Trailrider - Adventures and Ride Reports

www.trail-rider.co.za

2024-11-12T15:54:00.000+02:00

Whats New?

What's new? A new bike!!! And hopefully a sustainable new enthusiasm for blogging! Stay tuned for a new era and new Ride Reports on www.trail-rider.co.za!

Test Ride: Honda NX500
4 Wheels: Vaandrigsdrift - The Conclusion
Ride Report: Slanghoek Valley & Bainskloof Pass
Bike Update: Pimping the Twin!

Whats News?

I don't ride enough anymore. With my new job I do over 2000km a week, but I don't travel. How's that for irony? But now there's a new bike and the maps are open. I am just itching for an epic ride. Watch this space...

A big thank you to Tracks 4 Africa for their latest set of maps. This will ensure that we never miss a scenic route!

Lets keep the rubber side down.

Trailrider

Recent Rides

Future Rides

On the Trail of Cornelius Lotter
The last of the WC Passes

"God willing, someday I'll grow old & weak. But when I do, I’ll have pictures and ride reports and I will relive life all over again. It's my pension. Every trip is another deposit in my memory pension. I'm gonna have a wonderful old age." - MetalJockey (Wild Dog Forum)

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2024 Honda NX500

2024-11-12T15:51:00.001+02:00

In Adventure biking smaller and lighter is better. Few can argue this point. When you talk to overlanders, people who travel for years, most prefer simpler lighter dual-sport bikes. Bikes like the KLR650, XR650 and DR650 have crossed continents.

Recent years have seen an explosion in new, lightweight adventure bikes from virtually all brands. It is the new trend in Adventure Biking. Adventure Bikers have finally realized that pricey overweight behemoths are not ideal for the bundus, unless you are unfortunate enough to live in a part of the country where you have to travel long distances to and from your Adventure destination, maybe needing to kill 1000km on tar to get back home on the last day. Either that, or you are the type of rider who prioritizes performance and adrenalin that wants a 160hp bike that can go on gravel. Nothing wrong with that, but if you are one of the aforementioned two types, this article is not for you.

Honda launched the CB500X locally in 2023, an Adventure styled commuter bike that, despite of its origins as ‘n commuter, was reasonably good at Adventure riding. Being a parallel twin it also had advantages over the 300cc single Adventure bikes, especially when it came to highway sections. It was just a better all-rounder. Now Honda has decided to give this commuter more of an Adventure focus. Enter the NX500.

The NX nomenclature (signifying "New X-over" according to Honda) makes a comeback linking the Adventure Bike to the NX650 Dominator of the late 80’s and 90’s and emphasizing the adventurous intent of the motorcycle. The new NX undergoes a significant overhaul compared to its predecessor, with less weight and better suspension. The power is derived from the extensively revised 471cc parallel-twin engine. Despite these updates, the power output remains consistent at 47hp. In addition, Honda has fine-tuned the suspension system to improve both on-road and off-road performance.

It looks the part and boasts many practical additions that I’ll get to, but first the elephant in the room. The first thing everybody seems to refer to is the power. Not enough power! This is a perception and most of these opinions come from people who have not ridden it yet. Yes, if you are an adrenalin junkie this bike is not for you, but it’s built for adventure riding, so lets put the power in perspective. The KLR650 and XR650L produced around 40hp. The DR650 and the XR650 Dominator the bike is named after, produced around 45hp. The very capable and fuel injected XT660Z Ténéré produced 47hp. The NX500 produces 47hp, same as the pre-mentioned continent crossers. For the application as a small Adventure Bike, it is more than adequate.

Normal riding and shifting with the new slipper clutch make for an easy, leisurely ride, but you can wind the engine up a bit. Keep the revs up and the ride becomes quite spirited – more so than you might think! The rev indicator happily chases the red-line through the gears. On the highway the NX has no problem keeping up with traffic and even with my considerable weight (enough to count for 2-up in some cases) it will happily sit at highway speed all day, with no problem going up to 140km/h if you need to pass. The test bike had less than 100km on it so I did not do a top-end run, but if I had to guess I think it would reach an indicated 150km/h.

But this bike’s focus is adventure riding and gravel trips, which makes the above-mentioned interesting, but more of a side note. The revamped NX500 incorporates a fresh front design featuring an LED headlamp cluster and an expanded windscreen. The fairing has also undergone a redesign, now more sizable, enhancing the bike's overall road presence. It almost looks like a baby TransAlp. The bigger screen is an improvement and I (175cm tall) found it to be very effective at traveling speeds. Additionally, the motorcycle is equipped with a 5-inch TFT digital console that provides all the relevant info and you can even choose the dash layout, background colour and favourite info to display. New to the NX500 is the Bluetooth connectivity and the Honda Road sync app, so turn by turn navigation on screen is possible. The switchgear is new and I’m happy to report simple and intuitive to operate, unlike some of the bigger bikes and the buttons are backlit which is a welcome addition. Behind the screen above the console is a very handy bar for mounting your telephone or GPS.

The NX is a smaller bike, but it does not feel dinky. The fairings give it more presence, but it is light (196kg) and easy to get on and off of. The 830mm seat height means most riders will be able to flatfoot it, and with the higher screen it feels like you sit more “in” the bike rather than “on” it. It’s a comfortable upright seating position, perfect for long days in the saddle. On tar the twin is much smoother than the single piston bikes but the bike comes into its own on gravel where the riding style is more about touring than keeping up. New to the NX500 is Honda’s HSTC traction control system which can be switched off on the fly with the flick of a button (all bikes should be like this!). The wheel sizes are 19” front and 17” rear. Not only is this the perfect size for this bike, they’re also tubeless thanks to the new, lighter alloy rims.

Honda claims a consumption figure of 3,6L/100km, or 27km/L. On a smaller bike this number can vary a lot depending on rider weight, luggage and riding style, but regardless, the NX will cover in excess of 300km per tank (17,5L) easily, with over 400km per tank a possibility.

Smaller displacement touring is a mindset. And for those who get it, it is very rewarding. Once you’ve accepted that you’ll travel at a slower pace, you start looking around more, notice more and stop more. You take in your surroundings, almost become part of it in the moment, rather than just speeding through it. That is how you escape the rat race.

The NX500 has a whole range of accessories available, from crash bars to luggage, and at this price point you can afford to dress up the bike. In the words of one of my friends: “This is all the Adventure Bike most riders need. We just convince ourselves we need more.”

The NX500 will sell for around R130 000.

The Conclusion

2024-07-14T14:09:00.002+02:00

Fast Forward to 2024.

Every year over the December holidays we choose a holiday car. We’ve had bikes, bakkies, SUVs and the like, but in spite of having such fit for purpose vehicles, when we decided to visit Gamkaskloof we did it with a Suzuki Ignis! This started off our Suzuki Adventures and since we have taken a Ignis to the Namakwaland Flowers, the Malgas Pontoon and several other places. We called it the Suzuki Adventures.

This year we had the newly launched Suzuki Fronx. All we needed was an adventure. And all these years, in the back of my mind, I remembered that Kliphuisie next to the river. How can you discover a place like that and not go stay there?

The plan was set, the accommodation booked and paid. To end off our holiday we’d spend three days and two nights on the bank of the Sonderendrivier.

How interesting to drive back on the same roads again, seeing what changed and what stayed the same. The derelict buildings deteriorated quite a bit over time.

And there it was, just as beautiful as all those years ago. I can’t believe it took me this long to come back.

I can't believe it took me this long to come back!

Cosy inside:

Daily visit from the garden service to mow the lawn.

Romantic evenings with no signal. No distractions. True rest.

A stop on the way out next to the same old building where I photographed the GWM H5 all those years ago.

And so, our holiday came to an end. As did the last chapter of the Vaandrigsdrif adventure.

It was time for the lovable Fronx to go back. We really enjoyed our time with this car. There may be much more Suzuki adventures in our future yet.

But for now, it’s back to work. Our first car for the year – the Mercedes A35 AMG. Life is tough when you are a motor journalist!

Turkana Safari - Mossel Bay War Memorial

2024-07-01T17:22:00.004+02:00

The Turkana challenge was designed to get the bikes out of the garages and get the guys riding, and its certainly doing that! Our time was rather restricted on this particular Sunday, but a quick ride was possible and some of the George riders decided to head to Mossel Bay to tick off one of the Monuments in the challenge.

Meeting up in George before heading out.

(Sorry for the picture quality – photo taken by a bystander.)

The trip to Mossel Bay is a quick 55km hop and the Memorial is situated at Mossel bay point, a popular tourist spot.

Getting a pic with the bikes in the shot.

And a proper shot of the actual Memorial.

The idea for the Mossel Bay War Memorial was spearheaded by the Moth’s Shellhole Veteran Organisation to commemorate all those from Mossel Bay who laid down their lives defending their Country in the 1st and 2nd World War, the Korean War and all the soldiers who guarded our borders. The names of these soldiers have been set over a map of Africa, upon which a line has been drawn in crimson mosaic, marking the places of birth and death of those whom the memorial commemorates.

It was designed by W.J. Delbridge who was an old Mossel Bay boy who kindly volunteered his services. All funds for the monument were raised by the Mossel Bay community through Public Subscription and various functions.

The monument is built on Frog Rock, so called because of the shape of the rock. It was a favourite play area for the young boys of the Mossel Bay at the time. The unveiling took place on Sunday, 28th September 1924 by Major General Sir H.T. Lukin and was dedicated and consecrated by the Bishop of George. It has been described as "art-deco" in style. It is said to bear a resemblance to the Cenotaph in London. (Source)

A circular wall encloses the area once known as "Frog Rock". The wall is constructed of dressed sandstone and has a gated entrance on the seaward side of the hillock. Once you enter the contained circle, there are steps leading up to the memorial itself. There are inscriptions of the names of fallen soldiers who died in battle during the 1914 - 1918 war. More names were added after the conclusion of the second world war, then another batch, where local lads made the ultimate sacrifice during the Korean war, and more recently, in the 80's, defending our borders. (Source)

And, as a bonus... my friend Wessel's take on this ride!

TURKANA Safari

Slanghoek Valley and Bainskloof Pass

2024-06-29T12:53:00.005+02:00

So after having had the CRF1100 DCT Africa Twin test bike for two weeks, it was time to return it to Cape Town. But when you have access to a vehicle like this you don’t simply return it, you make a trip of it!

The return trip was just over 450km and I had a whole day to do it in, so I decided on a two-fold plan. This trip was going to be my 400km+ trip in the Turkana Challenge and I was also going to start with the passes bit of the challenge.

I wanted to get the bulk of the distance done and then explore a beautiful area a mere 90km from Cape Town. Slanghoek Valley (Slanghoek directly translates to “snake corner”) is not exactly remote, it is situated just off the N1, South Africa’s biggest main road. But because it’s a secondary road running through a valley not really linking anything, you probably wont be driving or riding there unless you specifically went there. The route is a gently meandering tar road along the valley between the impressive Slanghoek Mountains and the smaller Badsberg mountain.

The drive through the valley is a visual feast. A symphony of mountains, legends & vines.

The valley’s geographic position, fertile, varied soils and micro-climate is perfectly suited for growing several different grapes. The Western Cape, which is responsible for over 90% of South Africa’s wine, is home to a number of different wine regions, districts and small wards. The Slanghoek wine region is one of these wards, located in the Breede River Valley. Established in 1951, Slanghoek Cellar is the only winery in the ward and makes a wide selection of red, white, sweet, fortified and sparkling wines. As a result, the winery has received several prestigious awards, highlighting this powerful ward.

The hidden gem of the beautiful Slanghoek valley – and a river runs through it.

And when you have a pillion, you can have a pic of yourself crossing the river.

After exciting the valley, I still had to cross the mountain to get to Cape Town and in the Western Cape you are spoilt for choice when it comes to passes across the mountain. When I fetched this bike I rode Du Toitskloof Pass, so today on the way back I decided to tackle Bainskloof Pass as it’s a natural continuation of the Slanghoek Valley ride.

Built circa 1849 by the famous Andrew Geddes Bain, this pass was no easy feat to build, working with convicts and raw, rough materials and methods. But as usual Bain did a marvellous job of the pass which, having stood the test of time, is now a national monument.

It was a much loved route by the wagoneers who appreciated the gentle gradients that the oxwagons could manage. It remained the main road to the north for almost a hundred years, before the Du Toits Kloof Pass was constructed from 1940 till 1946.

