DT FEB 2021 Online

FEBRUARY 2021
HONDA
DOES IT AGAIN
Kevin Benavides and Honda
claim victory at the 2021
Dakar Rally
HONDA
TAKES 1ST AND 2ND
AT DAKAR 2021
FEBRUARY 2021 RSA R35.00
9 771815 337001
21002
MULTI MID WEIGHT ADVENTURE TEST
GAS GAS , KTM, HUSQVARNA 300TPI TEST
HUSQVARNA TEAM LAUNCH - NEWS AND LOTS MORE...

SCAN and WATCH
TRAVELING THE ROAD
LESS TRAVELED
DESIGNED
IN S.A
FOR S.A
THE ADVENTURE AWAITS
VR1 MX V
ADVENTURE
FREE
DARK VISOR
REMOVEABLE WASHABLE LINERS
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CLOSABLE CHIN CLOSABLE VEN CHIN VEN
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DOUBLE D RING CHIN STRAP
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INC VAT
3 COLOURS
AVAILABLE
The MASTER of Adventure - NOW AVAILABLE
FEATURES
-Hill Hold Control System
-Slope Dependent Control System
-Load Dependent Control System
-Cruise Control System
-3 Level Traction Control System
-Height Adjustable Rider Seat
www.suzukimotorcycle.co.za
suzuki_motorcycle_s.a
SUZUKI DL1050 XT V Strom
FROM R221 950
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T’s & C’s Apply
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Intro. Keeping the wheels turning...
This month has been a bit frenetic to say
the very least - it seems as though - even
after last years lockdown, the motorcycle
industry as a whole took awhile to hit first
and get going.
But our team put fire under saddles and
managed to get together all sorts of
interesting stuff that you need to know - and
indications are that 2021 is going to be great!
Sad is the fact that we know of so many
people who have contracted COVID, are
battling against it and who have lost loved
ones to the disease.
It’s a very real thing. Do the social distancing
thing and look after yourselves.
Of course, the best way to social distance is
on your bike - so go forth and ride a lot!
AND - if YOU own or know of an interesting
bike out there - please get in touch! We’d love
to feature it in the magazine.
Who knows? We might just make you
famous!
Have a great Feburary. Be lekker!
Feedback queries, etc -
foleyg@mweb.co.za
Look up Black Rock creative studio on
facebook for AMAZING photographs and
contact details if you want your bikes
photographed.
FEBRUARY Issue 2021
PUBLISHER:
Glenn Foley
foleyg@mweb.co.za
ADVERTISING AND EDITORIAL:
Sean Hendley
sean@motomedia.co.za
071 684 4546
OFFICE &
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Anette
anette.acc@ mweb.co.za
011 979 5035
ONLINE &
DESIGN LAYOUT:
Kyle Lawrenson
kyle@motomedia.co.za
011 979 5035
Cape Town Sales and News:
Lorna Darrol
lornad48@yahoo.com
074 122 4874
Africa ' s
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RACETECH Caters for MX, ENDURO, TRAIL RIDING, SUPERMOTO, FREESTYLE, SPORT & RECREATIONAL
ATVS, ROAD RACING, SPORTS BIKES, TOURERS, VINTAGE BIKES, CRUISERS AND HARLEYS
Spring Kits Available
WISECO PISTON KITS Wiseco leads the aftermarket performance kits by producing the
highest quality pistons on the highest quality forgings.
Pic of the month:
PHOTOGRAPHY
Stefan van der Riet
CONTRIBUTORS
Shado Alston
Donovan Fourie
Michelle Leppan
Tristan Foley
Kurt Beine
Mike Wessels
Mizz B
Kyle Foley
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Kawasaki back to cross country
racing:
This is big news, it’s great to see other brands
finally making their way back onto the startlines.
Hopefully, we’ll get the opportunity to ride the
new bikes soon – and we’ll tell you what we think.
by Motorsport Media
Kawasaki South Africa returns to the South
African National Cross Country Motorcycle
Championship in 2021 following a lengthy
sabbatical. Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Motul
Racing will enter a full nine-machine team in this
year’s championship.
“We are proud to confirm that Kawasaki
Motorcycles South Africa is returning to the
National Cross Country Motorcycle
Championship from 2021 with Pepson Plastics
Kawasaki Motul Racing,” team principal Iain
Pepper confirmed. “We would like to extend a
huge word of thanks to Chris and Kibble from
KMSA for putting their faith in us to bring the
Kawasaki brand back to the startline following a
long sabbatical from the sport.
“We are also pleased to have Motul on board
as a major sponsor, along with great support
from Bikewise with Pirelli, Arai helmets, Renthal,
Acerbis, DID chains and SBS brakes. “Our riders
will be protected by the best kit from Fasthouse
SA and the Margie Smith training facility will keep
the team fit, sharp and strong.
“Pepson Plastics Kawasaki Motul Racing will
compete across the various SA National Cross
Country classes with promising pair Dartagnan
Lobjoit and Craig Alcock racing in the open class
OR1 on the all-new KX450XC.
The experienced Taki Bogiages and Kyle
MacKenzie will be the men in green in
competitive OR3 aboard two KX250XCs, while
Lee Thompson is our man in the Senior class.”
Iain Pepper will represent the team in Masters.
“We also have a competitive Junior line-up with
Jake Pretorius and Clayton Human in 85cc and
Dylan Human in the 65cc class.”
The reborn Green Team will be racing Kawasaki’s
brand new built for cross country 2021
KX250XC and KX450XCs based on its ’21 KX
motocross machines. Both benefit specific XC
tuned electric start engines with MotoGP derived
finger follower valve technology and plug-andplay
engine mapping for precision tuning via the
KX FI Calibration kit.
Five-speed XC models get cross-country gearing
for their close-ratio gearbox, a light and direct
feel hydraulic clutch and traction control. XCtuned
Showa suspension on the 450 and KYB
forks on the 250 is cross country ready, as are
larger diameter brakes and optimised wheels
with an 18” rear and cross country tyres. The XCs
carry over the narrow KX frame with adjustable
handlebar and foot peg positions, minimalistic
bodywork and add a side stand and skid plates.
Kawasaki has a rich history of Cross Country
Racing success in South Africa with legends the
likes of Alfie Cox, Neil Woolridge, Chris Brand
and others riding the green machines to great
effect over the years. “Now Kawasaki is back
and the Pepson Plastics Motul Racing team is
ready to paint the South African National Cross
Country Championship green,” Pepper
concluded. “Let’s go racing!”
Watch this space…
FOLLOW US ON:
@CTiKneeBrace
WWW.CTI-BRACE.CO.ZA
0860 888 123
@cti_kneebraces_sa
TRUSTED BY
ELITE ATHLETES.
Always at the forefront of innovation, delivering a wide range of products and services, Össur’s reputation has been built
on scientifically-proven designs with the emphasis on clinical outcomes. Össur is a global leader in orthopaedics and
employs the smartest minds and the most advanced technologies to help change lives. The end result is award-winning
prosthetics, compression therapies, bracing and supports that make a real difference to people’s mobility.

Win a custom sticker kit for
you and your loved one…
The guys from RobertCo, the custom sticker guys
are running a very cool valentines day promotion
and it’s easy to win so don’t be a lazy ass!
This is open to anyone in SA – and the kits will be
delivered to you by the Courier guy.
• Take a pic of yourself and your loved one
any dirtbike or adventure machine. Keep
it tidy and be creative!
• Send it along to foleyg@mweb.co.za
• If it’s good – we’ll publish all of the entries
in the March, April and May issue.
• Winners will be announced in our June
issue
Calling all
ALL ADV Riders
Gyppo Work Tuesday
is back.
It’s time to tell your Boss to take a
hike on Tuesday the 16th of
February. Dirt and Trail magazine
will be hosting another weekday
adventure ride – this time from The
East Rand out to the republic of Val.
And Suzuki South Africa is bringing
along their DL1050 V-stroms for you
to take for a spin.
All welcome - It’s always fun – very
chatty and informal with easy routes
and some more techy stuff for those
who would like a more interesting
stuff. And you’ll have a great day
out in the country with a lekker
lunch.
And chances are excellent that
you’ll get your photo into the magazine.
Details:
foleyg@mweb.co.za
sean@motomedia.co.za

2021 EKS Brand LUCID
Goggles are here:
Man we do love this brand. The designs are always
exciting and innovative and dirtbikes are all about
that cool look, while using safe, practical products.
This from EKS Brand “The new LUCID goggle
range is characterized by clear perception. It
has been created from over 35 years of R&D,
experience, passion, and evolution in the goggle
business. As the world evolves, so does clear
vision and the need to see in the most demanding
situations. The new LUCID goggle will progress
vision and goggle function to the maximum with its
XDO, (Xtreme Definition Optics) lens technology.
The XDO lens is injection molded from the highest
quality impact resistant polycarbonate material for
zero visual distortion.”
Great fit and so stylish. The Goggs are making their
way to your local dealer as we type this.
Leatts new 4.5 Enduro Boots
arrive:
It feels as though there are literally hundreds of
boot brands on the market at the moment and Leatt
enters the fray with their new 4,5 midrange enduro
boot.
Features include:
Great fit even for wide feet.
Closure: SlideLock system, Auto-locking one way
sliding closure for seal at top of boot.
Polymer composite buckles with Over-lock
system and stainless steel base.
Bike Grip: Inside of boot is flat and grippy for great
bike feel.
Toe-Box: Low-profile, for easy gear shifting.
Ankles: Heel grip ankle design for stability when
riding on your toes.
Sole: Enduro pattern for grip when pushing your
bike.
DualZone hardness.
Extended foot peg riding zone for arch and on the
toes riding style.
Steel shank reinforced and CE certified.
Inner Liner: Breathable mesh 3D liner with anti-slip
reinforcement for zero heel lift.
Making its way into dealerships…
1 2 3
1
LUCID GOGGLE FEATURES
• Rugged DYAD frame, double-injected to our race proven POLYFLEX face-forming inner frame
• FLOAIR ventilation system with moisture channel • 20mm thick, 3D molded, multi-stage face foam
• FORCEFIT outrigger system • 45mm ultra-wide woven strap with silicone traction control
• XDO injection molded lens • WAVELATCH quick-change lens locking system • XDO lens features hard coat & anti-fog treatment
• Integrated tear-off posts • Ultra-wide field of view accepts 45mm Zip-Off film system • Detachable vented nose shield
1 2 3
2
XDO INJECTION MOLDED LENS – WAVELATCH – QUICK~CHANGE LENS LOCKING SYSTEM
3
Henderson Racing Products - 011 708 5905
www.facebook.com/Hendersonracingproducts
Available at selected dealers nationwide

