- BMW Motorcycle Club Pretoria

Transcription

May 2016 | Volume 21/1
newsletter of bmw motorcycle club pretoria, south africa
www.bmwclubs.co.za
club INFO
Thank you to all
the contributors
who made this
issue possible!
Thanks for
allowing us to use
your photographs!
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weekly Club correspondence:
The Triple R - Reminders,
Rides & Requests
Having issues? Detailed instructions will be posted on our forum. Enjoy!
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Chairperson
Vice Chairperson & Treasurer
Social
Membership
S Captain
Technology
Secretary
GS Captain
Lifestyle
Sias Wagenaar
Esteni Smit
Andries Haasbroek Dani du Preez
Giel Cillié
Marnus Pieters
Sandra Scholtz
Willem Nordeje
Hanlie du Preez
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
VISION & MISSION
Hanlie du Preez
[email protected]
Cell: 072 942 5511
IMPORTANT
Non-Club members are welcome to attend Club
riding events as guests. They are, however, required
to sign an indemnity form before participating. The
form can be down-loaded from the website. The Club
has an official policy regarding the use and financial
compensation of support vehicles on official overnight
Club trips.
Our Vision: Shared riding pleasure
Our Mission: To foster fellowship through safe, supportive and
responsible riding and enjoyment of BMW motorcycles, in a
courteous manner.
Spoke & Piston also appears on our website. Please
send articles, pictures, comments, etc. to esteni@
bmwclubs.co.za
INDEMNITY: Although reasonable care has been taken
to ensure the correctness of all material contained
herein, the publisher cannot be held liable for any
inaccuracies that may occur or damage/loss sustained
as a result of advice given.
www.bmwclubs.co.za
LIFESTYLE
R200
EDITOR:
SPOKE & PISTON
R50 VALUE
BUNDLE
R250
R150
R250
R80
Pit Shirts - R250 | Long Sleeve Shirts - R80 | Golf T - R150 | Vintage T’s - R200
Buffs - R100 | Caps - R100 | Mugs - R50 | Life Capsules - R50 | Badges - R20
Stickers - R5 | Lip Balm - R15 | Multi Tool Torch & Knife Set - R110 | Torch & Tool - R80
BMW Life Cap & BMW Sticker
Our Club’s 21 year anniversary golf shirts are only R200 each!
Be part of the celebration and get yours soon.
Spoke & Piston | BMW Motorcycle Club Pretoria, South Africa
2
CLUB INFO
FROM THE CHAIR
SIAS WAGENAAR
“The best endings are the ones that lead to new beginnings.”
Mathangi Subramanian
This is indeed the case with our own club, with every end to something,
so many more new beginnings keep coming our way!
More remarkable things are continuously being added to our 2016
chapter in our Club’s history and, as we all by now know, we will be
celebrating our 21st anniversary this year.
With this, we will also be joining in the BMW’s centenary celebrations
and as a Club we want to make this another hallmark in our history
book.
The 2016 GS Trophy in May at Drakensville promises to be another
awesome event and we were again privileged to be requested to attend
to the routes. Without doubt, awesomeness awaits all attending and
Willem and the Rides Committee must be applauded for the work done
in this regard.
We have concluded our 21st AGM and with this we were once again
reassured this club is as buoyant as ever and indeed a leader amongst
the South African BMW clubs. For this we have to thank the outgoing
committee for the work done in 2015/2016.
Three committee members stepped down for a deserved rest and were
not available for re-election. We want to thank Johan Maartens, Deon
Basson and Elmarie Bierman for the work they did during their time on
the main committee. Enjoy your rest!
MEMBERSHIP
Members who attended our fun Club night on the 1st April would have
met the new committee members and if I may add, this is a vibrant
group of people with so much creativeness and ideas, the next year is
simply just too short to fit all these many ideas in. We are really looking
forward to all of this!
1st April also saw us saying our farewells to the current clubhouse
premises, which served us well over the past six years. This was indeed
a fun evening with the April’s Fool theme, which resulted in lots of
laughter and fun, and was well supported by many of our members.
Our calendar for 2016 is not only packed with over 80 events and
activities, but all of these have already found owners and here we
certainly have to acknowledge the rides committee and our ride
captains. Thank you for the amazing work done and continuously
executed flawlessly. With a big thank you to all our members who
continuously keep on supporting our rides, we certainly are blessed to
have this lively interaction and support in all we do.
With all of this and so much more taking place, we are indeed blessed.
So many opportunities, yet not enough time, what more could one ask
for.
Safe riding!
Sias
Thank you to everyone who took up the invitation to renew
membership for 2016. May you enjoy the ride and the fun!
Numbers can say a million things. The member count for BMW
Motorcycle Club, Pretoria for the last 7 years:
MEMBER COUNT 2016 - date
Individual
137
Family
336
Pensioner
22
Student
2
Country
27
Honorary
9
TOTAL
533
The committee has some new ideas regarding the use of your
membership card. Please make sure you have your unique numbered
card and a valid 2016 sticker. Contact [email protected] for any
Membership issues and remember to bring your membership card
along to every Club Night and Club Ride!
BMW CLUBS
GLOBAL DAY
save the date
20 AUGUST 2016
It was agreed that all Clubs worldwide will
celebrate BMW’s 100 year Anniversary on
the same day!
clubs in Gauteng: BMW Car Club Gauteng,
BMW Motorrad Clubs Central, Jacaranda
and West Rand.
This combined celebration by BMW
Motorcycle Clubs and BMW Car Clubs
will start in New Zealand, morning of 20
August, rolling around the globe to make it
a huge event.
More info on our Club’s activities on the
day will follow.
We will join the celebrations with a day at
Red Star Raceway with the four other BMW
The BMW car and motorcycle clubs of
America will end the celebrations of our
favourite marque in Monterey, California.
You can read more about their planned
festivities on http://celebratebmw.com
3
CLUB INFO
INTRODUCING THE 2016
MAIN COMMITTEE
It is with great pleasure that we introduce to you the 2016 Main Committee
Members under leadership of the Chairperson, Sias Wagenaar:
Sias Wagenaar – Chairperson
With a forum alias of BM13, our Club’s esteemed
gentleman and definitely the “king” of RRR’s, Sias joined
the Club many years ago, then riding an 1150RT. As a
previous Chairperson and S Captain, Sias understands the
importance of the Main Committee in serving our Club’s
members in as many aspects as possible. He is looking
forward to building on past successes but also exploring
new avenues and ideas to take the Club to new heights.
Sias is a Business Consultant with years of experience
in the police and banking environment. He is married to
Emilia – and what a pair they are! We can’t wait for the day
when that shiny red LC explores some dirt!
Esteni Smith – Vice Chairperson & Treasurer
Married to Chris (the Club’s gentle giant), Esteni swopped
chrome for dirt, bought her first GS from Bavarian
Motorcycles in 2008 and became part of the Club’s family
in 2014. Es is a qualified chef, a great entertainer and
loves riding her mountain bike for kilometres on end.
But not all is play… Esteni is a Senior Financial Manager
for a large Corporate, serves as a non-executive Board
Member for a State Hospital and forms an integral part
of the Women’s Development Programme. You have to
agree that the Club’s finances are indeed in good hands!
Andries Haasbroek - Social
Our resident adrenaline junkie, animal saver and speedo
wearer, Andries was gently persuaded to buy his own
bike after an “unfortunate” incident with his Dad’s and
subsequently joined the Club in the process. Andries is
an Industrial Designer which will come in handy as time
progresses, especially with the new clubhouse. When
asked what he would like to accomplish in his portfolio,
the answer was as simple as “make sure the clubhouse is
filled with smiles and good times!”. Well, based on some
previous events, we’re in for an exciting ride!
Dani du Preez - Membership
As newly elected President of BMW Clubs Africa and
being involved with the Club since 2005 in many
portfolios such as webmaster, editor of the Spoke
& Piston and chairperson, Dani realises the value
of flawless membership administration and quality
communication. She strives to continuously grow the
Club to its fullest potential. When not occupied with
BMW Club related duties, Dani devotes her time to
her husband Marius, family and pets. She is an avid
gardener, collects coins, enjoys wildlife photography,
riding her GS and cycling with Marius – they recently
completed their 18th Argus Cycle Tour! Read more about
their “Karoo en Kaapse keur” adventure in this edition…
4
CLUB INFO
Giel Cillié - S Captain
Giel’s introduction to motorcycling started at age 16 on
a friend’s Honda SS 50. After owning and trading various
bikes since, Giel’s first BMW was a red K1200RS bought
in 1999 and joined the Club after realising the benefits as
a member when servicing at Bavarian Motorcycles – one
service and the fees are paid! Giel is a Quantity Surveyor
and married to Carina, enjoys photography and is also
a runner who completed 13 Comrades marathons. Giel
wants to promote “shared riding pleasure” amongst all
S-riders. Keep it on the tar, Giel!
Marnus Pieters - Technology
Marnus is a Software Systems Designer who joined the
Club after trading a used 650 Dakar in on a R1200GS.
After writing off the GS and a GSA, he opted for a bike
from the Dark Side (read KTM), presumably to protect
the BMW brand in lieu of his inadequacies to keep them
in good repair. He still keeps a Blue Propeller G450X
on standby for those hooligan days and is currently
searching for a GS which will take him to retirement,
said tongue in cheek... Marnus believes the Club is all
about its people and would like to see everyone live out
their passion for their biking hobby in their unique way.
