Spokey

Evening Hubbers. I wish to pick your collective brains on info regarding an e bike recommendation. I love riding my steel hard tail and frankly I am torn. I am 58, moderately fit and never thought I would look at e bikes until much later in life…….However, I am quite keen and would welcome any advice you all may impart. Trail riding, George area. I am wanting to get on with longer days into the mountains hence the e bike. Missus reckons I am just lazy ha ha! I am looking to get the cycle benefit with a little help as opposed to just rocking my Motorcycle. I am clueless as to budget as I need to visit some bike shops when back in SA……….realistically something along the lines of Giant, Trek etc Thanks in Advance

Jeepers Man, glad you are okay, what a frightening experience. Note to self to check my fire extinguisher when home……..and perhaps add a few more in my bike garage…..plus a fire blanket. I am always nervous with fuel smells and spills. I have installed one of those turbine roof extractor fans to try and help in the garage. I would like a push button operated Halon system!

Indeed an insane bargain. I fancied one of these in my collection a little while back, was 165000 Randellas……..gorgeous it was but at that price it is still not in my bike garage.

Dead at Daybreak by Deon Meyer. I am really enjoying Deon Meyers novels especially as I spend a lot of time away from SA. I also read a lot of WW2 aviation and Gulf War Special Forces. I need to include SA military books into my library.

Hey Frosty, thanks for that, so sad. As an aside………one of the engines was dismantled. I wonder if they had a 5 engine ferry policy or capability. I flew DC4’s and DC8’s in the last century and early part of this one. On both aeries we had a 3 engine ferry capability (one out and secured of course) It is a great shame this beast is broken, I truly hope that in time she will be made airworthy again. The technology exists……it is simply $$$$$$

This is really sad but not exactly unsurprising. I do not understand why the machine was not shifted out of Ukraine the minute the Russians crossed the border. It is a strategic heavy lifter of note. It is not logistically hard to move. It is just big………lots of fuel, fly to any recognised freight destination in the west and park. It really does not appear that the Russians have any air superiority. In any event, there has been a lot of ball dropping over this invasion……….sorry, military exercise. Even now, each time we fly back to Kuwait we land with sufficient fuel to get out to at least Dubai. The Boss will scramble at a moments notice if required!

A little of our recent Miami to Anguilla, Santa Maria to Kuwait. The PFD screenshot has as a glare but was a lekker 579 kt ground speed. (Not my fastest seen) The two cities are Lisbon as we made landfall around 3am and then Madrid not long after. Sunrise was east of Madrid. The iPad pic shows Jeppeson Pro with the real time weather as well as our little aftermarket GPS position indicator.

My colleague and I have teasing about the Global Sentinal call up to fly for the RAF……..then I realised….I no longer fly an XRS or 6000 and I am too old! Perhaps just as well.

Yes we have ADS B out. However we have blocked our movements from non regulated tracking like Flight Radar. Yes, it will be mandatory in in time to come, however I do not know when right now………I would need to look that up!

The sun chased us from Kuwait. Here we are mid Atlantic in all sense of the words, Mid between North and South and East and West with the sunrise behind us. We had close to 20 hours of dark from sunset in Kuwait! 12 hours of night in a 14,5 hour sector.

Flew from Kuwait to the island of Anguilla last night. 14.5 flight hours…….buggar this jet goes a long way, she really is a magnificent machine….though not without fault, as in any relationship there are issues ha ha! Pics are through the HUD, brightness enhanced for the pic, winds aloft and the panel in the dark.

Tonights mission. To the Carribean.

Yesterday’s quick run up to Swartburg Pass via Montagu Pass and Outeniqua Pass on the way home. Trip was cut short when I received the call to return to Dubai tomorrow. Sat in Oudtshoorn ages sorting tickets and hotels!

This is a fine looking bike. I am enjoying my 690 Enduro R but the bike sure has some faults. Nothing that some Randellas thrown at it won’t fix. I am short at 177cm or around 5’8’’ in old money. I can touch toes done on the tar but that is not enough for me off road. I have a Rost Racing lowering link but ran out of time to install and set up as I am off back to the Mid East to work. Fuel range at 220 kms is a bit little in the Karoo. I have the underseat tank which is a great help, holding 6 litres but the engine runs off the rear tank and the aux drains into that. So any top up after about 100 kms means you are only fueling the rear. Max range means taking the seat off and that is a hassle with soft luggage. I am going to look at the Safari Tank and see how that may do. Sure the bike won’t be quite the over sized dirt bike but will be a light weight ADV bike!

This is a beast of a bike. It must be pure pleasure winding that throttle open………..in a different way to my tiny little ZRX1200R who also has a silky smooth engine.

Been away from the forum for a while, no flying with some added covid hassles but am off back to work in Kuwait this weekend…….looking forward to it with a trip Steteside planned early Feb. in the meantime FB reminded me of a trip to A Carunña in north west Spain 6 years ago today. Was the Classic Global Express. I won’t forget that weather!

I am keen to check out this Tubeliss system. I believe it is available at Flying Brick in CT for the 690. My bike does not have traction control. The ABS is either on or off. There is a KTM Dongle available that keeps the front ABS on an rear off at all times. I think I will order that. I am finding the bike a hoot to ride! Anyways, I am planning a trip to CT, dirt roads of course, to pick up some bits and pieces for the 690.

I checked it out today. The windscreen kit is by Hyde.

This is good gen, thanks. Yes it has a 12v outlet and I have a small compressor. Thing is ……..I get lazy with all that. The tar riding to get into the Klein Karoo is about 30 kms max so I just head out with low pressures anyway. I don’t mind if the handling is a bit wobbly on the tar! I like your tyre choice there……I must try them. I ended up with a Motoz Adventure GPS on the rear of my 1190. It has been pretty good overall but crap on wet tar if in full power mode. Spins up too easily if accelerating even at high speed. Rain mode is choice in those conditions!

Thanks Patches, she is indeed a little beast, I will try and find out out who did the Rally screen, it is very lekker. The bike is so much more than my KLR which is a bucket load less HP but herself is a bucket load less than my 1190, which I love. Different riding styles indeed. Will keep the KLR to ride with my son and/or peeps who visit! I am a 58 year old “old toppie” and lucky to have a wife who tells me “ ride bikes now while you can, collect the old ones when you cannot ride anymore” The 1190 is most certainly a keeper too. I absolutely love that machine!

Brought the Little Beast home today, shod with her new rubber. Had to try her out on the forest roads up behind Hoekwil. Very skittish until I realised the tyre pressures were way too high. Will get out tomorrow again running around 1.6 to 1.8 bar and see how she goes. Running a D606 rear and MT21 front. I run the ABS off but may invest in the KTM Dongle that keeps the front on and rear off despite the setting on the dash. This machine is either On or Off. There are various power modes via a swith under the seat, will check what is set tomorrow. I think I will set the suspension to the factory recommended settings and take it from there. Anyways……….puts a smile on ones face she does!

I do not think I have any rational thought processes when it comes to motorcycles and recently KTM or Ducati. The children's inheritance is dwindling!!!! I rather impulsively just splashed out on this gorgeous (to me, anyway) KTM 690 Enduro R 2018 model with the rally kit and extra under seat fuel tank. 123lbs lighter than my KLR 650 and 67% more HP. I have done one test ride to bring her to Hoekwil to show the Missus. Will pick her up on Tuesday after having my preferred tyres fitted. I do look forward to getting her dirty😁 The pic is of the bike but not a pic of mine.

Agreed

I ride this often on motorcycles. I really believe you would be safe from a security point of view. Traffic as always is probably your biggest danger. Large trucks do travel that route. On the south side there are great gravel routes through to Mossel Bay, Groot Brak etc. It is a beautiful pass.

Jeepers, stunning…the scenery that is. I need to visit NZ with my Katoom. Cheaper to rent a bike I guess.