Bike Tyre Warehouse
keeping the wheels turning…
The BTW Group have been busy sourcing stock
and securing deals with international suppliers
for a wide range of products from brake pads,
brake disc’s, chain & sprocket kits, batteries,
aftermarket adventure bike accessories, wheel
& spoke kits and a wider range of tyre related
accessories.
Off Road Cycles news
New Year, new stock new faces … it’s all happening
at Off Road Cycles, the busiest motorcycle
shop in Pretoria. Lucindy joins the team,
bringing a bit of glamour to the mob.
Whether you need to book your bike in for a
service, tyres and etc. or if you are in the market
for some lekker new kit, Lucindy is the lady to
call. And speaking of new kit, they have just
unpacked a truck load of new SIDI and FORMA
boots, new ARAI helmets, riding suits, jeans,
Boss man Bruce reckons, “… due to the ever
growing national retail foot print we are finding
there are different product needs in different
regions, as well as different price scales. So we
have looked at these requirements and based
our developing product ranges on regional
market demands.”, basically Bruce and his team
are listening to the buying public and are finding
better ways to best serve the motorcycle market.
Head down to one of their 5 stores around the
country, to find the one nearest to you go to
www.biketyrewarehouse.com
whatever you need they have got it or can get
it fairly quickly. Boss Man, Conrad personally
oversees the day to day running of the workshop
and does all the specialised work himself.
From engine rebuilds and engineering, shockrefurbishments
and even specialised welding
and electrical work, there is nothing they can’t
do. Visit them at 22 Blesbok Ave, Koedoespoort,
Pretoria or give them a call on 087 808 3649 or
087 808 3650 or you can Whatsapp them on
082 823 4714 or email to
info@offroadcycles.co.za
Tork Craft’s new glove range.
Budget gloves for the work
shop, and offroad riding.
Tork Craft now has a comprehensive range that
covers all these markets at very affordable prices
what’s more and they look pretty cool.
The guys from Tork Craft are avid Motocrossers
and they have been instrumental in developing
the kit. The Blue Air Mesh and the Spandex Red
gloves are ideal and on a par with anything out
there. Testers were very impressed, with the
range. The palms are reinforced and padded and
the closures are on the bottom side which makes
a lot of sense. One cool thing on the red ones is
the terry cloth on the back of the thumb which is
handy to give your goggles a quick wipe on the
fly, or even to wipe away sweat when you stop for
a break.
CAPE TOWN
Sho! Sho! Sho! Cape Town is super
busy with more and more motorcycle
stores opening, seemingly almost on a
daily basis. Our lady in the Cape, Lorna,
has been run off her feet trying to
keep up with everybody. If she has not
made it to you yet and you would like a
mention in our magazines please give
her a call or drop her a mail and she will
definitely drop in for a chat. Also ask
her about some of our great advertising
rates and social media exposure rates.
Here are some of the great bike shops
she has visited on the Peninsula
They have been designed by multiple SA
Motocross legend, Ryan Hunt, who certainly
knows about good gloves after his 30 years of
racing and his recent comeback after a 10 year
layoff, to attempt to win 3 SA National titles over 3
decades.
They fit very comfortably, are very reasonably
priced and offer an impressive value for money
package. Tork Craft also offer “Work” and “All
Purpose” gloves which are great for anything
from working in the garden, the workshop to
working on your motorcycle, these are made more
robustly and offer great protection and a good grip
on tools.
As you may be aware Tork Craft is a leading
brand of accessories in the Vermont Sales
operation and are available at all leading
specialist stores countrywide for more information
talk to your retail outlet or
www.vermontsales.co.za -
Trade enquiries welcome

FORMA PREDATOR 2.0
ENDURO RRP R9450 (incl VAT)
Now, we all like a really good looking pair of
boots that really offer quality construction and
excellent protection, and the Forma Predator 2.0
have a really cool name to boot …
(snick! … ‘scuse the word play). Not only do
they have a cool name and really look the part
but they are also jam packed with all the latest
technology and at a price that is reasonable.
Here are some of the specifications on the
Predator 2.0’s:
PU and microfiber material upper; Moulded
and adjustable front plate; Personalized extra
grip Enduro/Adventure compound rubber sole;
Moulded front panel; Dual Pivot F.C.S. (Flex
Control System) with anti-torsion and double
rear stop; Elevated TPU flex and traction
resistant Ergonomic Dual Pivot connector;
Injection moulded plastic protections; Safety
double density rear PU flexor with cushioned
inserts; Ultra shaped double density heel cup;
Reinforced lateral-bottom insert to better support
the entire Dual Pivot F.C.S.; Incorporated back
and side air intake windows; Fitted flexible
collar to keep out mud and debris; Personalized
rubber heat gripper inserts (also on Dual Pivot
connector); Adjustable double Velcro closure;
Replaceable/adjustable aluminium articulated
“Evo Security Lock” buckles; “Security Lock”
strap holder; Personalized Zama toe cap; Highly
resistant and breathable inner and quick-dry
lining (black); Personalized and thermoformed
upper inner lining (red); Polyurethane nylon
reinforcements; Soft polymer padding with
memory foam; I.N.&F.S. (Incorporated Nylon &
Fiberglass Shank) midsole; EVA padded
anti-bacterial replaceable footbed with A.P.S.
(Air Pump System)
At your dealer or www.dmd.co.za
Cape Bike Travel - Rentals –
Tours – Workshop,
Triumph Dealer.
Cape Bike Travel has been renting out
motorbikes since 2005. Situated at 125
Buitengracht Street they offer a large fleet of
latest BMW, Harley-Davidson and Triumph
motorcycles for long and short term rental.
Also available for rental are panniers and topboxes,
GPS units as well as rider gear. They do
arrange motorbike tours from 1-14 days through
South Africa and Namibia with different guided
and supported as well as self-guided options
available. They also arrange several off-road
riding courses and track days every year. The
Workshop is open to all makes of motorbikes and
being in the city centre offers the convenience of
a “while-you-work” service to commuters.
The mechanics have wide experience with all
major brands as well as in racing. The Workshop
does stock a wide variety of spares, tires and
accessories. You can visit Cape Bike Travel at
125 Buitengracht street, Cape Town or you can
give them a call on 021 424 5013 or drop them a
mail at info@capebiketravel.com, They are also
your point of call for anything Triumph in Cape
Town as they are the agents for Triumph on the
Peninsula.
www.gasgas.com
GET
ON THE
G A S !
Take your offroad riding skills to the next level! The 2021 GASGAS trial range builds upon
the proven technology that has clinched over a dozen world titles since the 1990s. Now
it’s easier than ever before to get yourself on a new GASGAS Trial bike and have a blast,
thanks to our expanded global dealer network.
Visit www.gasgas.com or phone us on 011 462 7796 for your nearest GASGAS dealer.
#GetOnTheGas
Photos: Future7Media, Mitterbauer H.
@gasgas.official
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!
The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.

Craig’s Motorcycle Fitment
Centre – Parow.
“The trusted name in motorcycle tyres in Parow.”
This shop is massive with a huge range of
accessories, parts and a proper workshop.
These guys Carry a huge stock of tyres across
all the popular brands. They fit and balance all
tyres purchased from them for free using the
correct tools to make sure all nuts and bolts are
re-torqued properly and they include free chain
cleaning, lubing and tensioning as part of the
deal. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff are
also happy to give you a free assessment on the
condition of your chain, sprockets, brake pads
and discs and etc and they are also quite happy
to source whatever you are looking for.
Visit them at 79 Voortrekker rd, Parow, Cape
Town or give them a call on 021 939 8916.
Mad Macs opens a
second store in Cape Town
This is Mad Macs’ second dealership in the
Western Cape, having branched out from
Somerset West to Cape Town. They are very
active in the racing scene and they organize
and participate in lots of adventure rides. Led
by some industry legends Rob Cragg, Stewart
Thom, David McFadden & Harry Clifton.
official Dealers for ‘Suzuki’, ‘SYM’ & ‘Kawasaki’;
They also trade in Pre-Owned motorcycles,
do scooter rentals, sellaccessories,
spares and parts and have a very experienced
mechanic managing their Workshop.
Shop 10, 2 Long Street, Cape Town,
City centre
021 488 9997 wafieka@madmacs.co.za or
k@MadMacsCityCentre
BIG BOY, STILL OFFERING
MORE RIDE FOR YOUR RAND
THAN ANY OTHER BRAND.
For daily commuting, business deliveries or recreation, Big Boy have a model
for you. With a 3 Year Warranty on road legal models and 80+ dealers nationwide,
Big Boy are geared to offer unmatched value-for-money across our range.
For more info on these and other models, visit our website or an
authorised dealer for a closer look at the model of your choice.
CRUISING
Swift 125/150
R15,999.00
Optional Extra Fibreglass Top Box R1,950.00
SCOOTING
COMMERCIAL
For the full scooter, motorcycle, ATV and commercial range visit: www.samotorcycles.co.za
IMPORTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY
Mustang 250
R35,999.00
Velocity 150- R15,999.00
ON
SPECIAL!
SAVE
R600 00
WHILE STOCKS
LAST!
Revival
125/150
R18,999.00
* All advertised prices include VAT, excludes On-The-Road costs & Govt. Levy.
TTR125S R15,999.00
TTX125J R14,699.00
TSR125 R23,299.00
TSR250 R26,999.00
ON/OFF ROAD
Adventure
125/150RS
R17,999.00
Join Big Boy on
CRX110F
R17,399.00
GraphicWerx Advertising & Design cc
PREDATOR 2.0
ENDURO
ONE STEP FURTHER
OUTER FEATURES
•PU and microfiber material upper
•Personalized extra grip Enduro/Adventure compound rubber sole
•Dual Pivot F.C.S. (Flex Control System) with anti-torsion and double rear stop
•Elevated TPU flex and traction resistant Ergonomic Dual Pivot connector
•Safety double density rear PU flexor with cushioned inserts
•Reinforced lateral-bottom insert to better support the entire Dual Pivot F.C.S.
•Incorporated back and side air intake windows
•Fitted flexible collar to keep out mud and debris
•Replaceable/adjustable aluminum articulated “Evo Security Lock” buckles
•“Security Lock” strap holder
AS WORN BY
2019 - BRAD FREEMAN
ENDURO GP WORLD CHAMPION
INNER FEATURES
•Highly resistant and breathable inner and quick-dry lining
•Personalized and thermoformed upper inner lining (red)
•Polyurethane nylon reinforcements
•Soft polymer padding with memory foam
•I.N.&F.S. (Incorporated Nylon & Fiberglass Shank) midsole
•EVA padded anti-bacterial replaceable footbed with A.P.S.
(Air Pump System)
FORMA BOOTS ARE IMPORTED AND DISTRIBUTED BY DMD.
CALL 011 792 7691 TO FIND YOUR NEAREST DEALER.
WWW.DMD.CO.ZA

Motorcycle World Cape
Town:
Motorcycle World is one the oldest and most
well know Motorcycle store in Cape Town.
Established in 1993 and more than 28 years of
experience in the Industry. They claim to have a
huge client base stretching all over South Africa
& beyond. Their clients are like family and have
been dealing with them from Grandfather to Son
and now Grandson`s. They offer a large range of
clean pre-owned motorcycles from Sport,
Adventure and Cruisers.
No Limit Quads
No Limit Quads is situated in Kuilsriver in the
northern suburbs of Cape Town. It was established
in May 2006 by owners Jan and Salome
Du Plessis and continues to be run as a family
business. Although No Limit Quads is a small
enterprise it is driven with a lot of passion and
commitment to their customers as far afield as
Namibia. No Limit Quads as the name would
suggest specialises in Quads of all makes and
sizes.
Finance is available through all the major banks
with their onsite F&I. Their store also has a big
range of riding gear and apparel and they have
recently added an online store. They have a fully
equipped workshop for all services and repairs
and their parts department carries a wide variety
of spares. Situated at 220 Voortrekker Road
Parow Cape Town where you are more than
welcome to pop in for a cup of coffee and a chin
wag or you can find them on the net at www.
motorcycle-world.co.za you can also call them
on 021-9305917 and chat to their sales
executive Ryan Neves.
As the business and their customer base expanded
they had to cater to a bigger market.
Currently they are a official dealers for South
African Motorcycles (Pty) Ltd, housing brands
like BIG BOY, JONWAY and GOMOTO. They
also offer a workshop ready to work on all makes
of motorcycles and quads as well as a wide
array of spares, tyres and consumables. Visit
them at 44a Van Riebeeck Road, Kuilsriver,
Cape Town or contact them on 021-9035985 or
0835824947 or e-mail them on
nolimitsquads@mweb.co.za
FLYING BRICK
MOTORCYCLE ACCESSORIES
Why the name Flying Brick?
The story BEHIND the name….
Back in the day, Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda and
Kawasaki ALL had water-cooled 4 cylinder bike
motors and BMW was under pressure to bring the
same to its home market (…and the World!)
BMW thus approached Peugeot for help with a
car-based 4 cylinder water-cooled motor; Peugeot
had an unused development model sitting ‘on the
shelf’, but had no plans for it, BMW took over the
development, and then the designers rotated it 90
degrees to fit into a bike frame! It was NOT what
the Germans were wanting, was something of an
“ugly duckling” and was ‘affectionately’ known as
the “FLYING BRICK” … OK, UN-affectionally!
Chris owned a Café’d BMW K100, the original
‘Flying Brick’, so the name has always resonated
with him. At the same time he developed a luggage
bag, dual compartments; a mentor helping
out with design input commented it looked like
an Air Brick (used in building…), and again, the
name ‘Flying Brick’ stuck.
Why open a motorcycle accessory store?
They never actually wanted to Retail because
“Its bloody hard work!” Chris, however needed an
outlet to display his newly designed Flying Brick
Luggage System and an opportunity presented
itself inside a Yamaha store in Cape Town.
No sooner had he started; when other requests
came in for alternative soft luggage items and
accessories and the need to supply, and just
maybe be better and bigger was triggered! So the
little monster was born and 9 months later, they
then moved into their own premises; surrounded
by complimentary businesses and the area is now
affectionately known as Gasoline Alley. 10 years
on, the business employs 8 people, and it has
expanded twice since it started. This is their 10th
full year in business, and to celebrate ,they will be
re-designing their logo for some products/items,
and this redesigned logo should provide some
smiles/laughs! Watch out for it around mid-year!
They have a FITMENT CENTRE where they fit
whatever they sell, they have a qualified motorcycle
electrician on call for installation of after-market
electrical/electronic items, such as indicators,
hooters, GPS’s, etc. They cater primarily for the
Adventure Market, with some overflow into road/
scooter and commuters.
They are also an EXPERIENTIAL Store: you
can TRY the spotlights out, you can borrow a
windscreen spoiler for 72 hours, free-of-charge,
you can try out their comfort seat cushion – their
emphasis is on DO touch!
If you are on the peninsula experience Flying
Brick Motorcycle Accessories for yourself at 8
Shropshire Street, Paarden Eiland, Cape Town
info@flyingbrick.co.za www.flyingbrick.co.za

THE 2021
DAKAR RALLY
Honda 1st and 2nd. Was it just us or was Dakar
hype a bit less than usual this year? We have no idea
why – maybe COVID, maybe we were a bit Dozier that
usual (OK that was it), but compared to previous years
– there was just so little in the way of expectation and
excitement. And that’s not due to the race at all – this
years edition was loaded with excitement, drama and
heartbreak as those amazing people slogged it out up
there. To us it felt as if it was missing something…
But there is so much to write about and so many
things to tell… have a read.
At a glance:
• Argentine Honda rider Kevin
Benavides won the motorcycle
race.
• Chilean duo Francisco Lopez
Contardo and Juan Pablo
Latrach Vinagre’s Can-Am took
light car honours.
• Argentine Yamaha rider Manuel
Andujar took the quad win.
• Dimitry Sotnikov, Ruslan
Akhamdeev and Igliz
Akhmetzianov led a crushing
all-Russian Kamaz 1-2-3 in the
Trucks.
• Stéphane Peterhansel’s 14th
win at the Dakar tore
up the record books.
Honda did it for the second year running:
This year, Honda put two bikes on the
podium. Fantastic! It was an awesome
race and the athletes were awesome to
watch. After the final stage, the overall
rankings in the bike category were Kevin
Benavides taking the win with Ricky
Brabec in second, both from Monster
Energy Honda Team powered by Motul,
and Sam Sunderland in third from the
Red Bull KTM Factory Team.

It does not matter what brand you support –
we reckon that every single South African was
rooting for the Kalahari Ferrari Ross Branch.
He really took the fight to the guys flying the
Yamaha flag high – and mark our words – there
is a win in him sooner rather than later. We were
all devastated when mechanical issues put him
out of the race.
The guys from Motul SA invited us to join them
for a live link to Dakar a couple of days before
the race ended. It was quite fascinating to
wander through the pits and pose questions to
riders, team managers and some of the Motul
Technicians.
If you did not know – Motul has a test facility
at Dakar and quite a few other major events
around the globe where teams can submit any
oil samples for analysis and advice. We chatted
to the guys about some of the breakages – and
they indicated to us that in their opinion, faulty
and dirty fuel was to blame for many of the
engine failures.
In a world where everything is becoming mobile, you should be too!
Honda’s Massive Year:
Honda factory rider Kevin Benavides won the
rally this year, with teammate Ricky Brabec
in second. A couple of other Honda riders
were in the hunt until the final stages. It’s a
big change from South American days, when
riders like Paulo Goncalves and Joan Barreda
would put in solid riding but were let down
by their machinery. This year, Honda had no
bike problems. The combination of new team
management and careful mechanical updates
is really working. Benavides becomes the first
rider from Argentina to win the Dakar Rally in
the motorcycle category, with the only other
triumph for the nation coming in the Quad
class.
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Word out there is that Honda might cut its team budget.
Barreda is rumoured to be considering retirement after a
head injury, so Honda might save some money there, by
replacing him with a new rider on a smaller contract. We
hope that the Honda team can stay competitive, it has
been awesome watching them take the fight to the giants
that have dominated this event for so long. Honda gave
established and up-and-coming riders a different option
for a properly-backed factory ride.
The winners have also shaken European domination –
Benavides is an Argentine, Brabec is an American… Dakar
will get a boost in those continents thanks to these guys.
KTM had it tough…
This is racing for you. Things started off badly when
Matthias Walkner lost his clutch in the sand dunes in Stage
2. He managed to finish the stage, but in any normal year,
the hours he lost would have ruled him out of contention
for a top-10 finish.
That was tough, but it got worse when their top ranked
rider Toby Price Picked up a massive tear in the sidewall
during the first part of the marathon stage during stage 7,
almost knocking him out. The consummate professional
went on to finish second in Stage 8 on that damaged tyre.
But it all ended in stage 9 when he crashed and did his
collar bone…
Laia Sainz on her Gas Gas
When he went out, Sam Sunderland and rookie Daniel
Sanders were KTM’s best hope for a podium. Sunderland
finished a very respectable third, an amazing result is you
consider all this guys past injuries. The Red Bull KTM rider
had the unenviable task of opening the final road from
Yanbu to Jeddah after winning Stage 11 and suffered as a
result, finishing 13 minutes off the pace of Brabec in 12th
and losing out to the American for second place overall by
02m17s.
Sanders finished fourth on his first outing. This is a guy to
watch.
Walkner managed to finish ninth overall.
Kalahari Farrari Ross Branch
Brian Baragwanath and Taye Perry
A busy Yamaha workshop

KTM loves to win, and they didn’t get it right this year, but
watch this space…
Sanders seems to be the real deal, and if Price, Walkner and
Sunderland all return next year, that’s a list of Dakar royalty.
Any one of them can win. The wind just needs to blow in
their favour.
Sad Times For Yamaha:
Up front, Yamaha looked really good. Jamie McCanney, last
year’s top rookie was back, along with Adrien Van Beveren
and Franco Caimi. And there were two significant additions:
Andrew Short moved over from the Husqvarna factory
team, and our own Kalahari Ferrari, Ross Branch came on
board, moving from Bas Dakar.
Bad fuel stopped Short short. Terrible luck at any event.
Later in the race, all of Yamaha’s other riders were forced
out due to mechanical problems. The rules around engine
maintenance have changed since South America where
top riders were more likely to take the time penalty for a full
engine swap. Now it seems that the engines just don’t hold.
We hope to See Yamaha Japan step in with more funding
and development.
As we understand it, at the moment, Dakar is all up to
Yamaha France – and they are competing against full
factory backed teams. Yamaha does have the money to be
successful in Dakar’s ATV segment. They won it again this
year, so the mother corporation has the ammo. Maybe it
just needs to fund the team with money from Japanese HQ.
Other bits: We told you about this last year when we
covered Dakar and we knew that it was coming…
The organisers need to slow things down…
Tyres: Flat out, those 450’s are mighty fast, so Dakar officials
included a few new rules for 2021. Elite riders were limited
to six rear tyres. The idea was to make the riders nurse them
so that they last. To nurse it, you need to ride a bit slower…
Navigation: In the past, the big factory teams employed
“mapmen.” The mapmen would analyse the roadbook for
potential shortcuts, giving their riders ways to shave time
off their day. This year, rule changes saw races only getting
their roadbooks a few minutes before the start of the
stage. The idea was to even the playing fields and it made
navigation just as important as speed and talent. We saw
factory riders frequently losing big chunks of time as they
made nav errors. Now they really need to concentrate…
and this slows things down a bit.
Airvests: Became compulsory for all riders. It makes sense
and we think they are here to stay.
2021 saw much success from the smaller guys and top
privateers.
• Fourth overall and top rookie went to
Daniel Sanders (KTM). The Australian Enduro
Champion took fifth on Stage 12, just behind
Skyler Howes (KTM)
• Skyler Howes sold everything he owned to
return to Dakar, after his good result in 2020. This
year he finished an amazing 5th overall on the
Bas Dakar team, the top privateer. Someone sign
him up already!
• Lorenzo Santolino put in a great race for Sherco,
finishing in sixth. This is Sherco’s best result.
• Privateer Stefan Svitko finished eighth, riding a
KTM under his own Slovnaft banner, and Martin
Michek took another KTM to 10th overall, for the
Orion team.
• The 50 year old, Botswana legend ‘Kalahari Madala,
Night Rider Mr Teapot James Alexander the Great
completed Dakar 2021 in 64th position. He now has
legions of fans, including us!
• Gas Gas lady Laia Sanz finished 17th overall. The top
lady finisher in her 11th consecutive Dakar finish
Amazing.
2022?
Rumours abound that Saudi’s borders might open and
neighbouring states will welcome Dakar and that would be
amazing for sure! But until the pandemic is over, this is unlikely.
The logistics involved with cross border racing are challenging
to say the least, and until we beat this thing, we cannot see it
happening. We are told that due to COVID restrictions, this years
route was put together mainly through satellite maps. It all
seemed to work out OK. But it’s simply not sustainable.
Dakar by numbers: Some fast facts:
• 104: A total of 310 vehicles lined up on the start line
of the 2021 Dakar. The number was comprised of 108
bikes, 67 cars, 58 UTVs, 42 trucks, 26 classics and 21
quads. By the Rest Day we had already lost 68 of those
machines. Completing the entire 7,646km loop from
Jeddah and back – including 4,767km of timed special
stages – were a grand total of 206 vehicles.
• race vehicles dropped out before the finish, with 19
re-entering the rally under Dakar Experience rules.
• 14: Stéphane Peterhansel’s 14th win at the Dakar tore
up the record books. The Frenchman led the rally from
Stage Two and now has eight victories
behind the wheel of a car to add to the six wins he
claimed in the bike category. Peterhansel now
stands alone as the biggest winner in a single category
thanks to his eight car race wins.
The legendary Frenchman had previously shared that
record with Vladimir Chagin who won the truck
race seven times for KAMAZ. Peterhansel said: “For
sure, it is one or two more records for me. 14 victories
on three continents and also on the anniversary of my
first victory 30 years ago today.”
Although Nasser Al-Attiyah eventually had to settle for
second place overall, he did manage to make
some history of his own. The three-time Dakar winner
is now the only competitor in the rally’s history to win at
least one stage at 14 consecutive editions.
• 18 years (and 118 days) old: New for the 2021 Dakar
was the introduction of the Lightweight Vehicles category,
grouping together T3 side-by-side machines and T4 UTVs on a
single leaderboard. Cristina Gutiérrez of the Red Bull Off-Road
Junior Team won Stage One of the contest to become the first
female stage winner since Jutta Kleinschmidt’s last stage win
in 2005. More history was made when Gutiérrez’s team-mate,
Seth Quintero, won Stage Six. Later that day he found out in the
bivouac that he was now the youngest-ever stage winner at
the Dakar. The 18-year-old rookie doubled down on his historic
achievement by winning Stage 11 as well. Quintero said: “We
came out swinging and proved our point that we’re here to stay.
The Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team is not a team to be messed
with. We’ll be back next year and we’ll be back better.” Coming out
on top overall in the Lightweight Vehicles category were Chaleco
López and co-driver Juan Pablo Latrach Vinagre who picked up
five stage victories of their own.
• 1-2-3: The worst stage result for truck driver Dmitry
Sotnikov at this Dakar came on day 11 when he finished fourth.
The Russian finished in the top three on every other stage and
it was that consistency that handed him his first Dakar win.
Sotnikov became the seventh different Team KAMAZ Master
driver to win the Dakar as he delivered them their 18th title.
Sotnikov said: “I just have no words, only emotions. We have been
moving towards this victory for several years, gradually approaching
it. And now I’m very happy, I’m proud of all the guys.”
Sotnikov was joined on the overall podium by team-mates Anton
Shibalov and Ayrat Mardeev, who finished second and third
respectively. The victory makes it five wins on the bounce for
KAMAZ, a feat they last achieved between 2002 and 2006.
South African crews:
Giniel de Villiers driving with Spanish notes man Alex Haro Bravo
ended eighth after taking a stage win in another Gazoo Toyota Hilux,
while teammates Shameer Variyawa and Dennis Murphy ended
20th.
SA Dakar car rookies, former quad podium finisher Brian
Baragwanath and ex biker lass Taye Perry’s made in SA Century CR6,
starred through the race but were significantly delayed en route to
finish 32nd.
What a race! What a show! Dakar is always a real spectacle!
Roll on 2022.
Daniel Sanders - Rookie of the year

