Africa-Motorcycle-Travels = Afrika-Motorrad-Reisen
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Africa 1981-1990
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Last update by Bernd Tesch: 06.05.2009
Welcome on this site!
Bem Vindo ! Benvenuti ! Bien Venido ! Bienavenue ! Bom Bini ! Dobrodosli ! Huan yin (CN) ! Namaste ! Tanastalink ! Välkommen (S) ! Velkommen (N) ! Welkom ! Willkommen (G) ! Bienvenue (F) !
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Overland to, in and around Africa by Motorcycle
Political map of Africa 2008. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/
Wie kann ich selber nach Afrika fahren ?
How can I travel myself to Africa ?
All the great Motorcycle-Travellers who rode / ride Around-The-World and possibly crossed this continent as well are not included here. See http://www.berndtesch.de >Englisch or German version >continents >world
Bernd Tesch´s Africa-tours and Africa-equipment for Motorcycles
< So sicher fällt man auf Tesch-Travel-Taschen und TTTräger.
Foto: Steffen Müller und Min Tesch in Afrika.
Bernd Tesch has been travelling in Africa 1961 until 2001 about 111.111 kms himself. But much more important is that he knows hundreds of Africa-Motorcycle-Travellers himself. He is working in this field since 1961 (his first tour to Africa). In this times I had to write letters and to phone or to visit the Africa and World-Travellers to get contact / information. Later Fax helped. In 1991 I visited the most famous motorcycle-travellers in Denmark, in 1993 in Britain, in 1994 in USA and in between in Belgium, France, Germany, Namibia, Netherland, South Africa, Switzerland. Many of famous Africa Motorcycle Travellers have been at my yearly Motorcycle-Meeting for World-Travellers in april. I own the largest archive of Africa-Travellers and TRANS-Africa-Travellers. Especially I am as well best informed the history: "Discovering Africa by Motorcycle". See below. In this summaries you find nearly all the mc-pioneers and other intersting mc-tours. I konw many Transafrica-travellers which are not inside here so far. In 02.1998 I started in internet to publish information about Motorcycle-World-Travellers (>http://www.berndtesch.de >under NEWS). This collection was first published 28th of may 2000 first time. In 06th.05.2009 I overworked this sites and divided them in different sites.
To find all this and all my activities was a "life-long job" and cost me a lot of money. Since many years I am working in a two new books called "Afrika-Motorrad-Reisen (3rd edition) = Africa Motorcycle Travels" and "Afrika Motorrad Abenteuer" = Africa Motorcycle Adventures. All books about "Africa by Motorcycle" which have been published until 1994 are published in my in German written, but very international understandable book called "Motorrad-Abenteuer-Touren" = Motorcycle-Adventure-Tours (432 pp, 500 pictures / drawings. About 264 Motorcyle World-Tours. ISBN 3-9800099-55-5. € 19.90). I own all this books in all languages.
Deine geplante oder schon durchgeführte Afrika-Reise:
If you are an Africa-Motorcycle-Traveller or plan to do this or "on the road" already or know anyone who is not listed here, please send my any details, addresses, publications, homepages and most important: best pictures.
If there is any chance give me at first a complete view LIKE this EXAMPLE in the SAME STIL in English:
01.10.1980 - 27.10.82
Müller, Sven (German) your http://www.???
Solo Africa with BMW R 100 GS. 50.000 kms. Or: I rode together with Susan Smith (British) who rode a HONDA 500 XL.
Route: Europe 12.000 kms (Germany - Austria - Switzerland - Italy - Greek - Turkey ....) - Asia 15.000 kms (Iran - Pakistan - India - Nepal. Bike solo by plane to Singapure. I flew to Singapure. Malaysia - Thailand - back to Singapure). - Australia 16.000 kms (I flew together with bike to Darwin. Around Australia 16.000 kms. Or offer names like: Darwin - Adelaide - Melbourne - Sydney ...) - North-America (I flew with bike to Los Angeles. LA - New York) - Africa - Europe (Bike by ship to Netherlands / Amsterdam - Germany / Cologne).
