TRAVELLING ON A BIKE IN NIGERIA

My name is Mamba. If you want to know why, read my previous article. A little about myself. I am in my twenties, from Imo State, Nigeria and I love speed, thus motorcycles. If I could fly an air force fighter jet, I think I will dump my motorcycle passion. I have been riding for about 15 years. In my previous article Biking 101, I touched the surface of many topics, which I promised to elaborate on in subsequent articles. This article will focus mainly on everything you need to know about travelling in Nigeria on a bike. Well, that might be a lie! I will tell you what I know from my personal experience. It might not cover everything since I am not the most experienced rider around. If you do not like it, then good luck looking for the most experienced people to tell you. Well, I think I have stylishly written enough to make an introductory paragraph. Let us get on with why we are here.

I have travelled to various parts of Nigeria on a motorcycle. I rode the following routes, Owerri-Abuja, Abuja-Owerri, Owerri-Calabar, Calabar-Uyo, Uyo-Enugu, Enugu-Owerri, Owerri-Abeokuta and Lagos-Owerri. The farthest distance among these routes is 550 kilometers. I have gone on each of some of these routes over ten times. There are other bikers that have covered longer distances than I have, especially Lagos-Ghana. To me, the best cities I rode in are Abuja and Uyo. These cities have sweet dual-carriage (or as Nigerians say “express”) roads that are less congested with cars, unlike Lagos (no offence to my Lagos bikers). Their roads allow you to enjoy what bikes are made for. In my opinion, the best route in Nigeria to ride on is from Owerri to Ore. I say Ore because between Ore and Lagos is a natural disaster. The route is dual-carriage throughout and has almost no potholes. Another really nice road to ride on is the road between Lokoja and Abuja. It was recently constructed, and is yet to develop the trademark bike-swallowing swimming pools (potholes) that most of our Nigerian roads have.

Obviously, not all bikes are suitable for travelling. There are different types of bikes bikers travel with in Nigeria. Personally, by capacity, I do not advice travelling with a bike that has an engine capacity of less than 600CC. Not like you cannot travel with them, but with the challenges and conditions riders face on Nigerian roads, motorcycles with lower engine capacities are not best suited to tackle them. Overtime, lower capacity bikes might not take the torture motorcycle engines go through on long distance rides. There is always a temptation to push the speed limits when travelling which these bikes cannot handle. Less-than-600CC motorcycles are best used to commute within cities, and not to travel.  Do not take my words for it anyway. 

Different bikes have their advantages and disadvantages. Touring bikes are more comfortable to ride, but are not very maneuverable. Sport bikes are less comfortable but are more maneuverable. The poor condition of most Nigerian roads causes fatigue when riding. The riding position on sport bikes requires the rider to switch positions from lying belly-flat on the tank to sitting upright because he/she frequently reduces speed to avoid potholes. Also, the rider’s arms absorbs the shock when he goes through rough roads, increasing fatigue. On touring bikes, the riding position is more comfortable because it allows the rider to sit upright. However, touring bikes are usually very heavy and not very maneuverable. More effort is put into navigating the swimming pools on our roads. Essentially, it is a win-win or lose-lose situation riding either, depending on the perspective you look at it from.

I will base my opinion of sport bikes on their engine capacities. My bike is a 600CC. The 600CCs are smaller in size and are easy to maneuver through the bad roads. Because of the frequent braking on bad roads, the rider has to shift through gears often. Shifting often is tiring and might affect the clutch system on the long-run. At top speeds, the 600CCs stay at a high RPM, usually close to 14,000 RPM. This is also not healthy for the bike on the long-run. 1000CCs are usually just a little bigger and heavier than the 600CC bikes. Newer models are almost as maneuverable as the 600CCs, but you might not be so lucky with older models. One advantage the 1000CCs have is that they do not require shifting gears very often. The power from the engine allows a rider to stay at high gears after braking, and still be able to accelerate. This reduces the fatigue caused by frequently shifting gears. Pulling the clutch levers frequently on some bikes is just torture. Your fingers will grow biceps and triceps on a single journey. The 1300CC bikes are bigger and faster bikes. Unless you are tall and have some weight, it can be uncomfortable to ride. Maneuverability is reduced compared to lower capacity bikes.

The choice of bikes solely depends on the rider. If you love comfort and do not care much about speed, go for a touring bike. If you love speed only, go for a 1300CC bike. If you want maneuverability, go for a 600CC. If you want a little of everything, go for a 1000CC. Personally, I prefer my 600CC bike because I cannot sacrifice handling for anything.

