Plothond
Race Dog
- Joined
- Sep 11, 2006
- Messages
- 4,929
- Reaction score
- 10
- Location
- Pretoria East - Home of Jameson
- Bike
- KTM 1090 Adventure R
Day 1
595km
Pretoria - Heimville
What to call this ride report ?
Epic ride ?, A dream come true?, The Sani adventure?, A Lesotho experience?, Bikes in the mist?, etc??
No!, eventually I decided that Sani 2007 would be appropriate ? Purely because we will be doing this again. What a wonderful experience.
So herewith a report seen from the eyes of a very excited DS rider
The anticipation built up weeks ahead of time, the bikes were checked, rechecked, serviced and tools and spares gathered. Leons? tyres were shot so TKC 80?s were duly ordered and fitted
(Short commercial break here ? thanks to Peter from Adventure MX for the excellent service. He also fitted heavy duty enduro tubes and then lined those tubes with the original standard thickness tubes. See the pics below)
I also decided to fit new rubber on the back (I need all the help I can get). My existing back tyre has gone into storage and I will re-fit it once the this one is shot). here are leons completed wheels
Here we are ? fitting new back rubber. The front wheel also came off and was checked for any defects. On a side note, - even if you are going to have your wheels/tyres done by a third party, invest in a good torque wrench and torque your wheel nuts and pinch bolts correctly
Leaving P-Town at 05:30 on Thursday morning
From left to right Plathond, Dophond, Leon, Plothond. Dophond just got his Transalp the evening before and was feeling really chuffed with himself and his new ride. He was so excited that he only went to bed about 3 hours previously so he was not very strong at this stage ? but enthusiasm made up for the rest
(sorry - image not available - will add tomorrow)
We went out on the Bapsfontein road and through Benoni to Heidelberg and joined up with the N3 towards Villiers.
Stopped off at the Wimpy just before the Villiers tollgate and had a quick brekkie.
After leaving the Wimpy we noticed storm clouds brewing to the right and hoping that they will disappear proved not to be so. So soon we had to pull over don our rain-gear.
Leon had put on Stealth pipes to replace the OEM ones and I must admit that they are, at 3k, much cheaper than Akra?s and sound just as good. And, interestingly enough everytime we filled up, Leon put in a litre or so less than my bike. Possibly the panniers also had something to do with it, but I suspect those Stealths helped with the fuel saving. The bike performs much smoother according to Leon and has more legs when twisting the throttle in each gear.
Just before we got into Harrismith Platte asked us to stop at the PEP Stores to get a balaclava as he was riding with a MX helmet and the cold wind was passing into the helmet past the goggles. We stopped outside AC Kermans and he went into the PEP next door to get one. He exited the store whilst fitting it and I noticed the traffic police across the road road taking a more than casual interest in us. This when I noticed we were also parked right next to the bank. Anyhow potential situation averted and we were on our way
Next stop for fuel and turn off the N3 at the Montrose filling station. Here I must express my sincere thanks to SGB for the route he sent me. The next leg of our journey through to Heimville was one of the most exhilarating ones I?ve ever had. Although the pass down to Geluksbrug is tarred, the road is badly potholed and not in good condition, but man? what a ride
Here at Montrose we discovered that Plattes? pannier frame had broken AGAIN, so the best bet was back to Harrismith to get it welded up. He was back in less than an hour after the friendly kwikfit shop helped him out
Sorting out the tire pressures
Some nice pics of top of the pass
Through Bergville and onto Winterton was a breeze and the riding was great.
Stop over at Winterton for fuel. Although we never really ever used more than half a tank between fill ups, we kept our tanks full ? just in case.
At Winterton, we turned off on the R600 towards the mountains foothills and soon thereafter left again. Then again right at Draycott and up a small pass. The views from the top of this pass were truly spectacular
Soon the road changed to dirt again and blikskottel !!! now the fun started. At time we were truly drag racing up and down the hillocks, those knobblies just peppering the rider behind and creating a grin on the riders face that stretched from ear to ear. After a really great dirt road we were once again on the tar and then it was just twisties and turnies, ups and downs. The bike were just flowing through the turns, left, right, left right??. And had it been any darker I?m sure you would have seen those brake discs glowing.