The best: I wanted to find myself. Freedom. Sun. Friendship of Turkey people. invitation by Pakistani. Climbing the Himalayas........)
The worst: I got Malaria in Nairobi. Attack of soldiers with weapons in Iran.....)...
Important useful informations for others:...
Book or publication (about your tour):...
I am very grateful to all the individuals who knew that I am working in this field. They informed me worldwide by sending letters, later faxes and emails since 1970 about Motorcycle-World-Around-Travellers. Without their help I could not get to this high level. Please give me your "pardon" that there are mistakes inside of the informations and a lot in the language. At least you will never have seen such a huge collection of informations. I could add hundreds huge Motorcycle-Travels of Africa- and especially Trans-Africa. But this will take much more of my time in future. One special field of me is to reseach the "Historical conquer and special interesting Africa-tours". The earliest motorcycle tours through Africa should be relatively complete. If you know any of them who are not registered here please inform me.
Copyright by Bernd Tesch. Motorcycle-WORLD-Travel-Expert. It is free for you to read this and learn out of it. It is not allowed to take off or to publish any information of this without written permission of Bernd Tesch. This all is a part of the books "Afrika-Führer für Selbstfahrer" = Africa-Guide for Individual Travellers" ISBN 3-9800099-0-4 (5th edition, out pf print). And a second book in German: "Afrika-Motorrad-Reisen" = Africa Motorcycle-Travels. ISBN 3-9800099-2-0 (out of print) and another book in work "Afrika-Motorrad-Abenteuer" ISBN 3-9800099-4-x.
GLOBETROTT-ZENTRALE Bernd TESCH. Grünentalstrasse 31. 52152 Simmerath-Hammer. Germany.
Tel. 0049 (0) 2402-75375. email: homepage http://www.berndtesch.de
Bernd Tesch
Overland to, in and around Africa by Motorcycle
All the great Motorcycle-Travellers who rode / ride Around-The-World and possibly crossed this continent as well are not included here. See http://www.berndtesch.de >Englisch or German version >continents >world
10 Billion-1950
1951-1980
1981-1990
1991-2000
2001-2010
1981-1990
1981
Menn, Günther
Solo Deutschland - Westafrika mit YAMAHA XT 500
25.-26.09.82 Dia-Vortrag auf dem 5. deutsche MOTORRAD - TREFFEN für FERNREISEN. 99 Teilnehmer
1981
Kernchen, Andy
Germany - Egypt - Kenia. Mit selbstgebauter BMW-Enduro Motorrad-Expedition "Kairo-Mombasa"
25.-26.09.82 Dia-Vortrag auf dem 5. deutsche MOTORRAD - TREFFEN für FERNREISEN. 99 Teilnehmer
08.12.2006 Wer weiß wo der LKW-Fahrer Kernchen abgeblieben ist ?
1981
Tesch, Bernd (German)
Nachdem die Ur-Enduro Yamaha XT 500 1975 geboren war und dieses Fahrzeug mit Straßen - und Gelände - Eigenschaften eine neue Generation von Afrika - und Weltreisen eingeleitet hatte, bekam Bernd Tesch 1979 von Yamaha Deutschland und der Zeitschrift MOTORRAD einen Auftrag, ein fernreisetaugliches Motorrad mit großem Tank, pistenfesten Trägern und stabilen Alu - Taschen zu entwickeln. An der dieser Entwicklung ist Klaus Treibel erheblich beteiligt. Die vielen Publikationen in zig Motorrad-Magazinen über die Tesch-YAMAHA XT 500 und die Reiseumbauten beobachte BMW wohl sehr aufmerksam, denn 1981 kam die erste BMW-Enduro raus: R 80 G/S. 1981 bekam Brend Tesch den Auftrag von BMW eine fernreisetaugliche Tesch-BMW R 80 G/S zu bauen: 36 Liter Alutank, pistentauglicher Tesch-Travel-Träger, dazu Tesch-Travel-Taschen, Solo-Sitzbank, etc. Die BMW wurde mit ihren Nachfolgermodellen R 100 GS, R 100 GS PD, R 80GS Basic das meistgefahrene Weitreise-Motorrad weltweit bis ca. 2005. Die YAMAHA XT 500 war die Ur-Enduro als meistbenutztes Fernreise-Motorrad. Ab ca. 1982 wurde dann die BMW-Enduros die meistgefahrenen Motorräder für weite Reisen.
