Tankwa Cross Country Rally on a 1200 GS

[GIDEON]

Thanks a million. Dis bevange lekker lees stof. Skryf n boek FFS! Dit lees so lekker!!!
Just imagine a 800 class.  ot:

 

[m0lt3n]

I sent detour a PM with a lot of questions on doing this by big bike, he answered nicely via RR. Thanks!

This was a great read, I plan to send it to my wife and hope she will understand better when next I start begging time off for a trip like this. I was really keen to do this one but stars never aligned, mostly because at the end of the day family has to come first, and its not their idea of a holiday to fill my hydration packs.

Thanks for taking the time to write this detour. You put great detail into it which would probably not have happened if there was more pictures, so that in my mind is a positive.

And I have fought big bikes in situations like you explain in that ditch, that's some crazy crazy effort there. Breath burning your lungs stuff. RESPECT

Question:
say subtract 20% of your riding skills, would you still make it on the big bike?
what tyre pressure did you run?
What GPS did you use? The normal navigator? (Guess this doesn't matter, GPS's will be dropped in future I understand?)
Did you ride with your rally suit? did you not get very warm?

 

[Buff]

That ditch you're talking about has caught a few riders out over the years. I even wrote about in my RR of 1026  ;D The fact that you made it out of there unassisted is a miracle in itself, great job  :thumleft:

 

[detour]

Question:
say subtract 20% of your riding skills, would you still make it on the big bike?

This is a difficult one. 

There are a few obstacles that are really tough on a big bike.  The rocky climb and descent on Day 2... That ditch on Day 3...  That being said, the camaraderie at the event was great.  So I am sure there would be people willing to help to get the bike up/through, provided you are not at the back of the field. 

Assuming one will always get past those obstacles - assisted if necessary - then the skills requirements would be to ride significant stretches of sand and riverbed rocks without completely tiring yourself out.  Even the rocks could probably be done with some assistance, but if you are not willing to ride the sandy stretches quite fast, then I don't think you will be able to complete with enough time left to have a reasonable chance to complete the next stages.  The risk is that by riding slower, it becomes longer stages that tires you out more and it snowballs.

In the end one needs a certain critical mass of skills and fitness to make it.  With more fitness you can get away with less skills and vice versa. 

It is better to try it and not make it, than to wonder about it for the rest of your life... 

Question:
what tyre pressure did you run?

I started on 2.3 bar front and back.  The LC's rims are on the soft side...  that was not quite enough to keep moving in the twisty riverbed sections, so I dropped to 2.2 in front and 2.0 at the back.  Lower pressures would be much better in the sand, but I didn't want to spend time inflating / deflating on the stages.

Question:
What GPS did you use? The normal navigator? (Guess this doesn't matter, GPS's will be dropped in future I understand?)

The Garmin Montana 600.  I have used several different GPS in the past - including the navigator - and non of them could compare to the Montana for me.  The nav features, true compass, robustness, customisable profiles, screen size and clarity, wireless transfer etc. make it my go-to GPS for just about everything.  Mine have fallen off my bike at 130 on a gravel road in Namibia (I didn't clip it in properly).  Picked it up, clipped it in and I'm still riding with it 2 years later.

Question:
Did you ride with your rally suit? did you not get very warm?

I rode with my rally suit, yes.  The heat didn't bother me but...  I feel obliged to add that I am quite tolerant of warm temperatures.  I happily ride with my Rally suit in Kaokoland when the temperature outside is 45 degrees.  Just don't give me anything below 20 degrees  ;D

 

[m0lt3n]

thanks detour. solid answers.

Does your Rallye have the sports suspension?
Would you have preferred stiffer or better suspension?

 

[detour]

Does your Rallye have the sports suspension?

Yes, it has the sport suspension.

Would you have preferred stiffer or better suspension?

The suspension worked fine in the sand, on most of the farm roads and the single tracks with smaller rocks.  The rocky riverbeds required more ground clearance... it was very slow going to avoid damaging the bike. 

From a suspension point of view the most challenging sections were the many kilometres of single tracks with medium sized rocks as well as the medium sized ditches running across the tracks.  Even at 40 km/h I had many close calls where the suspension would kick sideways of the rocks.  I checked with some of the riders of the rally bikes and they were doing 80 km/h plus on those same sections.