Marnus’ aim is to keep the Technology side of the Club
up and running and will not hesitate to use his Super
Admin rights…
Sandra Scholtz - Secretary
Sandra is a Certified Property Professional, mother of two
and recently celebrated a 25 year wedding anniversary
with husband Gustav. Sandra’s biking journey started
as a pillion on Gustav’s R1200GSA, recently traded her
F650GS “Lemoentjie” and now rides a 1200 LC. The pair
rides when time allows for it and finds great dirt roads
wherever they go. With her sparkling personality, Sandra
vows to put fun back into planning and be supportive in
the Administrative duties of the Club. At least all the “fun”
will get documented!
Willem Nordeje - GS Captain
Willem, a.k.a. Smartie, is a Project Manager in the
Telecoms Industry and loves to get his GS as dirty as
possible, exploring challenging routes and finding new
and exciting venues in the process – he is our Club’s Mr
Trophy after all! Willem shares his passion with his wife
Maria, who also braves it as a trusty pillion at times or on
four wheels exploring nature in their 4x4. Willem wants
to share with other GS’ers the wonder of God’s nature
by bringing challenging new ideas to entertain club
members in the process. Just keep on doing what you do
Willem, you’re doing just that!
Hanlie du Preez - Lifestyle
Hanlie’s friendly and soft demeanour hides the fact that
she is actually a tough cookie that is always ready for an
adventure. This combination of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde
is the result of years in the automotive public relations
and marketing arena, and makes her the perfect fit for
the Lifestyle portfolio. Also known as Eightch, her Hello
Kitty customised R1200GS depicts what matters most
– adventure, friends and family (especially her teenage
biker son, Ronin). She wants to ensure that our members
are spoiled with a top class publication and wants to
introduce new and exciting items to the lifestyle range
to offer something for everyone. Keep an eye out for
monthly special offers and a survey in the near future!
5
CLUB INFO
JOY & SORROW
Our thoughts go to all the Members who are in the process of recovering from incidents
or illness. May your recovery be a short but restful one. We’re all thinking of you during
this time and we hope you’re back on your feet soon.
TRAINING ROUND-UP
Congratulations to the following Members who have successfully completed rider training courses:
INTRODUCTION TO OFF-ROAD RIDING
Off-road Level 2
27 February 2016
09 April 2016
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Fernando de Pinho
Steven Dreyer
Mike Kilbride
Karl Dalbock
Mike Edwards
Tony Postma
Veronica de la Rey
Gihan Megannon
Cisca Megannon (Pillion)
Christo Lingenfelder
Rudi Botha
Clive Lewis
Alex vd Horst
Adriaan v Zyl
Braam vd Berg
EJ Rudman
Zander Stramrood
Johann Doms
Clive Porter
Olivier Duffar
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Andries Haasbroek
Fernando de Pinho
Jaco Pietersen
Mike Edwards
Karl Dalbock
Steven Dreyer
Clive Lewis
Johan Badenhorst
P du Toit
Nico Ras
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Clubs ride calendar 2016
MAY
JUNE
JULY
AUGUST
05-08
13
GS Trophy
S 3 Dams
GS Soweto | GS Lite -
Club Night
Club Night
L1 First Aid Training
05
03
01
14
Club Night
03
S Naboomspruit
GS Rooiberg
06-09
S Blood River
GS Memel
11
BMW Proficiency
Training
09
Bavarian Training
Chain Training
13
Bavarian Keeping a Girl in
School Fundraiser
16
Skills Day
18
FMR
15
14
16-19
20
FMR
FMR
Bavarian Training
Bike Preparation
FMR
23
Bavarian Training
Shaft Training
Bike Festival @ Kyalami
25
20
GS Tzaneen
Wartburg
Please note
Dates are subject to
change. Keep an eye
on the forum.
27-29
21
S Potchefstroom
GS Cullinan
Classics
Andre Kok
Meinhard van den
Berg
Zander Stramrood
Alan Gatley
Gihan Megannon
Gunther van
Wesemaal
Gerrie Mans
Glenn Forbes
29
Club Night
30
Classics
31
S Derby / Black Horse
GS Marble Hall
GS Lite Whisk
20-21
WW BMW Day Club
Birthday Gala Event
6
BMW
MOTORRAD
Celebrating
100 years
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
On 7 March 2016, BMW celebrated 100 years of existence as a
company. Over this period of time, a small aero-engine manufacturer
based in the north of Munich has been transformed into a worldleading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles, as
well as a provider of premium finance and mobility services. On the
route to this status, BMW has always proved to be a highly innovative
company which has defined change and looked to the future.
Today, the BMW Group is an international group of companies with
production and assembly facilities in 14 countries and a global sales
network. The company makes significant contributions to designing
individual mobility of the future.
Looking at the history of the BMW Group reveals a large variety
of events and decisions which exerted a sustainable impact on
the development of the company while at the same time being
an expression of its character. Pioneering products and strategic
trajectories owe a debt of gratitude to these visionary moments. They
are all based on the courage to try out something new and strike out
on new pathways. The ambition of the company has always been to
achieve more than just the basics and to compete with the best, while
also fostering the capacity to accept challenges and emerge from them
with enhanced strength of purpose.
To mark this event BMW released 100 facts from 100 years – here
are some interesting reads. Did you know?
279.503 km/ on a fully faired BMW motorcycle with a supercharger – a
record that is only broken 14 years later.
7 March 1916 Bayerische Flugzeugwerke AG is established as the
successor to aircraft manufacturer Gustav-Otto-Flugmaschinenfabrik
with registered office at Lerchenauer Straße in Munich. In 1922,
engine construction, the name and the brand logo of Bayerische
Motorenwerke AG are transferred to this company. This is therefore
regarded as the date of establishment of the “New BMW AG”.
8 June 1939 Georg “Schorsch” Meier is the first non-Briton to win the
Senior-TT on the Isle of Man riding a BMW supercharged motorcycle.
10 December 1917 The round brand logo with the letters BMW and
the stylised propeller designed in the Bavarian national colours of
blue and white is entered under the number 221388 in the Trademark
Registry of the Imperial Patents Office. At the end of the 1920s, this
livery appears for the first time in advertising as a stylised rotating
propeller, which has since then formed the basis for the interpretation
of the logo.
28 September 1923 At the German Motor Show in Berlin, the BMW
R 32 is presented: the first motorcycle produced under the brand,
developed under the management of Max Friz, powered by a
horizontally opposed twin-cylinder, four-stroke Boxer engine.
2 February 1924 Engineer and racing driver Rudolf Schleicher
achieves the best time riding a BMW R 32 in the hillclimb on the steep
Mittenwalder Gsteig – and brings home the first victory to BMW in the
history of motor sport.
28 November 1937 The BMW works driver Ernst Henne starts on
the last of many world record rides and achieves a record speed of
17 December 1948 Motorcycle production is started up again
in Munich. A BMW R 24 powered by a single-cylinder engine is
manufactured there as the first vehicle from BMW AG in the post-war
era.
15 January 1955 A new model series is presented at the Brussels
Motor Show with the BMW R 50 and the BMW R 69 manufactured with
a full swing arm suspension. The series defined the BMW motorcycle
programme until 1969.
13 May 1969 Motorcycle production at the BMW main plant in Munich
comes to an end. Production is relocated to the site in Berlin where
the new BMW /5 Series starts rolling off the production line from
September 1969.
20 January 1981 French racing driver Hubert Auriol wins the ParisDakar Rally riding a BMW R 80 G/S and provides further proof for the
reliability of the Enduro model launched the year before, which is
powered by a Boxer flat-twin engine.
7 March 2016 marked the 100th anniversary of the company is
celebrated at a gala event in Munich’s Olympiahalle multipurpose
arena.
7
BMW MOTORRAD
HISTORY OF
BMW motorcycles
FROM WIKIPEDIA
Engine types
There are currently four lines of BMW motorcycles:
•
•
•
•
F & G series singles
F series twins
R series
K series
The series differ primarily in the class of engine that each uses.
F and G series singles
The F Series of single-cylinder BMW motorcycles was first launched in
1994, as the F650, and was built by Aprilia around a carburetted 650
cc four-stroke, four-valve, single piston engine, and chain drive. The
mission for the F 650 was to provide an entry level BMW motorcycle.
In 2000, the F650 was redesigned, now with fuel injection, and labelled
the F650GS. An off-road focused F650 Dakar model was also launched
that year. 2002 saw the addition of the F650CS ‘Scarver’ motorcycle to
the line-up. The Scarver was different from the F650GS variants in that
it utilized a belt drive system opposed to a chain, had a much lower
seat height, and was intended for on-road use. All F650 motorcycles
produced from 2000 to 2007 used a 652 cc engine built in Austria by
Rotax and were built by BMW in Berlin.
In late 2006, the G series of off-road biased bikes motorcycles was
launched using the same 652 cc engine fitted to the F650GS, although
that engine is no longer manufactured by Rotax. The latest version of
the 652cc single engine fitted in the new G650GS is now produced in
Berlin after 2 years production in Loncin, China.
In November 2007, the G450X sport Enduro motorcycle was launched
using a 450 cc single-cylinder engine. The G450X contained several
technological improvements over the Japanese off road racing
motorcycles but the most unique and significant was the use of a
single pivot point for the drive sprocket and the swing arm. This
unusual configuration allowed for a very tense drive chain with no
slop and eliminated acceleration squat. The former benefit saves on
chain and sprocket wear and the latter allows for a more consistent
drive geometry and fully available rear suspension travel during heavy
acceleration.
F series twins
In mid-2006, The F Series added two new motorcycles to the line-up,
the F800S sports bike and F800ST sports Tourer, both which use a 798
cc parallel-twin engine built by Rotax. Both motorcycles also feature
a belt drive system similar to what was in use on the F650CS. In 2007
the single-cylinder F650GS was replaced with the twin-cylinder F800GS
and F650GS models. The latter uses a de-tuned version of the 798 cc
engine fitted to the F800GS, marking a departure from BMW’s naming
convention.
R series flat-twins
Four different BMW airhead
and oil head valve covers
1954 R68’s two-fin valve covers
The R series are built around a horizontally opposed flat-twin (boxer)
engine. As the engine is mounted with a longitudinal crankshaft, the
cylinder heads protrude well beyond the sides of the frame. Originally,
R series bikes had air-cooled heads but are now produced only with
partial oil cooling or water cooling. The type of internal combustion
engine cooling used across the various R series engines leads to the
use of the distinguishing names airhead and oil head.
Airheads
Airheads are BMW motorcycles with an air-cooled flat-twin engine that
were built from 1923 to 1995. Most airheads made from 1969 to 1995
used the BMW 247 engine, although 248/1 engines were used on midsized R-series motorcycles from 1978 to 1993. Even high-performance
motorcycles, such as the R90S used the 247 engine; and its successor,
the R100RS, was fitted with oil cooler.
Oilheads
An “Oilhead” is a name to describe BMW flat-twin motorcycle engines
with partial oil-cooling, and to distinguish these engines from the
earlier air-cooled “Airhead” models.[34] The Oilhead’s finned cylinders
have conventional air-cooling, but the four-valve cylinder-heads are
oil-cooled. Unlike earlier BMW boxers which had a single camshaft in
the crankcase (variously above or below the crankshaft), the Oilhead
has a camshaft in each head. (It is still technically an ohv engine rather
than a true sohc unit, as the camshaft bears onto very short pushrods
which operate valve rockers). In 2013, BMW introduced water-cooling
to its boxer range.
Water-cooler boxer engines
From 2014, some BMW bikes have water-cooled-heads, but (like the
oilheads), the new engines still use air-cooling for the cylinders. The
inlets are now on top of the cylinder (not behind as before) and the
exhausts are below (no longer in front).
R series singles
Between the introduction of the R39 in 1925 and the discontinuation of
the R27 in 1967, BMW made motorcycles with single-cylinder engines.
These were similar in design to their larger flat-twin motorcycles,
including the use of shaft drive, but the engine was mounted vertically
within the frame.[35]
K series straight engines
The K series BMWs have water-cooled engines of three (K75), or four
(K100, K1100, K1200, K1300), or six (K1600) cylinders. Up until 2004,
all K series engines, whether three or four cylinders were that of the
original “flying brick” layout, so called due to the external appearance
of the engine. The layout of these original K engines is unique within
motorcycling in that the engine is mounted lying on its side, with the
crank on the right side of the bike and the cylinder heads and /valve
gear on the left. This format had the advantage of allowing the drive
system to have only one 90-degree translation within the final drive
housing, potentially reducing drive train losses. All of the original
format K engines were also mated to a dry automotive-type clutch.
The uniform use of the traditional K engine ceased with the K1200
models in 2005, with a new 1200 series engine that was radically
different from the flying brick in that it was a conventional transversely
55-degree slant-mounted four-cylinder engine coupled to a wet clutch
and a unit construction gearbox. It was at this time also that the K
bike shaft drive moved from the right side to the left. Despite this new
engine, the traditional flying brick K engine continued in service with
the giant K1200LT luxury touring bike until 2009, at which point the
flying brick bowed out along with the K1200LT. This was the event that
8
BMW MOTORRAD
HISTORY OF BMW MOTORCYCLES continued
presaged the development of the ultimate K engine in terms of size
and complexity, the six-cylinder K1600 series fitted to the K1600GT and
GTL models.
In October 2008, BMW announced the new K1300GT, K1300S and
K1300R models, all of which feature a larger capacity 1293 cc engine
producing up to 175 hp (130 kW). The new engine produces maximum
power output 1,000 RPM lower than the previous engine, producing
more torque due in part butterfly flap fitted in the exhaust.
In 2011, BMW launched the K1600 range—the K1600GT and
K1600GTL—featuring a new 1,649 cc (100.6 cu in) straight-six engine,
which is mounted transversely across the chassis.[37] The engine is
angled forward by 50°. The engine was originally used on the Concept
6, a concept bike that was shown at the 2009 EICMA Milan Motor
Show.[39] BMW claims that the engine at 560 mm (22 in) wide, just 67
mm (2.6 in) wider than the K1300 engine, is the narrowest six-cylinder
engine ever produced. Cylinder bore is 72.0 mm (2.83 in) and the
distance between cylinder centres 77 mm (3.0 in). The camshaft is
hollow, with cam lobes pressed on, which saves around 2 lb (0.91 kg).
The engine has electronic throttle control and multiple drive modes
which can be set according to road conditions.
Model designation
BMW K100 motorcycle engine circa 1986
The first K-series production bike was the K100, which was introduced
in the 1983. In 1988, BMW introduced the K1 which had the Bosch
Motronic fuel injection system.
From 1985 to 1996, the K75 740 cc three-cylinder engine was
produced.
In 1991, BMW increased the displacement of the K100 from 987
cc to 1,097 cc and the model designation became the K1100. The
K1100LT was the first with the new engine displacement. In 1998 BMW
increased the size again to 1,170 cc. This upgraded flat four engine
appeared in the K1200RS. This engine continued in production for the
K1200LT range, with a power boosting update in 2004, until the end of
the LT production run.
The later K1200 engine is a 1,157 cc transverse inline-four, announced
in 2003 and first seen in the 2005 K1200S. The new engine generates
123 kW (165 hp) and is tilted forwards 55 degrees. It is 43 cm (17 in)
wide, giving the bikes a very low centre of mass without reducing
maximum lean angles.
The Great
Karoo GATHERING
There is a very active group of Airheads called the R80 and R100
G/S Monolever and GS Paralever Owners Club. They all ride type
247e BMW bikes. Few are standard as they update suspensions
and customise them for dirt road riding. They are a varied bunch of
personalities that share one passion - their Airhead BMW’s.
Every year we gather from all over the country, riding to one place
using as much dirt road as we can. At the gathering, we all look at who
has done what to their bikes. We admire and advise - we also look for
BMW uses a three segment nomenclature for motorcycles. The
first segment indicates the engine type; the second indicates the
approximate engine displacement in cubic centimetres (with one
notable exception - the F 650 GS, which has an engine displacement
of 798cc, while the third indicates the class of motorcycle (e.g., sport,
sport touring, dual-sport, etc.). The three segments are separated by
blanks.
Styling suffix designations:
•
C - Cruiser
•
CS - Classic Sport
•
G/S - Gelände/Strasse Off-road/Street
•
GS - Gelände Sport Off-road Sport (Enduro)
•
GT - Gran Turismo or Grand Touring
•
LS - Luxury Sport
•
LT - Luxus Tourer (Luxury Tourer)
•
R - Road or Roadster - typically naked
•
RR - Superbike/Racing
•
RS - Originally stood for Rennsport, but since 1976 has stood for
Reisesport
•
RT - Reise Tourer (Travel Tourer)
•
S - Sport
•
ST - Strasse (Street) or Sport Tourer
•
T - Touring
RICHARD HUSSEY
unused bits for our own bikes. It is like a family, where what is to be
discarded by one is gratefully picked up by another who needs it.
We talked and exchanged stories, laugh and groan and generally have
a great time for two nights.
On the day between we ride out to wherever and back. Then we all
pack our bikes, say our goodbyes and ride back home again.
This is the Airhead bunch at this year’s Gathering...
9
BMW MOTORRAD
BMW Motorrad
International
GS Trophy
The fifth BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy, the 2016 Southeast Asia
edition came to a close, after seven hard days’ riding, with a spectacular finale
on Saturday, March 5.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
With the competition still in the balance right up to the final special
test, it was a tense finish – decided in favour of Team South Africa who
kept their nerve to secure the nation’s first victory in the event after
twice placing runner-up. Let´s have a look back on a week packed with
high temperatures, offroad riding, friendly people and adventures in
the jungle.
The fifth edition brought together 19 teams (comprising 57 riders plus
19 embedded journalists) representing 25 nations for a seven-day
over-1300 kilometre trek through the forests, jungles and mountains
of Northern Thailand. The riding was possibly the most technical
yet, as the riders guided their BMW R 1200 GS bikes along singletrack trails more akin to enduro racing than adventure competition.
Temperatures matched those of the South African edition in 2010 –
running into the high 30ºC range – and with high humidity it was one of
the hotter, sweatier GS Trophies!
The start came at the Rim Doi Resort, in Chiang Dao at 8.00am on the
morning of February 28, and while unseasonal heavy rain had washed
out the planned course for day one, the riders were still treated to
some excellent off-road trails before hitting the first – and possibly
physically the toughest – special test, ‘Broken Bridge’. Such themes are
by now familiar, long days in the saddle with always some challenging
riding, combined with special tests that challenge the riders’ teamwork,
their problem solving skills, often their strength, as well as their bike
riding. As ever, the riders would reach the nightly bivouacs wellexercised.
