pgpatrick
Pack Dog
First let me start by stating I was using my cellphone camera, if you want to see decent pics you'll need to go here: https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=13333.0
So I needed to go pick up a jacket from Jerrycan, and when I call I hear they're giving the Tdubs a bath. I rock up expecting to see a hose, bucket and some soap, but instead I'm greeted by this:
Stop looking at the butt, I'm talking about the TW. One naked TW minus, tank and all plastics, even the indicator lights were removed and hanging off their stalks.
Now apparently this happens after every ride, Jerrycan doesn't seem to mind, but I'd have her off to the psych ward and evaluated for OCD!
Anyway, so I oversleep and get the bike packed and ready then remembered I had to stop to pick up some keys.
Took the obligatory helmet, mirror, me photo, then hit the road, destination Umdloti.
Ran out of fuel about 5km's short of Volksrust. Busy filling up from one of my 5l jerry cans and the third car to pass stops to check if I'm ok, he's on his to get some fuel for his niece's pw50 christmas pressie. Nice guy, get's on his way after an exchange of festive greetings. Being a biker himself, he thought I was mad. Sometimes I agree.
Next stop was just outside some or other small town. Can't remember where but my butt was sore and I needed some food.
Major headwind for the remainder of the trip, was making such a racket in my helmet, but the views more than made up for it.
My visor was having a war with the little black miggies. It was tougher, so they send a few thousand more recruits to see if they could make an impact. They won, I was struggling to see and needed some fuel anyway (yes again, one day when I meet the idiot who put a 7l tank on this bike....). Eskom put up my next stopping point, with floodlights and all.
From here on I was running out of daylight, so no more photo stops, just keep the throttle wide open flying down the hills and climbing back up what felt like through the stratosphere.
Made it to Umdloti at 9pm, having left at 11am meant it was pretty much 10 hours riding for the 658km journey. Slow going I'd say, but I enjoyed it...
Took a few trips through the cane fields, trying to see what happened to my old takeoff spot, the la mercy airfield. Development has taken over here. La Mercy airfield is no more, in a few years this area will be the new DBN airport. Quite sad really, the area used to be quite stunning.
It's great being on a TW, just point up the slope, slip it in first and hang on till you get to the top.
As you can see I removed the jerrycans for offroad riding, they are too close to my legs.
Picked up plenty thorns during my roadless climb, but fortunately they didn't get through (or the fugit must have worked).
Jerrycan and Linda arrived a few days later and left after 2 nights. A long way to go for 2 nights stay, brave people.
I woke up early (for me) on new years eve and got going at 8:30. Stopped for some pics along the way.
Quite a few more fuel stops.
And made it home at 18:30, again 10 hours in the saddle...
The little TW handled the trip magnificently. Didn't skip a beat even when run at full throttle for hours on end. I averaged 25km/l for the trip, with a worst of 23 when running full speed into big headwind, and a best of 35 for my trips along the coast. I've also just hit 20 000kms on the clock, still on original tyres. The front will do between 5 and 10 000 more, and I think the rear is good for another 15 or 20 000! I put the o-ring chain on at 12 000km and it hasn't needed an adjustment yet. I'm also trying the zero maintenance on the chain. I don't wash it/lube it/speak to it and it seems happy that way. To compare, the next chain will be treated like a baby. So far, the only problem the bike has had is the dead battery. I've been running it like that for a few months now though, but I think it's time to get that fixed.
All in all, not bad for a bike costing R17k I think ;D
So I needed to go pick up a jacket from Jerrycan, and when I call I hear they're giving the Tdubs a bath. I rock up expecting to see a hose, bucket and some soap, but instead I'm greeted by this:
Stop looking at the butt, I'm talking about the TW. One naked TW minus, tank and all plastics, even the indicator lights were removed and hanging off their stalks.
Now apparently this happens after every ride, Jerrycan doesn't seem to mind, but I'd have her off to the psych ward and evaluated for OCD!
Anyway, so I oversleep and get the bike packed and ready then remembered I had to stop to pick up some keys.
Took the obligatory helmet, mirror, me photo, then hit the road, destination Umdloti.
Ran out of fuel about 5km's short of Volksrust. Busy filling up from one of my 5l jerry cans and the third car to pass stops to check if I'm ok, he's on his to get some fuel for his niece's pw50 christmas pressie. Nice guy, get's on his way after an exchange of festive greetings. Being a biker himself, he thought I was mad. Sometimes I agree.
Next stop was just outside some or other small town. Can't remember where but my butt was sore and I needed some food.
Major headwind for the remainder of the trip, was making such a racket in my helmet, but the views more than made up for it.
My visor was having a war with the little black miggies. It was tougher, so they send a few thousand more recruits to see if they could make an impact. They won, I was struggling to see and needed some fuel anyway (yes again, one day when I meet the idiot who put a 7l tank on this bike....). Eskom put up my next stopping point, with floodlights and all.
From here on I was running out of daylight, so no more photo stops, just keep the throttle wide open flying down the hills and climbing back up what felt like through the stratosphere.
Made it to Umdloti at 9pm, having left at 11am meant it was pretty much 10 hours riding for the 658km journey. Slow going I'd say, but I enjoyed it...
Took a few trips through the cane fields, trying to see what happened to my old takeoff spot, the la mercy airfield. Development has taken over here. La Mercy airfield is no more, in a few years this area will be the new DBN airport. Quite sad really, the area used to be quite stunning.
It's great being on a TW, just point up the slope, slip it in first and hang on till you get to the top.
As you can see I removed the jerrycans for offroad riding, they are too close to my legs.
Picked up plenty thorns during my roadless climb, but fortunately they didn't get through (or the fugit must have worked).
Jerrycan and Linda arrived a few days later and left after 2 nights. A long way to go for 2 nights stay, brave people.
I woke up early (for me) on new years eve and got going at 8:30. Stopped for some pics along the way.
Quite a few more fuel stops.
And made it home at 18:30, again 10 hours in the saddle...
The little TW handled the trip magnificently. Didn't skip a beat even when run at full throttle for hours on end. I averaged 25km/l for the trip, with a worst of 23 when running full speed into big headwind, and a best of 35 for my trips along the coast. I've also just hit 20 000kms on the clock, still on original tyres. The front will do between 5 and 10 000 more, and I think the rear is good for another 15 or 20 000! I put the o-ring chain on at 12 000km and it hasn't needed an adjustment yet. I'm also trying the zero maintenance on the chain. I don't wash it/lube it/speak to it and it seems happy that way. To compare, the next chain will be treated like a baby. So far, the only problem the bike has had is the dead battery. I've been running it like that for a few months now though, but I think it's time to get that fixed.
All in all, not bad for a bike costing R17k I think ;D
