CNL Nov Dec 03.indd - BMW Motorcycle Club of Pretoria, South Africa

Vol 8 No. 6
Nov./ Dec. 2003
From the Chair...
Dear club members,
Time flies so rapidly that before one has time to catch one`s breath, the year 2003
is almost at an end. It has come and gone so quickly that it is with shock
that we realise that bookings have already been made for the December trips.
But what a good year it has been for our club and for motorcycling in general. The bike
population appears to be growing steadily as people look for an answer to deteriorating roads,
traffic congestion, parking difficulties, high licence rates and fuel prices, and so on. Sure we`ve
had a number of mishaps, with riders coming off, dropping bikes and other misadventures, but
generally speaking, times have been good, with various tours/rides undertaken all over the country.
Our club is growing into one of the biggest BMW motorcycle clubs in the country, with a
paid-up membership almost equal to that of Club Central in Johannesburg. The increase in club
members has also been noticed in the numbers attending both the Sunday and weekend runs.
Baie klem is gedurende die jaar gelê op opleiding en ons wil in besonder vir
die BMW-opleidingsakademie bedank vir die geleentheid wat ons gehad het om op die
Zwartkopsrenbaan ons vaardighede op te knap. Wat dit verder verblydend maak, is dat BMW
aangedui het dat hierdie 'n jaarlikse instelling gaan word. Ons hoop om volgende keer beter
weer te bestel ten einde meer lede na die besondere geleentheid te trek, alhoewel dit
volgens my oordeel die ideale situasie was om jou ryvaardighede te toets in slegte weer.
I would like to wish every member of the club and their families a very special Festive Season and a
prosperous and incident-free 2004. See you again in the new year!
Deon Gericke,
Chairman.

The Fuel Savers
(Acknowledgement: Motorrad Magazine. Translated by Peter Stimpfle.)
On the German Platteland they gather once
a year; about fifty of them and they all
have one thing in common. They ride diesel-engined
motorcycles! These guys are absolute
enthusiasts; they have to be as the average
engine output is only about 7,5 Kw. (The most
powerful engine at this Rally develops 18 Kw from
a 1000 cc twin.)
The normal attire is very classic, open-face helmets
are a must, with goggles of course and
with Bell staff jackets. These riders attract more
attention with their mean, stinking, smoking tufftuffs
than any super bike rider with all the modern
paraphernalia.
One of the rigs that arrived was an Ural with sidecar,
driven by the 1000 cc twin Hatz diesel motor
mentioned above. This engine was used to drive
an agricultural water pump but was adapted for
road use by its owner. The rig, weighing 650 Kg.
can take four people with two in the side-car.
MZ frames that date back to pre East Germany
days are also used and now accommodate an
850 cc twin of Italian origin that produces a stunning
14,25 Kw output, propelling the bike at an
unbelievable 100 Km/h, albeit in the slipstream of
a truck!
The diesel idea is not new, dating back to pre
WW II, and in India they actually built a bike, the
Enfield Taurus, equipped with a 325 cc 4,87 Kw
single diesel engine, which by the way was even
exported to Germany, and quite a few of them
were present at this particular ‘Diesel Rally’.
There are approximately 300 diesel bike owners
in Germany, mostly home builds or production
bikes of older vintage.
When all the bikes had been started and were
idling along in a cloud of diesel mist, the beat
was comparable with that of a rock band, but this
is what these guys live for and needless to say,
riding along at 80 Km/h they always choose the
scenic routes to their destination.
An interesting development which looks promising
is taking place at the University of Esslingen
where a new diesel-powered motorcycle engine
is being developed, and a model of it was shown
at this Rally. Details are unfortunately not available
at this stage.
Editor’s comment
Every car and bakkie manufacturer seems to be
going diesel these days, with at least one engine
being offered in their vehicle range line-up. What
is more, astonishing performance and fuel consumption
claims from these (mostly) turbo-driven
diesels are hitting the media headlines almost
every day, some almost too good to be true.
Because of this development, the question is
invariably asked why has there to date been
no serious attempt to ‘dieselise’ the motorcycle
industry. Spoke `n Piston has been asking questions
from knowledgeable people in this regard
and will be reporting thereon in some future edition.
Watch out for it!
