The Moroccan Shakedown

Colebatch · 09-20-2011, 03:45 PM

I spent months rebuilding my bike after it was stolen at the end of last year, and it needed a hard run to shake it down - to test it to see what mistakes I had made in rebuilding it. There were bound to be some problems, and I would rather work them out reasonably close to home rather that out in the middle of Mongolia.

About April this year I got an email from a Russian guy I had ridden with a few times, Roman, or "Grom" as he is known in Russian motorbike circles. He told me he was thinking of going to Morocco in July, and asked did I want to come.

My reply was blunt and to the point. I told him there was NO F'ING WAY I was going to Morocco in the middle of summer. It would be 45 -50 degrees (115 - 125F). And that was the end of that.

At least for a couple more months.

In June he wrote to me again ... said he was going with one other guy in September now, to Morocco, and did I want to come. This time I thought about it, and said yes ... count me in. My bike was almost finished and a 8000 km (5000 mile) sightseeing cruise around the rough roads of Morocco should be just what the doctor ordered.

About a month before departure, I asked Grom for some details of his planned route. I was just tagging along on this trip, so hadnt been too worried about the route. When I got his reply, I realised it was not just rough Moroccan roads linking together the usual tourist sites ... it was a linked series of Dakar pistes that pretty much followed the Moroccan - Algerian border from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. The whole time in Morocco was about 3 weeks, but the first 8-9 days were back to back Dakar pistes - between 225 and 300 km (150-200 miles) of them every day. And I had signed up to this on a rebuilt, untested bike?
.
I thought about backing out ... but its not how I like to operate. I had told Grom to count me in, and that meant he should, could and would be able to count on me.

And so nervously I headed down to Spain where I would meet up with Grom and Grom's riding buddy, Igor, just north of resort central Benidorm. From there we would change to Africa suitable tyres, and head to the port at Almeria for the boat to Africa.

The weeks that followed (and are still going on as I write this first post) turned into much more than a simple shakedown run. They very quickly morphed into 3 of the toughest weeks of my riding life. Not all the bikes would make it through. Bones would be broken. Bikes would develop significant problems ... but the ride must go on...

I have a lot of riding still to do to finish in Morocco and there is a lot of foto sorting out, video sorting out (yes we have taken tons of video) and blogging to do ...

But its going to look something like this little taster:

tupapi77 · 09-20-2011, 03:55 PM

I am sooooooooooo in

juames · 09-20-2011, 04:01 PM

Motorfiets · 09-20-2011, 04:15 PM

Oh I guess I'm in.....

DaveyDave · 09-20-2011, 04:18 PM

I'm in

6USMC6 · 09-20-2011, 04:40 PM

I'm in !
.

PilbaraGoat · 09-20-2011, 04:56 PM

Here we (he) go(es) again!

VikB · 09-20-2011, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PilbaraGoat

Here we (he) go(es) again!

+1....I love it...

bigdon · 09-20-2011, 06:02 PM

N

SR1 · 09-20-2011, 06:16 PM

IN

joenuclear · 09-20-2011, 06:22 PM

WooHoo!!!

In.

derrickb · 09-20-2011, 06:22 PM

In!

USAIR · 09-20-2011, 06:22 PM

Wow...
In

Fred

JediMaster · 09-20-2011, 06:32 PM

Bloody Hell Walter! I haven't finished reading your last three RR's yet and now your teasing me with another...

I wonder if I can get 3G in my tent here in the Andes...

Great photography as always...

Are we gonna get a Moroccan history lesson too?

All the best for the rest of your ride

Adam

Colebatch · 09-23-2011, 06:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JediMaster

Are we gonna get a Moroccan history lesson too?

Adam

No history, no bikinis and very little culture. This report is all about the bikes, the route, the riding and the scenery.

