Set Apart - Distinguished Gentleman's Ride Johannesburg

There's something to be said for cutting off traffic and reving your motorcycle while 300 roaring dapper gentlefolk race past you towards unsuspecting,relatively calm, suburbs on a Sunday morning. 

This basically sums up the Johannesburg DGR 2015. What better reason than to ride for cancer research, better yet prostate cancer research. Globally over 36 000 riders rode and over $2 000 000 raised. 

Johannesburg raised over R 30 000. There were 141 registered riders... There must have been a miracle in the middle of the night because over 300 participants turned out in their finest...except that one guy wearing a t-shirt... always that one guy! 

If you missed it, well there's always next year! In the meantime: 

Safe Riding - Is there such a thing?

Safety and biking are two words that are probably considered polar opposites by most people. Is there even such a thing?

Loads my non-rider friends don't ride bikes for this very reason. My question is... Do they have a point, and if so what does that mean for me? 

Whenever you first start talking to people about your bike the first thing that ALWAYS comes up is: "Once I saw this accident..." And they proceed to tell you this gruesome story of someone being decapitated twice, or some other heinous "...then he was dragged half way down the road..." story, at which point I awkwardly look down at my drink and come up with some excuse to leave the conversation. 

These stories bug me! And I don't think I'm alone. 

Let's all be honest, we either know someone or we are that someone who has done something stupid on a motorcycle. 

When I first got my little 125cc I used to ramp her up pavements to avoid traffic, only after nearly hitting a poor lady carrying her Woolworths shopping bags did I realize that I was being rather reckless.
Often I'll see a guy on a Yamaha R1 wearing shorts and a T-shirt going 140 km/h in a 60 zone and think to myself; " If he comes off he wont have legs, never mind roasties."  And how often do we say to ourselves, " I'm just going up the road, I don't need my jacket?"

There's a big move to encourage riders to wear all the gear, all the time.  Or more commonly referred to as ATGATT. ATGATT set ups are different from bike to bike, but the basic idea is that, no matter where you're going on your machine, you're dressed right!
This includes the right sort of helmet, neck brace (especially on dirt and for commuting) a jacket with all the right padding, pants (more important that you realise) good boots (purpose specific) and most importantly gloves.... always wear gloves!

No two ways about it, If you're wearing  the right stuff you lower the risk of injury, but like all things its not a sure thing. You can also make sure you're visible. I don't really think headlight gels work, but I do recommend bight colours (neon riding vest) especially when commuting and going on long rides. I really have heard the benefits of louder pipes (pun intended) as being a huge safety advantage.

The best form of safety is in fact what's under your helmet. Ride defensively, almost expect to get knocked off your bike. Be vigilant, avoid bottle and throttle, look for hidden roads, don't overtake on a blind  rise, and make quick decisions and follow through... hesitation leads to danger.

There's no such thing as safe riding. But actually there's no such thing as safe living either. People die in their sleep. When its your time, its your time. But be wise with your machine, treat her with respect and she'll do the same for you.

Now for the video:

Alone together, in the wind.

I recently had the privilege of riding with an old school friend.

Mandisa was a lot like me in school. We never really fitted the mould. I guess in one way or another no one really does. That's the joy of riding a motorcycle. You always have something in common with another rider. It starts off with the fact that you both ride bikes. Then you get talking, and discover you're more alike than you think.

For me its about the journey. When you're riding, no-ones talking to you, you' re alone in your helmet listening to the wind as it rushes past your head. All you can pretty much do is look. You look at body language and signals and indicators and wheels, and you learn.

Mandisa Mimie and I, rode out to Stonehaven on the Vaal river. Mandisa rides a Harley and Mimie a Boulevard.

It's something to see when tiny ladies ride these huge motorcycles. It's so much fun to see how kids and drivers react when they see these beautiful woman riding on classy motorcycles! 

It's such a killer of preconceived ideas when you pull up at a petrol station not being the expectation and seeing the shock on people's faces. 

But why is this such an issue? What is the deal with these stereotypes in SA? 

In places like China and Indonesia this is the norm. Whole families commute on 125's.  It's the most affordable means of transport. Similarly in Bangladesh, Pakistan and India. All those crazy pictures of people transporting furnature on their bikes come from these places. 

Even our African brothers in the majority of the countries above our boarder ride motorcycles as a way of life.

Why are we as South African's so determined to sit in traffic in our overly priced luxury cars, when we could have more life at the seat end of a small scooter or motorcycle? 

Let's break the mould of riding, we live in one of the best suited countries for it. With some of the best people in the world. It's perfect, honestly! 

What ever you do... I promise, it's better in the wind! 

 

When Buying a Motorcycle

Men consider themselves logical decision makers, and as a man, I'm likely to agree. However, there are times when men make purely emotive decisions. The purchasing of a motorcycle is definitely up there. On the other hand woman are completely organised and completely emotive and are also great at buying most things. Hence the credit card jokes that even span onto the second page of a Google search.

Can we just say right off the cuff, Motorcycles are EPIC! Even if you think they're dangerous, you still think they're cool. ( We'll talk about danger and bikes in a few weeks time)

How do I go about purchasing a motorcycle:
 The answer is a simple 3 step:

1. What kind of bike can you see yourself riding? 
2. What kind of budget do you have? 
3. And what do you plan on doing with your motorcycle?

Lets start off with the different types of rides:

Some of these don't count, this is a silly picture.

Scooters: Small, practical, great for commuting short distances and relatively easy to ride. Scoots can have quite a trendy element to them. Made famous by the "mods" in the late 50's early 60's. Vespa is probably the Italian "Harley" of the scooter world. 

Street bikes: Regular road bikes, or street bikes, can vary greatly and this is probably the most dynamic and broad category. From basic delivery type bikes (125cc -250cc) to bigger more commuter styled bikes. like the Kawasaki ER-6n or the more "naked" (without fairings) type.

Touring bikes: They're like regular bikes, except older people tend to ride them in their matching gear and they're almost less like bikes and more like really really thin cars. They have creature comforts like: radios, adjustable screens, seat warmers and cup-holders. (I kid you not)  If you're into luxury and don't mind  losing a bit of respect. Well this is you. Except if you ride the new Indian Roadmaster. Then you're living it, because that thing is basically a miniature yacht. 

Sport bikes: Are tuned up versions of regular road bikes. Still quite comfortable but bit with a bit more of an edge speed-wise. Lots of plastic, often ridden by your weekend breakfast runner. Normally powerful enough to carry larger people at great speeds. Am I digging myself a grave here?

Sport touring: Just a sports bike with "panniers" (those bags that clip on the side) for a weekend-away. Still feels like you're going fast, but now you can go fast with all your junk clipped on the side. 

Adventure/Dual-Purpose: A hybrid style bike. Kind of a cross between an off-road and on-road machine. Popular for commuting, but also really big in South Africa, as many of the "roads least travel" are dirt. Broad sort of style with regards to riding on dirt and a huge community of adventurous like-minded riders. 

Dirt bikes: Not for road use, although that doesn't really seem to stop these guys. Normally 2-stroke bikes whereas the others are 4-stroke. Two stroke requires more maintenance and the mixture of fuel to oil in the right quantities. Really powerful, really light, loads of fun! Motocross, Enduro racing and all these wonderful dirt riding sports happen on these guys. 

Cruisers: This is your "Son's of Anarchy" sort of machine. Very relaxed seating position really for cruising around. Loads of chrome. Loads of noise. Perfect gang bike. Loads of guys customize them and they can look pretty epic. Big culture of cruiser riders globally, but most of  them don't know cause they live in America and if you live in America the rest of the world doesn't matter as much to you! 

Classics and Customs: This range can be quite broad:

These sorts of bikes are hugely trendy on a global scale. At the moment and are pretty great because there is so much variety in parts and so much that one can choose to do to them it really goes along the line of making your ride your own. 

Super-bikes: These machines were designed to be raced. They're not very comfortable, but they do go rather fast. The likes of the Yamaha R1 has been around for many years. And I think the 2015 model has been said to push just over 300 km/h on a straight. If you're riding pillion, you literally have a tissue-box sized seat to sit on. So not great. Its hard to be social on one of these, because of the  speed. But again, if speed is your thing then provided no sudden stopping happens, you'll love this sort of ride. 

I suggest, buy newish second hand, or older "new" motorcycle rather than the latest out the box machine. Its cheaper and you get the same thing... unless of course it has been in an accident, then bad idea. Make sure you fit on the bike comfortably. You don't want to be too far off the ground if you're short. Or too cramped if you're tall. Check the weight of the machine and  purchase a bike in an engine range you feel comfortable with. You can always move up in engine size as you grow in skill and confidence. 

There are a number of great places you can go to learn how to handle your motorcycle with confidence. Even if you are an experienced rider these courses just give you a bit more, and sometimes a slight refresher can go along way towards better handling. 

There's:
www.bikerbravado.co.za

www.sqracing.co.za

www.adasa.co.za ( specifically good for off-road) 

  

Crosby TT 400 - Return of the Retro (Mash 400 UK/Europe)

"Modern Classic"- the term used to describe a new version of an old thing. There is an increasing trend among motorcyclists to ride retro bikes. Mixing the styling of a by-gone era with the reliability of a modern motorcycle makes for a head-turning, creativity inducing, experience.

With this in mind the Crosby TT 400 is born. 

The styling on this bike is a mixture between 60's British nostalgia and 70's Japanese influence. 

Commissioned by V Custom Cycles in Centurion, this 400cc motorcycle is said to make waves, not only as an everyday commuter, but also as a machine that is fully customisable. 

Given the name "Crosby" after the small village on the Isle of Man where the first ever TT race began, this motorcycle  gives one the sense of history in a modern world where most bikes are plastic and resemble some form of insect or another in their styling. 

The Crosby's motor is an exact construct of the old Yamaha SR 400 and the  Honda XR 400. Those who rode these machines know the built proof nature of this single cylinder power-plant. Pushing out 19.5kw at 7000rpm its maximum speed about 130 km/h, which is perfect for a commuter or urban cruising, and also gives one a bit of power to get away from difficult situations on the motorway. The single cylinder's average consumption is 3.4 l /100 km which works out to just over 400 km to the tank (13 litres) and gives loads of great torque in the lower gears and sounds incredible through the twin pea-shooter pipes. 

The bike comes in three versions (kits): The Scrambler, the Cafe Racer and the Standard TT 400. 

There is very little plastic on the bike, which is quite refreshing.

Thanks to both  Pat and Douwe from V Custom Cycles, I had the pleasure of riding the standard version, and I must say I was impressed. At only 160 kg, it was light and nimble in traffic. The seating position is perfect for commuting, creating almost a laid back feeling. The controls are basic and easy to use, and considering that its a single, the Crosby is a remarkably smooth ride.

I definitely recommend the Crosby as either a first bike, or as a base for a custom project. 

The Crosby is available in all major Cities in South Africa, and is also available across Europe and the UK as the Mash 400.

Pricing: 

The Standard comes in at R 44 950 incl VAT , The Scrambler and Cafe Racer at R 49 550 incl VAT

I'm really excited to see some customized versions of these bikes in the near future. 

Check out:  V Custom Cycles for more information. 

Why I went from adventure to classic

When I first bought my BMW F650 GS I had adventure in mind. She was a rugged top notch machine. I'd heard the 650's were reliable and easy to ride. I named her "Thumper" because of her single cylinder Rotex Motor. I don't know why, but I have this quirk of naming everything. Even the couch I'm sitting on to write this blog has a name... its called: "Upington." That's a story in and of itself. Don't be too quick to judge me, you do weird things too...

I really loved my BMW and had some epic adventures on her. A couple of weekends with a few mates where we hit some dirt round Sabie and Graskop. Trips out to the  Magaliesberg and of course the Vredefort Dome. I commuted on her for a while and I'd do all my quick running around on her.

The thing about the BMW was that it was all plastic, and though incredibly versatile and fun, I couldn't really make her my own. My wife and I have this agreement that I'd only own one bike at a time, due to limited space, she was simply saving the porch from becoming a motorcycle museum. (You've got to pick your battles) If I could, I'd still have it. You know I would.  

When I first started riding dirt I feared it. I've reached a point now where I'm far more comfortable. But it isn't the be all and end all of motorcycling for me. I want to taste every element of the motorcycling world. ( If you really love dirt read till the end)

I'd watched Stories of Bike, and I'd been around to Nick Davidson's shop... Traditional Triumph, and I'd peeked in to the windows on more Sunday afternoons than I think is normal of a grown man.
This was it. I really wanted a Triumph. I found myself a 2014 Thruxton and I love her. I don't have a name for her yet. (Suggestions are most welcome)

I've been riding her for little over a month and every part of the experience is exactly what I had hoped for. I'm really excited to add my fingerprint to her design. Elegant and timeless, a real modern-classic. Of course, Just like the BMW she has her pros and cons, and I'd argue the BMW is a largely better designed machine. The Triumph is the bike for the frame of mind I'm in right now. And that's good for me!

I traded out my adventure motorcycle for a classic because I wanted to feel the history of my passion. And what better way to do that than on a classic.

Go Check out: Triumph Motorcycles SA

If you're loving the idea of  adventure motorcycling go to: The Wild Dog Forum. You'll need to register with them to gain the full benefit of the site, but WOW! Great honest guys. Epic bikes at good prices in the "buy and Sell" section.