Matroosberg (a scoot up a mountain to go look at snow)

[Fugly]

Late enough to get the cold shoulder from the wife and to nearly have to spend the night on the coach.

Hope the couch in the coach was gonna be warm ;D

 

[DRAZIL]

Impressive of note.That was truely a great and hair raiseing outing and I feel your pain. :thumleft: :thumleft: :thumleft:
Thanks

 

[Rone]

So, its true what they say... There are some totally befok people out there.....................  RESPECT guys. I don't think that there pills out there for u guys................................

 

[Andy660]

That was absolutely awsome , well done guys , I`m jealous !
Another challenge to do now !

 

[airHEAD]

The "little blue tractor" didn't make it all the way to the top but only because I ran out of steam. The bike was battered but ready for more! I was amazed at how physical it was and had to call it quits 3/4 of the way up.

Well done to the others who went on to find the snow. I was very disappointed in myself when I saw the pics for not digging a bit deeper. I just kept thinking of still having to make it back down...

 

[SACK]

Nice avatar airHEAD! (EDIT - Well it was until it disappeared)

The most impressive piece of footage is the bit of you bouncing up the mountain heading towards the white Landy.

Pity it cuts away before we see you barrel past at speed without hesitation...and catch a brief glimpse of Kreef ogling the blonde in the back seat.

 

[Doerengone]

Well done guys, and as Rynet put it- you guys are testosterone driven.  Crazy as can be, but fit and very skillfull without a doubt. Congrats.

 

[Dustdevil]

Actually this whole Matroosberg idea started of because myself, Michiel and Sack were looking for impossible mountain roads were we could practice for another trip we are planning.
I knew about Matroosberg trough a friend who went up there a few years back. He was on a photo shoot as one of the crew and I recalled that he told me that one of the Nissans they were using got the clutch so badly burnt it had to turn back. It was steep and gnarly!! but incredibly spectacular once you reached the top.
I mentioned the place to Michiel but did not show to much enthusiasm is I knew it was probably going to be a bike breaker. Michiel also did not show much enthusiasm because he knew very little about the place till recently when I showed him some images on Google Earth.
For those who know Michiel will know that once his mind is focused on an impossible piece of road he is a bit like a Pit Bull with a bone, they never let go.

Before long we were driving of on this small track on a farm approaching an ominous looking mountain road.
I was caught by surprise about how steep that road looked from a distance, but worse, I thought one will get some way up the mountain before the shit starts. Rounding a slight bend in the road I saw a few bikes scattered, but not moving. This was the first slope up the mountain. It did not look to intimidating from my vantage point but I though it best to leave the bike a the bottom and walk up to see if my help was needed. It got worse as you started to climb.
It took some time to get everyone up to the next level and with everyone waiting in anticipation to see if I was going to make it, the HPN roared to live at the bottom of the hill.
I got on the pegs as soon as the bike started to move forward and slowly kept crawling up the hill in 1st gear with the throttle just opened enough to prevent the torquey 1043cc Mahle motor from stalling but without over cooking it because this will cause the back to loose its grip and start to get out from under me leaving me in the same dilemma as the other guys having to get going on a very steep and slippery slope.
The surface, although quite smooth at first was covered with a mixture of golf ball size stones and powdery dust leaving even the most hardcore knoblies fighting for a bit of traction.
The Mahle motor is not missing a beat and with the gradient increasing as I am approaching the top it is only but comfortably pulling my 115kg weight up the hill with out needing to open up on the throttle leaving the Michelin Desert rear tyre to do the rest digging into the dirt keeping the traction right on the edge of loosing control.
At the top comments like "you make it look so easy" is just confirming the HPN's advantage over the rest in this kind of conditions.