I don't believe that fiddling with pre-load, damping or even springs will make a big difference here.  In my opinion the real issue is suspension travel.  Even with the sport suspension the GS has 210/220 travel - that's just not enough to handle that kind of surface at any decent speed on a bike that weighs 240kg plus.  But that is kind of what you sign up for when you enter Tankwa on a big adventure bike  ;D

The ESA only adjusts the damping on the front and damping + pre-load in the back.  I switched  between the auto-leveling settings and the max pre-load settings a few times during the rally.  For example, I used max preload up and down that mountain and in the rocky riverbeds - to increase ground clearance.  One has to keep in mind though that it changes the rake angle (since pre-load is only adjusted at the rear) and that affects handling on other types of terrain (Sand for example).

 

[Noneking]

Like a Boss!!
Well done, I’ve always said that there is something special in taking a big bike where others say it can’t possibly go...... a sense of achievement that I’ve never experienced on a small bike.

 

[m0lt3n]

Like a Boss!!
Well done, I’ve always said that there is something special in taking a big bike where others say it can’t possibly go...... a sense of achievement that I’ve never experienced on a small bike.

+1

 

[XRRX]

Respect man!!!  :eek7:
In my opinion this is a much bigger achievement than the holy GS challenges!!!  :deal:

 

[m0lt3n]

Respect man!!!  :eek7:
In my opinion this is a much bigger achievement than the holy GS challenges!!!  :deal:

If this could be marketed a little more towards those GS challenges, the Trophy guys, I believe it would benefit the rally's a lot. I understand there was 19 racers, 2 in the big bore class. That does not sound sustainable to me. There is a lot of guys at the Trophy on detour's level willing to hand out some punishment to their GS's, if these could be pulled in, if the Tankwa rally could be made 'cool' to this market, it will be a huge benefit to the sport. I understand 'cool' is an ugly word here, but still.

 

[Buff]

This XC Rally is in its 4th year and has been marketed extensively on social media. There comes a time when people just need to get off their backsides and enter instead of sitting on the sideline being spoon fed off the stories of those who have done it... sorry, just MHO. I also believe what detour did is pretty spectacular and I personally don't think there's too many others with the fitness and skill set to match him. Locally I know of about 5, the likes of BJ Vosloo and Byron etc. Lets hope a few more come next year and prove me wrong  ;D

 

[m0lt3n]

This XC Rally is in its 4th year and has been marketed extensively on social media. There comes a time when people just need to get off their backsides and enter instead of sitting on the sideline being spoon fed off the stories of those who have done it... sorry, just MHO. I also believe what detour did is pretty spectacular and I personally don't think there's too many others with the fitness and skill set to match him. Locally I know of about 5, the likes of BJ Vosloo and Byron etc. Lets hope a few more come next year and prove me wrong  ;D

I am one of the guilty ones on my backside. I don't know how you guys make the family logistics work but in the end its all a case of how badly you want it and making the priorities line up. Currently I have no rally experience, no racing experience and will have no one I know there, I will also be going alone, and not be falling in with a previous team or anything, that's my reality. If there is 10 or 30 litre class bikes also doing something like this it will be a lot easier for someone like me to just fall in.

I know its been marketed extensively, but having the likes of the two names mentioned join in will be worth a whole marketing campaign in itself.

 

[Roadhawg]

Respect man!!!  :eek7:
In my opinion this is a much bigger achievement than the holy GS challenges!!!  :deal:

If this could be marketed a little more towards those GS challenges, the Trophy guys, I believe it would benefit the rally's a lot. I understand there was 19 racers, 2 in the big bore class. That does not sound sustainable to me. There is a lot of guys at the Trophy on detour's level willing to hand out some punishment to their GS's, if these could be pulled in, if the Tankwa rally could be made 'cool' to this market, it will be a huge benefit to the sport. I understand 'cool' is an ugly word here, but still.

Isn't the GS trophy more about "How to carry a GS over some logs".  This Tankwa job sounds more like actual riding eepwall:

 

[Buff]

I am one of the guilty ones on my backside. I don't know how you guys make the family logistics work but in the end its all a case of how badly you want it and making the priorities line up. Currently I have no rally experience, no racing experience and will have no one I know there, I will also be going alone, and not be falling in with a previous team or anything, that's my reality. If there is 10 or 30 litre class bikes also doing something like this it will be a lot easier for someone like me to just fall in.

