Freak
Race Dog
So every other day at work I see my mate Charles. Now Charles has a weak spot for Alfa's...and I thankfully don't. " you need a bike man" ... I tell him every time. "but I've never owned a bike..." he tells me....
"then get one" !
So after paging through my bike porn collection on the iPad, I see a glimmer of hope...Charlie seems interested. That's a start!
So I was fairly surprised when he sent me a pic of himself on his "new" bike.. A 1974 BMW R60/6. Go Charlie!!! What a machine!
Yesterday I get the call,... But I'm covered in paint and the welder is buzzing all around me. I see it's Charlie. "let's go for a ride tomorrow" ... And my immediate reaction is ...I'd love to but..... And there's always a but. I mean, I have goals here! I need to paintstrip some panels on the current bike project, fix the subframe, bla bla... And that's all scheduled for tomorrow.
But before I hit him with my "escaper", I realise something. My passion for building has killed my passion for riding. That's sad. Why finish anything TOMORROW ? What's the rush? I'm building for fun not finance!
So I reluctantly ( although excited) agree. We shall meet in the morning.
I'm in durbanville and he is in southern suburbs, so it's a ride on its own just getting here. I immediately sms John ( JWP on forum ) and check if he's keen.. Before I could press send I got a reply. The man is keen! He's "newly" built Beemer is a mere week old and it's hungry for scenery.
Now here's the sad part...I've lived in the cape for 31 years, and I've never been around the peninsula on a bike. Never did the full tour. Then I realise..I don't have a bloody clue where what how?
So Charlie offers to be the guide. Well that's just plain wrong. He's a Durbanite and only been in the cape for a year or two, and now he is our guide?? But I know, even if Charlie is a shit guide, he'll still be a shitload better than John and myself combined.
6:25am : I meet John and we grin, check out each other's bikes ( the proverbial snif and leg lift in dog world ) and we set sail.
We hit the worst traffic known to the national road, and we start lane splitting. All the way to newlands ( about 40km ). It sucks. I can smell idjits everywhere and it's only a matter of time before I have to take a more-than-handful of front brake. But by the grace of the airhead gods we get through it...
We meet Charles. We sniff again... We go.
Charlie leads the pack. One wouldn't say the ink on his (first ever!) bike license is still damp. But The man fits right in. Thankfully he has ears, otherwise his smile would surely slice the top of his head off. No buyers remorse evident with him.
Newlands to Muizenberg.
Muizenberg is lovely and at last! I get to see the rainbow Wendy houses in real life! Not in the Getaway as per usual, but in 3D !
We look, we snap, we don't say much.
John utters the first words... "Coffee".
So I presume that means he hasn't had his wake up cup...
So coffee it is.
Johns "pre" coffee fix face. Evident.
Johns "post" coffee face. But looks like time for another one.
Cruising in the main drag en route to Kalk bay, we keep our eyes peeled for a place worthy of our air cooled presence. And voila! A Beemer marks the spot. Old K model. Finished in a faded version of Dover white. Same as johns bike. So the signs are there...we must pull in.
We sip our cup of cheeno, staring at our bikes through the shop window. . We also notice some water like feature in the background, but the focus is closer. We swap the usual 15 sips for a shorter version of 5 sips, as time is critical.. I MUST be back at 10 am latest and John also has commitments back at work.
We push on south.
Some china with a death wish passed us at speed. Okay so maybe we were NOT going as fast as we like to believe, but I'm sure that scooter was running on oven cleaner or some sort of exotic fluid. He came and went, regardless whether it was safe to do so at the time.
All the way over and around.. Simons town, Scarborough, Hout bay and eventually Camps bay.
Charlie still smiling...
Shooting the breeze with a shark spotter. Business was slow today he reckons. What I like to hear.
Nearing camps bay...
Couple of issues here.
1- Charlie is a bachelor, and a local to the area. We are 2 dutchies form annerkant the curtain. If anyone was to find out we have infiltrated their lair/ beach, we will surely be executed or even worse, Charlie might blow his chances of finding mrs right in the "bay".
2- My bike has kick start only ( and the damn thing is placed mechanically in a manner only suited for a side saddle sitting Indian woman.) I don't feel like kicking it 50 times in front of a couple of luxury German car owners.
