- Joined
- Jun 15, 2014
- Messages
- 2,722
- Reaction score
- 490
- Bike
- Honda CRF-1000L Africa Twin
I’m starting this ride report on behalf of myself; Skolla and Baked Beans. They will add their own opinions/moments as we go on, and lots of pictures will follow…
I’m no priest or angel, but “praise the Lord” for being safely home – all of us!!
This is not about trying to convince you that this little story is the biggest accomplishment in biking the last 100yrs – no, neither can a amateur story or pictures really explain it – but, to me it was quite an experience, not necessarily in terms of biking, but more about life in general – especially in South Africa and Lesotho/ China B ….
It started off as an idea between me and Skolla to do a bit of riding this winter holiday :, while at the same time working in a visit to my elderly parents in Bethlehem, as well as a visit to his son in Richmond - Natal Midlands. A small “cheers” to GlenInk while passing Bastervoet was also on the cards . The rest was left to the spur of the moment… :eek7:
11 days later we’ve travelled 3275km through 5 provinces, as well as Lesotho and Transkei. We stayed 2 days/3 nights at both my parents and his son respectively, and did some local riding while there during the “off” days.
The bikes:
1. Triumph 800XC (10 500km after trip)
2. Suzuki DR650 (41200km after trip)
3. Honda XR650L (20 300km after trip)
Bike problems:
DR stripped front sprocket 20km from destination on Day 4, late at night… :snorting:
Triumph had 3 punctures on rear tyre - none connected to each other. :snorting: :snorting: :snorting:
So, actually all 3 bikes behaved impeccably – Baked Beans himself is to be blamed for the sprocket >, but I won’t say anything, as I also held my breath for my XR’s 20000 hard km old chain and sprockets… :-[
What was bad?
Dust....dust....dust....
Icy cold in places; rained dripping wet near Hogsback and then frozen up!!!
Icy stormy cross-winds for 100’s of kms from Hogsback to Jansenville…
Animals (especially goats); reckless local drivers atch:; road works; sewerage running down streets ; no logical system or pattern and severe poverty surrounding you for days on end!!
What was good?
We survived unscathed!
We probably saw some of the most beautiful places on earth! :drif:
Camaraderie atch:! Lots of laughs and partying around fires! :lol8:
WE ARE FREE AND RODE OUR BIKES UNTILL IT HURT!!!
Here are just a few pics for tonight….
I’m no priest or angel, but “praise the Lord” for being safely home – all of us!!
This is not about trying to convince you that this little story is the biggest accomplishment in biking the last 100yrs – no, neither can a amateur story or pictures really explain it – but, to me it was quite an experience, not necessarily in terms of biking, but more about life in general – especially in South Africa and Lesotho/ China B ….
It started off as an idea between me and Skolla to do a bit of riding this winter holiday :, while at the same time working in a visit to my elderly parents in Bethlehem, as well as a visit to his son in Richmond - Natal Midlands. A small “cheers” to GlenInk while passing Bastervoet was also on the cards . The rest was left to the spur of the moment… :eek7:
11 days later we’ve travelled 3275km through 5 provinces, as well as Lesotho and Transkei. We stayed 2 days/3 nights at both my parents and his son respectively, and did some local riding while there during the “off” days.
The bikes:
1. Triumph 800XC (10 500km after trip)
2. Suzuki DR650 (41200km after trip)
3. Honda XR650L (20 300km after trip)
Bike problems:
DR stripped front sprocket 20km from destination on Day 4, late at night… :snorting:
Triumph had 3 punctures on rear tyre - none connected to each other. :snorting: :snorting: :snorting:
So, actually all 3 bikes behaved impeccably – Baked Beans himself is to be blamed for the sprocket >, but I won’t say anything, as I also held my breath for my XR’s 20000 hard km old chain and sprockets… :-[
What was bad?
Dust....dust....dust....
Icy cold in places; rained dripping wet near Hogsback and then frozen up!!!
Icy stormy cross-winds for 100’s of kms from Hogsback to Jansenville…
Animals (especially goats); reckless local drivers atch:; road works; sewerage running down streets ; no logical system or pattern and severe poverty surrounding you for days on end!!
What was good?
We survived unscathed!
We probably saw some of the most beautiful places on earth! :drif:
Camaraderie atch:! Lots of laughs and partying around fires! :lol8:
WE ARE FREE AND RODE OUR BIKES UNTILL IT HURT!!!
Here are just a few pics for tonight….