Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe & Botswana - 6000km

[eberhard]

The wife and me took another trip up north. This time to include Zambia and Zimbabwe. Same old trusted steeds as previously, except I had taken out the bing carburettors on my wife's R75/5 and replaced them with mikuni carburettors. Something I was advised to do about 20 years ago by Simon Pilfold at the old Bavarian Motorcycles in Pretoria. We also decided to not sleep in the bush on this trip. Houses where possible, so we packed lighter. Our first stop was to be Kathu. We took the N14. The road surface and traffic was generally good to very good. We encountered five stop/goes which held us back about half an hour in total.

The only structure in Kathu worth mentioning.

Staying over with friends in Kathu. Had a terrific supper. However, twice in my life I'd felt awful from drinking one glass of red wine. Twice in my life I'd had a glass of four cousins. This was the second time. How do you look a gifted horse in the mouth? In this state, I drove on to Namibia the next morning.

Ariamsvlei border crossing.

 

[eberhard]

And we had wind. From the first day to the last. Out of the 6000km, maybe 300km was without wind. Our tyre treads gave the impression that we did circuit racing and not long open roads.

The Zebra lodge in Karasburg where we had also stayed over last year. The owner remember us instantaneously (is this good or bad?!).

Playing batman in the setting sun, main street Karasburg, having left Gotham City behind. Good feeling.

The owner is also an avid biker.

This modification of his truly belongs in the pooratech section. So much for LEDs in Namibia.

 

[frans1]

Can't wait for the rest to come!!!

 

[eberhard]

I leant a bid forward in the bathroom (to remove a stubborn pimple) and the washbasin came down on me. Was merely plastered to the wall. Gave me quite a swelling on the shin and open wound. The owner seemed quite concerned as to how he will get hold of new fittings. No local hardware store. Closest one is in Keetmanshoop, over 200km further.

Packed and ready to take on Luderitz.

The road to Luderitz.

More of the rooaaad.

 

[eberhard]

Again wind and more wind. Was a very beautiful road from Keetmans to Luderitz. Very good to exceptional road surface for 330km. The section where you cross the Fish river rode like a dream. For about 40km you were in these hills and valleys with long, slow and slightly less slower curving roads. We got to see the desert horses and also a solitary gemsbok with dunes as back drop. As from about 30km before Luderitz we experienced the worst winds. I stopped overtaking big trucks as it was becoming too dangerous and from about 20km I kept behind a big truck till Luderitz, doing about 60km/h. The truck became my shelter and clearing the road for me from drifting sand. At around Kolmanskoppe, we passed a traveller on a bicycle. We passed him again the next morning on our way back, about 20km further.

Luderitz at last.

The place we stayed over in Luderitz - Villelodge. This was a gift from heaven. In Aus we were advised to go to a certain accommodation that was "biker friendly". When we got there, they were fully booked. They then phoned another "biker friendly" place. Also fully booked. Then they phoned an acquaintance as a last option. He had a room available. He had a short notice cancellation. He personally came with his vehicle to fetch us and patiently waited for us to gear up. What he offered us and the price he quoted made us fall over in disbelief. Accommodation of the highest quality and hospitality unheard of. If ever in Luderitz, do pay them a visit. Ferdie and Margaret.

Ferdie even made his garage available to park our bikes for the night.

On Ferdi's recommendation we went to dine at the harbour front. I had a personal favourite - eisbein.

The eisbein did not survive.

One to Luderitz and its amazing people.

 

[firecoast]

Lovely pics so far.

Would you mind sending me a PM regarding your budget / cost per day / itinerary, etc etc please? If it's none of my business then I totally understand.

 

[MINZI]

Sub, this i going to be a good trip.  :ricky: :thumleft:

 

[eberhard]

Lovely pics so far.

Would you mind sending me a PM regarding your budget / cost per day / itinerary, etc etc please? If it's none of my business then I totally understand.

PM sent.

 

[firecoast]

Lovely pics so far.

Would you mind sending me a PM regarding your budget / cost per day / itinerary, etc etc please? If it's none of my business then I totally understand.

PM sent.

Fanks!

Will go make some popcorn for the rest of the ride report!  :biggrin:

 

[Onetime]

:thumleft:

 

[eberhard]

Says it all.

Scenic street in Luderitz.

Some interesting humour (who said Germans are humourless).

Yeah, if in Luderitz, why not.

Ditto.

The moon shining over Luderitz.

So tranquil.

 

[Stofdonkie]

:happy1:

 

[Ian in Great Brak River]

Certainly some different bikes to the norm here on the forum doing a Nam trip, great photo's.

8)

 

[Chrisl]

It seems someone have been selling a lot of paint since I've been last in
Luderitz.
I like :thumleft:

 

[eberhard]

Leaving Luderitz with the sun coming up.

Steadily back to vegetation. What amazed me was that with in the space of a hundred or so metres the terrain changed from rocks and sand to grass. Just like that. Clearly visible to the eye. As if there is under ground water all of a sudden.

Goageb, about 120km before Keetmans.

Sorry, no petrol. One deserted filling station. We still have the original engines with the original valves and to provide for filling stations that don't stock lead replacement petrol, I took some bottles of lead additive with. Only to realise that lead replacement petrol is only in SA still available . I then started adding diesel. Have done it before. Works very well. The bikes run very smooth. Only a bit of spluttering in the cold of the early mornings when you fire up the machines. And some smoke, but once up to temperature, smooth flying.

 

[lj111]

:thumleft:

:sip:

 

[Malibu]

*sub*

 

[eberhard]

Human error. Halfway between Keetmans and Mariental my wife lost her clutch function, as she wanted to over take a truck. We stopped and I investigated. The pin that keeps the lever at the back of the gearbox in position slipped upwards and the lever became loose and no longer pressed the thrust rod onto the clutch plate. When I had worked on the bikes, greasing them, etc., I had noticed that the pin had no circlip at the bottom or gap for a circlip. But, I reasoned, the pin faces downwards and gravitation will prevent it from going upwards. No, no. It did go upwards. I pushed it back in and we drove on.

Nothing to worry about. Nothing at all. This photo was taken at Mariental. Again no clutch. This time I was clever. I took chewing gum and stuck it to the top of the pin, to prevent it from moving up.

At Kalkrand the pin again came loose. So much for chewing on the problem. I then got the pratley steel out and stuck it tight with that. Lasted till Walvis, where I chiselled the pratley off with a screw driver and hammer (my favourite tool), fully removed the pin, with needle files filed a groove at the bottom and put a circlip in. It is still in. 

The pin in question as seen from the bottom.

 

[LouiST]

:thumleft: Im keeping my eyes on this RR....lekker...and thanx for sharing.

 

[eberhard]

Certainly some different bikes to the norm here on the forum doing a Nam trip, great photo's.

8)

Thanks. I would not trust the new bikes, however, as I trust these machines. No electronics, no air conditioning, no cup holders, just bike. That is what is what must be working. No side stand sensors, no ABS, nothing that is not necessary. Pure bike. And it can be fixed, next to the road. In the middle of nowhere.