Wheels 6 aug 2015

KTM s f r u s

e k bi wave PAGE 6

CARS WANTED

August 6, 2015

Exotic,luxury and supercars WANTED FOR CASH must be low mileage and mint condition, email pics and brief description to ashgani@telkomsa.net

Witness

WHEELS

ADVERTISING: AVIR THULSIRAM ON 084 278 3447

City Logistics stages first competition for top drivers

Truckers vie for top prizes ALWYN VILJOEN CITY Logistics last weekend held its first top driv­ ers’ competition, with 10 finalists competing in the worthy event for KZN fleet operators.

Logistics guru in KZN, Dave Scott, was on hand to report on the event for Fleeetwatch, alongside Wheels, as both titles want to encourage KZN’s many fleet operators to follow City Logistics’ lead by hosting more driver of the year competitions in order to raise safety on SA’s roads.

The first prize of R10 500 in City Logistics’ com­ petition went to Samson Mofokeng, the second prize of R7 500 to Anesh Sundar and the third prize of R5 500 to Gilbert Chimvinga.

All 10 City Logistics’ finalists were treated to a gala dinner on the night before the day­long com­ petition. At his speech during the gala dinner, City Logistics’ national fleet manager Clint Brooke hinted at one of the reasons why City Logistics has grown so fast.

In explaining why each of the prizes ended on R500, he said this was for the drivers, as he knew the rest would go to the wives.

All the drivers who Wheels spoke to said City is the first company they have driven for that gives them time with their families, instead of trying to squeeze in another “quick” six­day trip to Cape Town.

Transport director Anthony Naicker said the safety of both drivers and loads is paramount at City. No truck will leave the yard if there is not enough time in the day to reach the next depot within the company’s stipulated hours.

The test day started with a tough theoretical multiple­question exam, followed by even tougher practicals hosted by Jonke training. (One of the easier questions in the exam asked how much faster a tyre would wear if the tyres pressure went down by 0,7% bar.) For the practical test, the drivers were rated on their rig inspection before being rat­ ed on the road, and in the yard they had to execute

a difficult alley dock with a three­axle trailer, then turn the rig in a tight space before snaking through a lane without touching the obstacles. The space was very tight and in the ribald but tense atmos­ phere, very few drivers managed to dock their rig without making several small mistakes.

Brook said the weekend’s event was City’s first competition, based on similar driver competitions conducted at Spar. Drivers were selected on their Mercedes­Benz Fleetboard scores. The Fleetboard system awards points up to 10 for smooth driving and the best in South Africa at the moment is 9,95.

To get to such a score, a driver has to be one with the topography of the route, concentrating every second to feed just enough diesel into the engine on the inclines and use the momentum of the load to maintain speed down hills.

Good truck drivers don’t touch the brakes unless it is to bring the rig to a gentle stop. As the saying goes: “Bad drivers brake, good drivers regulate”, which is why truck drivers get antsy when a motor­ ist nips in front of the truck’s nose, only to realise too late there is no space and then slam on brakes.

Explaining the various names connected to City, from Couriers to Linehaul, marketing manager at City Logistics, Tessa Geyser, said City Logistics is the new umbrella name for the group which has grown organically since its dyslexic founder Rich­ ard Fisher saw a gap to deliver legal documents in Durban in 1988. But their long­standing clients just call them “City”.

City Logistics’ top 10 drivers: Thomas Moletsane Charles Baleni Micheal Govender Paul Nyikadzino Anesh Sundar (second) Henk Goosen Samson Mofokeng (first) Gilbert Chimvinga (third Sifelani Sibanda Peter Mawononga.

ASH EXOTICS

Dealers in Superfine Exotic and Sports Cars Tel: 033 345 1971, 033 342 4717 Fax: 033 342 2900 - www.ashcarsales.co.za 534/550 Church Street, Pietermaritzburg 3201

Ash 083 786 3377

… NOW YOU’RE MOTORING

Guess the wheels #6

CONGRATULATIONS to Thishen Swaminathan for guessing the right Valiant in our Guess the Wheels #5. Now try this yellow bakkie for a chance to win a goodie bag from City Logistics, which contains a memory stick, cap and stationery.

Wheeled events in KZN: • August 15: Show your car’s acceleration at the Hesketh race track in Hayfields, PMB. Entry is R200 per car, R20 per spectator. Pre­entries only and space is filling up fast with 50 cars expected. Register at www.dyperformance.co.za Phone Desmond at 083 641 0356 for more.

• August 16: The friendliest group of motorbikers in KZN is riding to the Pot and Kettle in Hillcrest. Pre­ride meeting and registration is at 6.30 pm on August 14 at the VSCC at 121 Oribi Road in PMB. Phone host Leon Boddington at 083 561 8472 for more.

• September 5: The Msunduzi Hospice Car Fair will this year be a moving affair at Linpark High School. Take a ride in a spinning car, test ride your dream wheels, be thrilled in a 4x4 climb and collect the treasure­hunt maps in this paper from next week for a chance to win.

PHOTO: ALWYN VILJOEN

About Hugo’s Speed Shop is a Automotive Body Repairer who specialises in cosmetic (non structural repairs) as well a hail dent repairs (paintless dent removal). We promise a fast turnaround time when repairing vehicles.

Guarantee All workmanship conducted includes a 12 month guarantee or a period equal to the manufacturers body warranty. This offers you peace of mind knowing that the repairs conducted to your vehicle have been executed to the highest possible standard.

Paint Warranty We are proud to offer a 3 year warranty on our paintwork. We are currently using the PPG Water Borne System preferred paints for most of the major manufacturers and is one of the best products available

2

WitnessWheels MOTORING

August 6, 2015

Needle stays up after 100 km After a long drive, DAVE FALL gives VW’s new and stylish ‘supermini’ a definite thumbs up!

