Have you ever had the crazy idea of setting out to explore the mysterious heart of the Dark Continent on your trusted two-wheeled steed?

If you are set on taking the African plunge, it may be a good idea to prepare well ahead of the adventure as the roads in this wild land are quite different from the ones we peel across every day.

Here are some precious tips on how to pull out all stops during your motorbike-borne tour of this fascinating part of the world.

You will certainly find them invaluable once you face Africa and all the wonders – and hazards – it has in store for you.

Off with the knobblies

Most people think that rocky African routes call for hefty tires, but unless you are used to riding across tarmac in regions with frequent rains and high humidity, you need to ditch your knobblies and put on dual-sport tires.

If you tend to travel at high speeds, you may also need to bring the rev down by a notch or two, as potholed roads pose a major problem for bikers exploring Africa.

For this reason, either pick a route close to urban environments (finding a set of spare tires up in the desert is definitely not a miracle to rely on), or up the pressure in the tires by an additional 15-20% to keep the rims bent-, buckle- and dent-free.

Packing light and low is essential

To counter Africa’s strong winds and uneven roads, pack your gear as light and as low as possible: this will allow you to keep balance and minimize air resistance during the ride.

Ideally, your luggage should reach down by a quarter of your wheel height at most – anything lower than that may prove tricky in case of heavy rain and pebbles, loose sand or mud on the road.

Take down or secure your topbox

When you are conquering off-road trails, your topbox needs to be off too. Rocky rides may loosen the unit, which can often result in the topbox detaching and possibly injuring the rider behind you.

If you really want to keep it on, do not rely on the quick-release system and secure the unit to the mounting frame using strong cables, bolts and nylox nuts, spring-washers or split pins.

The same goes for side panniers – you do not want these to come off as you are making a sharp turn across a slippery surface.

Your own or rented tarmac-eating beast?

Another thing to consider when preparing for a trip across the Dark Continent is whether you are willing to expose your beloved wheel-shod machine to the tough African love.

Your motorbike will be quite worse for wear after the African tour, so if you do not want to put your pavement eater to the test, it would be wiser to rent or buy a bike for the adventure via sites such as Kupatana.

Motorcycle prices in Africa are surprisingly low here, so you will find that the extra investment will be more than worth it, compared to the total costs of bike repair after the wild tour.

Inspect the bike at least once a day

Whether you opt for your own or rented/freshly bought African bike, make sure you inspect the machine every day for signs of low tire pressure, rim dents and fluid leaks.

These can be a hazard in the making, and you definitely do not need the bike to come to a grinding halt in the middle of nowhere, especially if you are a newbie and not a repair-savvy biker.

If you can, have the bike examined by local maintenance service whenever possible, and replace components that look suspicious to stay on the safe side 24/7.

Ready? Follow in the footsteps of Ted Simon: The world can be your oyster if you are only brave enough to take it.

The post An African Adventure – Motorcycle Ride Tips for off-grid terrains appeared first on Synergistic Mind.