was that because we did not have to carry all the kit you need for a journey to and from morocco by land, and because we were not going to be camping, and because I intended to travel carry on only with mick o'leary (1 bag , 10 kg etc.etc.) the 650 should suffice. The sertao has some off road pretentions with longer fork travel etc. The bike was perfect. It is far more comfortable for any road work than I expected, plenty of go in it and a great seat. It is great on stone sand and any surface and really easy to manage in any terrain. It is also well designed and robust and I was not worried about damaging it in 'normal use'.
BAg and kit
My one over packed bag strapped directly on to the bikes rack, the spacing for straps on the bike perfectly accomodating the straps on the bag.
Gear wise, as it is January, I had plenty of (read too much) wicking, thermal base layers etc. I used a BMW boulder Jacket with Goretext lining over the Rally Pro Jacket as I did not want to look even more of a pratt/twat wandering around dublin and madrid airport on the way to Marrakesh.
The Boulder jacket has plenty of vents and pockets, good armor integrated back protector, the easily detachable goretex line giving "waterproofing/warmth" to the jacket.
I chose the BMW Airflow pants again with thermals and a pair of waterproof cycling pull up pants that packed up real small. If I were going later in the year I would bring the Airflow jacket rather than the Boulder as it is much lighter, better ventilation and thus cooler and still has similar levels of protection.
I used Alpinestars short goretex summer boots.
Needless to say I brought too much stuff, and would have got away without half the stuff.
I should add that we used the stock of helmet held by the rental company. this can be hit and miss and the visors are often scratched and the helmets themselves well hacked. On other ocasions I have managed to carry my own enduro style helmet which is excellent in the low sun. The Dutch guys we met at Bikershome consolidated their helmets and other stuff and between the have two large checked in bags for their ryanair flights.
GPS. I brought a zumo 550 and 660 and a power monkey solar charger. Things didn't work out with my gps due to me managing to break the connector between the power monkey and the gps but the power monkey was grand for charging my iphone, not that it was really required.
John had a very good Garmin Colorado with routable mapsource OS maps for morocco which were excellent.
We stayed in hotels and with peter in Bikershome.
We only rode in daylight and the pace was relaxed with plenty of stops for water etc.etc. This was not a race or an endurance test, this was relaxation and fun.
The circuit was very interesting, really wonderful scenery, chance to play in the dirt , the sky was blue and clear and 25 degrees during the day and I was in good company, what more could you ask for.
The flights were about €250, the stop-over route being cheaper on paper but a bit of a pain in the ass.
The bike rental approximately €480 for 5 days,
Fuel was less than €10 per day,
Accomodation was between €21 and €60 approximately per night for two sharing a twin room.
After that and out side of Marrakesh there were not huge opportunities to spend money.
We had much less hassle then you would encounter in the north of morocco from hawkers etc.
As always the police were courteous and friendly to tourist bikers.
The very many pictures speak for themselves.
Bike Rental.
We rented the bikes from a company called B.M. Attitude.
Effectively B.M. Attitude is the long established rental company LOC2ROUES offering BMW bikes.
here is the link to their web page, http://www.bm-attitude.com/
The office is located in a very central location in Marrakesh in the modern section of the city close to many hotels, the main train station etc.
The bikes are located within the building complex so every thing is very convenient. A booking deposit is required to secure a bike and the balance payable when you pick up the bike. A credit card imprinted blank foil is retained with the rental contact as security deposit. (the old manual credit card dockets, signed, swiped but blank in the amount)
The cost of the rental was 4,800 dirham for 5 days rental which is approximately €90 per day.
We attended the office at 9 am on the first day of rental and returned the bikes at 5.30 ish on the last day. I was very happy with Noureddine, (I am hoping I got his name right), a straight forward guy interested in bikes , featureud in the history of gs book, etc. The credit card docket was returned to me/us after the bike returned no problems or issues.All in all very much a thumbs up here.
Bikes BMW G650GS Sertao.
While their is a choice of bikes at various prices, having read recent reviews of this bike and knowing the bike should be fairly fresh I chose this model. I have been in morocco before using 12 GS/12GSA yamaha xt6 and older honda transalp. My own view was that because we did not have to carry all the kit you need for a journey to and from morocco by land, and because we were not going to be camping, and because I intended to travel carry on only with mick o'leary (1 bag , 10 kg etc.etc.) the 650 should suffice. The sertao has some off road pretentions with longer fork travel etc. The bike was perfect. It is far more comfortable for any road work than I expected, plenty of go in it and a great seat. It is great on stone sand and any surface and really easy to manage in any terrain. It is also well designed and robust and I was not worried about damaging it in 'normal use'.
BAg and kit
My one over packed bag strapped directly on to the bikes rack, the spacing for straps on the bike perfectly accomodating the straps on the bag.
Gear wise, as it is January, I had plenty of (read too much) wicking, thermal base layers etc. I used a BMW boulder Jacket with Goretext lining over the Rally Pro Jacket as I did not want to look even more of a pratt/twat wandering around dublin and madrid airport on the way to Marrakesh.