WHAT struck me most about the VW up! during a launch drive was the down­to­earth ticket price for the little hatch.

The starting price was R133 500, and this buys you inge­ nuity, charisma and bags of safety features.

Under the bonnet is a lively 999cc 12­valve motor that devel­ ops 55 kW/95 Nm and drives a five­speed gearbox whose ratios, I found on a test drive, “hit the spot” almost perfectly, allowing this diminutive motor to buzz along nicely at 3 500 rpm at the national speed limit.

TWO DOORS ENOUGH? My average fuel consumption figures of 5,1 litres/100 km (two adults and small suitcases) over a 140 km test route weren’t that far removed from the suggested factory figures.

Handling proved excellent whether on major or minor roads, with the ride always com­ fortable and composed.

Provided you can manage with a two­door car (no four­door ver­ sions as yet as pricing presuma­ bly too close to the VW Vivo of­ ferings), the well­kitted up! rep­ resents all the very latest design/build quality cues from VW Europe — from top to bot­ tom — and that’s a good thing.

But where the Vivo is function­

The interior of the VW up! is an excellent example of good industrial design, with all mod cons presented in minimalist style.

PHOTOS: QUICKPIC al, comfortable and dare I say a little dull, the Up! manages to be just as functional and user­ friendly, but with a touch of real character.

The interior is spacious and the seats are comfortable with plenty of back support.

The soft­moulded facia is

broad and well laid­out, flowing beautifully into the detailing of the inner doors.

All controls are easy to reach and the instruments are func­ tional and attractive, and al­ though there’s plenty of plastic, it does seem to be of a good quali­ ty.

Cup holders and a generous “glove compartment” (amazing how that term hangs in there al­ though I’ve never seen anybody put a pair of gloves in one) mean you don’t have to fiddle around looking for a place to put things out of sight when parking up! (if you’ll excuse the pun).

WARRANTY

WARRANTY

3 Year / 120 000km

3 Year / 120 000km

CHOICE OF 2

R124 900

R124 900 2015 Take UP!

2015 Move UP!

For right­hand­drive markets such as that of South Africa, the car is sourced from Slovakia in Europe and is well­specced with aircon, power­assisted steering and power windows standard.

PRACTICAL FUN The extensive options’ list in­

cludes a sunroof (R8 000) and even a winter pack for R3 500 that includes fog lights, heatable seats and warmed­up exterior mirrors. Corny as that package may sound, it is not such a bad idea come winter here in SA and particularly on the highveld.

It’s undoubtedly a practical runabout, but that’s not to say you couldn’t drive further afield should the need arise. The up! will find lots of buyers young and old, but is arguably more suited to youngsters/students needing safe and reliable transport to and from, say, university.

To sum up, factor in a five­star Ncap rating and the up! is a “no­ brainer”. If you can live with a two­door car then the up! might well do it for you.

The launch price has since in­ creased, of course, but the con­ sumption has not. Wheels editor Alwyn Viljoen, who drives like a miser when he has to pay his own fuel bills, tells how he had trouble explaining to the Europe Car rental man that he had not filled up the tank after driving from King Shake Airport to Oribi This despite the fuel needle not having moved after the 100 km journey.

Each up! model comes with a three­year or 120 000 km war­ ranty and a 12­year anti­corro­ sion warranty. Service intervals are 15 000 km. — Wheels24.

WARRANTY

3 Year / 120 000km

CHOICE OF 2

R124 900 2015 Take UP!

A/C, P/Steering, ABS, Airbags, Radio/CD, 3 000km A/C, P/Steering, ABS, Airbags, Radio/CD, 3 000km A/C, P/Steering, ABS, Airbags, Radio/CD, 3 000km

2015 Take UP!

A/C, P/Steering, ABS, Airbags, Radio/CD, 3 000km

*The advised price exclude the 2 year Mastercars Warranty. The Mastercars Warranty is available as an option and is a contract between the customer, an insurer and administrator.

This extended Warranty is not available for all Amarok and Light Commercial Vehicle models.

Terms & conditions apply. While stocks last.

Barons

Pietermaritzburg

9 Armitage Road, Pietermaritzburg, 3201 • Tel: 033 845 3100

New Sales Consultants: Alison Wiltshire – 082 783 8855 John Brown – 082 645 4396 • Merglin Rama – 083 382 4589 Menzi Ngubane – 073 534 8545 • Bahle Bhengu – 082 337 5825 Erica Neff – 082 858 7749 • Thando Gumede – 078 969 8072 Keshnee Pillay – 073 372 1452

BP Advertising

R124 900

Offers exclusive to Barons Pietermaritzburg.

Visit or contact us today for these great specials and many more.

e&oe

WARRANTY

3 Year / 120 000km

MOTORING WitnessWheels

August 6, 2015

3

A delightfully capable hatch AMIL UMRAW is happy to report the new Corsa 1,0 offers a lot more than the Corsa Lite of yore WHEELING its way onto South African shores this year is the all new Corsa, fully loaded with all the bells and whistles you may not have expected from Opel in this segment.

Since the Corsa Lite flooded the market back in the 90s, Opel never really found its feet, pro­ ducing cars that people de­ scribed with terms that ranged from “average” and to “noncha­ lant”.

However, spending a few days in the range­topping Cosmo edi­ tion, the fifth generation Corsa has left quite the impression of a well­rounded city vehicle — with the potential to catch the eyes of the consumer back to the Opel brand here in South Africa.

ENGINE AND SUSPENSION At the heart of the Corsa is a one­ litre turbocharged power plant taken directly from the car’s younger brother, the Adam.

The engine is featured across the range and is delightfully ca­ pable of 85 kW and 170 Nm which will easily zap you through traffic or barrel you down the highway at 190 km/h with a lot more gumption in the six­speed manual transmission than you might expect.