The northern section of the pass roughly follows the course of the Witte River. There are many points of interest along the pass including the two toll points (Eerste & Tweede Tol), Dacre's Pulpit, Bell Rocks, Pilkington bridge, Borcherd's bridge, Gawie se Water, Bain's Ruins and Bain's Tunnel. The road was resurfaced recently and is in excellent condition, but it is a narrow route and there are not many safe places to stop, otherwise there would be a hundred photos in this report. It’s just that spectacular!

Dacres Pulpit is a precariously balanced overhanging rock. There is a height restriction, which keeps heavy trucks and busses off the pass. I do have a photo of myself riding under Dacre's Pulpit.

This photo was taken in 2016 during the world launch of the then new CRF1000 Africa Twin. I was riding an Adventure Sport at the time. Still one of my favourite pics.

I also stopped to photograph Borcherd's Bridge. The only way to see and photograph the stonework under the bridge is to access the campsite and take the short walk under the bridge, but unfortunately they were closed by the time we got there.

The corners along the pass are very tight and dangerous, so even though you are gawking at the scenery you need to keep your wits about you. There are 101 bends, curves and sharp corners with drop-offs that are near vertical and the only protection is a row of large spaced rocks.

Reaching the Western side of the pass you are treated to spectacular views.

And of course a picture of my bike and the pass info as record for the Turkana Challenge. The first 610m of my 10 000m passes challenge done.

And the 400+km trip challenge completed!

Slanghoek Valley and Bainskloof pass is a slight detour when heading to Cape Town, but if you have the time it is highly recommended!

TURKANA Safari

Turkana Challenge 2 - The Turkana Safari!

2024-06-27T17:18:00.007+02:00

Well, who can resist a challenge like that? I have entered the Turkana Safari and received the registration number 42. The challenge runs over the course of a year and my progress will be covered in this Ride Report.

How does it work?

Riders have one year to complete a list of 15 challenge items. You have to photograph your bike with your rider number at each of these challenges.

The 15 challenge items are:

1. Photograph your bike with an ostrich.

2. Photograph your bike on a trip with a sunrise and ‘n cup of coffee.

3. Photograph your bike on a camping / glamping trip.

4. Photograph your bike at a roadside braai.

5. Photograph your bike next to the ocean.

6. Photograph your bike at Gariep dam.

7. Ride passes with a cumulative height of 10 000m.

8. Do one 400km trip.

9. Do one 800km trip.

10. Do one 1200km trip.

11. Visit at least 4 provinces.

12. Visit and support a rural farm stall.

13. Visit a Turkana dealer and take a photo with a product.

14. Visit 5 National Monuments (List Here)

15. Visit two of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites (List Here)

There also are voluntary single challenges:

1. Photograph your bike with snow in the photograph (lucky draw).

2. Visit a neighbouring country (lucky draw).

3. Prize for the rider that travels the most kilometres during the challenge.

4. Prize for the best photograph as deemed by the organizers.

5. Prize for best adventure spirit.

This is going to be enjoyable! And a great motivator to ride more. My number is printed.

Here we go! Challenge pictures / ride links will be posted as we go along!

Photograph your bike with an ostrich.

Photograph your bike on a trip with a sunrise and ‘n cup of coffee.

Photograph your bike on a camping / glamping trip.

Photograph your bike at a roadside braai.

Photograph your bike next to the ocean.

Photograph your bike at Gariep dam.

Ride passes with a cumulative height of 10 000m.

400km trip done! Ride Report here.

Do one 800km trip.

Do one 1200km trip.

Visit at least 4 provinces.

Visit and support a rural farm stall.

Visit a Turkana dealer and take a photo with a product.

Visit 5 National Monuments.
1. Mossel Bay War Memorial

Visit two of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Du Toitskloof Pass

2024-06-14T09:19:00.000+02:00

Newer and faster is not always better. On an Adventure bike especially the long way round is almost always better. That is definitely the case here.

Not that I’m against development and the marvels of engineering but let's start at the beginning.

Between the towns of Paarl and Worcester in the Western Cape of South Africa lies the formidable Du Toitskloof Mountains. A significant barrier between the Cape Winelands and the South African interior. An idea for a tunnel through the Du Toitskloof Mountains was conceived in the 1930s but was put on hold due to the outbreak of World War II. The idea developed into a pass over the mountains, the Du Toitskloof pass, using the labour of Italian prisoners of war between 1942 and 1945.

Plans for a tunnel was never abandoned though and Geological surveys and design started in 1973, and excavation followed in 1984, tunneling from both ends using drilling and blasting. The two drilling heads met with an error of only 3 mm over its entire 3.9 km length. The tunnel was finally opened on 18 March 1988. The tunnel was named after the French Huguenot refugees that settled in the area in the late 1600s with one of the Huguenot refugees being Francois Du Toit, after whom Du Toitskloof was named.

This is what the tunnel looks like from the Northern entrance (Worcester side) traveling towards Paarl / Cape Town.

Photo by Zaian (sourced from Wikipedia)

Riding through a tunnel on a bike sounds like fun and I once rode a Harley Fatboy with Screaming Eagle pipes through the tunnel specifically to hear that glorious Harley sound. It was pure enjoyment... for about 30 seconds. Then the reality of so much traffic and exhaust fumes in a single lane tunnel hit. For the next almost 4 kilometers I was breathing dirty air while crawling along at 80km/h. On average 12,000 vehicles use the tunnel every day with up to 22,500 vehicles using it daily on holidays. You get the idea.

So after I picked up a new Honda CRF1100 Africa Twin in Cape Town and hit he road towards George, ‘n nice 450km ride, the tunnel was never an option. The pass over the mountain it would be and much more fun too!

The tunnel takes the bulk of the traffic away from the pass and on top of that, they are busy with maintenance work, so I encountered very little traffic on the pass on the day.

This is the view of the bridge on the South side of the tunnel as you start ascending the pass:

Vehicles are quite exposed on that bridge and it has happened several times that trucks, trailors and caravans have blown over in heavy wind on that bridge. The tunnel gets closed in such conditions and then all traffic gets diverted over the pass.

Another view of the Southern exit of the tunnel from a little higher up:

The tunnel exits below with the bridge now in the distance.

On a brilliant sunny day, you can see all the way to Paarl rock and even the Afrikaans Language Monument, but it was slightly overcast today.

A plaque dedicated to the Italian POWs who helped build the pass.

Ascending to the top of the pass I found myself in the clouds, the mountains and peaks around me totally obscured. The surrounding peaks often sport a covering of snow, and the Mountain Club of South Africa has huts in the area. Du Toits Peak is the highest mountain at 1,995 metres (6,545 ft). The vegetation is almost exclusively montane fynbos of the Cape floristic region I wrote about here.

Suffice to say that if you ever have the opportunity, take the pass. The scenery is totally worth it! (I might add some sunshine pics here in future).

The pass was named after Francois Du Toit, a 17th-century Huguenot refugee and pioneer who settled in the foothills. In 1930, engineer P.A. de Villiers (the Outeniqua Pass between the towns of Oudtshoorn and my hometown George was also receiving the same attention by the same engineer) explored the idea of a road over the pass and in 1938 it was investigated further by the National Roads Board with the route finalised in 1940. The project was started in the summer of 1941/42 and the 40 km long pass was opened in March 1949 by Prime Minister DF Malan.

The pass sports its own 200m tunnel!

The tunnel has a date 1948 and is simply called Du Toitskloof Tunnel, but getting more info on it seems almost impossible as all references lead to the new bigger tunnel.

The other side of the mountain revealed a beautiful sunny day, and the rest of the ride was absolutely glorious. The Africa Twin simply munches the miles in an effortless manner.

Since the CRF1100 launched in 2020 there have been few updates apart from new colours etc with the first biggish update coming in 2024 and mainly on the Adventure Sport model with a smaller front wheel etc. One of the differences between my previous 2021 bike and this 2023 model is the updated DCT programming. Drive mode was all but useless on my 2021 bike and I always rode it in Sport 1. On the 2023 model the Drive mode is actually usable if you are on a leisurely ride, while the sport modes seem to be sportier, but also more intuitive. I ended up riding this in Sport 2 the whole way and it was rather sprightly! Definitely a big improvement – it makes the horns on your head come out end entices you to be naughty.

I paid for that at the petrol pump in the end but man – what a ride!!!

Why South Africa is one of the top destinations for exploring.

2024-04-25T16:13:00.001+02:00

By pure luck I was born on a farm in Africa. Specifically, South Africa, and more specifically in the heart of the Garden Route in the Southern Cape region of the Western Cape. This area is described as one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa and it's no exaggeration, although South Africa is blessed with many and diverse breathtaking areas.

Not exaggerating? OK, let's start on a global scale. On the Southern tip of Africa, surrounded with the Atlantic Ocean in the West and the Indian Ocean in the East, lies the country of South Africa. So what makes the geography of South Africa so unique and diverse? Firstly, it is divided into three distinct regions: (1) The Coastal Plains (2) the Great Escarpment and (3) the massive interior plateau.

One of the best ways to characterize a region’s climate is through the use of the Köppen Climate Classification which divides the world into regions as a function of their average temperatures, precipitation and seasonal patterns.

In most cases a single zone covers vast areas and multiple countries before slowly transitioning into the next zone, but not so in South Africa. Due to various influences of oceanic currents and an intense topographical relief, thirteen distinct zones can be found across the country making it one of the climatically diverse countries in the world.

In the West cold and hot arid deserts are spanning over the land with the coastal areas being a mix of arid and temperate climates. The further East you move, the more intense the precipitation gets and the desert turns to Steppe and then a large temperate area. Looking over to the coast you find the tallest mountain range in South Africa before the coastal strip in the far East turns into a tropical savannah.

This climatic diversity spanning the entire country together with its climatic isolation being bound by a thick layer of equatorial and desert climates to the North also has created a very unique flora environment. Looking at the global distribution of plants the botanist Ronald Good identified six distinct natural separations of flowering plants which he calls “Floristic Kingdoms”.

Four of these, the Holarktis, Neotropis, Palaeotropis and Australis cover nearly the entire planet, but the flora that developed on the Southern tip of the African continent was determined to be too distinct to be grouped into any of these kingdoms, making it its own, Capensis, or Cape Floral Kingdom.

This relatively small area is not only very different from the rest of the world, but also extremely diverse within itself boasting thousands of different plants many of which is endemic to South Africa. To put some numbers on this, it is estimated that the roughly 200km coastal belt is home to around 9000 species of plants (mostly “Fynbos”), of which around 6000 can only be found here, on par with areas like the Malaysian Tropical Rain Forest or the Amazon. This diversity also constitutes one fifth of all plant species found across the African continent.

A single mountain like the Table Mountain outside Cape Town houses more different plant species than the entirety of the UK. These diverse ecosystems also led to the evolution of an extremely diverse fauna where South Africa joins the ranks of the so called mega-diverse countries in the world each of them boasting over 5000 endemic species. Hundreds of unique mammals, reptiles, amphibian and bird species are unique to South Africa.

The topography too is as diverse as can get. The Southwestern coastal plains are characterized by the Cape fold belt, a series of parallel running mountain ranges. From the steep cliffs of Table Mountain, the mountain ranges continue along the Southern African coastline until Mozambique where the relatively thin coastal plain rises continuously towards the inner continental shelf. The highest region of the great escarpment are the Drakensberg mountains in the Southeastern part of the country. With an elevation of over 3450m resulting in a high Alpine climate similar to the Alps in Europe. The high altitude even brings seasonal snowfall having allowed small ski resorts to operate on the highest peaks of South Africa and Lesotho. The Drakensberg escarpment is an incredible nature spectacle to explore, but the whole range spanning from Cape Town is riddled with spectacular passes. Just behind the towering escarpment the elevated land opens up to form the great African plateau which curves through the inner continent.

Despite being reasonably isolated and remote the area is so incredibly important to human history. It is thought to be the birthplace of Homo-Sapiens. We as humans could not have picked a more fascinating country to start our journey from. If pre-history is your thing, once again Southern Africa is the place to explore.

As a whole, South Africa is a fascinating country with so many geographical stories to tell. From its extremely diverse climate, fascinating mountain ranges and rivers there is something new to learn everywhere.

In most parts of our planet, you have to drive several hundred kilometers just to start seeing a change in your environment, but within a 50km radius from where I sit here typing this article, I can be on beautiful beaches, in lush forests, semi-arid Karoo, climbing mountains or exploring historic passes.

Like I said, by pure luck I was born here. How blessed can one be?

This blog was dormant for a while. There have been a few posts here and there since and more than one attempt to revive my passion for blogging. But here we go again. Come with as I explore our beautiful country.

CRF1100 Africa Twin

2024-04-08T14:01:00.001+02:00

2 March 2021

And so, after 11 years and one month, the time came to welcome a new bike into my garage.