Near Hlatikulu at the Klein Mooirivier we stopped for a break and to put the inners in our jackets as the weather had turned cold and it looked as if the mist and rain was on it?s way. This where I made a big bugger up and neglected to put on my rain jacket as well. The weather became crappier and crappier and eventually with 60km?s to go to Heimville we were not happy chappies anymore. We were wet, cold and our helmets visors were muddy and dirty. If you closed the visor, it misted up and the rain prevented any visibility anyhow. Opening the visor subjected the rider to firstly dust and later mud and even at 50km/hour the rain stings your eyes
When we reach Heimville, it was not a moment to soon. I walked into reception to get our keys and by the time I?d filled in the book, the book was wet, the counter was wet and the floor was wet ? you get the picture ? everything was wet !!!
Then the auntie tells us to ride around the block to the back of the hotel. My popularity rating with my fellow riders dropped to an all time low when I went back out into the rain and told them to mount up again and ride around to the back
The backpackers accommodation was comfy. The chiropractic association must just never booking into the backpackers as they will condemn the whole place. Those mattresses swam around like a lost ship on a stormy sea.
The heaters worked, and no better use than to be used as helmet drier.
Now how about a bit of music. Then a brainwave which surfaced a few days earlier proved to be very successful
Recipe:
1 x iPod with good music. Add 1 x FM transmitter to the iPod, Take 1 cellphone with a radio function. Now tune the FM transmitter and the cell to the same station and voila ? music on demand.
Now I read on this forum that the spare ribs at the Heimville are lengendary, so ribs it was for dinner ? and they were good
Now at the beginning of this report I mentioned that Dophond was so excited that he did not want to sleep the night before. Well now this was catching up with him and by 8 o-clock he was ready for bed ? hardly even finished his dinner
Day 2
300km
Heimville ? Sani ? Fouriesburg ? De-Ark (near Clarens)
Our original plan was to be up at 06:00 and to be on our way by 07:00 (the border opens at 08:00)
Well at 06:30 it was still drizzling and we were NOT very keen on riding in the rain again. The Hotel had made us packed sandwiches, but the hot breakfast inside looked much more exciting so the takeaway was packed in for lunch
By 09:00 we thought ? stuff it ? no use sticking around so by 09:30 we were on our way to tackle the Dragon.
First pic, on the section that will be tarred soon. What a pity ? Sani is Sani for what it is and to tar it will spoil everything
Now due to all the rain and mist, this road was rather slippery and the going was slow
Some welcome breaks were the order of the morning
Now the road started getting steeper and 30km from Heimville (19km from the turnoff to the pass) we reached the SA border post
This formality completed we were on our way again. What a rude awakening ? around the first corner some lekker washouts, rocks and ruts. A bit further on it got better ? for a while
Soon it got really steep, rocky and loose. The fact that everything was wet from the rain did not help much either.
About halfway up the final section I came around a corner to see Leon blocking the way ? he?d spun out and was now blocking the way and precariously balancing on his toes. No problem ? I gave the throttle a good twist and bounced like a rock rabbit around him. Plathond just ahead stopped to watch the spectacle and just to showing him who was in control, I gave the throttle an extra blip ? Well extra blips on a wet Sani cause the following to happen:
Leon then made it up to us. Next came Dophond. Now those who wonder how Dophond got his name will see from the next pic why ? he fell on his DOP.