I know its been marketed extensively, but having the likes of the two names mentioned join in will be worth a whole marketing campaign in itself.

As far as going alone is concerned, you certainly won't be alone, there's a few guys that do it solo but it's obviously more fun in a group. There's also plenty WD's there to help you if needed, maybe not out on the course because of guys racing different classes but certainly around the pits etc. Over the 3 days of racing I only bumped into detour once while out on a stage.

Logistically it's probably the best race I know of to do solo, literally everything is provided for you if you so choose, from the tents and mattresses to the breakfasts and suppers. You just pitch up and take care of yourself and your bike. I believe Eddy2Race was even offering support packages this year where you drop your bike off after the stage and the next morning it's cleaned and ready waiting for you  :thumleft:

 

[Noneking]

Respect man!!!  :eek7:
In my opinion this is a much bigger achievement than the holy GS challenges!!!  :deal:

If this could be marketed a little more towards those GS challenges, the Trophy guys, I believe it would benefit the rally's a lot. I understand there was 19 racers, 2 in the big bore class. That does not sound sustainable to me. There is a lot of guys at the Trophy on detour's level willing to hand out some punishment to their GS's, if these could be pulled in, if the Tankwa rally could be made 'cool' to this market, it will be a huge benefit to the sport. I understand 'cool' is an ugly word here, but still.

Isn't the GS trophy more about "How to carry a GS over some logs".  This Tankwa job sounds more like actual riding eepwall:

You'll be pleasantly surprised......

The guys had to do some serious riding for this year's throphy - those type of exercises only for skills challenge in arena

 

[Roadhawg]

Respect man!!!  :eek7:
In my opinion this is a much bigger achievement than the holy GS challenges!!!  :deal:

If this could be marketed a little more towards those GS challenges, the Trophy guys, I believe it would benefit the rally's a lot. I understand there was 19 racers, 2 in the big bore class. That does not sound sustainable to me. There is a lot of guys at the Trophy on detour's level willing to hand out some punishment to their GS's, if these could be pulled in, if the Tankwa rally could be made 'cool' to this market, it will be a huge benefit to the sport. I understand 'cool' is an ugly word here, but still.

Isn't the GS trophy more about "How to carry a GS over some logs".  This Tankwa job sounds more like actual riding eepwall:

You'll be pleasantly surprised......

The guys had to do some serious riding for this year's throphy - those type of exercises only for skills challenge in arena

I'm just stirring (Again :biggrin.    The trophy does seem to have a "boeps in BMW Twatsuits" reputation to it.  But yeh, they'll all ride circles around me.

 

[Noneking]

Respect man!!!  :eek7:
In my opinion this is a much bigger achievement than the holy GS challenges!!!  :deal:

If this could be marketed a little more towards those GS challenges, the Trophy guys, I believe it would benefit the rally's a lot. I understand there was 19 racers, 2 in the big bore class. That does not sound sustainable to me. There is a lot of guys at the Trophy on detour's level willing to hand out some punishment to their GS's, if these could be pulled in, if the Tankwa rally could be made 'cool' to this market, it will be a huge benefit to the sport. I understand 'cool' is an ugly word here, but still.

Isn't the GS trophy more about "How to carry a GS over some logs".  This Tankwa job sounds more like actual riding eepwall:

You'll be pleasantly surprised......

The guys had to do some serious riding for this year's throphy - those type of exercises only for skills challenge in arena

I'm just stirring (Again :biggrin.    The trophy does seem to have a "boeps in BMW Twatsuits" reputation to it.  But yeh, they'll all ride circles around me.

There are those too....

Trophy contestants compete for Regional and National honours and top 3 go to International event
Trophy Participants are the average Joes (like me) that pitch up to ride the routes and enjoy the event on a social level.........

 

[KarooKid]

I would love to attempt the Tankwa XC on a big bike.

 

[Noneking]

I would love to attempt the Tankwa XC on a big bike.

Ek dare jou.....[emoji48]

 

[Grunder]

I would love to attempt the Tankwa XC on a big bike.

Ek dare jou.....[emoji48]

Join hom met jou hp2  ot: