Dads & Lads: Namaqualand & Karoo 2019 (Complete / Volledig)

[GravelPitt]

The last day from Orania to Kroonstad was also quite lengthy but due to only being two and the gravel roads so flat and straight we covered the kms with ease.

We had a bit of a slow start due to not knowing the petrol station in Orania only opens at 12 on a Sunday.. .luckly with a quick phone call someone was sent to help out with the “noodbrandstofversoek”.

The gravel stretch between Orania to Koffiefontein was quite eventful with a lot of washouts, some sand and some really crappy rocks. It was proper fun though and warmed us up quickly.

The rest of the way to Kroonstad we decided to hop on the tar. Most of those gravel roads we had already done and cold and tired bones were eager to get home.
It was not at all boring though, having the Senna headsets on we had some fat chats. Dad told me all about his history during and after school, some crazy (border) war / army stories that I finally got out of him and how it was for our family in the early days when I was still small. Being a father myself now I could seriously relate and picked up a heap of tips and even a bigger heap of respect for my father and mother! Although the ride was not that eventful and the scenery not great, this was one of the top ranking days for me because of the chats.

NOTE that all the puncher worries left us when Jo and Arch left us at Tankwa… Just saying.
Actually Sid's 1200GS (Heidis) and my XT660Z (E09s) were the only 2 bikes not to get a puncher on the trip.

Thanx to all the authors of the RR, it was really good to re-live it and I know I will be re-living this one for years to come!

 

[Archangel]

I'll just add one or two more pics that I missed during the RR.  :thumleft:

While I had time to kill on the 1st night while waiting for the recovery crew, I took out the drone and caught some of this...

 

[GravelPitt]

Oh, iets wat ek gemis het!

Toe ons op Kammieskroon stop, bel Honda Centurion vir Spiekman om te hoor of hy nog happy is met sy BRV. Hy was toevalig op daai oomblik in die toilet, so ek het maar opgetel. Daar vertel hulle my van 'n nuwe special op CRVs en hoor of ek wil inruil. Natuurlik het ek gevra of hulle sommer twee kan aflewer en ek wou ook weet of hulle stock het van die nuwe 450L motorfiets. Die dame laat weet my dat iemand van die motorfiets afdeling my binnekort sal terug skakel.

Die res van die trip bel Honda vir Spiekman omtrent elke 20 min om details te confirm van hulle transaksie.  :imaposer:

So Spiekman, hoe loop jou nuwe floot?  :angel11:

Ja Dankie vir daai een!
Jy het dalk vergeet maar ek het nie... want ek word tenminste elke 3 dae gebel deur Honda... jy het laat al die liggies daar aangaan en ek is nou die nuwe target!   

 

[Archangel]

Sleeping next to my bike, waiting for recovery... [Have added this into the right place of the RR too]

Good thing they didn't let sleeping dogs lie...

 

[Archangel]

Some more randoms that didn't make it into the official RR.

 

[Archangel]

Honourable Mention here to Fried, who also rode this CB250 all the way to Kigali in Rwanda and back, SOLO

Klein Pella Sunrise

 

[ALLEN I]

Lekker RR. Thanks for the ride  ;D ;D :ricky:

 

[MellowJo]

Honourable Mention here to Fried, who also rode this CB250 all the way to Luanda [tbc] Kigali in Rwanda and back SOLO.

Fixed

 

[MellowJo]

Regarding the punctures, it went from the ridiculous to the absurd ......  :dousing:

.... I have travelled on my 1150 for about 200,000kms and I crossed the Tankwa a few times with total maybe 3-4 punctures (each time plugged and continuing with that tyre for another few thousand kilos) ......

I use Arch's 1150 for a solo trip to last year's 1150 bash with that same set of tyres with no problems (https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=230686.0) ......

... what was also true is that all the punctures were rear tyres, and that at least the last day's problems were related to tyres that should have been written off already ....

Anyways, it made for a very interesting adventure ....... and there is nothing to test a group like these unplanned events ....

 

[MellowJo]

Then also from my side a very large THANK YOU to the Sid/Pits for organising the trip, their company and help when adversity struck.

........Can't wait for the next one .......





.... new Heidenaus on the rear of all bikes will be a requirement...

 

[Grunder]

Dankie manne vir 'n great ride report.

Thoroughly enjoyed it [emoji106]

Sent from my ANE-LX1 using Tapatalk

 

[Bokveld]

  Beslis n trip om te onthou! Dankie vir n lekker RR manne.

 

[katana]

Dankie julle!!  :ricky:

 

[uyster]

Kewl trip ouens, maar my fork daai punktjirs...dunno

 

[Frannarossi]

Lekker ride report manne. Dit het my nou net lus gemaak vir ry! :thumleft:

 

[Sidpitt]

Regarding the punctures, it went from the ridiculous to the absurd ......  :dousing:

.... I have travelled on my 1150 for about 200,000kms and I crossed the Tankwa a few times with total maybe 3-4 punctures (each time plugged and continuing with that tyre for another few thousand kilos) ......

I use Arch's 1150 for a solo trip to last year's 1150 bash with that same set of tyres with no problems (https://wilddog.net.za/forum/index.php?topic=230686.0) ......

... what was also true is that all the punctures were rear tyres, and that at least the last day's problems were related to tyres that should have been written off already ....

Anyways, it made for a very interesting adventure ....... and there is nothing to test a group like these unplanned events ....

Jo, "Absurd" is an understatement!

At least I got to use my tyre levers that I bought 5 years ago, strapped to my bike and have never had the need to use.

 

[Sidpitt]

So while we're on the topic of tyres and punctures......... I have a collection of various used tyres that I can assist with if anyone is ever stranded somewhere in the (Northern) Free State.
PS: and I now know how to use tyre levers

 

[Sam]

Die tannie van die hotel was also trying her level best to help out where she could, so she gave me a lift to Oom Pieter. When we got there, the deal soured a bit, as Oom Pieter realised that we were quite desperate. Suddenly instead of "having to anyways replace his rear tire", the wording changed slightly to something in the line of "I'll give you this one from my bike, but you'll have to pay for a new one that I'll now need to fit" and apparently the new tire of his liking was R2500, so I ended up having to pay him R2500 on the spot for his old Anakee. As perplexed as I was, I didn't have much of a choice. Maybe I'm just not used to being taken advantage of when I'm in a desperate situation?

Oom Pieter smiling all the way to the bank...

Looks like a very lekker trip you guys had there!

Must admit, when I first read this, I also thought Oompie was taking a chance. But then got to thinking - the oke actually has to replace the tyre - he as a bike standing there with a naked rear rim after all. Not sure what your tyres cost, but R2,500 for a rear isn't too far out of the ballpark compared to the simple Sahara that I bought a month or so ago. Not like he'd just be able to pick up a half worn Anakee to replace the one that you took.Then too, I wonder how much it costs to get the tyre to Carnarvon.

He could have said no, in which case it would prob have taken a bit more than R2500 to sort out your problem.

Both the other tyres that you got were write-offs - if those guys had charged you, I would have thought they were taking advantage of the situation. Not too sure about Oompie. Not too sure that someone living in Cararvon would be rolling in the bucks, so maybe sympathise with his viewpoint

Anyway - just a thought.....

 

[Archangel]

Looks like a very lekker trip you guys had there!

Must admit, when I first read this, I also thought Oompie was taking a chance. But then got to thinking - the oke actually has to replace the tyre - he as a bike standing there with a naked rear rim after all. Not sure what your tyres cost, but R2,500 for a rear isn't too far out of the ballpark compared to the simple Sahara that I bought a month or so ago. Not like he'd just be able to pick up a half worn Anakee to replace the one that you took.Then too, I wonder how much it costs to get the tyre to Carnarvon.

He could have said no, in which case it would prob have taken a bit more than R2500 to sort out your problem.

Both the other tyres that you got were write-offs - if those guys had charged you, I would have thought they were taking advantage of the situation. Not too sure about Oompie. Not too sure that someone living in Cararvon would be rolling in the bucks, so maybe sympathise with his viewpoint

Anyway - just a thought.....

There is definitely some merit in Oom Pieter's argument. It's just interesting how his viewpoint changed from planning on replacing the tire anyways (proven by the length of remaining life I got out out of it), to now being forced to buy a new tire and actually only doing it because he's doing us a favour.

Something I left out was that he was planning on driving to Beaufort the next day with his car and would replace the tire there, so there's not much bike downtime or even much extra effort on his side. Anyways, willing buyer, willing seller. I've put it behind me.  8)

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Lekker RR. Thanks for the ride  ;D ;D :ricky:

Thanks again Guys, great read and it's there for future re-reading too.

We need to get to Klein Pella sooner rather than later Oupa Allen.

8)