Best Wishes from the Editor
Our bi-monthly club newsletter Spoke `n Piston
started a number of years ago, early 1995 to be
exact and under the name ‘BMW Talk/ Praatjies’. It
was a Bavarian Motorcycles publication as the club, as
we know it today, had then not yet been formed. When
Bruce Meyers was still involved with Frates Motors
in Villieria, he used to get some clients together every
month end for a braai and a few beers on the premises.
The only BMW club nearby was that of Central
in JHB. Even then we started talking about forming
a club in Pretoria, and when Bruce moved into his
present premises, it was not long after that the club
was brought into being. It was also more or less then
that Spoke `n Piston saw the light of day.
In the past, every club member received a copy
of the bi-monthly newsletter by post. However,
with the advent of the Internet, together with the
extravagant rise in postage costs, the committee
gratefully accepted the offer by member Brian Cannoo
of establishing a shared website for our club. Spoke
`n Piston can therefore now be read worldwide on the
Internet. As some members still do not have Internet
facilities, and for those biking enthusiasts who are
not (yet) members, but would like to know about the
goings on in the club, some thirty printed copies of S
`n P are produced for distribution.
A guy wisely reminded me sometime ago that it's
wrong for an editor to write too much of his own stuff,
as his writing style and repertoire are essentially the
2

same every time, and he runs the risk of becoming
boring. Touché friend! Never was a truer word spoken.
There is one problem though and that is a dearth of
material flowing in from other sources. Those of us
who regularly come to Bruce's place during the week
but especially on Saturday mornings, will often find
your editor there with eyes and ears open for news,
views and even gossip pertaining to bikes, bikers
and biking. And more often than not he asks, begs,
pleads and cajoles people to put their experiences and
adventures on paper for publication in the newsletter,
often to no avail.
So, I often get promises of stories and pics from
people, and I even go to the trouble of e-mailing them
just to say thank you for the offer and to remind them
of their commitment. In many cases things just don't
develop and I never hear from these people again.
Some do get back to me with all sorts of excuses. Why
this is so, I wouldn't know. Contributors are always
assured that grammar and spelling are not a problem,
as that is my job to attend to. There is a common
saying that people don't read anymore. I can add to
that. People don't write anymore either!
Thank you so much, those good people who supply
me fairly regularly with publishable material. I cannot
recall ever not having published a contribution. If
a story is good and entertaining (even if it's not
essentially bike-related), this newsletter welcomes it.
It would be remiss of me not to thank Bruce and
Wendy Meyers and their splendid complement of staff
at Bavarian Motorcycles for the super support given
to our club for so many years now. They provide us
with the venue for our monthly Noggins, the food
we eat there, most of the facilities for running our
affairs and the hundreds of favours everyday, without
which our task would be less pleasant if not well
neigh impossible. Thank you guys and gals for the
wonderful support you're giving us. Keep up the good
work and rest assured that if we had to pay for all
those favours, we probably would go out of business.
Farewell to a good friend
(Henri Heyns)
Last Saturday morning, around coffee at Bruce's
Place where those who can, gather for a chin
wag, I had an interesting conversation with a
GS rider of wide experience who popped in to have
a tyre fitted or something small done to his bike. His
name was Michael Knight and we spoke at length
about bikes and biking (what else?) He told me inter
alia about a job that he has which requires extensive
travelling and that his work often takes him beyond the
borders of South Africa. In fact he had a contract in
Botswana and enjoyed going there by bike and what
an excellent investment it had been when he decided
on buying the GS.
Another thing about him that struck me was his
joy at being able to join the crowd at Bavarian on
Saturday mornings as and when his busy schedule
allowed him to do so. He said everyone seemed
so happy and were merrily chatting away, relating
riding experiences, near misses, rude cops, fuel
consumption, tyre mileages, and all the chitter chatter
that normally results when bike enthusiasts get
together. He promised there and then to make a point
of coming to see us more often and I remember
waving him off with the usual admonishment to take
care.
However, I am deeply saddened to have to report that
our good friend, aged 44, is no more. He was killed
that following Sunday on his bike in a road accident
near Rustenburg en route to Botswana. The details are
sketchy but seemingly he was travelling at night and
struck a concrete slab on the road, possibly dropped
accidentally by a truck.
Our heartfelt condolences go out to his parents, sister,
children and other relatives.