Bernd Tesch baute in späteren Jahren nochfolgende Prototypen von Fernreise-Motorrädern: Tesch-YAMAHA XT 550. Tesch-YAMAHA XT 600 E. Tesch-Suzuki DR 650 Dakar.
06.01.1981 - 25.05.1982
Patricia Govers und Nik de Nijs (Dutch) http://www.patriciagovers.de
Plan: Nederland - Capetown. Die Niederländer Patricia Govers und Nik de Nijs fahren jeder auf einer Yamaha XT 500: NL - Cairo - Khartoum. Nik brach sich bei einem Sturz in der nubischen Wüste das Bein. Patricia organisierte Hilfe: Transport mit Landrover nach Shendi, mit Frachtzug nach Khartoum, Unterkunft besorgen. Sie arbeitet 9 Monate in Khartoum in der NL - Botschaft für den Unterhalt beider, während das Bein von Nik ausheilt. Hier treffen Alfred Reetz und Bernd Tesch beide wieder. Im Westen des Nil fahren sie dann eine nie von Motorrad - Travellern vorher befahrene Route über Wau - Juba - Nairobi. Patricia und Nik fliegen zurück, da es politisch kein Durchkommen durch Tanzania gibt. Nik fährt später mit einem Freund von Ostafrika bis Capetown (Am 22.11.1996 trifft Bernd Tesch Patricia ertsmalig wieder und wohnt seit 1997 mit ihr zusammen).
15.10.99 The Dutch Patricia Govers (my life-girlfriend) and Nik de Nijs rode with two YAMAHA XT 500 in 1980-81: Amsterdam - Egypt (Cairo, Wadi Halfa) - Sudan (Nubian desert. Here Nick broke his leg. Patricia had to ride alone in the desert to organise the help and transport - Khartoum (There they had to stay for 9 months to recover while Patricia was working, searching a house, taking car for Nick. By accident Bernd Tesch came bye with YAMHA XT 500) - east of the river south through Sudan on a very lonely route no motorcycle has done before and so far to Wau and Juba - Kenia - Rwanda (get in prison because no visa) - Kenia - flew back to Holland after two years.
B.T.: I have been searching Patricia for years in Holland without success because I wanted to publish her mc-story in my book "Woman Motorcycle Travelling". So the mc-magazine MOTOR in Holland published my search 21.05.1996. So I found her and heard that she has been living in different countries of Africa (Senegal, Congo, Zaire, Mauritius) for 8 more years married to the American Hy Hoffmann. When we met first 22.11.1996 in Amsterdam having been invited to the representation of Ted Simons new book Jupiter´s Travel there we fall in love until now.
05.04.1981 - 15.11.1981 and 24.10.1989 - 23.05.1991
Rietzler, Gaby and Rudi (German)
Two times Trans-Africa. Gaby and Rudi crossed Africa two times by Motorcycle North-South.
In 1981 both rode solo with two YAMAHA XT 36.000 kms.
In 1989 - 91 they travelled within 17 months with a Moto-Guzzi-Mille GT with one sidecar Carell Enduro 80.000 kms through enormous 30 countries.
