Rigalo
Pack Dog
Decided to do a solo trip the start of the long weekend up the West Coast. Left on Thursday after lunch, with some extra fuel, and water, went straight to Piketberg, and then to the coast via Aurora. Then up the West Coast, past Elands bay. What a nice road, that is. I almost slept in some of those caves in Elands Bay, but decided to push on, since Friday are going to be long and hard.
So I continued to Strandfontein. The next morning I was on the road at 7:45 to fill up the 'last time' at Lutzville. From there back to the coast. What a beautiful road, with loads of places to sleep and camp. Next time I'll be kiping there. I met some people at Strandfontein, which I saw on the road again, which is nice if you ride solo.
A while later, some bushes grabbed my food while riding, and I ended up with a sprained ankle, and then a fall. Thick sand, so the bike is ok, and my body Armour took some pounding. I'm glad I'm riding with full boots, heavy knee pads and body armour with jacket.
Eventually I reached Groen Rivier, which is where decisions had to be made. The chap at the office is a very friendly and help full. He phoned for Koingnaas for fuel, and eventually found the lady to wait for me for fuel, Friday afternoon. Gerrit at reception said the 1st 20 k's into Groen Rivier park is the hardest, and 2 chaps damaged their 1200's a week prior. Solo, the next 80 k's are going to be very hard, and off I went.
The 1st part of thick sand was ok. I rode hard, to stay afloat, but then my problems started. I fell into the jeep tracks, and had to work the bike hard. Suddenly the bike's dashboard looks like a cristmas tree. Just lights! All red and flickering, bike overheating. Stuck in the sand, down hill, radiator fan not working on the bike, I'm staring a burned out bike to-be in the face. DAMN! The fan has seized up, totally. I insect the radiator for damage due to the falls, but see none. I can barely turn the fan with my hand. Full of sand, and seized. At 1st I thought wet sand from he morning got in there and made a 'concrete' mix. Stripping the bike down in the sand also crossed my mind, but somehow I decided against that.
Ok, 20k's back to Gerhard is better than 80 to fuel at Koingnaas. I know the road back, and I don't know what is ahead, and I've just entered the hardest part of the whole ride. After a massive struggle to turn the bike in the worst 2 spoor ridden sand track a round, and getting it out, uphill, and running, with no fan, I was so glad to hit some less sandy patch.
On the rest of the places, the bike hit 3rd, and the air flow seemed OK to keep things in tack. After I turned the fan and forced it, it then started up on the road, with quite a grinding noise though. Tired and half 'panicked' my concentration is not the same as when I cam in, and I gave in to the sand monster a couple of times more. I think sub consciously, the fear of the situation now stopped me to ride the bike hard, which is required in the sand.
Back at the Groen Rivier office, I'm relieved to be out of immediate danger of having a seized bike in the wilderness. Staying, stripping, and try the next morning again, crosses my mind, but decide against it. Maybe you should take the sign for what it is while you are OK, and come back another day. Gerhard suggested we hose the fan out. We try that, but the grinding is still there. The only thing we can think is it got damaged.
Well, on the way home, just after refueling, the bikes starting to cut out, with electronics on and off, lights flashing, hazards going on, hooter going on etc. To the point where I pull off at a road side place. The chap then suggested to reset the battery. Then I found the problem, a loose battery terminal, causing the bike to cut out. Well, the next 160k's home were incident free.
Last night I opened the bike to get to radiator fan. When I got it out, if feels as if it seized up, but 'loose'. So I striped it, and found the problem (or blessing....
) . Googling it, turns out a another 'bad design' on our bikes. Sand comes in between the fan housing running around the motor casing, and the motor casing. In my case, enough sand came in to seize it up. So, after a clean, it turns perfect.
What I cannot believe, is that such a stupid thing can cause you a bike burn out in the worst of places. All of you riding remote places, take note! Also, learn to strip and clean the fan out, for it is not a big job next to the road if your fan get's stuck. I think you can do it under 1 hour, or even less. This is now a higher priority to me, to be able to do on the road, than to be able to change a tire. And easier to fix. So, pay attention!
