How to choose…

Own Bike vs PDC Bike

Not sure whether to bring your own bike or use one of our fully-prepped CRF300 Rallys?

Riding your own bike means full immersion in the adventure — it’s your machine, your setup, your story. For many riders, that’s exactly why they sign up. But if don’t have a suitable bike and want less hassle, mechanical worries and maximum enjoyment from day one, our PDC-supplied CRF300 Rallys are hard to beat. They’re fully prepped, field-tested, and ready to go — so you can focus entirely on the ride.

Extra Costs

This information is provisional and will be updated to ensure it is as accurate as possible in due course.

The main non-inclusive costs (other than your own kit and travel insurance) will be fuel, your flight home and personal spending money on evening drinks at the bar or a night out somewhere. Depending on how committed you are to keeping your own costs down you may budget as follows – please remember these are very rough guidelines only:

• Fuel (motorcycles) – £350 (based on 15mpl)
• Personal spending money – £350 to £1,000 depending on your budget
• Road/Bridge Tolls – £150
• One-way flight (Gambia-UK) – £300 to £550
• Motorcycle insurance & customs at borders – £250
• Group kitty – for non-inclusive costs that the PDC will pay on your behalf to help the smooth running of the trip – £200

Riding Your Own Bike – Extra Considerations

The trip price now includes return shipping of your bike from The Gambia to the UK by sea freight, so you won’t need to arrange or pay for this separately. However, you must remain in The Gambia for one full working day after the trip ends to oversee the handover of your bike to the shipping agent. This includes assisting with basic shipping preparation, signing all required customs documentation, and ensuring your bike is accepted for shipment. Failure to do so may delay or prevent your bike’s return to the UK.

In terms of paperwork, a Carnet de Passages is not required for vehicles under 8 years old.

Factor in the usual extra costs for servicing, spares, and preparation. Realistically, riding your own bike may not work out much cheaper than using one of our fully prepared PDC bikes – and it does come with a bit more admin and mechanical responsibility. That said, if it’s your dream to complete the journey on your own machine, we’ll do everything we can to help you make it happen.

Off-Road experience note: While experienced riders are welcome to bring larger bikes, those newer to off-road riding are strongly encouraged to bring a lighter bike, or opt for one of our CRF300 Rallys for a more enjoyable and safer adventure.

Deposits, Payments and Refunds

Places are confirmed on receipt of your non-refundable deposit once bookings are open. Full payment must be received a minimum of 10 weeks prior to the departure date. Please read our Terms and Conditions for our refund policy.

Joining reserve lists

If the trip is full then it is worth joining the reserve list as we quite often have riders drop out of trips for any number of reasons. Simply contact us by e-mail or phone and we will let you know how many people, if any, are on the reserve list before you. 

Your Health

On the grounds of safety, certain medical conditions may preclude participation — including MS, epilepsy, and diabetes. These conditions may require further medical assessment due to the physical demands and remote nature of the trip. We strongly recommend speaking with your GP before booking.

Feel free to contact us in confidence if you’d like to discuss your situation or ask for further guidance.