Robski
Race Dog
Been putting this off for too long. So over the next few weeks I will share some of my stories about my travels from Norway to Cape Town. I am starting from the very beginning. Hope you enjoy.
When I was young, about 6, my older brother's friend had a motorbike, which I think it was a Suzuki 50 scrambler.
I can remember riding on it with my brother in the front of him, holding the middle of the handlebars with the largest smile on my face.
Then a year or two after that when I was allowed to stay up late in school holidays, and watch TV with my father, he used to watch the Paris - Dakar. I think from the time I saw those big bikes doing breakneck speeds in the deserts of Northern Africa, I fell in love with motorcycles.
My father promised that if he ever bought a farm, that I would be allowed to get a motorbike. When I was 12 he bought a 2000h piece of land in the Koue bokkeveld. So I gathered all my money I had saved from unpacking boxes at a sports shop, the money I saved selling stolen avocados from the neighbours house, the money I saved selling chestnuts I had picked from the trees up the road to an Italian deli and found myself a KX60. If you had seen how happy it made me you would of thought my parents had me on some seriously strong happy drugs.
I got into MX shortly after when my father was buying me protective gear from Mike Hopkins and a guy asked him if he wanted to take me to the track to give it a go. I got into it for 4 years, and did pretty well.
My father died when I was 15, and after that I rode for another year until girls and beer's sounded like a better option. At the time it did.
I have always had a love for Africa. I remember most holidays, the 4 kids, of which I am the youngest being carted in the Kombi up to the Kruger, the Karoo National Park, Umfolozi etc. I always found a great fascination in animals and the 'bush'. And my relationship with the bush has gotten stronger and stronger over the years.
After school I travelled around Europe for a year and a half with a skate board strapped to my backpack, meeting people, sleeping in parks, partying, getting up to no good and working jobs a week at a time to save enough money to get me through the next few weeks. I came home and studied business for 3 years after my travels, but towards the end of it, never felt I was ready to start my career.
It took me very little time to remember what I wanted to do. What I have always wanted to do. To ride a motorbike through Africa!
So in July/August 2009 varsity holidays, in a spur of the moment decision I bought a Africa Twin and two days later was doing a one month long trip through Botswana, Zambia and Namibia to see if this long distance stuff was for me. Turns out it is.
2010.
Over the next 6 months I researched everything besides my route in detail. I got everything I needed to keep myself self sufficient for long periods of time. Decided my direction of continental travel. Planned a rough route through which countries I wanted to go to. Decided to take a map book and compass rather than a GPS. Thought of maybe doing the ride with someone else, but felt I wanted to do it alone rather. Tried to get sponsors. Tried to raise money for the IAPF anti-poaching, but found this to be to tiring and something I couldn't find the energy to do after being turned down by so many companies. Booked my flight to Olso, Norway. Bought a 2nd hand KTM 990Adv.R 2010 model with 5000km on the clock, after trying many other large bikes and finding this to be the most agile and powerful, and most importantly, the one that suited my riding style the most. Put all the extras onto the bike. Took them off. Did a 2 day apprenticeship at KTM CT. My brother offered me his 1969 Porsche 911T if I promised not to do this trip. Turned the offer down. Found I had left it to late to ship my bike. Found a company which handled the logistics to fly the bike to Olso. Had a farewell party. Left Cape Town International for what was to become the biggest thing to happen to me in my 24 year life.
When I was young, about 6, my older brother's friend had a motorbike, which I think it was a Suzuki 50 scrambler.
I can remember riding on it with my brother in the front of him, holding the middle of the handlebars with the largest smile on my face.
Then a year or two after that when I was allowed to stay up late in school holidays, and watch TV with my father, he used to watch the Paris - Dakar. I think from the time I saw those big bikes doing breakneck speeds in the deserts of Northern Africa, I fell in love with motorcycles.
My father promised that if he ever bought a farm, that I would be allowed to get a motorbike. When I was 12 he bought a 2000h piece of land in the Koue bokkeveld. So I gathered all my money I had saved from unpacking boxes at a sports shop, the money I saved selling stolen avocados from the neighbours house, the money I saved selling chestnuts I had picked from the trees up the road to an Italian deli and found myself a KX60. If you had seen how happy it made me you would of thought my parents had me on some seriously strong happy drugs.
I got into MX shortly after when my father was buying me protective gear from Mike Hopkins and a guy asked him if he wanted to take me to the track to give it a go. I got into it for 4 years, and did pretty well.
My father died when I was 15, and after that I rode for another year until girls and beer's sounded like a better option. At the time it did.
I have always had a love for Africa. I remember most holidays, the 4 kids, of which I am the youngest being carted in the Kombi up to the Kruger, the Karoo National Park, Umfolozi etc. I always found a great fascination in animals and the 'bush'. And my relationship with the bush has gotten stronger and stronger over the years.
After school I travelled around Europe for a year and a half with a skate board strapped to my backpack, meeting people, sleeping in parks, partying, getting up to no good and working jobs a week at a time to save enough money to get me through the next few weeks. I came home and studied business for 3 years after my travels, but towards the end of it, never felt I was ready to start my career.
It took me very little time to remember what I wanted to do. What I have always wanted to do. To ride a motorbike through Africa!
So in July/August 2009 varsity holidays, in a spur of the moment decision I bought a Africa Twin and two days later was doing a one month long trip through Botswana, Zambia and Namibia to see if this long distance stuff was for me. Turns out it is.
2010.
Over the next 6 months I researched everything besides my route in detail. I got everything I needed to keep myself self sufficient for long periods of time. Decided my direction of continental travel. Planned a rough route through which countries I wanted to go to. Decided to take a map book and compass rather than a GPS. Thought of maybe doing the ride with someone else, but felt I wanted to do it alone rather. Tried to get sponsors. Tried to raise money for the IAPF anti-poaching, but found this to be to tiring and something I couldn't find the energy to do after being turned down by so many companies. Booked my flight to Olso, Norway. Bought a 2nd hand KTM 990Adv.R 2010 model with 5000km on the clock, after trying many other large bikes and finding this to be the most agile and powerful, and most importantly, the one that suited my riding style the most. Put all the extras onto the bike. Took them off. Did a 2 day apprenticeship at KTM CT. My brother offered me his 1969 Porsche 911T if I promised not to do this trip. Turned the offer down. Found I had left it to late to ship my bike. Found a company which handled the logistics to fly the bike to Olso. Had a farewell party. Left Cape Town International for what was to become the biggest thing to happen to me in my 24 year life.