The turbo lag is noticeable, but it does not take too much away from the car when the sus­ pension is as good as it is.

The Corsa features a new sub frame and an optimised rear axle which results in a smooth drive.

Opel has also done well to tight­ en the suspension making cor­ nering sharper and the feel of the steering a lot more controlled.

There is also a 1,4 naturally as­ pirated offering that only comes

BELLS AND WHISTLES Standard across the 1,0 litre range is a stop/start system, a speed­sensitive power steering with “city mode” that makes manoeuvrability effortless in bustling CBDs, traction control, Hill Start Assist and of course ABS, EBD, ESP and all the little things you expect to find.

However, with the range­top­ ping Cosmo, you get a sleek sev­ en­inch touch screen entertain­ ment system, park­distance con­ trol, cruise control, rain sensor wipers, cornering lights and a whole lot more that you proba­ bly will never use. Oh, it also parks itself for an added fee.

The Corsa one­litre runs a ring around its 1,4 stable mate, and then slams a bolt of lightning through that ring.

PHOTO: IAN CARBUTT with an automatic gearbox by the way — but after driving it, I would not recommend it.

Opel claims a combined fuel consumption of 5 l/100 km on the one­litre and 6 l/100 km on the 1,4, but neither Wheels editor Alwyn Viljoen nor I managed to reach that. I only managed to get about 200 km in the car and the least I could get it down to is 6,2 l/100 km — I could blame my weak right ankle, but Viljoen gets 4,2 l/100 km from his old 1,9 tur­ bo diesel, so he can do frugal.

STYLING Built from the ground up, the Corsa resembles none of its pre­ decessors. It is sharp, refined and sophisticated — both inside and out. The exterior has flowing contours and well sculpted proportions, a good fit be­ tween sexy and cute.

Stepping inside, you are wel­ comed by an array of ambient lighting that reflects off the chrome inserts that, with the dark black textures and racy di­ als, gives the car a sophisticat­

ed allure. The only thing I have a problem with is the number of controls clustered onto the steering wheel.

There’s just so many that I

have to take my eyes of the road to see what I’m pressing.

Someone should whisper to the designers the latest trend is back to “less is more”.

PRICING Indeed, the Corsa has some tough competition in the B­seg­ ment from the Ford Fiesta, Ren­ ault Clio, Mazda 2 and of course the fan favourite VW Polo.

The Corsa starts at R185 500 for the 1,0T Essentia which does not come standard with an air­ conditioner or even a radio!

The Enjoy model at R216 000 will give you everything you need. And lastly, the Cosmo at about R236 000 comes with ev­ erything you need plus a little to show off with as well. All come with a five­year or 120 000 km warranty and a three­year or 60 000 km service plan.

‘No competition’ for new Sedona The Kia Sedona offers drivers a luxurious passenger mover from half a million rands.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC

90520 ADMAKERS.COM

KIA Motors South Africa has launched five new versions of the new Grand Sedona.

Passenger movers can choose between two engine options as well as seven and 11 seat configu­ rations, with three generous specification levels (EX, SX and SXL).

KIA South Africa’s marketing director David Sief said: “We are very excited about the all­new Grand Sedona, not only because it is the final model in the KIA line­up to re­ ceive the Peter Schrey­ er design treatment, but also because it en­ ters the South African market as a true family vehicle.

“With it’s unique combination of cut­ ting­edge design, high specification levels throughout the model line­up and competi­ tive pricing, it has no competition when it comes to quality, space and luxury.”

Prices for the five­ model range start at R499 995 for the Grand Sedona 2.2 CRDi EX 7­Seat and go up to R649 995 for the Grand Sedona 3.3 V6 SXL 7­seat. The price of the Grand Sedona 3.3 V6 SXL 11­Seat is still to be confirmed.

OPEL CORSA ENJOY

* R20 000 DEAL ASSISTANCE

from GMSA FINANCIAL SERVICES.

12” 1400W DVC.................... R 599.

The new Corsa.

THE NEW OH! CONTACT OUR DEDICATED OPEL SALES TEAM FOR TAILOR-MADE DEALS!

Driven by you

TEL: 033 345 2542

2 Peter Kerchoff (Chapel Street), Pietermaritzburg Fax: 033 394 3199 | Email: pmb@keygroup.co.za | www.keygroup.co.za

Orie Pillay 084 915 8254

Byron Smith 072 254 3971

Moosa Mohamed 072 378 7687

Rowade Rajah 083 456 4010

Prishen Ramsamy 072 084 1312

*Terms & Conditions Apply. Model/s shown may differ. Errors & Omissions Excepted.

Model shown: Opel Corsa Cosmo

4

WitnessWheels MOTORING

August 6, 2015

The power of the moment BRIAN BASSETT binds the BMW 330d Automatic with a speed limiter to stay out of trouble I HAVE driven BMWs for more than 25years.

Mostly the 3­series but here and there a 5­series. The main reason I continue to drive these Bavarian chariots is not only be­ cause of their build quality and peppy engines, but also because of their handling and driver fo­ cus.

I am grateful to Allen Neave of SMG Pietermaritzburg for al­ lowing me a few days with the 330d M­sport package, which was most enjoyable.

The 3­series not surprisingly appeals to the young and the young at heart.

The face­lifted 3­series launched earlier this year is large­ ly all about changes under the hood and not about the exterior.

The car remains as it was with the typical BMW kidney grill at the front, flanked by swept­back headlight modules and fog lights built into the front bumper.

The tail lights which dominate the rear end are now full LED lights. The short overhangs, the long wheel base and coupe­like roof styling, as well as the 19­ inch, double seven­spoke light al­ loy wheels give the 3­series a dis­ tinctive and athletic design per­ sonality, which stands out wherever it goes.

