Lesotho - the ride that broke me (and my bike...)

[Still Riding]

Thanks for sharing. it looks like it was a good trip. I think a KDX200 or a KTM EXCW200 is probably the bike to do some of those sections on and come away smiling.  I have respect for heavy metal riders going over that terrain. I have migrated to a CRF450X which may be the answer for me.

 

[Stichhom]

Dankie dat jy met ons jou interessante storie gedeel het. Een van die beter ry ervarings wat ek in n lang tyd gesien het. Jammer om van jou fiets te lees wat afgeskryf is. Dit laat my dink n man moet baie voorbereiding tref voor jy iets uitdagend gaan aandurf!

 

[mischiefjay]

Nice ride,read and adventure.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[JonW]

This is a very nice ride, some cool pics  :thumleft:

We did this ride a couple of years ago as a day trip, left Pmb in the morning and back to Pmb that evening.

 

[subie]

Nice honest RR  :thumleft:
Something I am trying to understand,you wanting to upgrade to a much more powerfull and bigger bike ???
When you have badly damaged your middleweight bike on this trip and lucky to have escaped injury.
Are you ready for such an upgrade? Not wise decision I think unless you are planning to change your adventure riding demographics.

 

[MickeyT]

Nice honest RR  :thumleft:
Something I am trying to understand,you wanting to upgrade to a much more powerfull and bigger bike ???
When you have badly damaged your middleweight bike on this trip and lucky to have escaped injury.
Are you ready for such an upgrade? Not wise decision I think unless you are planning to change your adventure riding demographics.

The upgrade is for commuting, and not for trips like Lesotho! I will most certainly not try to do this again in the near future with a bigger bike. When I do this again, it will be with something smaller and with a lot less luggage!

 

[subie]

Nice honest RR  :thumleft:
Something I am trying to understand,you wanting to upgrade to a much more powerfull and bigger bike ???
When you have badly damaged your middleweight bike on this trip and lucky to have escaped injury.
Are you ready for such an upgrade? Not wise decision I think unless you are planning to change your adventure riding demographics.

The upgrade is for commuting, and not for trips like Lesotho! I will most certainly not try to do this again in the near future with a bigger bike. When I do this again, it will be with something smaller and with a lot less luggage!

That makes sense to me  :thumleft:

 

[Dogboxelectric]

Very Nice RR enjoyed it and SANI looks better than it did in April when we did it.

 

[Dwerg]

I think you guys are over exaggerating the difficulty a bit. How many times did the oke on the twin come off?

 

[Vis Arend]

I think you guys are over exaggerating the difficulty a bit. How many times did the oke on the twin come off?

Not to take anything away from a very nice RR, but I tend to agree with the above statement, and remember, you had k@k with your steering,  :eek7: and maybe your fitness level too.  :lamer: 

 

[MickeyT]

I think you guys are over exaggerating the difficulty a bit. How many times did the oke on the twin come off?

Not to take anything away from a very nice RR, but I tend to agree with the above statement, and remember, you had k@k with your steering,   :eek7: and maybe your fitness level too.   :lamer: 

Definitely. The first fall was pure lapse of consentration. Thereafter the steering played a huge roll and fitness... Well, lets put it this way - the fittest guy (Kobus) had no falls with his 650 twin...
But it will definitely be easier on a light bike!

 

[Vis Arend]

I think you guys are over exaggerating the difficulty a bit. How many times did the oke on the twin come off?

Not to take anything away from a very nice RR, but I tend to agree with the above statement, and remember, you had k@k with your steering,  :eek7: and maybe your fitness level too.  :lamer: 

Definitely. The first fall was pure lapse of consentration. Thereafter the steering played a huge roll and fitness... Well, lets put it this way - the fittest guy (Kobus) had no falls with his 650 twin...
But it will definitely be easier on a light bike!

Always easier with a smaller bike, but doable with a big loaded scoot two up.  :thumleft:

 

[Kameel]

I think you guys are over exaggerating the difficulty a bit. How many times did the oke on the twin come off?

Not to take anything away from a very nice RR, but I tend to agree with the above statement, and remember, you had k@k with your steering,   :eek7: and maybe your fitness level too.   :lamer: 

Definitely. The first fall was pure lapse of consentration. Thereafter the steering played a huge roll and fitness... Well, lets put it this way - the fittest guy (Kobus) had no falls with his 650 twin...
But it will definitely be easier on a light bike!

Mens onderskat hoe fiks jy moet wees om so te ry. Ek wat heeldag op kantoor sit en met die cage ry elke dag is in my tjops op 'n Sondagaand na 'n naweek outing met die bike. So 2 dae se ry met gemiddeld 400km per dag en 8 ure in die saal tap 'n mens....imagine nou 'n week lange trip en elke dag 8 ure in die saal...eish.

 

[Dogboxelectric]

Fitness is the big thing for me too, We went from Sani to Katse to Ficksberg, took 11,5 hours, I was POKED that night.
Steering problems, I would battle on tar but off road would be just a "REAL ADVENTURE"
My skill level is not high, with the result is I really enjoyed Sani fell once(Lack of momentum on a turn,leg too short to reach the ground) But there was a guy on a 1200GS with us and he aced it.

NONETHELESS The way you wrote this piece made it very lekker to read for me. And I am sure looking back this will be one trip you wont forget in a hurry.
And thats why I bought my bike, for all those things that make trips unforgettable, Good and Bad.

 

[Dwerg]

I think you guys are over exaggerating the difficulty a bit. How many times did the oke on the twin come off?

