johang
Race Dog
Not once, but twice BMW Bavarian has made it possible for me to participate in two off-road events in the last two months. First was the Manshwabishi 1000 in Botswana (2nd in Class) and this past weekend was the Bell 400 National Off-road event in Hluhluwe.
What made it so much easier for a novice to the processes applicable at off-road events was the wealth of experience Roger and his team have based on previously supporting/sponsoring the likes of Jade, Gray and Wynand.
We left Pretoria Friday morning at 03:30, ready for a hard packed very fast and possibly dusty race. Time trials scheduled for Friday afternoon, this is something new to me. Get to the race, complete admin, get ready, decide when to go out so that you the best run, and just go for it. O.K. now I know!
As we approached Richards bay area, the clouds came up, rain starting poring and closer to Hluhluwe we could see some of the route markings next to the highway, the paths seemed shining from the wet and then there is this big fence next to it. And they are supposed to be in a drought.
Admin was handled very professionally. Then off to get our pits and prepare to ride.
Waited and looked for what seemed like a good time to start, adrenaline rushing and then I missed the first turn, relax, focus and get into rhythm. It started going better. The surface was very tacky, good traction. We did the same route as the National Juniors some weeks before. Well marked, actually somehow over marked. Learn to brake later for corners as the first makings are very visible and very early.
I nearly flipped my bike in third grabbing too much handful, a lot of traction and a lot of more power that up here in Gauteng.
But, then…
Going flat out in fourth, fifth and sixth the clutch keeps slipping. Still manage a top speed of speed of about 152, but have to nurse the power. Luckily we have a spare clutch (the good of being with the professionals).
Got roosted by some young guns that came flying by. Drop the head and keep going. It hurts and the arms will be blue. Not sure what the moaning is about on eDirt by some INXON riders. It is racing, not a fun ride. Roosting is part of the package..
I explained to the Roger the problem and he started looking around (not bad for a DP). And the culprit; a moose that has collapsed. The tyre is running inside the rim, causing it to over rev.
But then, There was spare rim and tyre with new “soft” knobbly on the back (this is great). Remember we were told to make sure that we have hard packed tyres based upon junior National experience as the soft tyres did not last.
Time trail went good (30:32:966), second in class behind Wayne (30:12.679). Guy (30:44.996) had some bike setup problems. Felt good, I have the speed, but not sure that I have the stamina for 300kms yet.
Off to an early evening.
Woke up and it rained, it is wet, the ground is like grease. This is going to be fun.
Wait, wait, prepare and then it is off. Concentrate on pace and rhythm. Three loops of 90kms each with fuel at 45kms. This make it easy, just go for the 45km, it is short. Fill up, recover and go.
However, the mud was serious. INXON Rhino Park earlier this year was a baby. You have to stand and gun it. Sitting, training wheels out makes it worse. The mud clogged up so much on the radiator that it made the steering feel like the steering head bearings are shot. Getting the mud guard stuck against the radiator.
First lap (red route) went well, then out on the second loop (green loop). The quads were out first. It started O.K. Slipping and sliding. Trying to see through the goggles was difficult. Use the roll-off sparingly to try and make the roll last the whole lap. With the rain the mud gets in behind the film and things become blurry. No ways can you take the goggles off as soon you’ll be in the cane fields and you do not want that hitting you in the eye.
Soon after starting the second lap I hit a branch and my arm muscle was “lam”. It kept staying lam for the next 70kms. I started looking at including curls for exercises. When I got in the pits, I took off my riding gear and found a large thorn in my upper arm. It was swollen and luckily a piece stuck out. Roger tried his hands but had to use the pliers eventually. It was about 2cm long and Roger had to pull to get it out.
The last lap, back tyre started spinning in the rim again. We cable tied it and it worked for the next 40kms or so. Battled to the last fuel stop. Mud was not fun anymore. Branch grabbed my roll and pulled it out.
The last section after refuel went well. Unfortunately Steve Landman passed me in the first section of Loop 3 and I could not catch up by the refuel point. Second section of Loop 3 went better and I felt some new energy. This section had some steep uphills that were very muddy. Make the bike sound like a quad over revving, stand up and hang on, BUT then there is the downhill on the other side and the brake pads have worn out in the second loop already. The brakes go “squeal squeal” as it is metal on metal and then it goes “glock” as it locks up. Hmmm, it gets fast…
But everything comes to an end. Soon it was all over.
I have completed my first National Off-road event. I am in one piece, my bike just did whatever I did with it. My wife and daughter’s prayers did magic, thanxs Zanda and Sammy.
Ended with a fourth in the National Seniors class.
All this would not have been possible without Roger and his team at Bavarian. Deon became very good with the swopping of the rolls for the goggles and filling up a very muddy bike. The bike was so heavy that parking it with the little triangle stand did not work as the bike just bent the stand and pushed over. Roger’s experience in this scene and his technical know-how of his products are good. I am not going to wait for next year for the rain season to start and then buy a second set of roll-off goggles. I am doing it this week.
Although we tried to clean most of the mud off at the Hluhluwe Garage, it was just sucking up too much R5 coins. So getting home Sunday afternoon it was time to really getting into cleaning so that maintenance and preparation could begin.
Now maintenance and race prep can begin all over again.
