I just joined Wild Dogs and by way of introduction want to share my perceptions and some information.
I live in the MidWest( Iowa/Wisconsin/Illinois- Tri State area), USA but ex Pretoria and Cape Town resident. I own three Kawasaki 2000 yr model KLR 650's- ex US Marine Corps bikes that I reconditioned( low miles- 1,200 average but beat up from Iraq War) and a KTM 990R. I ride on the dirt/back roads around here but it is cold and rainy and snow a lot so the riding season is very limited. Thus I haul my bikes down to Mexico and went riding in Copper Canyon( it is south of Arizona) and Central and Eastern Mexico. The scenery is uncannily like South Africa with Acacia trees but instead of "pap en wors" it is quisadillas and tamales..with cervejas( soft tacos, stywepap and beer). It is not exactly safe in Mexico and the place is festered with banditos and drug cartel thugs. It is commonly known that you could hire an assassin there for under US$100-00...
I am pleased there has been a rapidly increasing interest and support of adventure dirt biking in Southern Africa. The predominant bikes a few years ago were a few BMW afficionados, occasional pocket rocket street bikes but the majority were Pharmacy delivery conveyances..Now there are fabulous choices in types and size of bikes.
My favorite choices in bikes? For economy, simplicity and ease of repairs, availability and cheap parts nothing beats a KLR 650. If I had to pick one bike and the trip involved extended rocky goat trails, sand, rough trails mine would be a KTM 690 Enduro. I know the 1200/850 BMW and KTM 950/990/1200 and Triumph guys may disagree- put it this way those bikes are too heavy, under 450ccs the machines lack torque...( When I rode through Copper Canyon in Mexico on a KLR650 the 1200 BMW guys would arrive an hour later at our mid morning and afternoon stops without fail.
I hope to join the Pongola 500 ride in August and am looking for bike to rent!!
I live in the MidWest( Iowa/Wisconsin/Illinois- Tri State area), USA but ex Pretoria and Cape Town resident. I own three Kawasaki 2000 yr model KLR 650's- ex US Marine Corps bikes that I reconditioned( low miles- 1,200 average but beat up from Iraq War) and a KTM 990R. I ride on the dirt/back roads around here but it is cold and rainy and snow a lot so the riding season is very limited. Thus I haul my bikes down to Mexico and went riding in Copper Canyon( it is south of Arizona) and Central and Eastern Mexico. The scenery is uncannily like South Africa with Acacia trees but instead of "pap en wors" it is quisadillas and tamales..with cervejas( soft tacos, stywepap and beer). It is not exactly safe in Mexico and the place is festered with banditos and drug cartel thugs. It is commonly known that you could hire an assassin there for under US$100-00...
I am pleased there has been a rapidly increasing interest and support of adventure dirt biking in Southern Africa. The predominant bikes a few years ago were a few BMW afficionados, occasional pocket rocket street bikes but the majority were Pharmacy delivery conveyances..Now there are fabulous choices in types and size of bikes.
My favorite choices in bikes? For economy, simplicity and ease of repairs, availability and cheap parts nothing beats a KLR 650. If I had to pick one bike and the trip involved extended rocky goat trails, sand, rough trails mine would be a KTM 690 Enduro. I know the 1200/850 BMW and KTM 950/990/1200 and Triumph guys may disagree- put it this way those bikes are too heavy, under 450ccs the machines lack torque...( When I rode through Copper Canyon in Mexico on a KLR650 the 1200 BMW guys would arrive an hour later at our mid morning and afternoon stops without fail.
I hope to join the Pongola 500 ride in August and am looking for bike to rent!!