Route 1981: Germany - Austria - Switzerland - France - ferry from Marseille to Algeria (Algiers) - Algeria - Niger - Burkina Faso - Togo - Benin - Nigeria - Cameroun - Central African Rep. - Zaire - Rwanda - Tanzania - Kenya - Tanzania - Zambia - Maalaawi - Zambia - Zimbabwe - South Africa - Namibia - South Africa - return flight from SA (Johannesburg) to Germany (Frankfurt)
Route 1989-91: Germany - Austria - Switzerland - France - Spain - ferry from Algeciras to Ceuta - Morocco - Algeria - Tunisia - Algeria - Niger - Burkina Faso - Ivory Coast - Guinea - Senegal - Gambia - Senegal - Mali - Ivory Coast - Ghana - Togo - Benin - Nigeria - Cameroun - Central African Rep. - Zaire - Rwanda - Burundi - Rwanda - Uganda - Kenya - Tanzania - Malawi - Zambia - Zimbabwe - South Africa - Botswana - Zimbabwe - Namibia - South Africa - Lesotho - South Africa - Swaziland - South Africa - return flight from SA (Johannesburg) to Luxembourg with the motorbike in the aeroplane - Germany.
1983 and 1993 The gave two slides - at the Tesch-Travel-Treffen. Last one: "Zwei Afrika-Durchquerungen".
The best of both tours: African Wildlife. Especially visits of elephants and hippos at night to our tend.
Book: Their second tour was published in 2/1992 in German mc-magazine TOURENFAHRER. Gaby rode a long report. A part of this will be published later in B.T. book "Frauen-Motorrad-Reisen"
B.T.: Gaby and Rudi are the only couple I know who crossed Africa two times North-South. They are the only couple I know who rode once on solo-bikes and second time in a sidecar. Gabi was until 1991 one of only 4 women I know who crossed Africa on an own bike.
11.1981 - 02.1982
Banjul - Cameroun - Banjul: Ca. 6000 km gefahren. Heinz Holzmann fährt wieder mit der BMW R 27, 15 PS, 250 ccm. Die Route von Kayes - Bamako entlang des Niger ist eine sehr selten, nur in der Trockenzeit mögliche, befahrene Route: Banjul (Gambia) - Kaolack - Kayes - Bamako - Mopti - Ouahigouya - Ouagadougou - Niamey - Sokoto - Zaria - Bauchi - Yola - Garoua - N'Gaoundere - Tibati - Yaounde - Douala - Victoria. Per Linienschiff zurück nach Banjul über den Golf von Guinea. Ab Banjul Verladung per Charterflug nach Kopenhagen (Dänemark).
08.11.1981 - 12.07.1983
+ Transafrika. Auf seiner langen Weltreise fährt der Schwede Frank Eliasson mit einer Honda Goldwing Kairo - Khartoum - Kampala - Mombasa.
1982
+ Transafrika. Nordkap - Hoggar - Route - Capetown mit 2 BMW R 80 G/S. Ralf Zeller und ein Bekannter.
1982
Capetown - Lubumbashi - quer durch Zaire bis Kinshasa - France. Der Franzose Yves Beaumont fährt in Zaire eine ganz selten befahrene Route.
1982
+ Transafrika. BRD - Capetown. 1,5 Jahre fuhren Mechthild und Rudolf Bilfinger "ohne Motorrad - Probleme" auf einer Yamaha XT 500 zusammen!
Route: Hoggar - Route - Douala - Kinshasa - mit Schiff bis Kisangani - Goma - Kigali - Capetown.
??.10.1982 - ??-??.1983
Scholl, Patricia (Austrian) and Martin Schoibl (Swiss)
Plan: Transafrika. Both rode from Europe to East Africa on one YAMAHA XT 500.
Route: Austria - Hungaria - Jugoslawia - Greece - by ferry to Egypt - Sudan (possibly the route via Wad Medani - El Obeid - El Fasher - Wau - Juba - Lokichokio) - Kenia - Uganda - ????
04th.11.00 1st information by World-Around-Travller Marcel Kersten. They met first time in Kenia.
