Is motorcycling allowed?

[Wayne Potgieter]

So your South African license wasn't accepted there?

 

When I was there visiting my sister, we drove down to Rotorua... I remember thinking how awesome (apart from all the rain! ) those roads are for motorcycling. Smooth, well maintained, twisting through the undulating 'Hobbit' hill country and then most of the car drivers driving properly would make it a fair bit safer than there!

 

Enjoy!!

 

Thanks!

 

I am rather ashamed to admit that the only license for a motorcycle I ever had in RSA was one hundred rondt in my pocket.

Edited November 26, 2018 by Wayne Potgieter

[IceCreamMan]

Thanks!

I am rather ashamed to admit that the only license for a motorcycle I ever had in RSA was one hundred rondt in my pocket.

That kinda licence will get you gaol time in NZ. Party poopers.

[Andymann]

So let me explain...

 

In NZ you are not allowed to simply buy whichever bike you want.

 

The license process is geared around competancy and slower entry into riding.

 

Step 1:

 

Complete a basic handling course.

Complete a learners theory test

 

Once completed, you will be given a learners license. With this license you can only ride a LAMS (Learner approved motorcycle). Generally speaking these are less than 660CC or less than a particular power to weight ratio. So we have a HUGE array of choice in the sub 600 class. Far more than I EVER remember existing in RSA.

 

With a learners, you have to ride with a giant "L" sticker on the back of the bike. You cant ride after 10pm or before 5am and you cannot lift anyone.

 

A Learners is valid for 5 years

 

Once you have been riding for a while, you can move on to step 2.

 

STEP 2:

 

Complete another practical assesment to move from a learners to a restricted.

 

The same restrictions as above apply, except for the "L" sticker can now come off.

 

You must wait a minimum of 12 months before applying for a full license.

 

STEP 3.

 

To get a full license you need to pass another physical assesment. Then all restrictions fall away (including bike size limitations)

 

Its a pretty good system. You actually dont need any licensing centre run by the government. You can do it all privately. After each step your drivers license is renewed and redone and posted to you. It gets to you within 5 days of completing the test. (first world postal service)

 

Then, the government, through ACC (our free accident medical aid) sponsors rider courses and ride days for you to go on. There are these amazing 8 hour outrides through some amazing countryside. Essentially the government pays for private training providers to give you rider communication devices and a trainer who rides with you and coaches you whilst out and about. 6 riders MAX per trainer. These are completely optional but highly recomended.

 

Its a pretty cool system. They are also investigating giving bike commuters a tax rebate for using bikes and behaving safely on them. If you are caught speeding or behaving like a hooligan, then your tax brackets shift back to normal. Its still under discussion but its gaining momentum.

 

All I took from that was that in NZ you need a licence to ride lambs....

 

Sounds about right then.....

[Paul Ruinaard]

I was out on the breakfast run on Sunday morning - decided riding bicycles was starting to feel like a chore so i took the bike out for a burn - it was a beautiful morning and nice and cool so i doubled back through Magaliesburg and then back via Bekker Schools and up Hekpoort for a second time.

 

In Magaliesberg there was a horrendous crash - bike bits all over the road and guys sitting around on the sidelines, looked like the sports bike aka knee dragger dudes as they were all in full race leathers. Pretty much a completely totalled green bike in the road so i assume a Kawasaki. I can't say what happened but it didn't look good for the rider and it looked like by the amount of debris it happened at high speed, which is surprising as those corners are pretty tight and the speeds normally would be quite low (just before Mt Grace near the Lovers Rock turning).

 

When i came back home  i did some googling to see if i could find out what had happened and see whether it had been reported, but there wasn't anything out there. However what was there was a long list of crashes involving biker, some fatal, that seem to be are happening around the dam and areas almost every weekend. Seems like it pretty much mayhem and that people are getting injured and killed on a regular basis.

 

Having been one of those dudes in a past life, you realize just how dangerous it now is. When we did the stupid stuff there were a lot less people on those roads. Now on a good Sunday morning it's pretty busy with lots of bikes going both ways. Still wasn't clever and i am glad i escaped with no consequences. 

 

Are these reports true? Seems like its getting pretty hectic out there every weekend.

 

And anyone know of what happened in that accident - it wasn't a pretty sight. Normally a low speed area, which is also why i was surprised at the amount of carnage. Owing to the injury potential i didnt want to sit around and rubber neck

 

 

 

 

 

 

[RocknRolla]

Well, I like nothing more, than going out that way on a cool summers morning, early before the heat starts. 

But as with cycling, there are two issues on the roads:

1) early morning drunk drivers

2) highspeed pocket rockets

 

The "satelite" road honestly scares the living crap out of me. There are bikes, at speed from both directions, as well as vehicles. it's a recipe for disaster.

