Marc's Honda C90 "Gapper"
MAG Ireland’s Training Officer, Marc O’Loideoin, is embarking on an epic charity motorcycle adventure with a difference. The aptly titled “Gambia on a Gapper” trip will see Marc & eight other hardy souls ride Honda step through mopeds from Portsmouth, England to The Gambia in West Africa – specifically to the Bansang Hospital in Eastern Gambia – where the bikes, all the riders kit plus a truck load of spares & supplies will be handed over to the Hospital.
After the guys have serviced the bikes, they’ll be used by the Gambian medics to cover a vast area with little or no infrastructure. The rugged little Honda is a mainstay of transport in many developing countries, and more than half a million Gambians depend on the facilities provided by the 160 bed Hospital, one of only three hospitals in the entire country.
This is the third trip of it’s kind, but Marc is the first Irish rider ever to take part. The aim is to demonstrate that it’s possible to a lot with very little. The nine Honda step-through mopeds are the sort of bike most riders wouldn’t give a second glance to, but in The Gambia they are prized for their efficiency and reliability.
Marc’s mount for the trip will be the Honda C90 pictured above. Imagine riding that bike onto the ferry at Portsmouth in the UK, riding off again at Santander in Northern Spain, then riding to Southern Spain before embarking on a ferry to Morocco. On landing in Morocco, their route is across the Atlas mountains, and down the west coast of Africa to The Gambia. Then it’s a 300-odd kilometer trek inland to Bansang. An incredible journey on any bike, and a truly epic one on a Honda C90.
MAG Ireland is supporting the project by providing hosting for Marc’s “Gambia on a Gapper” website where, as time and connectivity permits, he’ll be keeping a blog detailing the trip as it happens. Details on how you can help to support the project, together with all the background information on the Bansang Hospital, the charity, and lots more besides are available on the web site at: http://gapper.magireland.org
On behalf of all MAG Ireland members, we on the MAG board wish all the participants the very best of luck.
Ride safe guys!