CABC (Cape Adventure Bike Challenge) Official Report

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Garden Route Motorcycles CABC a huge success!

Article: Johann van Tonder

The Cape Adventure Bike Challenge or “CABC”, as it is known among contestants, finally returned to the Southern Cape on the last weekend of October after an absence of nine years. The event was held at Rooiberg Lodge near Van Wyksdorp in the Klein Karoo, as it was in 2010. This spectacular event was well supported, despite the economic hardship the Covid Pandemic, with some contestants being return contestants from previous events. There was a good mix of bikes with engine sizes varying from 250 to 1250. The Honda Africa Twin (all of them DCT models) were best represented while the Zontes 310T Adventure bike also impressed, competing in and completing the Red Routes.

The 2020 version of the CABC saw a new format with the focus on adventure riding. Riders were randomly paired up and scoring focused on getting yourself, your buddy and your bikes to the destination, as it would be on an adventure ride. Even the skills challenges were designed to be similar to what a rider could encounter on a trip, so there were no irrelevant challenges like riding over see-saws and being penalized if you put your foot down. The aim was to solve problems and get over or around obstacles while looking after your buddy and your bike. All the while some fun activities were integrated like target shooting and barrel racing, the latter done for fun after the last skills challenges concluded.

On the first day, after finishing qualifying obstacles to rate their capability, riders explored Red and Orange routes. Routes were ridden at own pace with your buddy without time constraints, allowing a lot of time for stops and photographs in this breathtaking part of the Klein Karoo. Wildlife were spotted regularly and the view from the summit of a mountain, from where you could see Ladismith, Calitsdorp and Van Wyksdorp at once in a 360-degree panorama, left riders in awe. While scenic, these rides were designed to challenge. Red riders had to contend with “The Devil’s Staircase” while Orange Riders battled through a 4km stretch of sand in their route. Back at camp after the outride stories of near-misses, actual falls and general adventure riding fun abounded.

The second day was dominated by a set of 10 skills challenges, carefully laid out on the venue grounds, allowing spectators to be part of the fun. Riders were cheered on in a festival atmosphere and some riders demonstrated skills usually only seen in Pro events. After the skills challenges concluded and the scoring was being done, riders challenged each other to some barrel races – always a crowd pleaser!

The event concluded with a traditional African Braai in the Boma under the African Skies. Thanks to generous sponsorships there were almost as many prizes as contestants, but most of all were the smiles.

The main awards went to Marlise McLachlan on a KTM690 as overall winner Orange, Steward Harvey, riding a Honda CRF250 Rally, won the “King of the Mountain” category while Jonathan St Clair riding a KTM 790 Adventure R Rally was the overall winner.

Contestants were in agreement that the Garden Route Motorcycles CABC 2021 event being held over the long weekend in September is not to be missed! The next event will be capped at 80 riders.
 

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