Roof of Africa 2019

[BiG DoM]

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Great result. My son Josh (who has done three Roofs and was there doing media this year) took this photo BTW  Let me know if you want a hi res version.

[Yami Super 10]

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Great result. My son Josh (who has done three Roofs and was there doing media this year) took this photo BTW  Let me know if you want a hi res version.

YES PLZ! Would be great.
A lot of people have spoken and complemented on this picture. Someone sent it to me, taken off FB somewhere.

[LoopSoosStroop]

Yami, what mods does his 250x have? Seems like there were quite a few Yamahas in the mix this year.

[BiG DoM]

Yami, what mods does his 250x have? Seems like there were quite a few Yamahas in the mix this year.

Not sure on this bike but the guys do a weighted fly-wheel, good engine, linkage and brake protection, some do a WR gearbox mod but at least sprocket selection, reinforce rear chain guard, A Lectron carb is a cherry on top.

[Welsh]

I heard there is TV coverage of the event this weekend?

[Yami Super 10]

Yami, what mods does his 250x have? Seems like there were quite a few Yamahas in the mix this year.

Swing-arm reinforced
Gearbox mod. Think longer second gear and "5th" not sure.
Weighted flywheel
Removed the shim on the power-valve spring, this makes the X much smoother with throttle response.
Lectron carb is a must for the roof.

[Yami Super 10]

I heard there is TV coverage of the event this weekend?

On Ignition
SAT 6am and 4pm
SUN 4am and12pm
MON.1am
TUES 7pm
WED 11pm
THURS 3am
FRI 7am

[LoopSoosStroop]

Swing-arm reinforced
Gearbox mod. Think longer second gear and "5th" not sure.
Weighted flywheel
Removed the shim on the power-valve spring, this makes the X much smoother with throttle response.
Lectron carb is a must for the roof.

Very interesting, thank you!

What is done to the swing arm?

Any why a Yamaha in the first place? I'm also a Jap bike fan, but it's hard to justify given the Katooms are more "roof ready" out of the box.

[Sheepman]

Junior (My son) Bronze Roof report.

When I got back to SA, I was all focused to get packed and ready to hit the road on the Monday 2nd to Lesotho.
I had quite a few things to do, trailer license disc renewal and upgrade the Cruisers breaks to my newly purchased “power brake” pads and discs.

We hit the road on Monday morning at about 5am in convoy of another Droomers Yamaha teammate. The road up was quiet, but the wind was pumping! We arrived in Bloem at about 3.30 in the afternoon.
Everyone relaxed by the pool with a few cold ones and kids played in the pool.

Dinner time we went to the local steak house, Long Horn…..food was great! Each one packed a serious steak away.
Next morning, we took it easy, late breakfast and went to the shops before we left for Maseru. Boarder control was a breeze, SA and Lesotho side.

Wednesday morning, we took the bike for documentation control and scrutinizing. Evening was riders briefing and dropping off of fuel drums, for the unassisted fuel stops.

Thursday morning was the usual round the house’s entertainment.  We fitted Juniors Yami with a spare rim with a hard tire and moose, which he managed to finish it. He enjoyed it and managed to stay in one piece and on the bike. The bike also handled the abuse.
When finished, we headed out to the main starting point for time trials.
End of the day, he managed to finish 35, after starting off last row in the first group.

Friday we all were lucky, overcast but no rain.
The day was long, DSP and viewpoints where difficult. I managed to get to the Refuel point just in-time but did not give Junior a new pair of goggles. One of the pit crew used a cloth with something on the spoilt the inside and Junior could not use them for the rest of the second half of the race. He finished 32 at the end of the day. (I took the blame for that…)

Saturday, Junior was ready, he said that today is his day. There is a 16km straight up mountain section before the main DSP. It’s the make or break section.
I did not stay for the start, as I opted to go to one of the viewpoints and then straight to the refueling DSP.
When the Bronze riders started coming past, I was keeping count. Well that did not help. As within those 5km from start, Junior made up 10 places. So, I missed taking pictures as he surprised me when he raced by.

We left for the refueling DSP. This was a mission on its own!
Finally arrived there and had all the sweets, energy drinks and bars ready, AND the spare set of goggles.
We could not track the riders as the cellphone reception was shitty and data limited. My daughter tracked Junior and kept me updated via sms. Which was not good news at that point in time, she said that the team (three riders) are all bunched together 16km from DSP. For us it meant that everyone was stuck in the bottleneck. The updates showed very little movement. After about an hour, still not much of an update, Junior came racing into the pits, without a shirt, just body armor on. Face red and eyes like fire balls.
He said that all the Yami’s are having a problem with airlocks. He took his breather pipe off the filler cap and was working. When he got to his teammate, he opened up his fuel tank, but got spayed with fuel in the face and all over his neck. He used his shirt and water to wash it off.
This was an issue with a non-return valve in the breather pipe, which blocked up on high altitude. With his mechanical background he managed to assist himself and fellow teammates.

With this sportsmanship and care for fellow teammates will get him quite far in life. Maybe not being first on the podium, but first in my books.

We changed hydro bladder, new shirt, bike fueled and off he left.

The last section of the day, he pinned it all the way!
He managed to finish the day in 6th.
  :thumleft:13th Overall for the Roof of Africa 2019 Bronze class.

Next year it will be silver.

Congrats with your son's excellent Roof 👍

[Yami Super 10]

Swing-arm reinforced
Gearbox mod. Think longer second gear and "5th" not sure.
Weighted flywheel
Removed the shim on the power-valve spring, this makes the X much smoother with throttle response.
Lectron carb is a must for the roof.

Very interesting, thank you!

What is done to the swing arm?

Any why a Yamaha in the first place? I'm also a Jap bike fan, but it's hard to justify given the Katooms are more "roof ready" out of the box.

