Baviaan pillion ride

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Tim

Pack Dog
Joined
Jun 5, 2007
Messages
171
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0
Location
Melkbosstrand
Bike
KTM 990 Adventure
We started way too late on a Thursday afternoon, mostly due to work commitments, but we wanted to make the most of our long weekend.  Me and my wife on our Dakar met Musashi and his fiancé on their GS at the 1-Stop, and took the tar option through the stinky tunnel.  Our getaway at 4pm meant we had to ride at least 2 hours of darkness which we wanted to minimize, so we chased the daylight but at Mosselbaai, it caught up with us and we slowed our pace after a hot cup of Wimpy coffee.  The rest of the trip to Buffelsbaai went without incident, and we arrived in the caravan park only to be greeted by a lekker braai with some of the greatest ribs in the southern cape.

The 2 bikes departing from Buffelsbaai.


The baviaans unfolded in all its glory, but we soon learned that we had not mentally prepared our pillions enough for what they were about to endure.


Our second real water crossing and the Baviaans tries to take its first victim.  Musashi takes a dip, gets the cut-out switch in time, but we decide to be conservative and check how far up the air inlet the water got since the bike was dropped on the inlet side.  Luckily water did not make pass the â??water trapâ? and we are safe.  For some reason the bike still does not want to start, until after about 10min, we realize the side stand is still out with bike in gear.




You will also note the absence of photoâ??s of the fall.  This is my biggest regret of the weekend.  I stood camera in hand, but as soon as things started going pear shape, I just froze, and when I regained logical reasoning, was already standing in the water helping to pick up the bike.  A disgrace to the Wilddog spirit!

Once again we had some of the greatest meat accompanied by some warm beer and red wine.  We camped at Doodsklip.


After the previous dayâ??s fall in the water, the girls refused to enter a river crossing on the back of a bike.  This worked great for us, meaning that we had spotters walking the line for us.

Smitskraal.

We made our way to Willowmore, but stopped at this interesting place for some colddrinks.

We rode down to Uniondale and took Prins Alfred pass? Down to Knysna.  What a great ride!


Nice day at the beach.


Dusty but happy


This was a great ride, and would I do it again with a pillion?  Definitely.  Would the pillions do it again?  Not at this point.
 
Great report! Haha â?? um yea, also done that 10 min starting routine not realizing why the bike doesnâ??t want to work with me!!  ::) and yea, donâ??t you know itâ??s camera, pics, then you help the fallen!  :biggrin: Well done guys and brave girls!  :thumleft:
 
lekker man
those water crossings are fantastic.
i did it from uniondale across towards PE side last dec
one of the best rides of my life
un/luckily I had no pillion
 
Good one Tim!
Seems like you had a great adventure - always a bit of a challenge on a loaded scoot plus pillion.
 
Nice riding - the pillions just gotta get used to it!!!
 
Howzit,

did Baviaans end of september as a solo trip. Absolutely stunning! How did you manage that rocky passes, with their steps and ditches, with the extra uncontrollable load on your bike called pillion? Respect!
 
Thanks all.

44, we went down the passes very slowly.  I must admit, the extra weight and movement did not bother me all that much, but I could sense my wife was seriously stressed, and that stressed me.

But you can not charge through the Baviaans with a pillion as one would really like to do it.
 
Nice RR!

I did the Baviaans a few weeks back with my wife on the back. Its an awesome place with more than enough technical terrain to try your skills.

The "interesting spot for cool drinks" is the farm house of the owners of the Makkedaat caves, next time you'r in the are try and stay wi them, its an awesome experiance.
 
Tim said:
Thanks all.

44, we went down the passes very slowly.  I must admit, the extra weight and movement did not bother me all that much, but I could sense my wife was seriously stressed, and that stressed me.

But you can not charge through the Baviaans with a pillion as one would really like to do it.

I was also doing fine until my pannier bracket started coming apart.  Having to nurse that all the way down held me back a lot.  The pillion was not a problem.  The best will still be unladen and no pillion.  THAT will be fun!!
 
Huge respect!

I've never taken a pillion off-road.

a) She's a nervous passenger as it is, and not really bike savvy
b) She doesn't have the correct gear

But I suppose I'll get there one day
 
Nice trip and well done to the pillions  :thumleft:

Must agree with Gromit, those caves at makkadaat are a must!
 
Nice RR. Always nice to get a fresh perspective on my backyard ;D
 
Nice report Tim :thumleft:

Riding with a pillion was a huge learning curve for me. Must say, the bike handles the fast stuff quite well two up ;)
 
Nice trip and well done to the pillions.We passed you ,just before Studtis,
we were on the 3 KTM 990's
 
Nice - RR - Done the Baviaans a couple of times- only one up thou. KLR does not like 2 -up.
 
Kat said:
Nice trip and well done to the pillions.We passed you ,just before Studtis,
we were on the 3 KTM 990's

Hi Kat

I was sooo jealous of you guys.  Looks like you we playing the whole way through the Baviaans.  Must have looked like we were looking for a parking spot when you passed us?

Tim
 
The Baviaans remains on my wish list!! Great RR.
 
Great ride report

Baviaans looks so amazing, im really envious, you okes are so lucky  :drif:

My wife is riding with me more and more and she is really enjoying it but we have not progressed to technical dirt yet ... she is also a bit nervous.

Plan is to do Baviaans next year so need to get some dirt riding two up in before then.

Nice one
Thx

:thumleft:
 
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