Glad to help Tuscan!

If you are shipping a bike over and back, then it might be worth seeing how much of a price difference it is - probably not that much as the crates will be a similar size...

Like you say, an XR400 with a big tank (and maybe a luggage rack) is really all you need - I took mine to Morocco in 2006 (trailered the bikes to southern Spain, then rode the whole way to the Sahara and back, 2000kms in 11 days)...

However, as you know you really need to keep on top of the oil changes with the XR, and there are a lot of eastern sections of the TAT (and especially getting to the start from wherever your bike is shipped to) that the Tenere would win hands down comfort wise.

Either bike would be excellent - hell, a ten year old Super Sherpa would be a blast - the TAT is a fantastic ride on anything! But having done it on the Tenere, I'd suggest that would be my #1 choice... even if parts are readily available, you really shouldn't need anything other than tyres (and maybe sprockets)... and hell, if you could bare to part with it, any number of Yankees would bite your hand off to buy it off you when you're done!

J xx

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