Spoke `n Piston wishes its many reader friends the
compliments of the season. Have a Merry Christmas
and a wonderful New Year. We wish you everything
you wish yourselves. May the year ahead be full
of wonderful opportunities and may only pleasant
experiences cross your path. Enjoy your holidays and
motorcycling to the full, but above all, take care
wherever you are and with whatever you do. Life is
too valuable to be squandered recklessly. So, don't go
away. We look forward to seeing you again next year!
3

Striking a blow for Women’s Lib
(Henri Heyns)
motorcycle work. Asked if she was happy with her
F650 she said yes, but with a with a shy smile
intimated that she really had an eye on an R1150
R in the future some time. That is more her style,
she claims. What is her greatest fear in life? That of
becoming unconscious for whatever reason and not
being in control of her actions.
Her hobbies? Hilda is a keen sports woman with
tennis being her favourite game. In her spare time she
engages in furniture upholstering.
Once again a bastion of what has up to now been
regarded as an employment domain reserved
exclusively for males, has fallen, at least in and
around Pretoria. The Tshwane Metro Traffic Police
Force has seen fit to bring, as a first, with others to
follow, a female onto their motorcycle traffic officer
complement.
Disbelieving at first, I checked around and yes, it is
true, as the fact had been carried in the local press a
few days ago. Of course, the lass also has a BMW
as her mount, the story therefore offering excellent
material for publication in this newsletter. I hastened
to make an appointment for seeing her to find out for
myself if all this is really happening, and after a few
misses, ultimately managed to get hold of her.
Hilda Terry is an attractive twenty-six year old woman
of medium build, a light complexion and with reddish
hair. She received her schooling in Pretoria at the
Oosmoot High School. Her twin sister is a nurse.
From the look of things she handles her motorcycle,
a BMW F650, specially adapted for traffic control
use, with the greatest of ease. Asked if she has ridden
previously, she replied in the affirmative, stating that
most of her ten years of bike riding was on her father's
motorcycle. Hilda was previously employed in the
traffic department in Midrand where she was involved
in the training of traffic officers.
This young lady is continuing with her studies
and would like to rise to a senior position in a
traffic-related field. Presently her duties, apart from
traffic law enforcement, is traffic control for funeral
processions and high speed road escort services
for VIPs. Hilda does not work alone but has two
male colleagues accompanying her when engaged in
4
So, if one day you commit a traffic offence and are
pulled up by a young woman obviously with a serious
approach to her work, don't try any chauvinistic tricks
with her. It's probably Hilda Terry and she won't stand
for nonsense. With the promise of more traffic law
enforcement ladies to come onto the scene in the near
future, the world has certainly changed. From what
I've seen so far, if Hilda is anything to go by, these
girls are going to be competent and prepared to do
whatever it takes to get the job done. If there are any
males who think they can get away with charm and
fancy footwork, take care. These lasses are not to be
fooled with. To ignore this warning is to run the risk of
coming off second best and that usually costs a great
deal of money or worse.
Holiday Challenge for Serious Bikers
(Henri Heyns)
The end of the year is on hand and together with
it, a number of glorious holidays for fun in the
sun awaits us. Most of us have probably already
decided on what to do, who is visiting who, and where
Christmas dinner will be enjoyed. However, if you
haven't made up your mind yet on what to do, or are
not enthralled with your decision and would like to
change it, why not try this one for size? Join our club
chairman Deon Gericke and his wife Basiliki, on a
two-and-a-half week motorcycle tour of the country,
which will include visiting the northern, western,
southern, and eastern extremities of South Africa.
They would be happy to welcome you on board. [Club
members covering these extremities in one trip qualify
for coveted badge of Extreme Rider (Gold) or of
Extreme Pillion Rider (Gold)].
Leaving early on Sunday, 14 th December from
Pretoria, the first stopover will be Kuruman. Day two
will end at the Aughrabies Falls, whilst day three will
take the group up to Port Nolloth. (Accommodation
for these three nights is reserved.)
Thereafter the tour becomes free and easy all the way
to Alexander Bay, the westernmost point. The group

then turns south down the beautiful West Coast all the
way to Cape Agulhas (the southernmost point.)
Now follows a four day break in the programme (i.e.
22-25 December) as Deon and Basiliki are spending
time with family in the vicinity of Mossel Bay.
