Dirtrider69
Pack Dog
O.K, we've been planning a 20-ish days trip through Namibia since September 2011 and our departure date is set for Sunday morning 22 April 2012. We are 4 confirmed riders, 2 x Dakars, 1 x BMW 800GS and 1 x KTM990.
A little history on how this all happened: My Dad used to ride a 2001 Dakar that my brother and I bought for him back in 2001 and last year he upgraded to the 800GS. He then asked us if he should sell the Dakar or if we wanted to take the bike and "share" it? Wasn't difficult to decide and so I ended up with the Dakar in my garage. ;D My brother and I also ride little plastic KTM's now and then and in September 2011 I mentioned to one of our riding buddies that it has always been a dream of mine to do an epic adventure bike trip in Africa. He then said that if we commit to a trip like this, then he will go with. But he doesn't have a DS bike. So off he went and bought a used KTM 990. 2 Riders sorted. :thumleft:
Then my Dad said he is also on board. The thing is, he will be turning 64 on this trip and he has had two major operations AND a tripple heart bypass in the last 3 years. He has cheated death 3 times, and he's not that strong anymore. But to do a trip like this with my Dad - priceless. 3 Riders sorted. :thumleft:
Then my brother also commits - but he doesn't have a DS bike either, 'cos I'm taking the Dakar. As I am writing this now he is riding up from Cape Town with a Dakar he bought only 2 days ago. Found it on the forum, borrowed money from my Dad, flew down with all his gear, bought it and is busy riding it back to PTA. If there's a will, there's a way. 4 Riders sorted. :thumleft:
So for the last few weeks we've been stocking up on gear and stuff to take with because we don't have much. But with money not growing on trees, we have gone down from getting R3k - R4k soft luggage(Speedpack or Giant Loop) to actually buying R899 Oxford 1st Time Soft Panniers (probably not the best ;D, but it will have to do), 50L ATG bags - R700 from GPS4Africa, tents - R199 Bushwackers from Makro, sleeping bags - R99 from Makro, self inflatable matress - R325 from Cape Union Mart. With us riding plastics we will be riding with MotoX pants, shirts, boots and protective gear. It doesn't rain the desert, does it? ;D
Now, when it comes to DS bike experience on long trips - none! Mechanical knowledge about fixing bikes - none! My Dad and I have done 2 or 3 weekend trips staying in chalets, no camping - so very little gear on the bike . The other two haven't gone further than Jo'burg on a DS bike. But because we ride our plastics over mountains and rocks and very technical terrain, we feel(or rather think) that we'll be o.k. Right? :-\
The route: we decided on Namibia - round trip from Gobabis, Sossusvlei, Swakop, Brandberg, through Kaokoland, Epupa Falls, down to Spitzkoppe and back to Gobabis. 20 odd days. My Dad knows Namibia well and he feels that we are going to kaark in Kaokoland. :mwink:
We're doing a weekend test run in the Waterberge in 2 weeks time to test the gear and packing and strapping stuff down on the bikes. Will update on that and post some pics. Wish us luck - we need it.
A little history on how this all happened: My Dad used to ride a 2001 Dakar that my brother and I bought for him back in 2001 and last year he upgraded to the 800GS. He then asked us if he should sell the Dakar or if we wanted to take the bike and "share" it? Wasn't difficult to decide and so I ended up with the Dakar in my garage. ;D My brother and I also ride little plastic KTM's now and then and in September 2011 I mentioned to one of our riding buddies that it has always been a dream of mine to do an epic adventure bike trip in Africa. He then said that if we commit to a trip like this, then he will go with. But he doesn't have a DS bike. So off he went and bought a used KTM 990. 2 Riders sorted. :thumleft:
Then my Dad said he is also on board. The thing is, he will be turning 64 on this trip and he has had two major operations AND a tripple heart bypass in the last 3 years. He has cheated death 3 times, and he's not that strong anymore. But to do a trip like this with my Dad - priceless. 3 Riders sorted. :thumleft:
Then my brother also commits - but he doesn't have a DS bike either, 'cos I'm taking the Dakar. As I am writing this now he is riding up from Cape Town with a Dakar he bought only 2 days ago. Found it on the forum, borrowed money from my Dad, flew down with all his gear, bought it and is busy riding it back to PTA. If there's a will, there's a way. 4 Riders sorted. :thumleft:
So for the last few weeks we've been stocking up on gear and stuff to take with because we don't have much. But with money not growing on trees, we have gone down from getting R3k - R4k soft luggage(Speedpack or Giant Loop) to actually buying R899 Oxford 1st Time Soft Panniers (probably not the best ;D, but it will have to do), 50L ATG bags - R700 from GPS4Africa, tents - R199 Bushwackers from Makro, sleeping bags - R99 from Makro, self inflatable matress - R325 from Cape Union Mart. With us riding plastics we will be riding with MotoX pants, shirts, boots and protective gear. It doesn't rain the desert, does it? ;D
Now, when it comes to DS bike experience on long trips - none! Mechanical knowledge about fixing bikes - none! My Dad and I have done 2 or 3 weekend trips staying in chalets, no camping - so very little gear on the bike . The other two haven't gone further than Jo'burg on a DS bike. But because we ride our plastics over mountains and rocks and very technical terrain, we feel(or rather think) that we'll be o.k. Right? :-\
The route: we decided on Namibia - round trip from Gobabis, Sossusvlei, Swakop, Brandberg, through Kaokoland, Epupa Falls, down to Spitzkoppe and back to Gobabis. 20 odd days. My Dad knows Namibia well and he feels that we are going to kaark in Kaokoland. :mwink:
We're doing a weekend test run in the Waterberge in 2 weeks time to test the gear and packing and strapping stuff down on the bikes. Will update on that and post some pics. Wish us luck - we need it.