The interior is well put togeth­ er and ergonomically excellent.

The seats and doors are fin­ ished in soft leather, as is the mul­ ti­function, three­spoke steering wheel which, together with the comfortable front sports seats, is fully adjustable.

The steering controls func­ tions like cruise control, Blue­ tooth and the fine, six­speaker CD/Aux/USB audio system can also be linked to a series of elec­ tronic wonders, which may be purchased as optional extras.

The dashboard is typically BMW with four analogue gauges and a screen operated by a cen­ trally­placed controller, which displays a range of information about the vehicle and your jour­ ney.

The vehicle I drove came with a sunroof which lit a somewhat formal black interior.

Space and safety The rear seats take two passen­ gers comfortably and I liked the wide, central armrest which in­ creased rear passenger comfort levels.

The boot is surprisingly spa­ cious and the rear seats fold for­ ward in 40:20:40 split to double the boot space.

The 3­Series has a 5­star NCAP rating, six front, side and curtain airbags, a specially de­ signed occupant cell, adaptive headlights and ABS with EBD

The BMW 330d with the M package — few petrolheads thought a diesel could ever be this smooth.

PHOTO: BMWBLOG.COM and dynamic stability control, to mention but a few. There is also the usual on­board alarm and central locking.

If you are into gadgets, your

electronic key can be pro­ grammed to set temperature, seating and airflow positions to your liking. All it takes is money.

Performance and handling For BMW performance and handling is what it is all about and there the 330d does not disappoint.

The acceleration from the turbo­charged, three­litre, six­ cylinder 258 kW/560 Nm en­ gine is brilliant and provides power in a moment.

This car gets from 0­100 km/ h in 5,9 seconds and top speed, should you feel like suicide, is 250 km/h.

Take On Tomorrow With The All-New Datsun GO The perfect match for the urban go-getter on the rise.

With economical fuel consumption, and a spacious interior for ultimate ride comfort, all styled in a modern, city-slick design to make you stand out while going places affordably.

Tomorrow’s there for the taking.

Fuel consumption is around 7,9 l/100 km depending on driv­ ing style and terrain.

The ride is quiet and comforta­ ble even at speed and on the N3 I found it very difficult to keep the car to the speed limit. The steering is immediately respon­ sive and the eight­speed auto­ matic transmission is seamless.

Driving in town is a pleasure, although I had to get used to not depressing the accelerator too forcefully, as the car leaps for­ ward without much prompting.

The 330d is a family car, a sports saloon and a grand tourer all wrapped in an impressive technological package.

The car comes with a five­year or 100 000 km motor plan which is extendable and covers every­ thing but tyres.

Price and competition BMW on Call will service your needs for the duration of your plan. New, the car will cost you about R600 000, but remember there are demos and year olds, which reduce the cost substan­ tially. The options list is long and should you choose to do so you could add several hundred thou­ sand rand to the new price.

Also have a look at Mercedes C­Class, Audi A4, Lexus IS and Infiniti Q50.

Tuning You Straight on air bags

MODERN DESIGN | SPACIOUS | FUEL-EFFICIENT www.datsun.co.za/maritzburg

Only R107 990 (incl. VAT)

#DATSUNISBACK

Driver Airbag, Electric Windows, Power Steering, Aircon, USB Charger

ALL PRICES EXCLUDE LICENCE, REGISTRATION AND DELIVERY

CMH DATSUN

033 897 7400

7 Armitage Rd, Bird Sanctuary

PMB

© attic rush 4495 | t&cs apply | e&oe

Alwyn ‘No­Airbags’ Viljoen points out all a car needs is a roll cage, a deep seat and good seatbelts to be safe, adding that if air bags worked, F1 cars would have them.

PHOTO: WENA SMIT IT is ironic that the 1.2 Datsun Go is selling very well to pensioners, a group of people with a lifetime’s practice in spotting bargains.

Ironic, because Nissan’s de­ signers had packed the Go with a rather nifty Bluetooth system that links seamlessly with most smartphones out there, hoping to impress first­time buyers.

Of course, older people know smartphones make for dumb people who can’t even remember phone numbers, and sales staff were asked politely to ditch the nifty Bluetooth and put in a “proper” AM/FM radio instead.

But Wheels fielded queries from aspiring buyers who read our rave review for this real little bargain car, and are now worried about all those reports that the Go failed its crash tests in India.

Fact is, all cars fail their crash tests as soon as you move faster than the low speeds at which these tests are conducted.

As example, we cited a new Merc, which exploded after the youngsters in it tried to dice the cops, racing the wrong way up the N2 where they collided head­on with a bakkie. The many airbags in the Merc did not save them.

For those who want the reas­ surance of an expensive explosive device ticking away inches from their faces, Nissan has bowed to all the criticism and since March, you can order a Go Lux, now with a driver airbag and ABS brakes.

It costs R108 200 compared to the basic Go, still a bargain at just over R90k at most dealers.

Our advice — get an entry­lev­ el Datsun Go and then make sure you all click in those seatbelts.

You will be as vulnerable as ev­ eryone else in a small car on the road, but paying a lot less for this privilege.

6

WitnessWheels MOTORING

August 6, 2015

It’s still a bike but only just Advances in electric mountain bikes see these hi­tech wheels move closer to mopeds ALWYN VILJOEN CAR maker BMW worked with new German e­bike company HNF Heisenberg to produce the XF1, the priciest mountain bike yet to grace these pages.

It does for mountain biking what a Formula One car does for commuting.

Two models of the XF1 are for sale, a 250­Watt, 25 km/h entry level, or a 500­Watt, 45 km/h moped.

Overseas, prices start at about R115 000 (€8 345).

If the price seems steep, it is.