On 26 th December the tour is continued all the way
up the coast to Kosi Bay (easternmost point.) From
there the route runs through Swaziland, the Lowveld,
Tzaneen, Louis Trichard, Messina, up to Pontdrift, the
northernmost point.
From Pontdrift, the route back home runs alongside
the Botswana border, through Alldays, Swartwater,
Ellisras, Brits and Pretoria, and back in time for New
Year's eve.
There you have it in a nutshell. Are you and your bike
up to it and interested? I wish I could be going along!
General Comments:
1. The round trip will be in the region of 7000
km.
2. The average travelling distance per day is
around 390 km. (excluding the four days of
respite.)
3. Costs for the entire trip (B&B, fuel, meals,
etc.) should work out to around R450 per
person per day. A couple should plan on R700
per day.
4. About 95% of the tour will be done on tar
roads and when the GS guys want to wander
off, suitable tar roads will be available for the
others to get to the next destination.
5. The tour is on a join-up/withdraw basis,
meaning that a participant is free to ride along,
then do his own thing, rejoin again and so on,
as long as the tour leader is informed timeously
of the participant's intentions.
6. Participants wishing to travel through
Swaziland on the return journey from Kosi Bay
must have valid passports.
7. Participants do not have to be BMW Club
members, as the tour is not a club event.
8. To earn the Extreme Rider badge though, the
rider must be a paid up member of the Pretoria
BMW Motorcycle Club and must satisfy the
conditions appertaining to the issue of the
badge.
9. For further information and bookings please
contact the Club Chairman Deon Gericke at
082-336-8108.
Too afraid to breathe?
(Henri Heyns)
Some time ago a careless driver banged into me
from behind and wrote off the left hand pannier
on my bike. It was a mishap that I couldn't have
avoided. Fortunately I had slowed down to about 20 km/h
to negotiate a speed hump in the middle of Brooklyn. I saw
the Opel behind me and squeezed the hand brake, bringing
on the stop light to show the guy that I was reducing
speed. Of course the #@$%^&*+ gentleman paid no heed
to the signal and promptly rammed me, sending the pannier
flying. Fortunately there was no other damage. Naturally I
stopped to inspect the bike and to obtain particulars from
the driver who apologised profusely and explained that the
road was new to him and as he was trying to find his
bearings, his attention had been distracted!
My wife, not being an avid bike supporter and upon
hearing my tale of woe, was naturally upset, and I had to
endure the lecture on the dangers of motorcycling for the
umpteenth time. According to her, the roads have become
so dangerous nowadays that any form of riding should be
avoided as far as possible. What to do now? A first reaction
could have been to give up riding altogether, sell my bike
and become relegated to the ranks of the old-aged guys who
sit around at home all day, doing nothing, wanting nothing,
saying nothing, fearful of everything and just waiting for
the Big Day.
However this is not the kind of scenario for me and
I started chasing after the guy's company to have my
pannier replaced. What a job that was, especially when
they repeatedly phoned for me to submit three quotes
for repairing the damage. The first time I gently replied
that only the pannier and its supporting bracket had been
damaged and that the quote I had sent them contained the
part numbers and the prices. After about three weeks they
phoned again to ask where the three quotes were. I replied
ditto gently again, but when another guy phoned a third
time about the same thing, I lost part of my cool and gave
him a piece of my mind. After all, one would think that I
rammed the Opel instead of the other way around!
After about a month, still no pannier, but this time the
company wanted an affidavit from me to state that I would
not claim from my insurance company (BMW). I made a
solemn declaration to that effect, but still no joy. Then the
responsible guy was on leave, then his assistant was off
sick and so on. After three months, four personal visits to
the firm, a few dozen phone calls and a lot of huffing and
puffing, I finally had the check in my hands to pay for a
new pannier.
This adventure put a new lease of life on me though. No,
I'm not going to mothball or sell my bike and settle down
in an easy chair for the rest of my days. I'm going to give
my bike a good bang for some years still to come. But rest
assured, the one extra thing that I'm going to watch from
now on is my tail end!
