Sandraiders Morocco 2023

[DakarXT600]

I’ve gone 15 and 47 to get me out of 1st on slower technical stages

[JamesinEdinburgh]

Puller failed to remove my front sprocket from the splines, even after using a little heat.

Tried to cut it off with thin Dremmel disks

[JamesinEdinburgh]

After much stress, finally took it to my magic motorcycle mechanic in Edinburgh - Mark One yesterday.

I had cut a small segment out of the sprocket, so rode very gently and slowly to his workshop.

Took him three hours to remove it. Finally he too had to resort to cutting the front sprocket off the splines!



New sprocket fitted easily; copper grease applied...

[JamesinEdinburgh]

I’ve gone 15 and 47 to get me out of 1st on slower technical stages

For some reason, my 1989 3AJ had 40 teeth on the rear sprocket. After some research (here and other places) turns out that the 1989 should have 45 teeth.

I'm glad that's what I have now fitted for the slower technicals too Mike.

From my experience, we'll need to be in 2nd gear for getting out of the sand, unless we have to lay the bikes down and fill in the hole.

[JamesinEdinburgh]

Awesome video and event! No idea that it existed!

Are there any other Rallies similiar to this that capture the old Paris-Dakar vibe? I've only heard of Budapest-Bamako so far

Check out The Real Way to Dakar.

I first became aware of them when I was in Western Sahara last April.



This is one of the Dakar pistes across Chott Mezwatt.





Short video here https://gopro.com/v/ZNz581Xeo3mW7

I highly reccomend Chris Scott's Morroco Overland

[DakarXT600]

Mine was that Loose it fell off luckily no damage. I am taking spare front and rear sprockets 15 and 45 but put the 47 on the rear to see if it makes any difference at all.

Have you filled in the Sandraiders excel carnet form

[DakarXT600]

Bikes go on Friday next week or following Monday So lots of running about with tyres tanks just been painted all a bit last minute!!

[JamesinEdinburgh]

Mine was that Loose it fell off luckily no damage. I am taking spare front and rear sprockets 15 and 45 but put the 47 on the rear to see if it makes any difference at all.

Have you filled in the Sandraiders excel carnet form

Just emailed my Carnet in Not sure if I'm going to be able to close the box though!

[JamesinEdinburgh]

Bikes go on Friday next week or following Monday So lots of running about with tyres tanks just been painted all a bit last minute!!

Yeah, a bit mental my end as well. Finally found a bike transporter to ship my bike down from Edinburgh. Found a bike specialist on Shipley for £210. Pick up Wednesday, deliver Monday.

Also managed to fit front & rear mousses into my new MotoZ Enduros - the rear (140/80) with room enough to spare the hairs!





Tis now Beer O'clock!

[JamesinEdinburgh]

As the Sandraiders Rally is going to be taking us through sandy and dusty terrain, I thought I'd better fit a new airfilter to my 3AJ.

Sandraiders reccommend that we bring a spare along, presumably because they know how bad it can get out there.

I know a few people who's bikes are now harder to start or burn a lot of oil through worn rings because of the Morrocan dust.

You don't have to worry about the dust if you are in front of everybody else of course...

I did fit a UniFilter pre-filter to my T7 when I rode it down to Ramlia in 2021 but didn't really appreciate how effective it was until I took part in the 2022 Kielder 500.



We had a heatwave in March 2022 (10c forecast for this years Kielder 500 in 10 days time) and the dust was a real issue. Visibility and even breathing were hard at times.







Anyway when I reached for the new Yamaha Airfilter I'd been saving since 2004, I was shocked to find it fall apart in my hands like a mummies pair of underpants!



Needless to say, I ordered two new airfilers of YamBits.

Fowlers would take their usual three weeks to deliver and I'm afraid that would give me too much delivery anxiety.

It occurs to me that many Tenere owners might think that they still have a functioning air filter in place if they've never checked. I know I've not and one of my riding buddies Ross, has a 34L that he's never really serviced but still rides it out out with us.