I classify travelling on motorcycles into two categories. Riding solo and group riding. Riding solo simply means you are riding alone. Riding alone gives you more freedom to do as you please. It allows you stop when you want to, and ride or speed as you wish. You can make that quick stop for “bushmeat” when riding between Abuja and Jos. Group riding is riding with other bikers in a group. It can be thrilling if the pack is large. When the group makes a stop, a lot of attention is drawn. The downside to riding in a group is that when a bike develops a fault, all bikers will have to wait and resolve the issue. Not like it is really a problem anyway. There is this bond and sincere concern shown by bikers riding in a group whenever a bike develops a problem. In some cases, the bikers do not all know each other personally, but they all show genuine concern. 

There is an implicit code among bikers. “Depart together, arrive together”. When riding in a group, a Road Captain and a Sweeper are designated. The Road Captain is the lead biker in the pack. An experienced and careful rider is appointed and his primary duties are to lead the way, signal other bikers of obstacles ahead, signal for stops, clear a path when riding among cars and more. Having a loud bike as a Road Captain is a bonus, as vehicles will be aware of his presence before he get to them. The Sweeper is the last bike in the pack. His duty is mainly to watch over the bikers ahead of him. He may notice a bike having issues unaware to the rider and flag him/her down. If a rider ahead has a mechanical issue that stops his bike, the Sweeper speeds up to inform the Road Captain. The Sweeper also needs to be a very good rider.

Let us look at the challenges bikers face while travelling in Nigeria. I wrote a long list of the challenges and I am finding it difficult picking the worst to start with. I just cannot decide between bad roads, bad drivers and animals sharing our highways with us. Seriously, these three are the biggest problems to me as a rider. I do not know about other bikers. I will start with bad roads. When you see those guys on MotoGP doing their stuff and you think you can buy a bike to do the same on Nigerian roads, my brother (or sister), do not bother buying a bike! You might think roads in Nigeria are not that bad when driving a car, but it’s a different game with motorcycles. Potholes on the roads are a major issue. When a motorist dives into a pothole by mistake, it might simply damage his shock absorbers, but it does not affect the driver or stop the car. 

However, on a motorcycle, consequences are less forgiving. When a motorcycle hits a large pothole by mistake, the rims bending, or shock absorbers damaging or plastic fairing damaging are the least of the rider’s worries. A fall is almost guaranteed. Sometimes, the roads leading up to the Olympic sized potholes might be smooth. Then, out of nowhere the pothole appears. This forces bikers to be on the edge throughout their ride, as they do not know where the potholes will appear. Motorcycle brakes are very good, but it is dangerous to hit the brakes too hard when you see a pothole late. Some of the worst roads I rode on are Ore-Lagos, Ikot-Ekpene-Calabar, Okene-Lokoja, and one treacherous area between Lokoja and Ajaokuta. How can I forget the very muddy Imo State end of Owerri-Port Harcourt road. I will not even drive an SUV through that road even if I was paid one million naira. Maybe I will consider driving through it for ten million naira. Enough to get me a new SUV!

Another challenge bikers face is bad drivers. Sometimes, it seems these guys are intentionally sent to hunt down bikers. There are those who disregard approaching motorcycles when making U-turns. There are those who disregard approaching motorcycles from behind when getting on the road from the shoulder. There are those who see a bike approaching as an opportunity to test their Formula 1 abilities. There are those who feel they can go as fast as a bike and end up tailgating the biker “bumper-to-bumper” and end up hitting the biker from the rear. There are those wicked ones who simply do not like the idea of a common motorcycle speeding past them, and will cut the rider off when he/she tries to overtake. There are those with Range Rovers, Benzes or BMWs who believe their huge engines should be faster than our “smaller” engines. “I take God beg you”, do not “drag” road with these people. If a car hits you, the car leaves the scene with a dent. However, the dent you will leave the scene with will be on your bones.

It might have sounded funny when I said animals share roads with riders on our roads. Some parts of the country have a lot of animals using the roads. Sometimes, bikers have to deal with cattle herders on the road. Even when the herder creates a path and signals the biker to pass through, it can be a little scary passing between large cows whose mental condition one cannot vouch for. In other places, goats and sheep just lie on the road, chilling! They would not budge even when bikes are coming. Imagine banking a curved road at 200 km/h and seeing a few goats having their siesta on the road. Your last thoughts might be your family, your bike, your body in a hospital bed or “nkwobi”. Lastly, there is another category of animals we think are human beings who do not cross the road when bikers are still far away, but decide to cross when the bikers are close. Watch out for them!

Bikers usually do not have problems with law enforcement agencies on the road. The officers of various agencies get excited when we pass their checkpoints on the roads. However, it is not uncommon to find over-zealous or maybe jealous officers who derive joy in messing with bikers. Most common among them are Police, Army and NDLEA (Drug guys). There is this assumption that bikers carry hard drugs. Therefore, there are cases when law enforcement agencies stop bikers and insist on searching every inch of the bike for hard drugs or maybe guns. Usually, when they do not find anything incriminating, they let the biker go. However, that is after your time has been wasted and your bags have been ransacked. Repacking a biker’s bag and strapping it back on the bike is a tough job.