The first section was easy though..., when you start to consider the rest of the way up!!!
One thing that became apparent very early on is that it took more effort to ride your bike up than what it was helping others lift theirs and all the pushing to get going again.
I felt like I was literally hanging on to the handlebar to get up these steep slopes and after about 100 meters of constant climbing my arms would become so tired that it became near impossible to handle the bike anymore.
The road have deteriorated so bad further up the hill that it became impossible to chose a line, at some point you will have to cross what looks to be an impassible section. By now you have lost complete control as you are going where the rocks and the bouncing bike is sending you and you can only hold on, crap yourself and pray that you won't end up over the edge.
All the crapping and praying did not help much as eventually all of us had a turn to be send bouncing of to the side of the road to be stopped by a large stone lurking in the grass.
By the time we reached the first lookout point it was just after 2pm and we have most likely not covered more than a k' and a half since the start of the steep sections at the bottom. I was knackered, if we had to deal with any more like what we have faced up to now I was sure I would not be able to make it.
The road flattened out for a bit and and for a change it was possible to ride without much physical strain but it would not last for long before it started to climb again. It just kept going and going and although not nearly as bad as before I feel my already exhausted arms starting to loose its ability to function completely. This section was just relentless with no area where it seem to be safe to stop to catch my breath. Suddenly a big hole on the right track appeared with big sharp edged stones filling it looking ominously like it is ready to turn my front wheel into a pile of scrap metal and rubber.
I had to shift my grip on the bar as I was slowly loosing it and at the same time move over to the left side of the track but things went wrong and as I started loosing my grip on the throttle I also started opening up and the big HPN roared into action throwing me backward causing me to open up some more sending me into a spiral of rapid acceleration, holding on for dear life. There was no way I was going to avoid the stones and I braced myself for the worse but the floating front wheel skimmed over the stones and send my flying across. At this point I was ready to get of in mid flight but the bike ran out of acceleration and I manage to get my composure but to late as I am shooting up the side of the road missing a huge rock with millimeters to spare with the front only to come to a crashing halt against it with the back wheel.
Needless to say the incline was to steep for my tired legs and arms to keep the bike upright and it came crashing down.
By now the only stupid thing I could utter was "that was exiting"... It wasn't, when that beast takes of like that and you are not in control it is just plain scary. This bike have the acceleration power to leave you light headed if you jump away at full force and can manage to keep the front wheel down.

By now Mike and myself have decided we will go as far as the next real hectic section and then we will quit. For now we have seen and experience enough but most importantly, we were way to exhausted to keep focused and have complete control of our bikes. It was getting stupidly dangerous and being a bit older and wiser we prefer to rather live for another day, and our bikes too!
We climbed on to "Die Nekkie" where we told Michiel and Stefan we will not hold them up anymore and that they should continue on their own, Kreef followed.

We stopped at the small fountain and filled up with the sweetest water and continue on what seems to almost be a contour path taking no effort to ride. Not far and we ended up on a very steep solid rock section with excellent traction and we continued to the top.
From here is a small drop in the road through a stream and then the most gnarly section of the entire track..., more than 100 meters of soccer and rugby ball size rocks covering the entire road surface from the left to the right side of the track, the entire distance.
Mike was adamant that this was the end of the line for him, but foolishly I decided to drag my exhausted body over this lot with the hope of seeing the top.
In the stream I already got stuck but managed to get going without any help and found myself gaining confidence as I went, the long travel of the WP suspension on the HPN just kept on soaking up the abuse from the stones and although the bike is moving from left to right under me, I felt amazingly in control.
Halfway across a massive stone is pushing up from the bedrock almost twice the height of a regular pavement. The front climbs over it confidently but as the back wheel hits it square on it looses all that control and confidence in a blink of an eye sending me of to the right into the steep embankment strewn with rocks the size of tombstones. The bike was on it's side again and I had no more energy left to pick it up, push it back to where I can start in a straight line again and to still get on and drive it up the last 50 yards.
I turned to see where Mike was but he has already turned his bike around on a level piece of the road and was heading my way on foot to come and help.
It was a dilemma, I did not know what was going to be the toughest, turning around the big bike on the narrow, rocky track or to drive it to the end and then come all the way back down again.
One thing for sure, this was the end of the line for me, my unfit, overweight body could not take any more and then there still is the long way back down as well.

At the end of the day I felt very contend with myself and the rest of the crew because as I looked at this I have managed to push myself to the boundary beyond that of what these bikes were ever meant to handle. HPN or not it carries far to much weight to be ideal for this kind of track and even the best riders will find it hard to be able to reach the top without dropping the bike.
Stefan on his R1200GS must take the most respect, his bike must weight at least 20kg more than mine and fitted with the smaller front wheel and very unsuitable front suspension it is a miracle the way he was handling that bike. He must have taken the highest number of falls but he just got up, lifted the bike, got back on, pulled away and got on the pegs in a flash and with utter determination and sometimes some frustration he wrestled the beast up that mountain. At some point he crashed and the bike rolled down from the road some distance into the rocks and bushes. From my vantage point I had momentary flashes of medical evacuations, choppers and insurance right offs going through my mind but he stood up, got the bike going and drove it back on the side of the mountain some distance before he managed to get it back on the road again. And this long before our help could reach him.
Stefan jy's n yster!!!! You'll never see me on one of those bikes on a road like that!!!