ADVERTORIAL
Triumph South Africa
committed to the S.A. Motorcycle market..
In the turmoil of the past 10 months or so there have been
very few good news stories going around. Amongst all the
doom and gloom there is a little company quietly and fastidiously
just getting on with business and steadily getting
stronger each day. Bruce Allen and his team at Triumph
South Africa’s head office and flagship store have
recently gone through a major revamp of the premises and
we popped in for a quick chat and a look around. They truly
do have good reason to be proud. Here are some
interesting stats about Triumph SA, they have doubled their
market share in Johannesburg in the 500cc plus category
since taking over the brand. Within 5 months of opening
their Cape Town store in August 2020, they are back up
to the same market share for 2020 which Triumph had
previously in the Cape. It has been just on 11 months since
launching the all-new Triumph Rocket 3 and an
unbelievable 50 exceptionally happy Rocket 3 owners are
enjoying their machines. Largely thanks to our great feature
on the bikes in RideFast Magazine. The new Tiger 900
(MCN 2020 Bike of the Year), is also seeing impressive
sales – we hope you read our features in Dirt And Trail
Magazine.
On Triumph’s global customer satisfaction ratings, Triumph
SA is proud to be rated in a close second out of Triumph’s
26 global markets. This is testament to their truly customer
centric approach to doing business. In a retracting market
in 2020, Triumph has managed to maintain their sales volumes.
And how have they managed to do that? Well, since
the business started, there has had virtually no change to
the friendly faces. The team has a great working relationship
with each other and with their customers, creating a
welcoming, familiar and friendly environment. Bruce says,
“You will be warmly greeted the minute you walk through
the door by one of the team, they may even catch you in
the parking lot. We have a strong team of skilled, qualified
and attentive technicians in the workshop keeping each and
every Triumph in top running condition”.
Triumph’s steady progress is largely due to truly loyal
customer support, the opening of Cape Town and some
exciting new models. Triumph JHB and Cape Town have a
demonstrator bike for every single model in the line - bums
in saddles sell bikes, and every single one of the brand passionate
team believe that once you have ridden a Triumph
you will be hooked. Couple that with good value for money
and better pricing than you might expect for their bikes
and services, and you have a winning formula. Walking
around the newly revamped store you get a sense that it is
designed to make the shopping experience so much easier
with the clothing and protective wear being incorporated
into the motorcycle sales floor. The brand, being premium is
now being represented correctly, yet it still has that Triumph
familiarity and passion. A lot of brands make the mistake of
becoming too cold and sanitised when they revamp or
modernise their corporate identity or upgrade their dealerships.
Bruce as CEO of Triumph South Africa sits on the sales
floor in a glass walled office and the door wide open and
welcoming, the new workshop is also walled in glass so
you can sit and watch them work on your bike.
Leather couches, TV’s, a well-stocked fridge, great coffee,
free WiFi and a long table to sit and work at while waiting
for bike to be serviced, encourage you to park off for a
bit and just absorb the atmosphere and the essence of
Triumph.
Get down to the corner of South & Dartfield roads Eastgate
Ext 13 in Sandton and experience it all for yourself.
They also have a very slick online apparel store at www.
triumph-store.co.za if you are a bit too far away for a quick
pop in, otherwise give them a call, their number is super
easy.
011 and a lot of 4’s ... 011 444 4444 ...

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The 2021 Husqvarna family.
Husqvarna launches their 2021 team…
Rockstar Energy Husqvarna.
The team is called Rockstar Energy Husqvarna for 2021 and
we were introduced to the guys at a cool, social distance
acceptable introduction a couple of weeks ago.
If there is a brand in SA that is pro-active, this is one of them.
For us it was quite interesting to see the new blood that has
been infused into the team – and it’s great to see some really
talented youngsters being given such a great opportunity for
the 2021 season.
Husqvarna is focused and ready to go racing – and we see some
great results in the pipeline for this season.
• Leading the charge in the Offroad and Enduro segment
is the very affable, hard-working Brett Swanepoel. He
made history last year by winning both the E2 and OR2
and also the overall national Cross Country Champion
ship. An amazing achievement for sure! If you
follow our magazine, you’ll know his
story – despite massive injury setbacks
he blew everyone away…
This year he is biting off quite a lot…
He is Racing 2 classes – national OR1 on his FX450 and national
Enduro, E2 – on his TE 300I He’ll also be competing in the new
Extreme series.
He is joined by two exceptionally talented youngsters who have
kind of – appeared and shaken up the race industry.
Last year, we went along for a little ride with him and were
blown away by this mans talent. And he’s a very likeable guy
on top of all that. He raced for a dealer team last year and
was seconded to the national team for a few of the big races.
He must have impressed, because this year, he got the call
to represent the factory team on his 150I.
• The Third member of the team is Dynamite Davin
Cocker. Davin will race the OR3 championship on
his FC250.
Davin just kind of appeared out of nowhere from an MX
background and took the fight to the big guns last year. He
is very, very quick. This young Zimbabwean is flying Solo in
SA, his parents are in Zambia while he lives, goes to school
and races in JHB. Hard work pays off and he got the call
to go racing with the Rockstar Energy Husqvarna team for
2021.
Motocross: Two multiple champs in the team…
• In our previous issue’s you see that David Goosen
is back in the hunt with Husqvarna. He is racing
MX1 and MX2 on his FC 450 and FC 250
respectively.
Multiple national champ David, you’ll know is a consummate
professional and one of the unassuming guys in the
paddock. We’ve watched him become one of the statesmen
in the South African MX scene – and he is, absolutely one of
the fastest, most consistent riders out there.
He has a task this year and will be competing in both the MX
1 and MX 2 classes for the season. Based in Cape Town,
he has taken Husqvarnas other national MX racer under his
wing…
• Neil VD Vyver is last years national 65cc champion
and will be racing Pro mini 85 series on his TC 85
big wheel.
Early on, when Neil was racing 50’s, Zygmund Brodalka who
shoots most of our national MX stuff called. “Guys! You have
to watch this kid! He is a future world champ.”
Well if you look at the lighties repertoire so far we think that
he might just be correct… he is a talent to be reckoned with.
Husqvarna South Africa’s Brand Manager Fred Fensham
waxed lyrical, “We couldn’t be prouder of our young Neil.
To be a four-time national champion at 12 years old is an
incredible achievement – we look forward to seeing what the
future holds for him.”
Watch out for this lot – a thoroughly professional outfit for
sure! It’s going to be a great season of racing…
Happiness is... a brand new race bike. Neil VD Vyver.
Mr and Mrs Goosen
• During lockdown, you might have caught our feature on
Young Heinrich Aust. For 2021, he will be racing national
Enduro E1 on his TE150I. He will also be competing in
the National Extreme Enduro championship.
The ever smiling Brett Swanepoel. Heinrich Aust with his 150i. Davin Cocker

Photo by:Ray Archer (KTM Images)

Rolling into ’21 with 5
MID-SIZE
ADVENTURES…
Adventure bikes are more than just a mode of transport.
Pretty soon they become a lifestyle as you go
in search of the next horizon. Here’s a collection of
smaller adventures that should be on your list of bikes
to buy…
This feature was actually s’posed to happen in our
Jan Issue – but remember all the rain at the end of last
year? It interrupted play something horrible and interfered
with our deadline plans… so we got to see the
new year in at play on some of the best adv trails that
Gauteng has on offer. Most adventure riders know or
have heard about the famous canal roads near harties –
so after another big downpour we decided to head out
that way via some of the back roads that we know.
In SA, generally speaking, the mindset is that bigger is
better. Why buy a 600 when you can ride an 1100.
You’ll never pull chicks on an 850 – rather go with a 1250 –
and so-on.
Look deep inside – and you’ll know that we are correct.
But the simple truth is that:
A – Most (normal) people do not even ride the big bikes to
their full potential.
B – The price of many of bigger machines is putting them
further and further out of the average motorcyclists reach.
Luckily, the manufacturers – well most of them anyway –
know this – and so they make smaller, both in girth – and
capacity bikes that – well everyone can ride and enjoy.
Many might scoff at the though – but most of these bikes
are actually a lot more than the average Joe needs in order
to get out into the great outdoors… and quite frankly, many
of our lot actually prefer the smaller, more manageable
bikes when it comes to riding. Especially in the dirt.