05.5.11.00 Who knows any details if they reached Capetown and their present address?
23.02.1983 Publication about Patricia and Marcel in THE EQUADOR = National Uganda Newspaper: "Riding across Africa"
1983
Bartels, Wolfgang:
Germany - Senegal. Schnellritt in 28 Tagen von Deutschland (Leer) nach Senegal (Dakar) mit BMW R 80 G/S:
10.-11.02.84 Dia-Vortrag auf dem 6. deutsche MOTORRAD - TREFFEN für FERNREISEN. 110 Teilnehmer
1983
Bartels, Wolfgang:
Germany - Senegal. Schnellritt in 28 Tagen von Deutschland (Leer) nach Senegal (Dakar) mit BMW R 80 G/S:
10.-11.02.84 Dia-Vortrag auf dem 6. deutsche MOTORRAD - TREFFEN für FERNREISEN. 110 Teilnehmer
09.1983 - 05.1984
Rudi Kretschmer
+ Tunesien - Senegal - Nigeria. Lehrer Rudi ist ein begeisterter Afrika - Motorrad - Fahrer. Er hat 4 Afrika - Fahrten unternommen ab 1977. 1979 traf ich ihn in Togo. Er hat bei der Zeitschrift MOTORRAD 1986 eine Motorrad-Weltreise gewonnen. Auf dieser Reise benutzte er eine Scheck-BMW mit gleich grossen Reifen vorne und hinten.
Afrika-Route: Tunesien - Algerien (Djanet) - Niger (Agadez - Bilma alleine mit einer Tuareg - Karawane, 5 Tage Gefängnis in Bilma) - Obervolta - Mali (mit Einboot von Mopti - San) - Senegal (Kita - SW - Tambakounda, Rudis Kommentar dazu: Hölle) - Senegal - Gambia - Sierra Leone (poln. Frachter von Banjul) - Liberia - Elfenbeinküste - Ghana - Togo - Benin - Nigeria - Holland (mit deutschem Container - Schiff). Siehe >World für die Weltreise.
27.10.- 21.12.1983
Tesch, Bernd
Solo Afrika-Reise nach West-Afrika mit Motorrad TESCH-BMW R 80 G/S.
Route : D- F - CH - F - Spanien - Portugal - Spanien - Marokko - Westsahara - Marokko - Algerien - F - LUX - D. 11.500 km.
10.-11.02.84 Dia-Vortrag auf dem 6. deutsche MOTORRAD - TREFFEN für FERNREISEN. 110 Teilnehmer
12.1984 - + Ca. 4 weeks
Wiechert, Hans-Joachim (geb. 30.05.1934, German)
With YAMAHA DT 175.
Route: D - Italy (with Habib Line) - Tunisia - Algeria - Tunisia - Italy - Germany
09.08.01 Personal visit here. Will send me all details later via Arne Ulmman.
??.03.1985 - ??.08.1985
Kerle, Werner (German, born 1958) no www.
+ Gerrmany > Egypt - Sudan > Germany. Werner started to a long tour with BMW R 80 G/S (1982) solo ca. 20.000 km. Because the motorcycle broke down in Sudan he returned via Jugloslawia.
Route: Germany - Jugoslawia - Greece - Turkey - Syria - Jordan (from Aquaba by a new ferry to Nuweiba ) - Egypt: Crossing through the Lybian dessert back to Aswan. Near Aswan on lake Nasser the ferry netwenn Egypt and Sudan burnt and sunk two weeks before. So Werner succeded to get ide along the coast to Sudan. "I had 3 days paperwork und a lot of trouble to get the permisson to cross the military-area at the coast of Egypt and the border to Sudan. I had to finish the exit-papers in Assuan on the 27.5.1985 and to cross the borderline between the next two 2 days. From Assuan to the coast (a little bit south of Marsa Alam) and then south to the border abaut 500 kms. I had to carry 80 liters of fuel and 20 liters of water, also little food and all my luggage on the BMW for this 1000 km-trip. From Marsa Alam it was always off road. On the way were only 2 military controls on the Egypt side. The track stopped about 100 kms before the Eygpt border where you find the last Egypt military control - Sudan: There is no sign when you enter Sudan, but a camp with huts and tents (military I think). No paperwork here. From here you have to find your own track somehow along the coast. Until Port Sudan you have to find your own rough and sandy route as well. There are no villages until Port Sudan.