 

I don't know about numbers, but have seen on social media, the amount of incidents.

I have lately, opted for later afternoon burns, the cradle for one is very quiet, and the roads in general seems to be calmer.

Edited November 26, 2018 by RocknRolla

[Paul Ruinaard]

Well, I like nothing more, than going out that way on a cool summers morning, early before the heat starts. 

But as with cycling, there are two issues on the roads:

1) early morning drunk drivers

2) highspeed pocket rockets

 

The "satelite" road honestly scares the living crap out of me. There are bikes, at speed from both directions, as well as vehicles. it's a recipe for disaster.

 

I don't know about numbers, but have seen on social media, the amount of incidents.

I have lately, opted for later afternoon burns, the cradle for one is very quiet, and the roads in general seems to be calmer.

Good idea batman.

Didnt think of that

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Well, I like nothing more, than going out that way on a cool summers morning, early before the heat starts. 

But as with cycling, there are two issues on the roads:

1) early morning drunk drivers

2) highspeed pocket rockets

 

The "satelite" road honestly scares the living crap out of me. There are bikes, at speed from both directions, as well as vehicles. it's a recipe for disaster.

 

I don't know about numbers, but have seen on social media, the amount of incidents.

I have lately, opted for later afternoon burns, the cradle for one is very quiet, and the roads in general seems to be calmer.

 

 

All this is why I use my bike to commute to work once a week and am considering supplementing that with 2 or 3 track-days a year.

To use your bike on the road on a more permanent basis is just becoming too dangerous nowadays.

Cellphones, potholes, speed, are but a few of the perils.

Don't often hear of bike accidents due to a rider just exceeding his or the bikes limits.

[sawystertrance]

I was out on the breakfast run on Sunday morning - decided riding bicycles was starting to feel like a chore so i took the bike out for a burn - it was a beautiful morning and nice and cool so i doubled back through Magaliesburg and then back via Bekker Schools and up Hekpoort for a second time.

 

In Magaliesberg there was a horrendous crash - bike bits all over the road and guys sitting around on the sidelines, looked like the sports bike aka knee dragger dudes as they were all in full race leathers. Pretty much a completely totalled green bike in the road so i assume a Kawasaki. I can't say what happened but it didn't look good for the rider and it looked like by the amount of debris it happened at high speed, which is surprising as those corners are pretty tight and the speeds normally would be quite low (just before Mt Grace near the Lovers Rock turning).

 

When i came back home  i did some googling to see if i could find out what had happened and see whether it had been reported, but there wasn't anything out there. However what was there was a long list of crashes involving biker, some fatal, that seem to be are happening around the dam and areas almost every weekend. Seems like it pretty much mayhem and that people are getting injured and killed on a regular basis.

 

Having been one of those dudes in a past life, you realize just how dangerous it now is. When we did the stupid stuff there were a lot less people on those roads. Now on a good Sunday morning it's pretty busy with lots of bikes going both ways. Still wasn't clever and i am glad i escaped with no consequences. 

 

Are these reports true? Seems like its getting pretty hectic out there every weekend.

 

And anyone know of what happened in that accident - it wasn't a pretty sight. Normally a low speed area, which is also why i was surprised at the amount of carnage. Owing to the injury potential i didnt want to sit around and rubber neck

we have the same thing down here in the South on Franschoek Pass. Every week the okes ride it like it's a track and really go way beyond safe limits. I was there a couple weeks ago stopped on the side of the road taking photos and a couple of guys cam up at track speeds. If they had fallen they would have taken me out and I decided there and then that I wouldn't ride there again. It's bound to attract the attention of the law soon.

[IceCreamMan]

I was out on the breakfast run on Sunday morning - decided riding bicycles was starting to feel like a chore so i took the bike out for a burn - it was a beautiful morning and nice and cool so i doubled back through Magaliesburg and then back via Bekker Schools and up Hekpoort for a second time.

 

In Magaliesberg there was a horrendous crash - bike bits all over the road and guys sitting around on the sidelines, looked like the sports bike aka knee dragger dudes as they were all in full race leathers. Pretty much a completely totalled green bike in the road so i assume a Kawasaki. I can't say what happened but it didn't look good for the rider and it looked like by the amount of debris it happened at high speed, which is surprising as those corners are pretty tight and the speeds normally would be quite low (just before Mt Grace near the Lovers Rock turning).

 

When i came back home  i did some googling to see if i could find out what had happened and see whether it had been reported, but there wasn't anything out there. However what was there was a long list of crashes involving biker, some fatal, that seem to be are happening around the dam and areas almost every weekend. Seems like it pretty much mayhem and that people are getting injured and killed on a regular basis.