Cycle Technology ccT/A
Our run was around 50 percent tar and 50
gravel with about 10 percent tricky gravel
thrown in for good measure up and down a
rocky pass we know. We had a cross section of
riders from a wannabe Graham Jarvis to a more
conservative predominantly road weekend rider.
We took along 2 pillions in the form of Megan
McCabe from The Bike Show and our own
Stefan – and made them hang on for dear life
as they attempted to get the best shots of the
day.
And what a cool day it was! Roughly 200
kilometres of absolute riding pleasure – and
we would have done more had we not been
delayed by a nasty flat – and a TV camera…
There is a lot to be said for tubeless tyres, we
had to find a tube, find the correct tool, get it all
sorted…. Ok we know we should have
perhaps been better prepared – but carrying
parts and tools for 5 different bikes is an
interesting challenge…
We all congregated at BMW Fourways for a
coffee before heading out. They supplied us
with the GS850 Adventure for the day. Routes
were plotted while we waited for the other bikes
to arrive.
We headed out towards the Cradle, over the
Koppie, around Harties and then onto the
canals. All the way out to Brits – where they
have, in our opinion, the coolest Wimpy in SA.
All along the route we chopped and changed
bikes – giving the guys a chance to showboat
and to shoot pics at the most scenic spots.
What is cool is that we each swap notes and
comments on what we think about each
machine and at the end of it all – we can tell you
lot what we think.
It’s a long feature, but hey – our job is to get you
varying opinions on all sorts of bikes –
especially given the way that prices are
climbing. Have a read – go and ride them all.
The Bikes:
If you look at the cross section of machines that
we were on you’ll see a real variety of scoots –
and that’s our intention here. Smallest to largest
– SWM lent us their…., Linex Yamaha supplied
the T7, RAD KTM supplied the 790R, BMW
Fourways, the GS850 Adventure and Triumph
SA, the Tiger 900 Rally Pro.
Simply put – the SA bike market is littered with
machines and there really is a bike for
everyone. What we did pick up through the
day is the fact that the SWM, the T7 and the
KTM790R are the hooligans in this crowd… as
evidenced some of the pics. The 850 Beemer
and the Triumph 900 Tiger are, perhaps a bit
more conservative. But each bike has its place.
And each bike handled this trip with ease…
We’ll give a rundown of each bike with our riders
opinion – from smallest to biggest.
Accessorising of all
makes of Adventure
Motorcycles
Stockists & Fitment of
proven Adventure
Motorcycle Equipment
& Accessories
Prepare & Equip all types of Adventure
Motorcycles
Service & Maintaining of BMW Classic,
Touring and Adventure Motorcycles
Tyre Stockists, Recommendation,
Fitment & Electronic Wheel Balancing
Manufacture & Design Parts to Specific
Requirements
Customisation Consultancy
Repairs, Trueing and Lacing of Wheels
Tubeless Conversion
Puncture Repair Kits
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The SWM 650 Superdual : Dirtbike on ‘roids.
This one was loaned to us by SWM South Africa:
It’s kind of strange that the 650 market has diminished so
much in SA. Some of the bikes disappeared thanks to
Homologation legislation – and believe it or not – emission
control laws. Yup! ‘Strue!
So affordable single cylinder bikes like Kawasakis venerable
KLR and Suzuki’s DL650 quietly fell away leaving a bit of a
void in our market. SWM stepped in and introduced the 650
Superdual.
Now we’ve featured the SWM lineup a few times in this here
magazine – and for those of you who do not pay attention – it’s
a bike that is designed and manufactured in Italy and is
powered by the old Husqvarna engines.
We have ridden this specific bike quite a few times – and it is
really good fun. Since the last time, the guys fitted Arrow pipes
so now it has the sound to match its performance. The
smallest of this batch, the SWM is also the most off-road
biased of the lot. It’s no slouch – happily keeping up with the
rest of the pack without revving its brains out and will happily
run along at the 145 KPH mark all day and top out at just more
than the 160KPH mark displayed on the digital clock.
The bike is solid comfortable and even at speed it does not
shake rattle and roll or vibrate nearly as much as you’d expect
it to. If you were to describe this bike it would be – Unpretentious
fun. No electronic settings to distract you – simple get on
and pull that massive wheelie.
Good brakes, great handling, a decent size tank for a range at
around the 260 mark. Lots of bottom end grunt and midrange
for day to day use. This is the kind of bike that will guzzle the
bad mountain passes in Lesotho without breaking a sweat and
you can use the bike to work and back every day.
Best of all is the price. Just less than 100k. Think about that.
A quality (Yes we are very impressed) adv that costs less than
just about any dirtbike on the market. Go and ride it you’ll see
what we mean.
The Yamaha T7:
This one came from Linex Yamaha in Randburg:
www.linexyamaha.co.za
Smaller, lighter Rally inspired adventuring.
If you follow the mag, you’ll know that we made a point
of spending a lot of time in this ones saddle. The T7
is a flippen brilliant machine – so capable on the road
– and she really shines in the dirt. To be quite frank, a
few of our guys were not convinced after riding the first
demo that came through our door – but after this, we
have a few believers.
Once again – a very unpretentious motorcycle that
simply gets along with the day to day business of
putting smiles on faces.
There has been a lot of criticism levelled at this bike by
people. The question that always comes up: “Why no
electronics?”
Yamaha takes a “no gimmicks” approach to electronic
rider aids. The 2020 Yamaha Ténéré 700 sets itself
apart from its rivals in the space by eschewing ride
modes, traction control, and even cruise control, in
favor of simplicity and go-anywhere maintainability.
However, it does have ABS.The vertically
mounted LCD instrument cluster allows the rider to
scan information at a glance without looking down. The
dash is not TFT, though it tells you all of the essentials,
including trip information and current and average fuel
consumption. Just as cool is the accessory bar above
the LCD panel designed to mount a smartphone, GPS,
or a rally roadbook. A standard 12v socket is conveniently
located to power it all—you will need an adapter
if your component uses USB.
It is quite true that modern motorcyclists want all of the
nanny features that modern bikes offer – but we’ll say
it again – many of our lot enjoy not having to sukkel
with buttons and settings – and it’s great just to swing
a leg over a saddle and go for a ride. Yamaha has the
tech to include a TFT screen and more electronic
trickery – but that would, of course drive the costs up.
And the cost is already a point of contention in SA.
200K is nothing to sneeze at – especially when you
consider that there is currently another similar bike
with a lot more features at a little bit more money…
But we do need to point out, that that bike is about to
be replaced with a bigger, more expensive new model
which will then, perhaps make the price of the T7 a bit
more attractive. Also remember that in terms of costs
of bikes - we are beholden to the value of our mighty
Rand VS the Japanese Yen.
A very capable bike for very little money.

In this guys opinion – the T7 is a great bike for the less aggressive
ADV rider who wants to try the more technical stuff. The
engine supplies such exciting but smooth, user friendly power.
The 689cc Crossplane twin, pinched from Yamaha’s MT07 road
bike (CP2) is a real treat. On paper, 72 horsepower at 9000
rpm and 50 ft/lbs of torque at 6500 rpm are not necessarily
mind-blowing. However, in the saddle, the CP2 engine is a bona
fide grin stretcher. With plenty of power in first through third
gears, plus a robust linear pull with outstanding over-rev, the
CP2 engine is a standout feature of the 2020 Yamaha Ténéré
700. The Yamaha Ténéré engineers created different fuel injection
mappings, aspiration, exhaust, cooling systems, and final
drive ratio to optimize torque and throttle response for off-road
use.
It’s a marvelous thing.
On the tar and on the gravel, the Chassis, brakes and suspension
are more than up to the task of managing the power delivery
and the bike offers a fun, comfortable, predictable ride.
The average rider who loves gravel travel and exploring SA will
feel right at home. If, like our Kyle Lawrenson you are a more
aggressive rider who enjoys big jumps and treacherous terrain,
then in the faster, harder dirt stuff, you may need to spend a bit
of time setting up your suspension – but the beauty of KYB is the
fact that it is almost infinitely adjustable.
This bike is amongst the most comfortable for the day – you sit
in the bike, rather than on it and space around the rider is roomy
and natural – perfect for that long road trip that you’ve been
dreaming about.
The T7 is a great choice.
So user friendly, predictable and easy to ride. It’s also a damn
fine looker for any wannabe Dakar rider…
What to do when you have a front puncture.
YOUR NEXT HORIZON IS HERE.
With rugged, rally-bred features, outstanding
reliability, a versatile engine and true on and
off-road capability, the Yamaha Ténéré 700
opens a new world of possibilities for riders.
The Ténéré 700 is designed to deliver classleading
handling and agility on and off-road.
Your next horizon is here.
www.yamaha.co.za · +27 11 259 7600 · Facebook: Yamaha Southern Africa · Instagram: @yamahasouthafrica

The KTM 790R: Tech aggression.
This is a used unit from RAD KTM in Rivonia.
www.radmoto.co.za
It has been a long time since this guy got to ride one of
these. At the bikes launch in Morocco a couple of years
back, he was seen gushing about how good it is… and
guess what?
Nothing has changed. The bike is aggressive and really,
really good fun to ride.
We collected the bike, where Miguel the big boss spent
some time on a refresher course on the electronics package.
Simply put – it’s quite mind boggling how much
electronic tech KTM put into this bike – and we won’t bore
you by running through it all, but the bike hosts electronic
bits also delivered on their highest spec machines.
Ready to Race: Yip – KTM delivers on that promise from the
moment that you climb aboard and open the throttle. The
bike is tall and wide with aggressively positioned bars. The
Akarapovic pipe fitted on this one emits a luverly snarl…
and whilst it is only a 790cc engine – the parallel twin is
feisty and fun to play with. With 95 horsepower and 66 ft/
lbs of torque, the compact 799cc parallel twin packs a lekker
punch. The broad torquey feel comes on early with a linear
build and peaks at 6500 rpm, providing plenty of torquey
arm stretching acceleration. Dual counter-balancers create
a smooth ride. Blitzing through town to our meeting point in
Fourways was fun – the bike has a presence that makes the
cars quickly clear a path.
When we got going, we soon found that Rally Mode is
our favourite setting. It provides the most direct throttle
response, and allows the rider to select traction control settings
on-the-fly—from a nanny level 9 to a sideways hauling
and barely perceptible level 1. We chose levels 1-4 for
off-road situations and popped her into 9 for the tar sections.
The Quickshifter+ is seamless. We are fast becoming believers
in this tech on any adventure machine. It makes you
a bit lazy simply because it is so simple. Coupled with the
PASC slipper clutch, the overall operation works flawlessly.
As expected brakes and suspension are top shelf – and
they seem to work better the faster you go.
The WP Xplor suspension on the 790 Adventure R matches
the power and chassis so well. We went as fast as we could,
jumped every
obstacle that we could find, and also rode the bike like the
gentlemen that we are – and the 790R never once got out
of shape. The Trouble is, like many KTM ADV bikes, you
sometimes forget that this is not actually a dirtbike… so
you could get into some trouble if you don’t stay sharp! For
increased stability, a WP steering damper is a great standard
feature.
Other Bits:
The bike is tall with a wide, comfortable seat. The cockpit is
spacious and comfortable in any terrain. Standing is natural
when the going gets a bit rougher.
With a bright five-inch TFT display, information on the 2019
KTM 790 Adventure is easy to read in all light conditions
and from all angles. If you are someone who enjoys techy
stuff – the screen allows the rider to easily view pertinent
information and smartphone Bluetooth connectivity is supported
via the KTM My Ride app for music, phone calls, and
navigation.
Standard items like a 12v socket on the dash for powering
phones or a GPS and under-seat USB charging is great.
The bottom of the seat on the 790 Adventure includes cell
phone storage, and there is tool or innertube storage behind
the left side plate, both of which are appropriately accessible
without tools. All Practical stuff that any adventurer will enjoy
With the 890 arriving on showroom floors soon, and the
price of bikes steadily increasing, you’ll be hard pressed to
find a deal like this again.
Currently, Brand new, the KTM790R retails for 210k. This
includes all rider modes and quickshifter +.

BMW’s 850 Adventure: Luxury Travel.
This one from BMW Fourways.
www.bmw-motorrad.co.za/cedar-isle
BMW is all about comfort and mileage eating exploration
and the GS850 delivers just that. This is aimed at the
discerning buyer who wants every mod-con known to
man, who wants to look the part and loves long days in
the saddle.
The F 850 GS Adventure was launched last year, succeeding
the old faithful F 800 GS Adventure. Like the
rest of BMW’s dual sport range, the new model had seen
an increase in capacity of 50cc. BMW has made the new
F 850 GS Adventure more refined than its predecessor,
with a smooth parallel twin engine and updated styling.
The Adventure models always look big and imposing
thanks, largely to the massive fuel tanks up front – but
BMW got it right – and once you get rolling she feels like
– well – a smaller motorcycle.
We headed out along the highways and byways and
then onto the smaller winding roads which really gave
us the opportunity to explore the Adventures comfort
and handling. Smooth, predictable , comfortable and
oh-so-civilised.
Confidence inspiring is a phrase that gets over used lot
these days, but that’s exactly what the F 850 GS Adventure
is. It is a pleasure to ride on the road. The seat,
the pegs, and the bike’s controls are all well placed. The
saddle is comfortable. Looking straight ahead, the TFT
dash sits nicely just below your eye line. It’s excellent,
very clear, even in bright sunlight, and there’s a lot of
information on display. Coupled with the BMW ‘Wunderwheel’
controller on the handlebars, it’s possible to
navigate through the menu on the run, and it’s all very
intuitive and simple to use. BMW has nailed the TFT
dash from a usability perspective.
When we hit the dirt – stand up, look up and all that –
The GSA has a dual-action brake pedal. If you flip up
the first part, it becomes better positioned for standing.
Riding off-road really got to showcase the handling of
the bike on its 21-inch front, and 17-inch back wheels.
It’s actually quite impressive how well this girl handles
the dirt. Just relax and let her do all the work. She
gives great confidence in the rough stuff, particularly
in enduro mode which is accessed by the flick of a few
buttons. The standing position is excellent for off-road
riding. It just feels so natural and comfortable, and – we
need to mention that the electronic suspension is quite
something. We aimed her at quite a few speedbumps
that turned into jumps and we were impressed at the
manner in which she took then in her stride.
The F 850 GS Adventure is fitted with tubeless spoked
wheels. They’re so much easier to handle a roadside
puncture with, why don’t all manufacturers fit this type?
The BMW F 850 GS Adventure comes in two versions;
the standard F 850 GS Adventure and the F 850 GS
Adventure Sport. The standard model comes with ABS,
automatic stability control, engine and hand guards,
luggage rack, an adjustable touring screen, enduro
footrests, slipper clutch, riding modes pro (dynamic pro
and enduro pro), power socket, LED lights, and a TFT
screen with connectivity.
The F 850 GS Adventure Sport builds on all of that
by adding daytime riding lights, an additional LED fog
light, LED indicators, dynamic traction control, gearshift
assist pro, riding mode pro (dynamic pro, enduro and
enduro pro), and ABS pro.
If you are looking for absolute luxury on the road with
decent, go and explore gravel-road prowess then you
need to take one for a spin.
The F 850 GS Adventure is fitted with cruise control,
which is great for long journeys. The screen has two
positions, well thought out and works perfectly deflecting
air effectively and creates a comfortable, bubble around
the rider. Performance wise, the 850 parallel twin engine
is torquey and revs smoothly. The addition of standard
road and rain engine modes, along with optional enduro
modes, that can be chosen on the fly enhance it. Clutch
actuation is smooth, light and progressive – and once
you discover the quckshifter – well you won’t use the
clutch much after that. She comes with powerful brakes
and ABS that is very unobstrusive.
R18, First Edition 2020
4,000km E X Demo
R299 000
S 1000 RR, 2014
45,000km - Too many extras to mention
R149 000
R1250 GS HP 2020
2 000km EX Demo
R245 000
R1200 GS Adventure 2017
48 000km - Top box, Full Akrapovic,
Tinted Screen
R189 000
R 1200 R, 2015
25,000km Panniers
R129 000
R1250RT, 2019
18 000km
R249 000
F 850 GS Adventure, 2020
3,500km
R199 000
F700 GS 2014
33,000km
R69 000
BMW Motorrad Fourways
// NEW BIKE SALES
// USED BIKE SALES
// WORKSHOP
// SPARES
// ACCESSORIES
Cnr Witkoppen and Cedar Road.
Fourways, Gauteng.
Tel: (011) 367-1600
Email: rodney.serfontein@cedarisle.co.za