In a tired moment I didn`t see a small sanddune and had a good flight. The front from my bike was destroyed and when I woke up again my hole drinking water was gone. Some hours later I was able to drive again. The track was going more inland and one and a half hard days later I arrived in Port Sudan (31.5.1985) where I had to do my paperwork. My bike broke down totally, because a part of the shaft to the backweel was broken. I could fix them a bit and found a ship to Jugoslavia (Pula, 26.07.85).
The best: Heartly inviatation in Deir a Zor in Syria.
The Worst: Died nearly of thirst on the way from Egypt ashore to Port Sudan. Lost ca. 20 kg.??
Useful tipps for others: I had a Tesch-Träger (rack) and leather bags and a 40-liter fueltank. Never rode alone such lonely roads. Take part of the Tuareg-Rallye in march in Morocco !
B.T.: Diese Route an der Küste ist normalerweise verboten. Ich habe extrem selten davon gehört, daß das Fahrzeuge (meistens von Süden kommend) geschafft haben. Es ist die erste mir bekannte Motorradtour entlang der Küste.
06.03. -30.09.1985
Gotthold, Ulrich (German, geb. 02.12.1961)
+ Transafrica: North - West - East - South - Africa . Ulrich rode solo 20.000 km with YAMAHA SR 500 with and a 38 liter-fueltank (from B.Tesch) Transafrica.
Purpose of travel: To find out in life what he wants..??
Route: Europe: Germany ..??? - Africa: Morocco - Algeria - Niger - Burkina Faso - Togo - because of political problems the mc was send by ship to Congo (Pointe Noire) - Ulrich flew to Congo (Brazzaville) - Kinshasa - by boat with the mc on the river Congo to Zaire (Kisangani = Stanleyville - by bike to Bujumbura) . Rwanda - Burundi - Uganda - Kenia - Tansania - Zambia - Simbabwe - South Africa (Capetown). Back via ??
Publication: No Earlier big mc-tours: ??
Useful tips for others: ??
06.12.2006 1st contact and information about Ulrichs tour after 21 years. During the tel call Ulrich informed B.T. that he knows a Swiss couple: Eddi Anstatt who rode 2,5 years at his time in Africa and 90.000 kms. Ulrich promised to contact them to ask for a summary like this for my website about African travellers.
08.12.2006 1 st request for update
21.12.1985 - 13.01.1986
Wiechert, Hans (German, born in 1934)
Tunisia. Algeria. Hans rodo solo with a Yamaha DT 175 MX.
Route: Italy (Genua) - by boat to Tunis - Algeria (El-Qued - Deb-Deb - Illizi - Djanet - Assekrem - Tamanrasset - In Salah - El Golea - Ghardaïa) - Tunis.
The best: Grand Erg oriental. Gravures rupestres. Assekrem. Meeting the Rallye Paris-Dakar in Tamanrasset.
Reason: Adventure. Sadnroses in desert.
The Worst: All Zähne des Zahnrades des Primärantriebes abgeschliffen.
06.04.2002 1st sumary by Arne Ullmann.
26.12.1985 - 04.03.1986
Bernd Tesch
+ Solo Dakar - Germany against Rallye Paris > Dakar. Bernd fährt 11.500 km durch 9 afrikanische Länder auf einer Tesch - BMW R 80 G/S von Dakar nach Aachen entgegen der Rallye "Paris Dakar" (und trifft sie 1,5 Tage), um zu zeigen das "Reisen besser ist als Rasen". Das Besondere ist die erste Befahrung von Guinee (Guinea) in Nord - Süd und West - Ost - Richtung nach 25 Jahren für Touristen geschlossene Grenzen.
1987
Thöne, Petra und Jörg Granderath
Senegal - Germany.Senegal (Dakar) - Deutschland (Aachen) in 3 Monaten 13.200 km auf einer BMW.