3- Charlie's bing carb ( note only the one!) cries a bit when parked. So he does a quick jiggle maneuver when he parks. gotta love it when you know your bike so well that you have to that "special something" to it to keep it happy. It's an airhead thing and we love doing that. So anyway back to the issue number 3.. Charlie mustn't smell like like a suicide bomber drenched in LRP when we sit down at cafe fancy.
But we get it done. I park in such a way that I can always push it alive if need be. Charlie manages to jiggle his bits and walks away still smelling like a flower.
" A quick breakfast and we must go "
.
.
.
.
Hey.... At least the intention was there.
We start talking shit to the animals, and before we know it, it's beer O Clock...
Eventually we get going and we part our ways. ( note: no photos were taken in this period of time... We were still undercover. Rich cool people don't continuously take repeated shots of their bikes. I still can't understand why...)
Charlie has a secret location he has to go to, John must do the work thing, and I must continue the sanding and painting episode.
A very warm ( inside and out ) ride home...
As I pulled my beloved old girl into her usual spot in the cave, I realise some things.
Take the time and thank whichever God it is that you pray to. We are blessed with the best of the best. Scenery, bikes, lovely roads, good coffee, great stories and seriously beautiful woman hogging our coastlines..
Never think should have, could have, will still do. Well done Charles with the purchase of your first bike. ( and a bloody nice one too!)
Don't get bogged down with the smaller picture. Remember why you fell in love with this sport/ hobby in the first place. To smell the sea, the rain and fumes.
A 1950's built bike can actually do 160 kph fifty years down the line ... Scary as shit, but possible.
Always make sure John gets his cup of coffee ASAP on a run. ( and definitely NO HOLLANDAISE SAUCE ON HIS FOOD!!!!)
And about the tile of the report.. It was a reminder to put the bin out. Wednesday is bin day for us.
Happy riding to you all!
Motorcycles :
Freak : vintage BMW R50/2
JWP : 1981 BMW R100RT bobber custom
Charlie : 1974 BMW R60/6
Weather: the best I've ever experienced in the cape.
Wind : nil. ( I promise!!!!! Strue!!)
Kms done.. Not sure but it's over 200 km for sure
Fuel used : 9,6 litres. ( filled up back in durbanville )
What a bargain all round!
"then get one" !
So after paging through my bike porn collection on the iPad, I see a glimmer of hope...Charlie seems interested. That's a start!
So I was fairly surprised when he sent me a pic of himself on his "new" bike.. A 1974 BMW R60/6. Go Charlie!!! What a machine!
Yesterday I get the call,... But I'm covered in paint and the welder is buzzing all around me. I see it's Charlie. "let's go for a ride tomorrow" ... And my immediate reaction is ...I'd love to but..... And there's always a but. I mean, I have goals here! I need to paintstrip some panels on the current bike project, fix the subframe, bla bla... And that's all scheduled for tomorrow.
But before I hit him with my "escaper", I realise something. My passion for building has killed my passion for riding. That's sad. Why finish anything TOMORROW ? What's the rush? I'm building for fun not finance!
So I reluctantly ( although excited) agree. We shall meet in the morning.
I'm in durbanville and he is in southern suburbs, so it's a ride on its own just getting here. I immediately sms John ( JWP on forum ) and check if he's keen.. Before I could press send I got a reply. The man is keen! He's "newly" built Beemer is a mere week old and it's hungry for scenery.
Now here's the sad part...I've lived in the cape for 31 years, and I've never been around the peninsula on a bike. Never did the full tour. Then I realise..I don't have a bloody clue where what how?
So Charlie offers to be the guide. Well that's just plain wrong. He's a Durbanite and only been in the cape for a year or two, and now he is our guide?? But I know, even if Charlie is a shit guide, he'll still be a shitload better than John and myself combined.
6:25am : I meet John and we grin, check out each other's bikes ( the proverbial snif and leg lift in dog world ) and we set sail.
We hit the worst traffic known to the national road, and we start lane splitting. All the way to newlands ( about 40km ). It sucks. I can smell idjits everywhere and it's only a matter of time before I have to take a more-than-handful of front brake. But by the grace of the airhead gods we get through it...
We meet Charles. We sniff again... We go.