Unlike when I bought my second TransAlp no test rides and comparisons was needed before this buy. I have ridden everything from the KTM790R (in Lesotho no less) to the BMW 1250 GSA as and when they were launched onto the market. But ever since I was one of the first journalists in the world to ride the new Africa Twin in 2016 I knew, this was the bike for me! With the launch of the CRF1100 in 2020 I was once again in attendance and I was skeptical about the new bike. Yes, some extra power is always welcome but, I mean, how could you improve on the Africa Twin? It was already such a brilliant all-rounder.

The 1100 blew me away. More so than the original Twin. And with the DCT technology there is simply no other brand that can compete at the moment.

So without further ado, I introduce my new ride – The CRF1100 Africa Twin DCT!

This is the normal Twin with the smaller tank and screen. I opted for this because I am more likely to do shorter rides rather than tours. My current job and lifestyle don’t really allow for long trips. The bigger and more expensive Adventure Sport is rigged for touring.

Also, unlike my previous bike, I don’t plan to fit every conceivable extra. Basic protection, yes, but not full crash bars. I’m thinking bashplate, lower crash bars, some Barkbusters and a tubeless conversion – in future. Also, I’ll need more aggressive tyres, but for now the stock set will have to do. First on the list will be luggage. A Top Box for my pillion to lean against and probably an aluminium box for security reasons. Also, a dashcam will be fitted.

Let the new adventures begin!

10 March 2021 – The Big Shock!

Looking at luggage options I realized that, unlike the Africa Twin Adventure Sports (that’s rigged for touring) my bike does not come with a luggage rack as standard. The CRF1000 did, but with the new generation 1100 bikes the frame was updated and the subframe is now a separate part, a very good thing should it get bent in a fall. Still, I’d have to get a luggage rack before fitting luggage would be possible.

So here’s the shock – the OEM luggage rack from Honda costs 10 000 ZAR! That is a HUGE chunk of money just for the rack, not the baseplate, Topbox or anything, JUST the piece of metal the baseplate gets mounted on. Furthermore, the bikes are so new, the dealer had no after-market options as alternative. Surely this can not be true. I was not going to spend that kind of money on a rack. Some days of research followed and in final desperation I phoned my friend Trevor in Cape Town. He is a bike accessory importer and he basically kitted out my TransAlp all those years ago. As it happens he saw this gap in the market and a whole container of after-market Africa Twin racks arrived in South Africa just the day before! I was back in business.

16 March 2021 – Bargain!

A quick trip to Cape Town to see my friend Trevor and his stash of bike goodies. Never walk into a place like this and expect to just browse. You always leave with a lighter wallet!

Trevor supplied me with a luggage rack for 1800 ZAR! Less than 20% of the OEM part price. I ended up getting a luggage rack, baseplate and a black aluminium Topbox for LESS than what the OEM Rack only would have cost! And with the money left I ended up buying an Enduristan tail pack. It’s watertight soft luggage that fits on top of your allu pannier. More about this product and my thinking behind it later.

If you buy the OEM racks apparently you also get new side covers as the rack won't fit with the original ones. The standard side covers work fine with the after-market rack though, there is just a small piece of plastic in the back that comes out for the rack to be fitted. And these are even removable, as if it was made for this rack.

Fitting the new rack:

Fitting the luggage rack is easy with instructions and everything provided. The matt black finish even fits in perfectly with the black scheme of the bike.

Bike with Topbox attached:

I am very happy with the result! For more on Trevor’s accessories, visit http://advrider.co.za/

More about the Enduristan luggage topper later.

This will be my luggage solution for the foreseeable future. No side luggage as I believe my camping and sleeping on the ground days are over. With the rise of the popularity of Adventure biking there is a myriad of affordable places catering for Adventure Bikers. Topbox it will be, with the luggage topper as and when and if needed. The new motto is Travel light!

15 March 2024 - My new bike arrived!

Like with my TransAlp all those years ago the time came to renew my Africa Twin. And I was there for the “birth” of my new bike! Oh man any day you get a new bike is a good day!!

This is how you buy a bike “out the box”.

New bike - 0km. Not 10km, not 5km, not 1.5km, 0KM! NEW bike!

My old bike and new bike next to each other.

I like black bikes. My first Twin was black, but with a red subframe. I never liked that. Black. Everything needs to be black. So I made sure on this bike that even the rims and shocks are black. No gold rims or me. Black!

So why replace a perfectly good newish bike with exactly the same bike you may ask? My TransAlps are a very good example. You buy a new bike and 2 to 3 years down the line you replace them with a new one. The difference you have to fork out is not that much. And I got lucky. Since the prices went up so much, I sold my (mint condition / 12 000km) Africa Twin for the same money I bought it for new. On top of that I got a very good deal on the new bike.

If you don’t renew, like my second TransAlp which I rode for 11 problem free years, and you want to buy a new bike then, the difference between what you get for an old high mileage bike and the cost of a new bike is HUGE. To such an extent that a lot of people would not be able to buy a new bike again. So there is method in the madness.

16 March 2024 - Start pimping!

Every new bike needs accessories and while my previous Africa Twin did not have much, I plan to kit this one out. First, tank protection from RubbaTech!

My first bike also had these and they work a treat. They are also model specific and blends in well with the bike.

I also had a tracker fitted. No one is stealing this bike!

20 March 2024

Next up I needed to something about the seat. The 1100 Twin’s seat is just not comfortable. We looked at several options and sort of decided to get a Corbin Seat, but then someone suggested getting these Airflow seat covers, which apparently makes a huge difference. It’s also a lot cheaper, so we decided to give it a try.

It is more comfortable, but we have not done a long ride yet, so the jury is still out. We’ll keep you updated on this one.

23 March 2024

I sold my old bike with the rack that holds the topbox, but kept my Allu-box, so I needed a new baseplate. Luckily the new bike comes with a luggage rack! The previous base plate I had was plastic (my 3^rd one over the years) and they tend to wear out a little over time. So, this time round I opted for the aluminium baseplate. Black, of course.

Now, the Africa Twin carrier rack can only carry around 10kg. So, the Givi / Kappa baseplate set-up has some solutions and advantages. Firstly, it comes with added support and secondly, it extends the position of the baseplate backwards. The luggage rack has four holes for a baseplate to attach to, but the baseplate now attaches to only to the rear two holes and on the new support extensions. So, the topbox sits a few centimeters further back, opening up some welcome space for my wife and pillion who rides with me regularly.

8 April 2024

The next step was acquiring some protection. After some research I settled on Rockfox who make quality, strong crash bars and bashplates. I personally spoke to Rockfox owners who have crashed their twins, and the crashbars did a sterling job.

So, I ordered both a set of lower and upper crash bars, a bashplate (black) and a set of Rockfox spotlights. These were quite pricey, definitely one of the most expensive spotlight sets on the market, but apparently also one of the best. After about two weeks the crashbars were made, the bashplate powder-coated and all was delivered.

I can report that after using the spotlights at night I am very, very impressed! Once you switch those puppies on, you’d think the sun has just come up. Turning them off makes it seem that the Africa Twin has no light at all. Yes, the difference is that big. I’ve also noticed a difference in everyday riding. Cars are aware of me and even make space if I ride behind them. These spots are very, very bright!

I love the look of the new bashplate, too. Off with the silver, on with the black.

Next up – hand guards with some real protection. Here the go-to is Barkbusters and I also got a set, but with the lettering black on black. Everybody has the guards with the bold white lettering BARKBUSTERS. I prefer the more subtle look. Unfortunately, I could not get the metal behind the guards in black also. I might have those powder-coated black some time in future.

Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE vs Honda CRF1100 Africa Twin

2023-03-13T12:11:00.017+02:00

2023 SUZUKI V-STROM 1050DE

Ride impressions from the perspective of an Africa Twin owner.

So, today I had the privilege to be one of the first SA Bike Journo’s to ride the new Suzuki V-Strom 1050DE. My time with it was limited so this is not an extensive bike review, just some thoughts and riding impressions.

Full disclosure. I own an Africa Twin 1100 DCT, this bike’s direct rival, so I will make a lot of comparisons between my bike and Suzuki’s new offering.

Firstly, what’s new?

The 2023 V-Strom 1050 has numerous updates, with the V-Strom 1050XT replaced by the V-Strom 1050DE which is geared toward more off-road-oriented adventures.

The DE models feature a 21-inch front wheel up from the previous 19-inch. The DE model has unique features in the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (SIRS), including new Gravel (G) traction control and the ability to switch off ABS at the rear wheel. The ground clearance is higher and the handlebar grip is wider and cast in thicker tubing from a softer grade of aluminum which allows more flex and better shock absorption.

The V-Strom 1050 feature a 6-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and the Suzuki Intelligent Ride System (SIRS) electronics suite, which includes ride modes, cornering ABS, multimode traction control, cruise control, and braking systems that compensate for hill starts, slope, and load. Supporting these electronic systems are an updated throttle-by-wire system, a new ABS control unit, a new CAN (Controller Area Network) wiring system, and a new 32-bit ECM (Engine Control Module). Other changes include an up/down quick shifter, a new 5-inch TFT display, a new 12-volt power outlet under the passenger seat, revised mirrors, and revised LED turn signals and taillight. Under the bike is a new cowl that protects the oil filter, exhaust header, and engine. A new engine protector made of a 3mm-thick aluminum plate shields the front and bottom of the frame, exhaust header, and engine.

This is a significant shift towards a more off-road orientated bike at a time when a lot of brands’ bigger Adv bikes are becoming “softer”. This also represents a direct competitor for the Africa Twin which previously sat in a niche between and competing with both the 800 and 1200 Adv bikes.

Some comparisons between the V-Strom (V-S) and Africa Twin (AT).

Looks and styling is subjective so I won’t spend much time on that apart from saying that I really like that Suzuki kept the heritage look paying tribute to the DR Big of old. It catches the eye and got a lot of compliments from bystanders.

The AT has a more extensive dash, including Apple Car Play and Android Auto, along with a myriad of buttons needed to operate it. It is a schlep to learn and not all Adventure Riders are into all that tech, but I do use it. The V-S has a crisp clear screen with all the necessary info and some extra nice to have’s like the outside temp etc. and it is really easy and intuitive to operate. I suspect some riders will prefer this.

I love my AT but the one thing I really do not like is the uncomfortable seat. The V-S is better in this regard and even my pillion said she preferred the Suzuki’s seat over the AT’s. The sides of the rider and pillion seats are covered with high-grip texture material to help the rider and pillion stay connected to the motorcycle. Secondly, I am a heavy dude and I was astonished about how well the suspension took my weight. Then loading a pillion as well and the suspension hardly flinched. The suspension can be adjusted both front and rear and while I did not experience the suspension at speed over rough terrain, in the application we did experience it, it did very, very well indeed. The V-S seat is definitely higher at 880cm vs the AT’s 870 (or 850 in low position which I use). I am 5’10” and could only tippy-toe the bike. According to the Suzuki info, a 30mm lower seat is available though.

The AT, being the more off-road model comes with tubed tires, while the more touring biased AT Adventure Sport comes with tubeless tyres. The V-Strom comes with a tubed 21” front (for heavier off-road work) and a 17” tubeless rear. I like this compromise as it is not as easy to remove a rear wheel out in Baviaans or somewhere similar. Change the front tube, plug the rear tyre.

I did some light gravel only and the bike behaved perfectly. In a full review the gravel performance vs the AT will be what everyone would be interested in but comparing this V-S demo bike with Dunlop Trailmax tyres after half an hour of good gravel, to my AX41 knobbly shod AT would not be comparing apples to apples. Having said that, there are three levels of traction control settings as well as a “Gravel” TC setting. This allows you to hang the tail out right up to the “Oh sh*t!” moment and then reels it back in. Once you are used to this you can’t stop playing. Other bikes have this too of course, but I liked that the TC stayed in Gravel mode when set, even if you turn off the bike.

Likewise comparing my AT’s DCT box to the V-Strom’s manual would be pointless, but the V-S’s six-speed manual comes standard with a quick shifter (up and down) that works a treat. The AT pushes out 100hp and coupled with the DCT box accelerates seamlessly. The V-S pushes 107hp and when you take it to the redline through the gears it really pulls hard. It would be interesting to see a dice between these two.

There are OEM hard panniers available and these attach to the bike without the unsightly frames usually needed to accommodate panniers. If you prefer soft luggage the rackless Turkana gear will work a treat. No need for the bike to look like a teen with braces.

The V-S comes with lower crash bars, aluminium bashplate, centrestand, and the rear luggage rack is fitted as standard. So there is a lot less to spend after the initial buy than the standard AT.

Having said that, the manual Africa Twin is listed at R250 600 on the Honda SA website. The V-Strom 1050 DE will land in SA towards the end of April and will be priced around R259 000. So in this too, these bikes are very even.

If this was the Adventure Bike standing in my garage I would have had no problem with living with it whatsoever. It’s a good bike. Adventure riders have never been this spoilt for choice!

Road Trip! BMW K1600GT

2023-01-28T12:46:00.002+02:00

Road Tripping is not so much about the destination as it is about the ride. Taking roads less travelled, stopping often, going nowhere slowly.

So when I saw the BMW 1600GT standing on the press fleet, getting no love, I decided to take it out for a Road Trip!

Our Route.

Our route started in a town called Philadelphia. A small town with a beautiful church. If you ever have the chance, the Pepper Tree Art and Coffee shop is well worth a visit! Our travels took us via Klipheuwel to Stellenbosch and our first pass of the ride – Helshoogte!

Helshoogte Pass is one of the oldest in South Africa, and dates back to 1854. It traverses the Jonkershoek and Simonsberg mountains. The pass has been upgraded several times and the views of the Simonsberg and famous wineries stretch from mountain to mountain. The road levels off before the final approach into the settlement of Pniel, where the pass ends. A slow ride through this town will take you to the T-junction next to the wine farm Allée Bleue where we turn right on the R45, riding past several more historic farms, dating from the 1600’s, heading towards a little piece of France called Franschhoek. Franschhoek has a plethora of restaurants catering for every taste and every budget, but if you are on a bike we recommend the Station Pub and Craft bar for a laid back atmosphere and a good meal. The local wines are excellent and we highly recommend picking up a bottle or two before taking a picture at the Huguenot Monument – an Instagram must.

Franschhoek Pass must be in the Top 3 when it comes to the best bike rides in South Africa. This long, steep and dramatic pass with its variety of scenery was South Africa's first properly engineered road. During weekends city folk stream to the pass on bicycles, motorcycles, skateboards, cars and SUV's to enjoy it's sheer magnificence.

With the blood well and truly pumping we ride past Villiersdorp and keep following the R45 towards the Overberg. This is an area you can truly get lost in, with so many road tripping options ranging from the Southernmost tip of Africa to the quaint fishing village Arniston and a myriad of routes and places in between. A quick stop at Dassiesfontein Farm Stall on the N2 near Calledon was a must, before we head through Caledon to a town that featured in the David Kramer song “Boggom and Voetsek” - Napier. We meander further through the green farmland to Bredasdorp and to our rest stop for the night – Sam’s Cottage.

The Ride.

The BMW K1600GT is a supreme touring machine. The inline-six engine is as smooth as butter and with 118kW (160hp) and 180Nm on tap it is no slouch either. Wind and weather protection is top notch with the electrically adjustable windscreen and grip and seat warmers. Even when we encountered a few drops of rain, we mainly stayed dry. All the latest tech is on board and even the pillion gave it top marks.

Having said all of that, when we arrived at our destination we realized that the last couple of kilometers were gravel road. This was not a problem, taking it slowly, but had it been raining hard and the road surface was muddy, it might have been a different story. As good as the K1600 is, one has to wonder if the more versatile GS, even if you are going to ride 99% tar, might not be a wiser option given that we live in South Africa where gravel and bad roads are common. This is literally the only critique we could think up and the condition of South African roads is hardly the BMW’s fault. What a sublime riding machine.

The Destination.

Sam’s Cottage is the perfect hideaway if you want to get away from it all. This historic little cottage has been lovingly restored and is totally off-grid, so no loadshedding schedules to worry about here. The small house is named after Sam Baardman who worked on this farm before retiring to Bredasdorp. Sitting on the stoep with the braai fire lit (wood supplied) and sampling a glass of Franschhoek wine we watched the Zebra graze as an eagle called overhead, the perfect ending to a wonderful day.

Trip detail:

Total km: 230km

Lunch and coffee for two at the Station Pub incl Tip: R290

One bottle of La Petite Ferme Sauvignon Blanc: R140

Fuel Cost fot the day: R370

One night’s accommodation for 2 at Sam’s cottage: R800

Riding the passes and dancing under the stars: Priceless.

THE WORLD ADVENTURE WEEK

2021-07-15T11:28:00.004+02:00

A press release from KTM South Africa landed in my inbox.

READY TO GO OUT AND RIDE?

THE WORLD ADVENTURE WEEK STARTS ON MONDAY!

CAN YOU MAKE IT?

You've got seven days to cover 1000 km - how you decide to break that distance us up to you. On completion, you will be rewarded a personalized award by KTM and 1000 points towards the draw to win a brand new KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S*.

My interest was peeked immediately. Not only because you could win a KTM, but I’ve always been a sucker for challenges and there is a new Africa Twin in my garage just itching to ride. 1000Km in 7 days? That’s nothing! I’m in!

This is what the challenge entailed:

Pack your panniers, THE WORLD ADVENTURE WEEK starts this coming Monday, July 5th. Welcoming riders on all bikes from across the world, it presents a great opportunity to fill your tank and hit the open road alongside like-minded riders.

Successful completion of each challenge will award you with 250 points, with added 1000 points given to all those who clock up 1,000 km. You will need a minimum of 2000 points to be eligible to win a KTM 1290 SUPER ADVENTURE S, which means you have to complete at least four of the seven daily challenge during THE WORLD ADVENTURE WEEK.

So I promptly downloaded and installed the Riser App, registered and also got my friends Dr.Dirt and Gryph in on the challenge. It might be the middle of winter, but Adventure was calling. I also invested in a handlebar holder for my smartphone. This would make it easier to use the app and see if I’m still on track during the challenge. It effectively replaces a GPS.

And so, with the smartphone and holder installed, I headed off on a small ride to familiarise myself with the app. It’s pretty intuitive and easy to use. For this ride I simply headed to the beach.

The app has a function where you can take a photo and embed it in the app, effectively geo-tagging the photo and showing exactly where you were when you took it. Pretty cool. Also, when sharing the ride you can choose whether you want to include your max speed and start and finish points in the share. I certainly don’t want to show people exactly where to come and steal my new bike! Your trail can also be exported as a GPX file if someone else wants to ride it later. Ride link here.

Can I complete this challenge? Hell Yes. Bring it on.

The main goal of the challenge (for the organizers) was to teach people how to use the Riser App. So the first challenge was rather easy.

DAY 1 CHALLENGE

SHARE YOUR RIDE ON SOCIAL

Show the world your adventure by sharing your ride using the tag #THEWORLDADVENTUREWEEK. Upon completion of your ride, use RISER's built-in share functionality to post it in any of the key social media platforms or generate a link that is shareable in any other platform. This will earn you 250 points and an entry into the daily prize draw. Remember, your social media accounts will need to be set to 'public' to allow us to spot your entry.

To do 1000km for the week I needed to get some mileage under the belt so a ride along the Garden Route to Knysna and back was on the cards. This route is rated as on of the best in the world and you have two options, take the main route, or the alternative 7 Passes route. I took the quickest way there and a winding route back. Both towns (and the route) is along the coast, so I was really surprised to see how much the climb and fall was! Must be more “hilly” than I thought!

Some pics from the ride:

Link to Day 1's ride here.

DAY 2 CHALLENGE

RIDE THROUGH 890 M OF ALTITUDE

Head uphill or downhill, depending on where you start from, in your quest to ride through a point where elevation is 890 meters above sea level. So, find the nearest hill or deep valley, and remember to track your progress on the RISER app. Based on your elevation profile, the app will automatically assign you with an added 250 points and an entry into the daily prize draw.

This was the first real challenge. I live next to a mountain, but the pass is only 800m high. On top of that our town is over 200m above sea level, so “my” mountain was not going to do it. I headed over the mountain into the Klein Karoo towards Oudtshoorn, to eventually ride the Swartberg pass into the Great Karoo. That pass is around 1500m above sea level and about 100km from where I live.

Riding into Oudtshoorn I needed petrol and after filling up I inexplicably decided to end the ride in the app and log the kilometres. Turns out this was a stoke of luck! More about that later. Oudtshoorn is over 300m above sea level, so riding to Swartberg Pass would still give me 900m difference. I started ‘n new ride and rode off. About 50km to go.

After about 35km I hit the dirt (it’s a gravel pass). With the shaking my phone’s charging cable wiggled lose and the phone was charging / not charging the whole time, effectively discharging the battery. By the time I realized this the phone was on 8%. Disaster. I could not get it to connect properly so I raced for the top. I got there with the phone on 3%. I ended the ride and pressed save! The phone died in my hands. Now what? 100km from home, on top of the mountain, please please tell me the app logged my ride in time. It did not.

I tried to charge the phone from the bike and got it up to 8%. I wondered if I descended through 900m if that would count also. I started a new ride and rode down the steep pass all the way to where the tarred road started again. I made a guesstimate that I should be through 900m and ended the ride. 679m. Shit! The phone also didn’t charge but more importantly didn’t lose any either. 8%. I decided to turn it off and just let it charge. Meanwhile I’ll ride up the mountain pass again to log the ride down again.

Turning on the phone I was sitting on 19%. I decided to log the ride from the top of the pass all the way to Oudtshoorn praying that the battery would last. If I lost the ride again I would have to forfeit today’s points. It worked! In 50km I descended 1230m and the points were in the bag!

I logged a new ride and chased the senset to get home. Ride log here. All in all today with the phone problems I rode 60 unloggend kilometres. Bummer. But I am still in this challenge!

DAY 3 CHALLENGE

CHECK IN AT KTM DEALER

Locate your nearest KTM dealership here and pay them a visit, grab a coffee or simply just browse the showroom floor. Riders who complete this challenge will be awarded 250 points and entered in to the daily prize draw.

You can locate your nearest dealer with the KTM Dealer Locator.

Day 3 was a little trickier. My closest KTM dealer was over 400km away. But I had a plan! Being a motor journalist I get a new car to test every week. Yup. I drive a brand new car every single week and have been for 10 years. I pick these cars up in Cape Town and return them there after a week, so I am in Cape Town once a week. All I had to do was make sure this week’s switch lined up with this day and Bob’s my uncle. Drove to Cape Town, switched cars and popped in at the KTM dealer. Apologies for the bad picture. The cellphone lens must have been dirty.

Points bagged! Got no kilometers added on this day though. 4 Days and 702km left in this challenge.

DAY 4 CHALLENGE

COMPLETE 1290 M OF ELEVATION

Go explore the closes mountains! Riders can reach the target in one go - if the landscape allows - or by going up and down a smaller hill a few times. The choice is yours. Riders who complete this challenge will be awarded 250 points as well as an entry into to the daily prize draw.

The thing about this challenge (and the thing that made quite a few riders fall out of the challenge) was the fact that I still had a day job. On this particular day I happened to be extremely busy. I just could not get on my bike till about 4pm.

I wanted to do a nice and scenic route, but now I was reduced to riding the nearby pass a couple of times to reach today’s goal.

I rode to the mountain and up the pass, but when I got to the top I checked the app and it’s lost the GPS signal. So I ended the ride. I would have to start over. I really hoped this was not turning into the same fiasco I had on Swartberg Pass.

I kept the screen on and kept an eye on the app (not ideal when riding a pass). I rode up and down a couple of times until I reached today’s goal. Not a lot of kilometres today but the points were in the bag!

DAY 5 CHALLENGE

5 RIDES IN A WEEK

Heading to work or on a full-scale Adventure ride? Keep track of your riding time on RISER, and keep the wheels turning. Complete five rides from Monday to Friday to earn 250 points and an entry into the daily prize draw. It doesn’t matter how long these rides are - as long as you’re riding.

I woke up this morning with today’s points in the bag already! This because I already had more than 5 rides logged in my app. This was a Friday and I needed to get some kilometers under the belt. I decided to do a winding coastal ride to Mossel Bay. Also, to avoid the bad charging connection problems I charged my phone to 100% and decided to use it battery only today. I headed out of George to the first stop – Heroldsbay.

Getting there I checked the app. Lost GPS signal. Not again! Of the whole ride only 13km logged. I ended the ride and started a new one. Glentana was going to be my next stop.

And guess what... Got to Glentana and the app lost GPS signal AGAIN. Only 17km logged. I was distraught. I really liked this app but now I was worried. Tomorrows challenge was an uninterrupted 390km ride. Going on like this, that would be impossible.

I started a new ride AGAIN and now I was checking the app in-ride every couple of minutes. This seemed to help but on the highway I did not check so often and lost the signal again. I did not end the ride as the app regained signal and kept recording the ride, only not calculating the kilometers where signal was lost. I ended the ride in Mossel Bay wondering why the app would lose GPS signal out in the open.

The battery was also running down faster than expected so I plugged the phone back in and logged the ride home. No signal loss this time. Turns out today’s problems was due to a phone setting shutting down the app to save battery life. At least now I know! Now I had hope for challenge 6, as long as my charging cable did not cause problems again.

DAY 6 CHALLENGE

RIDE 390 KM IN ONE GO

Plan a route that is 390 km and get out there and ride it. A small deviation of 5 km less or more will be accepted once your ride is live on RISER. This challenge is worth 250 points and an entry into the daily prize draw.

Dr.Dirt and Gryph had an all-gravel all-day route set out for today. I was invited, but I had other plans. I wanted to go show my significant other Seweweekspoort, an amazing place about 150km from our home. The route included both tar and gravel, so we could ride off the boring tar bits quickly and enjoy the scenic gravel bits. Hopefully both my phone and the app would work together today and log the whole ride.

My friends’ route was going to take them the whole day, so they had to leave early. This is what an early morning in the Karoo looks like:

Photo by Dr.Dirt.

We however waited till the day warmed up a bit and set off riding Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn and all the way to Calitzdorp in 1 hour. First 100Km done.

Huisrivier Pass was up next and this pass is a pleasure to ride. Newly resurfaced this pass in in excellent condition with little traffic. A couple of kms on the other side you find the turn-off for Seweweekspoort.

The natural beauty left her in awe. We rode through the poort all the way to the Great Karoo, took a small break and rode back through the poort from the other side, revealing an all new side of sights and formations. In the middle we stopped for a picnic and to just enjoy the beauty, the silence and each others’ company.

After the picnic we headed back over Huisrivier Pass to Calitzdorp and took a gravel road from there hugging the Swartberg mountain range. We were riding slowly, chatting, pointing out interesting and beautiful things.

Riding together like this, letting me sharing my passion with her, made for a very special day. The road ends at Kobus se Gat, a well known eatery at the bottom of Swartberg Pass. Cappuccinos were in order.

By now it was late afternoon already and we had another 100km to ride home. That is the beauty of a bike like the Africa Twin. You can ride through the really technical stuff, but also ride off 100km in a blink if needed. A true all-rounder.

We stopped at home having ridden 390km and with the points in the bag! The app didn’t have a single glitch and never lost signal, even between the tall mountains in Seweweekspoort. All the problems were phone related and were now sorted out. Ride log here.

DAY 7 CHALLENGE

RIDE WITH YOUR BUDDIES

Riders are pack animals. We like to share our adventure with like-minded folks. For this challenge, find two of your riding buddies and go out and complete a PACK RIDE. This will earn you 250 points and an entry into the daily prize draw.

Today’s challenge called for a Pack Ride. This is a function in the Riser app available to PRO users. BASIC users can also use it, but only for 30 minutes. I guess today’s challenge wanted to leave us in awe about what this app can offer. Gryph created a Pack Ride and immediately a notification popped up saying that there is a pack ride nearby. Dr.Dirt and I joined the pack ride and just like that we were on. The function shows where all 3 riders are on the maps and there are easy to use pre-programmed messages that you can send to the whole group with the press of a button. Messages like “I need fuel” or “I need a break”. The app will also alert all riders in the group if one person stopped or fell behind and you can be live tracked by people at home in needed.

We rode to Montagu pass to the historic old Toll House. Here they serve visitors coffee and pancakes for a donation only. Exactly what we needed on a sunny winters morning!

With the Pack Ride points in the bag I still needed 40km to fill my 1000km for the week so I took a roundabout way home. 1000Km and all 7 challenges in 1 week. Done!

In my time on the bike I had time to think about the challenge, the app and how it actually got three of us riding again. And not just A ride. Several rides. 1000km in a week! There is another upcoming challenge in August and we’ve already signed up for that. That, to me, is where the Riser app did what no other app has done before.

Big ups to KTM also for thinking outside of the box. Being a motor and motorcycle journalist I have been to hundreds if not thousands of media events and launches. This was one of those things I enjoyed the most and I’m sure it costs a fraction of even a local national launch.

Some constructive criticism I could give is on the communication front. I only heard of this shortly before it started and most riders I spoke to didn’t know about this at all. Also, we never knew who won the daily prizes and as I am typing here (15^thJune) we don’t know if the draw for the KTM has taken place. I did mail Riser and they referred me to the KTM Instagram page. KTM did announce the daily winners there, but nowhere else was it stated where the winners would be announced. So unless you are on Instagram, you never knew. Knowing this I also think that KTM used Instagram to promote the Challenge (this is a guess). Now, Adventure Bikes are expensive. The riders tend to be a little older. “Older” users frequent Facebook and a lot of them don’t even know how Instagram works. But apart from the zero communication we received all through the challenge from KTM, there are no other criticisms.

Riser was on the ball and mails to them were answered promptly and properly. As far as the app is concerned I would rate it very useful. More so than my friends who had very limited functionality on their iPhones compared to my Android app. Please note all of us were using the Basic version. The only thing lacking is the ability to plan routes on your desktop and exporting to your app.

The Paid version offers a lot, especially the Pack Ride function. The paid version is also surprisingly affordable (about R80/month in my country and currency). Problem is you have to sign up for a year or six months. So you’ll end up paying for something that you might not use for months at a time. A monthly subscription would be very useful. Paying to use the app in the months you plan and do rides. I’ll happily pay R100 to use the app when I plan and do some big rides, using BASIC in the months in between.

The Basic plan is, well, basic. It’s a good app, but it’s still an extra app you have to download, install, update and allocate space to. So the big question here is does it offer more than what Google Maps already offer? Is Riser worth installing and using since the phone already has Google Maps?

The answer is Yes. I like the tracking of the ride with the inclusion of geo-tagged photos. I'm not sure if Google Maps can do that also. The app also offers a “Roundtrip” function that gives you a nice and curvy route for the day (if you don’t know where to ride) with various distance options. What I like the most is the Challenges. It’s something that will get you off the couch and riding. So even in BASIC form this app is worth downloading. I will certainly be using it, even over my GPS.

Lastly, the big news is that the World Adventure Week will be an annual event! I’m certainly looking forward to that. But does it have to be in the dead of winter for the Southern Hemisphere? And if yes, how about a second challenge week every December?

Either way, I am looking forward to competing again next year!

See you in the next challenge...

Suzuki DL 1050 XT V-Strom

2021-06-11T14:09:00.000+02:00

Having recently bought a new bike in this segment, it was interesting to ride a rival bike for three days. If you did not land on this page from that ride, you can read the complete Ride Report here.

This bike impressed me in several ways. At first, it was difficult not to compare it to my Africa Twin DCT, but this bike does not compete against the Africa Twin DCT. It competes with the Africa Twin Manual. And in that comparison it has a lot going for it.

Firstly, it’s a little cheaper. R221 995 vs R233 800. And while that difference might not sound like much, consider this. The Suzuki comes standard with a rear luggage rack, lower crash bars, a centre stand and tubeless wheels. So the actual price difference is closer to R30k.

We can continue comparing specs, but after three days in the saddle that is pointless as the bikes are targeting totally different riders and rider styles in my opinion.

The more technical riders will go for the Honda. It’s a little lighter, has bigger wheels and the option of a DCT gearbox that makes a big difference in technical conditions specifically. If you watch the guys doing trails-type riding on big bikes, this is the option for you.

The Suzuki is aimed at your more middle-of-the-road adventure rider who wants to get out there and see the country. He wants to do it on an honest, reliable adventure bike that is not going to break the bank and will be comfortable to ride over distance. This is where the Suzuki shines. It’s so easy to cover distance on this bike. The seat is comfortable, the windscreen is adjustable (without tools), the standard tubeless wheels, crash-bars and centre-stand are practical features, even the suspension is adjustable. The tank is a decent size 20L and is good for up to 350 to 400km.

The bike looks big, but once you throw your leg over it feels surprisingly small. This is because it is a narrow bike and not intimidating at all. The relatively low seat height (850mm) is welcome and I never felt like I had to manhandle the bike. The instrument cluster is an LCD unit containing all the necessary info, including settings for Throttle Response, Traction Control and ABS. There is even a USB charging point on the side.

The stand-out feature is the styling, paying homage to the DR Big. Personally I would never buy a yellow bike, but in this case it was my colour of choice. This bike was made to be in that colour, there is a lot of heritage there. And it really draws the eye! More than once a member of the public would make mention of the colour specifically.

In this segment and price point the Suzuki should not be overlooked. Yes, something like the KTM 890 or the Honda Africa Twin will be more capable off-road, but they are also more expensive. The Suzuki offers more power and a bigger tank than the BMW GS850 and the Yamaha T7 has a much smaller engine and sparse tech while still costing R200 000. The Suzuki certainly offers a good honest package at a fair price.

A Karoo Adventure - Day 3

2021-06-11T13:30:00.011+02:00

This morning we woke in a very wet Karoo.

The water had subsided and Meirings Poort was open once again, but debris was everywhere.

Meirings Poort was named after PETRUS JOHANNES MEIRING, who owned the farm DE RUST which was situated at the southern entrance to the pass. In 1854 when the renowned roadmaker, Andrew Geddes Bain, was trying to find a route for a road with which to link the Great and Little Karoos, Petrus Meiring drew his attention to the great ravine penetrating the range from his farm. Bain rode through the pass and considered it to be ideal. The entire ravine had been worn through the range by escaping floodwaters which resulted from occasional downpours in the Great Karoo. The draining stream, simply known as the GROOTSTROOM (great stream), had eroded for itself a reasonable level floor littered with giant boulders and overlooked by colossal precipices. Any road made through the ravine would have to cross and re-cross the stream 26 times, but the route was perfectly practical and just the type of pass which Bain loved: grand and majestic to behold, with brilliantly coloured sedimentary sandstone precipices, and the whole place full of odd rock shapes and echoes. On 3 MARCH 1858 Meiringspoort was opened to traffic and was considered to be such an asset to the farmers of the Great Karoo, who could now send their produce through the mountains to be shipped from Mossel Bay, that a party of 300 horsemen and 50 carts carrying ladies, made an opening tour through the pass. Meiringspoort remains one of the most romantically lovely of all South African road passes. It is 12,9km long from its northern to its southern entrance & scenically, is beautiful and interesting. There are many pleasant picnic sites & resting places where you can pause a while and admire the towering cliffs with their fantastic patterns of warped and twisted rocks, numerous flowering plants and rugged piles of boulders.

The Suzuki Ignis might be a little SUV, but it takes adventures like these in it’s stride. It’s got decent ground clearance (more than the bikes in fact) of 180mm and that, combined with the short wheel base, means that the Ignis can tackle uneven roads with ease. You just take it a little slower over the really rough bits. I have takena car like this all the way into “The Hell” (Gamkaskloof) and it emerged after that without so much as a rattle.

Compared to the bike it has more packing space, but then, the bike has more headroom than any car in it’s class! Haha!

Our adventure was coming to an end and some in the group had to hightail it to the George airport to catch their flights, but not before we visit the old toll house on Montagu Pass.

The Toll House had been restored by the community of George, but tragically it has been destroyed in a fire soon after. Restoration started all over again and today it is a jewel in the heritage of George. And just the place to have coffee and pancakes on a rainy day!

And so, sadly, our adventure came to an end.

Having recently bought a new bike in this segment, it was interesting to ride a rival bike for three days. This bike impressed me in several ways.

For my thoughts on the bike click HERE.

Side note: I have a Vlogger friend, Jack Hartland, and unbeknownst to us at the time we did almost everything in this trip mere weeks before this trip. So I will be embedding some of our videos in this report for additional viewing. The moving pictures really compliments the still photos in this report and gives a better idea of the breathtaking beauty of this area. Not that any video or photo could ever grasp the magnificence of what you experience here. And I am not exaggerating.

A Karoo Adventure - Day 2

2021-06-11T12:51:00.002+02:00

And the day breaks over the wintry Karoo.

Even though we travelled here on gravel and are going to leave on gravel, all the cars and bikes have been washed and cleaned. How is that for being spoilt!

All this while we eat...

Ready for the rest of the Adventure!

First we tackle Bosluiskloof Pass and Seweweekspoort again, in the opposite direction, to re-enter the Klein Karoo.

One of the bikes picked up a nail, but luckily this is only a 2-minute problem since the V-Strom comes standard with tubeless tyres and rims. In fact, the centre stand is also standard, as is the lower crash bars and luggage rack. There’s even a USB charging point.