Triumphs 900 Tiger. Civilized excitement…
www.triumph-motorcycles.co.za
Man. It’s quite easy to understand why this
bike was voted bike of the year by quite a few
international media houses last year. Not only
did Triumph re-invent the Tiger, but they made
a bike that easily matches just about anything,
not only in this midrange but also in the bigger
classes.
If you follow the mag – you’ll know that this
writer love the old 800, so much so that three
of them have made their way into our garage.
But members of our team were not so easily
impressed, citing things like a weird seating
position and various other maladies.
The Tiger 900 is all-new, from the front wheel
to the back, and from the screen (in any of its
five, easy to adjust positions) downward. The
old 800 was a great bike, but the development
team started with a blank sheet.
This was the first time that our whole team got
to ride the 900 and this time round, the bike
received a serious thumbs up from everyone
and a grinning “I told you so” from the editor.
And it all starts with that 900cc triple engine.
Somehow Triumph – and we won’t go in to
lots of detail here – changed the firing order
on the bike to change it from a civilized cuppa
tea to tequila shots on the bar.’ Strue. Not that
much faster – but just so much more exciting
and engaging to ride. To be absolutely honest,
Triumph has given the bike an almost V-Twin
feel… It loves to be revved, and there’s plenty
of usable power low down. It’s quick on the
road and on the dirt, and the quick-shifter
works perfectly.
In fact – of the bikes feature in this here
article, the 790 KTM and the 900 engines give
you a bigger shot of adrenaline than any of
the others. Absolute power is a claimed 94bhp
at 8750rpm, and peak torque
happens at 7250rpm, but Triumph also boast
an increase across the rev range. Off road
you generally use fractional throttle openings,
and at 3750rpm the bike is producing over
40bhp, which is quite enough to get you into
all sorts of trouble if you don’t basop!
C
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But they also paid attention to ergonomics,
styling suspension – and of course – electronics.
There are six rider modes on the Rally Pro and
on our test, we spent most time in Off-road, with
dialled down TC and ABS. Hardcore riders can
enjoy Off-road Pro, which removes all the safety
nets. Turn off the ignition and the bike reverts
to base settings. The adventure market loves
gadgets, and the Tiger come with an impressive
level of equipment. You get multiple modes,
heated grips, cruise control, cornering ABS and
traction control and big TFT instruments. heated
seats, quickshifter, Bluetooth, tyre pressure
monitoring, centre stand and fog lights…
The bike is comfortable and well laid out with
every control falling easily to hand and an
electronics control that does not require days to
figure out. It has a marvelous TFT display. the
windscreen is adjustable with one hand from the
saddle and does a nice job of deflecting the worst
of the air without buffeting. Sitting or standing up,
the bike is really comfy for riders of all sizes.
The frame looks similar to the old 800’s, but the
rear subframe is now a bolt-on item in ally with
separate bolt-on pillion footrest hangers,
reducing the risk of an expensive frame swap in
the event of a light spill – just replace the
subframe or footrest hangers. Our Photog
accidentally dropped the bike while shuffling it
for a photograph (Happens sometimes) and the
crash bars took the brunt with only a few small
scuff marks as evidence (Sorry Triumph!)
At 20 litres, the tank is marginally bigger than
the old one, too and the airbox design allows an
air filter change without removing the tank which
was a real pain.
Most of us agree that the Triumph 900 is the
most balanced of the bikes in this feature. It is so
comfortable, quick sharp and nimble on the road
and – well just as good in the dirt.
Spot the Dam under the lawn.
Our Riders share their thoughts:
Donovan Fourie:
Yamaha Tenere 700:
When we fetched this motorcycle from Linex Yamaha, we asked
Gareth – da man dere – to comment on the lack of traction
control, rider modes, quickshifter, TFT dash, Playstation consol
and other forms of electronic brilliance we now consider
essential in our cushy motorcycling lives.
“It’s like an old XT,” he shrugged with a wry smile. ”It’s simple,
and it will do the job.”
Dammit! I hate it when industry people have witty retorts to us
journalists’ cunning interrogation! Such cheek!
He’s right. The T7 (the name given to its original concept bike
and a name that has stuck because it’s far easier than saying
Ten-uh-rey-Sev-en-hun-dred) is lighter than its contemporaries,
has better suspension, a sublime (even if comparatively
underpowered) motor with a fulfilling growl and a quality that
Yamaha has spent decades achieving.
If I were tasked with riding into the Great Unknown, equipped
with nothing but my wits and a motorcycle, it would be a T7.
I’d take a bunch of tubes and 19-inch Allen key with me, mind
you…
Triumph Tiger 900:
The Triumph brand has accomplished some sort of strange
affable effect on people – people of different brand orientations
will wage a full-on social media war against one another with
each vying for their own brand’s credibility while conveying
blood-curdling discontent for the opposition’s.
That’s until you mention Triumph.
“Ja, no, actually, Triumphs are pretty good too,” exclaim all
parties before reloading their weapons of retort to unleash hell
on that other brand.
There is nothing to dislike about Triumph because they produce
motorcycles that are thoroughly un-dislikeable.
You know the 900 will be good because it’s better than the Tiger
800, and if that were in this test, we would have loved that.
BMW F850GS Adventure:
The 850 is BMW doing what BMW do best – building capable,
intelligent, understated motorcycles that you, the reader –
despite our scribes perhaps suggesting otherwise – are most
likely going to buy.
We can’t really knock it for anything in particular – it doesn’t
vibrate, it’s perfectly comfortable, everything works with German
efficiency, and it has never killed orphans – at the same time,
it isn’t the best at anything. Personally, I like the dapper looks
where there have been some clear attempts at styling beyond
“make it look like a rally bike”.
The 850 GSA will not blow your socks off, but it will get you
where you’re going, both in terms of the journey and life in general,
where the sock blowers possibly may not.
KTM 790 Adventure R:
Where the BMW comes across all adult and mature, the KTM
really is a ridiculous toy. It is smaller than its peers, it’s lighter
and yet wallops with very much the same punch. The KTM will
go as fast as anything mid-range, but without the rider feeling as
though they have a massive chunk of metal beneath them that
might freight-train off uncontrollably without notice.
It shoves confidence in the rider’s corner, tempting them to
attempt feats that may not have been considered on other machines,
making manoeuvres that would otherwise be resigned
to dreamland a reality. Or hopefully a reality.
It’s a motorcycle for grown-up children. If you’re the sort of person
that laughs at jokes and then immediately thinks: “I’m going
to hell for this,” may we interest you in a KTM?
SWM Superdual 650:
In a test of the elite, what the hell is this thing doing here? How
very dare it!
One cylinder? Nearly half the horsepower? A dash that looks
like an old Casio? Absolutely no creature comforts? The absolute
nerve of these people.
Except that it costs R97,000.
Fine, but you pay less you get less, right?
Except that the SWM is rather good. It will not win any drag races,
no beauty contests and no science fairs, but it has a spark
that leaves the rider giggling. A well-executed thumper is has
a magic all on its own, especially when twinned with a chassis
that’s the lightest of the group and yet features everything the
off-road junkie could want.
Did we mention that it’s currently only R97,000?

Kyle says:
YAMAHA T7:
The first time that I rode this bike, I was not convinced. The
hype behind the bike was huge, but when I rode it I was slightly
confused.
However - we picked up the T7 from Linex and well, I need to
eat humble pie. For some reason, this bike was a lot more fun
to ride than the first one. No idea why, it just was.
My first question is what did they do to this bike? I jumped on
the bike and opened her up and raced down the canal roads
thinking I was Ross Branch.
Now I am not going to harp on about the suspension, there are
rumblings about it, but that can be set up. The bike is a tall bike
with a seat hight of 875mm but 5mm lower than the KTM, so it
not the tallest. You can feel this straight off the bat. If you want
to turn around, it feels really light to maneuver in tighter areas.
On this bike you sit in the bike not on top of the bike unlike the
KTM. It’s a well balanced bike and after a few minutes you feel
like you are on a dirt bike.
What makes this bike special is the way it puts the power down.
It is not intimidating at all, anything it is predictable and
manageable but don’t get it in your mind that it is lazy. On the
fast gravel roads you can ride it flat out and drift through every
corner. It’s a really cool looking Dakar bike.
KTM 790 ADVENTURE R:
This is the first time I have ridden this bike for longer than 10
kays. Right away you need to realise that this bike and the
Yamaha T7 are two different beasts. Unlike the Yamie, the KTM
has a ton of electronics. The special thing about the 790 is the
rider modes that come with the bike. The one that stands out
is the Rally mode. Now this mode has made off-road riding on
these bikes so much fun. On the rally mode you can set the
throttle sensitivity. When setting it you can choose how
aggressive you want the power to be.
In the same breath, the days of turning the traction control are
over. You can adjust the “SLIP” on the fly while going around a
corner. This means you can change the aggressiveness of the
traction control as per the surface you are riding.
On a fast slippery gravel corner, I set it to be slightly more
aggressive - to prevent completely sliding out and on the dunes
turn it completely down. Its all quite mind boggling at first, but
once you have it figured it all kind of makes sense.
Being the tallest bike on the day this bike has a real dirt bike
seating position. You sit on top of the bike with lots of room to
slide up and down the seat. The bike is well balanced with a
low centre of gravity making thing this bike easy to ride fast and
handle through some tight and rough spots. The one thing I did
notice is it doesn’t get as hot as some of the other LC8 motors
out there. This bike is also the most racey of the lot for the day.
You can defiantly feel the ready to race DNA.
TRIUMPH 900:
This is the bike that impressed me the most for the day. We
have the predecessor in our garage and well, what they have
done is give this bike more personality and wow was it fun to
ride. The bike feels a lot smaller and nimble with a beautiful
sounding motor. Keep in mind this is the newest bike out of the
lot. The motor is completely new from top to bottom. It is alive
from the word go. And it handled my abuse with ease.
SWM 650:
Well, if you love a KLR650 – you can’t get a new one. Let this
be the replacement. At R97 000 this bike is the best value for
money out there. The motors have proved to be reliable. This
bike feels great. It is so much fun to ride – like a dirtbike on
steroids.
This one bike was fitted with arrow pipes that woke up the
neighbourhood but it was just so cool to ride flat out.
You can ride it like a dirt bike and like we did take it on a long
journey. Simple, uncomplicated adventure travel. I really had a
lot of fun.
BMW 850 ADV:
Off the bat, it looks great and better than its predecessor, it even
sounds better. This is typical, conservative BMW.
The suspension on the bike is really good. Riding hard, or even
getting a bit airborne, the bike did not bottom out at all. It feels
well planted and comfortable. The display on this bike is lovely,
it is sharp and bright. The rider ads are easily activated and
enabled with one button.and on the road it is just so
comfortable.
#GO
ADVENTURE
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scenes, always wear protective clothing and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations!
The illustrated vehicles may vary in selected details from the production models and some illustrations feature optional equipment available at additional cost.
Photo: R. Schedl
KTM 790 ADVENTURE / R
Get your FREE QUICKSHIFTER and CRUISE CONTROL with your new
KTM 790 ADVENTURE and KTM 790 ADVENTURE R
ADVENTURE MORE
Developed from KTM’s offroad race DNA, the KTM 790 ADVENTURE R is
a serious travel capable offroad motorcycle equipped for the most extreme
escapes. With the hardcore adventurer in mind, it balances the power
of a twin, with the lightness and agility of a single-cylinder offroad bike,
to open up new riding possibilities. It offers an impressive fuel range
without compromising agility, feeding a powerful yet compact, smooth
and reliable engine. Access more extreme and distant offroad terrain
thanks to easy-to-use rider aids and practical ergonomics.
Phone 011 462 7796 for your nearest dealer.