5

Start Small
(Henri Heyns)
‘Wie het kleine niet eerd is de grote niet weerdt’
The above is a Dutch saying which means ‘ he
who doesn’t respect the small is not worthy of
the big’. I have a new-found friend (let's call
him Paul), a professional man, whom I found admiring
my R1150 R outside a bank in Brooklyn. He is obviously
well-established and in middle age with seemingly
some time on his hands now for an adventurous
life style. He told me that he holds a private pilot's
licence but doesn't fly anymore. He has always liked
BMW motorcycles, that the time is now ripe for him to
acquire one, and would I give him advice on what to
buy and how to go about it.
A piece of pie, I thought, but first of all a few questions
to help narrow down the search for sensible
answers:
1. What bike does he have now? None
2. What bike did he own before? None
3. What bike has he ridden before? None
4. Has he a motorcycle driver's licence? No
5. Has he a motorcar driver's licence? Yes
6. Can he ride a motorcycle? No
7. Can he ride a bicycle? Yes
8. When last did he ride a bicycle? As a youngster
9. Is he prepared to learn to ride? Yes
10. How will he learn to ride without a bike? Buy a
BMW R1150 R, RT or a K1200 RS.
11. Does he anticipate carrying a pillion rider from
time to time? Yes, his wife is very keen.
12. Does he intend to do any off-road riding? No,
not at all.
Anything wrong with this scenario? You bet! My
inward reaction? Bad case this one and where do we
start? Out of the twelve questions posed, only the
answers to 7 and 9 are encouraging, for what they`re
worth. What now? I carefully groped for a way to
retain his enthusiasm for a BMW and to go riding with
the club members, whilst on the other hand, spell out
to him the problems he faces. I subtly suggested that
he considers a 650 or so for a start until sufficiently
skilled in riding before taking on the bigger machines.
But he was adamant. He didn’t want a single cylinder
chain-driven bike. A ‘proper’ BMW was more to his
liking and he could afford to pay whatever was necessary
to achieve his ideal. Could I steer him in the right
direction or not, he asked.
What should I have told him?
1. Forget about it. You’ll kill yourself.
2. Buy whatever captures your fancy and then
look for a training school to teach you to ride.
3. Buy a smaller bike of less than 600 cc and
learn to ride by yourself on back roads first.
4. Make friends with a biker and get him to teach
you to ride his bike for a consideration.
5. Don't buy anything just yet. Ask the BMW
Rider Training Academy for advice.
Obviously the last answer is the best, given the
circumstances. But what is the thinking behind such a
recommendation? First of all, there is a possibility that
a trainee may rent a bike (not a scooter) on which to
train. They are usually of small capacity, which makes
them light and easy to handle. Second, the trainee gets
to handle a two-wheeler without having to pay out big
bucks for something that he may become disenchanted
with, especially after a come-off. Third, the principle of
never learning to ride on your own bike, but to use someone
else’s is applied. For a few rand you can decide whether
biking is for you or not. Fourth, it is better to kick-off
knowing nothing about riding a motorcycle than to have
a smattering of knowledge, usually gleaned from people
who are not trained tutors and therefore tend to show you
the wrong instead of the right way. Fifth, the Academy
has properly qualified tutors who will immediately spot
the candidate’s ability to ride or not and inform him so,
gently and without insulting his intelligence or hurting his
feelings. The fact that he is a trained pilot helps, but flying
and biking are like chalk and cheese, for obvious reasons.
So, being good at one doesn’t necessarily include the other,
but that would depend on the individual.
Thank heaven that there are people who, even at a
fairly advanced age, still have the enthusiasm to want
to indulge in motorcycling for the sheer pleasure of
experiencing the thrill of two-wheeled power and its
control. It is these guys and gals to whom we extend
a hearty welcome to the fold and wish many years
and kilometres of the kind of ecstatic enjoyment that
only a motorcycle can provide. But take care, there is
a jungle out there on our roads with all sorts of nasties
waiting to gobble one up. Like so much else in this
world, the only way to survive is by a professional
approach in everything one attempts. So is it also with
biking, and only thorough training, regular practice
and constant vigilance bring about the required degree
of professionalism. Go out there and enjoy but never
ever throw caution to the wind. To do so is to invite
calamity.
6

R1150 GS Cries King in the
Bavarian Alps
(Excerpted and adapted by Henri Heyns from Motorrad May 2003)
A
five bike shoot-out was arranged by Motorrad
magazine earlier this year to decide which was
the better all-rounder machine for the different
riding conditions they were being subjected to. The
organisers were searching for the best motorcycle for
mountain passes,, gravel tracks, bend and hairpins,
in short, they were searching for the King of the
Mountains or the Alpine King, as someone called the
event.
