Northern Namibia with my brother......and a few other clowns

[Kamanya]

Nicely Done alround. Take a bow.

 

[Mr Zog]

Thanks for the brilliant RR Noneking, and all the others that contributed too.


I once again visited Namibia, through your stories and pictures.  :thumleft:

 

[Oubones]

Question for interest as I see some comments on other threads as to Namibia becoming commercial in certain areas.
How many other non-locals did you guys run into?
How much other traffic?
After you left the major roads?

 

[Hardy de Kock]

Question for interest as I see some comments on other threads as to Namibia becoming commercial in certain areas.
How many other non-locals did you guys run into?
How much other traffic?
After you left the major roads?

@Noneking
@Dwerg
@Trevo
@JannieVanDieVaaldam
@PK

 

[Dwerg]

Others can correct me but I remember from Okangwati, to and over van zyls to marble, none, just other campers at marble. From marble to Twyfelfontein, 3 cars, from twyfelfontein to brandberg white lady, 2 cars


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[Dwerg]

Others can correct me but I remember from Okangwati, to and over van zyls to marble, none, just other campers at marble. From marble to Twyfelfontein, 3 cars, from twyfelfontein to brandberg white lady, 2 cars


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The last mentioned two were while we were waiting for the rest of the group after a turnoff, they were heading direction marble so the rest of the group wouldn’t have seen them

 

[Hardy de Kock]

Everyone commented on the things that they learned on this trip - and I would like to ad a few myself, from a tour organizer's perspective.

Be honest with yourself and the organizer about your riding skills:

Not everyone here can ride sand like Kamanya or Throttle Jockey. If you are planning to visit these places make time to practice sand riding. Understand the science behind it and implement it. It will really wear you out if you want to go there unprepared. There are areas where you will need to cross deep sand sections and you will only hurt yourself and your bike, if sand scares you. Make time to get advice and help if you need it, and keep practicing. It becomes real fun, once you master it.

Make sure you ride the bike you know, and trust.

@Dwerg will forgive me for using him as an example. He flipped and crashed his 690 prior to the trip, and bought a bike that he was unfamiliar with to take on the trip. Three days into the trip, he had to load the "new" bike onto the back of the Cruiser, and if it wasn't for Ri's generosity, the poor guy would have had to do 8 days in a car, on a bike trip.
I can not imagine how he would have felt, if he had to see his boet and friends riding the holy grail of adventure bike heaven from the inside of a vehicle.
Make sure you understand the basic maintenance requirements of your bike, and familiarize yourself with the known faults, and how to fix them.
@Trevo (who I rate highly as a bike mechanic), was very frustrated in Van Zyl's Camp on the day Dwerg's bike gave problems, because we did not have a plug spanner for it. Anyone that has ever attempted to remove a 450x sparkplug will know that the germans decided to place it where it can only be retrieved with that specific spanner. If we had it, we might have been able to save the bike, but after trying at least six other plug spanners and after trying to modify other tools, we still could not remove it. If Dwerg knew that bike better, he probably would have made sure he had the "special tools" that was required. I really felt sorry for this guy.

Maintenance and basic puncture repair, or tube changing skills.

a Tube change should not take 45 minutes - It just shouldn't. Practice it and make sure you know how to do it in the bush, where you might not have help.
You would be surprised to see how quickly you master the art of replacing a tube if you spend some time practicing it.
@Gerrard once told me that "if you sweat whilst changing a tube, you are doing it wrong"
Four tube changes that took 45 minutes each on the second last day of this trip took three hours out of the riders riding time, and that made the difference in making it to camp in daylight, or at night.
Seriously, practice it on the tyres you have on your bike.

Finally - Please don't go on a shopping spree to buy unnecessary stuff to take on a trip like this.
Paying for a trip like this, is expensive enough as it is. No one wants you to regret the capital outlay afterwards.
I usually set up a whats app group for all the riders that have committed to a specific tour for this very reason.
Use this whats app group or your group of friends to find out if you can rent, borrow etc before you buy.
a Guy on this trip, who really had to save to pay for the trip, went and bought a neck brace and a new pair of boots, prior to the trip.
I have that exact same boot, in the exact same size at my house that he could have used for free. I also have several new neck braces that companies just gave to me to test, and most of them has never been used.
Be that guy or girl that offers your unused stuff on the whats app group, to others that might not be as fortunate as yourself.

