The choice of the bike
To go on a 6-month long trip, I needed a solid bike. At first I was interested in the old motorcycles of the 80s. On the advice of Freddie, a South African friend. The most common motorcycles in Africa are former Paris Dakar ones. After some research on Le Bon coin, I quickly cooled down. Most of these machines having become « vintage motorcycles », it was impossible for me to invest more than 3000 euros for a 30-year-old motorcycle.
Although it is more difficult to find spare parts in Africa, I took refuge on a motorcycle I had heard about when I lived in Mayotte « The Royal Einfield Himalayan ». An Indian manufactured motorcycle, a Trail designed to face the rough tracks of the Himalayas. After a quick consultation with my South African friend, I was able to buy one at S.quad moto, in the Paris region, for the modest sum of 3500 euros.
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The preparation of the motorcycle
The purchase is not everything, so I had to prepare it for a 6-month trip. The owner of S.quad moto undertook the following preparation: suitcases, extra lights, hand guards, inner tubes. I would like to thank Guillaume who graciously donated several parts of the equipment to me, the Royal, at the Moto Légende show in Vincennes after the preparation.
Once ready, I headed for the legendary motorcycle show in Vincennes to which I was invited by Kom111, a company that organizes motorcycle trips. I met two travel and motorcycle trekking enthusiasts who gave me many valuable tips.
This show also allowed me to get in touch with Vintage Rides, a specialized agency that offers road trips by Royal Enfield motorcycle, in order to be sponsored.
I will have the opportunity to talk about the different sponsors in a future article on this topic.
The snow, the cold, the yellow vest crisis gave me a furious desire to leave this anxious France… All that remained was to refine my equipment to film my trip and survive in the bush.
Equipment to take away
I already had a Gopro HERO 6 on-board camera fixed on top of a helmet and a Canon EOS 6 hybrid camera (simple and easy to carry). I bought a DJI MAVIC pro drone to complete the whole thing and to be able to have a better view of the landscapes crossed.
In terms of bush life, I bought a Lifestraw filter bottle from a South African brand (very convenient for drinking water without being sick).
Plus a 2-litre Camel Bak, very useful in arid areas such as the Mauritanian desert, it allows you to hydrate while driving.
A tent was lent to me by my friend Paul, a Swiss army knife from Annecy offered by my darling and a floor mat for the nights spent under the stars.
But before surviving in the bush… it was already necessary to survive the cold that reigned at that time on the Old Continent! A friend gave me warm underwear (underwear and pants) from Helly Hansen.
Finally, to get to port without getting lost too much, I fixed on the handlebars a phone protector that allows me to use Google Maps and Maps.me to know which route to take.
The health check-up
I have my updated international vaccination booklet (all vaccines have been made at the Tropical Diseases Vaccination Centre in Amiens). This booklet can be requested from customs at the border or sometimes for visas.
Repatriation insurance is also essential, I chose Chapka insurance with their Cap Aventure package, valid for my stay, at any stage of the trip.
Credit cards
For currencies and currencies, I have opened two online banking accounts, one at Boursorama Banque for the Visa Premier card ( If you want me to sponsor you, click on this link it will help me finance my trip! )
And another one for the MasterCard at the N26 Mobile Bank (for sponsorship it’s here)
The Mastercard/Visa combo allows me to withdraw in all countries crossed with the minimum of bank charges.
Now ready, it was time for me to take the road and leave Amiens with the objective of reaching African lands….
In the next article, you will discover the beginning of my journey.
If you wish to support me, you can also do so by clicking on this link.
Going South 