If it was not for Bavarian my race would have most probably stopped prematurely due to some of the challenges.
Thanks Bavarian
What made it so much easier for a novice to the processes applicable at off-road events was the wealth of experience Roger and his team have based on previously supporting/sponsoring the likes of Jade, Gray and Wynand.
We left Pretoria Friday morning at 03:30, ready for a hard packed very fast and possibly dusty race. Time trials scheduled for Friday afternoon, this is something new to me. Get to the race, complete admin, get ready, decide when to go out so that you the best run, and just go for it. O.K. now I know!
As we approached Richards bay area, the clouds came up, rain starting poring and closer to Hluhluwe we could see some of the route markings next to the highway, the paths seemed shining from the wet and then there is this big fence next to it. And they are supposed to be in a drought.
Admin was handled very professionally. Then off to get our pits and prepare to ride.
Waited and looked for what seemed like a good time to start, adrenaline rushing and then I missed the first turn, relax, focus and get into rhythm. It started going better. The surface was very tacky, good traction. We did the same route as the National Juniors some weeks before. Well marked, actually somehow over marked. Learn to brake later for corners as the first makings are very visible and very early.
I nearly flipped my bike in third grabbing too much handful, a lot of traction and a lot of more power that up here in Gauteng.
But, then…
Going flat out in fourth, fifth and sixth the clutch keeps slipping. Still manage a top speed of speed of about 152, but have to nurse the power. Luckily we have a spare clutch (the good of being with the professionals).
Got roosted by some young guns that came flying by. Drop the head and keep going. It hurts and the arms will be blue. Not sure what the moaning is about on eDirt by some INXON riders. It is racing, not a fun ride. Roosting is part of the package..
I explained to the Roger the problem and he started looking around (not bad for a DP). And the culprit; a moose that has collapsed. The tyre is running inside the rim, causing it to over rev.
But then, There was spare rim and tyre with new “soft” knobbly on the back (this is great). Remember we were told to make sure that we have hard packed tyres based upon junior National experience as the soft tyres did not last.
Time trail went good (30:32:966), second in class behind Wayne (30:12.679). Guy (30:44.996) had some bike setup problems. Felt good, I have the speed, but not sure that I have the stamina for 300kms yet.
Off to an early evening.
Woke up and it rained, it is wet, the ground is like grease. This is going to be fun.
Wait, wait, prepare and then it is off. Concentrate on pace and rhythm. Three loops of 90kms each with fuel at 45kms. This make it easy, just go for the 45km, it is short. Fill up, recover and go.
However, the mud was serious. INXON Rhino Park earlier this year was a baby. You have to stand and gun it. Sitting, training wheels out makes it worse. The mud clogged up so much on the radiator that it made the steering feel like the steering head bearings are shot. Getting the mud guard stuck against the radiator.
First lap (red route) went well, then out on the second loop (green loop). The quads were out first. It started O.K. Slipping and sliding. Trying to see through the goggles was difficult. Use the roll-off sparingly to try and make the roll last the whole lap. With the rain the mud gets in behind the film and things become blurry. No ways can you take the goggles off as soon you’ll be in the cane fields and you do not want that hitting you in the eye.
Soon after starting the second lap I hit a branch and my arm muscle was “lam”. It kept staying lam for the next 70kms. I started looking at including curls for exercises. When I got in the pits, I took off my riding gear and found a large thorn in my upper arm. It was swollen and luckily a piece stuck out. Roger tried his hands but had to use the pliers eventually. It was about 2cm long and Roger had to pull to get it out.
The last lap, back tyre started spinning in the rim again. We cable tied it and it worked for the next 40kms or so. Battled to the last fuel stop. Mud was not fun anymore. Branch grabbed my roll and pulled it out.
The last section after refuel went well. Unfortunately Steve Landman passed me in the first section of Loop 3 and I could not catch up by the refuel point. Second section of Loop 3 went better and I felt some new energy. This section had some steep uphills that were very muddy. Make the bike sound like a quad over revving, stand up and hang on, BUT then there is the downhill on the other side and the brake pads have worn out in the second loop already. The brakes go “squeal squeal” as it is metal on metal and then it goes “glock” as it locks up. Hmmm, it gets fast…
But everything comes to an end. Soon it was all over.
I have completed my first National Off-road event. I am in one piece, my bike just did whatever I did with it. My wife and daughter’s prayers did magic, thanxs Zanda and Sammy.
Ended with a fourth in the National Seniors class.
All this would not have been possible without Roger and his team at Bavarian. Deon became very good with the swopping of the rolls for the goggles and filling up a very muddy bike. The bike was so heavy that parking it with the little triangle stand did not work as the bike just bent the stand and pushed over. Roger’s experience in this scene and his technical know-how of his products are good. I am not going to wait for next year for the rain season to start and then buy a second set of roll-off goggles. I am doing it this week.
Although we tried to clean most of the mud off at the Hluhluwe Garage, it was just sucking up too much R5 coins. So getting home Sunday afternoon it was time to really getting into cleaning so that maintenance and preparation could begin.
Now maintenance and race prep can begin all over again.
If it was not for Bavarian my race would have most probably stopped prematurely due to some of the challenges.
Thanks Bavarian
