Reliable Enough for Africa?

[Arthurwg]

Way back when (1974) I met a young English woman traveling through the Congo on an old R60. She was on her way from London to Cape Town, where she eventually arrived with minimal problems. My question is, do you have that kind of faith in the R1200GS? Would you set off for Cape Town on it, or do you believe it's too complicated or fragile for that kind of travel?

 

[kennybleep]

you always have bm emergency assistance-- go anywhere and don't worry.
i have used the breakdown service it 3 times in the last 2 months so to be honest i would not trust it to get to the east coast nemind anywhere further.

 

[TheJoker]

Hmmmm.... what a question


Now, if I wanted to go to Saddavrikka in a reliable manner, I'd fly there (in a plane, not by myself).

If I wanted to go there, and experience an adventure, then I'd take a bike, in fact, almost any bike. And a breakdown enroute is part of the adventure...

Would I trust the R1200GS, yes, but my tools would probably be a list of BMW garages and my Assistance card, rather than spanners and feeler gagues for say, a DR600...


"it's not the destination, it's the journey" after all..

 

[Arthurwg]

I'll give an example of what I mean by reliability. When I met the young woman on the R60 in the Congo, I was traveling by Land Rover, also leaving from the UK, down the central Sahara, heading for Mombassa, Kenya. On the entire trip it never failed to start. At one point, in Niger, I hit a ditch across the road at speed and bent the front differential, but I continued on for hundreds of miles before I could have it replaced. From Mombassa I took the car by ship to Bombay and eventually drove back to Paris. Not one problem on that route.

 

[birdseye]

Well, if you were lucky enough to get a Landie that would do that, you may well be lucky enough to get a BM. personally, I'd go for something made by what HRH called slitty eyes, whether 2 or 4 wheel.

 

[laughingBob]

In a word, no. There are too many reliability issues. Mine hasn't had a problem during it's first 3k miles but, plenty have and I wouldn't want to be stuck in Sudan, Ethiopia or anywhere else in Africa with something I couldn't fix.

I'm happy to take it anywhere in Europe and have a trip planned for Morocco in March but, 'am travelling in a group of five, one of whom is a bike mechanic. Worst comes to the worst we can tow the f.....g thing.

If I were seriously contemplating an overland trans Africa trip I'd take an XR400/650 if solo or an Africa Twin two up, no question.

 

[Abelrider]

Lets face it, if BMW thought they were up to that kind of thing they would have given them to Charlie and Ewan wouldnt they? Perfect release PR.

 

[AndyT]

I would say not...

...only from tyhe perspective that if anything electrical failed its not engineered to carry out a quick fix its far to compex for no reason on an adventure bike. The R1150GS/A would be fine (IMHO).

HAve Fun

AndyT

 

[lostrider]

Well mine got me down to Morocco but alas not back, and its only 2 months old. Luckily it broke down in France so I was able to fly home courtesy of BMW. Just waiting for the bike now.
I hope they get it right 'cos I'm off round the world on it in May.
Luckily I'll only be in Europe until October so I can decide what the reliability will be like before venturing further.
Dissapointed though but still love the bike

 

[nobby]

carnet costs

greetings
have you worked out the carnet costs

noblet

 

[Ben]

I'll give an example of what I mean by reliability. When I met the young woman on the R60 in the Congo, I was traveling by Land Rover, also leaving from the UK, down the central Sahara, heading for Mombassa, Kenya. On the entire trip it never failed to start. At one point, in Niger, I hit a ditch across the road at speed and bent the front differential, but I continued on for hundreds of miles before I could have it replaced. From Mombassa I took the car by ship to Bombay and eventually drove back to Paris. Not one problem on that route.

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Arthur, I'd be interested to know how much of the Congo stretch she managed on her own two wheels. I remember meeting two girls on a Moto Guzzi V50 in Khartoum who ended up freighting from Port Sudan.

I don't know whether the R60 was dolled up at all, but either she was an Amazon (of the Congo variety) or it was unseasonably dry..or being a practical female she made use of the occasional passing truck when the congolese ruts became too big.

My trip was on a Honda XL500 and it stood the test well. An Ameican from Seatle did it both ways on an old R80GS (is that correct?)

I think luck is a big help , but remember that it's seldom more than 12/13000 miles. Unless the thing takes in sand and /or water, it ought to survive.

People often talk of the 'mad Dutchman' or whatever who did it in a Morris minor, but I lost count of the rusting and abandoned vehicle hulks.

The first European fatality I came across was the female passenger of a German riding a GS. Killed, apparently after a fall out with 'police' in the South of Sudan. All in 1983

Ben