Spanish motorcycle manufac­ turer Bultaco’s electric mountain bike, the Brinco, sells for €4 800 and its 2 kW motor makes 60 Nm for truly startling acceleration. It offers a lot of retro glam for a lot less jam.

The pricey XF1 does come with a first, however. BMW said that the XF1 is “the world’s first mid­motor, belt­driven full­sus­ pension e­bike”.

The swing arm allows the

high speeds or on hills. “The sus­ pension can respond sensitively at any time, ensuring excellent grip and high traction,” said BMW.

The XF1 from German e­bike company HNF Heisenberg and BMW (left), is almost twice the price of the Brinco, the electric mountain bike from Spanish motorcycle manufacturer Bultaco.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED drivetrain to move with the rear suspension sub­frame rather than remain secured to the main frame, eliminating recoil from the pedals and enabling a more direct transfer of power.

The motor moves via the piv­ oting rear swing arm without af­ fecting the tension of the belt drive. This layout eliminates the need for a conventional chain tensioner and lays the path for a

How a bike appy became the MD

mid­motor, carbon belt­driven full­suspension bike.

BMW said in a statement that compared with other rear­ mounted suspension concepts, which are specifically optimised

for muscle­powered drive sys­ tems, there is no stiffening of the rear swing arm when the electric motor is providing a high degree of assistance such as during ac­ celeration, constant travel at

The gears and knobs BMW has patented the swing arm design under its i­clean mo­ bility sub­brand.

A mid­mounted Bosch motor with a maintenance­free Gates belt drive gets power from a re­ movable 400 W/h lithium­ion battery pack that is claimed to be good for 130 km per charge. A Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 changes gears and the XF1 rides on Rock Shox suspensions with 150 mm of travel at the rear and a 140 mm fork upfront.

To stop, the bike used Magura MT7 disc brakes. At night, a Busch & Müller Lumotec IQ Avy headlight banishes the darkness.

Instead of a speedometer, an integrated computer monitors the status of the electric drive and provides instant and average measures of speed and distance.

Bolt’s e­bike has Zero roots C.C. WEISS

HIS is the inspiring story of how a young school­leaver, with no ac­ ademic qualifications and low ex­ pectations, built a successful ca­ reer based on an apprenticeship with Associated Motor Cycles Ltd, and eventually became man­ aging director of his company.

Born in London in 1941, Bill Cakebread’s sole ambition was to work with motorcycles.

This enthusiasm secured him an apprenticeship with Associat­ ed Motor Cycles Ltd. The excellence of the training that was provided by the compa­ ny enabled Cakebread to achieve far more than he anticipated.

The journey through the facto­ ry, starting with the lowliest of duties in the machine shops and ending as personal assistant to the top motorcycle designers of their time, is described in detail.

It gives a rare insight into work­ ing practices within the different departments and the characters who were employed.

Supported by a host of period photographs and rare docu­ ments, the book provides a unique record of work within the British motorcycle industry in the final years of its decline into oblivion.

When the British motorcycle industry collapsed, he joined Pe­ ter Berthon, famous for his asso­ ciation with ERA and BRM rac­ ing cars. Adapting his vehicle en­

The inspiring story of Bill Cakebread is on sale as an e­book.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED gineering knowledge to mobile cranes, Cakebread then became one of the country’s leading ex­ perts in crane safety, and, as MD of his company, was a regular con­ tributor of articles on the subject.

He also represented the UK at in­ ternational standards meetings.

The e­book is currently on sale at £14,99 (R296). Prices may vary between vendors.

— Newspress.

PART electric bicycle, part mo­ torcycle and part moped, the Bolt M­1 is a capable, two­ wheeled machine engineered for urban commuting.

The fully electric bike wears light motorcycle styling and can put out up to 5 500 watts for speeds up to 64 km/h. It can also be dialled back to 1 000 watts and ridden like an e­bike.

Bolt Motorbikes founder and CEO Dr Nathan Jauvtis began commuting on a moped at about the time he first moved to San Francisco. He found the moped to be the perfect vehicle for getting around the city, with more speed and practical range than a bicycle, but cheaper than a car.

Jauvtis formed Bolt with co­ founder Zach Levenberg, a moped enthusiast with world­ record moped riding and Lit Motors engineering experience under his belt. The two de­ signed their own version of the moped, turning to battery pow­ er and putting their own styling to it to create the M­1.

The company kept the design simple and bicycle­like in hopes of appealing to bike riders look­ ing for a light, electric form of urban commuting. In other words, folks who might be in­ timidated by more powerful electric motorcycles like those

The latest e­bike to woe Californian cyclists out of cars.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED that Jauvtis helped develop at Zero Motorcycles.

The motor output is limited to 1 000 watts, with a range of 82 km at 32 km/h on motor power alone. For those who want to stretch their legs, the M­1’s pedals are just dangling there in waiting.

The bike isn’t exactly an elec­ trified dirt bike, but Bolt does have some photos of it tackling flat dirt, so an “off­road only” mode isn’t completely ficti­ tious.

The M­1 also features a com­ puterised control system with passcode protection, USB phone charger and Bluetooth­ connected mobile application.

Its 1,7 kWh lithium iron phos­ phate battery pack has a quick release for easier charging and fast­charges to 90% in 90 min­ utes.

Bolt recommends using the home charger for five­hour “maintenance” charging to in­ crease battery longevity.

The bike weighs 63,5 kg. Bolt says that it has already sold out its first M­1 production run and is currently taking preorders for batch #2 on its website.

The M­1 lists in at $5 495, (about R 70 000) and early birds save $500 on a buy­now price that entails a fully refunda­ ble $500 deposit.

— Gizmag.

Is this the year’s craziest stunt on wheels?