Man alive it was funny. Eventually the three of us were rolling around with tears streaming down our faces and the more we laughed the more despondent the poor guy got. You could have bought a brand new Transalp at that stage for the cost of a lift to the top of the pass
Moedeloos ? in his own words ?Ek is op? (I am finished)
He tried EVERYTHING to get someone to take his bike to the top. But as true friends ? we REFUSED
Some more pics
One for one ? arriving at the top
The obligatory photo?s at Sani Top Pub
The road from Sani Top to Mokhotlong (about 60km) varies between dirt highway, a fantastic pass and a beautifull valley with river and all ? all dirt. Once again our knobblies being tested by that ever present ailment in the right wrist. At one point in time Leon and �³l platte were so far ahead that the only proof of their passing were the black rubber streaks and burnout marks in the road ? that damn wrist again. He he ? long live the TKC80
The route ahead
...and looking back
Next stop ? lunch break at the Thaba Tseka turnoff
Soon we got to the Mokhotlong ? don?t be fooled, the sign at the turnoff says ?Excel Garage 1km? It is actually 5.7km
Again the most amazing passes and views. Lesotho is just that ? it?s just pass after pass and view upon view ? amazing
It was bitterly cold and the OBS bought in Heimville was soon finished. Everywhile the rain came down in buckets and soaked the road and our speed varied from as high as 120km/h to as low as 30km/h on the steep wet tar switchbacks
The pass just after Oxbow was really treacherous in the rain and I had visions of my bike slipping away from me and into nothingness ? so high and steep was the drop off the escarpment towards Butha- Buthe
Now all this time we behaved ourselves and even the crossing and the Lesotho border post at Caledonspoort was a non-event.
However Platte decided to liven things up on the SA side (sorry ? no pic, I was laughing too much). Too impatient to wait for our beloved police force to open the boom gates he decides to squeeze through but forgets about his panniers.
Well there?s this almighty crash and the boom gate thrashes around for a while before settling down. Well now border control is truly awake and this guy comes storming out ? ?Now look what you done? he shouts (the boom is not quite as straight as what it was previously was) ? ?I hev to taik you paaticulaa?s? Well platte talked his way out of it and off we were to De-Ark where we were to spend the night.
Now De-Ark is on top of mount Ararat and the last itchy throttle wrist completes the ride for the day. In high spirits we arrive to a hero?s welcome ? wives, children, even the dogs come out to welcome us.
A hot shower beckons ? another day complete
Day 3
0 km
De-Ark ? vegetating in the worst degree and writing this report
Day 4
Undecided yet ? maybe Memel and home ? we?ll see
595km
Pretoria - Heimville
What to call this ride report ?
Epic ride ?, A dream come true?, The Sani adventure?, A Lesotho experience?, Bikes in the mist?, etc??
No!, eventually I decided that Sani 2007 would be appropriate ? Purely because we will be doing this again. What a wonderful experience.
So herewith a report seen from the eyes of a very excited DS rider
The anticipation built up weeks ahead of time, the bikes were checked, rechecked, serviced and tools and spares gathered. Leons? tyres were shot so TKC 80?s were duly ordered and fitted
(Short commercial break here ? thanks to Peter from Adventure MX for the excellent service. He also fitted heavy duty enduro tubes and then lined those tubes with the original standard thickness tubes. See the pics below)
I also decided to fit new rubber on the back (I need all the help I can get). My existing back tyre has gone into storage and I will re-fit it once the this one is shot). here are leons completed wheels
Here we are ? fitting new back rubber. The front wheel also came off and was checked for any defects. On a side note, - even if you are going to have your wheels/tyres done by a third party, invest in a good torque wrench and torque your wheel nuts and pinch bolts correctly
Leaving P-Town at 05:30 on Thursday morning
From left to right Plathond, Dophond, Leon, Plothond. Dophond just got his Transalp the evening before and was feeling really chuffed with himself and his new ride. He was so excited that he only went to bed about 3 hours previously so he was not very strong at this stage ? but enthusiasm made up for the rest
(sorry - image not available - will add tomorrow)
We went out on the Bapsfontein road and through Benoni to Heidelberg and joined up with the N3 towards Villiers.
Stopped off at the Wimpy just before the Villiers tollgate and had a quick brekkie.
After leaving the Wimpy we noticed storm clouds brewing to the right and hoping that they will disappear proved not to be so. So soon we had to pull over don our rain-gear.
