Intro Gs911 ad Leatte ad Motogear ad Sandboarding Cape Town ad Giant Loop Moto Review Mitas Tire Special Detour to the breede.
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Contents
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Issue 8t33n I think I still have dirt in my mouth! I did just under 2000km the last couple of weeks and that was just a little bit of casual riding.
the best piece of single person soft luggage kit out there. But obviously, you will have to read a little further.
I met up with some of the Southern Cape guys, to ride with them back down to the Western Cape to attend the Breede bash just outside Wocerter. Man what a bunch of awesome guys! The ride took us through the Karroo and some of the greatest dirt roads in South Africa!
Have a great holiday and I will be here when you guys get back! Be safe on the roads!
I also had a chance to test what I believe is
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Enjoy the issue, I would like you guys to support our advertisers because without them, we wont be here. Till next month!
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Featured Gear
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Featured Gear
I was really excited when I got handed the Great Basin and Fandango tank bag from Giant Loop Moto. This piece of kit has been hugely popular in the states with the smaller endure-type bikes and also the less travel orientated dual sport monsters, such as the HP2 and the 950 Super Enduro. Panniers on these bikes are nearly unheard of as their rear rack carrying capacity is almost next to nothing. This is where the Great Basin bag from Giant Loop Moto comes in. Now, fortunately, the Africa Twin is actually a pack donkey and it’s most popular with world travelers alike. Often mostly seen with panniers and a top box, the Great Basin did not look out of place. The bag takes approximately 50 liters and although I squeezed so much in there, 10
I really thought the zips were going to pop. The zips are military grade dust proof zips and I can tell you they work very well. The material, waterproof bombshell, also known as Vinyl coated polyester, is tough, durable, dust and waterproof. The bag is supplied with 4 internal bags; you can either use them or not - I chose to. Heavy items were pushed to the bottom, my clothes for the week were tucked just above, with my sleeping bag in the center and my air mattress on top. This is where I thought that there was no way that these
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Featured Gear
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New Rides
zips would hold. Well, they did and after numerous opening and closing, they still do. It cleverly straps 3 sets of straps to the rear rack; 2 bottom straps, straps to the foot pegs and 2 middle straps fasten around anything you can find. This bag is so secure; it does not shake or even shift 12
in any slight way; perfect for any rocky or technical riding situations which you may come across. There is really no competition for this product - forget the conventional bags and racks‌ they are not needed. The Fandango tank bag is a 10 liter waterproof tank bag with
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an un-zipable base which detaches from the actual bag itself, so you can zip it off when you are leaving the bike in those dark side streets. It’s best used with big dual sport bikes with high center fuel caps (think XR650) but I decided to use it anyway. This bag is perfect for carrying your cellphone, wallet, sunnies, small medpack, Garmin GPS (when not in use) and even a cap for when you don’t have your lid on; even then, there is still space for more. The straps, made of the same vinyl coated polyester as the bag, uses the same spec military zips. It’s also available in 3 differ-
ent colors, yellow, orange and black and is a perfect supplement for needing something small on the front when your 25liter tank bag is not needed. Please contact Altus Pienaar for any trade or retail enquiries. He can be reached on 0727688003 or altus@redskyadventures. co.za
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Detour to the bash Adventure Magazine
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Ride Report
and onto Mosselbay. I had some lunch in Montagu, at the Rambling Rose; a fancy burger and a cappuccino came to R44-00 un-believable!