Another challenge we face is the lack of mechanics along the road. When travelling, if a bike has a mechanical problem, it is difficult to find mechanics that can fix it. Most times, the biker has to decide taking chances with road-side car mechanics or completing the journey on the back of a truck. However, there are a good number of superbike mechanics around the country in major cities. Before leaving, getting phone numbers of those along the route you intend to travel on is a good idea.

One advantage of using a motorcycle to travel is the ability to weave through traffic gridlocks. However, this also can be a disadvantage. In very serious traffic, staying long in it can lead to overheating of the bike. Bikes are made to always be in motion. 

When a bike is stopping, moving slow and stopping again, the temperature of the engine goes very high. Doing this for a prolonged amount of time can overheat the engine and put the bike at risk of a mechanical fault. A common problem that develops on older bikes is the rupture of the water hoses as a result of the continuous pumping of high pressure hot coolant through them. When a bike is in motion, the air in contact with the radiator keeps the water cool and thus the engine cool. When the bike is not in motion, the air is not flowing and the radiator has to depend on the radiator cooling fan to cool the coolant. For reasons known to motorcycle designers, this fan is usually placed in the space between the engine and the radiator. Therefore, when the fan kicks on, it circulates the heat radiating from the engine. Essentially, the bike is better cooled when in motion, than when stationary. Fatigue is also increased staying in traffic for too long.

There are more challenges that bikers face on Nigerian roads. I did not touch the challenges of the rainy season, eating dust and the heat in the dry season, no street lights at night or crossing international borders. The challenges I have elaborated upon above are the ones that affect almost all bikers. So why do we still ride you may ask? There is a member of our motorcycle club who is in his 50s. He is a big “oga”. Top director in one of the commercial banks. He said he rides because he loves the freedom it gives him. The ability to “safely” hit high speeds and the air going through your body is the freedom I assumed he was talking about. For me, I love speed and to be honest, the attention drawn when we ride. Many bikers deny this lust for the attentio, but “I will not lie o!” that attention “dey sweet belle”.

I will run through some top advantages of travelling on a motorcycle. First, you spend less fuel than a car. Going from Owerri to Abuja (approx. 600 km), I spend about ten thousand naira fueling my small four cylinder Kia car. However, on my 600CC bike, I spend a little over four thousand naira on the same trip, even when riding aggressively. Second, the travel time of the trip is reduced. In cases where the roads have potholes, cars might be required to slow down almost to a halt to navigate them. On a bike, you may not be required to slow down as much as a car would and navigating through the potholes is easier. Also, bikes accelerate faster and cruise at a higher speed than cars do. This shortens the travel time. Owerri to Abuja in my car takes 8 hours. On my bike, I think with less frequent stops and at higher speeds, I can complete the trip in four to five hours. Motorcycles are not delayed in traffic as much as cars would. Using a bike can help you pass through the spaces between cars in traffic. Lastly, bikers are not harassed as much as motorists by law enforcement agencies on the road. There are cases of harassments as I mentioned earlier, but generally they do not stop bikers. I heard they assume most bikers to be military officers. I don’t know how true that is.

To be a successful bike traveler, there are a few tips to keep at the back of your mind. Before embarking on a long trip, make sure your bike is in top condition. You can “manage” a car on a long trip, but trying to “manage” a motorcycle on a long trip can lead to disaster. It is good to get your bike mechanic to look at the bike and make sure all bolts and nuts are tight. Ensure the engine oil and oil filters are new. Ensure brake and radiator fluids are gauged. Ensure brake pads are not worn. I usually test ride my bike the day before departing to watch for any issues. It is better to do all these before departing, to avoid developing faults on the way. The worst experience on a motorcycle is getting stranded with a faulty bike in the middle of nowhere. Eat well, but don’t overfeed before departing. Keep a bottle in your bag and stay hydrated.

Ensure you have proper gear for the ride. When riding long distances in the rainy season, make sure you have proper rain gear on. Riding in the rain without proper rain gear can be a health risk. This is because your clothes get wet and when you ride fast, the cold wind causes you to feel even colder. There are waterproof jackets and trousers. I advise against carrying a backpack on long journeys. There are elastic strapping ropes used by bikers to hold down bags to the rear seat of the bike. Carrying a heavy backpack on long ride can increase fatigue. For long rides, wear trousers that can go over your boots. I don’t recommend tucking your trousers into your boots. This not only allows better air circulation, it also prevent water from getting into your boots when it rains. A baraclava mask helps absorb sweat to prevent it from rolling into your eyes or making your helmet stink.