The 2016 edition again saw the event grow, with 114 motorcycles on
the tour and an entourage of close to 200 people (riders, marshals,
medics, caterers, organisers and more). As ever, the motorcycles –
BMW R 1200 GS and GSA – were up to the task; occasional puncture
repairs on the trail tested the practical skills of the riders while crash
damage gave the BMW Motorrad mechanics a few hours work each
evening; but the engines and chassis never gave up. The latest GS
bikes were praised for their ease of use, great rider aids and sheer
ruggedness. As before, the competitors were won-over by the bike’s
character as much as the sheer capability of these iconic machines.
question right up to the very last test. And while the strength of Team
South Africa could not be denied, it was fitting that the runner-up
position should be shared by these two great teams (Team UK having
won in 2010, Team Germany in 2012).
Three new teams took part in 2016. Team China made an impact
right from the start, having given up their international air flights and
instead choosing to ride to the event on their own GSs! Four days in
the saddle saw them ride up to the Shang-ri La Hotel in Chiang Mai for
the official opening – along with some 60 supporters, most also BMWmounted. They made quite probably the most impressive entrance to
the event yet. And Team China proved a competitive team; too, strong
and well-practiced they took an impressive 7th place on their debut.
Team Southeast Asia might have been less successful, but nonetheless
brought much colour to the event, good humour, and found they
enjoyed their ‘home’ course as much as the visitors.
The third new team were the International Female Team. Easily the
most popular team in the event, Stéphanie Bouisson (France), Morag
Campbell (South Africa) and Amy Harburg (Australia) showed bikehandling skills equal to the men (in fact sometimes superior). They
would have finished higher if they hadn’t been so punished by the
strength-based tests, but as Amy reported, they were never defeated
– not even in lifting the 238kg GS over a 1.5-metre tree trunk – it just
took a little more time for them than for the men. The team was much
welcomed by the men, and cheered-on all the way, but again as the
girls explained, this was the same for all teams – every team supports
everyone. It’s truly a band of brothers – and sisters.
Team South Africa wins
Team South Africa has been one of the strongest teams in every
edition of the GS Trophy since their debut in 2010. They missed out on
the win then, by just one point, and came close again in 2014, so the
win this year was especially savoured. Thorough preparation meant
the team were always in contention – they were in fact the team
to beat – but John Harris, Charl Moolman and Byron Coetsee were
winners on every level, winning as many friends as points.
Team UK and Team Germany were their nearest competitors and the
unrelenting efforts of the two teams kept the outcome of the event in
10
BMW MOTORRAD
FINAL RESULTS
At the finish, Team South Africa’s Byron Coetsee spoke for his teammates about their win:
“Relief is the first emotion, then happiness. With South Africa’s record in the event – we’ve come
second twice, even losing by just one point – then to finish like this is like the weight of the
world has been lifted from our shoulders. We share this moment with Roger, Gerber, Warren
and all the previous team members from South Africa!”
THE GS TROPHY IN THEIR WORDS
Byron Coetsee & John Harris: Team South Africa
Byron: “It’s definitely a close call for me, between wanting to do well in
the competition and enjoying the experience. So between the special
stages I ran my GoPro a lot, because you’re concentrating on the road,
thinking about what’s going on and so you miss the insane scenery
that’s about you. So I ran the Go Pro, so I can watch back again later,
and I tried to look at everything, as much as possible.”
BMW MOTORRAD PRESENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
South Africa Germany
UK
CEEU
Latin America
Brazil
China
USA
France Italy
Argentina
Mexico
Russia
Canada
South Korea
Japan
South East Asia
Alps
International Female Team
299 pts.
268 pts.
268 pts.
254 pts.
244 pts.
242 pts.
234 pts.
229 pts.
208 pts.
200 pts.
188 pts.
181 pts.
180 pts.
176 pts.
146 pts.
138 pts.
138 pts.
117 pts.
116 pts.
John: “I have to agree with Byron, I’d see the Japanese team and they’d
be running last or second last but we are actually jealous of them. We
rode with them and their spirit, the fun they had, in terms of getting
the most out of the trip, those are the guys who are the real winners,
they’ve had the best time ever. I envy them for that!”
BMW Motorrad Int. GS Trophy 2016
the BMW GS Survival Tool
- Ride on where others have long since given up
All motorcyclist adventurers are familiar with the challenges: a slip-up
out in the bush causes a technical failure - the bike is out of action, the
nearest garage is hundreds of miles away and there’s no phone signal.
Normally this would mean that the long-planned motorcycle adventure
was over.
In view of the constantly growing desire for adventure among BMW
GS riders, BMW Motorrad assembled a group of experienced GS
motorcyclists to look into this issue and has now developed a special
new tool for the BMW GS models R 1200 GS and R 1200 GS Adventure
which even enables complex repairs and replication of spare parts out
in the field: the BMW GS Survival Tool.
This special device was developed based on a historical precursor
used by many mechanics in Bavaria back in the early 20th century: the
so-called axe-hammer pliers. Like its classic role model, the BMW GS
Survival Tool possesses unique multifunctional qualities: it can be used
as an axe, a hammer, a pair of pliers, a knife, a screwdriver and a saw.
motorcycling adventure would have been brought to a premature
finish had it not been for this multifunctional device.
The product’s final test came at the 2016 International GS Trophy
Southeast Asia from February 26th to March 5th 2016 in Thailand.
Here the universal tool demonstrated its capabilities on numerous
occasions – though only for hammering in tent pegs and opening
bottles and cans using the fully integrated opener. In spite of the very
extreme conditions, there was no need for spare parts to be replicated
for the motorcycles.
The BMW GS Survival Tool is forged from high-quality chrome
molybdenum steel and mechanically processed. As a weight-saving
measure, however, the shaft is made of aluminium and plastic.
Alternatively, the BMW GS Survival Tool Pro is available in solid
titanium and there is also an extremely handy version made of
titanium and carbon fibre - the BMW GS Survival Tool HP. Both variants
bear a lasered GS inscription.
The GS Survival Tool was refined and perfected in the course of
numerous endurance tests carried out by BMW engineers in some
of the world’s most remote and barren regions. Many a fantastic
11
BMW MOTORRAD
FROM JOZI
TO GS TROPHY
Jolandie Rust is a born and bred Jozi girl, known best by people around
the world for her record setting journey around the African continent.
Starting from Cape Agulhas (the southernmost tip of Africa) in April
2012, she spent eighteen months traveling over 45 000 kilometers,
through 28 different countries. No back up. No support vehicles. And
on 23 November 2013 she set the record as the first woman to have
ridden around the African continent on her own on her much loved
BMW F650GS Dakar, known as DAX.
Jolandie returned home to become the first-ever female brand
ambassador for BMW Motorrad South Africa.
And even though she had never ridden on a motorcycle before in
her life when she started her trip around Africa, it took her only a
year to train after her return and become an internationally certified
BMW Motorrad Off-Road Instructor. One of only 4 certified female
instructors in the world!
Jolandie is the founder of the well-known ‘BMW GS Girls’ global
platform and offers training and workshops to women around the
world. (www.facebook.com/bmwgsgirls)
Longest journey by motorcycle
(With permission from Jolandie Rust)
To top it all off, Jolandie became the first-ever female marshal at the
world-renowned BMW GS Trophy event, held in Thailand, in 2016.
Known as the ‘Olympics of Motorcycling’, the GS Trophy event is one of
the toughest and most adventurous Enduro events on the planet! In
the 2016 event, Jolandie made up part of a team of 11 marshals, who
had to accommodate and ride with 19 teams from across the world.
When asked what she has planned for the future, she had this to say:
“I feel immensely honored to be a part of the BMW Motorrad family.
To me it is the biggest, most amazing family on Earth and I hope to
keep doing what I love, which includes riding my beloved R1200GS,
providing top class off-road training as a BMW Motorrad off-road
instructor and also helping to create more awareness around and
grow the BMW GS Girls community.
The GS community is my greatest passion and I hope to have the
opportunity to help grow, specifically but not limited to, the female
riding community. Especially when it comes to competing in the GS
Trophy event”.
IN A SINGLE COUNTRY
(With permission
from Danell Lynn)
The longest journey by motorcycle in a single country is 78,214.118 km (48,600 miles)
and was achieved by Danell Lynn (USA), who rode throughout the United States of
America from 19 September 2014 to 29 August 2015. During this journey, Danell rode
through all 48 of the continental United States.
“I have always had a passion for travel and feel
at home on the road, I see the purest me in the
faces of strangers and continually grow from the
lessons they teach me.”
So who is Danell Lynn?
Taken from Danell’s web page - Danell Lynn is an adventurer and Guinness World
Record globe trotter. She is the first woman ever to break the world record for
Longest Journey by Motorcycle in a Single country (BlackTie2BlackTop). She currently
holds that record with 48,600 miles (78 214.118 km). Danell was the sole female rider
in The Ride of My Life - Cambodia Documentary, and continues to do humanitarian
work throughout the globe with her foundations Threading Hope and Highwire. She
has traveled to more than 43 countries and has a life goal of keeping the number of
countries visited larger than the number of her years on this earth, and believes in a
life fully lived!
For more info visit her website at www.danelllynn.com
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-journey-by-motorcycle-in-a-single-country/
In the next edition of Spoke & Piston we would like to do a feature on our
Club’s lady riders – whether you are a pillion or have your own steed, share
your story and a photo in an email to [email protected]
12
CLUB &
MEMBER RIDES
JANUARY
GS | “BACK TO WORK” RIDE
Pikkie du Plessis
I was asked if we are going to ride somewhere before we all go back
to the grindstone of hectic corporate South Africa.
I decided to plan a route, based on routes done with the club over
the years, and to combine them to have some elements of what we
experience on a typical GS monthly ride, without having a too hectic/
long outing.
I posted an invitation on our club’s Facebook page, and guess what?