Apart from the Beemer R1150 GS, so ubiquitous
in South Africa, the competition line-up comprised
formidable machines in the shape of an Aprilia RSV
Tuono, a Ducati Multistrada, a KTM 950 Adventure S,
and a Yamaha TDM 900.
Evaluation was done in six categories, being:
1. Engine System
2. Chassis
3. Safety*
4. Everyday suitability*
5. Comfort, and
6. Feature evaluation
* Denotes highest score of 76% and 73% respectively
for the GS.
The GS was declared overall winner with 67,2%.
Second was the KTM with 65,3%. Then followed
the Aprilia with 65,1%, the Yamaha (63,3%) and the
Ducati (60,8%). Four of the five riders used in the test
thought the GS to be the better bike from a personal,
riding experience point of view.
It is not that the Beemer is without fault. The
age-old complaint of the ‘funny’ two-handed direction
indicator switches always crops up in a competition of
this kind. Most riders critical of the BMs are quick to
point out this ‘fault’, intimating that they prefer a (left)
one-handed indicator switch for both directions. Also,
it is felt that the petrol tank could be a little narrower,
and the foot rests a little lower. The windscreen came
in for criticism as well as something bigger would be
preferred.
The magazine finishes with the following remarks: “It
is clear from the outset that the R1150 GS is not
designed for speed as it lacks the extra power and
revs at the top end for that. Still, when a BMW is
well on the move, it refuses to be shaken off, even
by more powerful competitors. The chassis only gets
into problems under really extreme riding conditions.
Then even the excellent integrated ABS may be known
to fail occasionally. Professionals simply switch this
function off for really hardcore rides on extremely
rough surfaces. So, which machine is the King of the
Mountains? Five riders, five opinions, but Motorrad
decided that the BMW R1150 GS is once more the
wearer of the crown. Only the extremely sporty KTM
comes close but even this bike lacks the coolness and
elegance of the Bavarian.”
Have you ordered your GS yet?
Tony Lammers says Goodbye
(Henri Heyns)
Anybody who`s ever been into the workshop
at Bavarian Motorcyles will know who Tony
Lammers is. Because of his vast knowledge
of BMW motorcycles, Tony is also known as the
‘walking motorcycle encyclopaedia’. I have known
him for a good few years and have seldom asked him
a spec on a BMW that he couldn`t recite without even
looking at a manual. Whether it`s a bolt size on a big
end bearing cap, the diameter of a Bing carburettor
jet, the number of teeth on the crown wheel of a
1986 R100 RT final drive, whatever, Tony was always
spot on with the correct answer. I cannot recall a
motorcycle problem ever getting the better of Tony.
Tony has worked for Bruce for more than ten years
and has now decided to retire. Of course, he is not
the kind of person to be sitting around doing nothing.
He is extremely handy at machine work and, working
from home, will now be keeping himself busy with
inter alia manufacturing hard-to-come-by parts for
rebuilding enthusiasts.
Tony is a fine motorcycle mechanic and we, the
customers, as well as the staff at Bavarian will miss
his knowledge and skills as a solution finder of bike
problems.
We wish him a happy retirement, good health and
everything of the best with his future endeavours.
Date of January 2004 Noggin
Please be advised that the date of the January
Friday evening Noggin of the new year will be
held on Friday 9th January 2004 and not on the
first Friday of the month. Thereafter Noggins will
be held on the first Friday of each month as per
usual.
7

As I see it…
Bad road manners
(Henri Heyns)
Don’t apologise for being rude…just don’t be rude!
In a recent edition of a motorcycling magazine, a Cape Town biker asks motorists for forgiveness for
what he's been doing so far and will be doing again. It seems that whilst commuting and trying to beat the
traffic, he manoeuvres his machine into tight spaces between cars, this being particularly so when approaching
intersections and other areas where traffic congestion is heavy. His ‘sin’ is that in doing so, he occasionally
taps car drivers` mirrors with his bike handle bars, doing no damage, but much to their annoyance of course.
This gentleman goes on to say sorry when it happens, but for the motorist to avoid such incursion, to please
move aside so that he can get through, adding that if motorists resent his getting through traffic quicker this
way, they had better also get a bike!