LOZ BLAIN and ALWYN VILJOEN RED Bull and GoPro need to get their act together, because the #1 craziest extreme promo video on the Internet today belongs to a shoe company.

Representing DC Shoes, Aus­ tralian motorcycle daredevil Robbie Madison has dropped in­ to a good­sized Tahitian wave and surfed it — on a lightly modi­ fied KTM dirt bike.

This is one of the most supre­ mely ridiculous and jaw­drop­

ping things we’ve ever seen.

The bike appears to be a KTM 350 cc two­stroke, with a big fat paddle tyre on the rear.

While we’ve seen dirtbikes aquaplaning at top speed on a still body of water before, Madi­ son needed some extra help out there in the surf, so it seems they built him a couple of small plat­ forms either side of his front and rear tyres to give him a bit of lift as he gassed it through the waves.

Like the tank tracks used by crazy Nordic riders to ride over deep lakes on heavy snow quads,

the KTM’s rear tyre has two­inch high rubber paddles instead of grooves for threads.

Together with the small skis on the sides, these puddles pro­ vide enough forward thrust to keep the bike aloft as he takes the drop.

DC Shoes call their video Pipe­ dream, and it begs for Madison to bring the modified dirt bike to the kilometre­long pipe near Donkey Bay on the West Coast.

This is the ultimate pipe in the world, but its remote location and hairy entry makes it a spot

which only pros can surf.

Surely this pipe on the dia­ mond coast, Madison’s skills and that crazy bike is YouTube video made to go viral. Extreme sport fans sure deserve to see these three come together.

More details about the bike and the making of the video are sure to emerge soon and we’d love a behind­the­scenes on this gorgeous video.

But for now, just watch the damn thing, over and over again, and marvel at the times we live in. — Gizmag.

Australian motorcycle daredevil Robbie Madison surfs on a KTM bike with a modified rear tyre and small skis beside the wheels. PHOTO: YOUTUBE

MOTORING WitnessWheels

August 6, 2015

7

Drivers who go slower Unimog drivers don’t like fast at high revs, but riding high at low revs to go, well, anywhere ALWYN VILJOEN The 2015 installment of Preto­ ria’s version of Cars in the Park was the biggest yet, with cars streaming (and steaming) from as far as Richards Bay and PE to the Zwartkops Racetrack near Ladium.

Wheels was on hand to witness this event on the invitation of Mercedes­Benz Unimog owners, a very special tribe of petrolheads indeed.

Willem Burger is one of this group of intrepids.

He rebuilds old Unimogs in Centurion and he explained driv­ er enthusiasts can basically be di­ vided into two groups — those who like to go fast at high revs, and those who like to go high at very low revs.

He said rebuilt and new Uni­ mogs are ideal vehicles for the lat­ ter group, especially those who suffer the added affliction of be­ ing addicted to the other side side of the horizon.

Only the Iveco Daily 4x4 can compete with the Unimog in riv­ er­fording, mountain­scarping ability, but the new Italian does not (yet) have the reputation that gave the old Unimog such a passionate following across Af­ rica.

Horizon addicts Diana and Tom Limpert fall in

this category. Since their first trip across Africa in a VW Caravelle, the two Germans have been dreaming of the day they can equip a Unimog to “tour any­ where in the world”.

Ian Matonsela is a rare Uni­ mog owner, who uses his go­any­ where vehicles for the original purpose for which they were de­ signed when German engineers were sent to farm potatoes after the World War 2.

Those engineers had designed the first, tiny Unimogs as multi­ purpose agricultural workhorses that could traverse ploughed fields and drive equipment like saws and mills through power transfer units.

Matonsela also uses his Uni­ mogs for an agricultural purpose — to collect harvested marula seeds in Mpumalanga’s deeply rural areas which his company, Maganu Productions, then cold­ press to extract the marula oil.

He also has a Land Cruiser and 4x4 Mazda bakkies, but told Wheels only the Unimog can cross rivers and climb rocks with­ out breaking axles.

The Beetle Boys Three young men who also like their wheels to be legendary are Khume Mtshweni, Sihle Dube and Mpho Moeketsi, who all are proud owners and repairers of VW Beetles.

Khume Mtshweni, Sihle Dube and Mpho Moeketsi are all proud owner­repairers of VW Beetles. Next, they want to fix up an old­style molofish, like this 1962 VW Combi (main photo).

Addicted to the other side of the horizon: Diana and Tom Limpert from Germany are dreaming of the day they can afford a Mercedes­Benz Unimog to tour the world.

“I have a 10­head on my 1,6 so everywhere I go, people notice me,” said Mtshweni.

For the show, Moeketsi loaded a few suitcases and a toddler’s BMW on his roofrack.

“They all ask me where my spare wheels are in case I break down,” he laughed.

When he finished restoring his beloved Beetle, the bespectacled young man next intends to get his hands on a “molofish” — or old­style VW combi — to turn

at Zwartkops, Wheels can add there is a third group of petrol­ heads — those who rue the wheels that got away.

One such a man who is not just ruing a few old panelvans he let go, but is actively trying to kick himself for it is Rudi Oosthuysen (82), a retired mechanic who once had the bodies of two old DKW Schnellasters Kastenwa­ gens “cluttering up” his work­ shop in Newlands, Johannes­ burg. Oosthuysen loaded both

that into the classic camper.

Next to them Deon Knox just grins at their dreams to restore a combi like his rusted 1962 van.

Instead of repainting it to a high gloss, he plans to add a coat of matt varnish and leave the rust like it is. Judging by the number of rusted classics at the show, the oxidised look is becoming high fashion.

Down in the dumps Having spoken to many people

bodies on a trailer and pushed them off the dumps.

At the Pebble Beach auction in 2013, a mint­condition DKW Schnellasters Kastenwagen sold for $101 750 (R1 290 871).

