From the moment the BMW R18 broke cover, the Bavarian marque has pitched it as a platform for customisation. For most R18 owners, that means new handlebars or a better set of pipes. But this art deco sensation from master custom builder, Dirk Oehlerking, shows just how far you can take it—if you know how.

Oehlerking is the sole proprietor of the German custom shop Kingston Custom, with a back catalogue that boasts a number of classic BMW boxers. In a world of digital design and 3D printing, his workflow is still decidedly analogue.

“I have a constant stream of images running past my mind’s eye when it comes to deciding what style I want to focus on|” he explains. “Once I’ve made that choice, I start with a sketch in pencil and Tipp-Ex. Then I keep going until I know in my heart of hearts: that’s precisely it!”

Dubbed ‘Spirit of Passion,’ Oehlerking’s take on the R18 vaguely echoes some of his previous work. His ‘White Phantom,’ ‘Black Phantom‘ and ‘Good Ghost‘ builds all convey a similar art deco style—but the R18 is on another level.

The biggest drawcard is the R18’s all-encompassing bodywork. Oehlerking has wrapped the front end in a bulbous dustbin fairing, complete with a pair of hand-made kidneys that recall BMW’s vintage automobiles. There’s an LED headlight recessed into it, and a neat custom-made fly screen up top.

There’s more craftsmanship at the back, with the rear wheel enclosed in a hand-made ‘fender.’ It’s attached to the R18’s swing-arm, so that it moves up and down with the wheel, and tapers into a ‘fin’ with an integrated tail light.

All of the bodywork’s been painted in a deep piano black, complete with double white pinstripes to match the R18’s ‘First Edition’ livery.

Oehlerking also fabricated his own handlebars, and modified the exhausts with a slash-cut design. The bobbed seat is straight from BMW’s own aftermarket accessories catalogue. But the rest of the parts—from the teardrop tank to the wire-spoke wheels—are factory.

In fact, despite Oehlerking’s penchant for going deep on his projects, much of the original R18 remains under the stunning bodywork. “The BMW R 18 is so perfect that I left the technology as it is,” he says. “The frame is 100% original and so sophisticated that nothing should be changed here.”

That restraint hasn’t stopped Oehlerking from building a truly show-stopping machine. ‘Spirit of Passion’ is as jaw-dropping as it is intriguing, and it’s a wonderful glimpse at what’s possible with the R18.

“This project is probably the most impressive of my entire career,” adds Oehlerking, and he’s not wrong. “It means a lot to me—if not everything at this moment. The trust that BMW Motorrad has placed in me once again is hugely important to me. I’m very grateful for that.”

Source: BMW Motorrad South Africa

The media and a few other privileged guests, got to attend a ‘Dakar Live Link’ with Eva Castelain, a Motul representative, live from the Bivouac on the eve of the final day of the Rally. It was most fascinating to eavesdrop on what has been a sensational Dakar, full of unprecedented levels of drama. The new rule regarding only sharing the roadbook 15 minutes before the start of each stage, made navigation, already a major challenge, almost unplayable for all but a very few of the competitors, irrespective of class. Perhaps best summed up by last years car class winner, and Dakar veteran, Carlos Sainz, who commented that 2021 was a race of navigators, not drivers. Well dude, you still have a navigator!. Consider for a moment the bikes and quads. In those classes, the riders, or ‘pilots’, in Dakar parlance, are one and the same person.

Motul have been a major sponsor of the Dakar since 2018. The reason, Eva explained, is very simple. Motul is ‘a racing brand and racing is in their DNA’. It provides them with an opportunity to test and improve their products under the most demanding conditions possible. Their 300V race oil was particularly under the spotlight at Dakar 2021. Within a year we will buy a 300V that has been developed even further from lessons learnt at Dakar. I noted that the bottle that Eva pointed at was a 15W60, meant to maintain viscosity in the most extreme conditions. Testimony to the huge temperature variations experienced at the Dakar in Saudi, which varied between 4 degrees and then north of 30 degrees, on any given race day. It seems, if you wear a Motul hat, you never leave well alone, but always strive to take things a step further, constantly improving what is already a cutting edge brand.

Although Motul supports all classes of vehicle at the Dakar, one gets the feeling that the ‘Original by Motul’ class is closest to their hearts. These are the guys who were previously known as the ‘Malle Moto’ class. Could be Afrikaans, if you understand what this class is about! Motorcycle riders who are totally self-supported. They race all day, then do their own maintenance and repairs, totally unsupported. Motul provides them with a toolbox, mat, bike stand and tiny tent, complete with bedding and duvet, to help slightly on the logistics side. Interestingly, the Motul staff working at the Dakar have similar digs. Probably why they so identify with the hard-core ‘Original by Motul’ purists. 54 riders started this class, with only 21 remaining with one stage to go. Respect.