They weld an reinforcement plate at the bottom of the swing arm....why? Cant tell you

My son started on a KTM 200. Unfortunately the support for the product in Cape Town was zero
I have always been a Yami owner and supporter The dogs are going to give quite a few wise cracks on this

I bought my son a 250X and 250FX and he has been racing off road and enduro for the past two years and with the great Droomers support on the races, I cant fault them or the product.
Yamaha has alway had a good support team on the roof.

As for your statement that KTM are "roof ready" No sir! Not one KTM out the box will have their shocks ready for the roof. Owners spend thousands to get them dialled in.
As for the Yami, a few minor clicks on the shocks, and off you go.
The only thing which KTM does have, is the happy button. But once you know the bike......you dont need a happy button and the bike is lighter without a starter and battery.

[LoopSoosStroop]

Lekker man, thanks for the answers Yami, think Yamaha can still do very well if they make the X with happy button and the right gearing, off the floor.

[BiG DoM]

The Yammy is also way cheaper, no new tech to go wrong (yes TPI, sensors etc), cheaper to mantain, and bullet proof.

The swingarm thing is not to strengthen the swing arm - it is merely welding to reinforce the brackets that the lower chain guide attaches to so if it get a big hit it will survive. Preventative mod. 

My son who has done Bronze, Silver and Gold on KTM's has just sold his and bought the Yammy 250X.
(for noting Kyle Flanagan won the National Enduro series this year on one).

And yes it is true KTM's are no longer race ready.

[exkdx]

Just released on youtube
60min video of 2019 Roof
Fantastic footage!!

Chris Birch quote - "I've ridden more than 50 countries around the world and there is no other place like Lesotho"

Maybe someone can embed the video but here's the link

https://youtu.be/EpXz6sws-cc

[shark_za]

[Clockwork Orange]

Thanks Shark, I thoroughly enjoyed that

[Pom17]

I was very chuffed with the youngster, overall 28th in Silver
We had an awesome week in the mountains once again

@edgy
What are the odds. I spent a lot of time riding with your son on the Friday. Very nice guy, but that poor 125 did not do him any favours in some of the sections.
He still rode it like a machine and I actually took the time to compliment him on it.

[Pom17]

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@Yami Super 10
What a small world. Your son joined me on a training ride one weekend. So actually know him.
Glad he did so well. Awesome job

[Pom17]

Had a good race this year with only some minor issues.
Did silver, my 2nd roof, last year bronze.
Still using my trusty 2017 KTM 300 with 270hrs on

Day 1 (Time trial and round the houses)
Round the houses did not count towards the overall time, but you had to compete otherwise you will be penalised.
I rode around on the tar, saving tyres and engine, so slowly that marshals pulled me over and said the race was done with me still having a lap to go

Time trial was less than an hour of racing, very fast with no real technical riding. Still a lot of fun
It went well until I had a huge crash into a donga. Fell more than 3m down, luckily into a mud pit.
Mud was so deep I had to ask friends to help me pull the bike out. Think this saved me from serious injury cause I was lights out for a few moments in that mud.
It also stank like human shit  Had to drive home on the back cause I stank so much.

Bronze went out on the Time Trial before silver, so waited around for them to clear track.
When we eventually went it turned out that it was still not enough time. Got stuck in 3 bottlenecks, tried to push past but some okes got seriously upset. So just waited it out when we had no other line

Ended up 29th in TT which was not a great start to the weekend, but OK considering the fall and bottlenecks


Day 2: Friday
Long day for silver. 160kms in total.
A friend and I stuck together. The aim was to conserve energy since I have never done 160kms in Lesotho.
The friend had a cold and mid way through the day started to struggle with his breathing. I tried to keep him positive and keep the momentum going, but he eventually sat down and refused to continue riding with me.
He felt that he was holding me back and forced me to push on by myself. Felt really kak leaving him there. But in the end it gave him some time to recover and manage his own pace better.

Riding was actually not too technical, just long and exhausting.
Worst feeling looking down at the GPS and it says 40kms to go. And when you look down again in what feels like an hour, it says 38kms to go.

Came in 31st spot for the day. I felt bad about leaving the friend behind, he eventually made it, but also felt like I had so much left in the tank after the Friday.
Did not push hard enough and was riding way to conservatively.

Day 3: Saturday
Told the friend and family from the start that this would be the day that I leave nothing in the tank.
100% race mode from the start.
The day was a bit shorter in distance but more technical. I preferred this type of riding and had a blast.
Lost the rear brake just after leaving the assisted refuel. Broke the lever clean off when it got snagged on a rock on one of the faster sections.

Downhills became a major issue. Killed the engine to brake with the engine, but it would obviously run start on the downhills.
I resorted to walking the downhills but on those steep inclines, a small bump when jumping off a drop would start the bike and down we would both go.

Eventually stopped by a few locals who got their hands on a piece of pipe and I could bend what was left of the lever open enough to just snag it with the side of my boot.

Came in 14th for the day, resulting in a 21 overall. 1 Spot ahead of @edgy junior

[Pom17]

Will post a few pics soon.

[Yami Super 10]

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@Yami Super 10
What a small world. Your son joined me on a training ride one weekend. So actually know him.
Glad he did so well. Awesome job

Thanks 
Ya we were all quite surprised on the end results.
He is wanting to do Silver this year, but was told by Graham Hedcock, he must do Gold. So the bugger is not knowing what to do.
Graham has been with him from Junior class and said his riding skill has amazed him, on how quick he has picked up the pace.

But will see what the year hold in for Junior.

With Tankwa Rally Cross, he want to start racing Xcounrty and road map. So will see what happens to dads bank balance with a 450 and its kit.