Not to take anything away from a very nice RR, but I tend to agree with the above statement, and remember, you had k@k with your steering,   :eek7: and maybe your fitness level too.   :lamer: 

Wil glad nie weg vat van die RR nie, het hom baie geniet  :thumleft:

 

[Kabous GS]

I am the guy on the twin in this RR. Very interesting opinions raised and I would like to add my 2 cents worth.
Difficulty of a ride relates to the capability and experience of the rider and the conditions on the day.  What is easy for one oke  might be extreme for others. I tend to agree with Dwerg that this is not a extremely difficult ride for the experienced rider. What made this more difficult is the following:
1. Matabeng pass came at the end of a long day
2. Riders not that experienced and unfit. Johan is a old ballie and Mickey a unfit slob. (Ok not that bad)
You get tired and you do not stand, loose concentration and down you go.
3. Momentum! - the more you fall, the slower you go, the more you fall. In most cases speed is you friend.
4. Luggage, both Johan and Mickey had trouble with their luggage system. Falling around, burning on the exhaust etc. More things to worry about and not concentrating on the road.

I would say Sani is 4/10 and Matabeng 7/10.

I was lucky not falling, another day it might be different. The longer 1st gear on the twin was great with the steep uphills. Where the 650 had to change between 1st and 2nd I could just blast away in first. I used the ATG luggage system and it was fantastic.

Als en als was dit n great trip. Wat lekkerder as om met buddies bike te ry, paar biere te deel en die war stories te vertel.

 

[stan1975]

I am the guy on the twin in this RR. Very interesting opinions raised and I would like to add my 2 cents worth.
Difficulty of a ride relates to the capability and experience of the rider and the conditions on the day.  What is easy for one oke  might be extreme for others. I tend to agree with Dwerg that this is not a extremely difficult ride for the experienced rider. What made this more difficult is the following:
1. Matabeng pass came at the end of a long day
2. Riders not that experienced and unfit. Johan is a old ballie and Mickey a unfit slob. (Ok not that bad)
You get tired and you do not stand, loose concentration and down you go.
3. Momentum! - the more you fall, the slower you go, the more you fall. In most cases speed is you friend.
4. Luggage, both Johan and Mickey had trouble with their luggage system. Falling around, burning on the exhaust etc. More things to worry about and not concentrating on the road.

I would say Sani is 4/10 and Matabeng 7/10.

I was lucky not falling, another day it might be different. The longer 1st gear on the twin was great with the steep uphills. Where the 650 had to change between 1st and 2nd I could just blast away in first. I used the ATG luggage system and it was fantastic.

Als en als was dit n great trip. Wat lekkerder as om met buddies bike te ry, paar biere te deel en die war stories te vertel.

:laughing4: Great first post  :thumleft: Welcome to the forum.  :ricky:

 

[MickeyT]

I am the guy on the twin in this RR. Very interesting opinions raised and I would like to add my 2 cents worth.
Difficulty of a ride relates to the capability and experience of the rider and the conditions on the day.  What is easy for one oke  might be extreme for others. I tend to agree with Dwerg that this is not a extremely difficult ride for the experienced rider. What made this more difficult is the following:
1. Matabeng pass came at the end of a long day
2. Riders not that experienced and unfit. Johan is a old ballie and Mickey a unfit slob. (Ok not that bad)
You get tired and you do not stand, loose concentration and down you go.
3. Momentum! - the more you fall, the slower you go, the more you fall. In most cases speed is you friend.
4. Luggage, both Johan and Mickey had trouble with their luggage system. Falling around, burning on the exhaust etc. More things to worry about and not concentrating on the road.

I would say Sani is 4/10 and Matabeng 7/10.

I was lucky not falling, another day it might be different. The longer 1st gear on the twin was great with the steep uphills. Where the 650 had to change between 1st and 2nd I could just blast away in first. I used the ATG luggage system and it was fantastic.

Als en als was dit n great trip. Wat lekkerder as om met buddies bike te ry, paar biere te deel en die war stories te vertel.

Eerstens: welkom Kobus - uiteindelik ophou roofkyk.

Tweedens:  jou moer man!  :lamer:

Maar stem saam!

 

[Kameel]

I am the guy on the twin in this RR. Very interesting opinions raised and I would like to add my 2 cents worth.
Difficulty of a ride relates to the capability and experience of the rider and the conditions on the day.  What is easy for one oke  might be extreme for others. I tend to agree with Dwerg that this is not a extremely difficult ride for the experienced rider. What made this more difficult is the following:
1. Matabeng pass came at the end of a long day
2. Riders not that experienced and unfit. Johan is a old ballie and Mickey a unfit slob. (Ok not that bad)
You get tired and you do not stand, loose concentration and down you go.
3. Momentum! - the more you fall, the slower you go, the more you fall. In most cases speed is you friend.
4. Luggage, both Johan and Mickey had trouble with their luggage system. Falling around, burning on the exhaust etc. More things to worry about and not concentrating on the road.

I would say Sani is 4/10 and Matabeng 7/10.

I was lucky not falling, another day it might be different. The longer 1st gear on the twin was great with the steep uphills. Where the 650 had to change between 1st and 2nd I could just blast away in first. I used the ATG luggage system and it was fantastic.

Als en als was dit n great trip. Wat lekkerder as om met buddies bike te ry, paar biere te deel en die war stories te vertel.

Welkom ini honnehok! :thumleft:
Min mense se 1ste posts is so sinvol, goed gestel, baie dankie. Stem volmondig saam.

 

[Mzee]

Interesting. Very interesting.