Who the hell, you may ask, is Team Matjien? This is where it gets scary! Harley Davidson, back in the day, called their engineers involved with their race effort ‘The Wrecking Crew’. Similarly, Lockheed Martin called their Advanced Development Engineers responsible for designing and building special projects like the SR 71 Blackbird, the world’s fastest aircraft, ‘The Skunkworks’. Well, if you come to South Africa, we have such engineering fellows who have had some incredible achievements over the years. When it comes to motorcycles, enter Team Matjien!

The chap that heads up this motley crew is none other than my old buddy and Super Singles adversary from the early ’80s, Koos Zietsman. Koos grew up fascinated by mechanical things. This resulted in his buying a basket case bike and with a little help from his dad, getting it assembled and running. Such is the nature of the man; he didn’t end there. He went on to race this bike, which in turn resulted in him being properly bitten by the racing bug. He studied Mechanical Engineering and in the late ’70s and into the ’80s, it is fair to say, that he became by far the dominant force in short-circuit racing. This was prominently at Swartkops and Lichtenburg, where he ruled in sprint and 6-hour endurance racing. In 1982 I kept him honest by beating him on a few (very few) occasions, finishing second to Koos in the then Transvaal Championships.

Koos rode a YZ250 Yamaha engined Super Single housed in a frame which he designed and built. In truth, I think he viewed my twin shock XR500 Honda with a 750 Honda front end bolted on, with some disdain. His bike was quick and worked well. It was also very reliable, something that I, as a four-stroke fan, didn’t think possible. He campaigned this bike with his two-stroke wizard buddy Neels Van Niekerk in the six-hour endurance series as well, which he won in 1982. I too contested some races in ‘82 with an immensely talented partner, Jean D’ Assonville. In fact, we managed to beat Koos and Neels at Lichtenburg by a mere 13 seconds after 6 hours of intense racing. In truth, Jean was the hare, and I was the tortoise in our team. Jean broke the lap record in the 550 class on our Mean Machine-sponsored GPZ 550 during that race, but it was Koos who was crowned the Endurance Series Champion for ’82. Koos raced motorcycles competitively till 1990, after which he transitioned to racing and doing other crazy stuff in 4x4s.

I got a call way back in March from Koos, inviting me to pop around to his spot as he had some news that he suspected would get my attention. Flip, what an understatement! He introduced me to two other members of Team Matjien. Both with the surname Pretorius. The older of the two, Riaan, or “Riempies” to his friends and “Jock”, both do their motorcycle racing in the dirt. Riempies background is not dissimilar to Koos’. Growing up on a smallholding outside Pietersburg his dad bought him a Yamaha YB100 which was desperately in need of some TLC. The bike got fixed and raced. He too studied engineering and, as fate would have it, he and Koos ended up working together. Riempies has had a long fascination with the Roof of Africa extreme Enduro. After buying a 450 4-stroke, and campaigning it for a while, he realized that he was a 2-stroke man at heart. The strokers are so much easier in the technical stuff that he encountered in Lesotho. He has 7 Roofs and the 2011 Erzesbergrodeo under his belt. He currently rides a KTM 300 in these events.

“Jock” Pretorius is a youngster by comparison and worked as an engineer alongside Koos and Riempies. Their constant racing banter got to him and in a moment of weakness (I suspect there may have been some alcohol involved) agreed to ride the Roof. I don’t think he had even ridden a bike in anger at this point. This is where Team Matjien enters the story again. Prior to the Roof in 2010, Koos had an idea to raise some sponsorship for his buddies for their racing endeavours. Erzberg in 2011 was also just around the corner. Team Matjien was the name chosen for the team of aspiring youngsters who wanted to ride the Roof. Koos made himself Team Boss and lent on various acquaintances and friends to throw bucks at Team Matjien’s efforts. Jock was one of the beneficiaries and entered and finished his first Roof under the banner of Team Matjien. The nickname “Jock” does not refer to any kind of Scottish ancestry, but rather to the “Jock of the Bushveld” Staffie-like grit and determination that he displays in the line of duty, whether working or riding.

When I learned the reason for Koos’ call, I realised that Team Matjien was going next level. Koos is the lead engineer on their current crazy but audacious project. Get this… Koos and Riempies remember the days of 2-stroke glory when bikes like Honda CR500s, Kawasaki KX 500 and Yamaha 490s scared their riders out of their wits at every opportunity. Pumping out huge horsepower, but not of the linear kind, these bikes were only for men with gonads of steel. They constantly did their damndest to spin up the rear tyre, in any gear and dump the rider on his head. What followed was a general toning down of 2-strokes. Power valves and water cooling and mapping gradually tamed the beasts into the superbly competent and rideable bikes that they are today.