Stop often to rest and also allow your bike rest. During stops, perform basic checks on your bike to ensure there are no problems, such as tyre pressure, lights, chain strength and so on. It is always good to carry a small toolkit along on long rides. Some tools to have are Allen-key set, small spanners and a plier. The vibration from bike engines and potholes on our roads can make some bolts and nuts get loose overtime. Therefore, when you stop, you may have to check them. Stopping often helps reduce fatigue.

It is important to slow down when approaching junctions or small towns. This is to avoid the challenges of bad drivers, animals and pedestrians as I mentioned earlier. Passing through a town or junction at 60 km/h is not too demanding. You can open your engine after you are through. When passing very muddy roads, do not try to spare your nice, expensive N200,000 Alpinestars boots, because you may end up dropping your bike and breaking a few bones. Penny wise, pound foolish! Put your boots on the ground while riding slowly through the mud. The traction on your tyres is greatly reduced in mud and you will need your boots to support your bike. If you can avoid muddy roads, avoid them! They are not very good for your bike. Asides the risk of falling, the mud can get into parts of your bike and have adverse effects. An example is the mud splashing all over your radiator. It blocks the flow of air on the radiator and can eventually lead the bike to overheat.

Dealing with law enforcement is easy. When they harass you, do not get aggressive with them. We are not in America please. Law enforcement agents do not understand human rights in Nigeria. If you obey them, you will get through them easier. If you disobey, they are more than willing to arrest you. When approaching their checkpoints, slow down, lift your helmet visor and wave at them. If they stop you, park on the side of the road and inform them who you are, where you are coming from and where you are going to. I will digress and write a little story about an experience I had. I rode to another city to spend a day with my friends. I had just checked into my hotel, when a team of policemen knocked on my door. They demanded I follow them to the police station for reasons they refused to explain. Ordinarily, I believe this is an infringement on my rights, since I was being arrested without knowledge of my offence. The police “Oga-in-Charge” even wanted me to ride my bike with an armed officer on the back. I refused that flatly and insisted on keeping my bike in the hotel. However, I followed them to the police station in their vehicle, and there, they told me they had “intel” that bikers were bringing hard drugs into town. It was funny watching this pot-bellied officer tell me about “intel”. They told me they would take me back to my hotel and search my room. I complied and after the search and wasting four hours of my time, they let me go. Such cases are not very rare, but your composure through the process will determine how the matter is handled. Do not argue with law enforcement agent. It’s a waste of time!

We do not pray for it, but if you find yourself in a crash situation, you must know how to fall. Yes, the ability to safely fall off a bike is a skill every biker must have. I have not fallen off a bike before, but I can give you some tips based on what I have watched and learned from others. Do not try to save your bike in an impending crash situation. Let go of the bike handle bars and jump off your bike using your foot pegs to propel yourself. Assume a position to allow yourself roll when you hit the floor. If you are properly kitted, you should leave the scene with little or no injuries.

There are some risks bikers often take that you should avoid. The speed and power of bikes makes us feel that we can quickly overtake cars while in a bend. It is wrong and very risky. Following a car too close might not give you enough time to see a pothole ahead. Try to maintain a 30 meter gap between your bike and the car or bike ahead.

Troubleshooting a bike is not usually as difficult as a car. If your bike cranks but refuses to start, it is most likely a fault from the fuel pump or carburetor (for older models). When you turn the bike ignition on, if a whistling sound is not heard, then the fuel pump is not turning on. If the bike does not crank, then most likely the kick-starter is bad. If the bike’s acceleration is poor, then the spark plugs, carburetor or fuel pump needs to be checked. Riding on our bad roads can loosen some fuses in the fuse box. So it is a good place to start your troubleshooting from. I am not a mechanic, so I cannot tell you how to fix these issues.

I am not the most experienced rider in Nigeria. I am not even among the top ranked riders. There are a few individuals who have broken barriers and set records in biking in Nigeria. Such names are very famous in the Nigerian biking community. If you are a biker and you do not know them, then you sir are not a biker. One of such names is Ogbonnaya Kanu. Everyone knows him as Fotodadi. He rode a motorcycle from Nigeria to South Africa and back. He also rode to Europe and back. He wrote a book about his adventures and experiences, and is so generous to have donated its sale proceeds to the charity. I think his book even covers more than everything I have written in this article.

Time to conclude! I have explained the much I know about travelling in Nigeria. Just like my previous article, I try to write my story according to what I know, or at least what I assume should be correct. I draw my inspiration from the originality of my content, and I avoid researching. So, if you enjoyed this article and want to know more, maybe with more concrete facts and figures, then maybe you should buy Uncle Ogbonnaya Kanu’s book. I did not pass tops in my English courses. Please ignore grammatical errors. After all, I am not getting paid to do this! I am only a mere biker on vacation from work and no previous experience or qualification in writing articles. Stay blessed!