We got to chat, via Eva, to one of these riders, in the form of Neil Hawker, a veteran of 12 years in the British military, attempting his second Dakar. In 2020 he capsized on stage 5, breaking his arm, which forcing his withdrawal. He returned in 2021 with unfinished business. Chomping on a packet of Lays, he was really upbeat, sensing that his goal was clearly now within reach. On really tough days, some of these riders would arrive in the Bivvie after 11 pm, shattered from a day of covering anywhere between 800 to 1000 kays, half of which could be spent racing. The drill is, in Neil’s words, ‘to have a routine. Sort the bike, sort the body, then sleep’. With some 4 am starts there was often not much of the latter!

We then had a tour of Motul’s mobile lab. 3 technicians man this lab (as I type it this that sounds sexist, considering that two of the personnel are women). Optical and Infra-Red Spectrometers are used to analyse Oil samples and then give feedback to the teams on the health of the motors, as revealed by the analysis. Traces of contaminants, such as dust, coolant, water etc, or metals can mean potential problems with engine, clutch or gearbox. This allows service crews to take the necessary remedial action.

The big talking point at Dakar 2021 is contaminated fuel. If you were unlucky enough to fuel early from the re-supply tanks, it seems that you could end up with significant amounts of gunk in your tank. This plays havoc with finely tuned race motors, messing with your fuelling modules to such an extent that total engine failure could result. The failure of all the factory Yamahas could well be related to these issues. Time will tell (that is if anyone tells at all). Running an Oil analyses takes around ten minutes and this service is available to all participants. Mind-boggling technology!

Teams used the information gained from these analyses to set up their engine management systems and fuelling modules, taking into account factors such as altitude, temperature and expected conditions. An engine running too rich or lean, under maximum load, for extended periods, needs to be set upright, or you could pay dearly. This is what makes Dakar such a vital testing ground for lubricants as well as so many other facets of modern engineering technology. Interestingly, Motul SA have a contract with a local lab to do similar analysis for South African users of their products.

We got to visit with a Toyota team too, but being two-wheeled warriors, this was simply of passing interest to us. A huge shout out to Mercia and her media team for making this fascinating ‘virtual tour’ possible. It gave us a whole new appreciation as to what an incredible logistical effort the Dakar is, especially together with the challenges brought by Covid. Well done to Motul and everyone else involved, for making this motorsport spectacle the incredible event that it is.

For more information on MOTUL products visit: www.motul.com

What. A. Year. As 2020 draws to a close, and we all try to figure out what the holidays will look like under a level 1.5 lockdown, we’re casting our eyes forward.

We reckon the best way to put a challenging year behind us, is with an epic year filled with highlights. So here’s our wish list for 2021—a list of the things that, if they happen, will help wash the taste of 2020 out of our mouths.

We’re holding thumbs that…

…Red Bull KTM Factory Racing will dominate MotoGP in 2021.

Brad Binder and Miguel Oliveira are a dream pairing. The friends and former teammates finished 11th and ninth this year respectively, with two wins to Oliveira, and one to the rookie of the year, Binder. Next year, Oliveira will step up from the Tech 3 team to join Binder on the factory KTM squad, and we can’t wait.

KTM have more than proven this year that they have the pace to be seriously competitive. And both Binder and Oliveira are sensational to watch. Our prediction: wins, podiums, and perhaps even a championship.

…the Harley-Davidson Pan America will be capable, but not too expensive.

Harley-Davidson have been through the wars this year. With everything from CEO changes to plummeting share prices, it’s been a tough run for the Motor Co. And that turmoil has affected their upcoming model line-up too. It’s been strongly suggested that the Bronx street fighter has been cancelled, and H-D have gone quiet on a number of other upcoming bikes.

One model that Harley are still set to release, albeit it much later than originally planned, is the Pan America. They’ve announced that a big model reveal is coming on the 19th of January, and they’ve already started teasing riding footage of Milwaukee’s first adventure bike.

Our hope: that the Pan America is fully capable as an adventure bike, and that it doesn’t weigh a ton or cost an arm and a leg. And with the Sportster’s future in jeopardy thanks to Euro5, we’ve also got high hopes for the 1250 cc motor in the Pan America, and what future models it might power.

Why? Because Harley-Davidson get a lot of flack, and could do with a win. Because adventure bikes are great, and more of them means stiffer competition. And because the idea of a chunky Harley V-twin that can get rowdy in the dirt is awesome.

…BMW will put the R18 Concept /2 into production, soon.

We finally got to ride the hotly anticipated BMW R18 this year. And while we have mixed feelings about it, we reckon BMW have done enough things right that we want to see the range expand. Luckily it is expanding—BMW have already confirmed the R18 Classic tourer, and there are rumours that a hard bagger is on the way too.

But what we’re really keen on, is a production version of the Concept /2. Remember that? It was the one with red metal-flake paint and small nose fairing, just like a Dyna—except with a BMW badge and a behemoth of a boxer motor driving it.