10 bikes and 1 pillion participated in the ride! Nice start for the year.
We started promptly after 07h00, after a quick briefing of the route
and reiterating the basic rules being followed during our club rides.
GS LITE | TOEKA SE DAE
The first dirt greeted us just past Smut’s House, from where we
picked up some nice, seldomly used tracks. This followed with the
popular tunnel under the R21 and some dirt highways towards an old
Motocross track where we let the inner-child loose to play a bit.
Railway service road riding, an optional water-crossing, and scenic
stop on the train bridge, after which we all scooted off to Kitty Hawk
to enjoy well-deserved liquid refreshment(s) and breakfast.
It was nice to see all the “old faces” - Marius, good to see you back on
the bike as well.
Marnus Pieters
By HANLIE DU PREEZ
Well, well, well... what an interesting ride thanks to Mother Nature!
Thank you to everyone that joined the GS (not so) Lite ride to Bela
Bela! It was great to see so many new faces - I am sure that the ride
was enjoyed by all, apart from the small incidents along the way and
despite cutting it short and making our way to Toeka se Dae as an
old-fashioned S Ride. The buffet looked inviting and the drinks were
cold - in short, a perfect day!
Thank you to the lead(s) Marnus and Chris and Esteni for sweeping,
to each and every one that helped along the way, the guys (and girl)
that stayed behind with Sarah’s bike and to Marnus for taking Sarah
home safely and the recovery of her bike. There’s no substitute for
Teamwork!
13
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
Awesome ride, thank you!
Forum member ChrisS
Baie dankie vir die heerlike, uitdagende rit
vandag. Ek het dit baie geniet en soveel
meer geleer. Gelukkig was die sand meestal
nat maar dit kan jou steeds rondgooi!
Dries Haasbroek
GS | TOEKA SE DAE
Frans Dekker
On arrival everybody was so eager to meet up after the festive season
that it needed convincing to gather to do the briefing and do the head
count - 16 riders and 3 pillions. It was great to see the experienced
riders and some new members joining the ride.
Arriving at the first dirt track of many to come and after a quick
stop doing preparations for the off-road tracks, we started off with
a slippery single track which was irresistible (as I also do mountain
bike cycling). The GS suddenly behaved differently and sometimes
searched its own way hoping that the pilot will follow. On one occasion
that did not happen but the rider and pillion was quickly back on the
saddle.
After a scenic ride passing the small holdings and passing lots of other
early bird mountain bikers in the refreshing morning, another piece of
single track cut through a small historic wattle tree plantation, giving
the bikers another warm up.
A decision was made to exclude the track next to the railway line after
the amount of rain received for safety reasons of the group. The rain
changed the road as lots of water was still flowing down after the
previous night’s rain. The surface was very smooth with lots of wet
sand patches. Arriving just east of Cullinan, the route turned off to the
real gravel highways where a young chameleon was rescued out of the
road and safely placed in the grass the direction he/she was headed.
There is unfortunately always compacted black dirt roads without dust
to get you to the next natural dirt road. The passing over it was very
easy and gave riders and pillions time to enjoy the countryside and
riding new routes. Just as boredom struck we arrived at the Rust de
Winter area.
Orange became red with sometimes adding a pitch of blue as we
started to cross a thousand dams (Duisend Damme). Teamwork
helped and every crossing had some close encounters, and sometimes
victims. Some were slipping, some were sliding and some went
swimming without planning as the water was sometimes nearly waist
deep. This was a real challenge!
5 Brave riders completed the challenging red part and the rest opted
for the escape route around the obstacle road. Well done to them as
they could really put their skills to use and came out as champions of
that 3 km stretch of road ( as it is normally a bit of challenge when it is
not raining).
We all arrived safe and sound at the venue and tucked in to a welldeserved meal and cold liquid support. Thereafter riders departed in
groups back home with lots of tales and experiences to be told.
Thanks for everyone who participated and assisted to make this ride a
success with lots of fun and experiences.
Sjoe wee... what a day! Who
thought our fine German Dualsport Motorrad machines can be
turned in to U-boats?!
Ek moet sê ek het vandag een van die beste en lekkerste dae in
my lewe gehad. Thanks BMW Club en elke ou wat ons gehelp het
en tou wys gemaak het op die GS roete, dit was great. Thanks
Andries vir die invite, was vet pret gewees! Cisca, dankie dat jy
saam my dit enjoy het en al het ons bietjie modder geëet.
Alwyn Engelbrecht
Gihan Megannon
14
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
S | TOEKA SE DAE
Thanks for the ride Sue,
most enjoyable.
Forum member JacquesR
Sue, lovely ride this morning!
Thanks to you and everyone
involved.
Great ride this morning to Bela
Bela. Thanks Sue and everyone
involved.
Jacques Rudman
Denise Redgard
Thanks and well done Sue. Great first ride
for 2016. The catering was also great with
enough to choose from and good service.
Great value for money.
Forum member Chris
FULL MOON RIDE | MO-ZAM-BIK
Hanlie du Preez
In my wildest dreams did I not even vaguely expect the turn out for the
Club’s first Full Moon Ride!
After a scenic detour via Fort Klapperkop for some happy snappies we
arrived at Mo-zam-bik in Silver Lakes where socialising was great and
the food amazing. One of the highlights was definitely receiving the
Full Moon Ride sticker disk and the “Three Riders” sticker for January.
Thank you to Giel for the initiative!
Although Mother Nature decided to rather cloud the night (and we
needed the rain), it most definitely didn’t dampen the spirit in which we
did the ride.
Ek is baie bly om te sien dat ek
nie die enigste is wat met die
maan gepla is nie! Dankie Hanlie!
I was very happily
surprised at the
tremendous turnout...!
What a great turnout and a lovely
ride as well. Venue was great and
food excellent Thank you Hanlie.
Dries Haasbroek
Richard H
Tony Postma
15
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
FEBRUARY
GS | BEESTEKRAAL
Deon Basson
After a nice downpour on Saturday night the gravel super highways
all turned into a damp and muddy event. Luckily it was only in
Centurion and the Hartbeespoort area where the rain left us with
mud. Further north we were greeted by fairly dry sections and a mud
pool or two.
We started with a large crowd, but as the time to ride came closer
they jumped ship to the S group and opted not to wash bikes that
afternoon. We departed with 15 bikes and 2 pillions. The Hennops
River crossing near Schurweberg was fun and nerve racking as no
one really got time to doubt themselves as one by one they just
had to make the crossing. On the other side they all took a breather
before heading onwards.
The traffic light at the tunnel stopped us, and could all pass through
in one go and over the dam wall.
The ride was a nice green pace on the gravel; we all arrived about an
hour or so after the S group, (still well in time for breakfast) at a very
packed and busy Beestekraal Station.
It was a very pleasant and joyful GS Breakfast outride.
Thank you for all the
team support!
This ride was fantastic, after been off the wheel for
nearly 2 years, I enjoy every single moment of it.
Thanks for the support of the team!
Veronica
Forum member Olivier
S | BEESTEKRAAL
Sias Wagenaar
A beautiful morning awaited us and on my way to BP, I was actually
thinking this is an ideal day to go riding. Arriving at BP, I saw I was
indeed not the only one thinking so. What then happened exceeded
all my expectations… The bikes just kept on arriving, we signed one
page full of attendees, then the second, and even the third! Our
members were in great spirits and after the briefing our journey
began - a little bit of N1 and then N14 onto the R511.
The weather was perfect and so were the roads. We had a couple
of our GS riders joining us on this ride and they all rode like pros!
Our next stop was at the dam wall and with so few cages, a nice
experience and time to look and see things which we normally would
not look at. From there we rode to Damdoryn Engen and our GS
riders were already there! They however left soon thereafter and we
followed suit a little later.
We left and took the detour (long way around) in Sun City’s direction
to Beestekraal and this is where the fun started. Dries blew some
away with his 650 outrunning many and a good ride just turned into
a better ride. We stopped and at that point we were still uncertain
of how many really had joined us for this ride. Shaun audited the
attendance registers and then did a physical count, as previous
counts were anything from 50 to nearly 60 bikes. Now at least we
knew the correct number of bikes attending and riding with, were 57!
This certainly must be an all-time record for our Club on a breakfast
ride, certainly for the S side. Our members rock! The food was
amazing (as always), new friendships were made and a day with great
riding, no incidents and just pure bliss were ours to share with one
another.
A big thank you to Johann Meyer, Abe and Sue Coetzee for assisting
at the turns and our sweep for the day, Les Hallis. Thank you Les,
great work! The biggest Thank you to all our members who joined us
on this ride and for making this such a special day, indeed in more
than one way!
We are blessed!
Dit was heerlik! Hoop al die nuwelinge was
tevrede! Dit is hoe dit gedoen word!
Johann Meyer
16
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
Sias, thank you for a great ride, enjoyable route and it was awesome to see such
a great turn out. Nice to talk to new members and share all our experiences,
and for me glad to see more lady riders joining - “GIRL POWER”! So girls I want
to see more of you on the next breakfast run. The sitting arrangement was
absolutely perfect in the cool shade to enjoy our breakfast that was served in
good time and well prepared to fill our hunger pangs. 10/10 to Lynette and her
staff! Thank you Johan, Les, Abe and Shaun for your assistance to make it a
perfect morning of “share riding pleasure”.