What utter rubbish! This is the epitome of selfishness and bad manners. Does this person not realise that
bikers are the bane of all others using the roads for inconsiderateness, ‘pushiness’, noisiness, and a lot more
adjectives in their driving behaviour. What on earth makes him think that his getting through the traffic is
important to anyone else but him?
I disapprove of jumping lanes to get ahead of traffic, but at the same time have often taken advantage of gaps
between slow moving vehicles as they occur from time to time. There is a subtle difference though. At no time
is the car driver inconvenienced or made to react quickly to prevent an undesirable situation from occurring, and
never is there any question of physical contact with the vehicle, be it ever so slight. Frankly, one often comes
across considerate motorists who will wait for a biker to fill the gap, or move aside slightly so that the biker can
do so. To the biker this is a bonus, not a right, and a nod of the head on his part, a ‘thank you’ hand gesture or a
quick jab at the foot brake a few times to light up the thank you message on the stop lights upon completing the
manoeuvre , is more than adequate compensation for the courtesy displayed.
My abhorrence to riding in ‘no man’s land’ between two rows of vehicles on the move is even more acute. All
that has to happen for an accident to occur is a sudden twist of the steering wheel by a driver manoeuvring or a
passenger opening a door for whatever reason, for you to come off second best. The chance of it happening may
be one in a thousand, but if it does, you have no chance, as there would be nowhere to go and any other reaction
by you would be much too slow. (Many years ago a colleague who had the habit of riding his bicycle between
lanes, came short when a lady smoker who had dropped a burning cigarette on her lap, opened the car door just
as he came past and caught him full in the face. He sustained horrific injuries and was hospitalised for months,
all to no avail as he never recovered completely and ultimately died.)
One sometimes comes across road hogs who won’t budge a centimetre to allow a biker to overtake. This is also
obviously wrong, but in wanting to force the issue, the biker can easily become embroiled in an unequal contest
that he cannot possibly win, so back off and live another day.
Courtesy begets courtesy. Never forget that. If you are riding in the right hand lane at the maximum speed
allowed and a motorist is in a greater hurry than you and wishes to pass, move over to the left and let him do
his thing. It is not for you to enforce the speed limit or any other road rule for that matter. The wide-awake
biker would know of the motorist behind him coming up rapidly, obviously desiring to overtake, and would
automatically make way for it to happen. Sometimes you won’t be receiving a friendly gesture of appreciation
for a courtesy shown, but this is few and far between.
I saw a sticker on a bike once. It conveyed a simple yet poignant message: You toucha my bike, I smasha your
face. I would think in all fairness that these stern words would also be uttered by motorists. So, to avoid trouble
and further tarnishing of bikers` already doubtful reputation, let’s stay away from the other road user and treat
him with the respect that you would seek for yourself.
8

Howlers!
1.Late one night, a man who was in no shape to
drive, wisely left his car parked and walked
home. As he was walking unsteadily along the
road, a policeman stopped him.
“What are you doing out here at two in the morning?”
asked the officer.
“I'm going to a lecture.” the man replied.
“And just who is going to give a lecture at this hour?”
the cop asked sarcastically.
“My wife” said the man.
2.
A man was leaving a café with his morning coffee
when he noticed a most unusual funeral procession
approaching the nearby cemetery. A long black hearse
was followed by a second long black hearse about
15m behind. Behind that was a solitary man walking a
pit-bullterrier on a leash. Behind him was a queue of
some 200 men walking in single file. The man couldn't
stand his curiosity. He respectfully approached the
man walking the dog. “I am so sorry for your loss, and
I know now is a bad time to disturb you, but I've never
seen a funeral like this before with so many of you
walking in single file. Whose funeral is it?”
The bereaved replied: ”Well, that first hearse is for
my wife.”
“What happened to her?” enquired the spectator.
The man replied: ”My dog attacked and killed her”.
He enquired further: ”Well, who's in the second
hearse?”
The man answered: “My mother-in-law. She was
trying to help my wife when the dog turned on her.”
A poignant and thoughtful moment of silence passed
between the two men. “Can I borrow the dog?” asked
the bystander.
“Join the queue,” the man replied.
Urgent Sale!