Now here is the thing with engineers. Get them talking on mechanical things that float their boat, like the 500cc 2-strokes of the days of yore, bemoaning the fact that you can no longer get bikes of this ilk in the current politically correct, sanitised world, then toss a little alcohol into the mix (again I suspect this is what happened) and creative juices really start to flow. It was Riempies’ idea. “Let’s build our own 500 then,” he said. Some primaeval light shone in Koos’ eyes, “design it and let’s talk”, he retorted. Most times nothing comes of these chats, but not this time. Riempies got busy and came back to Koos with some solid design plans. In essence, what Riempies planned was using a set of crankcases modelled on a KTM 300, incorporating the gearbox and electric start, as well as the mounting points, to shoehorn the 498cc motor into a 300 KTM frame.

My mind was in a flat spin as they unfolded this fiendish plan back in March, with more questions than answers. “Who else is involved, guys? This is crazy!”. Enter Koos’ old race partner, Neels Van Niekerk. This guy is a legend to anyone who has ever toyed with a performance 2-stroke. His ‘Vannik Racing’ tuning work is world-renowned. I bought a NSR250 Honda for my son to race in Powersport, years ago. Neels had done development work on the NSR which turned it into an absolute weapon. His motors were not only powerful but eminently rideable. Neels is the Simulation Engineer on the ‘TM498’ project. (The project name changed to PZ490 after learning that a European bunch marketed TM motorcycles at some point).

He has written a programme to map the power and way that is produced by the 498cc 2-stroke engine that they are building. In his typical quiet and laconic way, Neels has indicated that his biggest challenge is to ‘de-tune’ the bike to make it vaguely rideable. Without even trying, indications are that it will pump out over 30% more power than a fit KTM300! Piet Van Zyl, an old engineering mate of theirs who has done work for McLaren and currently plies his trade in the UK, will design bespoke internal engine gears like the crank to clutch and so forth.

The Team Matjien crew have been, and some currently are, still engaged in building specialist armoured vehicles, during which they have access to some of the most competent engineering concerns in the country. They have called in all their favours and then some, to make this project a success. The one unanswered question remained… “Why guys, do you want to market these motors?” “Hell no!” was the instant mass retort, “it’s just something that we want to do”. Let’s face it, that takes ‘Boer maak ‘n plan’ (farmer makes a plan) to the next level! Fast forward 7 months and 21 days. Unbelievable as it may seem, the idea shared back in March is a rip-snorting, tyre-shredding, rock-chucking reality! We got invited to the unveiling of the Team Matjien PZ490 on a plot just outside Pretoria. It is only a week since the beast got fired up for the first time (watch here). Apart from minor issues around the power valve software which need some fettling, the PZ490 is all it promised to be.

One could write a book about the engine build alone. Crankcases as well as all the major components were 3D printed then assembled and mounted in the frame. From this plastic motor, an exhaust was fabricated and checked to see that it would fit. Engine building in the digital age that we live in is an amazing process to get your head around, especially if you don’t have an in-depth knowledge of engineering. The software driving the processes is mind-blowing. Even engine component stress can be assessed before the build to ensure that engine bits are robust enough.

Talking software, the engine management software makes this monster rideable. With power and torque to burn, it needs huge toning down to work in a real-world application. Riempies concedes that his 300cc KTM is as perfect a Roof bike as you could wish for and anything more potent is total overkill. But that is not why this bike exists. The other motorcycle that was built primarily to prove that it was possible, and could be done, was Honda’s incredible oval piston’ed NR750. The difference here is the resources available. This motor was designed, fabricated, and built in after-hours spare time by a tiny group of passionate engineers, funded by businesses that have come a long way with Team Matjien. He shudders at what the fat exhaust pipe will look like after dealing with Lesotho’s rocks. Koos is more pragmatic. “If you’re lucky it will lose a few ponies” he says, laughing.

For those interested in what’s under the bonnet, here is the power comparison between PZ490 and the donor KTM XCW300.

