So, I am hoping this is the correct section in which to post some pics of my 50th birthday celebrations, which involved a 12-day, 3,000 kms gravel road tour following the Garden Route in South Africa.

Earlier in the year, I had persuaded my wife that instead of her planned trip to Oz for my 50th, where would go "site seeing", what we really needed to do was to hire some XT660's and ride out into the African bush!

My first step was to purchase an identical bike to the one's we'd be hiring/riding in SA, namely the XT660z Tenere and that's where my love affair with this two-wheeled tractor (no offence meant) began.

My wife had held a bike licence since 1992 but had never actually ridden to any great extent. This was fixed by putting her on a back to biking course and I knew that would either "kill or cure". Luckily for me she came back all smiles and couldn't wait to swap her moped sized Kawasaki ER500 learner bike for the huge in-comparison; XT660.

So all was going to plan and then I decided that my 23 year old son and his mate should come and take part, in this once in a lifetime adventure too. Not normally a problem, except that neither had a motorbike licence! That led me to thinking that if they were having lessons, then an old mate of mine from the 250cc two-stroke days should come and get some lessons too. Plus why not invite a contact from my old motor-sport days who lives in Oz to fly to SA and join us!!!

After months of planning, with brand new licences, the group looked like this;
1. Me - No off-road experience but been riding bikes since my FS1E.
2. My wife - Inexperienced road rider, with no off-road skills.
3. My son - Inexperienced road rider, with no off-road skills.
4. My sons mate - Inexperienced road rider, with no off-road skills.
5. My mate - Inexperienced road rider, with no off-road skills.
6. My Oz mate - Lives on a 5,000 acre farm, rides dirt bikes!! (show-off).

When I looked at the stats, I decided that my wife and I should take part in an off-road riding course in Derbyshire -( http://www.adventurebikewarehouse.co...roducts/ORT001)

When I look back I thank god that we did, as this was to prove the most important �150 I've ever spent. Youngsters have no fear of dying and so I knew they'd muddle through and my mate? Well he'd have to man up...

The plan was we'd fly down to SA, meet a guide with 6 x XT660's including luggage panniers and then head out into the wilderness for the next 12 x days staying at a mixture of farm houses and small town hotels.

When we arrived there were 5 x Yamaha's and 1 x BMW. My old biking mate couldn't jump for the BWM quickly enough, not because he thought they were better but because he is 5' 6" and hadn't brought a step-ladder to get on the XT!

So, here we go:

Note all the nice, clean, new equipment? All the gear....


The trip started off with an easy tarmac section


Our trip started near to where The Long Way Down ended






We turned inland away from the sea and the gravel roads rose up to meet us. Here's some general riding shots.

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There were some 28 water crossings of various length and depth. Here's the wife about to get wet!


A typical lunch stop


Quite some scenery


My god when it got hot, it got hot! 30 degrees.


A typical nights accommodation.

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After a day getting wet on the outside, there's nothing better.


One of the last hand-pulled ferries in Africa


Remembrance Sunday at 11am, somewhere in Africa!


A mosquito net, not for the mossies but to keep the rather large wall spiders away!




Nearing the end..

I'd have posted some more but reached my limit.

I hope you like the pics I've uploaded and I really recommend that if you ever get the chance to visit the gravel roads of SA, you jump at the chance!

All the riders coped remarkably well and it was quite surprising how quickly the standing riding style was adopted, even at 90mph! One spill on the last day in soft sand resulted in a damaged screen but otherwise the trip was awesome! My son has now decided that he no longer wants a "road rocket" but an adventure bike instead. My wife has got me looking for an XT for her and I was blown away by the sheer grunt of the XT. We're off to the Pyrenees later this year and I can't wait!

Great forum, the sheepskin seat cover tip really saved my life, or was it arse? Either way, keep up the good work.

Looks like you all had a fantastic trip great photos, I think the bikes are smiling as much as the owner's

Are they XTR front mudguards on the Tenere's ? They look smart.

Hi, thanks for the feedback and it was truly the adventure of a lifetime!

I am not sure on the front guards but this is the one I am buying for mine;
http://www.off-the-road.de/en/XT-660...-XT-660-Z.html

Great family outing! Given me something to think about - my three lads all ride bikes, would be amazing to do something like your trip. Have to start saving ;-)

Seriously if you can scrape the money together, do it! The cost of everything in SA is about 1/3 of what it costs us here and the steaks are like nothing on earth! Plus they do make some pretty good wine...

Thanks for sharing, looks you guys had a great ride.

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Mods that I have done to my XTX's

My 04 XTX
Stage 1 & 2 DNA filters / Kev fuel mod / snorkel mod / Drilled air box mod / Engine breather mod / Fork Spacer mod / 15w fork oil /
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My 07 XTX
Raptor 700 cylinder 102mm / Modified Crank Case to take a 105mm Raptor Cylinder / 11:1 102mm JE Raptor piston / Stage 1 Raptor Hot Cam / Ported head / Colder Spark Plug / +2mm Throttle body / DNA stage 1 & 2 filters / Modified Air Box / Snorkel removed / Worry Brothers stage 2 filter cover / 6mm & 8mm Bolts Replaced with Titanium Bolts / Recovered seat in Black / O2 Eliminator /

My 09 XTX
59HP at the rear wheel / Stage 2 Raptor Hot Cam / DNA stage 3 Air Box / Carbon Can Exhausts / Modified Exhaust Link Pipes / PCIII With Custom Fuel Map / Wideband Commander O2 Data logger / LCD100 Dyno Jet display & fuel adjuster / 2500 OHM HT lead instead of a 10K OHM XT lead / Extra Coolant Cooler / Protaper Fat Bars / Tail Tidy With LED Tail Light / OKE Protection Knobs / LED indicators / AIS blocked / Modified rear sprocket rubbers / Rear Foot Pegs removed / 09 ECU With 02 Sensor Changed To A 06 ECU / Complete wiring harnes Changed from 09 to 04 / Home made LED resistor flasher / Hole drilled in the fuel tank filler neck to allow quicker filling / Modified Bar End Weights / Progressive front fork springs, 15W fork oil, forks lowered 25mm, used XTR rear links lowering the rear 20mm, rear spring one click stiffer / Changed front & rear guards from blue to black / 47T rear sprocket / Speedo Healer V4.0 / Kev throttle cam mod / Throttle grip mod / The new 2010 O2 sensor mod is out, works a treat, The new 2012 O2 Controller is out, PM me for details

Now ride a 2018 MT09SP ABS + TCS

My KTM 990 SMR Mod book. http://www.ktmsmt.com/viewtopic.php?f=13&t=4946

Awesome! That part of the country I know nothing about (that and the west coast). The ride look amazing. I should really explore that side of the world soon. The twisties in the mountains in particular. How did you know where to ride?

We hired a local guide along with the XT's and he provided the route. Apparently has does provide a route planning service if that is all you require?
The company was called; http://www.motorbikehire.co.za/ Although the bikes in the website pics, look a lot better maintained than the real deal