We’re keen on the /2, because it’s the opposite side of the current R18 coin. The R18 leans hard on heritage—from its R5-inspired design to its classy paint job and tasteful chrome. But it’s a monster too, thanks to the shimmy from that 1,802 cc boxer, and the torque it produces. And we suspect that the ergonomics and overall vibe of the /2 design will play into that character nicely.

…the new Ducati Monster will blow our minds.

We’re polarized on the new Ducati Monster’s looks here at ZA Bikers. Some of us can live with its more modern edge, while others still mourn the passing of the iconic trellis frame. But we all agree: on paper, the specs look rad.

Here’s the thing: scrapping a legacy and starting over is a gutsy move. If Ducati want the new Monster to carve its own path, it better be really good.

So we’re hoping that when we swing a leg over it, it’ll live up to expectations. That those of us who are already in love with it will feel validated, and those of us that hate its aesthetics will be converted by its performance.

…Husqvarna will finally manufacture the Norden.

Husqvarna first teased their Norden 901 adventure bike back in 2019. Then, in 2020, we got wind of the KTM 890 Adventure R—which is presumably the platform that the Norden will be built on. And, more recently, a prototype of the Norden’s been spied testing.

So we know for a fact that it’s coming soon… just not soon enough. Heck, we even had it on our list of ‘bikes to look forward to in 2020,’ so by now, we’re truly gatvol of waiting.

…more OEMs will build small bikes—and we’ll actually get them here.

Small bikes are the future of motorcycling, simply because they’re more accessible. And by ‘accessible,’ we mean they’re cheaper to buy and easier to ride—and that means they’re key to getting more people onto two wheels.

Plus when you cast an eye over the littler bikes that are on offer these days, they’re more capable than ever before. We’re spoiled for choice with bikes like the KTM 390 Adventure and Kawasaki Ninja 400. But just imagine if Triumph built a single-cylinder 400 cc ‘Tiger Cub,’ or if Ducati developed a 250 cc version of their Scrambler?

We need more small bikes, and what’s more, we need them available in South Africa. In the USA, you can get the Honda Monkey, Super Cub, Trail 125 (an off-road Cub, basically), Rebel 500 cruiser, and the highly-praised CB500X parallel-twin dual-sport. But none of those bikes are available here.

A new generation of small to medium bikes that are affordable and fun to ride will create a new generation of riders. And that’s just good business.

The Covid crisis and Lockdown Level “what-ever-it-is-ish” has given us all much more thinking time.

And stressing time.

And work-from-home time.

And trying-to-fit-everything-in-while-working-from-home time.

In this article, I would like to focus on the Thinking Time though. This time often evolves into dreaming time. My dreaming time has become labelled as “Dreaming of Riding”.

To be honest, a lot of dreaming time has been taken up by Zoom, Teams and all of the other on-line conversation portals, and this means that with this on-line time I’ve been spending the breaks between digital meetings in a new label: Research Time (my apologies for all of the “labels” and the overuse of the term “time”, but, you know, Covid….).

What has interested me is The Big Question, the one that has no answer: What will the future look like? We don’t know, but we can certainly speculate. My mind has been locked into looking at past crisis of many forms, health, economic and the like and then looking at their recovery paths. Here is my research opening statement:

“After each crisis in our past, it seems as if motorcycle sales were a significant part of the recovery”.

Since 1900 there have been over 32 economic crisis of one form or the other. After each, there was an economic recovery, however gradual. With the economic recovery came, most importantly to us bikers, an increase in motorcycle sales.

After the Great Depression sales increased. The oil crisis of the 1970s, an increase. The global recession of the early 1990s, again, an increase. And after 2008’s financial crisis, yup, an increase (Not in South Africa, but that’s for other, more domestic reasons). So globally motorcycle sales increased.

Therefore, the next question is why buy a motorcycle after these economic meltdowns?

Let’s dig into the logic of it first. Certain motorcycles offer a much more cost-effective means of getting around. The cost of purchasing, the cost of owning, fuelling, insuring, servicing and storing, the mobility solution that motorcycles offer compares favourably with the relatively expensive car.

We also have to acknowledge that many people find themselves in an affordability crisis of their own, having taken cuts in salary or even having lost their jobs. Thus, logically motorcycles offer an affordable way of getting around. During and after the oil crisis the cost perspective of the motorcycle made it extremely attractive to an entire generation of riders.

That brings me to the other side of the spectrum – Emotion. After the mental strain of crisis don’t we, as a species, crave a sense of freedom, a spirit of independence and an unshackling of the restrictions? This thought was the true catalyst for me putting these words to keyboard.

The desire to ride after being locked down has been an ache we have all felt. How amazing was the first ride? And in our history, after each crisis, the freedom that motorcycles bring inspires a whole new generation of riders, from superbikes to cruisers. And you can pick your favourite manufacturer here.

