Intro
I have been fortunate enough to enjoy extended sabatical in 2017-18. I used it to explore in my estimate the most exquisite riding spots of southern Africa, such as Kaokoland & Damaraland, Bots bush and sand, Lesotho mountains, and Moz tropical coastline.
All good things come to an end and last year it was time to rejoin the rat race again. This inevitably limits the riding time mostly to weekends. Luckily, Gauteng is the best location in SA for weekend exploration as it is positioned centrally between the best SA riding spots. Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, North West being in the weekend striking distance, while Botswana and Lesotho are well within the reach on extended weekends. This provides for great variety of riding terrains and scenery.
This required some adjustments, the most important being the bike. My main tool for sabatical when time was no constraint was KTM 500, which was the perfect tool for extended exploration into really remote corners of Africa where lightweight minimalism is paramount for either being able to just get there (e.g. remote corners of Lesotho, where no adv bike can get), or to allow for extended range on remote multi day / week offroad trips, where bigger bike and resulting fatigue would become very limiting.
For weekend trips, when fatigue is not such a big factor (indeed proper workout may be beneficial after workweek of farting into chair in front of computer) while the ability to cover distance quickly is, it was time to get a twin again. By fluke rather than by design I ended up buying for a very good price KTM 990S. I actually snatched the bike initially for commuting (which was really ******** idea and I rectified it promptly by getting the best commuter solution - scooter), but luckily the bike turned out to be just what the doctor ordered for the weekend trips. I always wanted one as they are fantastic bikes, but always shied away because of its limited range, which would become hindrance on remote trips. But for weekend trips the range is good enough, and I still have 500 for that once / twice a year multiday exploration into the sticks.
The intention of this thread is to capture some of the weekend exploits I have done, or might do in the future.
I have been fortunate enough to enjoy extended sabatical in 2017-18. I used it to explore in my estimate the most exquisite riding spots of southern Africa, such as Kaokoland & Damaraland, Bots bush and sand, Lesotho mountains, and Moz tropical coastline.
All good things come to an end and last year it was time to rejoin the rat race again. This inevitably limits the riding time mostly to weekends. Luckily, Gauteng is the best location in SA for weekend exploration as it is positioned centrally between the best SA riding spots. Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Swaziland, North West being in the weekend striking distance, while Botswana and Lesotho are well within the reach on extended weekends. This provides for great variety of riding terrains and scenery.
This required some adjustments, the most important being the bike. My main tool for sabatical when time was no constraint was KTM 500, which was the perfect tool for extended exploration into really remote corners of Africa where lightweight minimalism is paramount for either being able to just get there (e.g. remote corners of Lesotho, where no adv bike can get), or to allow for extended range on remote multi day / week offroad trips, where bigger bike and resulting fatigue would become very limiting.
For weekend trips, when fatigue is not such a big factor (indeed proper workout may be beneficial after workweek of farting into chair in front of computer) while the ability to cover distance quickly is, it was time to get a twin again. By fluke rather than by design I ended up buying for a very good price KTM 990S. I actually snatched the bike initially for commuting (which was really ******** idea and I rectified it promptly by getting the best commuter solution - scooter), but luckily the bike turned out to be just what the doctor ordered for the weekend trips. I always wanted one as they are fantastic bikes, but always shied away because of its limited range, which would become hindrance on remote trips. But for weekend trips the range is good enough, and I still have 500 for that once / twice a year multiday exploration into the sticks.
The intention of this thread is to capture some of the weekend exploits I have done, or might do in the future.