The motor is bolted into a KTM 300 frame. Parts were manufactured all over the world, wherever it could be done cost-effectively and timeously. To hear the bike fire up with that deep-throated big-bore 2-stroke blatt is spine-tingling. It revs up crisply and watching Riempies accelerate, spins up the front wheel and lofts the front wheel just off idle. The guys had the bike displayed on a platform covered with a bespoke PZ490 cover emblazoned with some of the major sponsors’ names. Parked to each side were two bikes to which this monster pays homage, in the form of a Honda CR480 and a Maico 490, both sporting huge finned barrels and heads, in stark contrast to the PZ490’s liquid-cooled motor. The bike looks sweet with a bespoke PZ490 sticker kit also showing dominant sponsors who participate in this amazing project.

Riempies has spent so much time on the PZ490 project that his preparation time for the Roof has been rather limited. But then again, he is there to experience riding a bike with a motor that literally was only a dream less than 8 months ago. A bike that embodies the incredible spirit of a handful of supremely talented and driven South African engineers, who dared to do what most would consider impossible. Team Matjien, take a bow! A second motor will be built for another audacious Team Matjien project that may just end up in a particularly prestigious record book, but for now, that will be a story for another day. Riempies, enjoy your Roof, brother! May the force be with you!

See the original plan as it was hatched back in March, in this casual and candid video shot on Koos’ lawn.

After the reveal of the BMW R 1300 GS a couple of weeks ago, a model that will only arrive on these shores in 2024, it seemed appropriate to revisit the current R 1250 GS for one final assessment. It’s been around long enough to not need yet another road test but my own personal enjoyment of the GS in its many different incarnations has been such that I welcome any opportunity to ride one again, even if my wheels generally venture no further off-road than into the car park of a restaurant or shops, at least in a normal week.

Being provided with a demo bike goes beyond an excuse to have a bike to run around on for a week, as enjoyable as that always is, especially if it coincides with a longer trip having to be undertaken, although time precludes heading off for several days to explore another corner of this fantastic country on a suitable bike. By ‘longer trip’, I mean getting out of the confines of the city into the open country that surrounds it and, hopefully, discovering a new corner right on my doorstep that is new to me.

There is a welcome impression of familiarity that accompanies swinging a leg over a GS. It might only be a motorcycle with handlebars, a seat, an engine and a dashboard but, as you will all fully understand, the number of variations on that theme might as well be infinite for all that one bike feels like another. Having been lucky enough to ride a huge variety of bikes, including every adventure bike for the past fifteen years, there are some that stick in the memory and some that are forgotten almost as soon as you walk away but, in my own experience, a new GS has always been an occasion and I’ve been lucky enough to cover significant mileages on each one since the last of the air-cooled models back in 2012.

What that does is further deepen the mystery of how a manufacturer manages to improve a given model generation after generation. If I ride an air-cooled R 1200 GS today, it still feels like a hugely competent motorcycle, with no discernible flaws and certainly no lack of ability or character. So how did BMW improve on it? Yes, the next model had partial liquid cooling but at its core, it remained the same: maybe a few more electronic gadgets but the basics remained the same. And again with the R 1250 model. So why spend untold millions on this constant cycle of development for only incremental improvements?

Of course, it happens because none of the other manufacturers stop either: it’s a vicious circle of their own making that they can’t stand still for fear of being left behind, even if some of the advances – mechanical, aesthetic or electronic – are not much more than window dressing and, although we are told that they add to the experience, it’s sometimes hard to understand how or why. Naturally, some advances do add significantly to the experience and, of course, the safety although are the electronics only necessary because of the size of such bikes?

At least with the new R 1300 GS, BMW is addressing this ever-increasing size and weight issue that plaques the modern adventure bike. However, upon reacquainting myself with the R 1250 GS, it really doesn’t seem excessively large: certainly no bulkier than the KTM 1290 Super Adventure models, both of which I was fortunate to assess briefly while I had the BMW in my possession.

The simple fact is, the R 1250 GS is everything I want and need from a motorcycle: plenty of power and torque in an entertaining and confidence-inspiring chassis; good suspension; comfort and wind protection, enabling fatigue-free long journeys; enough room for my gangly frame; easy to figure-out – and largely useful – electronics and, last but not least, excellent build quality. Naturally, that description matches a lot of bikes on the market but it doesn’t take into account personal preference and the experiential factor: the simple fact is I have had more memorable experiences on a GS than on any other bike, for whatever reason.