Vespa Scooter. 150cc Automatic. Four stroke
motor. Only 10 000 km. 2003 Model. Pearl
White with matching helmet and box, and in
immaculate condition.
Very economical to run. Will suit commuter or
student. Asking price R30 000 or offer.
Owner wishes to buy BMW 650 Dakar.
Please phone Ruan Pentz at 082-752-2132
Voorsitter Deon Gericke op `n netjiese GS by `n
klubaand. (Die geswelde knie is die gevolg van `n
‘geveg’ met `n ander fiets `n ruk gelede.)
BMW rates highly in the U.K.
(Henri Heyns)
survey conducted by Ride, 2003 Edition, a British
A magazine, covering 134 bikes ridden in the U.K.,
shows that BMWs are very popular with the English biking
public. It captured four places out of the top ten, including
the premier position.
The Top Ten Bikes
1. BMW R1150 RS; 2.Yamaha YZF-R1;
3. BMW R1100 RT; 4. Honda CBR1100XX
Blackbird; 5. Honda ST1100 Pan European;
6. BMW R1150 RT; 7. Honda STX1300 Pan
European; 8. Honda CBR1100XX Blackbird;
9. BMW K1200GT/RS; 10. Triumph Sprint ST.
Another interesting statistic is that BMW bike dealerships
also brought home the laurels head and shoulders above
the opposition. They were judged by bikers on the quality
of service provided and availability of parts. Rated on a
one-to-five star grading, the various dealerships fared as
follows:
BMW = 4,3; Harley Davidson = 3,5; Triumph = 3,5;
Honda =3,3; Ducati = 3; Yamaha =2,7; Kawasaki = 2,4;
Suzuki = 2,3; and Aprilia = 1,3.
9

PRETORIA BMW MOTORCYCLE CLUB
2003 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS MONTHLY & LONG WEEKEND AWAY RIDES
MONTH Date/Day ROUTE/DESTINATION Kms ORGANISERS
Nov. 22 Sat Annual Club Lunch 50 Committee
Dec. 5-7 Fri -Sun Golden Gate/Clarens (Road & GS) 1200 Deon, Pieter de K.
Dec. 7 Sun Tba
Dec. 13-16 Sat-Tue Mpumalanga 1500 Mike, Pieter de K.
Contact Nos.: Mike Hennessy - 0824103663; Deon Gericke - 0823368108; Adriaan Scheepers
- 0832698897; Izak Geldenhuys - 0825544879; Brian Cannoo - 0828537503; Andre Henrico
- 0824114247; Herbert van der Wissel - 0824581886; Pieter de Koker - 0828295425; James
Mc Clelland – 0825606920
Recommended training:
GS - Country Trax Motorcycle Off-Road Riding Academy (beginners and advanced).
Tel & Fax (017) 753-1720, Mobile 083-669-7283, E-mail: ctrax@lantic.net
Road - BMW Rider Academy (beginners through the full spectrum of riding experience).
BMW Motorrad Rider Training Academy. Tel. (011) 805-7673; Fax (011) 805-3629
This events calendar also appears on our web page, and to make it easier for readers of Spoke
`n Piston to plan rides in advance without their having to page backwards and forwards through
the Web, is attached to this page of the newsletter. Please note that as the schedule is updated
throughout the year, readers are advised to rely only on the latest information. Please check with
the organisers before making a commitment.
Spoke`n Piston also appears on our website at www.bmwclubs.co.za Visit us there and become
acquainted with the comings and goings of our club, together with newsy bits, information on
new products, what is happening on the motorcycling scene, etc. Please send all articles, pics,
comments, etc. to: The Editor, Spoke `n Piston, P.O. Box 40422, Arcadia 0007, or E-Mail to:
henrih@netactive.co.za
Indemnity
Although reasonable care has been taken to ensure the correctness of all material contained herein, the publisher
cannot be held liable for any inaccuracies that may occur or damage/loss sustained as a result of advice given.
Club Address: Bavarian Motorcycles and Accessories cc, 7 Ockerse Street., ARCADIA 0083. P.O. Box 23848,
Innesdale 0031. Tel. (012) 323-4865/6. Fax (012) 323-1630. E-mail: bavarian@mweb.co.za
“Shared riding pleasure whilst fostering fellowship by the safe, supportive,
responsible and courteous enjoyment of BMW motorcycles”