A bonus observation. There is also the evolution of the motorcycle offering, with each crisis bringing its own problems, and the ingenuity of humans developing new solutions. Electric Motorcycles are a prime case in point, a solution for this generation.

My point is really one of balance. A balance between logic and emotion, and I feel that’s often the way we recover emotionally from each crisis. It’s tough but we have survived many. The survival includes re-prioritising the way we spend, revaluating the way we live our lives, stimulating economies to get spending going again, rebuilding our wealth after significant losses, and realising what is truly important to us.

And here’s a balanced, in-between-logic-and-emotion thought – what better a way to socialise with our tribe, our fellow bikers than to have a helmet on, gloves on, and keep a safe distance away from each other on the road?! Totally in keeping with the Covid guidelines and regulations, yet still allowing us to connect with our community, our heart. And stimulating the economy by buying a motorcycle, putting fuel in it, buying the correct rider gear, attending events, having those breakfast runs. All to help the economy!

So, basically what I am saying is, for the betterment of society and the post-Covid recovery, go buy the motorcycle and get riding…..for the benefit of us all (and maybe, just slightly, a bit of selfish glee….)

For those of you who don’t know, or may not have heard of Andy Biram, let me introduce you. Andy is a vastly experienced Adventure bike rider, being the man behind The Adventure Academy, a business he started at the beginning of 2016. He identified an opportunity for a company dedicated to hosting Adventure bike Tours all over SA and surrounds. In between tours, he does one on one rider training, both on-road (tar and gravel) and track. What I so like about Andy is his absolute humility and honesty. Some chaps in the training environment tend to carry themselves off on their own shoulders. Andy, on the contrary, is brutally honest and “real”. An example of this, is his comment on his wheelie ability. ”My desire to wheelie is strong, but it has never overcome my fear of crashing”. I got you bud!

Andy started his motorcycle riding back in 1998 on a Kawasaki ZX-6R, which he binned 5 days later, wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Lesson learnt, he took himself off to his first of many track days. By 2006 he was not riding on the road, as he was finding the roads around Jo’burg boring. The Kawi had morphed into a Honda VTR 1000 SP2, with which he assisted Clinton Pienaar at his track days. Clinton is really to blame for Andy’s change from road riding to Adventure biking. Clinton convinced him to join him and some buddies on a ride to witness a lunar eclipse. I suspect it was after a few lemonades because after agreeing, he learnt that this spectacle would be seen somewhere between Libya and Egypt. The SP2 was replaced by an Africa Twin and the rest, as they say in the classics, is history.

In time, Andy went over to the dark side. He bought a KTM 990 Adventure, lost his job, and spent his accumulated pension money to fund a year of exploring Southern Africa. This opened the door to some gigs hosting adventure tours for RAD Moto KTM, to some of the amazing places he’d discovered during his sabbatical. The trusty 990, and it was indeed trusty, logged up 100,000 odd kay’s of gravel travel, before it got sold at the birth of the Adventure Academy, in 2016. The Adventure Academy’s success has been built on Andy’s knack for matching the route, to the ability of the riders on tour.

It is little wonder then, with this sort of Adventure riding CV, that Linex Yamaha Randburg approached Andy to become a Brand Ambassador for their highly acclaimed new Ténéré 700. As the most anticipated Adventure bike for the last 3 years, the T7 has finally arrived on SA soil. How better to highlight it’s talents, than to put them on show with every tour that Andy leads. Let the bike do the talking. I picked up on social media that Andy had hosted his first tour on the T7, so I hooked up with him for a coffee to hear all about it. I knew that I would get it straight, without any sugar-coating, warts, if there are any, and all.

I asked him how it performed on tar. What impressed him immediately was the power delivery. Fueling is perfect, right from off idle. The roll-on ability almost belies the fact that it is “just” a 700. The bike feels light and nimble, yet absolutely planted and stable at all speeds.

The comfort was also a surprise. The Rally look, almost suggests that the seat would be a bit of a rack. On the contrary, Andy reckons that the first day of their tour, from Jo’burg to Himeville, in the Natal midlands, was a doddle, with both the seat and windshield doing a great job.

The aerodynamics seem to be spot on as a bit of rain encountered was warded off by the screen particularly well.

The dirt was where it really shone. Yamaha have been fiendishly clever. Rather than throw a basket of electronic trickery at the T7, to hide a multitude of sins, they spent a lot of time making sure that it is fundamentally sound, and as a consequence, it works.

By designing the frame in such a way that the swingarm pivot point and drive sprocket are really close together, the bike hooks up fantastically on the dirt. This negates the need for traction control. The flawless fueling giving the rider control via his right wrist. Just like God intended. Similarly, stability is achieved without the need for a steering damper.

The riding position, both on tar and dirt, both seated or in meerkat mode, is spot on, with everything falling naturally to hand. In Andy’s considered opinion, the suspension will suit 95% of riders. Real serious chargers, or fellows in the habit of consuming a few too many burgers, may want a stiffer setup, but for the rest of us, the Yam’s suspension is sweet.