The new V-Strom makes a really good case for itself as a practical adventure bike for the 80% of riders that are going to do gravel touring. Sure, for the weekend warriors who want to jump logs and tackle terrain as technical as possible, the big-wheeled KTM or Africa Twin might be the option, but the V-Strom offers more than enough for Adventure Touring at a good price that includes lots of standard equipment.

In fact, up to this point we have not refuelled yet. The 20L tank is good for up to 400km. Some more of the magnificent Seweweeks Poort:

Back in the Klein Karoo we head East, toward the tarred Huisrivier Pass, and here the Suzukis get a chance to properly stretch their legs and get rid of those chicken strips on the tyres. The pass is newly resurfaced, has lots of twisties and is just a joy to ride. We even get to do a photo-shoot in the pass. Like celebrities. Who does this? Well, we got to and it was huge fun!

This pass showcased that today’s Adventure Bikes really can be enjoyed on both gravel and tar!

After a fuel stop in Calitsdorp, the Port capital of South Africa, we head out on the gravel Matjiesrivier road hugging the Swartberg Mount Range all the way to Swartberg pass. This pass, also built by Bain, will take us back over the mountain into the Great Karoo.

But first, lunch at Kobus se Gat.

The 27km Swartberg Pass is considered one of the most spectacular mountain passes in the world: an untarred road winds to the summit 1 583 metres above sea level in steep zig-zags and sudden switchbacks, with breath-taking views at every turn.

It’s being resurfaced and can be quite slippery when wet, but we were lucky today.

It drops quite steeply on the Northern side. Are are about to ride through the river at the bottom of that ravine. But first, condensed milk coffee.

Playtime in the river!

Heading to our destination for the night – Klaarstroom.

Klaarstroom is a small village just North of Meiringspoort in the Karoo and not much has changed here since the 70’s. Our lodgings for the night: Klaarstroom Hotel.

But first, we are being whisked away to a different location for dinner and entertinment.

The “Igni”, as we now fondly referred to the two Ignis cars in the group, shuttled us to Forgotten Metals where a beautiful dinner was prepared. This is the workshop of Koos Roets, famous South African filmmaker where he lovingly restores his old cars, the red Jaguar being his favourite. He told us about Klaarstroom, his life here and the 5 feature films that was made here. We gawked at his cars and feasted on the traditional “Boerekos” that was presented us.

And then the heavens opened.......

The severe weather we had been warned about finally caught up with us.

This building, mainly sink, amplified the sound of the rain and hail coming down and we literally could not hear each other speaking.

The mother of storms had been unleashed, I suddenly realized that the little stream we crossed to get here would flood, trapping us this side, our hotel being the other side, and exactly that happened. The river came down in all its fury. And we were trapped.

Lucky for us we had food, we had drinks and we could entertain ourselves. And the river grew higher... Soon we received word that Meiringspoort, our route for tomorrow had also been closed due to flooding. We were in for the long haul.

But there’s never a dull moment on trips like these! We entertain ourselves.

Hours later the water started to subside and we managed to get back to the Hotel. It’s an adventure after all!

As it turns out we missed the worst of the storm. While we were having a whale of a time on day 2, this is what happened elsewhere in the region:

Needless to say, had that storm hit us we would not have been able to ride. That’s some serious stuff!

Bring on Day 3 - If we can get through Meirings Poort...

A Karoo Adventure - Day 1

2021-06-08T12:09:00.003+02:00

So arriving at the venue it becomes clear that this will not so much be about car vs bike, but more about the adventure a Suzuki can offer you, whether you prefer 2 or 4 wheels. Also, it will be a nice and intimate affair. No riding in the dust of 20 other riders.

We’ll be 4 bikes and 2 cars, plus another car for the camera crew. That’s right, we’ll be followed by a professional camera crew, just like celebrities. When Suzuki does something, they do it in style! Most of the photos in this report by the talented Mr Rob Till and team.

Our route for Day 1:

A quick bite and we’re off.

Heading along the N2 we aim for Tradouw Pass which will take us over the Langeberg Mountains and into the Karoo where our Adventure will start in the small town of Barrydale.

And of course we have to work in some en route refreshments before we tackle some gravel.

The Tradouw Pass (which means Womens Path in the old Khoi language) is a 16 kilometer drive through rugged mountain scenery. Originally built by Thomas Bain this is truly one of those Cape mountain passes that you must ride.

Barrydale is a quaint little town full of B&B’s, restaurants, art galleries and such. One of those small towns that just came alive and where, despite it’s small size, you can spend days just exploring the eclectic shops and places.

We stopped at Diesel and Crème, famous for the best milkshakes... in the world.

These come in the most interesting flavours. Crunchy & Honey. Banana & Peanut butter. Red Velvet and Cream Cheese. Oreo, Nutella or even Zoo Cookie! You get the picture.

Word to the wise: Drinking one of these before you eat will mean not finishing your meal.

So after lunch a bunch of sugar-high motorcycle journalists headed out on South Africa’s Route 62, a tar road that runs East and West through the Klein Karoo.

And one of the obligatory stops on this route is Ronnie’s Sex Shop of course!

Ronnie’s is a road side bar and restaurant (The Road Kill Café) that became a famous rural stop after some of Ronnie’s friends added “sex” to the building’s name. Brake marks on the road surface tell the story of how almost no car passes this shop after reading the name. Haha!

But adventures seldom happen on tar roads and man made attractions. We were headed to, or rather through, the Swartberg Mountain range via Seweweeks Poort.

The team doing their thing:

And this is where the adventure came looking for us. Our first taste of the rain.

Heading into Seweweeks Poort:

There is an array of stories as to where the poort got it's name from, most of which are folklore. One story is that it was said to take 7 weeks for the brandy smugglers to get their wares from Beaufort West to Ladismith via the poort. Yet another insists that it took 7 weeks for the authorities to capture a cattle rustler who had disappeared into the kloof. The most likely version is that it is named after the Seven Weeks Fern (Polystichum Andiantiforum), which in Afrikaans is called the Seweweeksvaring, which grows all over the poort in moist places and crevices.

Regardless, the real story here is the breathtaking scenery. The Seweweeks Poort is probably the most beautiful 18 km stretch of gravel road anywhere in South Africa. This road is an absolute joy to ride and if you have never been here it should be on your bucket list!

Whether your adventure is on two or four wheels, Suzuki has you covered!

At the Northern end of the Poort you emerge in the Greater Karoo and it is here we turn right to head into Bosluiskloof via Bosluiskloof Pass.

On this side of the mountain we got a slight respite from the rain, but now we were chasing sunlight.

Bosluiskloof Pass is not well known at all. It is off the beaten track with only one way in and out. But it is so worth it! And we were the only ones there.

Our destination for the night:

Look at this!

My lodgings for the night. This sure beats a tent!

This is a photo-heavy post, but the area we were in caused sensory overload! I dozed off that night in the deadly quiet of the Karoo. If this was Day 1, I could not wait for Day 2!

A Karoo Adventure

2021-06-08T10:18:00.008+02:00

I have done many ride reports over the years. And many, many more rides. None have started like this. I am sitting here typing in full kit, in an airport, waiting to board a plane. I have time, so I figured why not start now.

In about an hour I’ll land in Cape Town where I will be handed the keys to this:

Well, hopefully it will look like that. In yellow.

The 80’s brought us some legendary Dakar bikes. Think Africa Twin, R80GS and of course the Suzuki DR Big!

The latest incarnation of the 1050 V-Strom pays homage to that bike. The DR Big is also the bike that spawned the whole “beak” type styling most adventure bikes sport these days? I that true? Probably.

This is not about the Dakar though. This is car vs bike.

In South Africa the Suzuki Ignis, a little crossover SUV, costs R229 000. The Suzuki DL1050 V-Strom costs R222 000. If you had the cash, which would you buy to have the best adventures? We’ll be taking some cars and bikes into the Karoo for a 3-day Karoo Adventure. And looking at the weather forecast it promises to be just that.

Rain might stack the odds in the car’s favour, but the bikes will still give it a good run for the money. Yeah, maybe I’m not as impartial as I should be.

Boarding...

Also see the Suzuki video about the trip!

Honda CRF450RX

2018-07-12T15:12:00.000+02:00

We recently unexpectedly got an unusual test vehicle - an Enduro bike!

Honda updated the successful CRF450X Moto-X bike to enable riders to carry the bike's success through to Enduros and Hare Scrambles.

Now, I'm hardly a racer, but I was not going to let a chance to ride this go by.

It is a tall bike and light - 118kg - with lots of horses under the tank. The throttle is pretty jumpy when you pull off, so slow riding through technical terrain might be a challenge, but this is a race bike. It wants to go fast! Pretty capable too. It makes flying over technical terrain so easy.

I took it over some gravel roads, loose stones and sand. The one thing I quickly realized is that I am definitely NOT fit enough to ride a bike like this. You manhandle the light bike over the rough terrain and the sand was the death of me.

So this is not a review as such, that I'll leave to the riders who know about racing, just wanted to share some pics!

OK, so pretty as these pics may be, the truth is this is not a bike for overweight middle-aged riders. So I handed it over to my 20-year old son.

This is what a bike like this is all about!!!

If you ever have the means or opportunity, take a bike like this for a ride. If you're not fit your body will be sore and you will have aches and pains, but you will smile through it all that I'll guarantee!

Specs and Pricing here.

All Grown Up!

2018-07-12T10:05:00.003+02:00

The young man who did this ride with me, recently acquired new wheels. His first Big Bike!

I had the privilege to fetch and deliver the bike to the eager new owner.

The previous owner has featured on this very blog a few times, although not on this bike. It used to belong to Eisbein.

For this young man this is a dream come true. And he bought the bike with his own money.

Suits him well!

So does this mean this blog is coming alive again? I sure hope so! (If time allows.) And yes, that is still the Trusty TransAlp. It's going nowhere and it's going everywhere. Meaning it won't be replaced by something new and yes I am still riding!

SA Media Launch: KTM 790 Duke, Kyalami

2018-05-22T14:37:00.002+02:00

This is not a ride report as such, just an amazing experience I wanted to share.

KTM South Africa recently launched the KTM 790 Duke to the local motoring media. But this launch had a twist... It was held on the Kyalami Race Circuit - at night!

Now I have been on this race track many times before. In cars, on bikes, even in a Toyota Hilux once! But never before had I ridden on a track at night. The anticipation and excitement was off the charts. When was the last time you did something for the first time? It's something one should do often. Experiences broaden the horizons. And that butterfly feeling in the stomach is hard to beat.

But first - the business session. KTM went to great lengths with the branding, planning & catering. It was a very well organized event.

So after the business session and reveal it was time to hit the track!

There were several photographers to document the event and all these photos as courtesy of ZC Marketing Consulting.

They even caught me on track:

The big thing though was the experience. You head out and as it's a race track it does not have street lights. They had put up some lights at some of the apexes, but for the most part you are riding in the dark - FAST!

The KTM headlights do a pretty decent job of illuminating the track, but when you brake for the corner the light dips and you have to commit and turn into darkness!

I had my helmet cam with me, to I'd like to invite you to ride with on one of my first laps out.

Some of the riders were really unsure at first and slowed right down. I had an advantage over some in that I know this track pretty well. On the 3rd last turn there was a slow rider that kept to the side, but it threw me right off the line for 2nd last corner (you can see me shaking my head). With the momentum lost and some fast riders behind me I had to stay on the inside so as to not turn in front of them. They come past on the checkered straight and you can see how fast these awesome machines are.

It was an experience I'll never forget and I can't wait to experience this gem of a parallel twin engine in the 790 Adventure. I'll keep you posted!

Sweedse Pyle tref die kol!

2018-04-18T13:39:00.000+02:00

Sedert Husqvarna in 2014 op die EICMA-motorfietsskou in Milaan ’n paar konsepmodelle van nuwe stadsmotorfietse bekend gestel het, wag die wêreld gretig om hul hande op dié stylvolle fietse te kry.