“I can tear my hair out,” he laughed when he told Wheels aft­ er seeing a 1957 DKW Kasten­ wagen which belongs to Russel Osner from the Eastern Cape.

• For more information on Uni­ mog adventures, visit Unimog Freunde Club on Facebook.

Ranger Odyssey most challenging yet, but with spectacular driving PALMWAG (Namibia) — After seven action­packed days, some of the most challenging yet spec­ tacular driving on the African continent and a series of special tasks, the remaining 18 Ranger Odyssey this week faced off on the second round of eliminations in Palmwag.

Following the departure of two contestants, Johan Henn and Durbanite Xoliswa Nontanda on July 27, a further four contestants were lined up for elimination from the competition today.

Giftson Onuiri, a photogra­ pher from Lagos in Nigeria, sales manager Gavin Jones from Jo­ hannesburg and Pretoria­based IT administrator Monica Nko­ sna saw their Ranger Odyssey ad­ venture come to an end, based on their cumulative scores which are determined by their driving skills, team interaction, vehicle maintenance plus tests on vari­ ous topics relating to the trip and the African continent.

Moyosore Fawole, the owner of a Nigerian construction com­ pany, was also scheduled to head home. However, in a dramatic surprise twist for the remaining

A hard battle for points in Namibia, has seen Durbanite Xoliswa Nontanda among those eliminated from the Ranger Odyssey.

PHOTOS: SUPPLIED 14 contestants, there was an addi­ tional voting session where each person was given the opportuni­ ty to vote one of the four elimi­ nated contestants back into the game.

The results were tallied up along with those of the team of instructors, and Fawole was given a lifeline and the opportunity to continue through to the end of the 2015 Ranger Odyssey.

“I’m really happy to be back in the game, although I had already made peace with the fact that my trip had ended,” Fawole said.

For Monica Nkosna, the elimi­ nation came as somewhat of a surprise. “I don’t know what went wrong because I did not see this coming,” she said.

“I didn’t do too well when it came to the theory, but when it counted I think I pulled my

weight. The experience was great, I learnt a lot and I thor­ oughly enjoyed my time on Odyssey.”

Gavin Jones was similarly dis­ appointed to be leaving early, but was upbeat about the entire ex­ perience. “I’m not surprised and to be honest I’m okay with being eliminated. I had a feeling walk­ ing into the elimination that it was going to happen and in all

honesty my marks on the exams were indeed shocking. The early mornings don’t go well with me, neither do the tests. But it has been a life­changing adventure, and the trip and all the people have been phenomenal.”

Giftson Onuiri has begun his long trek home to Nigeria. “Un­ fortunately I don’t think the oth­ er contestants understood me, but overall I feel good about how

I played the game. My scores have been pretty low but I was hoping for a second chance … I think the experience is the real prize.”

The winner, who takes home an Odyssey Ranger for a year, plus the equivalent of R5 000 fuel per month, will be revealed at a Ford event in Sandton on August 11.

The www.rangerodyssey.com website features a leader board that is updated daily for fans to follow the progress, showing which of the contestants are in the top five, along with biogra­ phies for each person.

Back Seat Driver Competition Ranger Odyssey fans are able to follow and participate in the event themselves by entering the “Back Seat Driver” competition hosted at rangerodyssey.com The competition ran until Wednesday, and participants had to register on the site, inter­ act by viewing the content — in­ cluding the daily blogs, photo­ graphs and videos — and book a test drive.

Each interaction scored points, and the more times you visited the site the better the chances of winning. — WR.

8

WitnessWheels MOTORING

August 6, 2015

Snow humbles SA drivers Tourism operators warn visitors from sunny climes against pushing their luck in Lesotho CLAUDI MAILOVICH AN abandoned wreck pushed to the side of mountain pass covered in ice and a big 4x4 bakkie that spun without warning last week had many drivers worried how they would get down the Moteng Pass in Lesotho.

Johann du Toit, owner of African Expeditions, sent Me­ dia24 photos of conditions on the pass to warn people not to underrate journeys into the mountain kingdom during winter.

“People asked us to get their car down,” Du Toit said.

African Expeditions guides 4x4 expeditions.

Snow has been covering the high peaks and the mountain pass over the Maluti moun­ tains and wind chill factors quickly saw slush turning into ice, on which only snow tyres with metal studs can maintain grip.

“In good weather that pass perfect — it is a tar road — but if the weather changes, you take your life in your own hands,” Du Toit said.

He said South Africans are

Unnamed tourists were caught unprepared for the sudden changes in weather that is normal in Lesotho’s mountains, prompting local tourist operators to warn South Africans against driving there in winter, when roads can quickly turn deadly.

PHOTO: AFRICAN EXPEDITIONS typically not prepared enough for a change in weather when they sail up Lesotho’s mountain passes. Then they are often arro­ gant on the road and refuse to heed his warnings, he added.

Du Toit and Michael Haupt­ fleisch, co­owner of the Fouries­ burg Country Inn, 10 km from the border, want to see only 4x4 vehicles allowed into Lesotho during winter.

The drivers must, however, know how to drive on slippery ice, otherwise they will spin out of control, at the mercy of gravity.

Mancafalo Motsoeneng, man­ ager of public relations at the

Lesotho Tourism Development Co­operation, said all motors are welcome in Lesotho, but tourists must do their homework and not drive on impulse, especially not in winter in the mountains.

CHAINING SUNNY DRIVERS THE best advice for motorists to drive in snow is — don’t.

Driving TO snow is always a fun road trip, especially if the chil­ dren have never seen the white stuff before. But heed the ad­ vice of those who work in icy conditions and stay well away until the snow starts to melt.