09-20-2011, 03:45 PM	#1
Colebatch ^OP "Moto Porn"ographer Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Sunny London Oddometer: 3,832	The Moroccan Shakedown I spent months rebuilding my bike after it was stolen at the end of last year, and it needed a hard run to shake it down - to test it to see what mistakes I had made in rebuilding it. There were bound to be some problems, and I would rather work them out reasonably close to home rather that out in the middle of Mongolia. About April this year I got an email from a Russian guy I had ridden with a few times, Roman, or "Grom" as he is known in Russian motorbike circles. He told me he was thinking of going to Morocco in July, and asked did I want to come. My reply was blunt and to the point. I told him there was NO F'ING WAY I was going to Morocco in the middle of summer. It would be 45 -50 degrees (115 - 125F). And that was the end of that. At least for a couple more months. In June he wrote to me again ... said he was going with one other guy in September now, to Morocco, and did I want to come. This time I thought about it, and said yes ... count me in. My bike was almost finished and a 8000 km (5000 mile) sightseeing cruise around the rough roads of Morocco should be just what the doctor ordered. About a month before departure, I asked Grom for some details of his planned route. I was just tagging along on this trip, so hadnt been too worried about the route. When I got his reply, I realised it was not just rough Moroccan roads linking together the usual tourist sites ... it was a linked series of Dakar pistes that pretty much followed the Moroccan - Algerian border from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. The whole time in Morocco was about 3 weeks, but the first 8-9 days were back to back Dakar pistes - between 225 and 300 km (150-200 miles) of them every day. And I had signed up to this on a rebuilt, untested bike? . I thought about backing out ... but its not how I like to operate. I had told Grom to count me in, and that meant he should, could and would be able to count on me. And so nervously I headed down to Spain where I would meet up with Grom and Grom's riding buddy, Igor, just north of resort central Benidorm. From there we would change to Africa suitable tyres, and head to the port at Almeria for the boat to Africa. The weeks that followed (and are still going on as I write this first post) turned into much more than a simple shakedown run. They very quickly morphed into 3 of the toughest weeks of my riding life. Not all the bikes would make it through. Bones would be broken. Bikes would develop significant problems ... but the ride must go on... I have a lot of riding still to do to finish in Morocco and there is a lot of foto sorting out, video sorting out (yes we have taken tons of video) and blogging to do ... But its going to look something like this little taster: __________________ Sibirsky Extreme 2009 BOOK and DVD available HERE Moroccan Extreme 2011 DVD available HERE World Motorcycle Altitude Record video HERE www.sibirskyextreme.com Colebatch screwed with this post 09-23-2011 at 04:22 PM

09-20-2011, 04:01 PM	#3
juames Have Fun, Don't Die! Joined: Aug 2008 Location: Ottawa Oddometer: 1,872	__________________ Roaming Rally 2011Roaming Rally 2012 Roaming Rally 2013 "I don't hate people...I just feel better when they are not around." - Henry Chinaski

09-20-2011, 04:15 PM	#4
Motorfiets Beastly Adventurer Joined: Oct 2007 Location: North of Jack Daniel's, South of Country Music Oddometer: 2,987	Oh I guess I'm in..... __________________ Ben My Photo's

09-20-2011, 04:18 PM	#5
DaveyDave Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Nov 2009 Location: SE Queensland, Upsidedown land Oddometer: 294	I'm in __________________ No trees where harmed in the sending of this message, however a large number of electrons were terribly inconvenienced.

09-20-2011, 04:40 PM	#6
6USMC6 R.I.P. Party Boss Joined: Jan 2009 Location: The "Upper" Valley of the Shenandoah. Oddometer: 3,588	I'm in ! . __________________ Mike - "For those who fight for it life has a flavor the protected never know." USMC 65-68 RVN 66-67

09-20-2011, 03:55 PM	#2
tupapi77 NO FEAR Joined: Mar 2011 Location: Long Beach baby!!! Oddometer: 25	I am sooooooooooo in

09-20-2011, 04:56 PM	#7
PilbaraGoat Gnarly Adventurer Joined: Aug 2009 Location: Tom Price, WA Oddometer: 144	Here we (he) go(es) again! __________________ Difficulties be Damned

09-20-2011, 06:02 PM	#9
bigdon Beastly Adventurer Joined: Dec 2005 Oddometer: 2,086	N __________________ ADV Relay Rider 08 (The Texas Connection) Ride Pooie Ride Don't stop riding until you get to the crash , you might save it!

09-20-2011, 06:16 PM	#10
SR1 I'm a Seoul Man... Joined: Apr 2006 Location: South Korea via E. TN/ WNC Oddometer: 3,849	IN __________________ '07 BMW 1200GS and Yamaha WR250X/R (split personality) Save $5 on a Smugmug account, use this code: hVs9vtN9NsQRQ

09-20-2011, 06:22 PM	#11
joenuclear Planning..... Joined: Mar 2007 Oddometer: 5,251	WooHoo!!! In. __________________ Ride safe enough....

09-20-2011, 06:22 PM	#12
derrickb Adventurer Joined: Dec 2010 Location: Texas, God's country Oddometer: 90	In!

09-20-2011, 06:22 PM	#13
USAIR picking and riding Joined: May 2008 Location: Northern Kentucky Oddometer: 323	Wow... In Fred __________________ 07 Wee 09 XT250 www.riverbendphotos.com

09-20-2011, 06:32 PM	#14
JediMaster Adam Lewis Joined: Jun 2009 Location: OTR RTW since 2006 (currently in India) Oddometer: 328	Noooo...not another epic RR!!! Bloody Hell Walter! I haven't finished reading your last three RR's yet and now your teasing me with another... I wonder if I can get 3G in my tent here in the Andes... Great photography as always... Are we gonna get a Moroccan history lesson too? All the best for the rest of your ride Adam __________________ ShortWayRound - On the road RTW since 2006 ShortWayRound/Facebook ShortWayRound Smugmug Gallery Trails of North America...a photo journal Trails of South America (PtI)... a photo journal "The brave may not live forever - but the cautious do not live at all" - unknown philosopher

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: .
Display Modes
Switch to Linear Mode Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode