As a boy, one of my best friend's dad was a mechanic on a big citrus farm. In his spare time he fixed motorcycles for everyone. There were always about 3 - 6 motorcycles, ready for collection from their owners. We took it upon ourselves to test-drive these motorcycles for their owners, just to make sure they were really fixed. Riding on farm roads, we got good experience in handling motorcycles. We did not have any protective clothing, not even helmets, so falling was just not an option. Always riding barefoot, pt shorts and T-shirt. Well, there was the odd fall now and then, mostly slipping in muddy clay in the orchards, but with the help of our protecting Angles, never major incidents.
About 10 years ago, I worked on a citrus farm in Citrusdal. There I rode a Yamaha TW200 for working purposes on the farm. (Much more fuel efficient than a bakkie). Ok . . so . . . that's about how long ago I was riding motorcycle.
Some loves never leave you, and although my wife thinks it's my midlife crisis setting in, I recently decided it was time to own my first ever motorcycle. In this big Nothern Cape area, there's just too much gravel roads and forgotten places to explore !
This is the bike I decided on: 2007 Kawasaki KLR 650, with 30 000 km on the clock, in real good condition and well mentained.
It's an "old school" bike, like me, which can be fixed with "tang en draad"
Unfortunately the costs don't stop with the bike. Protection gear, with which I would not dare go without now, cost an arm and a leg. But there's no price on your safety.
It started with a very good helmet (BMW Enduro) and adventure riding jacket:
In the process of buying the bike, I heard that on the next weekend it was the yearly Great Kalahari Bike Challenge. Without hesitation (or without clear thinking), I entered myself. I mean, how tuff can it be driving 280 km of gravel road for a day ??
So the bike was bought in Upington, but I wanted to add some stuff like crashbars, new sprockets and chain, 12Volt socket and a GPS holder. So the bike stayed in Upington until the Friday before the trip.
At four o'clock Friday I collected the bike, climb on it for the first time and rode 50 km's to the starting point of the challenge where we overnighted.
Fuelling the bike before we left Upington.
I had a backup crew (work colleagues) driving with me all the way in their Land Rover.
(A Landi always has a great toolbox and extra oil !)
Ready to rumble !!!
Arriving at Kalahari Guesthouse Farm (50 km outside Upington)
A big tent was set up for sleeping courters
A guy called "Beertjie" (Little Bear), insisted on, his princess sleeping with him.
(Beertjie still sleeping under that huge pile of blankets)
My "princess" slept outside with the backup crew
With consequences . . . . . . frost
After a really nice breakfast, we were briefed and it was time to hit the road
We were escorted by paramedics:
On this stretch of very sandy road, the paramedics had some work to do, bikes were lying skatterd as some fell and others were struggling through.
I opted with these guys, climbing out of the road onto a pan next to the road.
Making friends on the way . . . .
Hannes, all the way from Pretoria
"Pep"talk from the crew . . . . .
Filling up at Noenieput
As we say in Afrikaans: 'n Anderste mooi
For lunch there was a braai for us at a farmers house.
After lunch, there was an optional 30km route in the dunes for the guys that got bored from the gravel roads.
This is why I didn't go on the "red" route:
The owner of BMW Upington, I'm sure was putting in some extra effort to market the capability of the BMW GS motorcycles.
He took this:
And changed it into this:
Fortunately, because of all his protective gear, he was fine.
Unfortunately he didn't make his point on GS's sand capability . . . . .
At this stage, I was beyond tired, and pressed on to the finish.
Finally, arriving at the Molopo Lodge
Bushed !!!
280 km of gravel road behind me.
On Sunday morning, before heading back home, my backup crew did some "work: on the bike.
On my way back on Sunday, at Goerapan in the background.
After a weekend's great performance, it was time for some TLC