I'm glad to be back, sprained ankle, chest sore where chest plate took some pounding, and bike is actually 100%.
WC sand monster 1 - me 0!
I'll return though.
So I continued to Strandfontein. The next morning I was on the road at 7:45 to fill up the 'last time' at Lutzville. From there back to the coast. What a beautiful road, with loads of places to sleep and camp. Next time I'll be kiping there. I met some people at Strandfontein, which I saw on the road again, which is nice if you ride solo.
A while later, some bushes grabbed my food while riding, and I ended up with a sprained ankle, and then a fall. Thick sand, so the bike is ok, and my body Armour took some pounding. I'm glad I'm riding with full boots, heavy knee pads and body armour with jacket.
Eventually I reached Groen Rivier, which is where decisions had to be made. The chap at the office is a very friendly and help full. He phoned for Koingnaas for fuel, and eventually found the lady to wait for me for fuel, Friday afternoon. Gerrit at reception said the 1st 20 k's into Groen Rivier park is the hardest, and 2 chaps damaged their 1200's a week prior. Solo, the next 80 k's are going to be very hard, and off I went.
The 1st part of thick sand was ok. I rode hard, to stay afloat, but then my problems started. I fell into the jeep tracks, and had to work the bike hard. Suddenly the bike's dashboard looks like a cristmas tree. Just lights! All red and flickering, bike overheating. Stuck in the sand, down hill, radiator fan not working on the bike, I'm staring a burned out bike to-be in the face. DAMN! The fan has seized up, totally. I insect the radiator for damage due to the falls, but see none. I can barely turn the fan with my hand. Full of sand, and seized. At 1st I thought wet sand from he morning got in there and made a 'concrete' mix. Stripping the bike down in the sand also crossed my mind, but somehow I decided against that.
Ok, 20k's back to Gerhard is better than 80 to fuel at Koingnaas. I know the road back, and I don't know what is ahead, and I've just entered the hardest part of the whole ride. After a massive struggle to turn the bike in the worst 2 spoor ridden sand track a round, and getting it out, uphill, and running, with no fan, I was so glad to hit some less sandy patch.
On the rest of the places, the bike hit 3rd, and the air flow seemed OK to keep things in tack. After I turned the fan and forced it, it then started up on the road, with quite a grinding noise though. Tired and half 'panicked' my concentration is not the same as when I cam in, and I gave in to the sand monster a couple of times more. I think sub consciously, the fear of the situation now stopped me to ride the bike hard, which is required in the sand.
Back at the Groen Rivier office, I'm relieved to be out of immediate danger of having a seized bike in the wilderness. Staying, stripping, and try the next morning again, crosses my mind, but decide against it. Maybe you should take the sign for what it is while you are OK, and come back another day. Gerhard suggested we hose the fan out. We try that, but the grinding is still there. The only thing we can think is it got damaged.
Well, on the way home, just after refueling, the bikes starting to cut out, with electronics on and off, lights flashing, hazards going on, hooter going on etc. To the point where I pull off at a road side place. The chap then suggested to reset the battery. Then I found the problem, a loose battery terminal, causing the bike to cut out. Well, the next 160k's home were incident free.
Last night I opened the bike to get to radiator fan. When I got it out, if feels as if it seized up, but 'loose'. So I striped it, and found the problem (or blessing....
) . Googling it, turns out a another 'bad design' on our bikes. Sand comes in between the fan housing running around the motor casing, and the motor casing. In my case, enough sand came in to seize it up. So, after a clean, it turns perfect.What I cannot believe, is that such a stupid thing can cause you a bike burn out in the worst of places. All of you riding remote places, take note! Also, learn to strip and clean the fan out, for it is not a big job next to the road if your fan get's stuck. I think you can do it under 1 hour, or even less. This is now a higher priority to me, to be able to do on the road, than to be able to change a tire. And easier to fix. So, pay attention!
I'm glad to be back, sprained ankle, chest sore where chest plate took some pounding, and bike is actually 100%.
WC sand monster 1 - me 0!
I'll return though.
