Grizz & Dozer's Ride South Africa, Ride Report Complete. YouTube Videos.....

[grizz]

Plesier. Het ook een vir Francois gedoen die naweek. Kyk op Sweisie se XT600 bou thread.

Het hom gecheck, mooi. (en die bike is nogal OK oook    )

 

[grizz]

Minute by minute reporting.....

On board.

Getting excited now

Can it be that a year has passed since this?

Thanks to all involved.

It was the best ride of my life.

Making friends and also spending some awesome time with my brother.

Would love to do it all again.

 

[Gerard]

Yip, was a good few days with you guys as company. That ride out of Baviaans on the 1150 did it for me. All for a reason. One day we still have to complete the ride and this time we won't get stuck again.

 

[grizz]

Yip, was a good few days with you guys as company. That ride out of Baviaans on the 1150 did it for me. All for a reason. One day we still have to complete the ride and this time we won't get stuck again.

And weirdly Jupiter, I was recently telling a friend in America that I want to do that trip again.

It really was a trip of a lifetime.

Thanks for your input as well.

 

[rcerrie]

Recently showed a friend your and dozer' sticker @ spitskop. I think two next to each other will look good. Haha

 

[grizz]

Recently showed a friend your and dozer' sticker @ spitskop. I think two next to each other will look good. Haha

Amazingly, two years since I stuck that sticker here.

 

[Andre E]

Wanneer laas het jy melktert en koeksusters gehad....... :biggrin:

 

[Gerard]

Recently showed a friend your and dozer' sticker @ spitskop. I think two next to each other will look good. Haha

Amazingly, two years since I stuck that sticker here.

Gister verby die spot gery waar my bike gevrek het en weer aan die trip gedink. Julle sal maar weer moet kom dat ons Baviaans kan ry.

 

[Dirty Boy]

He probably wont stay with me again. I put him to work after we had a flood.  :biggrin:

 

[grizz]

Right, I have been sitting on this report entry for quite a few weeks.

This ride seems to have been destined to happen.

Deon and I have spoken about it many times over the years, even when he was raising a family and had no bikes for about 20 years, as his family always came first..... which idiot pays maintenance to his ex-wife until his son is 23 and his daughter 21 ?
DWISS or SAINT ??

So many a night we would sit next to the fire talking about this ride in various forms, even when our dad was alive, we used fantasize about taking him as a pillion, or putting him on a lowered F650GS (the toppie was a short arse)

Anyway, as mentioned before, my dad told Deon to buy a bike from his inheritance when he died, so Deon got this great used 1150GS.
Then Nicola's brother offered to buy me a Business class ticket to SA if I paid the taxes..... which were £648 if I recall correctly. But an experience worth having it seems. This was her present to me for my 50th birthday.
My plan was to buy a +- 650cc bike here and export it over to SA or buy something there and then get Deon to sell it after the trip.

Then Dirk ~Maverick~ and I spoke about the trip and out of the blue he suggested I do not buy a bike, but use his r100gs which already lives in the Cape......

Right, at this point I will not name and shame people for their generosity (as I would not want people to know if I had sorted someone out )
But if you see a description on here of the deed you did and offered, and want to mention it was you, please do.


I got a message from a guy offering me a free 660 delivered in Cape Town if I needed it quite early on.

Then about two weeks ago, the following PM landed in my box.......  "You're welcome to my DL1000 when you come to SA, got plastic panniers and Topbox as well. But I'm in Joburg."

Then last week another PM landed
" Hey Rian,

Been reading a bit about your trip to SA with your boet. Looks very lekker.  

I also noted that you are using a bike from a forum member. Is that bike sorted now? Reason I'm asking, my GSA will be standing at home while I am at work here in L****** until at least the 16th April. If the bike you are borrowing falls through, or if it breaks down, you can use mine. Its new, only about 6700km on the clock. Has full panniers, topbox, tooltube, bigfoot, etc. You may just want to re-attach the number plate (I took it off and attached it to the topbox - upside down   )

Its fully insured (I will just have to let the insurer know if you use it) and standing in my garage in Pretoria. I also have a new set of Anakee 2's ready to be fitted if the rear tyre wont make the distance you plan on doing (still original Metzeler front and rear)

Just let me know if you need it..."

