Aaaannd... ACTION. Kreefs track, take 2. Michiels Video is up too

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Kamanya

Andrew to most
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Location
Cape Town, deep in the lentils
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KTM 990 Adventure
The video will be up sometime this week. 3 of us have taken video so there should be a lot that gets posted. But to kick things off.

My video is on page 2

I got the secret handshake a while ago alerting me to a “Kreef track” that needed to be done again to prove a point about 2 strokes and 4 strokes. Personally, after today I think the competitive thing was bullshit. Micheil just wanted carnage videos and made up some excuse to get them.

I seen this road from the freeway and often thought about it, then I saw the ride report a few months ago and was a little jealous. So I was super stoked to get the nod to try it.

Some of us met on the N1



But all of us gathered not far from the farm and then parked at the base of the track.



Riding into the farm, I had a good look at the parts I could see. From the freeway, it looks steep. From the farm road I have never seen a dirt track that steep. This is a Meneer of a track. Trust me, it’s up there some where;



I had been debating as to whether I should have gone a put a new back tire on the day before but thought, ag, how bad can it be. Now that I saw the track maybe I shouldn’t have tried to save a few rands.

The normal before a ride banter ably led by 2StokeDan started whilst the 2 stroke boys got into their kinky kit. I let my tires down to as low as I dared.





Michiel was doing his Speelberg thing from the word go, “Ok, park here, look there! No, man! Look there when I tell you to. Ahh crap, let me get my more experienced model, he’s done this before. Sack! Ok, look over there!”

The 2 stroke guys headed off first then I went but almost immediately the track gets savage. Big rocks that threw me off line whilst the rear is fighting for traction. I was thrown off the track and there was no way the bike was going to get going again on that gradient. I turned it around with Michiels help and headed down for another go.

The 2 stoke boys I could see weren’t having it all their own way. Far up the hill in the distance I could see a bit of carnage going on. My second go was slightly better but still took an off piste detour. It’s the hardest riding I’ve ever done with this bike. It wasn’t long before I was sucking air and scrabbling my way up. I had some help with a push here and there. All of us made it up past the first section.





It is about 100 meters of 30 degree steep two track river bed type rocks about 30 cms big with two turns in it just to keep you on your toes. Brutal.







We got to an easier bit and gathered ourselves.



The next hard section is a hair pin leading onto another very steep grade of 100m with loose deep 5cm stones. Again I got a third of the way up when the back kicked out, got me half turned and I lost all momentum. It is much easier to go to the bottom and start again so once again I turned around and headed for the bottom. Sack had just gone up, made it much further than me before he decided to throw the towel in. He passed me saying he was finished. He looked it. It was tempting to follow him, but it’s amazing what a video camera on you will do.

I made it almost to the top when I ran out traction. Kreef’s BM had me beat.

Luckily as I was turning around I heard a faint sound that came from my clutch. Having heard it before I knew that one of the pressure plate bolts had come loose and needed direct seeing to. Notice the tread I have left? Not.



It didn’t take long for the 2 stroke guys to gather with the rest of the DS guys to give me some anti-KTM good natured ribbing.

My day was done once it was buttoned up so I headed down.

At the worst most critical part on the way down threading the bike gingerly through the rock garden, I thought I heard another strange noise and it was getting louder. Stopping was impossible so I crashed. Only to start laughing as the strange sound was one of the 2 strokes on my tail.

The last section I found really hard to ride down and fell twice more. Slow tip over stuff. It was hectic.

Once back at the bakkies we shot the shit waiting for Micheil Mr Big and Kreef who had soldiered on. Kreef returned hot and bothered and about 20 minutes later Michiel and Mr Big.







Mr Bigs Honda being the victor on the day for the DS bikes. He made it to the top. There were a lot of new features to most of the bikes. It’s difficult to do that stretch and not sustain any damage. The 2 Stokes were in their element, though it was not plain sailing all the way. It’s a bitch of a track.

All safe and sound



That track is not for sissies, especially ones with no knobblies left. Well, that’s my excuse anyway.


 
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