Brakes are perfectly powered for their intended use. Pretty much like baby bears porridge. 16 litres of fuel gives you a range of at least 250 kay’s and a lot more, if you are on a bit of an economy run, like travelling to Malawi from Lusaka on the Great North Road, where there is a 320 kay stretch between fuel stops. (Don’t ask me how I know).

At this point of our chat, it was clear to me that Andy is seriously taken with the T7. “So what is not to like”, I asked him. The instrumentation jumps around like a mad thing. This is something that I have read on various forums. Whilst remaining legible, it needs to be anchored better.

Not a criticism, but rather due to the T7’s tidy dimensions, is the fact that a stuff bag on the back seat, inhibits your ability to move around as you would like, when riding technical terrain. Andy did say though that now with the new GYTR Luggage plate from Linex Randburg, he’s as happy as Larry? His parting shot is that the bike is incredibly “sorted” and easy to ride fast, both on and off the road.

Then the elephant in the room. The fact that the T7 is expensive for SA buyers, relative to what they cost in other markets. That is a fact, however, when you ride the bike, and experience how it is simply more than the sum of all it’s parts, then it is a great buy. If you are tired of overweight and perhaps overpowered adventure bikes, that are a real challenge to master off the beaten track, then the T7 may just be the simple, effective and reliable option, that you have always wanted.

A friend of Andy’s, who owns a KTM 790 ADVENTURE R RALLY, rode the T7 up Breedt’s Nek and had this to say. “As an everyday Adventure biker, which most of us are. Gravel highways, occasional gnarly climbs and just enjoying riding without effort. This is the bike. The bike is light, and feels it. Very nimble. Power delivery is fantastic at low speed over rough terrain, the bike is really hard to stall as there is so much low down power. The bike is just comfortable”. Rare praise indeed.

Find out more about Andy’s Adventures, here: www.adventureacademy.co.za

Africa’s first winner-takes-all custom motorcycle build-off, the Lightning Bolt, went down this past weekend against the backdrop of Cape Town’s city centre. Nine builders battled it out for top honours—but in the end it was an out-of-towner with a vintage Triumph bobber that took home gold, and a giant cheque for R150,000.

Presented by BMW Motorrad South Africa, hosted by The House of Machines, and sponsored by Super Bock and Espolón Tequila, The Lightning Bolt is the regional extension of the US show, the Golden Bolt. So it uses the same formula: bikes need to be unique, good looking and well made and, most importantly, rideable. There are no categories that separate bikes by style, and there are no prizes for second place.

The entries for the inaugural Lightning Bolt were as diverse as they were impressive. Louis Nel sent his Yamaha TW200 street tracker down from Mpumalanga, while local team Stoos Customs entered a modern BMW R nineT sporting a heavily modified vintage BMW fuel tank.

Gavin Collins’ entry featured a S&S Cycle motor in a custom gooseneck frame, along with numerous custom parts that were hand-engraved by an artisan in Indonesia.

Brett Allan entered a wild chopper, built around a Yamaha XS650 motor with tons of stunning details. Hannes Welthagen’s Harley rounded out the choppers, while Ian Ketterer and Mark Johnston represented the cafe racer scene with two immaculate bikes: a Yamaha XJR1300 (Ian) and BMW R100 RT (Mark).

And then there was Warren Strydom of ANVL Kraft’s zany Yamaha XT500-based board tracker, loaded with raw fabricated metal.

But in the end, the scores fell in favour of Marnitz Venter and his vintage Triumph Bobber. Based around a 1950s iron-head motor, a 1940s hardtail frame, a 1930s girder front end, and an assortment of scavenged and hand-made parts, it’s a show-stopper that took him four years to complete, with the help of his friends.

Marnitz looked eerily calm when his name was announced as the winner, but that’s only because he was in shock. “I honestly thought the announcers made a mistake and announced the wrong person,” he says.

Winning the Lightning Bolt was about more than just the money for Marnitz though—it’s validation of a project that’s very near to his heart.

“It was a very personal build,” he explains. “I lost three close mates during the time of this build—some helped a bit with fabrication and others with knowledge and parts to complete the build. I wish they were here to share the moment with me.”

So how exactly did the judges pick Marnitz’s bike? The Lightning Bolt is judged using a score-based matrix, where judges need to assign scores for originality, design, paint, fabrication, upholstery and unique details. So it’s less about picking favourites, and more about objectively judging each bike on its merits.

Oh, and each bike needs to complete a 25 km ride too, adding to their overall score—so this isn’t a competition for show ponies.

This year’s judging panel included Kyle Scott of Wolf Moto, BMW restorer Freek De Villiers of FD Classic Worx, and House of Machines founder and all-round tastemaker, Paul van der Spuy (above). Wes Reyneke—ZA Bikers contributing editor and editor of the leading custom motorcycle website, Bike EXIF—acted as head judge.