So 2 weeks prior to the bash commencing, I had this great idea of riding to George to return with the Southern Cape The wind at this point was hurlguys to the Breede Bash just ing me all over the road; even outside Worcester. I planned my routes pretty carefully and at the speed limit it was tiring. Barrydale was a quick fuel stop re-rode some of the previous roads I took while at the Cape and it was there that I turned Adventure Bike Challenge. Only onto the brown stuff. What a this time, I was on my own, at relief! No more tar till Herbertsmy own snail’s pace and ready dale. All right, I had a little tar on the R323 just outside Gysfor plenty of photos. I departed from Riebeek West manshoek Pass, but I turned and rode to Wellington, where towards Van Wyksdorp and continued to push to the coast. I quickly stopped for some gum, batteries for my GPS and I passed over the Gouritz River and approached Cloetes Pass Camera. I then proceeded up Bainskloof Pass and the weather not much later. I inflated my was, well, starting to intimidate tires in Herbertsdale as the last me with the occasional drop hit- 40km to Mosselbay was going to ting my visor. Bainskloof is just be a little quicker‌ at this stage, one of those roads you have to I was tired and hungry. ride out of Cape Town, but is unfortunately a little time con- I got to Mosselbay and was greeted by the boys in blue, just suming, so it put me back by checking to see if I had the necabout 30 minutes. essary paperwork to operate the twin. I handed the goodies over Eventually I pushed on to and was quickly on my way to Worcester and hit some road works. It was also there where my spot at Hartenbos. Distance the wind is made and eviden- for the day, 413km. tially so. It bugged me all the The morning came quickly and way through the Klein Karroo 18
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Entering the filling station in George Adventure Magazine
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Ride Report
Well, the road actually led into the Moordkuil River and out the there was even more wind other side, roughly 200-300methan the previous day. Perhaps ters of wet and slippery rocky the real wind factory is in the riverbed, knee deep in water‌ Southern Cape? I took the R328 guess who had wet boots? out of Hartenbos towards the This road continued to sweep Botlierskop Lodge. I kept think- through the farms for another ing to myself, the Southern 40km until I hit the last bit of Cape is just so beautiful. I was 5km into George - the Southloving every moment of this ern Cape roads are just magiroad; just an hour earlier, I was cal! contemplating taking the N2 to George. I was really happy I got to George and met up I stuck with my decision. With with the guys who were planthe recent rains in the area, I ning on riding down. I quickly got to my first river crossing. threw down a peppersteak pie
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Cassie -
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Ride Report
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Ride Report
dorp. Our destination for the evening was the Gamkapoort and a Play energy drink and dam, just off the Seweweekoff we were. It was my first spoort Pass. Extremely primitive time up Montague Pass and with no electricity, we decided what a great little road. A quick to just spend the evening chatbeer stop at the top and we ting and braai’ng the meat on were on our way again. It was the fire. quickly becoming evident that the Karoo was coming closer. Up early and on the road. Roads were getting flatter and Around 8 am we had breakfast the straights were seemed to in Ladysmith where Bermrooster get longer. By now the sun and I decided to split up from was getting lower and we the pack so we could get to our were pushing on pretty hard to destination early. We had only Calitzdorp. Bermrooster ran out 3 hours to do around 300km. of fuel 8km outside Calitzdorp This is where his HP2 simply and another quick beer stop shined. He would pull light years gave him enough fuel in the 2 on my Africa Twin on the gravel. 340ml tins to get him to Calitz- The suspension is just so much
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Ride Report
Endless dirt roads. 26
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Ride Report better. At some points he was probably 5km ahead of me and all I could do was attempt to follow his dust trail. I’m now convinced those 2 cylinder pots sticking out act like wings or something. As we passed Anysberg on the right and kept on pushing, the sun was beating down pretty hard and all I wanted to do was get there so I can set up camp and relax. In no time, really, we got to Montague, filled up with fuel and shot through to the camp site. Fenderbender had a little sandy route planned on a farm which he managed to get access to and very few of us were going to pass this up. My bike, full of luggage, hit the road together with a handful of HP2’s, Xr650R’s and the occasional Xt660. The sand was just too soft. I managed to run a mere 5 meters into it and my back Anakee just bogged down. It was almost like quicksand, only it was dry. I eventually managed 28
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Evening entertainment with some good company and drinks...
Cassie telling some great stories to Mike and Rene. Adventure Magazine
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to turn the Twin around and head back to camp. The guys were still having a fun time on the sand though! The evening was spent braai’ng, having a couple (okay a lot) of drinks and singing merely into the morning. I went to bed around 00:30 and awoke 05:00 – why? I don’t know. Perhaps it was the neighboring tents chopping down the trees with the snoring? Or maybe it was the cold… Rudi and I decided it was time for a proper breakfast and shot through to Worcester where we had the biggest breakfast we could find. Something greasy always goes down well on mornings like these. We hopped onto the N1 and rode through to Paarl where we split up and both went our own directions. Good times spent with great people often makes one appreciate things more. Thanks for a great trip guys.
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