Sue Coetzee
Heerlike rit vanoggend na
Beestekraal! 57 Motorfietse en drie
650 Singles.
Dries Haasbroek
VALENTINE’S DAY RIDE | LUDWIG’S ROSES
FULL MOON RIDE | BOSVELD LOUNGE
Giel Cillié
Alwyn Engelbrecht
A big thank you to Alwyn Engelbrecht for arranging the February Full
Moon Ride to Bosveld Lounge! Not even an afternoon downpour
hindered the 54 Full Moon Riders in experiencing the great
atmosphere and food – a great time was had by all who joined in the
ride.
Did you miss the ride? Bosveld Lounge is in Boschkop road by Kitty
Hawk Aerodrome and offers a true rustic and bushveld experience well worth a visit!
CLASSIC BIKE GATHERING
I am so chuffed (and humbled) at the response to the first Classic
Gathering! Over 35 BMW classic motorcycles going back to 1956
(R50/2) and a very rare single cylinder 1957 R26 with a lady rider!
Richard Hussey
Over 25 owners have shown interest in signing on to a BMW Classic
Register. Can I have expected a better result? I doubt it!
17
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
MARCH
GS LITE | MAGGIE’S FARM
Esteni Smit
The ride was extremely successful - 25 bikes and 1 pillion, so
26 people in total!
The two newbies did very well and impressed all of us with
their riding skills - well done Angie and Ronin! We even had a
“Powerglide” flyover at our first stop and snacks on the 2nd
stop.
Thanks to everyone that attended to make it a huge success,
for all the beautiful photos and last but not least... to my
sweep Chris, this would not have been possible without you!
Thank you!
Aaaahhhh, what a ride! Thank you Esteni for a great
route and to Chris for being the official - and uber
patient - sweep! Thank yous also go to everyone who
ensured even the greenest of newbies arrived safely.
Great venue, delicious pies and as always, a great
day! Life is good!
Hanlie du Preez
GS | KLEIN KARIBA
Egbert Olivier
18
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
S | STONEHAVEN ON VAAL
Johan Maartens
We gathered as usual at the BP garage Centurion with a nice cup of
coffee with complements of Johan Toerien.
The ride went without any hiccups and after asking a few Harley
owners to move their bikes we were on our way home.
The ride took us to Carletonville (118km) where we had a quick body
break and then proceeded to the R42 and on to Stone Haven – a total
of just over 200 km. During the planning ride we found that Stone
Haven had small “stalletjies” during the first Sunday of the month so
we were quite excited to do some “window shopping”.
By the way: Ina and I did the recce on our fantastic R1200RT but when
we did the actual ride, we did it on a loan R1200GSA from Bavarian
Motorcycles. They asked me what it was like. Suffice to say that we
joined the “dark side” and are now the proud owners of a brand
new R1200GSA! The handling of this bike on a bad tar road is just
magnificent!
Stone Haven was still in the same family but the children turned it into
a beautiful place where everybody could sit and relax under the trees
or in the restaurant.
When we got there, they had prepared a place for the 40 of us
separate from everybody else. They also arranged parking for the 32
bikes. It was a buffet breakfast so there was enough for everybody,
everybody could eat at the same time and share their ride experiences.
FULL MOON RIDE | CHEERS
Thanks Johan for a nice warm summer ride, I counted 32 Bikes
and 40 people. Stonehaven on Vaal was packed, the food and the
service was good, and the company even better. Shared riding
pleasure - what it is all about!
Giel Cillié
Deon Basson
Thank you Anzel Spencer for arranging with
our host Cheers and brining such a great
evening together. Thank you for everyone
joining! Hope to see you all with the next Full
Moon Ride and club social
Deon Basson
19
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
APRIL
We’ve seen record number of riders and pillions joining the rides since January and the
April rides were no exception! Dana and Andries promoted their respective rides with
very creative forum posts…
GS |BLACK HORSE BREWERY
Andries Haasbroek
22 confused but (overly) trusting riders greeted us at BP Centurion,
eager to finally find out what was planned for the day’s riding. After
it was revealed that we’d be doing a Magalies ride, a few faces we’re
noticeably disappointed... but little did they know what was in store?
22 Bikes and 3 pillions set off towards what seemed to be heading to
Schurweberg but early boredom quickly turned to intrigue when we
turned off the R55 early, way too early.
The tar turned to gravel and it was immediately clear that the ride
leader (me) either had a very bad memory or was an outright liar... he
just told them there’d be no sand and what do we find round the first
corner? Luckily it was not very deep and we were soon past it.
Some twee spoor and open gravel roads followed that brought us
to the R551, but it was when we turned from the R551 into another
gravel road that the faces really changed. This was new... Twee spoor
tar, twee spoor gravel, then twee spoor cement and then twee spoor
tar again, a nice change of pace! The twee spoor gravel however
turned into a very faint twee spoor, sometimes almost disappearing,
then it got steeper and rockier...
“Are we even still on the right track...I’m sure the ride lead said this
was newbie friendly?”
“This can’t be the right track, did we miss a turnoff?”
To be honest - it got steeper than I remembered... it got rockier than
I remembered... After a very steep climb on narrow concrete twee
spoor (narrower than I remember) we reached our first rest spot....
and boy was I relieved to see Willem and know that all the bikes
made it up that hill!
The rest of the ride was a more “normal” Magalies ride, long and very
dusty gravel highways.
As we made our way to Breedtsnek we left packs of heavily dusted
mountain bikers in our wake. Breedtsnek is a trusty favourite, the
compulsory quick photo opportunity at the top and then down the
Northern side where wide eyed riders got to sit their shaky bodies
down for a cold one. The news that we would now turn around and
pass back over Breedtsnek again was met with complete disbelief.
Once over we were on the home stretch, not even a ride leader with a
flat tyre could stop this bunch form storming onwards to Black Horse
Brewery. Ride Lead had to do a quick foam inflate and ride on or risk
being demoted to sweeper.
At Black Horse Brewery the beers were cold, the burgers big and the
couches soft. So soft in fact that they would tempt a tired body to
sink into them and never go home. But sadly we had to go home…
after we fixed my tyre.
20
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
S | SPARKLING WATERS
Dana du Plessis
Thanks for a great
ride.
Forum member Wors
Thanks Dana for this great ride
enjoyed by everybody. Also thanks for
Sias to be the sweep and all 45 people
that made the trip. Rides to new
places are always a winner!
Forum member B2R
FULL MOON RIDE | TONI’S PIZZA
Andries Haasbroek
The turnout for the April Full Moon Ride was great, 46 Bikes and 6
Pillions. We also had 1 car make the ride and 4 people who joined us
at the venue. The 26km to Toni’s Pizza took us through some scenic
parts of Pretoria. As we drove up to the Union Buildings the full moon,
in all its glory, rose right in front of us. We stopped there to take in the
sights, the city lit by thousands of lights against a clear dark sky. We got
back on the bikes and carried on, down Tom Jenkins Drive where once
again the full moon hung in the sky right in front of us.
Toni’s welcomed us, and after they got over the shock of their parking
lot being packed to the brim with bikes, we all had a good time and a
good meal.
Thanks to Deon for sweeping, and thanks to all the members and
guests who came out to do this ride with us.
Enjoyed a great evening at the club’s full moon ride
tonight. Stopped off to view the city lights (and of course
the moon) from the Union Buildings on the way.
Sarah Kenneth
Thank you to all for
making it such a
nice evening out!
Linda Bentley van Niekerk
21
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
ONCE UPON A
BUCKET LIST
JOHAN & ZANDA GRAY
What is a bucket list? It is a number of
experiences or achievements that a
person hopes to have or accomplish
during their lifetime and originates from
the phrase kick the bucket. To kick the
bucket is an English idiom, considered
a euphemistic, informal, or slang term
meaning ‘to die’.
In December Johan & Zanda Gray loaded
their steeds and embarked on a (in
Johan’s words) long saved for trip to
Namibia. Leaving on 23 December 2015
and returning on January 06th, 2016 they
covered 5 700 km of which 3 800km was
gravel roads.
22
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
THEIR TRIP BY DAYS
Pretoria to Kathu
Kathu to Keetmanshoop
Keetmanshoop to Sesriem
Sesriem via Remhoogte to Solitaire
Guided trip to Sossusvlei
Sesriem to Betta (wash day)
Betta via D707 and
Helmeringshausen to Hobas
Hobas to Ai-Ais
Ai-Ais via Rosh Pinah and Sendelingsdrift
to Port Nolloth
Port Nolloth via Kleinzee, Hondeklipbaai
and Clanwilliam to Sederberg Oasis
Rest day
Sederberg Oasis via Tankwa Karoo to
Middelpos to Williston
Williston to Prieska
Prieska to Warrenton
Warrenton to Potchefstroom
Potchefstroom to Home
What a fantastic trip and
experience – lasting memories
for sure!
23
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
langpad
KAAP
TOE
COR VAN DER MERWE
So die tyd het aangebreek vir ons 2 jaarlikse familie vakansie in
Jongensfontein en daar is net een pad af soontoe en dis die langpad…
Ons het besluit om soveel as moontlik afstand tussen ons en die huis
te sit op die eerste dag sodat ons maksimum tyd op die paaie van
die Oos- en Wes Kaap kon spandeer. Ons het vroeg die oggend hier
uit Pretoorsdorp weg getrek oppad Aliwal Noord toe. Ons het ‘n paar
verversings in Clarens by die Brouery geniet vanwaar ons die “scenic”
roete Aliwal toe gevat het. Nadat ons afgesaal het, het ons afgekoel in
die swembad en die dag afgesluit om ‘n vuurtjie.