“Picking a favourite going into the competition was impossible,” says Wes. “But the Lighting Bolt’s scoring system makes it easy to put preference aside, and score each bike individually. Pretty soon the scores told me who my favourites were!”

“This method forces you to be honest on every aspect of the build,” says Freek, “and not the build as a whole.” Kyle adds that “the quality of the builds made judging tough!”

The local judges’ scores were added to points from two heavy-hitting international judges: Alan Stulberg from Revival Cycles, and custom builder Kevin Dunworth, who conceived the original Golden Bolt contest. The judged the builds remotely using photos and video, looking only at visual aspects of the builds.

While the Lightning Bolt officially happened on Saturday the 28th of November, the real fun went down the day before. That’s when the judges had a private moment to interact with builders before diving into their score sheets. And it’s also when the judges and builders joined each other for the 25 km rideability test.

“I think it was the best idea ever,” says Ian Ketterer. “No point in having an ornament that is unrideable. And it gives those of us who focus on safety as well as looks a fighting chance!”

The contestants started off at The House of Machines, battled traffic all the way up Kloof Neck, and then headed out on Victoria road, before turning around. One bike couldn’t get started and had to be ditched, another broke down along the way. A third barely made it back.

The hiccups revealed one of the most beautiful aspects of the motorcycle scene: despite the fact that R150,000 was on the line, competitors didn’t hesitate to help each other cross the finish line. It was all hands on deck to try start the bike that never made it out the gate, and the one that only just rolled in had a literal push up a hill from a fellow contestant.

That was the point when Farryl Purkiss, general manager at The House of Machines, knew that they were onto something. “We hope to break the stigma that you need to be part of a club and or enclosed community to be able to be part of the motorbike lifestyle and all that comes from it,” he says. “All are welcome, always.”

With the bikes judged, the ride done and the winner selected (but not yet announced), the Saturday was all about showing the entries off to the general public. The House of Machines had shut off their section of Shortmarket Street, and part of Bree Street, and loaded it with moto-related entertainment.

The custom bikes were housed in a surprisingly well-lit underground garage just off Shortmarket street, while outside, BMW Motorrad had created an almost museum-like gallery of classic models. And they had the new R 18 set up on a ‘rolling road’ for anyone to try, too. (As an added bonus, Judges Freek and Wes even arrived on a BMW R69 with a Steib sidecar.)

Other facilities included a Super Bock beer garden, Frankie Fenner’s legendary burgers, treats from Cape Town institution, Jason Bakery, and access to the House of Machines and their signature cocktails.

There were strict COVID measures in place too: ticket sales were limited, masks were handed out on entry and there were sanitisation stations all over. There were also controls on how many people entered indoor spaces, and there were even compliance officers walking around and telling people to keep their masks on.

As the day wore on and the winner was announced, the focus shifted from custom motorcycles to live music. Nomadic Orchestra took to the outdoor Shortmarket Street stage, followed by an incendiary performance by Jack Parow. House of Machines local, Jak Tomas, rounded out the night’s festivities.

“I think that it was a phenomenal event, and I am impressed with both the turnout and interest, as well as the quality of the bike builds,” says Penny Sterley, General Manager of BMW Motorrad South Africa. “For many years, BMW Motorrad has focussed predominantly on the marketing of our GS product range.”

“With a lot of new products in our line up—like the R 18, F 900 XR, F 900 R and S 1000 XR, it is important that we focus on marketing to and attracting various kinds of bikers to our range. It’s important that we attract future riders, younger riders and also female riders. We can only do this by expanding our reach as far as possible.”

“And congratulations to Marnitz Venter who was the winner of the competition—his build was really amazing.”

With the first Lightning Bolt now behind us, BMW Motorrad and The House of Machines have already confirmed that it’ll be back in 2022. Which means there’s just enough time to find a donor bike, get into the garage and start wrenching.

Visit – thelightningbolt.co.za for more.

The Honda Quest is a nine day-long South Africa adventure riding challenge with a pretty sweet twist. Contestants compete teams of two—and the team that wins gets to ride away on the Honda Africa Twins they competed on.

But the third edition of the Honda Quest nearly didn’t happen. Just as Honda South Africa wrapped up the preliminary ‘Quest Bootcamp’ selection event, COVID slammed the brakes on. Luckily South Africa’s lockdown regulations eased up, and the event went ahead from the 4th to the 13th of November.

On the first night of the event, Honda SA grouped the 14 finalists into seven two-person teams. Armed with 2020 Honda Africa Twins, they prepared to do battle with Springbok, Namaqua, Bushmanland, Kamieskroon, the Cederberg and the Richtersveld as their backdrop.