I would like to add here that if you plan to go there make sure your bike does not weight more than 125Kg and that it is fitted with proper offroad tires deflated to less than one bar.
If you want to do it with a DS bike check with your broker that your insurance is in order and not just your vehicle insurance, but also your life cover and medical insurance. Only joking!! but don't take this place lightly, be fit and have the correct tires fitted and don't hesitate... go go go go till either you fall or you reach a level spot where you can catch your breath and leave the bike to walk down to go help your riding partners. Standing is invaluable unless if you have long legs like Kreef who managed to crawl his F650GS Dakar up there with out falling once. Kreef you must learn to be confidant on the pegs, you will be a lot more in control and the ride will be less tiring and loads more fun.

The HPN is fearless but this is as far as I could manage.
In the end I found out that if I finished the section of gnarly stones the road was easy up to the dramatic ravine, but what the heck maybe another day!!

Stefan, Michiel and myself on our way down stopping at "Die Nekkie"

Last two images courtesy of Mike (airHEAD)

 

[stevgh0]

Actually this whole Matroosberg idea started of because myself, Michiel and Sack were looking for impossible mountain roads were we could practice for another trip we are planning.
I knew about Matroosberg trough a friend who went up there a few years back. He was on a photo shoot as one of the crew and I recalled that he told me that one of the Nissans they were using got the clutch so badly burnt it had to turn back. It was steep and gnarly!! but incredibly spectacular once you reached the top.
I mentioned the place to Michiel but did not show to much enthusiasm is I knew it was probably going to be a bike breaker. Michiel also did not show much enthusiasm because he knew very little about the place till recently when I showed him some images on Google Earth.
For those who know Michiel will know that once his mind is focused on an impossible piece of road he is a bit like a Pit Bull with a bone, they never let go.

Before long we were driving of on this small track on a farm approaching an ominous looking mountain road.
I was caught by surprise about how steep that road looked from a distance, but worse, I thought one will get some way up the mountain before the shit starts. Rounding a slight bend in the road I saw a few bikes scattered, but not moving. This was the first slope up the mountain. It did not look to intimidating from my vantage point but I though it best to leave the bike a the bottom and walk up to see if my help was needed. It got worse as you started to climb.
It took some time to get everyone up to the next level and with everyone waiting in anticipation to see if I was going to make it, the HPN roared to live at the bottom of the hill.
I got on the pegs as soon as the bike start to move forward and slowly kept crawling up the hill in 1st gear with the throttle just opened enough to prevent the torquey 1043cc Mahle motor from stalling but without over cooking it because this will cause the back to loose its grip and start to get out from under me leaving me in the same dilemma as the other guys having to get going on a very steep and slippery slope.
The surface, although quite smooth at first was covered with a mixture of golf ball size stones and powdery dust leaving even the most hardcore knoblies fighting for a bit of traction.
The Mahle motor is not missing a beat and with the gradient increasing as I am approaching the top it is only but comfortably pulling my 115kg weight up the hill with out needing to open up on the throttle leaving the Michelin Desert rear tyre to do the rest digging into the dirt keeping the traction right on the edge of loosing control.
At the top comments like "you make it look so easy" is just confirming the HPN's advantage over the rest in this kind of conditions.

