R
Red Adventure
Guest
All this talk of Dusty Butts and all made me want to revissit my RR of the 1600 ride id to get to know my R1150GSAdv, and shock horror I never put it on this forum so here is a old ride report. :thumleft:
"My Red Adventure
By Charl Smit
Something that has been a topic of conversation for sometime now has been the â??Iron Butt Associationâ?. There have been many articles written by people that have done these rides, as has there been some criticism by some that have not.
I have never been one that believes in commenting on something that I have not experienced first hand, neither have I been one to turn down the opportunity to experience something out of the ordinary.
This was the motivation to part with my trusty DR650RS and purchase a reliable long distance motorcycle. After two poor decisions with older Japanese versions, my Saddle Sore ride was starting to look like my five attempts at doing the Dessert Run but just never getting the right bike at the same time as the pardon from family obligations.
With a lot of inspiration from Charley Borman and Ewan Mc Gregor and the motivation from Nikeâ??s slogan I made the decision to purchase a R1150GS Adventure. The R1200GS seemed to lack the character of the Adventure model and with its replacement coming onto the market I figured I should find one at a fair price. When I saw an advert that described a R1150GS Adventure as red in colour, I decided that something unique was just what I was looking for and bought what has turned out to be the best buy I have made in years!
What better way to get to know my Red Adventure than to spend a whole day with it, and a date was set for my first Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1600k. The date was to be Friday 16th June 2006 just before fatherâ??s day so that the family could have no opportunity to persuading me to do something ordinary.
The morning started at 2:00am, to get to the V&A Caltex garage for a 3:00am start. By 3:05am I was off after all the required documentation was done and assuring a very helpful and friendly attendant named â??Locksmithâ? that I would return that same evening. (Ask for Locksmith when filling your motorcycle at the V&A Caltex garage, as he is an expert at filling BMW motorcycles without splatters or spills)
The mist between Potsdam and Moorreesburg was made easy by a madman in a bakkie, driving at up to 120km/h at times with just his hazard lights as warning of him coming along. I decided to sit behind him with my hazards on and follow his lead leaving enough braking distance between us. Out of the mist with a very grateful wave to my leader it was on to Vanryhnsdorp, which came very quickly.
After a short fuel stop and a hot cup of coffee from my flask I was off to the cold part of the trip.
Passing through Calvinia was cold, but hell Iâ??ve done a Brass Monkey to Southerland in winter without heated grips. These thoughts were still fresh in my mind when I started to feel rather cold. Even with the heated grips set to max, I was starting to feel the pain set in. As the sun was soon to rise I felt sure it would be short lived and had always believed the theory of the coldest part of the day before sunrise was just a mindset. I was wrong this was the coldest 150km I have ever experienced, to such an extent that when reaching Brandvlie I was sure the fuse of my heated grips had blow until I took off my helmet and felt the warmth of my gloves on my face.
Tank filled, flask empty and the sun now shining it was time to up the pace to make up for the lost time pacing the garage driveway to warm up. Riding with the sun now shinning on me the road surface looking like it had been covered in glitter, things were really starting to look up. That was till I stopped to take a photo just outside Kenhardt of a Kaokerboom forest up on a hill. While putting my camera away I realised to my horror that my (it should be fine) rear tyre had now become a (must have been a good burnout) square bald rear tyre. Not even halfway, I decided to readjusted my speed to a below 160km pace for the rest of the day.
The Orange River was full and flowing strong, the road to Upington quiet and uneventful. I filled up in Upington and headed back to Keimoes and then on to Pofadder thinking about what the guys at the IBA are going to be saying about the names of these towns out here in the Northern Cape.
From Pofadder it was on to Springbok for another fuel stop and a bite to eat. I was ahead of time and was bound to be back in Cape Town by sunset.
Vanrhynsdorpâ??s garage was noisy from taxies blasting loud music (yes some people do call it that) and intoxicated passengers screaming out at each other over the noise. This made my stop sort and I decided move on to the Clanwilliam Dam for some photos of the full to capacity dam and a last bite to eat before the last stretch back to the V&A Waterfront.
My increased haste caused me to make a unscheduled stop at the Swartland garage for a bit more fuel and then on to the V&A Caltex garage by 6:12pm. To see the smile on Locksmithâ??s face when he saw me stop at the same pump again made me forget about all my aces and pains and appreciate the fact that we can do these wonderful things within this beautiful country of ours all year round.
Last stop for a drink with my friend Werner and on home to the always welcoming arms of my family.
1842km on the Odometer
15 hours 10 minuets as per petrol slips
167 litres of expensive fuel
Will I do it again? I hear that the Dusty Butt 1600k is quiet a challenge, if any body wants to do it please let me know so we can start planning.
p.s.The Desert Run is definitely on the cards for Easter next year."