Die Vitpilen 401 en Svartpilen 401 (Sweeds vir wit pyl en swart pyl) verteenwoordig ’n heel nuwe rigting vir die Sweedse groep, dog is dit nie die eerste keer dat Husqvarna (wat meer bekend om sy veldfietse is) sulke padfietse bou nie. In die 1950’s, die era van James Dean en Porsche Spyders, het Husqvarna ook ’n Silverpilen gebou, genoem na Mercedes se ikoniese SL-sportmotor. Nagenoeg 11 300 eenhede is gebou. n Jaar ná die bekendstelling van die 401-konsepmodelle is ’n Vitpilen 701 ook gewys en onlangs die Svartpilen 701-konsepmodel. Dit was dus ’n lang wag, maar die Vitpilen 401 en 701 en Svartpilen 401 is nou eindelik markgereed. Terwyl die foto’s ons destyds beïndruk het, slaan die stilering jou asem weg as jy hom in lewende lywe sien. Husqvarna het vorendag gekom met iets nuuts en modern maar ooglopend retro met die enkel ronde voorlig en minimalistiese aanslag. Minimalisties beteken egter nie afskeep nie, daar is aandag geskenk aan die fynste detail terwyl die komponente net van die beste is. Die Vitpilen 401 en 701 is gebou met die stad in gedagte terwyl die Svartpilen 401 ’n aggressiewer aanslag het met veldfietsbande en hoër handvatsels. Moet egter nie dat die stilering jou mislei nie. Hierdie is glad nie ’n veldfiets nie, dis ’n stylvolle stadsfiets wat ’n spesifieke beeld wil oordra. Die Vitpilen 701 was eerste aan die beurt. Alhoewel die fiets klein vertoon, voel hy nie so as jy op hom sit nie. Die sitposisie is vooroor, met die handvatsels amper net so hoog soos die saal. Dis egter nie ongemaklik nie en as jy eers aan die beweeg is, voel jy letterlik soos ’n pyl wat deur die verkeer klief.

Die 692 cc-eensilinder-enjin (56 kW, 72 Nm) gedy in dié fiets wat basies net ’n stel handvatsels, petroltenk en ’n sitplek is. Die motorfiets weeg ’n skamele 157 kg, so, enige draai van die versneller beteken ’n ontploffing in versnelling en adrenalien, verslawend so. Groot was die verrassing dus toe ek die Vitpilen 401 bestyg en onmiddellik meer van die kleiner model gehou het. Die 401 word aangedryf deur ’n 375 cc-eensilinder wat 32 kW en 37 Nm lewer, heelwat minder as die 701 dus, tog voel dit nie so as jy ry nie. Die 401 se enjin loop gladder en hardloop vrylik deur sy toere. Die sitposisie is ook vooroor en inspireer jou om heeltyd vinniger te wil ry. Deur die draaie voel jy soos ’n wafferse renjaer en padgeoriënteerde bande, sportvering en ABS-remme boesem vertroue in terwyl die Vitpilen rats is en presies doen wat jy wil hê.

Laaste aan die beurt was die Svartpilen 401 en in vergelyking met die model wat hom voorafgegaan het, is die verskil so wyd soos, wel, swart en wit. Eerstens is die posisie meer regop en die handvatsels hoër. Aangedryf deur dieselfde 375 cc-enjin kan die “Swart Pyl” net so rats deur die verkeer speel, maar jy kan ook rustiger ry en ’n bietjie rondkyk as jy wil. Die uitsig oor die verkeer is beter en die aggressiewer stilering tref die oog. Die Husqvarna Pilen-motorfietse bied ’n eenvoudiger, meer stylvolle benadering tot motorfietsry en stadspendel. Die 701 is bedoel vir die ernstiger ryer, maar ek dink dis die 401’s wat meer byval gaan vind. Of jy die “Swart” of “Wit Pyl” gaan verkies, gaan afhang van jou rystyl en persoonlikheid.

Pryse: Vit- en Svartpilen 401 – R89 699; Vitpilen 701 – R147 699.

Artikel: Johann van Tonder Fotos: ZC Marketing

Skakel na oorspronklike artikel.

VLOG: Rallye Riding

2017-04-20T12:29:00.002+02:00

During the South African Media Launch we rode the BMW R1200GS Rallye through the North West Province to Pilansberg.

Some footage of the trip:
(apologies for the soundtrack, I know it's kinda cheesy!)

The Two Passes Hooligan Ride!

2014-10-15T16:40:00.000+02:00

Even though I heavily favour Dual Sport bikes, every once in a while I test ride a bike that just stirs something in me. This was such a bike.

998cc 93kW hooligan tool of note!

This is a catch-up report from 2012.

Most road bikes are way to small for my, uhm, "build". I look at them, sit on them etc, but seldom fit on them.

My first encounter with the Honda CB1000R was at the Honda Road Show in George. There was an instant attraction and I found it a good fit. Took it for a ride en enjoyed it immensely!

Photo taken at Herolds Bay:

So when I had a chance to book a test unit I jumped at the opportunity. I picked up the bike near Malmesbury and decided to take a winding route back to George, heading in a hopelessly wrong direction to start off with.

Reason? To ride Bothmanskloof Pass! It's a tar pass that runs to Riebeek Kasteel. I had a road bike, was in the area and had not ticked it off on my passes quest yet.

It's not a spectacular pass, but it's a spectacular bike so I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The view North over the Riebeek Valley:

The Riebeek Valley is known for its wheat, wines and more recently olives. The town, Riebeek Kasteel, is one of the oldest towns in South Africa. It's laid out around the church and hotel. Incidentally the Royal Hotel is the oldest hotel in South Africa.

In 2009 Riebeek Kasteel was chosen one of the three most beautiful towns of the Western Cape by the newspaper "Rapport". It was also named one of the 101 Best Destinations In South Africa. Well worth a visit.

From here I set out to another South African gem: Franschhoek.

(Photo from winelandsweb.co.za)

The Franschhoek valley was originally settled in 1688 by 176 French Huguenot refugees, many of whom were given land by the Dutch government in a valley called Olifantshoek ("Elephants' corner"), so named because of the elephants that crossed into the valley to calve. The name of the area soon changed to le Coin Français ("the French Corner"), and later to Franschhoek (Dutch for "French Corner"), with many of the settlers naming their new farms after the areas in France from which they came. La Motte, Champagne, La Cotte, Cabrière, La Provence, Bourgogne, La Terra de Luc and La Dauphine were among some of the first established farms — most of which still retain their original Cape Dutch farm houses today. These farms have grown into renowned wineries. Many of the surnames in the area are of French origin, e.g. Du Toit, Marais, Du Plessis, Malan, Malherbe, and Joubert.

This heritage is shown today by the Huguenot Monument which stands at the end of the town. The museum nearby chronicles the history of the first settlers, with each of the original Huguenot farms having its own fascinating story to tell. The Cape Dutch architecture in much of the village is unspoilt, as restrictions have been placed on the extent of renovations and new construction in order to preserve the spirit of the original settlers to the area. Source.

I met up with my friend Dual at the historic railway station.

(Photo by Dual)

In 1904 a 27 km railway line was built between Paarl and Franschhoek to serve as an alternative to ox drawn carts for farmers wanting to get their produce to market. Steam locomotives operated along the route until diesel locomotives took over in the 1970s and then, in the 1990s, as the need for rail transport decreased, service along the railway line was discontinued.

Today it's a watering hole.

(Photo by Dual)

The railway line was reinstated in 2012 (after we were there) by a private operator and now sees service as the Franschhoek Wine Tram, a tourism project utilizing a newly constructed tram modeled after the open-sided Brill Trams of circa 1890 to transport tourists between wine estates in the area.

Looking at the pic above I can't help but notice that we resembled our bikes today. The one taller and thinner and the other, well, not.

As far as bikers are concerned Franschhoek is the most famous for one thing - Franschhoek Pass!

Franschhoek Pass is located between Franschhoek and Villiersdorp, a tarred pass with tight turns, precipitous edges and beautiful views. It's a fast road frequented by adrenalin junkies, superbikes and slow tourists, which does make it somewhat dangerous. The CB1000R was made for roads like this!

(Google Earth Placemark here.)

The view over Franschhoek from the top:

It's one of South Africa's most scenic passes and a pleasure to ride, but it was not always like this. It's also the site of South Africa's oldest ox-wagon trail called "Cats se Pad" (Cat's road).

In 1818, Samuel Johannes Cats used the footprints of the elephants that crossed into the valley to calve to construct a 10,5km long mountain pass and toll road joining Cape Town and the fertile Overberg region. The mountain pass was dangerously steep for ox wagons and horse carts and in 1825 “Cats se Pad” was replaced by the Holloway pass and it remained in service for 108 years before the Franschhoek pass was built.

Another piece of history that survived on this pass is the Jan Joubertsgat Bridge.

The bridge spans across a 5-metre kloof named after a frontiersman that died after an accident there in which the draught pole of his wagon broke. Built in 1825, it was incorporated into later constructions of the pass and is still in use today, the oldest stone bridge still in use in South Africa. It was declared a National Monument in 1979.

Built to last!

It's a beautiful spot and if you are a geocacher don't miss the cache placed here.

(Photo by Dual)

I love the history stuff, but the bike was calling. I still had to get to George so this is where the excitable CB1000R and the dependable XT660 parted ways.

One wouldn't think that this kind of bike could be a blast on a 400km stretch, but somehow it's not nearly as uncomfortable as a superbike. The wind gets bad around 200km/h (or so I hear...) but the adrenalin more than makes up for that. Fuel consumption was on the heavy side, but lets be honest, this is not the type of machine you do an economy run on.

One of the better test bikes I've had.

Pity it was discontinued in South Africa. Now I should just get my hands on the Super Duke.

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XL700V TransAlp

2014-09-12T13:14:00.000+02:00

24 June 2008

Today my new bike was born.

After what felt like an eternity of indecisiveness I decided on a 2nd bike. And I had the honour of opening the box myself!

This is the start of a whole new chapter.

This bike does not and can not replace the CTX or do what it does. The TA is a radical change, a different bike that does different things to the trail bike. It broadens the potential and compliments the "fleet" in the garage. The TA can do more mileage in less time and take a pillion. It won't go everywhere the CTX can but I will take it as far as it can go.

Both bikes will still get lots of riding time. Trail riding remains my first love.

25 June 2008

So.....

I got my bike today

After jumping through all the bank's hoops I got it just before 5pm.

Once again the service from Honda Wing George was absolutely superb!

I took ownership of a polished bike, with a FULL tank and a bottle of Champagne to boot!

I rolled it off the showroom floor myself:

It had 0km. Not 5km, not 1km, ZERO km!

What a feeling!

We had to be somewhere tonight, but I rode it some before and after. It is now sound asleep in my garage with 18km on the clock.

26 June 2008

Sheez. Night two and the bike only has 49km on the clock. Work, work, work. The weather forecast says it's raining cats and dog the next two days too. I just cannot catch a break.

I did make time to fiddle with the bike a bit this evening though.

I got some goodies today.

Extra tubes, tyre levers, bigger foot pegs and handle bar raisers:

The bike has lots of space underneath the seat, so I put the smaller levers in the back compartment...

...along with a tube. The toolkit, puncture kit, cloth, other tube and longer tyre lever went in the compartment in the front:

Next the handle bars had to be raised.

Standard:

I used the lowest setting of the raisers first (there are 3 settings) and it made a hell of a difference. I love it!

What I don't like is the metal finish. I will have the raisers powder coated black to make it blend in better (yeah, I'm a perfectionist).

Looks good from the cockpit side though.

Next up - foot pegs.

Standard:

Better:

View from the top:

Old and new:

The pegs are slightly higher so I had to adjust the gear lever a bit. Also, now I think the handles needs to be raised a bit more as well.

Hopefully I will be able to get a good ride in soon!

What next? Well, in time, better hand guards, crash bars, bash plate, knobblies.

This is a dual purpose bike, but mine will be as off-road ready as is possible. This bike will morph into a knobbly shod exploring machine. Watch this space!

08 July 2008

Today, while my bike got it's 1000km service, the new hand guards and tyres were added. The handle bars were also raised a little higher.

I really like the new look!

The new hand guards are steel enforced and "wrap around". No way I'll break a clutch leaver in a fall now.

1 September 2008

Some more additions added to the bike.

This weekend in Cape Town I visited my friend Topbox in his new store in Cape Town. Man he's got some nice stuff. I ended up leaving with Crash Bars, Soft luggage panniers, Soft luggage pannier brackets and a waterproof topbox & bracket with pillion backrest. Thanks Topbox! Great service and great products at a great price.

When I got home they were installed without delay.

Soft Luggage pannier brackets:

They fit nicely and work well. The panniers are the Kappa TK714 panniers. On first impression they look strong and durable. We'll be sure to test them soon!

Kappa Crash bars. They fasten to the frame - same as the Givi Crash Bars.

The Kappa K49 Topbox. This topbox is waterproof with a backrest for the pillion. Now Mrs. TR can ride in style.