Leon had put on Stealth pipes to replace the OEM ones and I must admit that they are, at 3k, much cheaper than Akra?s and sound just as good. And, interestingly enough everytime we filled up, Leon put in a litre or so less than my bike. Possibly the panniers also had something to do with it, but I suspect those Stealths helped with the fuel saving. The bike performs much smoother according to Leon and has more legs when twisting the throttle in each gear.
Just before we got into Harrismith Platte asked us to stop at the PEP Stores to get a balaclava as he was riding with a MX helmet and the cold wind was passing into the helmet past the goggles. We stopped outside AC Kermans and he went into the PEP next door to get one. He exited the store whilst fitting it and I noticed the traffic police across the road road taking a more than casual interest in us. This when I noticed we were also parked right next to the bank. Anyhow potential situation averted and we were on our way
Next stop for fuel and turn off the N3 at the Montrose filling station. Here I must express my sincere thanks to SGB for the route he sent me. The next leg of our journey through to Heimville was one of the most exhilarating ones I?ve ever had. Although the pass down to Geluksbrug is tarred, the road is badly potholed and not in good condition, but man? what a ride
Here at Montrose we discovered that Plattes? pannier frame had broken AGAIN, so the best bet was back to Harrismith to get it welded up. He was back in less than an hour after the friendly kwikfit shop helped him out
Sorting out the tire pressures
Some nice pics of top of the pass
Through Bergville and onto Winterton was a breeze and the riding was great.
Stop over at Winterton for fuel. Although we never really ever used more than half a tank between fill ups, we kept our tanks full ? just in case.
At Winterton, we turned off on the R600 towards the mountains foothills and soon thereafter left again. Then again right at Draycott and up a small pass. The views from the top of this pass were truly spectacular
Soon the road changed to dirt again and blikskottel !!! now the fun started. At time we were truly drag racing up and down the hillocks, those knobblies just peppering the rider behind and creating a grin on the riders face that stretched from ear to ear. After a really great dirt road we were once again on the tar and then it was just twisties and turnies, ups and downs. The bike were just flowing through the turns, left, right, left right??. And had it been any darker I?m sure you would have seen those brake discs glowing.
Near Hlatikulu at the Klein Mooirivier we stopped for a break and to put the inners in our jackets as the weather had turned cold and it looked as if the mist and rain was on it?s way. This where I made a big bugger up and neglected to put on my rain jacket as well. The weather became crappier and crappier and eventually with 60km?s to go to Heimville we were not happy chappies anymore. We were wet, cold and our helmets visors were muddy and dirty. If you closed the visor, it misted up and the rain prevented any visibility anyhow. Opening the visor subjected the rider to firstly dust and later mud and even at 50km/hour the rain stings your eyes
When we reach Heimville, it was not a moment to soon. I walked into reception to get our keys and by the time I?d filled in the book, the book was wet, the counter was wet and the floor was wet ? you get the picture ? everything was wet !!!
Then the auntie tells us to ride around the block to the back of the hotel. My popularity rating with my fellow riders dropped to an all time low when I went back out into the rain and told them to mount up again and ride around to the back
The backpackers accommodation was comfy. The chiropractic association must just never booking into the backpackers as they will condemn the whole place. Those mattresses swam around like a lost ship on a stormy sea.
The heaters worked, and no better use than to be used as helmet drier.
Now how about a bit of music. Then a brainwave which surfaced a few days earlier proved to be very successful
Recipe:
1 x iPod with good music. Add 1 x FM transmitter to the iPod, Take 1 cellphone with a radio function. Now tune the FM transmitter and the cell to the same station and voila ? music on demand.
Now I read on this forum that the spare ribs at the Heimville are lengendary, so ribs it was for dinner ? and they were good
Now at the beginning of this report I mentioned that Dophond was so excited that he did not want to sleep the night before. Well now this was catching up with him and by 8 o-clock he was ready for bed ? hardly even finished his dinner
Day 2
300km
Heimville ? Sani ? Fouriesburg ? De-Ark (near Clarens)
Our original plan was to be up at 06:00 and to be on our way by 07:00 (the border opens at 08:00)
Well at 06:30 it was still drizzling and we were NOT very keen on riding in the rain again. The Hotel had made us packed sandwiches, but the hot breakfast inside looked much more exciting so the takeaway was packed in for lunch
By 09:00 we thought ? stuff it ? no use sticking around so by 09:30 we were on our way to tackle the Dragon.