Charlie leads the pack. One wouldn't say the ink on his (first ever!) bike license is still damp. But The man fits right in. Thankfully he has ears, otherwise his smile would surely slice the top of his head off. No buyers remorse evident with him.
Newlands to Muizenberg.
Muizenberg is lovely and at last! I get to see the rainbow Wendy houses in real life! Not in the Getaway as per usual, but in 3D !
We look, we snap, we don't say much.
John utters the first words... "Coffee".
So I presume that means he hasn't had his wake up cup...
So coffee it is.
Johns "pre" coffee fix face. Evident.
Johns "post" coffee face. But looks like time for another one.
Cruising in the main drag en route to Kalk bay, we keep our eyes peeled for a place worthy of our air cooled presence. And voila! A Beemer marks the spot. Old K model. Finished in a faded version of Dover white. Same as johns bike. So the signs are there...we must pull in.
We sip our cup of cheeno, staring at our bikes through the shop window. . We also notice some water like feature in the background, but the focus is closer. We swap the usual 15 sips for a shorter version of 5 sips, as time is critical.. I MUST be back at 10 am latest and John also has commitments back at work.
We push on south.
Some china with a death wish passed us at speed. Okay so maybe we were NOT going as fast as we like to believe, but I'm sure that scooter was running on oven cleaner or some sort of exotic fluid. He came and went, regardless whether it was safe to do so at the time.
All the way over and around.. Simons town, Scarborough, Hout bay and eventually Camps bay.
Charlie still smiling...
Shooting the breeze with a shark spotter. Business was slow today he reckons. What I like to hear.
Nearing camps bay...
Couple of issues here.
1- Charlie is a bachelor, and a local to the area. We are 2 dutchies form annerkant the curtain. If anyone was to find out we have infiltrated their lair/ beach, we will surely be executed or even worse, Charlie might blow his chances of finding mrs right in the "bay".
2- My bike has kick start only ( and the damn thing is placed mechanically in a manner only suited for a side saddle sitting Indian woman.) I don't feel like kicking it 50 times in front of a couple of luxury German car owners.
3- Charlie's bing carb ( note only the one!) cries a bit when parked. So he does a quick jiggle maneuver when he parks. gotta love it when you know your bike so well that you have to that "special something" to it to keep it happy. It's an airhead thing and we love doing that. So anyway back to the issue number 3.. Charlie mustn't smell like like a suicide bomber drenched in LRP when we sit down at cafe fancy.
But we get it done. I park in such a way that I can always push it alive if need be. Charlie manages to jiggle his bits and walks away still smelling like a flower.
" A quick breakfast and we must go "
.
.
.
.
Hey.... At least the intention was there.
We start talking shit to the animals, and before we know it, it's beer O Clock...
Eventually we get going and we part our ways. ( note: no photos were taken in this period of time... We were still undercover. Rich cool people don't continuously take repeated shots of their bikes. I still can't understand why...)
Charlie has a secret location he has to go to, John must do the work thing, and I must continue the sanding and painting episode.
A very warm ( inside and out ) ride home...
As I pulled my beloved old girl into her usual spot in the cave, I realise some things.
Take the time and thank whichever God it is that you pray to. We are blessed with the best of the best. Scenery, bikes, lovely roads, good coffee, great stories and seriously beautiful woman hogging our coastlines..
Never think should have, could have, will still do. Well done Charles with the purchase of your first bike. ( and a bloody nice one too!)
Don't get bogged down with the smaller picture. Remember why you fell in love with this sport/ hobby in the first place. To smell the sea, the rain and fumes.
A 1950's built bike can actually do 160 kph fifty years down the line ... Scary as shit, but possible.
Always make sure John gets his cup of coffee ASAP on a run. ( and definitely NO HOLLANDAISE SAUCE ON HIS FOOD!!!!)
And about the tile of the report.. It was a reminder to put the bin out. Wednesday is bin day for us.
Happy riding to you all!
Motorcycles :
Freak : vintage BMW R50/2
JWP : 1981 BMW R100RT bobber custom
Charlie : 1974 BMW R60/6
Weather: the best I've ever experienced in the cape.
Wind : nil. ( I promise!!!!! Strue!!)
Kms done.. Not sure but it's over 200 km for sure
Fuel used : 9,6 litres. ( filled up back in durbanville )
What a bargain all round!
