42 and 35 year old bikes on a trip, or.... who needs a GS/GSA/GPS/ABS/ICBM

[eberhard]

My wife's second bike trip to Nam. My umpteenth bike trip. She on a 1970 R75/5 (with early model R90S gearbox), myself on a 1977 R80/7. Unfortunately no gps coordinates can be provided (all roads lead to Rome).
Somewhere in the northern Cape.

Turning off at Pofadder for the border.

The road to the Orange river.

Having crossed the river, the long road ahead.

The wife in the rearview mirror.

 

[goingnowherequickly]

Great stuff!!
we need more details tho...
I hope this is just an appetizer....
love the suspense... :thumleft:

 

[Lem]

those bikes are just amazing!!

subscribed, looking forward to more of this report

 

[Cheetah]

This is going to be a nice RR  :thumleft:
:sip:

 

[lj111]

:happy1:

 

[eberhard]

I gave the bikes major services before hand and fitted new tyres. I have always used the metzler me 33 for front and me 77 for back. Now I have put the lasertech for front. I also stiffened up the front shocks. About 2 weeks prior to departure I took the R75/5 for a hard spin to go through everything. Although it is the wife's bike, I am the one who has to keep it on the road and as such must be satisfied. I was not. Certain telltales, that can also be indicative of other things, caused me to look where the engine and gearbox meet up. Strong signs of an oil leak were visible. Either the engine, gearbox or both. I pulled the engine and gearbox apart and replaced all the seals. I serviced the clutch assembly and replaced the clutchplate. It turned out to have been long over due. Then I was informed by the local BMW agency that they had a slight mix-up on their system. The system had incorrectly indicated that they had retaining bolts for the flywheel and for the driveshaft in stock. They thus had to order from Germany. Three days prior to departure I received those bolts and reassembled the bike. The morning of departure the wife took the R75 for a spin and I noticed that one of the bolts fastening the oilsump was seriously leaking. A previous owner/"mechanic" had stripped it. I had quite a while back sort of fixed it by inserting a different bolt and when I serviced the machines, I cleaned it out and put a standard one back. Can't fix it now with a sump full of oil. I dropped the bike, with the oil then all on the one side, removed the bolt, liberally applied a good sealant, refastened the bolt, prayed and not a drop of oil was spilled the whole trip.

We did in total 5002 km. Our fuel consumption was just under 17 km per liter.

 

[eberhard]

The photos failed to upload/download/reload. Shall give it a shot again.

 

[eberhard]

 

[eberhard]

Sheer determination. Just another 100kms to go.

This photo was the wife's idea. She recklessly and ruthlessly made a u-turn in the middle of a highway. By pure luck there were no other vehicles visible for the next 5 km.

Visiting a wreck near Hentiesbaai.

Hentiesbaai.

 

[eberhard]

Wlotskasbaken. A truly upmarket squatters camp. On the beach.

Inspecting the coastal area, somewhere north of Swakopmund.

Taking a trip inland. East of Walvis Bay. Somewhere in the desert. We had one problem on the trip - wind. Lots of it.

The two old trusted steeds

 

[Patman]

Dit is kwaai cool!!!

 

[eberhard]

Coffee and confectionery like the Germans make it. The good life.

One of the bike clubs in Walvis. They had pulled us off the road on our previous visit. We kept contact and on this trip they hosted us in Walvis. Rough, but beautiful people.

Ripping up carpets in houses appear to be the norm there in Walvis.

Then to pose for the case file. Mission accomplished.

Doing pub raiding at night in Walvis. Complete streets to yourself. I ended up driving on the wrong side of the road a few times. Not that it mattered, the streets were sooo wide.

 

[eberhard]

Visiting another water hole in Walvis with our hosts.

Sunrise in Okakakara, Hereroland west. Perfect biking world. It cannot get better.

Perfect tar, no traffic. Only gemsbok, kudu, springbok, warthogs, etc. But who cares, you are faster.

Shoes that were found next to the road. Maybe he got a bike.

Taking the piss out of the road.

The wife.

 

[fixit]

:thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:

Nothing like an old airhead ticking away under you...

These bikes a just amazing!

 

[captain jack]

Awesome!!! :biggrin:

 

[punisher]

:thumleft:

 

[[email protected]]

Dis hoe dit gedoen word! :deal:

 

[Khakibos]

Nam......awwwwweee, beautiful! Lyk na 'n kwaai ry! MOET hom nog doen!! :sip:

 

[XXL]

Stunning! Thats riding!

 

[HB 9]

Well done! Great RR!  :thumleft: