De Wildt ride Sunday 10 June 2007

[OB1Knobi]

1 x KLR "dude" here - thanks to shark for organising and everyone else, what a great ride! Had a blast and must admit, the front of my thighs were killing me yesterday (and today a bit...) Never knew i had muscles there???

I'll def be in for next ride (that is with DS bikes)

 

[cono]

A flat before the ride start brought joy waiting in the sun, while the morning cold turned into a almost perfect summer day.

Besides being great riders, the boys were great mechanics. All the right tools and right spares for the day and later in the day.......the cable tie mechanics started their work.

Getting the full guided tour from Shark_ZA.  A full history of the area, what we had just gone through and what was to come. This is the start to the pipeline after finishing the down trip from the water tower.

The not so crasy bunch, waiting to see if anyone returns from Coconuts alive.

The question is: Did he make it over that small tiny mound of sand. Technical rating, so high, not yet officially rated.

This looks serious. There's a man down.

Rider down on the rocks, under the bike.

Not serious, just a broken bashplate.

OK...so I dropped the bike more than most others...I was just testing to see how helpfull the WildDogs really are.
Big THANK YOU's:
* Shark_ZA for an awesome tour of De Wildt. Every aspect of technical riding was tested to the limits.
* KLR 650 riders for pointing out my front suspension problems. Now I have a excuse for the bad handling, being the result of all the falls. (Subject now closed)
* Groenie; Voodoo; Flying Dutchman; Runner & GRIMM for picking me and the KLR650 up and all the advise on how to stay on the bike (eeerrmmm...sorry I was not around to help you and your bikes up too ;-) )
* GRIMM; good choice for saying right instead of left...or else we would not got to Bra Erics and thanks for staying behind me to the end.....we were not lost, we were just slow (the KLR's rear brake cylinder arm was broken and I was S*** scared going down the inclines and crossing the rocks on the very wet river section, only on a front brake, thus the reason for the cautious slow ride)
* Sillystunt; Runner; show-offs with their wheelies...I can also lift my front wheel up to 13.7cm
* and last but not least...the wilddog.net.za Team and Site Sponsors, for making the rides possible and giving us the opportunity to express our excitement of going places, most people will only dream of going.

....if I've forgotten to mention any one by name, it was not intentional...it's just called old age.
..........so, when do we ride De Wildt again

 

[cono]

Coconuts: The xpression on Groenies faces says it all. And this is only after he walked up it for a short distance.

 

[KAAS]

Baie nice fotos, en report ;D

 

[sidetrack]

Oh stop whineing everyone!    It was mild, damn I did it all on a KLR ffsakes!   >

Agree there were no real difficult parts, even tennisball hill was managable. Now that terrain with the offroad bikes in them looks a bit hectic.

 

[sillystunt]

I had my new rally suit on and left jhb at 7am.The roads were clean and i was looking forward to my first ride with the dogs.
Hitting harties with no traffic was simple orgasmic,i hadnt realised how farkin brilliant that road was around the filthy green pond,My dak was pulling huge wheelies in between the long motard slides around the corners,this was new to me ,the slides that was.

After waiting at the tunnel for the green light to appear and to get rid of my ride inspird erection.I rubbed my hand over the dakar,hell,i love this little bike.I had sold my hp2 and was only now starting to get to grips with the little Bike.
This was going to be my first real off road jaunt on it and with a new bunch of guys,i was worried i wasnt going to keep up.
Pulling into the wimpy i realised why i had been sliding around the bends,nothing to do with skill at all,i had a rear wheel puncture.

I must have looked a real prat,in my new suit and asking a bunch of strangers would they please wait,i am going to fix the puncture,with two tyre levers the size of my mum`s serving spoons.
Twenty minutes later and under immense pressure from the now already mounted up and waiting strangers i swung my leg back over the bike.
what a start,they must think i am a right polluka.

The technical dirt section started and i soon felt right at home,i love this stuff, my heart was smiling,the guy in front of me on a klr could ride a bike and was not scared of obsticales,i really hate those long dirt roads and some people still think that riding them is considered off road.
I rode the road of stones,or was it coconut road? anyway after this the guys started chatting,what a nice bunch,a nice mix of bikes and a great place to ride.it was all good.

i was still really concious of my new suit,so bloody clean,i felt like one of those guys that used to pitch up at the gs challenge with all the right gear and intimidate the hell out of me in my ten year old mx kit.
i quickly found out that a monkey in silk is a monkey no less.

Ten minutes later at around 100 kliks i went down,the front just washed out and i hit the ground sliding,it was a big crash,my helmet was badly scrapped and the bike now has some character,my suit however wasnt even ripped!my knee and forearm  and elbow have "burn" type marks on them and apart from that i suffered no damage,absolutely amazing,i have plenty more payments to go,but i dont regret the buying of that overpriced suit.

The ride just got better.
later that night after a hot shower,i went staright to the garage,stripped the dak down,it needs new fork seal and a set of knobs.i bought them today.funny thing is ,when i switched the garage light out,i swear i heard the dak smile,i couldnt close the door without going back and patting its tank,pretty silly hey! 

 

[VooDoo]

what a start,they must think i am a right polluka.

HAHA, nice report!

Don't worry, we don't think you're a polluka at all, after Sunday it's been confirmed  ;D

 

[Welsh]

what a start,they must think i am a right polluka.

HAHA, nice report!

Don't worry, we don't think you're a polluka at all, after Sunday it's been confirmed  ;D

I must admit, the brand new Rallye outfit, the nice clean Dak, I was a bit surprised to see you wheelying it around the place, any specific reason you got rid of the HP2?

Welsh  ;D 

 

[HHHusky]

I rode the road of stones,or was it coconut road?

From what I saw on Sunday this poor Dakar is in for the ride of its life.  >
You have some cellphone "footage" coming down Coconuts that you need to share with us - maak 'n plan!

 

[wino]

just flippin awesome! well done guys :cheers:

 

[sillystunt]

howzit.
to answer a few question,i have sent the footage of the coconut ride to shark,three days ago!!
o.k. along with some pix of babes cleaning my bikes,maybe this has put him off downloading the footage?
i will tell you about the hp when i see you guys again,but i can tell you this.
a german master rider i met at the challenge last year told me this
"rider input makes the bike a champion"
i think there is a lesson there somewhere??
just got in from the garage,my dak now has knobbly shoes and new fork seals.
testing tommorow at linksfield, a brilliant play place.

 

[shark_za]

I ride around the linksfield area there on my KDX quite a bit.
I'm editing the clip to clear up the first bit, watch this space !

 

[VooDoo]

I ride around the linksfield area there on my KDX quite a bit.
I'm editing the clip to clear up the first bit, watch this space !

For the video clip...or the bike washing babes?  >

 

[jolly]

Shark, when will be the next DS ride? I want to join...

 

[bmad]

Jolly... is your AJS a DS Bike??? > >

(sorry it is friday and we are about to start a braai, so i am not working too hard)

 

[shark_za]

Silly on the rocks!

I have not been lucky with the editing of the clip, so here it is anyway.
Excuse the start and it seems to jump every now and then, but you get a good idea what riding down coconuts is like.

 

[JourneyMan]

Nice going SS!

Sounded as if you restarted the bike as one stage?

 

[chrisB]

:glasses9: video!