Magazine Article on Crossing the Sahara

[ian640]

Hi,

I've just joined the GRA having bought a Scottish for trials.

My other motorcycling interest is travelling and I recall an article entitled something like 'where camels die' about a team of Greeves mounted riders crossing a desert, possibly the Sahara. Does anyone have a copy of this that they'd care to share?

Thanks,

Ian.

[Brian Catt]

Greeves crossing the Sahara>>>>More like Camber Sands!

[Rob]

Ian, Welcome to the GRA! I've just upgraded you to GRA member forum access. Sorry I can't help with the magazine article though. Cheers, Rob

[Lotusman]

Greeves across the Sahara Yes the magazine you need is the March 1974 issue Motorcyclist Illustrated (you can often pick up off E Bay) My name is Mike Bennett and I was one of the two guys, both on Greeves Scottish, who did this trip back in 1973. We bought up some scrap bikes, sold off by the Gambian Police force, they were in poor shape. Over many months, using bits we bought from Meeten and Ward, we built up three totally rebuilt bikes. In the end only two set off on the journey. John Wilson, a Peace Corp, and myself a VSO have remained life long friends as a result of this trip. It took 13 days to get from Bathurst to Morocco. Through The Gambia, Senegal, Mauritania, Spanish Sahara and Morocco. Now, nearly 43 years later, I am about to load up a slide show of the whole story on YouTube. However if you look for Sahara Greeves on YouTube now you will see a tit bit of interest.
Regards Mike B Adelaide Australia

[whitehillbillies]

Sahara Greeves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2SkqFxp_L8

whitehillbilly

[ian640]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for the reply - I knew I hadn't imagined it and I'll look for the magazine, and for the slideshow when you get round to posting it. Hats off to you for making the trip. It must have been an amazing experience, given the machines, lack of information compared to now, and in an era well before 'adventure motorcycling' became mainstream. Perhaps you could publish the story in one of the magazines.

Cheers,

Ian.

[John Wakefield]

Perhaps you could publish the story in one of the magazines.

Or in Leading Link as John is desperate for articles.

[tony]

If you cannot wait for the whole story I have scanned the Motorcycle Illustrated article. It is in the GRA members Chat.

Looks like the Sahara to me Brian

[Brian Thompson]

The Hard Way Round.....

If you cannot wait for the whole story I have scanned the Motorcycle Illustrated article. It is in the GRA members Chat.

Looks like the Sahara to me Brian

Great article Tony, thanks for taking the time and trouble to scan and post it for us all to share.

Regarding Brian C's comment, from examining the pic of the carcass on page four of the article, it reminded me that you do get some pretty strange crabs at Camber Sands....

Welcome to the forum Lotusman (and Ian!), and thanks for sharing the background to your amazing adventure with John, an incredible achievement for the time, especially as these days it seems so many 'adventure bike' riders moan if the ice cream van in the field they're camping in 30 miles from home isn't up to scratch... (see letters page, 'Adventure Bike Rider Magazine'......)

[Lotusman]

Greeves Sahara

Finally if you have 22 minutes to spare the adventure and its preparations can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIezR9Wm4MY
Or on YouTube just search for Greeves/Sahara.
It has taken 43 years to finally put together John's and my photos and notes. I must admit the thrill of travel has never left us so wanderlust must be in the genes. As my moniker suggests I have graduated to 4 wheel pleasures but still keep BMW and Royal Enfield (also bought in from the Gambia in 1974) bikes in the shed.
Enjoy what to us was a great and challenging experience.
Mike Bennett and John Wilson.

[whitehillbillies]

Great story.
Sure I rode against Peter Grouse on the Greeves, at an Australian Title event in South Australia, 20 odd years ago.
The Victorians, sent VHS video's to me of there Classis Trial Events.
Peter was always on A Greeves Scottish.

whitehillbilly

[ian640]

Mike and John,

A great and challenging experience indeed. Thanks for sharing all of this, the film has set the weekend off well. Good to hear you found your bike. I wonder what happened to the one left in Morocco?

Cheers,

Ian.

[Kim275]

Superb Greeves Adventure

A brilliant record of an amazing adventure - the most amazing one I have seen Greeves undertake....thanks so much for putting together - it must have brought back some incredible memories
Cheers Kim

[tony]

A great achievement in a time when there was not the back up and the technology that is de rigueur now days. It bought back some great memories for me of my adventure in to Mauritania, thank you for taking the time to produce a great piece of history and putting it on the forum..

[Lotusman]

It has been a joy to finally see the trip in some sensible form rather than a jumble of stuff in a cardboard box. Yes Peter Growse has ridden the Greeves in trails meets in Australia years ago so some of you may well have met up with him and the bike.
I would really appreciate if some of you, being the hard core of the GRA, might post comment below the footage on You Tube. I am sure with your knowledge of the frame and the vibrating Villiers engine you can imagine what it was like to hang onto them for day after day. In my case for weeks as I found my way back to the UK. Interestingly I also carted a Royal Enfield Crusader over from Africa to Australia and still have that one. It has pride of place as it was the transport in The Gambia for Genevieve (also a VSO) and I. Genevieve is now my wife and has been with me ever since the Greeves days. Thanks again for your kind observations.
Mike Bennett