LiveInTheOutdoors
Race Dog
So Saturday comes along, and I have to meet at the Shell at the foot of Sir Lowry's, in order to meet up with famous John Kleyn on his 950 and the rest of whoever is going to be there.
I am saddled up by 810am, go throw some juice in, and literally 5 mins later, am off on the road with young 6foot4 Hilde on the back of my 950.
Settling into a nice trot, I tell her to lay down on my back and I make the KTM WideOpenThrottle in 5th. This on the highway to Sir Lowrys, and...... we managed to make 204km/h before the traffic pulled us back. More accurately, I chose to slow down cos the road was going round a bend and I thought, thats fast enough for a first try.
We made it from Bellville to Sir Lowrys in well under 20 minutes :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
As a result, we did some sight seeing, I threw some gas in and met up with the crew at the Shell. John Kleyn, 950 (removed every single piece of excess equipment he can to get weight down), Keith Whitmore (owner of the best ridden Dakar in the country, 60 something years old - what a rider, and Mel on his brand new 640KTM, and Dennis on his Honda Twin.
What a great group. We set off on unknown roads (to me) on dirt to Napier.
I will post pics later when I get them, but I managed to post my best speed on dirt with a pillion, 170km/h. Baie lekker.
I havent ridden with such a fast group of dirt riders in my life, and I chose to be sweeper because I didnt want the pressure of sliding around unknown corners at 140 plus. Not a chance.
SO I did it all at a more sedate pace of between 100-130, and even that was a bit tough, requiring lots of concentration and the extra control with Hilde on the back. Shes skinny as hell but cos of her height, shes an extra 70kg's of weight to control on the back, plus leverage.
No letting down of tyre pressures for these lads, we just rode. What a brilliant day, the most enjoyable high speed dirt I have had in ages.
ps: I also got to see a 4 wheeled 1000cctwin made in 1911 that is the only one of its kind left in the world, almost in mint condition. I hope to show a pic of that too. I can tell you something, that after 450 kays of riding fast, it was amazing to see a Dakar passing me on the way up Houhoek Pass at 145 on a tight bend. I quickly snapped out of my complacency, and stirred the 950 up to catch him and beat him, but man that 60 something year old man can ride a Dakar like no one else I have ever seen.
It must have been WOT the whole time, this group was fast.
Great spread of bikes, even better people to ride with, unbelievable day
I am saddled up by 810am, go throw some juice in, and literally 5 mins later, am off on the road with young 6foot4 Hilde on the back of my 950.
Settling into a nice trot, I tell her to lay down on my back and I make the KTM WideOpenThrottle in 5th. This on the highway to Sir Lowrys, and...... we managed to make 204km/h before the traffic pulled us back. More accurately, I chose to slow down cos the road was going round a bend and I thought, thats fast enough for a first try.
We made it from Bellville to Sir Lowrys in well under 20 minutes :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
As a result, we did some sight seeing, I threw some gas in and met up with the crew at the Shell. John Kleyn, 950 (removed every single piece of excess equipment he can to get weight down), Keith Whitmore (owner of the best ridden Dakar in the country, 60 something years old - what a rider, and Mel on his brand new 640KTM, and Dennis on his Honda Twin.
What a great group. We set off on unknown roads (to me) on dirt to Napier.
I will post pics later when I get them, but I managed to post my best speed on dirt with a pillion, 170km/h. Baie lekker.
I havent ridden with such a fast group of dirt riders in my life, and I chose to be sweeper because I didnt want the pressure of sliding around unknown corners at 140 plus. Not a chance.
SO I did it all at a more sedate pace of between 100-130, and even that was a bit tough, requiring lots of concentration and the extra control with Hilde on the back. Shes skinny as hell but cos of her height, shes an extra 70kg's of weight to control on the back, plus leverage.
No letting down of tyre pressures for these lads, we just rode. What a brilliant day, the most enjoyable high speed dirt I have had in ages.
ps: I also got to see a 4 wheeled 1000cctwin made in 1911 that is the only one of its kind left in the world, almost in mint condition. I hope to show a pic of that too. I can tell you something, that after 450 kays of riding fast, it was amazing to see a Dakar passing me on the way up Houhoek Pass at 145 on a tight bend. I quickly snapped out of my complacency, and stirred the 950 up to catch him and beat him, but man that 60 something year old man can ride a Dakar like no one else I have ever seen.
It must have been WOT the whole time, this group was fast.
Great spread of bikes, even better people to ride with, unbelievable day