Europeans learn to respect ice by falling down very hard just trying to walk on pave­ ments. On road they fit winter tyres and even invest in all wheel drive vehicles like Subar­ us and Audi quattros just to maintain traction on iced roads. Even then, a slight in­ cline can see heavy 4x4 cars slide sideways into a ditch while moving forwards.

SA are masters up sand dunes and when it comes to crawling over axle bending rocks. But few of us even know where to buy a snow chain, never mind how to fit one. This means we get trapped for days when a snow blizzard blows.

That is why it is best not to take the children to go see the snow until the sun starts to melt it. Better slush than sorry.

• alwyn.viljoen@witness.co.za

Cross Country chasers have lot of catching up to do CHARMAINE FORTUNE THE Nkomazi 450, round four of the Donaldson Cross Country Champi­ onship, held tomorrow and Saturday, will be D­Day for production vehicle crews chasing the two Castrol Team Toyota Hiluxes leading the overall and premier Class T title races.

Between them, Leeroy Poulter/ Rob Howie and reigning champions Anthony Taylor/Dennis Murphy have done all the winning so far this sea­ son. Those doing the chasing are fly­ ing distress signals, and unless they manage to halt the Team Castrol charge at the Mpumalanga outing — one of three sprint events on the six­ race calendar — they could be wav­ ing white surrender flags.

The Poulter/Howie and Taylor/ Murphy domination is reflected in the championship standings, and simple mathematics paints a grim picture for the chasers.

Poulter/Howie enjoy a 14­point lead over Taylor/Murphy, but the gap between the leaders and Lance Wool­ ridge/Ward Huxtable (Ford Perform­ ance Ranger) and Gary Bertholdt/ Siegfried Rousseau (Atlas Copco Ford Ranger), who share third place

Ford’s leading teams are chasing a 90­point lead in the Nkomati 450 in Mpumalanga this weekend.

PHOTO: QUICKPIC in the championship, is a massive 67 points. That is more than two wins, and the gravity of the situation for the likes of Woolridge/Huxtable and Bertholdt/Rousseau is exacerbated by the fact there are only 90 points up for grabs over the last three events.

Further down the championship ladder there is also plenty of scope for drama. Youngster Gareth Wool­ ridge and Boyd Dreyer (NWM Ford

Ranger), in their debut season, are only four points behind Woolridge’s elder brother and Huxtable.

But it is behind them that things start to get interesting, with only nine points separating Woolridge/Dreyer and the next five crews on the points’ table. Lumped together in that mix are Jason Venter/Vince van Allemann (4x4 Mega World Toyota Hilux), the consistent Johan van Staden/Mike

Lawrenson (Regent Racing Nissan Navara), Chris Visser/Japie Baden­ horst (Ford Performance Ranger), Heine Strumpher/Henri Hugo (4x4 Mega World Toyota Hilux) and local brothers Johan and Werner Horn in the Malalane Toyota Hilux.

The stand­out crew in a tight mix is Visser/Badenhorst with the former champions desperate to finally make an impact this season.

The debut of Australian pair John Purshouse and Murray Hynes, in the ex­factory Ford Ranger in which Manfred Schroder/Japie Badenhorst won last year’s Toyota Dealer 450, adds a fair dollop of interest to the Class T mix over the rest of the sea­ son. The Portuguese pair of Rómulo Branco and João Serôdio, will proba­ bly be at home in the sprint­race for­ mat in Mpumalanga.

Racing starts tomorrow with a 100 kilometre qualifying race to de­ termine grid positions and continues on Saturday with two laps of about 175 kilometres each. During the race there will be a compulsory 20­minute service halt at the end of the first lap.

The race headquarters is at the River­ view Preparatory School on the out­ skirts of Malalane.

Evel Knievel Day sees new 48,8 m record truck jump

Greg Mills’s children with his Sana RD11 F5000 race car that was stolen in daylight.

PHOTO: SUPPLIED

Thieves race off with unique R1 mln race car THE unique F5000 race car of Dr Greg Mills, head of the Brenthurst Foundation in Johannes­ burg, has been stolen.

Thieves broke the lock to a gate, hooked a trailer on which the car was fastened, and raced away with it on a Tuesday afternoon, Mills said the next day.

Mills, a grandson of the Grand Prix racer Billy Mills, found the Sana F5000 in a barn in the En­ glish Midlands in 2008. He rebuilt it over several years and he said it is the only such car in the world. “[The car] is irreplaceable and if you tried to buy a similar car overseas it would cost tens of thousands of pounds,” he said.

He said it is difficult to describe the driving experience in an F5000 to people who have not driven one, except to say that he has not been in any race car with more power.

Spokesperson for the Parkview police station, Sergeant Lloyd Ramovha, confirmed that the theft of the rare car is being investigated.

Ramovha said the stolen property is valued at more than R1 million.

Mills has, meanwhile, asked the racing fraterni­ ty to keep a lookout for the rare car in South Africa and overseas.

SELLING ANYTHING Gregg Godfrey posted on his Instagram account that he outdid himself by jumping 48,8 metres at the Evel Knievel Days in Montana. ‘Got the record at 160 feet [48,7 metres]. I meant to go only 140 feet,’

he told the Montana Standard. His nine­ton rig landed so hard it burst a front tyre and stunned Godfrey, which may explain his subsequent decision to make an impressive handbrake turn at the end of the run. ‘I hit

so hard, I think I’m concussed. I don’t think I’m all there.’ Godfrey’s truck jump makes the previous 25,47 metre record by the Lotus F1 Team, set last year, look like a little hop.

PHOTOS: YOUTUBE SCEREEN GRABS

UNDER R500?

Advertise it for FREE at www.olx.co.za

CV JOINT SPECIALISTS

for CV joints, ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings.

339 GREYLING STREET Pmb. 033 342 9174/75