Sean says:
T7:
As a hard core middle weight adventure bike this one it is very
good … if you weigh less than 100kg’s. My chunky ass had the
suspension bottoming out occasionally at speed through some
of the rougher stuff. I am aware, however that it can all be set up
and adjusted and knowing KYB, it’s a quick fix.
Long, fast winding good dirt roads were easily ridden at high
speeds with the rear wheel drifting out a bit. The CP2 parallel twin
motor is fantastic and is very smooth at any speed and on the
tarmac I easily got the T7 up to 200kmh. The big 21 inch knobbly
shod front wheel did the usual bob and weave that all these types
of bikes do at those kind of speeds and which was easily
remedy by shifting my weight a bit back on the seat and relaxing
my shoulders and my grip on the left handle bar. Wind protection
in the cockpit is great, even for a 2 metre long slab like me.
The T7 is reasonably tall with a really comfortable relationship
between the foot pegs, seat and handle bars. I was easily able to
stand up without having to crouch down to reach the bars which
really changes your feel and confidence when riding off road …
You shorter folk really don’t understand the struggle anybody over
1.85 metres has with that.
Ergonomics and cockpit lay out are intuitive with everything
exactly where you would instinctively expect to find them. The T7
is a back to basics bike with very little in the way of
electronic gadgets, so for the hard nosed old school riders it is
great, however I have come to really enjoy things like shift assist
gears when standing up and riding technical sections and cruise
control when eating up the miles on long tar sections. Unfortunately
we only discovered the puncture in the front wheel when
I got to ride the T7, so I didn’t get to ride it as much as I would
have liked but I do think that if one ever came onto the used bike
market at a reasonable price I might just buy it and spend a bit of
money beefing up the suspension and maybe fitting an after-market
quick shifter.
790R:
This is possibly one of the best kitted out bikes in this mid weight
category. A little bit on the low or short side for my 2m chassis
so I would definitely fit some bar raisers and possibly higher
and wider handle bars. I have had the pleasure of riding a 790R
through, over and around Lesotho on a 4 day trip on some of the
gnarliest terrain the mountain kingdom has to offer as well as
riding all the way there and back on tar for a lot of the distance
and to be honest there is very little to fault on the 790R.
It is genuinely an all-round good motorcycle and really good value
for money. Flat out on the tar, the 21 inch knobbly gets a bit
squirley, but once again just relax and let it do its thing. The cockpit
is a little bit fiddly with its multi button navigation and smaller
display but really only takes a few minutes to get acclimatized to.
Flipping through the riders modes, traction control setting and the
like really let you set the bike to your personal riding style. I really
enjoy the quick shifter. Especially in the more technical stuff, just
makes gear changing so much quicker and easier. Possibly the
bike we all had the most sport on during the ride. I am keeping
my beady eyes open for any really good bargains to be had on
one of these, a bike that definitely needs to grace my garage.
it was definitely the most brash. It is light and nimble with plenty
of grunt, maxing out at about 165kmh on the tar and surprising
stable at those speeds. In the dirt it was a huge amount of fun to
ride, easily jumping over humps and bumps with wild abandon
as the suspension easily soaked some of the harder landings,
hanging its back wheel out on long sweeping winding dirt roads
and just generally having a good time. It is reasonably compact
and nimble little bike and with very little in the way of
electronics to possibly go wrong. Long tar sections through the
Karoo might become a bit tedious for the taller, heavier riders,
but as a day to day commuter it would be a lot of fun. Narrow
enough to scoot between the traffic, also tall enough to see over
most cars and plenty acceleration off the line to leave the traffic
in your dust … speaking from experience here.
Then weekends it is off to the bush for a bit of an explore and a
lot of fun … did I mention that the price is from 10 years ago?
850 GSA:
So … I am probably going to be shot for saying this, but I am
not a huge fan of the 850 GSA’s big brother. I just find it too big
and too cumbersome, even at 6 foot plenty and 115kg’s. Then,
I am also not completely sold on its sibling the F850GS, a good
bike but needs work on its suspension … and personality.
So I was a bit non-committal about riding the ADV and left it
for absolute last and then only because I had to drop it back
off with the dealer and collect the bakkie to get home. Once I
swung my leg over the big girl and got a few miles under my
belt on her I started kicking myself! She is big, but not too big,
she is plush, but not soft and when you get enthusiastic with the
revs she definitely has quite a bit of pep. Honestly, I only spent
about 10 kays on her in the dirt bouncing through mud and
over rocks with the odd steep climb or decent here and there,
but I could tell that the 850GSA is a completely different beast
than its standard sibling that I used to compete in last years GS
Trophy.
The suspension acted and reacted very predictably in the
rougher terrain, the big tank did not make the bike feel top
heavy or cumbersome, the quick shifter is surprisingly smooth
even at low rpm and like silk when working higher up in the rev
range. On the tarmac back from the canals to Fourways was an
absolute pleasure. Set the cruise control at a few kays above
the posted national speed limit sit back and watch the scenery
whizz by in plush comfort.
Of all the brands on the market, BMW definitely has the easiest
electronics package to use. The TFT screen is large and easy
to read, especially for those with older eyes, navigating through
the various screens is easily done with one button and a nav
wheel on the left handle bar that instantly becomes intuitive.
Comfort wise BMW is hard to beat and the older I get the more
I appreciate things like plush seats, luxurious riding positions,
quick shifters, cruise control, big easy to read displays,
easy and plentiful power delivery but still young enough to enjoy
a bit of rough sport in the dirt and the BMW 850 GSA delivers
on all fronts but does come with at bit of a premium price.
Tiger 900:
The newest model in this market only having being launched
early in the third quarter of 2020 where all the other bikes have
been on the market for at least two years.
To be honest, I was a little worried about riding the new 900
Tiger, much to the chagrin of a lot of my mates and industry
colleagues; I never really got on with the outgoing 800 model.
It was a fantastic motorcycle in most respects bar the sitting
position.
No matter how much I adjusted the handle bars they always felt
awkward to me, even and possibly especially when standing up.
Somehow they were always too far away and yet too close at
the same time, the rest of the bike I loved, especially that
phenomenal triple cylinder power plant. And I am happy to
report that the new 900 is an all new bike and they have sorted
out the seating position dramatically. On the tar the new 900 is
quite the weapon, as far as an adventure bike can be, the handling,
power delivery and stopping power inspire you to try and
rattle a couple of Tupperware torpedo’s through the mountain
passes. Its manners are even better in the dirt almost making
you forget that you are not on a lightweight fantastic plastic.
I think unchaperoned and left to my own devices I might just try
some stupid stuff a la Ernie Vigil on the 900 Tiger. The
electronics package is brilliant and once you get used to the
switches and the menu’s it is really quite easy to navigate
through, the display can also be customised to your preference.
Everything just works so well of the new 900. The power shifter
is one of the smoothest, up and down, I have ridden with, the triple
cylinder engine give excellent low down torque and delivers
smooth hard revving power out the top with very little to no discernible
vibration. Comfort wise the cockpit is great with plenty
of leg room, comfortable angles on hips and knees when seated
and the bars are comfortably high enough for me to stand and
ride yet low enough not to cause fatigue on my shoulders while
eating up the long distance kilo’s.
All the bikes we rode are all within 10 to 15% of each other
in price except for the SWM, and most of them do represent
really good value for money, but if I had to choose one to do
everything well from daily commuting to long distance tours and
a whole bunch of bushwhacking thrown in it would be a toss up
between the BMW, KTM and Triumph, they have most of the
gadgets that I want, they all fit my lanky frame very well, are
lightweight enough to bang around the bush on and are good
comfortable long distance tourers.
SWM:
I have never had the privilege to ride one of these bikes before
and was somewhat surprised when it felt very familiar swinging
my leg over it. Reason for that is that it is essentially the old red
Husqvarna 650 before they joined forces with KTM - and we have
a Husqvarna Terra 650 in our fleet which we all ride very
regularly. At a grand or two under a 100K it is really good value
for money. It is small in stature compared to the rest of the bikes
on the ride, but fitted with twin Arrow exhaust, (aftermarket),
Puncture interrrupts play.
The glamorous life of media. Waiting for the photographers to do their job.

Trevor says:
I think the feature writer was referring to me when he was
talking about the “weekend warrior”.
While I have spent some time on the dirt (and once or
twice in it!) I tend to view dirt with a degree of caution and
I count it a good day when neither me nor the bike gets
damaged!
Triumph:
Having owned a brace of Triumphs previously (800XC
and 1200 Adv) I naturally wanted to try the newer 900. I
was not disappointed – even having recently coming from
the 1200 the bike felt just as comfortable with pretty much
a similar sitting position.
I do think the instrument cluster is laid out better – if you
had to challenge me I really wouldn’t be able to tell you
why but it felt familiar enough that checking the clocks
and using the indicator button was pretty much where I
expected it to be.
What really bought the point home that the bike has been
redesigned was when I went up onto the pegs – and
didn’t need to modify my standing position. In both the
800xc and the 1200 I got handlebar risers installed so that
the standing position felt more comfortable and natural.
The bike is really gutsy when accelerating and it is only
once you get above the 150 mark that the difference in
engine size becomes noticeable. And the speed-shifter!
My previous experience with a speed-shifter has been
limited – but Triumph has done a sterling job to such an
extent that even an older (insert appropriate term) like me
was soon happily making good use of it.
The rider mods/electronic package has been upgraded
and was sufficiently user-friendly that it took all of about
30 seconds for me to grasp the concept of how to change
things to my liking – and THAT is impressive.
KTM:
I was disappointed not to be able to spend more time on this.
Initial impressions were that the stance is different – it seemed
narrower and taller but was not uncomfortable. Obviously, the
sitting position (based on the above) was different – but not
uncomfortable or unpleasant. The clocks were laid out fairly
well (weekend warrior speaking – not
techie journalist) and things worked pretty much as you would
expect them to.
I did get a sense of a bear waiting to be poked when I opened
the throttle a bit too much on the dirt. The bike was balanced
and forgiving enough that I was able to correct my errant behaviour
and not end up in the dirt instead of on top of it. Spend
some time with this machine and I am
reasonably certain that confidence will grow in leaps and
bounds. And in the hands of a skilled rider this machine will
definitely keep them entertained.
Having said that, at no stage did I feel that I was about to lose
it or that the bike was going to be unmanageable – as long as
I rode within my limits and didn’t try to mimic the “pace” that
some of the more experienced riders were
putting the bikes through.
Yamaha T7:
Sadly, when I jumped aboard, the T7 had a flat wheel… so, it
was a very short romance… It would be unfair for me to try to
scribble anything about it, but I do look forward to riding it again
soon…
BMW:
This was an interesting ride. Similar to the Triumph in that it is
comfortably reserved in terms of power delivery (throw your
weight behind the throttle and there is good deal of “get up and
where the heck are we already – did I blink!) whilst seated on
padded luxury .. sigh.
The electronics package is very user-friendly and there is definitely
a sense that the engineers have spent a
reasonable amount of time getting feedback from the riders.
There are enough settings to satisfy even the most go-gogadget
boy freak out there – without coming across like something
that has been designed by a bunch of techies. This stuff
actually works, and it works very well.
This is a bike that is comfortable on those long open roads
whether they are road or dirt.
Here are some interesting stats:
Bike Motor Power Torque Weight Price
Triumph Tiger 900 888cc triple 94hp 87Nm 201kg (dry) From R229,000
KTM 790 Adventure R 799cc inline twin 94hp 88Nm 189kg (dry) From R209,999
BMW F850GS Adventure 853cc inline twin 95hp 92Nm 244kg (wet) From R237,000
Yamaha Tenere 700 689cc inline twin 72hp 68Nm 205kg (wet) From R199,950
SWM Supertrail 650 600cc single 57hp n/a 196kg (wet) From R97,000
Would I (buy this over the 1200) – hell yes! In a heart-beat
– now anyone want to make a donation to my Triumph
fund?
SWM 650:
This was the smallest bike out of the lot. It is also one with
the least amount of electronics – and this was the bike
that I got to ride on the loose dirt pass previously referred
to…
So picture a cat on a hot tin roof riding a bike that is very
different to the Triumph – that’s right. The bike layout is
very similar (I thought) to a dirt bike – I spent an afternoon
a few years back destroying a new pair of jeans and a
decent t-shirt in a muddy vlei on a borrowed Honda 230 a
while back – but is obviously a bit heavier and bigger.
I think the photographers were hoping to get some “action
shots” – you know the sort where the bike ends up on top
of the rider who is busily eating a clump of grass mixed
with a healthy serving of dirt. Did I mention that I tend to
approach dirt with a degree of caution?
I am pleased to say that the bike is that good, that they
were disappointed – and I was very relieved! I do believe
there was air between the tyres and the ground more than
once too.
Which speaks more to the bikes overall capability than to
mine I believe.
Capable, nicely balanced, good torquey motor and very
little electronics to distract you from keeping the top bits
up and the bottom bits down. At the price – an absolute
steal.