23.-24.04.88 Dia-Vortrag auf dem 10. MOTO - FERNREISE - TREFFEN
02.1989 - 08.1990
Henniges, Rolf (German, born in June 1965 in the University-City of Göttingen)
+ Transafrica. 43.230 Kilometer. Rolf has education as an industrial-salesman, a dieselengine-mechanic and an editor Transafrica from February 1989 till August 1990. His other three Africa-Tours 11.000 kms.
Route: Tunesia - Algeria - Niger - Burkina Faso - Ghana - Togo - Benin - Central-Africa - Zaire - Rwanda - Burundi - Uganda - Kenya - Tansania - Malawi - Mosambique - Botswana - Namibia - South-Africa
Purpose of travel: Always heading for adventure and fun. As an old moto-crossi he always looked at most of rough roads and tracks.
The best: Deep mudded, 300 km long track between Tansania to Malawi in rainy season. Also a rough and funny ride on an old Honda CB 200 with piston-collaps from Göttingen to Genua (Italy) and retour. (It was a funny story for motorcycle Magazine MOTORRAD in winter 98/99). Reaching Capetown after 18 month of journey
The worst: Stone-throwing children in Zaire.
Useful informations and TIPS for others: If there is a wish and a deep will, every time it will be come real.
Earlier Experiences of big Motorcycle-Tours: Rolf startet his bigger trips after he hang up his moto-cross career in 1987. First he rode six weeks through Algeria. Infectet by the spirit of the black continent, he startet his big trip a year later and spent nearly two years travelling in several countries of Africa. Ending up in September 1990 in Capetown. There he worked together with a guy from Australia fixing engines. Surely he had the idea to visit him later.So he spent 27 months between 1991 - 1997 in Australia. He rode 100.000 km. Nearly all Outback-tracksavelling. Did trips to Asia as well cross all over Europe. Every time on bikes, mostly of the Yamaha XT-Series. Sometimes he worked for food and petrol and travelled without money as well. In Australia he was also digging for saphires as well as for opals. While he was back in Germany he worked in several jobs. Beside his travels he startet writing in 1990, sold the storys to many magazines and presented slideshows through Germany. Since May 1999 he is redacteur of MOTORRAD, Europes biggest Motobike-Magazin, working as a motorbike-tester and editor. The bike, with which he has done most of all journeys, is now part of his living-room. The good old Yamaha XT 600 Ténéré counts 241.000 km. After more than half a million km on a motorbike, now he is riding pushbikes as his hobby and still working on his next book which will be a novel and has nothing to do with bikes and journeys "Only women, drinks and rock'n roll". One of his dreams of life is, to live on novels. After six years in the past 20 years on the road, Rolf is still hungry for freedom: "There is no guarantee, that I will be a strickly hard working man for the rest of my life". He wants to travel as much as he can. "There's only one life. Live it". See more in this homepage Australia 1991 - 1997.
Book or publication: In 1996 his first book, named "Australia", was published in Motorbuch Verlag Stuttgart. Meanwhile his has written some short-storys for Lappan-Verlag Oldenburg and is one of the co-authors of the Travellbook "Best of 20 Years of Travel" from the Motorbike-Photographer Klaus H. Daams which will be published in december 2001.
B.T. Rolf is an extensive mc-traveller being able sometimes to travel with no money. He crossed Africa and rode extremely in Australia by mc. Rolf has written the portrait about Bernd Tesch in 1996 in MOTORRAD and has been visiting the Mc-Meeting for World-Travellers since many years. Rolf is a co-author of SHELL´s BIKER BIBLE as well. Although Rolf has sometimes a "special view" of Mr. Tesch and different opinons we always kept a good contact with each other since a long time.
24.10.1989 - 23.05.1991 and 05.04.1981 - 15.11.1981
Rietzler, Gaby and Rudi (German)
+ Two times Trans-Africa. Gaby and Rudi crossed Africa two times by Motorcycle North-South.
In 1981 both rode solo with two YAMAHA XT 36.000 kms.
In 1989 - 91 they travelled within 17 months with a Moto-Guzzi-Mille GT with sidecar Carell Enduro 80.000 kms through enormous 30 countries. See above 1981.