Having access to press bikes also enables you to interact with the brand, the dealers and the owners and, at this, BMW works hard. Recently, the R 1250 GS has taken me to the BMW Motorrad 100 Years celebration at Grotto to Gravel in the Magaliesburg and to BMW Motorrad Centurion (formerly Bavarian BMW) for their annual October Fair, which is always a good morning out. 

Encouragingly, there were a large number of people at Bavarian BMW once we arrived at around 10:00 AM. Music, German engineering, food and motorcycle accessory stalls kept all walks of life entertained throughout the day. The fact that so many people chose to spend some of their Saturday at Bavarian gives some indication of the loyalty of the customers and the reputation of the Bavarian brand—If the motorcycle industry is suffering in the current economic climate, then there was little evidence of it at both events.

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So, the R 1250 GS is about to be consigned to history and the GS story will start a new chapter in 2024. No doubt the new model will be a huge advance in virtually every way possible – new engine, more power, lighter weight, different ergonomics, more comprehensive electronics, new styling – but whether it will necessarily be fundamentally any better than the current R 1250 GS is another matter entirely. The big question is: does it need to be so much better when the existing model is already so good? For that, we’ll have to wait until next year and our first taste of it.

BMW R 1250 GS / R 1250 GS Adv

For more information on the bike that we tested in this article, click on the links below…

The first time you visit Grotto to Gravel, your first reaction is, “Why have I not been here before?” Then you start to look at the details and you realise that here is a space that has been created with so much passion and a genuine love of motorcycling, not to mention an incredible bond between Marietta and Gus, the owners.

There are photographs everywhere: not arty shots of magnificent landscapes, but simple snaps of people having fun on their motorcycles, all with wide grins and it’s clear there’s a lot of laughter going on both in front of and behind the camera.

There is a lot more to Grotto to Gravel but today wasn’t the day to explore it because we were gathered here for one simple reason: this year marks the 100th anniversary of the first BMW motorcycle and the formation of BMW Motorrad and BMW Motorrad South Africa had planned a big jolly to celebrate the fact.

As always with BMW, things were not done by halves and, in addition to the live music on stage, food stalls, fully stocked bars, a large braai area and plenty of faces, both familiar and new, there was the impressive sight of two skydivers jumping out of a helicopter at 7,000 feet and parachuting smoothly down to the arena area to officially open proceedings.

Confident riders could tackle the off-road course on their GS models, Motul was there to offer support, tents were arranged in neat rows for overnight accommodation, the sun shone and a good time was had by all.

But the real stars of the day were Grotto to Gravel, Gus and Mariette. If you haven’t visited yet, then do yourselves a favour and make a day (and night) of it: you won’t be disappointed. You’ll find it on Rustenburg Road, just around the corner from the Black Horse Brewery. Call 076 085 2050 or find them on Facebook.

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Adventure is a motorcyclist’s “soul food,” the kind of food that can benefit your mental, physical and emotional state. When living on a continent like Africa, it just makes logical sense that adventure motorcycling, without any question, should be the best way to spend your time on two wheels. For some, it’s an escape, or to rephrase, therapy, but there are a select few people that use the time they have on two wheels to support others in need.

Dr. Jean Cooper, an industrial psychologist and De Witt Oosthuizen, a dedicated medical doctor are both these kinds of people, the kind we all like to call heroes behind visors. The two old varsity students have recently embarked on their own 17 000-kilometre journey, planning to ride through 20 African countries to reach Madrid in Spain and spanning over three months, all in benefit of the Direct Transact Foundation’s water relief initiatives for disadvantaged communities in the rural Free State.

Meeting and hearing Jean and De Witt’s story at this past weekend’s send-off party, at KTM TRAX Moto in Silver Lakes, helped everyone see what amazing and daring gentlemen they truly are. The support from their friends, families, media and ‘TRAX’ was just phenomenal. Oh yes, and how can we forget? Their lovely Husqvarna 901 Norden Expeditions prepped, setup and backed by TRAX for their journey through Africa were gleaning in all their glory too—two suitable steeds for the trot ahead.

“We are attempting this without any ground support staff to make it a journey of epic proportions over a planned period of three months. It is a great dream come true for us, as two middle-aged men, to attempt something like this. Many of the consulates where we applied for visas were surprised, reacting with a mixture of awe and suspicion that we were even attempting this, but we are inspired to do this. We do this for a great cause, and we do this to prove to ourselves, our children and our communities that anything is possible if you set your mind to it,” says Cooper.

The goal behind the Expedition H2O is to raise funds for water tank installations in under-resourced communities in the Warden area, creating awareness about water conservation and leadership—created through the photos, stories, interviews, blogs and social media posts they will share all along their journey.

“Our goal is to raise R3.2m – R200 for each kilometre that we will be riding. This will cover our costs and install a further 100 tanks – enough to supply water to 4800 people! Every 3.5km (R700) gives access to water to one person. Every 14km (R2 800) to one family. And every 160km (R32 000) will sponsor one tank – enough for 12 families.”

To make their mission a success, Expedition H2O needs our help…

“We call on our community in Pretoria, and all people in South Africa who believe that everyone in this country should have access to safe drinking water, to support our project. We hope to exemplify the type of leadership needed to transform our continent’s water crisis – leadership that takes action and puts one foot in front of the other. We all need leadership that takes it back to basics, pragmatic and collaborative, that does not give up when things get tough or when government support is lacking – leadership that takes things forward in the spirit of ubuntu.”

Before the Direct Transact Foundation got involved two years ago, the Ezenzeleni community outside Warden had no reliable access to running water. Today, 45 rainwater tanks supply the community of Ezenzeleni, and 20 tanks supply water in neighbouring Tweeling, all together providing water to 3120 people, thanks to the community leaders who joined hands with the Direct Transact Foundation. To go one further, fruit trees have also been planted beside every tank to nourish the people of these communities. “We want to extend this campaign to more communities in the Warden area that are equally in need of help and who also have the will and drive to use this gift to help themselves,” says Cooper.

After enlightening us with their vision, both riders suited up for the ride ahead, followed by a group of fellow riders, joining the boys for their first few kilometres towards the Fountains Circle. With no words, just the sound of the wind and rumbling twins, we wished both heroes a warm farewell with a typical biker nod of appreciation.

With a border crossing in Botswana on day 2, the duo will then ride through Okahandja in Namibia on Day 4, followed by Angola, DRC, Congo, Gabon, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Morocco and Spain. Yes, a mouth full, I know, so just imagine the hardship and challenges both De Witt and Jean will face and need to endure throughout their lengthy journey. Thankfully, they do have contingency plans to reroute along the way if any issues arise. As far as maintenance goes on the bikes, TRAX has given both riders the necessary training and will be able to send parts up into Africa when needed.

This story, journey and adventure is truly an inspiration to us all. It is not only about the numbers that come before the ‘km’ symbol, it’s about the difference two human beings can make in thousands of underprivileged lives. We can all think about this next time we go for a weekend ride or throw a leg over our machines.

How to get involved? Well, you can start off by donating via Back-a-buddy, or make an EFT directly to The Direct Transact Foundation Trust, Standard Bank Account Nr 013358197, Branch Code 051001, using the reference “H2O”. Article 18A certificates will be issued to all donors upon request.

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Heine Engelbrecht and sons (and team), from the world-class ADA training and events facility, hosted Mike Glover and son Shaun’s Red Cherry Events to present an epic adventure riding weekend for the adventure-riding faithful, the Rallye Raid Harties Powered by Tyre Mart Menlyn.

Despite only advertising the event on social media, the response from local riders showed that adventure biking is alive and well in this part of the country. Heine gave me a heads up on the Friday morning of the event, so staying true to the father/son nature of what was going down, I jumped on my DesertX and my son Dave on his Tiger Rally Pro and rode out in the late afternoon to see what was going down. I unfortunately had weekend family commitments that prevented me from participating.

Riding into ADA was like arriving at a race village come bivouac at Dakar. Apart from all the cold bevvies that is. Tents were arranged in gun barrel straight lines for the participants. The grounds were littered with adventure bikes of all shapes and sizes. The Katoom boys were there in force, as one would expect, with both Raceworx and FAST KTM Dealerships providing logistical support to their customers and friends. Not to be outdone, the bLU cRU boys were also in attendance.

Leading from the front were Peter Wilkens, Adrian Bac and Marc Roach. T7s were thick upon the ground, testimony to how these bulletproof Yammies have made their mark on the adventure bike scene. Honda, ever supportive of ADA events, provided bikes for the logistical crew to get around.

Of particular interest to me was a Transalp Wild. Prepared by Conrad at Offroad Cycles. The bike features full Hyperpro suspension, Cycra handguards, Stealth pipe, comprehensive crash bar protection, a bash plate and a quick-shifter. A raised front mudguard and knobblies completed a pretty picture. I’d love to ride that beastie in anger! ADA’s Nissan Pro4X 4X4, resplendent in its industrial grey livery, completed the 4-wheeled logistical support.