The Honda Quest challenges are designed to start slow and build up rider confidence as the event progresses. The first day’s biggest challenge was the deep sand along the Namaqua Eco Trail that traces the Orange River—but thankfully it was a short day. Short, but tough—one competitor came off hard, and later discovered that he had fractured his ankle, taking out of the running.

On day two, riders tackled 136 km of the Namaqua Eco Trail, including ‘Hell’s Cradle’—a deep section of sand, surrounded by steep canyons that box in the heat.

Day three started with a chilled out ride that eventually morphed into rocky climbs through the harsh Western Richtersveld. Day four’s main event was a navigation challenge, followed by a climb up ‘Peter’s Scramble.’ It’s a mega-technical 500 m 4×4 track, that took the group a whopping three hours to complete.

The fifth and sixth days were slightly more relaxed, as teams meandered through the vast spaces of Bushmanland and the Knersvlakte, and onto the unparalleled vistas of the Tankwa Karoo. After six days of hard work, the seventh day was a day of rest—giving riders and the support team time to recharge. Even though teams were technically competing against each other, the Quest is marked by an overarching sense of camaraderie.

Teams were back at it on day eight, heading straight into the famed Postal Route that crosses from the Tankwa into the Cederberg. Sadly, the Postal Route will now be closed to the public—so this group was the last privileged few to ride it.

Day eight was long and challenging. From the sand, rocks and river crossings of the Postal Route, to Karretjies Pass and the tricky Eselbank 4×4 trail, there was plenty to challenge riders and their Honda Africa Twins. To add insult to injury, a couple of punctures were picked up along the way—and the evening ended with a written test, too.

The final day consisted of a short farewell leg back to where the selection event had happened nine months prior; Kaleo. Contestants were addressed by Honda Motor South Africa’s president, Yuishi Fukuda, and head of Honda Motorcycles Southern Africa, Riaan Fourie. Then Hardy de Kock, owner of Specialised Adventures, called out the winners: Neil Naudé and Brian Harmse.

Neil and Brian had come out on top against some pretty stiff competition, and are now each one 2020 Honda Africa Twin richer. If sweating it out for nine days and winning a motorcycle sounds appealing, the Honda Quest will be back in 2021.

For more information visit: www.quest-trueadventure.com

We were recently invited to hang out with the King Price Xtreme crew at Red Star Raceway. It gave us a chance to catch up with the team and newly-crowned South African Superbike champion, Clinton Seller—but King Price had some fun activities planned for us too.

After an 8am start, a walk down the King Price red carpet and some coffee and pastries, we were greeted by four drift cars and two very familiar Yamaha YZF-R1 race bikes. But there was a twist: the bikes had passenger seats!

Yes, a passenger seat on the seven-time SA Superbike champ’s race bike. A brave few raised their hands, gear was provided, and a crash course on how to be a passenger was given by Clint.

The drift cars went out first for a double lapper, tearing up the circuit with some gnarly sideways action and some massive smoke shows. I myself jumped into the passenger seat of one of these tyre shredders, and had a great time gliding over the smooth Red Star tar.

Dino Iozzo, Sfiso Themba and Clint Seller took a few brave motorsport fans and first-timers out for a hot pillion lap. A well-known face from SuperSport Blitz and now Newzroom Afrika, Buhle Madulini, was lent a set of leathers from Sfiso before his hot lap with Clint. And what a lap it was, with impressive lean angles and high-speed wheelies.

I know for a fact that Buhle was smiling all the way. “I have never felt anything like it,” he said. “Crazy acceleration and super hard braking, at one point I nearly thought I was going to fly right over Clint. All in all, a truly awesome experience and I just want to go out again.”

Clint recently won his seventh South African championship title at the Aldo Scribante circuit in PE, in spectacular fashion. He needed to score just one second place, and he did just that in the first 12 lap heat of the day, finishing second behind David McFadden and ahead of Garrick Vlok.

We took the opportunity to catch up with him and chat about his season, racing with no spectators, and his thoughts on 2021.

ZA Bikers: Did you think you’d clinch another championship title at the start of this race season?

Clint Seller: To be honest, I only race to win. However, after the first race weekend, I was 30 points down (which is a lot for such a short championship) and that goal seemed far out of reach. Despite this setback, I knew that when my team and I focus, we have the potential to be the best, and I was able to turn things around.

What mentality did you take with you to the ‘old school’ Aldo Scribante circuit in Port Elizabeth?

I really love the Aldo Scribante track, it has amazing grip and a super fun layout… however, this year I went there with only 1 goal: to win. I had a good gap, so I chose to ride cautiously and do what was needed. ‘Easy and efficient’ was the name of the game for the weekend.

Talk us through the last few laps of a championship title race. Do you take it easy and ride a more calculated race or do you fight until the very last corner?

I’m very aware that one second place could seal the deal—which is exactly what I aimed for with this past championship. You usually spend the last lap thinking about the rider behind you, so you only know it’s done once you cross the line.

