When you book a motorcycle tour with us, we provide you with a Tour Specific Guidance Handbook that gives you detailed information about how to prepare and plan your tour, and what to expect when the tour. Here are some of the questions that we often get asked before a rider makes a booking. If you wish to meet with us prior to booking to ask more questions, do not hesitate to contact us and we can set up a one-to-one meeting.
What bike is suitable to bring?
If you are bringing you own bike, we recommend an adventure style bike as the most suitable. Typical bikes used are Triumph Tiger, BMW GS, Africa Twin, Yamaha Tenere etc. However, as this is primarily a paved road tour, any robust road bike will also be suitable. Just be aware that paved roads can be potholed with broken surfaces, so the higher clearance the better. Having said that, we have had riders on Harleys successfully complete the trip, so it just depends on what you are comfortable riding and what compromises you are prepared to make. What is important is that you have a reliable and robust bike that you are comfortable riding and that it has been properly prepared and fully serviced prior to the start and has new tyres.
What riding experience do I need?
This tour is normally best for riders who are already experienced tourers in Europe and are looking for that extra challenge of a varied and unpredictable road conditions and hazards, coupled with a different culture, foods and way of life. On your ride you will encounter poor road surfaces (as well as excellent ones!). The mountain roads can often have bends that may have broken or gravelly surfaces, potholes, diesel spills, as well as other road users who follow the local rules of the road.
You will enjoy the experience more if your riding is of an advanced standard and by that we mean you have a good command of slow control (eg you don’t dangle your feet or paddle at slow speeds and can U-turn your bike), you are assertive on the road and have good forward planning and hazard perception, you are able to perform safe and precise overtakes and are able ride to the legal speed limits.
There are some options to ride on dirt or gravel roads (Todra-Dades Gorge Loop). If you wish to do this, we recommend have experience of riding your motorcycle on the types of unpaved surfaces. If you need to improve your off road riding skills, attending a training school such as Adventure Bike Training www.adventurebiketraining.co.uk, Triumph Adventure Experience https://www.triumphmotorcycles.co.uk/adventure-experience or BMW Off Road Skills is highly recommended.
It is your responsibility to ensure your motorcycling skills are up to the requirements for this tour.
Do I have to ride in a group?
No! We do not make you ride in convoy. We offer you the freedom to decide how you would like to ride. We give you a road book, with recommendations for lunch or coffee stops, fuel stops and hotel information. You also get an SD card with mapping, custom routes & GPS co-ordinates to download to your GPS. You can use these tools to self-navigate. Most riders prefer to have this freedom, so they can stop where they want and for how long they want without feeling under pressure. However if you prefer to ride with our Motorcycle Tour Manager, then you can do this. They will give you a time to start in the morning, so please be prompt and ready to ride with them. Each day you can change between riding on your own, or with a small group of other riders or with the Tour Manager. We like to have a very flexible approach.
Is this ride suitable for a passenger?
Yes. We have had other riders successfully complete this ride with a pillion passenger. Your passenger needs to also be an experienced tourer, used to long distance riding. Your passenger must ride the motorcycle each touring day – there is no option to sit in the support vehicle as this is only for participants who are ill or injured, or unless the road conditions are too difficult for a rider and passenger to attempt two-up.
What is the average group size?
Our groups are normally between 10 – 16 riders (some riders will have passengers). Most riders are from the UK, but we do also have overseas riders who may take part.
Is there a support vehicle?
Yes, this tour operates with a support vehicle and driver. It is capable of carrying two motorcycles and two passengers. Our support vehicles carry a satellite phone, mobile phone, medical bag and spinal board, spare fuel, water, tools, some spare parts, some spare tyres. Our support vehicle provides temporary assistance to you if you have a mechanical problem or have had an accident and are injured or if you are ill. This is not a luggage vehicle – you must carry your own luggage on your motorcycle. For more information, please see our Support Vehicle section.
Is Morocco safe?
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice ) monitors overseas destinations and provides destination travel advice for UK nationals. GlobeBusters monitors the advice from the FCO and any decisions taken regarding a Tour’s safety and security will use the vast experience of the company’s 16 years of operating as well as the FCO advice. In the interests of your safety and security, changes may be made to your tour based on any FCO warnings given.
We strongly recommend that you read the information about Spain & Morocco – each country has a summary and general information as well as advice on safety & security, local laws & customs, entry requirements and health, and road conditions. Currently, the British FCO state “Almost 700,000 visitors from the UK come to Morocco every year. Most visits are trouble-free.”