That is my 5 cents and I will stand by it. :laughing4:

 

[Dwerg]

No problem with that Hardy spot on :thumleft:

The bike I bought was literally in my possession for one day before being shipped so I had no time to get to know it or check tools. Don’t make the same mistake

 

[Noneking]

Others can correct me but I remember from Okangwati, to and over van zyls to marble, none, just other campers at marble. From marble to Twyfelfontein, 3 cars, from twyfelfontein to brandberg white lady, 2 cars


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Almost.....

Marble to Puros - None
Puros to Palmwag - saw a few lodge game viewers. On the main road to Palwag from Sesfontein there was maybe 10 or 15 cars we passed, not all tourists.
Palmwag to Twyfelfontein 3 cars travelling together
The two cars from Twyfelfontein to Brandbeeg also travelled together

So we basically saw 5 cars while off the beaten track.  Two chance encounters

 

[Noneking]

We also met two bikers at Manchester FC in Puros. Honda AT and BMW 800GS.

They were planning on riding UP Van Zyl’s Pass from the Marienfluss. Dwerg and both told them they’re crazy, to which the one responded with “what’s you’re racing background”

The other guy, Glen was actually a nice guy and we started chatting a bit. Saffer living in NZ. Touring Nam with his buddy, on their way to Botswana to race the Desert 1000.

Glen messaged me on WhatsApp a few days later. The made it up van Zyl’s - took 5 hours . Not sure if they rode or carried the bikes, but he sent me a photo from the steps.....

 

[Oubones]

Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it and I trust things will fall in place for me to be able to have that experience in the foreseable future. :drif:

 

[Noneking]

Thanks for the feedback, appreciate it and I trust things will fall in place for me to be able to have that experience in the foreseable future. :drif:

Hope so too Hennie. This is an experience every adv rider should have!

 

[Stichhom]

Thank you for the RR Noneking. I have enjoyed reading it  and the beautiful pictures. Awesome! I was not aware of Specialized Adventures doing these rides, something to keep in mind for future. Seems everyone were carrying little luggage on their bikes. If I may ask, was sand riding the reason all were riding mid-size bikes? Wonder how the heavier 1090 or 1200`s would have fared there? Regards.

 

[Hardy de Kock]

Thank you for the RR Noneking. I have enjoyed reading it  and the beautiful pictures. Awesome! I was not aware of Specialized Adventures doing these rides, something to keep in mind for future. Seems everyone were carrying little luggage on their bikes. If I may ask, was sand riding the reason all were riding mid-size bikes? Wonder how the heavier 1090 or 1200`s would have fared there? Regards.

Probably one of the most difficult questions to answer @Stichhom

I have ridden with guys like Kamanya, Throttle Jockey, Tau, Hingsding and many others (forgive me for the ones I have not mentioned) that can make a big bore bike look like a 250, because they ride that well.
I have also ridden with people that struggles with 450's.
I will not advise you to take a bike over 700 cc to a place like that. It is just too much work, to pick it up, and to ride the really technical stuff, with it.
The routes are demanding and exhausting. Yes, we carry your luggage, but a 230kg plus bike becomes dead heavy after the 3rd drop.

 

[Noneking]

Nicely Done alround. Take a bow.

Thank you [member=61]Kamanya[/member] !

 

[ClimbingTurtle]

Thank you for the RR Noneking. I have enjoyed reading it  and the beautiful pictures. Awesome! I was not aware of Specialized Adventures doing these rides, something to keep in mind for future. Seems everyone were carrying little luggage on their bikes. If I may ask, was sand riding the reason all were riding mid-size bikes? Wonder how the heavier 1090 or 1200`s would have fared there? Regards.

Probably one of the most difficult questions to answer [member=5760]Stichhom[/member]

I have ridden with guys like Kamanya, Throttle Jockey, Tau, Hingsding and many others (forgive me for the ones I have not mentioned) that can make a big bore bike look like a 250, because they ride that well.
I have also ridden with people that struggles with 450's.
I will not advise you to take a bike over 700 cc to a place like that. It is just too much work, to pick it up, and to ride the really technical stuff, with it.
The routes are demanding and exhausting. Yes, we carry your luggage, but a 230kg plus bike becomes dead heavy after the 3rd drop.

