Having a spare vehicle. Is it necessary?

[Peterdenmark]

Hi everyone.

I was wondering about the need for a spare vehicle on the truck when travelling to, say Africa or the far east.

I am think a small scooter/motorcycle. I will be travelling with my wife and two small kids, who cannot trek 50 km out of the desert if the truck stops working.

Pro's:
Get help if the truck dies in the middle of nowhere.
Be able to go around small villages with narrow streets

Con's:
More stuff to take up weight and space.
Need an extra Carnet de Passege (right?)
How often would you actually use it?

Any thoughts?

Best regards Peter

[Freddy]

Last time in the desert we took a Yamaha XT 600 as spare vehicle if my 1964 Benz would break or so...

What to say... we destroyed the bikes engine by playing in the feshfesh du to an poor working k&n airfilter.

So i had to carry it hundrets of km through the desert...

Since then i take a mountainbike, if i take a bike again it would be sth light like a 250 2 strocke or so.

Greet

Freddy

[Tomduly]

Statistically, staying at the site of a broken vehicle, and waiting for help increases your chances for survival. Sending s.b. out or leaving the site reduces the chances to get out luckily. A sat phone would be a better investment than a flimsy "spare vehicle", and some careful networking with other travellers, lodges and camps to have some emergency numbers you can call in case of. But nevertheless, a motorbike as dinghy can increase daliy fun an mobility radius around your campsite significantly, but I would not dare to plan it as a family-backup vehicle for bugging out.

Tom

[Lassie]

Hi,

If you go to remote areas, you normally drive together with a buddy or a loose travel group with other fellow travellers.
You are almost nowhere in the world really OFF or alone.

As spare vehicle I suggest a cheap (folding?) bicycle, eventually a MTB or a MTB pedelec. Just make sure, that you can use your spare vehicle within 3 minutes - otherwise it is just dead weight at the back of your truck
In most cases sturdy hiking boots, enough water bottles and a sat phone / mobile phone are sufficient to call for help.

Best regards and safe travels
Juergen

[Peterdenmark]

Thank you very much for your thoughts!

I have been thinking much of the same. Perhaps we should just invest in a Delorme Inreach and make sure we have enough water - and have contact to other people on the way as well :-)

Best reagards Peter

[Hatzlibutzli]

Hi Peter,

I am a fan of a life boat ... I have a https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Di_Blasi_R7i ... some 30 kg, mostly used to fetch brotchens in the morning or to get to know the vicinity ... a muscle driven bike does almost the same job with maybe a smaller radius ...

as already mention by Jurgen: make it quickly accessible otherwise it is just dead freight

Regards ... Simon

[Peterdenmark]

http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/mot ... 64567.html

I'd like something like this.

It can run 1,4l/100km!!! And I have seen (and used them to) go anywhere in the jungle/dirt in SE Asia :-)

And it can easily fit a whole family :-)

[Peterdenmark]

What do you do about Carnet de Passage? I guess there is no way around it if you travel to countries where it is necessary for the truck. Depositing 5000 Euro (my truck is low value) and 5000 Euro for a scooter is quite tough on the budget.