The Boulder jacket has plenty of vents and pockets, good armor integrated back protector, the easily detachable goretex line giving "waterproofing/warmth" to the jacket.
I chose the BMW Airflow pants again with thermals and a pair of waterproof cycling pull up pants that packed up real small. If I were going later in the year I would bring the Airflow jacket rather than the Boulder as it is much lighter, better ventilation and thus cooler and still has similar levels of protection.
I used Alpinestars short goretex summer boots.
Needless to say I brought too much stuff, and would have got away without half the stuff.
I should add that we used the stock of helmet held by the rental company. this can be hit and miss and the visors are often scratched and the helmets themselves well hacked. On other ocasions I have managed to carry my own enduro style helmet which is excellent in the low sun. The Dutch guys we met at Bikershome consolidated their helmets and other stuff and between the have two large checked in bags for their ryanair flights.
GPS. I brought a zumo 550 and 660 and a power monkey solar charger. Things didn't work out with my gps due to me managing to break the connector between the power monkey and the gps but the power monkey was grand for charging my iphone, not that it was really required.
John had a very good Garmin Colorado with routable mapsource OS maps for morocco which were excellent.
We stayed in hotels and with peter in Bikershome.
We only rode in daylight and the pace was relaxed with plenty of stops for water etc.etc. This was not a race or an endurance test, this was relaxation and fun.
The circuit was very interesting, really wonderful scenery, chance to play in the dirt , the sky was blue and clear and 25 degrees during the day and I was in good company, what more could you ask for.
The flights were about €250, the stop-over route being cheaper on paper but a bit of a pain in the ass.
The bike rental approximately €480 for 5 days,
Fuel was less than €10 per day,
Accomodation was between €21 and €60 approximately per night for two sharing a twin room.
After that and out side of Marrakesh there were not huge opportunities to spend money.
We had much less hassle then you would encounter in the north of morocco from hawkers etc.
As always the police were courteous and friendly to tourist bikers.
The very many pictures speak for themselves.
Last edited:
TheMcQuaid
Registered user
Nice pics. Looks like it was good craic (pair of feckers)
They're just F650s with a new colour scheme aren't they ?
Had the XC out there a couple of years ago & it was an ideal bike for 99% of it.
Great everywhere but cr@p in sand. Or was it just me that was cr@p in the sand
No not at all, the engine is made in Chongchin, China, this is a very different bike to the earlier 650's
patzx12
Registered user
hi De Crowe ,
Great pictures, I am in the Costa at the present. I have the 1200GSA I may take a run down Zagora direction.
Can i get down there on Tarmac me being 2 up.
Thanks Patrick & Mary
Great pictures, I am in the Costa at the present. I have the 1200GSA I may take a run down Zagora direction.
Can i get down there on Tarmac me being 2 up.
Thanks Patrick & Mary
gsa tarmac
Even someone of considerably lesser riding skill than you, i.e. myself, would make it down two up. Just take it handy, ponderous if you go over the Atlas but would be fine so long as the weather road etc. is good. Like any of the really back roads in Galway but with a corkscrew hill type bends, but more open. loads of buses and trucks make it no problem.You might want to consider Algeciras to Tangier Med and then pick up good road to Casblanca and on to Marrakesh.
enjoy yourself.
Even someone of considerably lesser riding skill than you, i.e. myself, would make it down two up. Just take it handy, ponderous if you go over the Atlas but would be fine so long as the weather road etc. is good. Like any of the really back roads in Galway but with a corkscrew hill type bends, but more open. loads of buses and trucks make it no problem.You might want to consider Algeciras to Tangier Med and then pick up good road to Casblanca and on to Marrakesh.
enjoy yourself.
patzx12
Registered user
Thanks, your trip looked great i will have to do one with you sometime.
I will post some pics from here when i get a chance. all the best
I will post some pics from here when i get a chance. all the best
Jaws100
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Short video of some of the route in Maroc in January 2013...just got around to it 
http://s610.photobucket.com/user/Jaws100_photos/media/Video/MarocJanuary2013PB.mp4.html
http://s610.photobucket.com/user/Jaws100_photos/media/Video/MarocJanuary2013PB.mp4.html
bogman
Registered user
Enjoyed this thread, class video also, Jokser, what XC are you talking about? not been to Morocco on a bike since 1987, now that ive taken early retirement its on my "to do list"
Thanks lads
Thanks lads
Just back from 12 days on a big circular tour of Morocco with Overlanders.
It's a great place for a biking holiday and the previous pictures and comments say it all.
If you expect the following......
Tidy Town committees.
Enthusiasm for the Highway Code.
5 star gourmet dining everywhere.
.......Then Morocco may not be for you but for everyone else it's brilliant.
It's a great place for a biking holiday and the previous pictures and comments say it all.
If you expect the following......
Tidy Town committees.
Enthusiasm for the Highway Code.
5 star gourmet dining everywhere.
.......Then Morocco may not be for you but for everyone else it's brilliant.
luke scott
Registered user
One of my mates was on that shipment of bikes. He had a brand new Suzuki DR that he bought from Overlanders. I'm meeting him in the morning and may have some more pics, though he has a history of poor pictures
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