So the biking this started in March or April 2007, when I decided to buy my first "Scooter". The idea was simple. Buy a Scoot, and learn what's the deal, and slowly work my way up to a bigger Dualsport Bike. I bought something very similar to this, a "GoMoto Mantis 150cc". As usual, the Salesman at the Bikeshop "Long-time closed for obvious reasons", swore this would be perfect for my needs. I got the Scoot, a Jacket and Pants (which were donated to Max as they didn't NEARLY fit), and a helmet for the pricely sum of 11 Grand.

For the next 10 months, I spent another 9 Grand in total, as the brand new, out the box Gomoto, slowly but surely vibrated itself to pieces, and fell apart day by day. I replaced the Motor, Gearbox, exhaust and some bodywork in that time, and while I must admit, when it DID work, it was awesome and very fuel efficient, unfortunately the build quality left much to be desired. Turned out the tyres or wheels were buggered, but I had had enough, and sold it on Gumtree to a knowledgeable chap who claimed it was a good scoot.

During this period, I had got my Lerner's Licence, and as commuting daily from Parklands to Claremont and back. This also got me used to the weather, and splitting, and all the other obstacles that come with commuting by Bike. I also became a member of ThinkBike, which made sense at the time, but later on lost direction and the reason for their being.

Almost a year later, I realised the Scoot wasn't a good investment, and moved it along, and bought one of Max's training Bikes.. The Suzuki GN250, was my first "Real Bike", with clutch and gears.. I clearly remember how nervous I was when I took it home from Max's the night I bought it.. it was the longest, and most terrifying 4 Km's I've ever had to ride.

Together we made a bracket, and mounted a Kappa Topbox, which carried the required Rainsuit, and although a little small for my 6,2" frame, It was my next learning curve in dealing with traffic, and gears, and lack of speed, all at the same time.

The M5 was a dodgy piece of road, as I couldn't go quicker than 90 Km's, and often had a truck or two come bombing past me, almost blowing me off the side of the Highway into the Black River. Commuting still rocked, taking me a mellow 50 minutes to get to the office, vs a good 1 1/2 hours by car..

One day, at least 8 or 9 months later, I was off with a cold, and Max told me about a Bike he saw in the Classifieds, and felt it was what I needed. I got dressed, called the guy, and rode out to see the Bike middle of the day. it was a BEAST of a bike. it towered over my little GN, and I was MORE scared than I had been with the GN.. So much so that I didn't even test ride it, I just said I'd take it..

By the time I had left to go arrange the Transfer of Money, he had received about 10 other interested buyers, and I had managed to get there first. Bought my next next bike, another Suzuki, a 650 VSTROM.

Sheesh, what a bike, and what a difference from my previous little "chopper/Delivery bike", this think blew trucks AND cars away, and all of a sudden, I was seriously commuting. Managed to sell the GN on Gumtree again, and was now a "real Biker" I even inherited a nice Shark Helmet to go with the bike..

I also managed to get a Driver Licence Booking out in Malmesbury, and went to do my Licence with a good mate Jaco, one cold and wet Winter's Morning, and passed first time on the Big Strom. I was now officially legal.

The Vstrom was amazing, and Dee and myself were going for outrides, and having a great time on this machine. But, unfortunately, and almost a year to the day, one early April morning on my commute to work, a chap in a delivery van decided to try and cross the West Coast Road which I was approaching going to work. The resultant front brake grab on a wet, cold, and cambered road results in a sudden blackout, which when cleared, I found myself sliding down the West Coast Road, watching the VStrom smash into the front of the Delivery Van as I luckily slid past right through the wet intersection. End of Vstrom.

Insurance paid out as it wasn't my fault, and I was bikeless. Borrowed one of Max's Bajaj trainers, and finally did a deal on a Yamaha XT 660 R.

This was nice, much lighter than the Strom, and easier to handle, but it was also a Thumper, and I really missed the V Twin of the Strom. Over time though I got used the XT's quirkiness, and the weird surging that came with this bike. The Top Box and the Footpegs came off the trashed Strom and onto this bike, and another year went by.

And so, into 2011, and I decided I wanted a "new" bike. it was a decision between a BMW or another Yamaha. We did some comparisons and I did hours of R&D, and finally found this, a 2010 Demo 660 Z from Heyneman Yamaha out in Swellendam, (Who I had bought the previous XT from). Again, did the entire deal via email, not having test rode it at all. Down-priced the XT and advertised it on Wold Dogs, the Offroad Forum I'd become a member of, and sold the bike to a lucky chap in a matter of days.

2 Weeks later, and I went up with Dee to Swellendam one day and rode my new "new" bike back home. What an amazing Bike, and although the same powerplant and gearbox etc as the XT 660 |R, a TOTALLY different bike to ride, much more comfortable and sure to control. So I've stuck with the Yamaha Family, and have established a good relationship with Heyneman Yamaha, and more recently, Helderberg Yamaha in Somerset West, whom I use for keeping the bike in tip top condition.

The latest edition is "the Juggernaut. I decided I needed to move the Tenere' on as I wanted something that both Dee and myself would enjoy as a more comfortable tourer. A guy on the Wilddogs Forum wanted a Tenere', and had a 1200 GSA with a few thousand Km's on, so we did a straight swap deal.. 660 Tenere for a 1200 GS Adventure.

Did a round trip of 650 km's early in march to Riversdale, and in a Wimpy in a Garage, we did the transaction. The "Juggernaut" is the latest acquisition. All of a sudden, in a space of a few days, I have gone from owning a Yamaha, to owning two BMW's.. The Juggernaut, and Herman, the Cafe' Racer...

Click here for my new BMW "Cafe' Racer" project

From this

To this

BMW "Cafe' Racer" project