12.1989 - 02.1990
Steinhauser, Hubert (German, 09.05.1964)
+ Tunisia. Algeria. Hubert rode with Yamaha XT 600 K without luggage with his friend Wolfgang Bader by car 4 WD Lada Niva 15.000 kms.
Purpose of travel: Wolfgang Bader asked him to travel with him into Sahara.
Route: Germany - Austria - Switerland - France - by ship from Marseille to Africa (Tunisa (Tunis) - Algeria (Tozeur - Deb Deb - Djanet - Tamanrasset - Ain Salah - El Golea - Ghardaia - Ouargla) - Tunisia (Tunis) - by ship to Europe (France (Marseille) - Switzerland Austria - Germany).
Higjhlights: Full moon in the dunes of Algeria. Oasis. Petrified wood.
The worst: We lost orientation sometimes in the dunes
Earlier experiences: 1988 renting bikes in in Morocco (Agadir).
01.12.1989 - 28.01.1990
Kuik, Fred van (Netherland, 20.08.60) and Nout Beeker (Netherland, 10.03.60)
+ North > West-Africa. The physiotherapis Fred and civil engeneer Arnout rode together from Tunis to Ouagadougou on two XT-600 Tenere 1983 ca. 7.000 kms. Then two dutch friends flew to Ouagadougou and they rode back via Niger (Agadez) - Algeria (In Guezzam - Tamanghasset). Nout and Fred toke the plane to Moscow (in wintertime) and spend there some days before going home with aeroflot to Bruxelles.
Route: Utrecht to Genua (motorcycles in van) - by boat to Tunisia (Tunis) - Tunis - Tozeur - Algeria (El-Qued - Touggourt - Ouargla - Hassi-Messaoud - In Amenas - Illizi - Djanet - Ideles - Tamanghasset - Assekrem - Timiaouine - Tessalit) - Mali (Gao - Mopti) - Burkina Faso (Ouagadougou) - by plane to Moscow - by plane to Belgium (Bruxelles) - Holland (Utrecht).
Purpose: enjoy holiday
The best: Assekrem sunset. Area around Djanet. Friendly people of Mali. Trip from Tam to Tessalit.
The worst: Getting petrol mixed with water in Timiaouine.
Useful Tips: Take two the same bikes.
Earlier experiences: 1992-1993 Marocco-Algeria-Libya-Algeria-Tunisia. - 1996-1997 Kampala - Zaire - CAR - Camerun-Niger. -2001-2002 plan to visit Libya or Algeria if Libya is not possible.
Will be continued. Please send me your Mc-Travel-information as the block above.
Bye Bernd Tesch in Germany
1991-2000
In this Blocks below informations are missing. Who can help?:
First list with summaries in Internet about "Africa by Motorcycle". I would be grateful if you could help to keep this update ! So far you find many language and grammar mistakes inside because of lack of time. Pardon. Will be corrected and updated with more Travellers in future.
Documentation:
1968 Start of search of Transafrica-Travellers for my own tour with VW-Bus in 1970 / 71.
1970 -76 Finding more and more Africa-travellers and literature
1992-1994 More intensive search of motorcycle-travellers because of my book "Motorrad Abenteuer" in work by phone, fax and personal visits.
1995 - 1997 First tries to find and contact Africa-Motorcycle-Travellers by email.
1998 Start of my website. Not knowing what will come out of it in future.
02.1998: A part of this information you found already under > http://www.berndtesch.de > German or Engl. version > News
28.05.2000: Start of this collection first time in internet under > http://www.berndtesch.de
01.08.2001 Visitor 50.000 on my homepage Andreas Goetzenich.
31.10.2001 138 KB
13.01.2003 178 KB
22.03.2004 201 KB Visitor ca. 94.000
28.03.2005 217 KB. Ca. visitor 109.00
10.11.2005 227 KB Ca. Visitor 120.000
19.01.2006 622 KB
29.03.2008 717 KB Ca. Vistor 155.555
31.03.2009 983 KB 141 Sek, Visitor ca. 169.500.