The first section was easy though..., when you start to consider the rest of the way up!!!
One thing that became apparent very early on is that it took more effort to ride your bike up than what it was helping others lift theirs and all the pushing to get going again.
I felt like I was literally hanging on to the handlebar to get up these steep slopes and after about 100 meters of constant climbing my arms would become so tired that it became near impossible to handle the bike anymore.
The road have deteriorated so bad further up the hill that it became impossible to chose a line, at some point you will have to cross what looks to be an impassible section. By now you have lost complete control as you are going where the rocks and the bouncing bike is sending you and you can only hold on, crap yourself and pray you won't end up over the edge.
All the crapping and praying did not help much as eventually all of us had a turn to be send bouncing of to the side of the road to be stopped by a large stone lurking in the grass.
By the time we reached the first lookout point it was just after 2pm and we have most likely not covered more than a k' and a half since the start of the steep sections at the bottom. I was knackered, if we had to deal with any more like what we have faced up to now I was sure I would not be able to make it.
The road flattened out for a bit and and for a change it was possible to ride without much physical strain but it would not last for long before it started to climb again. It just kept going and going and although not nearly as bad as before I feel my already exhausted arms starting to loose its ability to function completely. This section was just relentless with no area where it seem to be safe to stop to catch my breath. Suddenly a big hole on the right track appeared with big sharp edged stones filling it looking ominously like it is ready to turn my front wheel into a pile of scrap metal and rubber.
I had to shift my grip on the bar as I was slowly loosing it and at the same time move over to the left side of the track but things went wrong and as I started loosing my grip on the throttle I also start opening up and the big HPN roared into action throwing me backward causing me to open up some more sending me into a spiral of raped acceleration, holding on for dear life. There was no way I was going to avoid the stones and I braced myself for the worse but the floating front wheel skimmed over the stones and send my flying across. At this point I was ready to get of in mid flight but the bike ran out of acceleration and I manage to get me composure but to late as I am shooting up the side of the road missing a huge rock with millimeters to spare with the front only to come to a crashing halt against it with the back wheel.
Needless to say the incline was to steep for my tired legs and arms to keep the bike upright and it came crashing down.
By now the only stupid thing I could utter was "that was exiting"... It wasn't, when that beast takes of like that and you are not in control it is just plain scary. This bike have the acceleration power to leave you light headed if you jump away at full force and can manage to keep the front wheel down.

By now Mike and myself have decided we will go as far as the next real hectic section and then we will quit. For now we have seen and experience enough but most importantly, we were way to exhausted to keep focused and have complete control of our bikes. It was getting stupidly dangerous and being a bit older and wiser we prefer to rather live for another day, and our bikes too!
We climbed on to "Die Nekkie" where we told Michiel and Stefan we will not hold them up anymore and that they should continue on their own, Kreef followed.

We stopped at the small fountain and filled up with the sweetest water and continue on what seems to almost be a contour path taking no effort to ride. Not far and we ended up on a very steep solid rock section with excellent traction and we continued to the top.
From here is a small drop in the road through a stream and then the most gnarly section of the entire track..., more than 100 meters of soccer and rugby ball size rocks covering the entire road surface from the left to the right side of the track, the entire distance.
Mike was adamant that this was the end of the line for him, but foolishly I decided to drag my exhausted body over this lot with the hope of seeing the top.
In the stream I already got stuck but managed to get going without any help and found myself gaining confidence as I went, the long travel of the WP suspension on the HPN just kept on soaking up the abuse from the stones and although the bike is moving from left to right under me, I felt amazingly in control.
Halfway across a massive stone is pushing up from the bedrock almost twice the hight of a regular pavement. The front climbs over it confidently but as the back wheel hits it square on it looses all that control and confidence in a blink of an eye sending me of to the right into the steep embankment strewn with rocks the size of tombstones. The bike was on it's side again and I had no more energy left to pick it up, push it back to where I can start in a straight line again and to still get on and drive it up the last 50 yards.
I turned to see where Mike was but he has already turned his bike around on a level piece of the road and was heading my way on foot to come and help.
It was a dilemma, I did not know what was going to be the toughest, turning around the big bike on the narrow, rocky track or to drive it to the end and then come all the way back down again.
One thing for sure, this was the end of the line for me, my unfit, overweight body could not take any more and then there still is the long way back down as well.

At the end of the day I felt very contend with myself and the rest of the crew because as I looked at this I have managed to push myself to the boundary beyond that of what these bikes were ever meant to handle. HPN or not it carries far to much weight to be ideal for this kind of track and even the best riders will find it hard to be able to reach the top without dropping the bike.
Stefan on his R1200GS must take the most respect, his bike must weight at least 20kg more than mine and fitted with the smaller front wheel and very unsuitable front suspension it is a miracle the way he was handling that bike. He must have taken the highest number of falls but he just got up, lifted the bike, got back on, pulled away and got on the pegs in a flash and with utter determination and sometimes some frustration he wrestled the beast up that mountain. At some point he crashed and the bike rolled down from the road some distance into the rocks and bushes. From my vantage point I had momentary flashes of medical evacuations, choppers and insurance right offs going through my mind but he stood up, got the bike going and drove it back on the side of the mountain some distance before he managed to get it back on the road again. And this long before our help could reach him.
Stefan jy's n yster!!!! You'll never see me on one of those bikes on a road like that!!!