Strolling around the campsite it was cool to catch up with the guys. An old mate, Lucky Thomaides, introduced me to a friend as ’Dave’ whereupon said friend retorted “Oh, are you Dave Griffin?” “No, I said, he’s the one who can really ride, I’m the one who just rides a lot and writes a bit.” A good chuckle was had by all. I also got to chat with Gerry vd Byl, there with his awesome KTM 450 Rally bike with which he completed the Dakar in 2018. As always, he was chomping at the bit to get out and ride.

We grabbed a cold one at the Bedouin tent set up on the lush green lawn and chatted to Heine about the anti-snare patrols which he has instituted on the ADA property. Roping in school kids, they are doing a sterling job to save the local wildlife from a torturous death. What is really cool is that the snares are then turned into amazing rustic jewellery by a group called Down to the Wire who, as they put it, “turn destruction into hope” by fighting snares with snares.

By using members of the local community to make the pieces, they show how a cottage industry can create resources greater than the gain from the destruction and eventual elimination of our precious wildlife. Good job guys, I salute you! Let us support their endeavours wholeheartedly and do our bit to protect our wildlife. Visit Down To The Wire for details. Using school kids, with their sharp eyesight is a bit of a coup by Heine, who not only finds the snares but also gets a vital point across to the next generation.

We enjoyed the golden late afternoon light watching the good-natured revelry going down amongst like-minded individuals. The weekend delivered stunning spring weather with perfect, albeit gnarly in places, riding conditions. The many photos posted on Facebook and the accompanying comments bear testimony to what turned out to be a spectacular event. We may be living in SA in trying times, but we do get to balance that with some amazing adventures, riding our bikes across an unparalleled African landscape.

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Thanks to Heine from ADA and Mike from Red Cherry Events for making these epic events such a huge pleasure and success.

It might sound like an outrageous number, but since load shedding resumed this year, we have had approximately 235 days of load shedding (as of 01 September 2023). Currently, South Africans are experiencing Stage 6 of load shedding, but as the stages fluctuate, we have done calculations with an average of 5 hours per day. That comes to around 1 175 hours without mains power, and these numbers don’t include hours lost due to faults, unplanned outages, and cable theft.

If you are using a backup generator every time the power goes out, 1 175 hours over the last 9 months means your genie is working really hard! And in this case, regular maintenance and oil changes become even more important. Most manufacturers recommend a minor service every 50 running hours, although it’s important to note that this is a guideline only and may vary depending on your specific generator model and how it’s used. However, based on this guideline, you would ideally have serviced your generator some 23 times already this year.

While it’s unlikely you have found the time to perform so many services, you probably know that generator maintenance and oil changes are essential to the proper functioning of the system, and will minimise the risk of accidents, damage, and the need for costly repairs.

Choosing an oil that’s been specifically developed to cope with the harsh demands placed on gensets can mitigate a lack of maintenance while offering protection for your genset engine and saving you money on fuel and future maintenance costs.

Motul’s TEKMA POWER X is a new high-quality, 4-stroke engine oil that has been specially formulated for use in petrol and diesel generators. As a global lubrication expert with over 170 years of experience, Motul is perfectly positioned to offer the ideal generator oil.

“We know that people are really busy and that many generators are not being serviced as often as they should be,” commented “Hippocrates ‘Taki’ Bogiages, Motul Technical Manager. “The best way to protect your genset, maintain its performance and save fuel is to use our TEKMA POWER X, a specifically formulated generator oil for petrol gensets and low sulfur diesel gensets. This lubricant offers a quick and easy way to gain greater peace of mind as a genset owner,” he added.

Reinforced with Motul’s Technosynthese® technology – an ingenious combination of synthetic and high-quality mineral base stocks for optimal performance and with a lower viscosity than standard 15W-40 lubricants, Motul TEKMA POWER X 10W-30 flows more easily at cold temperatures (think chilly mornings, or when a generator has been off for a while). Reduced oxidation and easier cold starts mean less wear and tear, optimised drain intervals and a longer generator lifespan – all of which add up to a reduction in the total cost of ownership. The end result is a cleaner, more efficient generator that will give you hours of hassle-free service.

