Off-Road Biking In The Heat Of South Africa!

Off-road biking adventures! … I need to clarify. While I am more into “two-wheels-on-a-well-paved-road while riding safely along at warp speed” variety, this off-road biking in the heat of South Africa was attractive to me.

With it comes dirt roads, muddy terrain, and dead-fall trees in the most remote areas, which could be quite dangerous. You are guaranteed to fall on a rock… I sense this is a guy thing.

Let’s see: Should I drive as if in pursuit with the wind behind me and leave a vapor trail, or carve out a path that is safe and easier for others to follow? … It’s a tough decision.

Ready Or Not – Here We Come!

Pack your gear, fuel up your bike, and set off on an expedition to uncover the best-kept secret of South Africa’s scenic trails – the ultimate playground for off-road biking enthusiasts.

In the wild, the landscapes are vast, and you could be walking where very few men have ever been. On the other hand, this is still wild–animal country.

This is a commitment to a gritty, adrenaline-fueled lifestyle choice.

Motorcyclists: what I can say is that the very breed has its rebellious side… Badboys, all.
Their abilities and control of two wheels under their bodies are impressive and it’s easy to
feel their fearlessness.

Our Guys Have Moxy!

Here’s their story:

For Brett and pals, it’s a way of life…

We don’t have seatbelts, but metaphorically speaking, buckle up! Out here, nature reigns supreme and you must be absolutely committed to embracing the untamed wilderness.

Our veteran riders are the best in the world and leave great legacies – they lead by example.

There’s a reason why veterans are so fit and happy. That’s the same reason why they are veterans. (Link Biking Accessories)

The go-to places are huge farmlands and very wide open spaces. The old Bophuthatswana Homeland Trust is the best venue closest to Pretoria.

It fits the preferred description of remoteness and nasty terrain. It does not lack in danger; the ride is challenging… as it should be, or we wouldn’t be here.

In a Rosslyn-Brits-Babalegi triangle, there are about 40,000 square kilometers of riding terrain.

There are few paved roads, no fences, and hardly any people. This is one of our favorite places to ride; we found our Spot.

If you are looking for adrenaline-fueled thrills or peaceful moments, you’ll find it all here, amidst the beauty of this land.

You are in another dimension out here… like walking on the moon.

Head out early in the day before the heat sets in; it will be a scorcher – and the humidity is already taking my breath away… I sure hope we get some rain soon...
Hahahahaha… I must be joking.

I heard that this area has survived seven years without rain…
And it won’t happen today either. (Transvaal Weather Authority).

Heat, Dust, and Durability

Let’s be clear: you don’t have to drive all the way to Bela Bela to enjoy the thrills of off-road maneuvers. (Bela Bela is the new name for Warm Baths).

Enduring off-road biking in the heat of South Africa!

Around our area, there are a lot of off-road tracks for hire… you can ride all day! There are hills and gullies and hairpin turns… it’s an exercise in patience but fences and slow pokes hold everyone up.

We tried to push to the front of the line when we were kids and we could not wait to jump over something! It’s good for beginners to learn good manners!

… yadda… yadda… yadda…
But dirt bikers find this too limiting… and they are not a patient breed!
Bikers of all types don’t like to pay to ride but would rather use that money for gas.

The real test is on the open terrain; the natural ruggedness is your teacher. We are all show-offs and not likely to miss an opportunity to grandstand. Experience is your moderator.

The machine you ride and how you ride says a lot about your abilities. Your manners, out there, show how far you would go to help a brother. Now you are a member of our hood.

We often park our trucks at the old Marula casino, or somewhere safe. It’s very remote and we want to be sure our vehicles will still be there when we get back.

We ride our bikes out in single file along the highway, to a good spot where the traffic is down to nil. No one has posted “Private Property” signs in this area yet.
I think they really like us!

Once we traverse the bank from the road, we could be out here for 5 or 6 hours and fly over 100 km of terrain if all goes well.

Our endurance depends on how hard the ride is, how many hills are left to climb, and if the water table rose this spring.

There is no set pattern and no roads or trails – the hazards are lurking under the tall grass.
You have to ride what you are offered; it’s a surprise on every bend.

How dirty will we be? How much mud will stick to the bottom of our boots? How ugly dirty muddy will our bikes be? Will our shirts stand up by themselves?

Can we see through our mud-encrusted goggles?

This could be a GREAT ride!

The farms are enormous and people never see a neighbor except at church. It is as remote as can be.

News travels fast among these people … and they know when we arrive. They have a “bush telegraph” mentality, they tell me.
We ride wherever there aren’t too many complaints about us.

Some people want to rest quietly on the weekend and that constant buzzing of dirt bikes in the distance can be a little unsettling.

But not everyone feels that way and for them, the sound carries on the still air and floats past as soft as a balloon. Like the occasional drone of an airplane or the buzzing of the bees, it’s familiar and comforting.

The Ultimate Guide to Protective Gear

There are no heat-redeeming features in this uniform. It’s heavy and hot and it’s made to last. We’re not getting any younger and we must protect ourselves in every possible way.

We always wear full body armor. You never know if possibly, when you will go down and your rib cage will land on a rock. It’s a bubble-wrap mentality – but it works.

Your protection has to include a neck brace, a kidney belt, and chest padding. Over that, wear a long-sleeve “wicking” t-shirt. Are you feeling bulkier yet Mr Michelin? … No? …Just wait…

Your jacket must be lightweight and padded with hard forms from the elbows to your wrists. You’ll wear a halo around your neck. Your goggles are there to protect your eyes from those pesky thorns… Are you having fun yet?

Wear padded socks and smooth out the wrinkles so your pants zip snugly around the ankles. The leggings are padded in the seat; now slide your feet into your boots.

Knee-high boots are hard to walk in and even without the mud, they weigh about twenty pounds. But your legs need protection from the rocks when you go down.
You don’t want 4″ thorns embedded into your shins.

The jacket sleeves should zip closed to let your long gloves slip on.
They naturally curl around the handlebars; they’re so thick you can’t feel anything else anyway.

Since you insist that you don’t own a $25.00 brain, you need to cover that million-dollar head of yours with a good-quality helmet. Read expensive helmet – it’s an investment.

High-Performance Motorcycles

Throughout all the restrictions and sanctions from the 1960s to the 1990s, there were no Harley-Davidson or any American performance off-road motorcycles available.
(Have Fun Driving in South Africa)

Sanctions prohibited importing from the USA but in this, there was a silver lining. We got used to living without them and riders embraced the machines that could tackle the rugged terrain with finesse and power.

They were forced to turn to more refined European and Japanese motorcycles.

The most popular are KTM, Yamaha, Husqvarna, Kawasaki, Honda, and Suzuki, all renowned for their high-tech engineering and off-road capabilities.

There is pride of ownership and love for the craftsmanship. They look so beautiful in the showroom – all shiny and new, showing off their agility and strength.
… like a well-muscled gymnast.

From Mechanics to Riding Plastic Beauties in the Mud

We ride what we have dubbed our “plastic” bikes. They’re a modular construction like LEGO blocks and allow for instant panel replacement.

E–Zee on … E–Zee off … it’s fast and lazy and there is no time for downtime.

The frames are like a pared-down body and there’s no excess fat here. There is no baggage, just lean efficiency; just the essentials with Hulk-like power.

We twist and turn and the spiked tires kick up a plume of heavy wet mud that the slim fenders can barely hold back… it is bound to land on the riders behind me! … where else could it go?

Like bumper cars in the mud, the situation is hilarious: we narrowly avoid collisions that would send us tumbling down the hill… it leaves you weak.

There’s a lot of laughter and mud-covered goggles! Camaraderie always shines through the chaos and we rely on each other to play it safe.

… Those poor guys behind me! … You had to be there! 
They’re probably reevaluating their life choices right now.

Community and Camaraderie

Riding these high-performance motorcycles in this hot and dangerous terrain is not for the faint of heart. Stay focused and accept the challenge; you can push yourself to the limit.

Picture a convoy of bikes winding through limitless trails, each rider fueled by the thrill of the unknown – we are like-minded… we can’t wait to boast about it.

If you are that rider daring enough to challenge himself, expect that unmatched off-road experience, but your determination had better match your skills.

Off-road biking transcends a mere pastime; it becomes your daring dance with the wild.
You can’t keep the spirit of off-road enthusiasts down… then again, why would you?

If you push yourself hard, the reward is the adrenaline rush you were expecting.
This is so much better than recreation!

Hot Weather Riding Essentials

We each carry 2 or 3 liters of water or energy fluid in a hydra pack. Never leave home without plenty of water. Dehydration is only an hour away and you need to refuel often.

To avoid getting punctures, we have “Mousse” in our tires. It’s a high-density inner foam that hardens into a rubber ring inside the tire. This will protect you from those lethal thorns.
(I had a “4-inch thorn” Christmas tree!)

Temperatures have climbed to the high 30C in the shade; I feel exhausted.
Let me remind you … It’s for the thrill of the sport that we ride!

Navigating the Rugged Terrain with Precision

You don’t ride with just anybody.

You are only concerned with the 10 feet in front of you; we are riding with our wheels a few inches apart at high speeds all the time.

Brotherhood means that you can implicitly trust the person riding near you.
You have to anticipate each other’s moves.

It would be easy to “bounce” someone off the trail if you decided to do something reckless.
(Pardon me: I mean, please don’t make any sudden moves).

There will be no alcohol before or during a ride; plenty of time for that later.
A brother would never think to put his loyalty to the test by drinking on a ride.
It is a code we live by because our focus is on each other’s safety.

The suggestion to ride after dark is dismissed without hesitation!

The bush is utter blackness after nightfall and there are no streetlights! Wild animals are lurking and wandering locals are on the road; it’s a recipe for disaster.
… It’s just too reckless.

Through riding we have a dirty, muddy, exhausted camaraderie, totally de-stressed and shouting about all the crashes and near misses… and the hood is like no other as we laugh after a hectic ride and down that first ice-cold beer I have a lump in my throat… it makes me so proud to be a part of this!

The ride was hard and used up several hours of the day. We parked at the back of the Marula Casino lot so we could hide next to our trucks.

It’s a good place to rip off our hot sweaty gear and towel off our wet bodies.
Cleanliness is not just a luxury, it’s a necessity.

We always carry an extra pair of lightweight boots and a couple of clean T-shirts to change into. A little crowd is forming and spectators want to look at these crazy bikes.

They gesture and point and say “buzzzz bzz bikes” to each other. It’s a relaxing time of the day and great fun to swap stories and share our passion for the road.

We go into the casino when we are fully dressed. It’s a small price to pay for the great reception they give us, and we show our respect.

Only after pleasantries do we take advantage of the restrooms, and wash the sand out of our teeth. I have to tame my helmet-hair.

There must be many of you who are dirt bikers reading this article.
Where do you ride? What motorcycle(s) do you have?

Leave a comment about your adventures in the box below. I will answer within 24 hours.
I would love to hear from you.

Regards, Cook :-)))