Does the lack of fan support (due to lockdown regulations) affect your satisfaction and energy levels while racing?

The simple answer is yes. I really enjoy seeing King Price and all our other sponsors next to the track. It definitely gets a bit lonely out there without them.

How many more crowns does the 7-time South African Superbike champ need—is there a lucky number in mind?

I always said seven, but I think we need to push for a few more. I do have a new number in mind, but I’ll let you know what it is when I get there.

Managing the King Price Xtreme team, while racing competitively is a massive task—how has the pandemic affected your leadership approach?

I always strive to make our partners and sponsors happy. And, while it’s difficult not having them as track-side guests, we work super hard to get results and to make sure that the team stays on everyone’s lips.

This has undoubtedly been a challenging year—what lessons have you learned that you’ll take with you in future?

Probably how to work more effectively. Recently, we’ve had limited track time and need to make every session count.

Describe your fellow riders, Dino Iozzo and Sfiso Themba, with one word each.

Dino Iozzo: Raw.
Sifiso Themba: Determined.

You’ve ridden your 2016/2017 R1 beyond the point of reason, but still with success. What will we see in the King Price paddock in 2021?

We’ll definitely move to another manufacturer for 2021 but we haven’t locked down a deal just yet.

If you could have anyone from the MotoGP as your teammate, who would you choose and why?

Valentino Rossi, just for his amazing stories.

It’s bittersweet news from the King Price team, as Dino moves to Germany to compete in the IDM German Supersport Championship for 2021. It’s sad but exciting, as we see another young South African star make his way into international space. Sifiso will remain in the team and continue racing in the national Bridgestone Superbike Series.

All in all, it was a great event put on by a great team. We’re super excited to see what the 2021 season has in store for us fans and riders. For 2021, you’d be silly to bet against the King Price Xtreme boys.

If there’s one corner of the motorcycle market where electric propulsion really makes sense, it’s urban mobility. Most electric motorcycles are hamstrung by range, and sometimes top speed—but a commuter relies on neither. Take the twist-and-go convenience of a scooter and add an electric drivetrain, with enough juice to run the city by day and charge at night, and you’re onto something.

The BMW Group are big on electric mobility, so they’ve just thrown the wraps off the BMW Motorrad Definition CE 04 electric scooter concept. They’re calling it a ‘near-series’ version of the Concept Link—a near-identical design that they showed off at the prestigious Concorso d’Eleganza in 2017. And that means we might just see it in production soon.

It’s not the first time BMW Motorrad have built an electric scooter—the battery-operated C Evolution was released in Europe as far back as 2013. But with the Definition CE 04 the focus is on more than just its electric drivetrain. With it, BMW are exploring a wider range of tech and connectivity options, along with the bold claim that they want to “redefine the scooter segment.”

As such, BMW’s press release is light on any tech details like range, speed, and exactly what drivetrain they’ve used. In fact, it’s light on anything concrete, but instead teases a few nifty connectivity concepts, and focuses mainly on the Definition CE 04’s design.

It’s a great design too—just futuristic enough to be interesting, but not overcooked. It’s a compact scoot, put together in true Tetris style with a compact drivetrain, and flat battery packs integrated into the underfloor area. The setup allows for an innovative side-access storage unit, big enough to take a helmet. And BMW claim that the low battery placement will keep the centre of gravity low too, which should have a positive effect on handling.

BMW have stuck to a crisp colour scheme too. Body panels are white, mechanical parts (or panels that cover mechanical parts) are black, and there are orange accents scattered throughout. Modern LED lighting and a small orange windshield add the final touches.

The seat’s pretty basic, but BMW say that, according to their research, their target market with the Definition CE04 (urban commuters) ride no more than 12 km per day. But it’s also been designed completely flat, so that you can shift your butt forward or backwards depending on your height.

The scooter also comes with a 10.25” TFT display, which is bigger than the displays on some of BMW’s bigger bikes. Our guess is that the bigger display will allow BMW to push the capabilities of their already-useful smartphone app even further, similar to what they’ve done on the new R 1250 RT. That would mean full-screen navigation, and full integration with your in-helmet comms system to run media and calls. But given the electric drivetrain, we’re expecting a wider range of data, diagnostics and customisation.

But BMW are looking to take the tech beyond just your phone and your bike, through the creation of intelligent rider gear. So they’ve designed a protective and waterproof parka with a few added features, like LED lighting for added visibility, and a pocket that acts as a wireless smartphone charger.

There’s no word on how or if any of the gear integrates directly with the Definition CE04, which would be an interesting concept to explore. And a white riding parka definitely isn’t going to suit everyone’s taste… but it’s a clever idea, nonetheless.

There’s no news on when the CE04 will go into production, or what sort of numbers it’ll make. But the overall package makes a lot of sense for low-mileage urban commuters, and it looks pretty wild, too. We’ll be keeping an eye out for sure.