Followed after a chat with him, by the following PM
"No worries Rian,

I dont have a landline, just a cell, but I dont pay incoming international rates in L****** (a deal between Vodacom SA and Vodacom L******) so taking calls is easy. My cell number is ############, my email is [email protected] I have a @@@@@@@@@@@@ so usually can reply even if internet in L****** conks out, as it often does.

If the bike from Dirk doesn't happen for whatever reason, mine is free. It will need to be serviced at 10k km, but that should still leave you over 3000km of riding.

And if we need to get the bike to Cape Town I'm sure that somehow someone from the forum will be able to assist. Somehow.

Just shout if you need it "


Then over this weekend Nicola asked me if I would like to stay a bit longer as none of the job applications have been successful, and I probably will not go back to SA soon after this trip, as we usually get Deon over here to come holiday in Europe etc. (ohh, and to do odd jobs like plumbing and electrical around the house.)  I will be redoing his kitchen and bathroom tiles for him now that I have some extra time.

So I called KLM on Saturday and got my flight delayed by a week at no additional cost.

And to add to everything, I was going to call a taxi to take me to the airport at 02.00 as I need to be there by 04.30 to book in, taxi was going to be £80.00 and here my trials riding buddy Jon was here the other day and said if I came to his place on Tuesday evening, I could kip on the couch for a few hours with the dog and cats and then he would take me to the airport.



So I guess this trip is meant to happen.


I just want to say a HUGE public thank you to everyone, from Goose for radio comms, mapwork etc, Jupiter for being an allround good guy, James "Dirty Boy" for insisting we stay over at his place in KZN and very other one of you that have had input into this ride, like Transkei directions etc.... Every offer of accommodation, food, coffee etc.

I hope to run into as many of you guys as possible on the way to say thanks or maybe ride a part of this trip together.

Cheers,

Rian.

Just been re-reading this whole thread.

Again realised what an awesome community this is, and that all you guys and others who touched my and Deon's lives, really Rock!!!

Thank You All !

 

[grizz]

He probably wont stay with me again. I put him to work after we had a flood.   :biggrin:

Boet, I would stay with you and your amazing family any time.

I also hope that I can repay the favour one day.

Keeping me busy for a while with the flood was the best thing you could have done, but of course, Deon and I really just did take over a bit.

 

[Welsh]

Thanks, although it didnt pan out for us to get together.... :thumleft: 8) 8)

 

[grizz]

Wanneer laas het jy melktert en koeksusters gehad....... :biggrin:

Laaste keer was by jou Andre.

And it was absolutely awesome, Deon and I were talking about it on the radios for days after that.  :thumleft:

 

[grizz]

Recently showed a friend your and dozer' sticker @ spitskop. I think two next to each other will look good. Haha

Amazingly, two years since I stuck that sticker here.

Gister verby die spot gery waar my bike gevrek het en weer aan die trip gedink. Julle sal maar weer moet kom dat ons Baviaans kan ry.

I know it is never say never Jupiter, but it is fairly unlikely to happen soon.

I resigned from my current job which I got offered while on that trip, yesterday, starting a new job on the 26th May and off to America for three weeks in October, so it will be a while before I have leave saved up, and hopefully even longer before I am unemployed again  eepwall:

Still, it would be really nice to take a smaller bike like a 600-650cc size through there.

The 1200GS is fine for cross continental trips, but a 650 really is perfect for that sort of trip.

 

[grizz]

Thanks, although it didnt pan out for us to get together.... :thumleft: 8) 8)

Well Ian, there is always "tomorrow"

Hope to meet up somewhere sometime so I can buy you a brew.

 

[Welsh]

Thanks, although it didnt pan out for us to get together.... :thumleft: 8) 8)

Well Ian, there is always "tomorrow"

Hope to meet up somewhere sometime so I can buy you a brew.

Likewise, but I am suffering currently, no beer since January.... it must be my longest beer drought in a few decades....  8)

 

[grizz]

[flash=640,480]https://www.youtube.com/v/IyUcyYWuwK4[/flash]

Can't seem to get visuals on this clip.

 

[werner94]

Uiteindelik die hele thread gelees. Dankie vir die link op AMC forum. Dit moes 'n ervaring duisend gewees het

Groete

Werner

 

[grizz]

Uiteindelik die hele thread gelees. Dankie vir die link op AMC forum. Dit moes 'n ervaring duisend gewees het

Groete

Werner

Werner.

Moerse dankie.

Glad you got to read and enjoy the tread.

 

[grizz]

Six years since doing this ride with my brother.

Time flies.

Memories stay.