Na die vorige dag se heeldag teerpad ryery, het ons opgewondenheid
die oorhand gekry en ons was vroeg uit die vere. Die fiets was nog
nie eers warm nie toe draai ons af op die eerste grondpad, toe begin
die pret… Ons het tot in Molteno gery en vandaar tot in Tarkastad.
Die plan was om dan tot in Adelaide te ry, maar omtrent so halfpad
soontoe, sien ons ‘n klein paaidjie afdraai. Gou gou ‘n “kaart en tyd
waardering” gedoen en die roete aangepas. Ons het opgeeindig net
buite Somerset Oos waar ons by die Khaya oorgeslaap het langs die
Kleinvis rivier. Die tannie het geweier dat ons Spar se vleis braai en
van haar eie vleis vir ons gegee. Nadat ek myself ooreet het aan vars
gebraaide roosterkoeke en plaaskonfyt en het ons gaan inkruip.
Van Somerset Oos het ons Suid gery en met die klipperige
Suurbergpas oor die Suurberge gery. Daar het dit gevoel of ons in ‘n
ander land is met die rollende groen heuwels en ons kon skaars glo
dat die land deur een van sy ergste droogtes gaan. Ons het al langs die
Addo Olifant Nasionale Park gery en verbasend baie wild gesien. Ons
het net buite Uitenhage middagete geeet by ‘n padstal. Daar het ek
weer die roete aangepas om deur die Elandsrivierpoort te ry en oor die
berg Patensie toe waar ons die aand spandeer het.
Ons was die volgende oggend weer vroeg aan die gang en was dou
voor dag voor die hekke van Baviaanskloof. Ingeteken, permit gekry
en toe begin die werklike pret. Ek het aanvanklik gewonder waaroor
al die bohaai gaan rondom Baviaans, maar het gou gou uitgevind
dat dit baie van die elemente bevat wat ons in ‘n roete soek, lekker
uitgespoelde passe met paar switchbacks en steil inclines en declines,
tweespoor bospaaidjies, heelwat watercrossings, modder, klippe en
om dan nie eers van die natuurskoon te praat nie (dis nou als spesifiek
in die Nasional Park self, die res van die kloof is baie mooi “gravel
highways”). Al wat gekort het was sand. Ek was vooraf gewaarsku dat
mens die watercrossings met versigtigheid moet nader en ek het die
waters aanvanklik letterlik eers getoets voor ons deur gery het, nie dat
dit nou ‘n verskil sou maak nie, want deur moes ons deur…. Die langste
watercrossing, net voor die Smitskraal piekniek- en kampterrein (ons
het die kloof van oos na wes deur gery), het vir groot sports gesorg.
Die water was op een punt so amper knie diepte met groot gladde
pebbles en net daar toe verloor ek momentum en amper beheer oor
die fiets. Ek grawe toe die agterwiel tussen die pebbles in en Corna
moes noodgedwonge afklim. Kort voor lank was ons altwee van kop
tot tone sopnat en nogsteeds kon ons nie die fiets uitkry nie. Nadat
ek letterlik ‘n sloot tussendeur die pebbles voor en agter die fiets
uitgegrawe het en met ‘n hupstooitjie van Corna af, kon ek weer die
Ek het aanvanklik gewonder waaroor
al die bohaai gaan rondom Baviaans,
maar het gou gou uitgevind dat dit
baie van die elemente bevat wat ons
in ‘n roete soek...
24
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
fiets aan die beweeg kry en verder ry. Corna het toe sommer die res
van die watercrossing deur gestap… Ons het toe by Smitskraal die
water uit ons boots gegooi en lekker gelag en soos Corna gese het, dis
nou hoe ‘n mens die “A” in GSA insit. Dis hier waar ons weereens die
risikos besef het om so trip alleen aan te pak, maar dit het glad nie ons
avontuurlustigheid geblus nie. Net buite die Nasionale Park het ons
gemmerbier gedrink terwyl ons gewag het vir die roosterkoeke om
klaar gerooster te word. Na dit het ons verder deur die Nuwekloofpas
gery en net na die pas afgedraai Uniondale toe waar ons verder die
mooiste Gemsbokke langs die pad gekry het. Ons het die nodige
logistieke aanvullings in Uniondale gekry en toe die Kamanassie pad
gevolg tot by die Lansrivier Gasteplaas waar ons sonder elektrisiteit
die aand vertoef het. Dit was hemel op die platteland en mens kon die
stilte in jou ore hoor raas….
Na ‘n heerlike nagrus op die plaas het ons die pad gevat Avontuur
toe waar ons die Prins Alfredpas Knysna toe aangepak het. Net oor
die pas in die Knysnawoude, het die avontuurlustigheid weer die
oorhand gekry en die woud se paaie is tot die uiterste toe verken in
die hoop om een van Daleen Mathee se Oupote raak te loop. Op daai
stadium het ek uit batterye uitgehardloop vir die GPS en ons moes
op ou skool navigasie vermoëns staatmaak om daar uit te kom. Na
‘n vinnige pitstop in Knysna het ons “gou-gou” die Sewepassepad
gery (Phantompas, Homtinipas, Karatarapas, Hoogkraalpas,
Touwsrivierpas, Silwerrivierpas en die Kaaimanspas) tot in George
vanwaar ons die Montagupas gery het. Dit het liggies begin reen en
en dit was nogals koel met die temperatuur meter op 16 grade. Na
die Montagupas het ons die N9 gekruis en die agterpaaidjies De Rust
toe gery. Die temperatuur was skaars ‘n uur later meer as 30 grade.
Bande is gepomp, want daar is nou potensiaal om bietjie te speel
met Meiringspoort wat in sig is en die plan was om vandaar tot in
Prins Albert teerpad te ry. Net na Meiringspoort “spring” daar skielik
...Die woud se paaie is tot die uiterste
toe verken in die hoop om een van
Daleen Mathee se Oupote raak te
loop.
‘n onverwagse plaaspaaidjie voor ons op. Kry nie die pad op die GPS
nie en die hek was nie gesluit nie, perfek!! So kom ons toe net duskant
Prins Albert weer op die beplande roete uit en spandeer die aand daar.
Ons het swaar opgestaan die volgende oggend, want die gemoedere
was maar mismoedig met die eindpunt van ons trippie in sig, maar
dis baie vinnig gedemp met die Swartbergpas voor ons. Ons het die
Swartberpas saam met die sonsopkoms ingegaan en wat ‘n belewenis
was dit nie. Ons het uit die pas afgedraai Gamkaskloof (aka Die Hel)
toe. Na 37km het ons die kloof ingegaan en die mooiste bospaaidjies
gery to aan die einde van die kloof. Die klomp huisies van die
klowers wat voorheen daar gebly is tot hul oorspronklike toestand
gerestoureer. Dit was nogal indrukwekkend en ons was vasgevang
in die geskiedenis van die kloof. Na ‘n laat ontbyt wat bestaan het uit
brood, konfyt en koffie is ons weer die kloof uit tot by die Swartbergpas
en vandaar die mooiste paaie gery tot in Calitzdorp. Bande is weereens
gepomp, want van hier af was dit teerpad tot by Jongensfontein. Ons
het in doodse stilte ‘n koeldrank gedrink met die wete dat ons trippie
nou baie vinnig einde se kant toe staan. Ons het die R62 gevat en toe
was die versoeking net te groot om nie die Seweweekspoort te gaan
ry nie en so draai ons af en ry letterlik die poort in, draai om aan die
einde van die poort en ry toe weer terug tot by die R62. Vandaar het
ons Ladismith, Riversdal oor Stilbaai tot in Jongensfontein gery waar
ons aan die einde van nog ‘n epic bike trip gekom het.
25
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
Die Biermans
in baviaans
ELMARIE BIERMAN
Geen artikel kan werklik die ondervinding beskryf
nie en ek het al baie van hulle gelees en baie stories
gehoor, maar so skrop ‘n ding ‘n plekkie op jou
“bucket list”en begin jy droom en beplan.
Met WDP 2015 het dit ‘n moontlikheid geword en ek kan vandag
met trots sê: “Ek het my eie fiets die Baviaans gery!”
Wat ‘n kosbare ervaring – alles en meer as wat ek verwag het.
Dit was mooi.
Dit was warm.
Dit was moeilik.
Daar was ronde klippe, skerp klippe, skerp draai, slote,
afgronde, water, modder, dorings…
Dit was uitmergelend.
Belonend… dit was fantasties!
Dankie aan al my WDP Instrukteurs vir die goeie opleiding en my
dierbare man vir sy ondersteuning. Sonder dit sou hierdie “Bucket
list trip” nie vir my moontlik gewees het nie.
26
CLUB & MEMBER RIDES
KAROO
EN KAAPSE
KEUR
DANI DU PREEZ
Dankbaar, Onrus, Just in time, Content, Goeie hoop . . . So lees ek die
plaasname op my GPS en my gedagtes ry wipplank. Dit is die eerste
dag, deur Noordwes, oppad na Kimberley. ‘n Twee-week toer deur
die keur van ons pragtige land lê vir ons twee voor; kuiers by kosbare
vriende en familie, die trapfietse wat op Groenpunt wag vir Sondag se
Argus... wat deesdae ‘Cape Town Cycle Tour’ genoem word, maar om
alles te kroon: ons twee se bymekaarwees.
Die plaasname skryf ‘n verhaal van sy eie.
Dan verder waar die Bo-Karoo bar en droog met name soos Stofput,
Banghoek en Probeerfontein my siel op ‘n vreemde wyse verkwik. Ek
kan sommer voel hoe jy my kwalik neem wanneer ons dié stofpadafdraaie verbygly. Versamelvoëlneste gooi plek-plek skadukolle vir
boklammers.