There are currently warnings and travel restrictions in place about travel to the countries listed in the itinerary due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We assume that by the time of travel these will have been withdrawn.
What documents do I need?
You will need your original documents* as follows: Passport and Driving Licence. Passengers only need their passport. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the end of the tour. Riders from outside the EU will need an International Driving Permit. If you are bringing your own motorcycle, you will also need your motorcycle registration document (V5 / log book) and your motorcycle insurance. You will need a Green Card as proof of minimum 3rd party insurance in Morocco – please check with your UK insurer. If your insurer will not issue this (some do not), then you can buy 3rd party insurance at Tangier-Med. In addition, you must have valid travel/medical insurance (See below).
You should note that we need to request copies of the above documentation, which we have to send to suppliers who are outside the EU and who do not have the safeguards in place with regard to data protection as we have within the EU. These suppliers are for services such as motorcycle freight, hotels, customs clearance, ferry services. Please refer to our Privacy Policy.
*Depending on Brexit negotiations, document requirements for UK nationals may change and we will advise you of any other requirements once they are announced.
Do I need visas for travel?
UK / EU Citizens do not normally require visas in advance for travel. Any other citizens should check with a specialist visa agency. It is your responsibility to have the correct visas in place prior to travel, so please check what requirements are necessary for your nationality.
http://www.thevisamachine.com/
What about local currency?
Local currency in Morocco is the Dirham. The Moroccan Dirham (MAD) is non-convertible. You can import or export up to a maximum of 2,000 MAD to or from Morocco. Most major credit cards are accepted in the larger towns. ATMs are widely available in cities and most of the main towns. The websites below will give you the current rates of exchange.
http://www.oanda.com/
http://www.travelex.co.uk/
What will the weather be like?
October is normally a good time to travel in Morocco. You miss the intense heat of the Sahara Desert, but riding in the Atlas Mountains should normally be dry and pleasant. Having said that temperatures can still be up to 35C and sometimes there can be storms and flash floods in the desert.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather
http://www.worldclimate.com/
What about my health when I am abroad?
You need to be physically fit and healthy and also take the necessary health precautions. It is essential for you to consult your doctor or travel clinic for up-to-date medical travel information prior of travel, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition. For up-to-date medical advice you may wish to use the Medical Advisory Service for Travellers Abroad “MASTA” https://www.masta-travel-health.com/ , the NHS website http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home.aspx or NaTHNaC https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/ .
You will be obliged to disclose any medical condition or medication that you are taking to GlobeBusters in advance and to your Tour Manager at the start of your Tour, for health and safety purposes. We provide you with our Emergency Details Form for this purpose and to collect information about who to contact for you back home in the event of an emergency.
Please note that Morocco does not have the same level of medical infrastructure nor consistent medical standards that you may be used to. In particular, emergency services often may be a long distance away, with no co-ordinated response, or sometimes no medical response available within reasonable times. Please do not book this trip if this unduly concerns you.
Just a remark about First Aid Training. It is not a requirement to be first aid trained to participate in this tour. However, we do recommend that you consider doing a motorcycle first aid course. Some sections of this trip are remote and hours away from medical treatment. If you, or a rider you are with, are involved in any accident, whilst not riding with or not close to the support team, having first aid skills may make a significant difference to an injured party.
Do I need Travel / Medical Insurance?
It is a condition of you travelling with us that you are adequately insured. Your insurance policy must cover you for the costs of any medical expenses, medical treatment or repatriation needed, due to injury or illness on this trip, including those that occur whilst motorcycle touring, either as the rider or a passenger. It is important that your insurance company understands that the main purpose of your trip is motorcycle touring, using your own large capacity cc motorcycle or a rental motorcycle. Your insurance must cover you for the full duration of the trip and for all countries we travel through.
In addition, we strongly recommend that your insurance policy has cover for loss or damage to your personal belongings, delay at your outward or homeward point of departure, personal liability, overseas legal expenses and cancellation and curtailment.
We also strongly recommend that you take out your travel insurance at the time of booking your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will therefore provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious injury. We do not refund your deposit simply because you failed to take out insurance in sufficient time.
Minimum Numbers
We require a minimum number of 8 riders on this tour. If we do not have this number of bookings, then we reserve the right to cancel the tour.
