K11 Owners Group

[malcolmt]

Did a 740km ride ride today, took a nice long loop from Joburg, then out past the Vaal dam, then cut through the Free State to Clarens for lunch. After lunch we passed through the Golden Gate park to Harrismith then 300km up the freeway back to home.


Smee as we passed the the Vaal Triangle. This s a heavy industrial area with Steep plants, chemical plants, coal mines and so on. The sign behind me “Potholes for 10km” was a sign of things to come.


The Vaal dam wall, several weeks ago this road was flooded when water was released from the overfull dam.


This beauty got me at 120kph, and jarred the one mirror off. It took 45 mins to find it.


Miraculously the mirror and lens survived and the body only got a few battle scars. Both mirrors will get bungees in the next week or two.


Getting close to Clarens, the scenery improves.


Lots of bikes in the town


Even a Harley made it !!


Loks like the town is having problems with snakes !!


Smee again and heading towards the Golden Gate park.


A pic of “our lass” as we enter the park, lots of sandstone formations here.


More nice scenery and a spot of rain.


In the distance is another Table Mountain, not quite as famous as Cape Town


Looks like someone didn’t have a happy landing

Edit..
Here is the route we took.


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A Bike on the road is worth two
in the shed
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[Ernie-NH]

Hi Malcom....

Nice pics, AND looks like a great ride ! Being still "barn bound" here in NH, I think most of us are quite envious... Dont know why but couldnt see what hit your right side mirror, bird maybe, OR one of those jumping pythons ? Also, looks like much of the landscape is iron rich and was erosion formed. Is that typical of SA ??

THANKS again, really nice ride report...

best regards.......// Ernie-NH
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AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

[malcolmt]

The mirror was jarred off when I hit the pothole next to where the bike is parked.

Not sure about the iron where the sandstone pics were taken, there are iron ore mines elsewhere in the country, lots of coal, diamonds, and GOLD. hmmm.
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A Bike on the road is worth two
in the shed
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[Stoked Steve]

I think he meant that NYC style pothole jarred the bike so hard the mirror fell off. Tethers needed for sure!

Beautifull scenery, reminds me of the western US.

Not at all what I would expect parts of Africa to look like.

Thanks for the pics, always cool to see other countries, especially by bike!

(those are some mighty GOLD wheels!)
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Steve
Virginia Beach, VA
93 K1100RS Mystic Red SOLD
12 Suzuki DL650A VStrom

[Off the grid]

Hey Mal great pics and narration....we need a side view of that beautiful RS!!!

As others have said, not much what I "expected" the South Africa landscape to be...which I guess is similar to what I have read and studied....desert punctuated by grasslands and dense tropics.

Goes to show you that your preconceived notions are almost always wrong.
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Bane of your existence since July 2006
2007 Triumph Tiger ABS. "Sabertooth"
2009 Husqvarna TE610. "The dirty Italian mistress"

[Flying Duck]

[BobZ(IL)]

Thanks for sharing the pics of your ride. Hope those potholes get filled, kind of looks like some of our winter-ravaged roads in Illinois.

Wonder if your Pythons are related to our blossoming population in the Everglades?
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'93 K1100LT
'78 R100S
'05 R1200GS
BMWMOA, CRBMWOA, ABC, K11OG #997

Live well, do good work, enjoy the ride.

[malcolmt]

One more pic from yesterday.
I joined two photos to make a panoramic pic.
It turned out well.


_________________
******************************
A Bike on the road is worth two
in the shed
******************************