“Continuing Motul’s proud history of innovation, we’re delighted to introduce a product that is especially suited to the needs of South Africans during these dark days (and nights) of prolonged load shedding,” added Mercia Jansen, Motul Area Manager for Southern and Eastern Africa.

Motul TEKMA POWER X 10W-30 is widely available, including from Takealot and selected parts stores nationwide.

This September will usher in the 30th anniversary of Bikewise, the motorcycle accessories entity that forms part of the KMSA stable. To fully understand the magnitude of starting a business like Bikewise back in ’93 you need to consider the volatile times we lived in. South Africa was still 2 years off our “new democracy” with all the uncertainty and fears that held. Chris Speight, the KMSA Bossman, was a relatively new import to Jo’Burg from the Last Outpost, (Durban, to the less informed) and had taken on the responsibility of running Kawasaki. Chris had cut his teeth in the motorcycle industry with involvement in accessories, so it was not breaking entirely new ground when the opportunity to take over as the sole importer of Arai arose. Pitching against several other interested parties, Chris pulled it off.

Arai then became the nucleus of a new accessories entity called, by Chris’s wife Kim, Bikewise. Chris says, “We did not want to be all things to all people, but rather a business that imported niche quality products serving the motorcycling community”. I believe that the success of Bikewise can be ascribed to the fact that they have, over the years, managed to negotiate some real household motorcycle industry brands into their stable. Let’s look at what, on reflection, amounts to a who’s who of accessory brands.

ARAI (Since 1993) – The Japanese helmet maker has, over the years, established itself right at the pinnacle of helmet design. The fact that the bulk of the MotoGP grid chose Arai bears testimony to how they are rated by the World’s best riders. A truly superb product, this was one of Bikewise’s coups when they secured the sole distributorship right for Arai in SA.

SBS (Since 1995)  – Danish-made brake pads and components that have built a solid reputation for quality and performance over many years. Struggling to stop? Fit some SBS pads ASAP!

Renthal (Since 2012) – Is to handlebars what Kirby is to vacuum cleaners. Simply the best. Original equipment on most adventure and dirt bikes, and they offer a wide variety of bends and widths. Whatever bar you choose, rest assured that they are as good as you can get.

DID (Since 2014) – Original equipment on many motorcycle brands, DID chains are another industry standard brought to you by Bikewise.

Optimate (Since 2014) – I am speaking from personal experience when I vouch for the user-friendliness and effectiveness of these battery care systems. Do you need to keep your bike or car battery in tip-top shape? Get yourself an Optimate smart charger. In my opinion, there is none better—available courtesy of Bikewise.

Pirelli (Since 2014) – This Italian tyre brand have been making performance rubber for cars and bikes for yonks. I have raced on them, toured on them and just plain trusted them to keep the shiny side up in all weather conditions—another superb product in the Bikewise stable.

Motul (Since 2019) – The premier French oil giant has a wide range of lubricants and motorcycle care products that compete with the best in the industry. Developed in the crucible of fire that is motorcycle endurance racing, Motul gives you peace of mind when it lubes and cares for your ride. Want some? Contact Bikewise.

Acerbis (Since 2020) – Staying in Italy, Acerbis are legends, particularly in the offroad scene. Protective gear for both bike and rider, apparel, long-range fuel tanks and even helmets. Acerbis does it all. My Acerbis header tank used on my Honda XR500 in the ’70s still serves me faultlessly today. They are becoming major players in the mountain bike scene too, with all sorts of protective kits. A brand I personally kitted myself out with.

NGK (Since 2020) – Only in SA could it be confused by some with a church, in the rest of the world NGK is recognised as being at the top of the Spark Plug manufacturing tree. Another brand that is original equipment on many manufacturers’ bikes. Another Bikewise distributorship coup.

When you reflect on Bikewise and you see what products they have secured you start to understand their success. Harvard Business School asked a final-year MBA class to define what they considered a good business. Many stated the obvious such as “it must be profitable etc”. The Professor answered the question that those were the results of a good business, not the definition. The definition that was accepted by all was this. “If you have a product or a service that is so good, that if people could, they would pay money for it”. From the get-go, Bikewise identified a range of products that we are happy to pay money for. It takes a special business to stand the test of time, especially when it is a 30-year test! Kudos to a man who had the vision and foresight to establish such a business. Chris, take a bow!

Bikewise will be running some cool promotions over the next couple of months to celebrate their 30-year success story. For info on these promotions, keep an eye on their Facebook and Instagram pages.