Neffens die Hantamberge verby na Nieuwoudtsville waar die hoogtes
van Vanrhynspas die horison van Namakwaland laat krimp tot ons
indraai by Klawer.
Die teerpad vat ons onwillekeurig wes na Bloubergstrand, al wys die
GPS suid na waar ons by die hotel in die Moederstad gaan parkeer vir
die volgende drie dae.
Dis hier waar die blou van die see en die berg ons twee se foto versier.
Dit is nou eers die trapfietse se beurt, maar dis ‘n verhaal vir ‘n ander
keer.
Maandag-oggend via Stellenbosch se Donford, volg jy my met ‘n
splinternuwe spieeltjie wat nie meer heeltyd losdraai nie, die kuspad
deur Gordonsbaai, Rooi-els en Pringlebaai. ‘n Pragtige dag – ‘n pragtige
roete!
Eienaardig hoe spesiale koffiedrink-plekkies en geselsies mens bybly.
Telkemale draai nuuskieriges, veral ander BMW ryers al om ons wiele
om te hoor ‘waar kom julle vandaan?, waar gaan julle heen?, ja ek het
ook ‘n GS!, hoeveel myle op daai bande?’ Ja, ons is maar net ‘n spesie
op ons eie.
Byna 10 jaar na ons met die kinders vir die Extreme Gold Ride by
Kaap Agulhas aangedoen het, maak ons toe weer so. Toeriste met
vreemde aksente stap saam op die oulike plankpaadjies na waar die
baken aandui dit is hier waar die twee oseane ontmoet. ‘n Vriendelike
Fin op ‘n gehuurde F800GS volg ons verder op die kort stukkie
sinkplaatpad na Suiderstrand se Keith en Jenny. Soos elke aand wat
ons by bekendes oornag, word ons ontvang met ope arms. Verskil is,
ons het nie vir Keith en Jenny geken nie, maar as jy met ‘n BMW hier
aanmeld, is jou oornagkoste minimaal en die gasvryheid ongeken. Met
ons name eerste in Captain’s Cabin se gasteboek aangeteken, vertrek
ons vroegdag verder om by Danabaai en Heroldsbaai se vriende ‘n
paar laatnagte se kuiers in te pas. In George maak ons ‘n draai by Lynn
Schroeder, groet die familie en die see en met ‘n nuwe agterband vir
die HP2 vat die Outenikwapas ons binneland toe.
Ons volgende bestemming: Familie se Karoo-plaas buite Graaff-Reinet
en ons vat reën saam! Gelukkig om nooit in die twee weke in erge reën
te moes te ry nie, pak ons die paar kilometer modder die volgende
oggend met ‘n glimlag in die hart aan.
Tien dae gelede het ons die Oranjerivier gekruis en van Douglas na
Prieska al langs dié hoof water-aar gery en ook gaan kyk waar die Vaalen Oranjeriviere saamvloei. Vandag kruis ons weer die Oranjerivier,
heelwat nader aan sy oorsprong. Die Maluti’s wys ons in die rigting van
die Juweel van die Oos-Vrystaat waar die sandsteenformasies herinner
aan ‘n tyd 280 miljoen jaar gelede, toe dit hier woestyn was. Golden
Gate se Brandwagkrans heet ons welkom en Protea-draai laat ons stil
word.
Oppad na Drakensville vir GS Trophy-sake is ons verlig om te sien die
padwerke verby die indrukwekkende Sterkfonteindam is amper iets
van die verlede en dis met die afgaan by Oliviershoekpas dat ek besef:
Ek en jy het ‘n fantastiese vakansie gehad. My rooi fiets het saam met
my die keur van Suid-Afrika gesien. Jy en jou bloue pas my so mooi
op. Dit is met dankbaarheid en tevredenheid dat ek en jy teruggaan
huistoe, gereed om ons volgende toer te beplan.
27
EVENTS
11annual
TH
SABIE
GS
CHALLENGE
Official release by Thomas Böhm
The Riders listened in disbelief as the organisers of the Annual Sabie GS Challenge informed
them that the Friday Forest Ride routes in the vicinity of Sabie, scheduled for the next day
will not be too slippery, lots of rocks you know, while it’s raining cats and dogs as they speak!
Joyous rain the county desperately needed and lots of it. Mud, glorious mud was the defining
characteristic of this year’s event.
100 GS Riders rose to the challenge that was hosted by the Sabie
Valley Rider Academy, most arriving very wet at the event site braving
the very wet conditions that the inward journeys offered. The mood
at the Thursday evening rider briefing was sombre with a lot of
riders wondering if it was a good idea to even ride the next day,
but somehow the organisers and buddy’s convinced a good deal of
participants to give it a go!
The thing with mud and slippery terrain is once you learn to use
momentum and give the bike the freedom to slip and then regain
balance, riding off road in the wet is not that bad. For the brave
riders that attempted the ride, which consisted of forest roads and
single track, it turned out to be one of the hardest days riding ever
experienced but also one of the most rewarding days resulting in
increased rider confidence and ability.
Friday evening saw a lot of mud-covered riders head for the pressure
washer for their bikes and the showers for themselves with some
lucky participant having the forethought to book a chalet at the lodge
instead of sleeping in a tent in the damp conditions. After a warm
dinner and a glass of “something” the mood was one of achievement
and relaying war stories of how tough it was out there, with riders
telling stories of how bikes had to be manhandled by groups of riders
over a large tree that had fallen over the route. It’s always the hard bits
with the camaraderie that result in the best memories.
Saturday morning had the organisers worried with social media
reports of rivers flooding in the Kruger National Park adjacent to the
area for that day’s route on the boundary fence of the Sabi Sand Park
including a section of the old Selati railway. Although the sun made
an appearance there was a section of cotton clay that had riders
28
EVENTS
struggling with mud that was clogging up the front wheels to such an
extent that the wheel just refused turn. A lot of scraping between the
wheel and mudguard was the order of the day. The rivers that had to
be crossed where all fordable to the relief of all with the rainfall being
much localised.
Three routes where on offer for both days namely Green - relatively
easy, Red - intermediate and Black, the hardest with a finisher sticker
and T-shirt being handed over to the participants that could complete
both days’ routes successfully and able to prove that they completed
all the river crossing and special stages by handing in their GPS’s to
the organisers for confirmation. This year only five riders were able to
accomplish that feat.
The wet, sandy conditions on the homeward bound section of the
route along the railway line had the riders whooping in their helmets
with water splashes and huge airtime over erosion control humps
adding to the delight. Amazing action camera footage was showed
on the big screen that evening, confirming that is was the craziest bit
of riding with the riders having acclimatised to the conditions and
enjoying every minute off it.
Bavarian Motorcycles, Metzeler Tyres and Superbike Magazine are the
long standing partners at this riding event with riders being awarded
generous prizes, supplied by these partners. The Skills Challenge
is always a fiercely contested event over the two days, displaying
absolute rider control in the slippery course laid out in front of the
main marquee by the crafty team of marshals from Bloemendal, giving
all participants a great view of the action. Eugene Fourie took 1st place
with Braam Smit 2nd and Steward Ardene in 3rd place.
If you are a GS rider that likes to show the Orange Brigade that it’s
not just them that can master the challenging riding terrain, then the
Annual Sabie GS Challenge is a must do event for you.
29
BAVARIAN
BAVARIAN MOTORCYCLES AT THE
ANNUAL GS SABIE CHALLENGE
WET WET WET.
Not the song from the band we loved in the 80’s but this was the
theme for this year’s Sabie GS Challenge hosted by Sabie Valley Rider
Academy, a certified BMW Partner and training facility. The Annual
Sabie GS Challenge, managed by Thomas and Jacqui Böhm takes place
a Böhm’s Zeederberg Country Lodge situated on the picturesque Sabie
River Valley.
A March weekend of GS motorcycling in Mpumalanga, something
we all look forward to every year, and in the spirit of the event
all participants are expected to arrive on their very own BMW GS
motorcycles packed with all the gear and equipment needed for the
weekend.
This year’s challenge didn’t start at the premises of Böhm’s Zeederberg
Country Lodge, but rather The CHALLENGE started as soon as we
stepped out of the doors at Bavarian Motorcycles dealership in
Centurion. The forecast was rain, rain and some more rain, so the day
was going to be challenging to say the least. We made our way up to
Sabie and arrived at Böhm’s Zeederberg Country Lodge exhausted but
feeling exhilarated and looking forward to a challenging weekend.
Day 1
Day one started off with a welcome warm breakfast and fresh cup of
coffee and then off we went, out to ride our GS adventure motorcycles
in one of the most beautiful parts of our country. We soon came to
realize that as beautiful as Sabie is, it can be one of the toughest places
in the wet and mud.
Day 2
We headed out on day two through the picturesque town of Hazyview
and made our way through the green route that quickly turned into
red and then black. We were pleasantly surprised by the fantastic
riding conditions as the soft sand parts were compacted by the rain
and our dual purpose tyres took grip and made the ride smooth, which
quickly got us into a smooth riding rhythm.
Prize giving
Bavarian Motorcycles in Centurion sponsored some amazing prizes
as they have done for a number of years. With only a hand full of
competitors finishing the black route it was clear that this year’s Sabie
GS Challenge was one of the toughest ones yet.
We look forward to coming back and taking another jab at the black
route set out by Thomas Böhm.
30
shared riding pleasure
31

- BMW Motorcycle Club Pretoria

Transcription

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