 

Having been one of those dudes in a past life, you realize just how dangerous it now is. When we did the stupid stuff there were a lot less people on those roads. Now on a good Sunday morning it's pretty busy with lots of bikes going both ways. Still wasn't clever and i am glad i escaped with no consequences. 

 

Are these reports true? Seems like its getting pretty hectic out there every weekend.

 

And anyone know of what happened in that accident - it wasn't a pretty sight. Normally a low speed area, which is also why i was surprised at the amount of carnage. Owing to the injury potential i didnt want to sit around and rubber neck

 

I been doing the breakfast run to harties even before the bridge was built, where we used to go to stywe lyne and BRAAAAAP our throttles there by john robbies house to make him lekker duk the moer in ....but I digress....then eat like pets mince on soggy toast, some ous would hide sausages under a mountain of mince too... lekker days

 

Sadly, accidents in the area have always happened and will continue to happen, too much speed , not enough ability and too little tar shared with others.... but for the grace of god we all at risk in the area. Boys have this thing called testosterone , coupled with other boys with the same thing, it becomes a race.... accidents the result. All those crosses and shrines stops no one.

[Paul Ruinaard]

I been doing the breakfast run to harties even before the bridge was built, where we used to go to stywe lyne and BRAAAAAP our throttles there by john robbies house to make him lekker duk the moer in ....but I digress....then eat like pets mince on soggy toast, some ous would hide sausages under a mountain of mince too... lekker days

 

Sadly, accidents in the area have always happened and will continue to happen, too much speed , not enough ability and too little tar shared with others.... but for the grace of god we all at risk in the area. Boys have this thing called testosterone , coupled with other boys with the same thing, it becomes a race.... accidents the result. All those crosses and shrines stops no one.

Ja i hear you.

 

Ive been doing the breakfast run  on and off since Fourways was a dusty cafe and a stop street out in the middle of the gramadoelas. It's always been the same.

 

Heres a blog from a mate of mine that i really liked - wasn't quite like this for me but wasn't far off.

 

http://blingkingbikes.co.za/how-am-still-alive/

[Wannabe]

While I was still in my wild phase in the 90's (and could afford the cars  ) I used to drive through from Gaberone to just outside Pelindaba, to drag race on that stretch of unfinished/unused highway (Rock Raceway I think it was called)

 

Many a Sunday I would end up smack bang in the middle of a group of motorcycles. They used to give me about a 100m gap front and behind, and then it was pedal to the metal on the stretch past the Satellite Station, with the speedo hovering between 220 -240 km/h. Stopping over the highway bridge, the brakes was smoking and the turbo glowing red hot.  

 

Ahh, those were the days......     

Edited November 26, 2018 by Wannabe

[IceCreamMan]

Ja i hear you.

 

Ive been doing the breakfast run  on and off since Fourways was a dusty cafe and a stop street out in the middle of the gramadoelas. It's always been the same.

 

Heres a blog from a mate of mine that i really liked - wasn't quite like this for me but wasn't far off.

 

http://blingkingbikes.co.za/how-am-still-alive/

 

True that blog. In them early days it was just a race as it is today...I do concede there is way more traffic these days though and bikes have safety devices like ABS and all sorts of goeters to make em safer but they do accelerate much quicker so the speeds are higher I guess.

 

just gotta take it easy, even then you still at risk of some dwis taking you out.

[Andymann]

Going back to the R3 and the YPVS Engine conversion - If I had an R3, I would rather go with this conversion

 

https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2018/11/26/gg-retrofitz-rocket-street-yamaha-yzf-r3-the-spirit-of-72/

[Wannabe]

I hear you, but no. I would like a modern looking and handling Two Stroke. Still think an 350LC into the R3 would be the bees knees. (but it is pie in the sky at this moment)

 

Have you seen the 2019 R3? It looks like a miniature R1, on point!!    

 

https://news.maxabout.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/2019-Yamaha-R3.jpg

Edited November 28, 2018 by Wannabe

[mazambaan]

If you are going to ride a smallish two stroke on the road and fast, be sure you have a very quick ear to clutch hand connection.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

Going back to the R3 and the YPVS Engine conversion - If I had an R3, I would rather go with this conversion

 

https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2018/11/26/gg-retrofitz-rocket-street-yamaha-yzf-r3-the-spirit-of-72/

 

We should lay an assault charge because somebody did a really number on that poor R3 with the ugly stick..............

 

If you are going to ride a smallish two stroke on the road and fast, be sure you have a very quick ear to clutch hand connection.

 

They are more reliable than you give them credit for. They do require shed-loads more maintenance which is usually where the problem comes in. Not a bike issue but rather an owner one.