I would like to add here that if you plan to go there make sure your bike does not weight more than 125Kg and that it is fitted with proper offroad tires deflated to less than one bar.
If you want to do it with a DS bike check with your broker that your insurance is in order and not just your vehicle insurance, but also your life cover and medical insurance. Only joking!! but don't take this place lightly, be fit and have the correct tires fitted and don't hesitate... go go go go till either you fall or you reach a level spot where you can catch your breath and leave the bike to walk down to go help your riding partners. Standing is invaluable unless if you have long legs like Kreef who managed to crawl his F650GS Dakar up there with out falling once. Kreef you must learn to be confidant on the pegs, you will be a lot more in control and the ride will be less tiring and loads more fun.

The HPN is fearless but this is as far as I could manage.
In the end I found out that if I finished the section of gnarly stones the road was easy up to the dramatic ravine, but what the heck maybe another day!!

Stefan, Michiel and myself on our way down stopping at "Die Nekkie"

Last two images courtesy of Mike (airHEAD)

Like your writing style!

 

[oo7]

I am not worthy!!!

This looks like a "must do" to be crossed off any adrenalin junkie's list of things what NOT to do.

Michiel - having had a KLR before the GSA - (and being a tad taller and heavier than you  >) all I can say is: Respect
Sack - knowing the GS as I do - all I can say is that you are totally bef*k in jou kop - amzing what you did.  :thumleft: What was the extend of the damage on the GS (in terms of what bits were all damaged?)

DD - I'll swing by shortly to hear it from the HPN's mouth himself

 

[Dustdevil]

The link to the following video is a tribute to a very brave little GS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y06wrIJy5jw

 

[Brakenjan]

DD, Michiel, airHEAD, SACK et al: Absolutely awesome!! Respect!  :thumleft:

DD I think you give the HPN too much credit - that was some very impressive riding!  :ricky:

I am not worthy!!!

C'mon DoubleO - show us that a GSA can do it!!  >

 

[Leftless]

Awesome guys!!  Looks like my type of road.  I've been threatening to go up by bike for a long time.  Looks fantastic.

Respect

Leftless

 

[Dustdevil]

DD, Michiel, airHEAD, SACK et al: Absolutely awesome!! Respect!   :thumleft:

DD I think you give the HPN too much credit - that was some very impressive riding!  :ricky:

I am not worthy!!!

Thanks for the compliment Brakenjan, but I am sure if I was riding Sack's 1200GS I would not have looked that impressive.

 

[fat b]

wow wow wow & RESPECT!!!!

 

[fat b]

DD that HPN of yours is awsome !!!!! Words fail me !!!

 

[SACK]

What was the extend of the damage on the GS (in terms of what bits were all damaged?)

Hi doubleoseven.

Apart from the expected cosmetic damage (some scrapes and scratches) I broke the right rear indicator lens and completely destroyed the right side cylinder head protector (the plastic BMW ones). So the damage is actually pretty minor.

Oh, and the rear TKC took a beating.

 

[Dustdevil]

Sack's GS took far more abuse than what we could capture on video. I am very surprised at the little damage from all that.

 

[oo7]

C'mon DoubleO - show us that a GSA can do it!!  >

No probs. Please just provide me with a GSA – I don’t know a lot, but I do know that this boy’s GSA won’t smell that Matroosberg route in a 100km radius. 

What was the extend of the damage on the GS (in terms of what bits were all damaged?)

Hi doubleoseven.

Apart from the expected cosmetic damage (some scrapes and scratches) I broke the right rear indicator lens and completely destroyed the right side cylinder head protector (the plastic BMW ones). So the damage is actually pretty minor.

Oh, and the rear TKC took a beating.

Cool man – I am glad that it is only minor stuff. Just hope you don’t get a major surpirise when it comes to the BMW bill of fixing the minor damages.  ???

But once again – respect for taking the pig up there!  :thumleft:

 

[Michiel]

With Stev0 planning a visit to Matroosberg I felt like having another look at this ride report.

Thanks for the compliments guys! Riding this sort of stuff one really have to be fit if you want to enjoy it.
A lot of the battle is also fought in the mind as we get scared too easily and I was suprised how capable
even the most unlikely of bikes were.

One thing is sure though, if you go up there on a DS bike you should make peace with the fact that you're most
likely to do cosmetic damage and put a lot of mechanical strain on the machine.

It was well worth it and I will be going back there.