Is motorcycling allowed?

[Spokey]

I would rather buy the more expensive KTM 690/790 Enduro/adventure if the Tenere is more than R150K.

It is a bit "dumbed down" in comparison to the KTM.

I have been super keen on the T7 due to the performance gain and comparison to my KLR650. Now my KLR is worked on suspension wise and handles quite nicely actually, but just for some more ponies there in! Perhaps a KTM 690 Rally second hand will be a better deal. After all, my 1190 is turning me in a Fan Boy of the Orange!

[Spokey]

That's a lekker big ride. Fortunately that bike is a propper "kilometer eter".[emoji106]

Yup, the Orange beast covers ground very quickly. It is ridiculously easy to ride way too fast! It is very comfy too so I find I take the long way.........everywhere!

The Missus is very comfy on the back at “highway” speeds too. And the rumble of that big twin.......ahhhhhh! I appreciate why the guys love their Harley’s!

But the Katoom can also hustle rond die hoekies!

 

I need to ride my dream Ducati 1098 sometime to check it out........anyone got one to lend me for the weekend, ha ha!

[Spokey]

Fetched this yesterday.

Think I need to test ride one of these machines. After ring my Katoom I love the V twins......mmmmm, then again, I like my big single and inline fours too!

[WaynejG]

Think I need to test ride one of these machines. After ring my Katoom I love the V twins......mmmmm, then again, I like my big single and inline fours too!

I rode a Suzuki Boulevard the other day. Typical Japanese smoothness. The Harley is just different, has a certain mystique and is a giant vibrator [emoji1787] but I love it. It sure is quick enough for my needs. When I rode it back from the Tsitsikamma Tollgate, I averaged 130km/h taking it up to 150km/h easily with a lot to spare.

[BenReaper]

What kettle are you using Ben?

I have a small aluminium "Fire Maple" kettle that I bought from Cape Union Mart. Still want get a foldable wind screen for this setup.

[BenReaper]

Now this is what I want to do!!! On the logistical side of things: What kettle? Do you build a little fire next to the road or how do you operate?

For the coffee side of things I run the small gas stove as in the picture above.

For a roadside braai we just build a fireplace with rocks and usually look for sticks and wood where we stop, but this time round I took a bit of charcoal with to make it easier.

I do however have a small portable camping braai on the way from a friend.

[BenReaper]

The new soft tail bag works a charm, I use two bungy cords to strap it down for extra piece of mind, think this cargo net would also work perfectly.[emoji106]

[BSG]

Now this Yamaha is parked next to my mom's house and I've tried to bargain with the owner for ages but he just don't want to let go. Maybe, just maybe one day he'll have peace and let me take it off his hands. It's showing rust on the chain etc from standing and only being ridden maybe 4 or 5 times in summer. I don't see any visible marks of it being dropped or anything and it's still stock standard.

 

Not sure about kms or year model. Will ask him when I see him again.

Edited July 22, 2020 by BSG

[BenReaper]

Now this Yamaha is parked next to my mom's house and I've tried to bargain with the owner for ages but he just don't want to let go. Maybe, just maybe one day he'll have peace and let me take it off his hands. It's showing rust on the chain etc from standing and only being ridden maybe 4 or 5 times in summer. I don't see any visible marks of it being dropped or anything and it's still stock standard.

 

Not sure about kms or year model. Will ask him when I see him again.

The XT's are excellent dual sport bikes if you're going to ride solo, going to be a bit cramped and underpowered two up.

[Kranswurm]

The XT's are excellent dual sport bikes if you're going to ride solo, going to be a bit cramped and underpowered two up.

Even one up they are not suited to long distances

I speak from experience

[IceCreamMan]

Even one up they are not suited to long distances

I speak from experience

 

I had the 660 tenere... rode that bike all over ZA...even thtough the karoo on more than one occassion... you just make do with the 130/140 speed... and make up lil mind games to pass the time. 

[Andymann]

The XT's are excellent dual sport bikes if you're going to ride solo, going to be a bit cramped and underpowered two up.

 

Shimwells used to do a single exhaust conversion on those bikes using the header from the old Raptor 660 quad (which has a very very similar engine to the XT660), a GYTR pipe from the Raptor, and a set of YZ450F forks and front wheel and brake.  That conversion dropped almost the equivalent weight of a small passenger on its own!  And really transformed the XT into a big MX bike.  We went on the XT weekend with Gray Dick who was on one and I remember him blasting past me on a corner all sideways having a great time.

 

I also think they built an XT700 with Raptor 700 bits too but that was one of the owners bikes and not an official conversion they offered.

[Letum911]

So here I am, on the eve on my 1 week anniversary of owning a bike again. So far, she has received some new tyres (Michelin Anakee Adventure), I have been in the saddle for just short of 1500km and cannot be happier. Every time I twist the grip I can barely contain the excitement, she's predictable on power delivery but the amount of power still surprises me!!

 

 

 

A few things on my shopping list:

• Alu top box (purely for commuting purposes, I little part of me is hoping that the temptation will be less to break into it vs plastic);
• Pannier frames from SW-Motech will be shortly on the heals of the topbox;
• As and when I plan my 1st trip I'll be getting some soft luggage (I am really like the range from toys2go).
• At some point I will be adding the crash bars around the front with some spotlights (I am however a bit nervous about the addition of weight to the front).

 

Any thoughts of my list/what I should add?

[capediver]

A man, his bike and his dog...

[CAAD4]

I'll take a flyer seeing as I used to be involved in the pricing of new Yamaha arrivals back in the day. Unfortunately, these days (from what I hear from my limited contacts) is that Bidvest is more about profit than sales numbers (as opposed to my day when McCarthy still wanted AMID numbers) so don't expect a bargain price. Joffe believed Yamaha was on par with "exotic" brands like Ducati, BMW and KTM and didn't care about being competitive to the other Japanese brands so expect this bike to be close to what the equivalents are. He'll feel that everyone has been waiting so long, they will pay for the privilege of owning one.

 

If I was to take a flyer, my guess is that it will be R169 950.

 

There - my hat is in the ring.....

As far as I know, he left Bidvest a few years ago.

[GrantMcD1]

Has pricing been mentioned in ZA as yet?

 

I fall in love with this bike every time i see one .... if only we had more adventure riding option on this island. My mate has one , its an absolute joy to ride and being yamaha will out last its owners.

I saw today Yamaha South Africa said the T7 will be around the 200k mark. That from a bike described as “a big dirt bike” I think they’ve well out-priced themselves with this one considering you can get a KTM790 Adventure R at that price point.

 

I think it could have been a great bike in the South African market if it was priced correctly.

Edited July 23, 2020 by GrantMcD1