Thank you to the logistics team at Bikes Abroad. Their ability to deliver a motorcycle, anywhere in the world, on time and intact, is unmatched. Having worked with other freight agencies in the past, I now recognise and value the amount of work that is required to navigate the various carrier and customs requirements required to to move hazardous cargo around the world. The Bikes Abroad team take care of literally everything for us, allowing the team to focus on other matters such as route planning and researching the local beers. www.bikesabroad.com
Thank you to our insurers, World Nomads. World Nomads have insured us through 70+ countries and a myriad of adventures. Their list of inclusions is the stuff of nightmares for other underwriters. For most insurers, the devil is in the detail and you need to read the fine print very carefully. World Nomads simply doesn't have any fine print, and they have settled the occasional claim cheerfully and quickly. www.worldnomads.com
Thank you to AGS Movers for the provision of a shipping container and secure storage facilities in Nouakchott, Mauritania. We look forward to uncrating and collecting the bikes in a few weeks time. Hopefully they will start perfectly, as having them stored in a clean, dry environment for the past year is a good head start. Last year they were locked up in a musty barn in the south of France, which made getting them fired up again an interesting exercise. www.agsmovers.com
Sena will once again provide communications for the group whilst on the road in West Africa. The 20S units used last year proved to be reasonably robust and reliable. The group intercom dropouts have been resolved by replacing two of the items from an older production run and firmware upgrade. Thanks to Tracey and team at Adventure Cams (Australian distributor) for all of their efforts to resolve the drop out issue. This year's Sena kit will include the new Prism HD camera, so blog readers can look forward to some great high-definition helmet footage throughout the journey. Check back later in the tour for a full review of the new Prism HD helmet camera. www.sena.com
We have proven to be Motorrad Garage's worst customers. Petra and her team (Australian distributors) generously provided some great gear to support our travels a few years ago. Despite our best efforts, none of the Motorrad Garage gear has failed us yet. Given the extreme conditions (subzero, 45+, sand, etc) we have experienced a lot of equipment failure, but the Motorrad Garage gear remains unbeaten. www.motorradgarage.com.au
