Kudu motorcycle | Your own motorcycle | Expedition Support

Kudu’s Motorcycles

If you elect to use one of our own motorcycles at present you will be riding a BMW F650GS Dakar or BMW F800GS (below). These bikes are the most commonly used motorcycles for global adventure touring and for good reason.  They have been selected for their lightness, reliability, robustness and go-anywhere ability.  They will also be suitably modified to ensure they are well and truly up to what is undoubtedly a tough task.

Coming in 2009...

In 2009 our fleet of Dakars will be replaced with the new Yamaha XT660 Tenere (pictured) - the latest incarnation of this iconic adventure motorcycle.

Using Your Own Bike

You may well wish to use your own bike for the trip.  The manner in which this affects the price of the trip is given in detail on the Prices and Booking page.  It also brings with it the requirement for some preparatory work on your part, which we are more than happy to advise you with. You can get much more information by downloading the relevant information pack for your trip.

You will be able to discuss these issues with us, as well as the suitability of your bike for such an expedition, by contacting us by phone or e-mail.

Expedition Support

We take great pride in providing unparalleled support to our customers on our challenging expeditions. This means providing expert staff supplied with the equipment to be able to do their job effectively. Our support vehicles are heavily modified, with upgraded suspension, fridges, awnings, 12V and 240V power output, water filtration systems and many other features. In addition these vehicles carry tents, chairs, lighting and all cooking equipment to make sure that when you are camping, whether on the Mongolian steppe or in the midst of the Congo Jungle, it is a really memorable and comfortable experience.

Mechanics

Every expedition is accompanied by a fully qualified mechanic with a huge amount of experience. We expect our staff to care for your own bike as if it was one of our own, and they will service, inspect and attempt to repair it to keep you on the road and on your adventure of a lifetime. Our support vehicles are packed full of tools and spare parts, from radiators to front wheels, fuel pumps, seals, bearings and most things to keep our fleet of bikes running smoothly. You will be amazed at the speed and efficiency with which our staff work and the broad range of their skills. We are very proud of the fact that at the time of writing, no bike has ever failed to make its destination on a Kudu trip.

Medics

Every expedition is accompanied by a trained medic. We work closely with CS Medical, a company specialising in remote area and expedition medic support. They provide high quality and on-going training for our staff, and provide highly experienced medics on some of our bigger expeditions. In addition they provide UK based 24 hour medic advice and support wherever we happen to be. You can rest assured that with Kudu, you are in the hands of the best.

What We Provide

We want to run our expeditions into the most exciting and challenging regions on earth, and that is why all of our trips come with unrivalled equipment support, and highly experienced and professionally qualified staff. Below is a summary of what we provide for you:

• Accommodation
• Visas
• Pre-expedition training and orientation
• Ferries
• Shipping (some tours only)
• Mechanical support for all bikes
• Spare parts for Kudu owned bikes
• Emergency medical equipment
• Communications equipment
• Tents - 1 per person
• Cooking and camping facilities

What You Must Bring

• All personal protective riding clothes (trousers and jacket)
• Helmet (full face essential)
• Boots (MX type essential for African expeditions)
• Gloves
• Personal non-riding clothing
• GPS - not essential but highly recommended
• Sleeping equipment
• Personal camping equipment (for example torch and personal 1st aid kit)
• Comprehensive travel insurance which includes full medical cover with repatriation.