“I love the smell
of 2 stroke
in the Morning”
3 TPI’s same same or different?
We try to enlighten you.
For this issue, the guys from TRAX MOTO invited us to ride the
three TPI 300’s available from the KTM group. We hear you say “But
they are the same!” We hear you – and mmmm – we disagree. Each
bike is different, and in this feature, we’ll try to explain why.
First off , and before we even start, any one of these bikes is a great
choice. The fact that they share a parent company means that
important stuff like parts and technical backup and servicing is
pretty easy. And more good news is that TRAX MOTO in Silverlakes
is now a dealer for all three brands.
When we did the feature on the GasGas ec300 in last months issue,
we mentioned that it was brand new. Since then, the bike has been
run in and has undergone a little bit of setup in the workshop.

The bikes:
The KTM 300 XCW is one of KTM’s best-selling
motorcycles. It’s been a while since we rode one,
and this one was freshly run in
Third up for duty is the Husqvarna TE 300. The
last time we rode one of these, was at the 2020
bike launch in Lesotho, so for us, it was fantastic
to compare it with its siblings.
It seems that the guys from the dealership were
aware that crash Bandicoot AND Roley Foley were
going to ride them – and they were instructed to fit
every protective part known to man.
Each bike was fully kitted with protective parts.
PSS was tasked with radiator and rear disc
protection. Acerbis skid plates were fitted on all
three bikes – and Carbontek supplied the exhaust
guards. Various other bits littered the bikes like
Acerbis reservoir covers and so-on. The brush
guards are standard with power part inserts.
Other than that, TRAX left the bike standard.
COMFORTABLE, SAFE
& STYLISH PROTECTION
WITH FREE GOGGLES
The test venue:
We opted to use the Mamarok facility out near
Mamelodi for this feature. Mamarok will be changing
soon – they have a lot of upgrades and plans in the
pipeline. Watch this space and we’ll keep you posted.
The track is a really lekker flowing short loop that
incorporates natural and man-made obstacles. You
can select the red, more tech option or you can take
the chicken run at each obstacle. Either way, its great
fun and at about lap 10, you’ll be pretty tired.
We did not go rock hopping although we would have
liked to, but this course was perfect to ride each bike
on the same track over the same distance to give
each rider and idea of what each bike is about. It’s
long enough to feel the engine characteristics with so
much diverse terrain that you get a perfect feel for the
suspension and handling characteristics of each bike.
Being the scientific type that we are, each rider
selected a bike and did a lap. Swapped bikes and did
another lap, swapped again… and so on . Each rider
put in about nine laps at least three laps on each bike
with some pulling an extra one on their favourite. At
each stop and swap, we chatted and laughed, (a lot),
and traded notes and comments.
LEATT.COM

Read This:
Each of us came away with a favorite bike and what was
interesting is the fact that the choices were so distinct.
There was no ummm’s … errs or maybe’s, each of our
riders had a favorite on the day, based purely on the ride.
And each rider selected a different bike as their favorite for
the day. We kid you not, usually when we do a test like this,
it often happens that we all lean more towards one than
the other. This time, if someone handed us folding money
notes and told us to choose, we’d each have a different
bike on the bakkie.
And each rider has a very different riding style.
The Riders:
Mike Wessels is a fast MX boy. He only understands
speed, wheelies and jumps. But he can ride rocks and
things too. And very well at that.
Kyle leans a lot more towards harder enduro. He is a great
technical rider and is most often found trying to ride up or
down a wall.
Glenn is the epitome of a decent weekend warrior without
a racing bone in his body. He is happy to plod along in just
about any terrain until there is food in the distance… then
he becomes a racer.
All three riders are very experienced. And all three have
ridden various renditions of all of these bikes…
Same:
Each bike shares a two stroke 300cc TPI engine – the KTM
groups very latest technology. Electric start, a vibration-free
feel to power and incredibly smooth bottom-to-mid juice
allow the off-roader to get traction and let the engine pull
you over obstacles. The six-speed gearbox is well-spaced
– although to be fair on this track, fourth is about as far as
we went . The clutch pull on each bike is light and easy to
feather with one of them better than the others. When you
add good fuel economy and oil injection to the engine’s
superb hitless power, you have a true enduro weapon.
Some differences:
They all share varying degrees of WP suspension. Of
course, the KTM is the only one of the three with no linkage.
Up front, the KTM and the GasGas have cast triple clamps,
while the Husqvarna comes standard with very trick looking
Billet units.
They share the same frame – but as you all know, the
Husqvarna has a carbon composite sub frame.
The wheels are all different – GasGas wears silver Excel
rims, KTM’s black wheels are made by Giant and the
Husqvarna is fitted with DID Dirt Stars all with polished
hubs.
The KTM and GasGas come standard with Maxxis rubber
and the Husqvarna has Metzeler six days.
The KTM has a Brembo clutch and brakes, the Husqvarna
has Magura clutch and brakes. The GasGas, in a nod to
its Spanish heritage wears BrakeTec technology in this
department.
The KTM and GasGas share Niken bars. The Husqvarna
has slightly higher bend Pro Taper bars. KTM and Husqvarna
give you MX type brush guards. Out of the box. Gas
Gas has no brush guards.TRAX fitted the Powerparts
braces on all three.
To define the bikes, they all have different plastic styling
and colours. So the rider has a choice as to what he or she
likes best.

The ride:
Here is what each of us agreed upon. Please remember
that each of these bikes is stock standard as you’d buy
them off the floor. They have only been dressed in protective
gear.
• The plushest, and most user friendly bike to ride
is the GasGas. Thanks to clever ergonomic design the red
bike feels smaller and more compact than the other two
and this had us scratching our heads … because they are
actually all the same size on paper. Our guys all mentioned
that it is the easiest bike to put your feet on the ground.
Thanks to a clever fuel tank design, slimmer between the
legs and wider at the bottom than the other two, you get
the impression that it is a physically smaller motorcycle. Go
and ride one and you’ll see what we mean.
Ground clearance is excellent and the bike is slender and
turns so well. And of all three bikes it offers the plushest
ride. Not soft, just comfortable, nimble and quick. And this
bike has the softest clutch pull of all three bikes ridden.
husqvarna-motorcycles.com
husqvarna-motorcycles.com
• The KTM absolutely lives up to its reputation of
Ready to Race. It feels like a wound up spring ready to
explode when you open that throttle. The fact that it has no
linkage makes the bike feel more connected, you are more
aware of the braking bumps and the bike gives a lot of feel
and feedback in any terrain. Naturally the lack of a linkage
does give the bike a slight advantage over the others in
gnarly terrain.
Of the three bikes, the KTM seems to offer the most exciting
ride and it is really easy to understand why this one has
legions of fans.
• The Husqvarna is, perhaps for the connoisseur.
The more discerning rider or racer that wants to open wide
and have the very best suspension available to keep things
comfortable.
husqvarna-motorcycles.com
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scene. Always wear protective safety gear and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations.
The illustrated vehicle may vary in selected details from the production models and may feature optional equipment available at additional cost.
Feather weight
enduro.
Whether you are entering the new J2
National Enduro class or planning
to take the spoils in E1, the Husqvarna
TE 150i must be your weapon of choice.
Just ask Rockstar Energy Husqvarna
rider Heinrich Aust.
Please make no attempt to imitate the illustrated riding scene. Always wear protective safety gear and observe the applicable provisions of the road traffic regulations.
The illustrated vehicle may vary in selected details from the production models and may feature optional equipment available at additional cost.
TE
150i
Composite carbon subframe
Switchable engine maps
Fuel injection technology
Photo By: www. ZCMC.co.za

We understand exactly why the Husqvarnna costs a little bit
more – and that’s all down to the ride. After much heated debate
and discussion amongst all of the riders, the general consensus
that the Husqvarna is like a cross between the Gasser and the
KTM. It has the very best characteristics of both bikes and some
feel that it offers the most refined ride of the three bikes.
Which is your favourite lads?
The tech stuff:
It’s all good and well us telling you about the bikes feel but our
job is to tell you why that is. And it all comes down to
suspension and ergonomic setup. Read what we told you about
the GasGas plastics. That design influences the whole feel of
the bike. The Bar bend is one of the factors that influences the
feel of the whole motorcycle. On any bike, you need to spend
time on your bikes setup. If you are comfortable – you will be a
better rider.
We made a call to Riaan from TRAX and bombed him with all
kinds of questions about the differences between the bikes. He
suggested that we call Will Slater from TBR suspension who
gave us a few answers... www.tbrsuspension.co.za (Thanks
Guys!)
As you might be aware, Will works with most of the top enduro
boys and he is currently working with Travis Teasdale’s
Gas Gas team. We asked him the differences between each
bikes suspension. He took time to research it all and to try and
explain why the bikes feel different. And we were pretty chuffed
that our conclusions were accurate.
The fork diameters etc. are all the same, but the GasGas has a
stiffer spring and softer valving than the Husqvarna.
KTM changes the valving on their forks fairly frequently so they
are also slightly different to the other two bikes.
The rear shock on the linkage bikes is identical. As are the
linkages themselves.
Naturally, the KTM with its PDS system feels a bit more direct.
“Generally our riders find that the PDS is great for climbing
mountains – and then, of course that little bit more ground
clearance comes into play. The Linkage system really comes
into its own when you descend. The bikes just feel more in
control and planted.”
“In addition to the valving, the plushness up front that you feel
between the GasGas, KTM and the Husqvarna is largely down
to the cast triple clamps. Cast clamps allow for a bit of flex, the
KTM and the GAS GAS both have cast clamps. The Husqvarna
comes with Billet unit, like KTM’s Six day – and that stiffens the
front up a bit.”
Never say that you don’t learn stuff reading motorcycle
magazines…
In conclusion:
There is no wrong choice here – and although the bikes are
similar – they are all a bit different. Of course, the red one is
something new and exciting that will stand out from the crowd.
The Husqvarna and KTM have proved themselves over and
over again.
We suggest that you try and get a ride on each of them.
TRAX MOTO in Silverlakes is now a dealer for all three brands
www.go-mx.co.za
– and the Husqvarna showroom will be open at the end of
March.
All three brands under one roof.
Now that’s cool.
The GasGas EC300 R135 000.00
The KTM XCW300 R141 999.00
The Husqvarna TE300I R146 699.00
(012) 111-0190
info@traxktm.co.za
Specialists in motocross gear and accessories
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