I take my GSA to many places unsuitable for big-bore bikes and regret it just about every time - sand is no joke on a GSA unless you are really good - I will be looking for a 400/500 or something on a trip like this, you really want to enjoy it rather than spend all your energy keeping a Lump rolling.....

 

[Noneking]

Thank you for the RR Noneking. I have enjoyed reading it  and the beautiful pictures. Awesome! I was not aware of Specialized Adventures doing these rides, something to keep in mind for future. Seems everyone were carrying little luggage on their bikes. If I may ask, was sand riding the reason all were riding mid-size bikes? Wonder how the heavier 1090 or 1200`s would have fared there? Regards.

Stichhom, Good to see you here!

On Sunday, I took my "new to me" 1090 for a ride around the Numbi area towards Kruger Park with a bunch of guys on 990 s, 950 s and a 640. We hit some patches with thick white sand and I was impressed with how the 1090 handled it. It made me wonder whether I could do this trip on the 1090....... Soon after, a couple of guys came off in the sand on slow corners, basically toppling over. This happened 4 or 5 times and each time I had to get off my bike to assist with picking up the bike in the thick sand. Within an hour, I was fairly tired and somewhat dehydrated in the Lowveld heat ( my backpack is not back home yet from this trip).

I know [member=19655]WildWood[/member] had 2x 1090's on his last trip to Kaokoland and they were brilliant, but had very skilled riders riding them.

It's a skill to ride a big bike in sand and technical terrain, but doing it for 290km non -stop .......... I don't think it's the right choice if you really want to enjoy yourself.

 

[Dwerg]

It's a double whammy really because the rough terrain is more fun on a dirt bike but it also covers rougher terrain much faster leaving more time to stop and enjoy areas, take photo's, have a beer etc.

 

[Minxy]

Thank you for the RR Noneking. I have enjoyed reading it  and the beautiful pictures. Awesome! I was not aware of Specialized Adventures doing these rides, something to keep in mind for future. Seems everyone were carrying little luggage on their bikes. If I may ask, was sand riding the reason all were riding mid-size bikes? Wonder how the heavier 1090 or 1200`s would have fared there? Regards.

Probably one of the most difficult questions to answer [member=5760]Stichhom[/member]

I have ridden with guys like Kamanya, Throttle Jockey, Tau, Hingsding and many others (forgive me for the ones I have not mentioned) that can make a big bore bike look like a 250, because they ride that well.
I have also ridden with people that struggles with 450's.
I will not advise you to take a bike over 700 cc to a place like that. It is just too much work, to pick it up, and to ride the really technical stuff, with it.
The routes are demanding and exhausting. Yes, we carry your luggage, but a 230kg plus bike becomes dead heavy after the 3rd drop.

I take my GSA to many places unsuitable for big-bore bikes and regret it just about every time - sand is no joke on a GSA unless you are really good - I will be looking for a 400/500 or something on a trip like this, you really want to enjoy it rather than spend all your energy keeping a Lump rolling.....

Adventurized KTM 500 or Husky 501 would be my first choice if I had to go back, I think Noneking must have been smiling all the way under his helmet! 690 and 701 just as capable though

It is all about weight in the end, the 690 is still nearly 30kg heavier than the 500 and the 690 only weighs about 140 dry. That is almost 100kg lighter then an Africa Twin DCT...
Again it is doable on the big bike, I mean heck I got the AT through there without too much hassle, but there were definite moments in some of the riverbeds where I nearly died, at least like 10x. Smaller bike is just so much more forgiving and if a big bike throws you, it throws you hard! We are all too lucky that nobody got injured on the Quest trip, as your chances for injury on a big bike are SO much more.

It will definitely be much more enjoyable on something lighter. When I go again, I'll be taking the 701, just need to have a few small adjustments done

[member=9149]Dwerg[/member], again it is really a pity! The 450 is so much fun, it would have been a blast to ride it in those riverbeds. Please let me know what the verdict is, was it only the spark plug in the end?

 

[Dwerg]

[member=15496]Minxy[/member] will do  :thumleft:. They'll probably start on it today or tomorrow

I enjoyed it a lot when it was running! Much more than I expected to be honest. The plan was to resell it but I think I might just keep it