First pic, on the section that will be tarred soon. What a pity ? Sani is Sani for what it is and to tar it will spoil everything
Now due to all the rain and mist, this road was rather slippery and the going was slow
Some welcome breaks were the order of the morning
Now the road started getting steeper and 30km from Heimville (19km from the turnoff to the pass) we reached the SA border post
This formality completed we were on our way again. What a rude awakening ? around the first corner some lekker washouts, rocks and ruts. A bit further on it got better ? for a while
Soon it got really steep, rocky and loose. The fact that everything was wet from the rain did not help much either.
About halfway up the final section I came around a corner to see Leon blocking the way ? he?d spun out and was now blocking the way and precariously balancing on his toes. No problem ? I gave the throttle a good twist and bounced like a rock rabbit around him. Plathond just ahead stopped to watch the spectacle and just to showing him who was in control, I gave the throttle an extra blip ? Well extra blips on a wet Sani cause the following to happen:
Leon then made it up to us. Next came Dophond. Now those who wonder how Dophond got his name will see from the next pic why ? he fell on his DOP.
Man alive it was funny. Eventually the three of us were rolling around with tears streaming down our faces and the more we laughed the more despondent the poor guy got. You could have bought a brand new Transalp at that stage for the cost of a lift to the top of the pass
Moedeloos ? in his own words ?Ek is op? (I am finished)
He tried EVERYTHING to get someone to take his bike to the top. But as true friends ? we REFUSED
Some more pics
One for one ? arriving at the top
The obligatory photo?s at Sani Top Pub
The road from Sani Top to Mokhotlong (about 60km) varies between dirt highway, a fantastic pass and a beautifull valley with river and all ? all dirt. Once again our knobblies being tested by that ever present ailment in the right wrist. At one point in time Leon and �³l platte were so far ahead that the only proof of their passing were the black rubber streaks and burnout marks in the road ? that damn wrist again. He he ? long live the TKC80
The route ahead
...and looking back
Next stop ? lunch break at the Thaba Tseka turnoff
Soon we got to the Mokhotlong ? don?t be fooled, the sign at the turnoff says ?Excel Garage 1km? It is actually 5.7km
Again the most amazing passes and views. Lesotho is just that ? it?s just pass after pass and view upon view ? amazing
It was bitterly cold and the OBS bought in Heimville was soon finished. Everywhile the rain came down in buckets and soaked the road and our speed varied from as high as 120km/h to as low as 30km/h on the steep wet tar switchbacks
The pass just after Oxbow was really treacherous in the rain and I had visions of my bike slipping away from me and into nothingness ? so high and steep was the drop off the escarpment towards Butha- Buthe
Now all this time we behaved ourselves and even the crossing and the Lesotho border post at Caledonspoort was a non-event.
However Platte decided to liven things up on the SA side (sorry ? no pic, I was laughing too much). Too impatient to wait for our beloved police force to open the boom gates he decides to squeeze through but forgets about his panniers.
Well there?s this almighty crash and the boom gate thrashes around for a while before settling down. Well now border control is truly awake and this guy comes storming out ? ?Now look what you done? he shouts (the boom is not quite as straight as what it was previously was) ? ?I hev to taik you paaticulaa?s? Well platte talked his way out of it and off we were to De-Ark where we were to spend the night.
Now De-Ark is on top of mount Ararat and the last itchy throttle wrist completes the ride for the day. In high spirits we arrive to a hero?s welcome ? wives, children, even the dogs come out to welcome us.
A hot shower beckons ? another day complete
Day 3
0 km
De-Ark ? vegetating in the worst degree and writing this report
Day 4
Undecided yet ? maybe Memel and home ? we?ll see
