It all started over a beer in 2011, I can’t remember the actual day (maybe due to the fact that there was more than one beer involved). The next thing I knew I purchased a KTM990 Adventure 2008 model in Sept 2011. Not even having a license
The plan was to tour Namibia during April 2012 for at least 2 weeks , rough it up , last time we can do it, never look back, live fast all that motivational stuff, the realities were as follows:
Myself KTM 990
Dry Weight 73 kg 231 kg
Wet Weight 73kg but wet and cold +/- 250kg’s
Adventure Bike experience 0km 32 000km + development experience by KTM
Fully loaded Weight 74kg +/- 255kgs
Age 35 years 4 years
Camping experience 0 0
Enthusiasm 73kg 990cc
(Most probably all the Stats on the KTM is wrong, as I have no idea of bikes)
I did however have a secret weapon, the man who was sharing my beers with me had done a trip before, well technically not really a trip, to be honest he has done a weekend away or 2 on a Dakar 650, but they slept in chalets and had beers. Ok, so maybe he had no experience either.
So off we went for our first ride, well it was 16km out on the tar road outside my house. That KTM is a beast. The Dakar got a flat so we went home. Bright idea no 1: why not fix the flat ourselves and “train” for the trip. A few days later he arrived at my place with one huge hammer and a tube and 2 tyre levers, confident as he got many tips of the wilddog website and watched a youtube clip on this.
4 beers later and a swollen shin the tyre was on, his confidence got the better of him and he bliksemed me by accident with the hammer on my shin. Note to self was never to stand in front of him when he is braking the bead or something like that. Important to have washing liquid close by.
Feb 2012
Kleinboet en pa wil saam, by now there is some excitement in the ranks and his dad and boet wants to come with , kleinboet has got no cash and borrows money and goes off to Cape Town to buy a bike (BMW 650 Dakar) same as ouboet, Dad has a new 800 GS, so we are sorted. 3 BMW’s and a KTM. Hier gaat ons
His Dad eventually had to withdraw due to health concerns, but the 3 of us carry on strong
Reading each and every forum, making lists of what we need, I went for a learners license. Buying bags, straps, puncture repair kits, tool tubes, you name it, all on a budget.
24 Feb 2012
First weekend away, we are testing our stuff, bikes loaded we head off on a 600km ride to go camp somewhere to test our kit.
After 200km on day 1 we arrive at 6 pm to find out a lot of people camp, so we had to go to a few resorts. We stop and watch the rugby have a few beers and remind ourselves how lucky we are. The next morning everyone is up early, mainly due to the fact that the ground is hard and we have no cushions and our necks are stiff as hell, we complain for 30 min and make coffee.
We load all our crap and soldier on. KFC breakfast.
About 100km later I have a tank slapper of note, but soldier on, thinking my front shocks needs a service , a few km’s later i am all over the show................ front tyre puncture......... with a nice smiley or 2.
Take out the tools, (we have done this before) only to realise for some odd reason my tyre spanner does not fit, luckily we find a boer came past, got a spanner, remove tyre , replace tube, refit tyre, inflate tyre, tyre deflates, pinched the tube, remove tyre, remove tube, patch old tube, put back old tube, inflate tyre, fit tyre , go..............2 hours later on the road again, hot as hell. Realise we will not make our destination, lets call it a early one.
Go to a local shop and buy plenty of beers, and OBS, as per our training session the previous night we know that we require more beers.
Next morning pack everything up and head home......... Arrive at home and smell plastic burning ......... not good.......side fender burnt ..............
Lessons learnt
• Test your tools first yourself
• Do not pinch a tube, it just doubles the amount of work
• Try and make some type of cushion when camping, die grond is hard
• Do not strap luggage on too tight as it causes serious damage (should have gone for expensive luggage maybe)
• Buy more beer than you think, even if it is hard to carry it is worth its weight
The rest to follow...........
The plan was to tour Namibia during April 2012 for at least 2 weeks , rough it up , last time we can do it, never look back, live fast all that motivational stuff, the realities were as follows:
Myself KTM 990
Dry Weight 73 kg 231 kg
Wet Weight 73kg but wet and cold +/- 250kg’s
Adventure Bike experience 0km 32 000km + development experience by KTM
Fully loaded Weight 74kg +/- 255kgs
Age 35 years 4 years
Camping experience 0 0
Enthusiasm 73kg 990cc
(Most probably all the Stats on the KTM is wrong, as I have no idea of bikes)
I did however have a secret weapon, the man who was sharing my beers with me had done a trip before, well technically not really a trip, to be honest he has done a weekend away or 2 on a Dakar 650, but they slept in chalets and had beers. Ok, so maybe he had no experience either.
So off we went for our first ride, well it was 16km out on the tar road outside my house. That KTM is a beast. The Dakar got a flat so we went home. Bright idea no 1: why not fix the flat ourselves and “train” for the trip. A few days later he arrived at my place with one huge hammer and a tube and 2 tyre levers, confident as he got many tips of the wilddog website and watched a youtube clip on this.
4 beers later and a swollen shin the tyre was on, his confidence got the better of him and he bliksemed me by accident with the hammer on my shin. Note to self was never to stand in front of him when he is braking the bead or something like that. Important to have washing liquid close by.
Feb 2012
Kleinboet en pa wil saam, by now there is some excitement in the ranks and his dad and boet wants to come with , kleinboet has got no cash and borrows money and goes off to Cape Town to buy a bike (BMW 650 Dakar) same as ouboet, Dad has a new 800 GS, so we are sorted. 3 BMW’s and a KTM. Hier gaat ons
His Dad eventually had to withdraw due to health concerns, but the 3 of us carry on strong
Reading each and every forum, making lists of what we need, I went for a learners license. Buying bags, straps, puncture repair kits, tool tubes, you name it, all on a budget.
24 Feb 2012
First weekend away, we are testing our stuff, bikes loaded we head off on a 600km ride to go camp somewhere to test our kit.
After 200km on day 1 we arrive at 6 pm to find out a lot of people camp, so we had to go to a few resorts. We stop and watch the rugby have a few beers and remind ourselves how lucky we are. The next morning everyone is up early, mainly due to the fact that the ground is hard and we have no cushions and our necks are stiff as hell, we complain for 30 min and make coffee.
We load all our crap and soldier on. KFC breakfast.
About 100km later I have a tank slapper of note, but soldier on, thinking my front shocks needs a service , a few km’s later i am all over the show................ front tyre puncture......... with a nice smiley or 2.
Take out the tools, (we have done this before) only to realise for some odd reason my tyre spanner does not fit, luckily we find a boer came past, got a spanner, remove tyre , replace tube, refit tyre, inflate tyre, tyre deflates, pinched the tube, remove tyre, remove tube, patch old tube, put back old tube, inflate tyre, fit tyre , go..............2 hours later on the road again, hot as hell. Realise we will not make our destination, lets call it a early one.
Go to a local shop and buy plenty of beers, and OBS, as per our training session the previous night we know that we require more beers.
Next morning pack everything up and head home......... Arrive at home and smell plastic burning ......... not good.......side fender burnt ..............
Lessons learnt
• Test your tools first yourself
• Do not pinch a tube, it just doubles the amount of work
• Try and make some type of cushion when camping, die grond is hard
• Do not strap luggage on too tight as it causes serious damage (should have gone for expensive luggage maybe)
• Buy more beer than you think, even if it is hard to carry it is worth its weight
The rest to follow...........