Well that never happened but never say never :mwink:
"My Red Adventure
By Charl Smit
Something that has been a topic of conversation for sometime now has been the â??Iron Butt Associationâ?. There have been many articles written by people that have done these rides, as has there been some criticism by some that have not.
I have never been one that believes in commenting on something that I have not experienced first hand, neither have I been one to turn down the opportunity to experience something out of the ordinary.
This was the motivation to part with my trusty DR650RS and purchase a reliable long distance motorcycle. After two poor decisions with older Japanese versions, my Saddle Sore ride was starting to look like my five attempts at doing the Dessert Run but just never getting the right bike at the same time as the pardon from family obligations.
With a lot of inspiration from Charley Borman and Ewan Mc Gregor and the motivation from Nikeâ??s slogan I made the decision to purchase a R1150GS Adventure. The R1200GS seemed to lack the character of the Adventure model and with its replacement coming onto the market I figured I should find one at a fair price. When I saw an advert that described a R1150GS Adventure as red in colour, I decided that something unique was just what I was looking for and bought what has turned out to be the best buy I have made in years!
What better way to get to know my Red Adventure than to spend a whole day with it, and a date was set for my first Iron Butt Saddle Sore 1600k. The date was to be Friday 16th June 2006 just before fatherâ??s day so that the family could have no opportunity to persuading me to do something ordinary.
The morning started at 2:00am, to get to the V&A Caltex garage for a 3:00am start. By 3:05am I was off after all the required documentation was done and assuring a very helpful and friendly attendant named â??Locksmithâ? that I would return that same evening. (Ask for Locksmith when filling your motorcycle at the V&A Caltex garage, as he is an expert at filling BMW motorcycles without splatters or spills)
The mist between Potsdam and Moorreesburg was made easy by a madman in a bakkie, driving at up to 120km/h at times with just his hazard lights as warning of him coming along. I decided to sit behind him with my hazards on and follow his lead leaving enough braking distance between us. Out of the mist with a very grateful wave to my leader it was on to Vanryhnsdorp, which came very quickly.
After a short fuel stop and a hot cup of coffee from my flask I was off to the cold part of the trip.
Passing through Calvinia was cold, but hell Iâ??ve done a Brass Monkey to Southerland in winter without heated grips. These thoughts were still fresh in my mind when I started to feel rather cold. Even with the heated grips set to max, I was starting to feel the pain set in. As the sun was soon to rise I felt sure it would be short lived and had always believed the theory of the coldest part of the day before sunrise was just a mindset. I was wrong this was the coldest 150km I have ever experienced, to such an extent that when reaching Brandvlie I was sure the fuse of my heated grips had blow until I took off my helmet and felt the warmth of my gloves on my face.
Tank filled, flask empty and the sun now shining it was time to up the pace to make up for the lost time pacing the garage driveway to warm up. Riding with the sun now shinning on me the road surface looking like it had been covered in glitter, things were really starting to look up. That was till I stopped to take a photo just outside Kenhardt of a Kaokerboom forest up on a hill. While putting my camera away I realised to my horror that my (it should be fine) rear tyre had now become a (must have been a good burnout) square bald rear tyre. Not even halfway, I decided to readjusted my speed to a below 160km pace for the rest of the day.
The Orange River was full and flowing strong, the road to Upington quiet and uneventful. I filled up in Upington and headed back to Keimoes and then on to Pofadder thinking about what the guys at the IBA are going to be saying about the names of these towns out here in the Northern Cape.
From Pofadder it was on to Springbok for another fuel stop and a bite to eat. I was ahead of time and was bound to be back in Cape Town by sunset.
Vanrhynsdorpâ??s garage was noisy from taxies blasting loud music (yes some people do call it that) and intoxicated passengers screaming out at each other over the noise. This made my stop sort and I decided move on to the Clanwilliam Dam for some photos of the full to capacity dam and a last bite to eat before the last stretch back to the V&A Waterfront.
My increased haste caused me to make a unscheduled stop at the Swartland garage for a bit more fuel and then on to the V&A Caltex garage by 6:12pm. To see the smile on Locksmithâ??s face when he saw me stop at the same pump again made me forget about all my aces and pains and appreciate the fact that we can do these wonderful things within this beautiful country of ours all year round.
Last stop for a drink with my friend Werner and on home to the always welcoming arms of my family.
1842km on the Odometer
15 hours 10 minuets as per petrol slips
167 litres of expensive fuel
Will I do it again? I hear that the Dusty Butt 1600k is quiet a challenge, if any body wants to do it please let me know so we can start planning.
p.s.The Desert Run is definitely on the cards for Easter next year."
Well that never happened but never say never :mwink:
