Not really a ride report, just some bike stuff that might help someone enjoy a similar ride.
We have pretty much seen all the pictures of bikes parked outside pubs and service stations and up to their axles in dune sand, so I am leaving all that and focusing on the technical aspects of the Desert Run. My intention was to ride the whole way as hard and as light as I could to Swakopmund and then return in a similar fashion with minimum tar. My total ride was 4120km starting from Kuruman. Only 740km were tar including the 300 from Mafikeng to Fourways.
The initial suspensions settings were according to what I believe to be the Japanese standard for all DS bikes. The first thing to set is sag. The bike has half a tank of fuel, the normal stuff the bike carries, such as tools and spares, and the rider fully kitted. The sag setting is based on suspension travel as given in the bike specs, and is stated as:
Front= 25% of total travel for off road.
27% of total travel for 50 / 50. and
30% of total travel for street.
Rear = 30% of total travel for off road.
33% of total travel for 50 / 50 and
33% of total travel for street.
I went for the 50 / 50 arrangement.
A small adjustment may then need to be made to try and give both back and front a static sag (all of above, but with out the rider), sometimes called race sag of 10% of total travel. Mostly adjusted to an approximation, or best fit is the best you can do to achieve this without radically altering the loaded sag.
Now for the balance of the bike. The three main things that affect handling are: rake, trail and axle to axle length. The primary adjustment to achieve this is via the forks in the triple clamps, and chain length if absolutely necessary. I have found for this type of riding maximum axle to axle is an advantage. Anyway this required two fully loaded dress rehearsal to De Wild. I ended up increasing the rear sag slightly (One turn on the spring preload adjuster). Damping was set to give a fairly flush ride on rocks and corrugations. I ended up increasing the compression damping slightly on the second day - on fast Kalahari sand farm roads to cater for the sometimes big whoops.
Tyre pressure: I had decided some years back that for Knobbies (tar and off tar) the best pressure is 1,5 back and front ( but some knobbies will get too hot on tar at this pressure). In line for my aim for a plush ride I decided to reduce the tyre pressure to 1,3 back and front. I found no reason to change this through out the 4000km. However when I checked pressure the day after I arrived home the back was 1,2 and front 1,1. The tyres I used were Dunlop 606 (18 inch) rear and Bridgestone M23 front (21 inch). I could not fault this combination.
Weights: Bike with 5 litres of fuel in the tank and all spares and tools attached were; Rear wheel = 78kg. Front wheel = 66kg.
Me without gear = 86kg.
Me dressed with backpack = 105kg.
Bike fully fuelled and loaded; Back wheel = 96kg. Front wheel = 71kg.
Total weight = 272kg. This included 20l fuel and 5l water.
Average fuel consumption was 23,3 Km/l or 4,29l/100km. Although I sometimes got better than 25km/l and sometimes a little over 21km/l.
The bike used 100ml oil on trip to Swakopmund where I changed oil, oilfilter and airfilter. It used no oil back to Mafikeng, but used another 100ml on the 300km of tar at highway speeds from Mafikeng to Fourways.
I also used 250ml of 90 grade oil fed onto my chain.
Rear 18 inch 606 about 30% worn, front 21 inch M23 about 20% worn
I budgeted R.8 000, 00. I took out the entry fee and accommodation in Swakopmund and half a tyre and half a chain. I arrived home with R.2 500 and empty tanks.
OF INTEREST- is the Namid Rand Nature Reserve in Southern Namibia. A young couple I met at Solitaire on two sensibly well loaded KLRs who after exchanging pleasantries said they were from Natal and going to Cairo. When I commented that I thought they were on the wrong side of the continent, they replied that it does not matter - they are going to Cairo one way or another. Good for them. Does any dogs know who they might be? The desolation of the area in the "V" in the top of the Fish River Canyon Reserve. There had been a lot of rain, but only rocks and sand, no grass. The river crossings were only drifts - most washed away leaving a meter high sand bank on each side. I had to get off and kick these banks down a bit to get safely down and up the other side. AND the border fence patrol road from near Bray to near Ramatlabama, this is worth a ride all by itsself.
No bike problems. The front brake caliper benefited from a clean and service.
Cheers.
We have pretty much seen all the pictures of bikes parked outside pubs and service stations and up to their axles in dune sand, so I am leaving all that and focusing on the technical aspects of the Desert Run. My intention was to ride the whole way as hard and as light as I could to Swakopmund and then return in a similar fashion with minimum tar. My total ride was 4120km starting from Kuruman. Only 740km were tar including the 300 from Mafikeng to Fourways.
The initial suspensions settings were according to what I believe to be the Japanese standard for all DS bikes. The first thing to set is sag. The bike has half a tank of fuel, the normal stuff the bike carries, such as tools and spares, and the rider fully kitted. The sag setting is based on suspension travel as given in the bike specs, and is stated as:
Front= 25% of total travel for off road.
27% of total travel for 50 / 50. and
30% of total travel for street.
Rear = 30% of total travel for off road.
33% of total travel for 50 / 50 and
33% of total travel for street.
I went for the 50 / 50 arrangement.
A small adjustment may then need to be made to try and give both back and front a static sag (all of above, but with out the rider), sometimes called race sag of 10% of total travel. Mostly adjusted to an approximation, or best fit is the best you can do to achieve this without radically altering the loaded sag.
Now for the balance of the bike. The three main things that affect handling are: rake, trail and axle to axle length. The primary adjustment to achieve this is via the forks in the triple clamps, and chain length if absolutely necessary. I have found for this type of riding maximum axle to axle is an advantage. Anyway this required two fully loaded dress rehearsal to De Wild. I ended up increasing the rear sag slightly (One turn on the spring preload adjuster). Damping was set to give a fairly flush ride on rocks and corrugations. I ended up increasing the compression damping slightly on the second day - on fast Kalahari sand farm roads to cater for the sometimes big whoops.
Tyre pressure: I had decided some years back that for Knobbies (tar and off tar) the best pressure is 1,5 back and front ( but some knobbies will get too hot on tar at this pressure). In line for my aim for a plush ride I decided to reduce the tyre pressure to 1,3 back and front. I found no reason to change this through out the 4000km. However when I checked pressure the day after I arrived home the back was 1,2 and front 1,1. The tyres I used were Dunlop 606 (18 inch) rear and Bridgestone M23 front (21 inch). I could not fault this combination.
Weights: Bike with 5 litres of fuel in the tank and all spares and tools attached were; Rear wheel = 78kg. Front wheel = 66kg.
Me without gear = 86kg.
Me dressed with backpack = 105kg.
Bike fully fuelled and loaded; Back wheel = 96kg. Front wheel = 71kg.
Total weight = 272kg. This included 20l fuel and 5l water.
Average fuel consumption was 23,3 Km/l or 4,29l/100km. Although I sometimes got better than 25km/l and sometimes a little over 21km/l.
The bike used 100ml oil on trip to Swakopmund where I changed oil, oilfilter and airfilter. It used no oil back to Mafikeng, but used another 100ml on the 300km of tar at highway speeds from Mafikeng to Fourways.
I also used 250ml of 90 grade oil fed onto my chain.
Rear 18 inch 606 about 30% worn, front 21 inch M23 about 20% worn
I budgeted R.8 000, 00. I took out the entry fee and accommodation in Swakopmund and half a tyre and half a chain. I arrived home with R.2 500 and empty tanks.
OF INTEREST- is the Namid Rand Nature Reserve in Southern Namibia. A young couple I met at Solitaire on two sensibly well loaded KLRs who after exchanging pleasantries said they were from Natal and going to Cairo. When I commented that I thought they were on the wrong side of the continent, they replied that it does not matter - they are going to Cairo one way or another. Good for them. Does any dogs know who they might be? The desolation of the area in the "V" in the top of the Fish River Canyon Reserve. There had been a lot of rain, but only rocks and sand, no grass. The river crossings were only drifts - most washed away leaving a meter high sand bank on each side. I had to get off and kick these banks down a bit to get safely down and up the other side. AND the border fence patrol road from near Bray to near Ramatlabama, this is worth a ride all by itsself.
No bike problems. The front brake caliper benefited from a clean and service.
Cheers.
