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Comment by bnegreve | Hacker News Reader

What makes you think it is fake ?

It's very likely that it's fake. It's very difficult to survive in the desert for twelve days, even if you have adequate water, let alone survive and find the energy to build a motorcycle, as rudimentary as this one might be.

Finally, in a few of the pictures the supposed engineer of this contraption is shown in a thong. I don't know about you, but if I were in an arid place the last thing I would want is my skin exposed to sun and the air.

It may be a real motorcycle, and that's cool, but it's very unlikely it was built under the conditions discussed in this article.

"It's very difficult to survive in the desert for twelve days..."

My co-founder survived in the Desert for 52 days after crossing the Gobi Desert entirely on foot in 2011. Not all deserts are 50C every day and explorers can be quite hardy. Also, they often wear clothes to cover all extremities, including gloves to cover fingers.

Not all deserts are 50C every day, but all deserts are dry.

Deserts have water, but most of it is stored in plants and underground.

It's near a coast too: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4007858

He had supplies with him. He wasn't living off the land.

Yes, after eating his photographer he called the front desk to extend his stay until the licence plate and kickstand were assembled.

Deserts don't get much rain, but they still have rivers. Some rivers are seasonal[1], others permanent, and all you need is some chlorine tablets and you have a decent supply of water if one is nearby.

Also, if he was concerned about theft by the locals, that means that there were other people around from whom he could have obtained water and food.

EDIT: It seems that this did happen right next to a river [2]

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henley-on-Todd_Regatta [2] http://chameaudacier.free.fr/bato1.html

The motorcycle may be real, but the story is bull.

12 days. In the desert.

I doubt this dude keeps two weeks of water in his trunk.

This was near Tan-Tan in Morocco, a coastal area likely not completely dry (can see some trees on satellite photos).

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Tan-tan&ll=28.357568,-10....

One having 12 days of drinking water in his trunk is anything but shocking for the area.

Also the motorcycle ain't awesome at all, only one gear with a crappy transmission, making it a barely practical contraption.

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