- Joined
- Mar 26, 2011
- Messages
- 582
- Reaction score
- 94
- Location
- Cape Town, Southern Suburbs
- Bike
- Triumph (all models)
A late report for a trip that happened in May but I have been battling to post it with pics or video. So if it appears in bits and pieces it is because I am technologically illiterate. (and also because I would rather be riding than writing).
This trip could be called many things: “Langebaan Toppies” but some newcomers have dropped the average age to about 50 (and raised the IQ to 50 as well) , “Sand ain’t bad” but some will tell you that it was not at all pleasant, or “The Trip of Attrition” because 7 bikes started out but only 2 made the full planned distance. But whatever it gets called it was FUN.
Ant on an XL650 is the main instigator of such trips. As an ex-MX racer from the days of twin rear shocks he also likes to be in front and HATES it if anyone is in front of him. (He hates it when his bike gets dirty). On previous trips he relied on a map and a really good memory but age has caught up with him and now he has a GPS. Now he is really confused and lost but still wants to ride in front.
Harry is also known as the Enforcer and on his DL1000 Be-Strong he does look imposing cruising down tracks that the designers did not intend the bike for. He man-handles that bike in the way most of us would a KX125 and when he gets the mutters everyone stands clear.
Grant with his DRZ400 is the Negotiator who makes all the arrangements. Maybe it is because of all the years he spent in Durban that he has a connection everywhere and will never accept the first price as being the one he is going to pay and finds some really interesting places to stay.
Greg was “allowed” to be there for a while but business called him back half way through and the GS800 had to shoot back down the N7 in a hurry. He took on the name Dusty during the trip.
Andy also on a (borrowed) DRZ400 is one of the new-comers to the topies and was a bit concerned after hearing all the worst (and exaggerated) stories about sand. By profession a dentist (and pilot) we put our trust in him for our medical care.
Jaco, also a new-comer to the topies, is an Airbus pilot and helped plan the route. He obviously did not realize that on the ground there are rocks and drop-offs – but more about that towards the end of the trip. His XL650 is more tricked out than his Airbus as he has access to Stateside shops a few times a month.
Ken, that’s me, known as Not the Navigator (NTN) because I always manage to get them lost. Also because I believe that you cannot get lost – you just get to a different destination. After a few trips on my DRZ400 it was the first long trip on my newly acquired XT660Z with a brand new set of Mitas E-07s.
Joining us in the back-up Landy were Jeremy (who has traveled with us before, and has traveled most 4x4 tracks in SA) and Tony, who came along to make sure we all behaved. Initially it was planned to travel without a trailer but Jeremy then got hold of a really rugged off-road trailer.
Now about the trailer. Initially we were supposed to carry all our own goods on our bikes and the Landy would be used for its fridges and to carry food as being a SWB it did not have much space anyway. But at some stage my comfort loving comrades saw that their luxuries and spare under-rods would not fit on their bikes so Jeremy’s off-road trailer was collected and stuffed with all they had. I must admit that I also used the trailer after the first day and only carried my bike and day stuff on the bike. It fitted perfectly in my Oxford tail-bag fitted on my Andy660 plate.
The planning for this trip started in January and after a bit of discussion it was decided to revisit the Richtersveld area but then to do a few of the other 4x4 tracks and passes on the way back down. Between Ant and Jaco they settled on a mix of tracks that took us to many places we had not been through before at a pace of roughly 250km a day. All was plotted for the Garmins with the help of Tracks4Africa and distributed to confuse the less technically adept. I’m quite happy to ride towards the back anyway so I just follow the leader.
This trip could be called many things: “Langebaan Toppies” but some newcomers have dropped the average age to about 50 (and raised the IQ to 50 as well) , “Sand ain’t bad” but some will tell you that it was not at all pleasant, or “The Trip of Attrition” because 7 bikes started out but only 2 made the full planned distance. But whatever it gets called it was FUN.
Ant on an XL650 is the main instigator of such trips. As an ex-MX racer from the days of twin rear shocks he also likes to be in front and HATES it if anyone is in front of him. (He hates it when his bike gets dirty). On previous trips he relied on a map and a really good memory but age has caught up with him and now he has a GPS. Now he is really confused and lost but still wants to ride in front.
Harry is also known as the Enforcer and on his DL1000 Be-Strong he does look imposing cruising down tracks that the designers did not intend the bike for. He man-handles that bike in the way most of us would a KX125 and when he gets the mutters everyone stands clear.
Grant with his DRZ400 is the Negotiator who makes all the arrangements. Maybe it is because of all the years he spent in Durban that he has a connection everywhere and will never accept the first price as being the one he is going to pay and finds some really interesting places to stay.
Greg was “allowed” to be there for a while but business called him back half way through and the GS800 had to shoot back down the N7 in a hurry. He took on the name Dusty during the trip.
Andy also on a (borrowed) DRZ400 is one of the new-comers to the topies and was a bit concerned after hearing all the worst (and exaggerated) stories about sand. By profession a dentist (and pilot) we put our trust in him for our medical care.
Jaco, also a new-comer to the topies, is an Airbus pilot and helped plan the route. He obviously did not realize that on the ground there are rocks and drop-offs – but more about that towards the end of the trip. His XL650 is more tricked out than his Airbus as he has access to Stateside shops a few times a month.
Ken, that’s me, known as Not the Navigator (NTN) because I always manage to get them lost. Also because I believe that you cannot get lost – you just get to a different destination. After a few trips on my DRZ400 it was the first long trip on my newly acquired XT660Z with a brand new set of Mitas E-07s.
Joining us in the back-up Landy were Jeremy (who has traveled with us before, and has traveled most 4x4 tracks in SA) and Tony, who came along to make sure we all behaved. Initially it was planned to travel without a trailer but Jeremy then got hold of a really rugged off-road trailer.
Now about the trailer. Initially we were supposed to carry all our own goods on our bikes and the Landy would be used for its fridges and to carry food as being a SWB it did not have much space anyway. But at some stage my comfort loving comrades saw that their luxuries and spare under-rods would not fit on their bikes so Jeremy’s off-road trailer was collected and stuffed with all they had. I must admit that I also used the trailer after the first day and only carried my bike and day stuff on the bike. It fitted perfectly in my Oxford tail-bag fitted on my Andy660 plate.
The planning for this trip started in January and after a bit of discussion it was decided to revisit the Richtersveld area but then to do a few of the other 4x4 tracks and passes on the way back down. Between Ant and Jaco they settled on a mix of tracks that took us to many places we had not been through before at a pace of roughly 250km a day. All was plotted for the Garmins with the help of Tracks4Africa and distributed to confuse the less technically adept. I’m quite happy to ride towards the back anyway so I just follow the leader.