The finished product with all the luggage fitted:

The bike is really taking shape now. Next priority is a bash plate and a different exhaust without a catalitic converter. The "CAT" is too low and needs to go.

Mrs. TR and I can't wait to test the new stuff on a trip. Maybe a quick one-nighter soon.

18 February 2009

The TKC tyres performed admirably and the rear tyre lasted 7000km. I've replaced the rear with another TKC. The front tyre is still fine could probably go for another 7000km (they were used on gravel and tar - aprox. 50/50). These tyres are good on tar and excellent on dirt, but the biggest advantage in my opinion is the increase in braking performance on dirt.

12 March 2009

Next update - Kappa hard luggage added and CAT removed!

Without the CAT the bike is (thankfully) not louder but the sound is deeper or "throatier". It also feels like it pulls better right through the rev range. The difference:

Old photo - see CAT under the bike just in front of the back wheel.

CAT gone!

Now I can't wait for the Touratech bashplate to arrive!

The hard luggage brackets are also much better than the old ones. The old ones were functional in keeping the soft luggage away from the exhaust and wheel, but that was it.

The new brackets are very sturdy and will act as crash bars as well.

The old:

The new:

When I visited the Honda Riding Academy I was impressed that the TA's crashed so well (the two that did go down). The one thing that were exposed and did break easily were the indicators.

These brackets offer good protection for the indicators.

And of course they can be used for both the soft and the hard luggage.

Hard luggage fitted:

I am very satisfied. The bike looks real good in real life. Next farkle to be added: bash plate!

28 May 2009

So finally my bash plate arrived from Germany and got fitted today!

This is serious hardware and a long overdue replacement for that plastic cowl fairing.

The bash plate fits perfectly with the crash bars and like the crash bars it's mounted to the frame of the bike. Bottom protection goes all the way back and protects the whole engine.

The bike now is very close to the final product I want.

9 September 2009

I took the Tourances that was temporarily fitted off again today. They really are not ideal for off road riding.

I fitted a Continental TKC front again. I doubt if I'll ever use any other tyre in front as this proved to be perfect for the type of riding I do.

For the rear I decided to try a Heidenau. It not much cheaper than the TKC but I am told it will last twice as long. I hope so as the TKC rear tyres only lasted 6000km!

The bike looks great!

At last I have my off road Tourer.

Next I'll be looking at fork boots and radiator protectors.

23 December 2009

New Tool Tube fitted!

The new Tool Tube takes: Spare Tube, Patch kit, 3 x tyre levers, 2 x spanners, 2 x gas bombs and a regulator (not in pic).

It fits nice and secure behind my pannier bracket on the side opposite to the exhaust. It's fastened with 6 x cable ties so its easy to remove and refastened if need be.

It blends in with the bike nicely and is hardly noticeable.

31 January 2010

Today my new TransAlp arrived!

After careful consideration on which new bike to buy and even some test rides it was once again apparant that if you want a Midsized Pillion Adventure Tourer there is nothing on the market in South Africa that can rival the TransAlp, especially on price.

Due to some delays with the courier the bike only arrived today (on the Sunday). Honda Wing George opened up especially for me and the Dealer Principle himself and a mechanic came in to transfer all the farkles off my old bike onto my new bike.

I arrived at Honda George at 10:30 and left at 15:15. What other dealer do you know that would be willing to do that? And it didn't cost me a cent! The transfer of the farkles was part of the deal.

New bike - 0km. Not 10km, not 5km, not 1.5km, 0KM! New bike!

It's a great feeling getting a new bike whatever it is. I am so grateful for this blessing that's come my way!

She sleeps in my garage tonight with 4km on the clock.

Tomorrow we get rid of the sissy tyres and fit brand new TKC's as well as fork boots and we get rid of the CAT.

1 February 2010

TKC's and Fork Boots fitted!

I am very happy with the result so far. She is one mean looking machine!

Tomorrow the CAT will be removed and I also had a meeting with a graphic designer to make me some decals for the side covers. On my recent EC trip I found that the pillion's boots scuffs the side panels, so I want so protection for those. In stead of just sticking some sticker there I decided to have a decal designed that will match the decals on the fairing and blend in with the bike.

3 February 2010

CAT removed!

3 July 2010

Sorted the squeaks in the head unit - one of the known issues on some TA's. My first bike didn't have have this problem, this one did. Easily sorted though:

First I took apart my bike's head unit:

Next I got patch (yes, good old puncture fix patch) and cut them to size:

Now I used the patch as "washers" between the places where the head unit screwed together:

Problem solved! Not a squeak to be heard! Everything screwed back together nice and tight.

I have also had the decals I wanted designed and will have them on the bike as soon as I can find a professional who can do it well.

10 July 2010

I have fitted a 140 Mitas E 09 tyre to my TransAlp. This tyre is much wider than other 140 tyres it seems.

I love this tyre. Nice ride on both gravel and tar. Most of all I love the aggressive look!

I hope it lasts longer than the TKC.

4 January 2011

Update: The tyre finally came to the end of it's life. It lasted almost 11 000km but to be fair I should have replaced it after 10 000km already. 10 000km!

I did not baby this tyre, in fact, it was abused somewhat. It did 50% of it's life on tar, a lot of that 2-up and heavily loaded.

It did 160km/h regularly and did 180km/h a couple of times, including a 10km stint trying to chase down Smidty's V-Strom when the tyre was only a 1000km old. I really expected to find some knobs missing after that but this tyre never missed a beat.

I will be getting another one. It comes highly recommended!

8 January 2011

Kappa High Screen fitted:

I never wanted to fit a higher screen as I did not like the look. The Honda high screen especially spoiled the whole look of the TransAlp for me. Then I came across this High Screen from Kappa. It's not too high, blends in with the lines of the bike nicely and it's "smoked black" look really compliments the black bike.

I never realized what a big difference a high screen would make! It's a HUGE improvement on the road.

I will be running my Tourance tyres until my new set of tyres get here. I will be getting a TKC (front) and Mitas E09 (rear) combo. Real aggressive knobblies that will give me 10 000km of serfvice.

16 March 2011

Look what I came across today...

Recognise it?

It's my first bike! Yes, the red one. The owner had a "disagreement" with a truck. Luckily he is OK. The bike had to have some work done though and he decided to go with the silver plastics.

Looks totally different from when I had it. The new owner is very happy with it and apart from the "off" he hasn't had a single problem the bike.

12 September 2014

Well, it's been a while since this post has been updated. I'm happy to report that the TransAlp is still ticking over without a problem. It is now four and a half years old and it's had a hard life. Lot's of gravel travel and living right next to the ocean takes it's toll. Luckily it's a Honda so everything keeps going right.

It needed some maintenance and TLC so when my fork seal popped recently I decided to give it a makeover. It's a work in progress, but here is what I have done so far:

It started with the mirrors that showed signs of rust erosion. Note that these are not the original Honda mirrors, but an aftermarket set I fitted after one of my original mirrors broke.

I decided not to go with round mirrors again and chose a more rectangular shape. I thinks it fits the bike well.

Next I had a look at the cockpit area.

Some work to be done here also. Firstly I noticed some rust on the handles below the mirror stalks. This could have been caused by the cheap mirrors, I'm not sure:

I also found some rust on the clamps:

And I REALLY got a scare from the bottom:

Lastly I had some stone chips on the forks itself:

Since all of this had to be taken apart to fit the new fork seals anyway I decided to fix all of it and powder-coat the forks and clamps.

New handles and grips:

The stone-chipped forks were powder-coated black. I really looked forward to see how this would look on the bike! I also decided to replace the forkboots I cut off the bike on it's Ride-in Ride.

The old rusted handles weren't rusted as much as I thought. These promptly found their way onto my friend's KLE.

As it turns out the clamps looked much worse than it was also. These are castings so will never rust through. The rust I saw was surface rust only (inevitable when you live next to the ocean I guess) and it cleaned up easily and nicely. No need to powder-coat them in the end.

New grips fitted:

The new cockpit area:

And the new look with black forks and boots:

Not bad for a bike that's almost five years old.

Tyre combo at the moment is a Metzeler Karoo in front and a Michelin T63 rear. Happy with the combo so far. Will see what mileage I get.

Future plans for the bike is to re-coat the crashbars and maybe black out the spokes. I also plan to fit some spotlights, LED indicators and maybe an on-board camera. Will keep you posted!

1 October 2014

Black spokes done!

It's an idea I've played with for a while, but seemed such a mission to re-spoke a wheel. Then, purely by chance I happened on Designer Spokes, a South African company with a cheap and easy way to transform your spokes!

I bought a set from my mate Piston Pete at Outriders in Cape Town and I am very happy with the result!

I also started to replace various nuts and bolts with stainless steel. Next is the re-coating of the crashbars - already booked for next week.

"Because this is the Bike I Like!"

More updates to follow...

In the market for a new XL700V TransAlp? My thoughts on ABS, or not to ABS...

Also see my post on known TA700 niggles and issues here.

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Biking in Eden

2014-04-07T12:51:00.000+02:00

We're on the bikes every chance we get. A short ride here, a quick hop there. Not enough to warrant a report of any kind, but we do have pictures that showcase our awesome everyday playground. This is indeed biking in Eden. Enjoy.

7 April 2014 - Introduction to Dirt.

My friend Bossie invested in a new bike: A Yamaha TDM850.

He is used to road bikes but this was his first foray onto dirt. I eased him into it on the seven passes road - a mix of tar and dirt.

These were taken on the Touw River Pass:

We did five of the passes that day.

After the ride we had to stop at a local watering hole to calm his nerves.

12 April 2014 - Kaaimans Pass

On a beautiful Saturday morning my wife and I took a quick spin to Wilderness. In Kaaimans Pass we stopped to snap this cellphone pic:

The railway in the background used to carry the Outeniqua Choo Tjoe, the last remaining continually-operated passenger steam train in Africa. The railway that dates from 1928 was damaged beyond repair in 2006 due to heavy flooding. A huge loss to the area.

In 2008, the train and the Kaaiman's River Bridge were featured in a television advertisement for Stella Artois.

13 April 2014 - Map of Africa

A Quick late afternoon ride with Gravelmad to the Map of Africa.

Map of Africa in Wilderness look out point is situated near Hoekwil and the way the river runs make it look like Africa. It is a very popular paraglyding spot and has spectacular views.

Apologies for the quality of the Cellphone pics.

19 April 2014 - A Peek over Montagu Pass

A Saturday morning ride with no destination or route in particular. Ended up going over Montagu Pass for a quick ride through the Klein Karoo.

A lesser known gravel road near Herold, a small hamlet in the mountains.

Paarde Poort:

And home via Montagu Pass:

10 August 2014 - Another Introduction to Dirt.

Another convert to dirt - my friend Boats bought a KLE500 and this was his first trip on dirt.

On top of Montagu Pass:

Of course Gravelmad never misses out on a ride, he's put thousands of kilometers on that XR already.

Old faithful. Never misses a beat:

Riding on a new tyre combo of Metzeler Karoo in front and a Michelin T63 on the rear. Happy so far. We'll see what mileage I get.

Gravelmad's Gogglecam:

Near Herold:

Paarde Poort - always a favourite:

Klein Karoo gravel:

This little bloke got up to 60km/h!

Hitting the gravel near Oudtshoorn:

Church in Volmoed / Armoed:

Close to Klein Brak:

Successful first gravel ride done!

12 August 2014 - Stint to Sedgefield.

Late afternoon ride to Sedgefield. Just as the ride started I got stopped by a bloke from Graaf Reinet on a 800GSA. He recognized me from the Ride Reports en promptly joined our ride. Nice to meet you Dorsland!

Touw River:

Pitstop at Windpomp in Sedgefield:

Heading Home:

31 August 2014 - Geocaching at the Big Tree.

Sunday's are made for riding. This was 'n quick ride to the Big Tree near Hoekwil.

They weren't kidding!

Beautiful Old Giant!

7 September 2014 - On Top of the World.

Another Sunday ride. I wanted to show Gravelmad a little known lookout point on Outeniqua mountain. Just as we were about to leave one of Gravelmad's friends showed up, so he joined the ride!

Two 125's and a TransAlp.

The incredible view over the Southern Cape farmland:

Took some Trailriding to get there!

14 September 2014 - A Proper Trip for the Newcomers.

This was the first proper outride for Boats and Bossie, with lots of thrills and even a spill.

This ride will become a Ride Report. Watch this space...

20 September 2014 - Another Newcomer!

First run with this exquisite NC750X. All tar unfortunately as it's still being readied for Dual Sport. First change will be tyres!

This is an awesome lookout point in Hersham near Groot Brak, overlooking the island and lake.

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