Whethefakawe
Race Dog
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2006
- Messages
- 621
- Reaction score
- 2
- Bike
- KTM 950 Adventure S
A new toy recently purchased where I work has rekindled my interest....make that obsession.....with bikes, specifically of the dirty kind.
And my desire to ride in SA again, so in 2 weeks will reassemble and service a quartet of German, Austrian and Jap bikes.... most importantly, my street-legal XR650R. The BRP will make tracks in the Karoo for the first time, it has been decreed.
Lately I've been perusing these pages again, and am amazed at some of the misconceptions about how motorcycles are ridden....and some of the BS being spouted by "experts" :imaposer:
Disclaimer: I'm no expert, but have learnt a few things about (dirt) bikes over the last 33 years. The basics by expert riders in a formal training programme, and then from many hours in the saddle.... I am 'old school" - refuse to use a GPS, like, but don't trust, e-start on a dirtbike that you're going to take into the bundu, and usually ride in a motley assortment of various brand name and colours riding gear. Riding bikes, especially dirtbikes or DS, is not a fashion show FFS. Leave that to the Harley wankers :laughing4:
What prompted this post was the ongoing, noisy argument about, specifically, riding downhill. An oke named Jan the biker or something posted some amusing stuff.....
Allow me to make a few points:
1) Realise that the overwhelming majority of people here are NOT experienced riders or dirtbikers. Most recently came into "Adventure Touring/Riding" as part of the world-wide BOOM in that segment of the motorcycle industry. It's quite clear that some of the arguments lose sight of that basic point.
2) Riding off-road is riding offroad.....whether you're on a KTM 450SX or a BMW 1200GS. And it's different from road, ie. TAR riding.
3) I giggle when I read things on ADVrider and here..... in typical fashion, Seffrikens must always rip the c*nt out of the cat and take a bike like the 1200GS, or any of the other big DSes, up Baboons Pass or into sand dunes. Face it - the blerrie things were NOT made for that, but for touring with some (nice) dirt roads thrown in. Okes get the wrong impression from watching Alfie Cox and others of his skill on big pigs like that, and scheme "...hey nooit, let's go do Erzberg on a GS hey". I admire their balls though :imaposer:
4) Unless you have 40 years ahead to build experience, and a 13- or 18 year old rubber body, the ONLY way to learn is by TRAINING, and then EXPERIENCE.
And despite what Mr Jan the Biker splabs - those who were trained in the old SADF bike squad did an intensive month-long (or more) course taught by REAL EXPERTS.....what do you think the Demo Teams did when they were not doing shows and exhibitions? They taught riding courses to the other plebs, is what......when I did my riding course at Potch (33 years ago next month :eek7
the instructors were okes like Peter Hills, Shane Thomas, David vd Merwe, Kenny vd Merwe, Rob Larney ( Kurt's mate) and others. Paddy O'keefe, Marc Smith, ?? Cooper and others were also in the unit at various times. If you are unfamiliar with those names, go find old copies of Bike SA and read them.
So, Mr Jan the Biker - don't talk k@k about things you know nothing about :lol8:
(cont.)
And my desire to ride in SA again, so in 2 weeks will reassemble and service a quartet of German, Austrian and Jap bikes.... most importantly, my street-legal XR650R. The BRP will make tracks in the Karoo for the first time, it has been decreed.
Lately I've been perusing these pages again, and am amazed at some of the misconceptions about how motorcycles are ridden....and some of the BS being spouted by "experts" :imaposer:
Disclaimer: I'm no expert, but have learnt a few things about (dirt) bikes over the last 33 years. The basics by expert riders in a formal training programme, and then from many hours in the saddle.... I am 'old school" - refuse to use a GPS, like, but don't trust, e-start on a dirtbike that you're going to take into the bundu, and usually ride in a motley assortment of various brand name and colours riding gear. Riding bikes, especially dirtbikes or DS, is not a fashion show FFS. Leave that to the Harley wankers :laughing4:
What prompted this post was the ongoing, noisy argument about, specifically, riding downhill. An oke named Jan the biker or something posted some amusing stuff.....
Allow me to make a few points:
1) Realise that the overwhelming majority of people here are NOT experienced riders or dirtbikers. Most recently came into "Adventure Touring/Riding" as part of the world-wide BOOM in that segment of the motorcycle industry. It's quite clear that some of the arguments lose sight of that basic point.
2) Riding off-road is riding offroad.....whether you're on a KTM 450SX or a BMW 1200GS. And it's different from road, ie. TAR riding.
3) I giggle when I read things on ADVrider and here..... in typical fashion, Seffrikens must always rip the c*nt out of the cat and take a bike like the 1200GS, or any of the other big DSes, up Baboons Pass or into sand dunes. Face it - the blerrie things were NOT made for that, but for touring with some (nice) dirt roads thrown in. Okes get the wrong impression from watching Alfie Cox and others of his skill on big pigs like that, and scheme "...hey nooit, let's go do Erzberg on a GS hey". I admire their balls though :imaposer:
4) Unless you have 40 years ahead to build experience, and a 13- or 18 year old rubber body, the ONLY way to learn is by TRAINING, and then EXPERIENCE.
And despite what Mr Jan the Biker splabs - those who were trained in the old SADF bike squad did an intensive month-long (or more) course taught by REAL EXPERTS.....what do you think the Demo Teams did when they were not doing shows and exhibitions? They taught riding courses to the other plebs, is what......when I did my riding course at Potch (33 years ago next month :eek7
the instructors were okes like Peter Hills, Shane Thomas, David vd Merwe, Kenny vd Merwe, Rob Larney ( Kurt's mate) and others. Paddy O'keefe, Marc Smith, ?? Cooper and others were also in the unit at various times. If you are unfamiliar with those names, go find old copies of Bike SA and read them. So, Mr Jan the Biker - don't talk k@k about things you know nothing about :lol8:
(cont.)
