1601 DT final

Pat takes up the story
The very first impression of the new big
KTM is that the rider sits very much on top
of the bike, rather than being cushioned
at a lower lever IN the bike, as on a big
BM. Also the difference in the weight
distribution is immediately noticeable… the
KTM has a much higher centre of gravity
than the BM, which makes quick changes
in direction, for example changing lanes
on the freeway, feel very different. The next
big difference is the wonderfully planted
feeling from the front wheel, especially on
turn in to a corner, whether at speed or
even at walking pace. Weight-wise the two
bikes feel much the same. The thing that
impresses most on the 1290 is the never
ending surge of power, even from low rpm
in 6th gear… the bike is really a rocket.
So with Pat happily leading the way on the
1290, and William cradling the Dirt & Trail
camera for six photo’s on the back of the
1190, the duo quickly left the hustle and
bustle of the northern edge of Randburg
behind, and popped off past the historic
Muldersdrift Hotel, where so many prize
giving ceremonies from the golden era of
Motocross at nearby Syringa Spa were
held. Folklore has it that visiting American
MX Superstar Rex Staten once even faced
down a gun-toting drunken local there after
one of the Syringa Series rounds!
Anyway after passing the hotel it was
on ever northwards, past the “Cradle of
Mankind” and Sterkfontein Caves, where
we all know the remains of the oldest
known Tannie in the world, Mrs Ples, were
found. Just after her final resting place at
Sterkfontein (that’s not really true, because
what’s left of her is now at Wits University)
we passed Maanhaarand, the sight of
one of the early Boer war battles. Here
the Boers managed to give the English
Army a big wake-up call early in the war,
although when the South African generals
took stock a bit later they realised this army
of young men following old traditions was
going to give them a lot more trouble than
they first thought.
The main road to Rustenburg from
Krugersdorp now folds itself over the hills
and valleys of this old battleground and
we hummed our way past in a symphony
of V-twin music, on our way to the equally
historic Olifantsnek, where the road
breaches the Magaliesberg on its’ way to
Rustenberg, where Oom Paul Kruger set
up home for a while. There’s now a dam at
the foot of the hills next to Olifantsnek, and
it’s worth stopping at the top of the pass
and looking back across the dam and the
characteristic bushveld of the area. How
awesome is it to be just an hour or so from
the centre of Johannesburg, and be in the
real African bush? Just over 200 years ago
this area was teeming with Elephant, which
gave the original old pass its’ name.
After soaking up the awesome view from
the top of Olifantsnek we retraced our
tracks down the hill for just a kilometer or so
and pulled in at the “Brauhaus am Damm”,
the brewery on the banks of the dam.
It’s new in the area, and is a magnificent
modern building housing the old brewery
brought from Dannhauser in Natal near
Dundee. Apparently the original German
70 DIRT & TRAIL MAGAZINE JANUARY 2016
1601 DT KTM.indd 70 2015/12/16 9:48 AM