Preparation for a GS Challenge does not start with the entry form, it starts much later.
Half an hour before you turn the key, you put on that suit. It’s a suit worth several thousand rand; A BMW suit. Boots, gloves, jacket and pants all matching.
Riders of other brands scoff, or so you hear, but you don’t care. According to you, Harley riders dress up like silly play actors, Superbikers dress like Power Rangers, but you mean business. Perhaps it’s a sweet illusion.
Owning a BMW and following the lifestyle is an expensive business and it is best appreciated through complete immersion.
The road to the Challenge is an adventure in itself, roaring across the open plains of the Karoo and over the switch-back mountain passes of the Cederberg.
When we arrived at base camp there was a buzz in the air. Five hundred and fifty odd kindred spirits congregated amongst serrated rocks and grassy fields.
We found a spot and pitched our tents, glancing up to scan for familiar faces and admire that vintage GS in classic rally regale.
I’ll not beat around the bush at this point. I did not look forward to attending such a clique event. I struggled to see why a brand specific event would be so popular. I’ve heard all the talk on the Wild Dog forums on why BMW want to have their own little exclusive party. But by the end of the weekend it became clear to me. It’s BMW’s way of rewarding and thanking their clients.
The entry fees (particularly high this year) do not cover the cost of whole event, so BMW sponsors it in part.
If I felt like complaining about something, all I had to do was look at the rows upon rows of clean mobile toilets with an unlimited supply of white gold and the large shower and wash area with uninterrupted hot water. Not only that but, if you consider that we were miles from the nearest national grid access, you really come to appreciate the gen erators (parked far away not to disturb the campers) that powered the field kitchens, the lights, the bar and everything else.
The first night was surprisingly constrained; everyone awaited the pre-route briefing in the enormous Bedouin tent. Deon Meyer welcomed us and spoke in his familiar easy-going manner. The Green Route, The Orange Route and the formidable Red Route; all were laid bare with the secrets hinted at using misleading photographs.
I chose the Orange Route, like a computer game player not wanting to play ‘Easy’ level, but figuring he can’t defeat the boss monster on ‘Hard’ level either.
As if choreographed, the catering staff marched into the tent with their arms around large bowls of food. We ate heartily and celebrated our arrival with wine late into the midnight hour. Most participants studied their road books diligently and went to bed quite early. I could not for the life of me figure out why, was this not a holiday?
I reached for my earplugs early on Wednesday morning; engines were burbling and the Doppler effect of bikes rumbling past confused me no end. It was still dark and my head hurt from the Rum and Tab joyously decanted by my riding mate the previous evening. The time was six o’clock. I was surrounded by crazy fools!
Nevertheless I geared up and zipped my way out of the tent. The air was chilly as the bike trundled along the sandy two-spoor track and on to Nieuwoudtville for the first fuel stop.
A long strip of powdery dust stretched out over the Hantam plains. We followed the convoy, passing riders that were either sightseeing or concerned about the loose gravel roads, and were passed by others who loved to go a little faster than was probably wise.
Quiver trees flashed past until we reached the start of the first Special Stage. The road was littered with fist sized rocks and deep wash-aways. We were riding through magnificent vistas which were diverting our attention from roaming sheep and treacherous sand. The scouts who laid out the routes really outdid themselves, the scenery was great and the roads fairly challenging.
This was the first time an ‘orange’ route was introduced. At the first challenge in 2004, there were also three routes; the Blue, the Green and the Red. The Blue route was quickly discarded because participants didn’t find it challenging at all.
A lot of GS riders are proficient enough to handle technical terrain but don’t want to risk damage to their expensive bikes. And so as participant requests filtered through, an intermediate route was brought into being.
Despite the logic behind the three routes, a lot of bikes didn’t make it through day one. The workshop, staffed by mechanics from Hamman, Donford and Atlantic Motorrad, had their hands full repairing sumps and various bits of damage.
Day one of the orange route took the participants for a 300km ride over the Doring- and Hantamsrivier, through beautiful farms where riders had to do leapfrog duty, opening and closing countless gates.
That evening I reclined on a comfortable sofa with my feet on a glass coffee table. My wife would never allow such behaviour at home. Friendly waiters kept the snack bowls coming and our glasses filled with wine. Around us gas heaters flared to keep the chill at bay. Bar girls in tiny, tight-fitting shorts endured catcalls with a smile. With a contented sigh I listened to my comrades telling hilarious tall tales which wore down the evening. It’s a tough life!
Ba ck at the tents it was the usual ‘Good night John-boy’ ‘Good night Mary-ellen’ gag. We gave little thought about the next day and its 330km of dirt trails.
Orange day-2 took the riders via delectable farm roads, riddled with sandy patches and steep descents, over the Pakhuis Pass and into the town of Clanwilliam for lunch.
From Clanwilliam the road climbed to Algeria, Uitkyk Pass and Matjiesrivier. The Cederberg routes are incredibly beautiful and the road from Eselbank to Wuppertal is beyond description.
From there it was an easy, fast ride back to camp where we got back just in time to watch the skills challenge.
The previous day’s skills challenge saw a large number of participants whittled down to about 18 contestants. The bike categories were divided into ‘light’ (X-challenge and 650GS), ‘medium’ (1150, 1200GS and HP2) and ‘heavy’ (1150Adventure and 1200Adventure) classes.
The riders were required to cross a stream, ride up and down slopes and make tight turns all without putting their feet down. Coloured flags along the course also denoted certain ‘tricks’ that had to be preformed. For instance swinging a leg over and riding with both feet on one peg, both feet on the seat, etc, all without stopping.
Back at camp, the enormous rock towering over the tented town was specked with people trying to get a cellular signal not unlike gregarious petrels on a tiny island. Normally there would be no signal but Vodacom had set up a temporary tower for the duration of the challenge. I tried the showers for the first time and enjoyed the hot water jetting from the nozzle.
Dinner was great as usual and a short walk away the beer tent waited with those comfortable sofas and great company of newly met friends.
Orange day-3 was perhaps the most memorable of them all. After another hearty breakfast at camp and filling up at Nieuwoudtville, the group rumbled north and swung around the Bokkeveldberg and witnessed some of the most scenic landscapes on the route.
The owner of Gannabos farm was kind enough (or is that evil enough) to divert the official route up a dry riverbed. For the next one and a half kilometres chaos ruled. Bikes were buried everywhere, their riders swearing and sweating in equal measure. Those of us who had previous sand riding experie nce stormed through, avoiding the despondent cadavers of fallen participants. Some of us made it to solid ground without incident and walked back to help our struggling comrades.
Calvinia was the next stop. It was perfectly placed on the route. Just in time for a cold one!
We left the town reluctantly but we still had some way to go. Our persistence was rewarded by large fields dre ssed in gold and snow white wildflowers spread out on both sides of the track. The floral scent was wonderful, making the ride so much more special.
From the farm of Weltevrede we climbed up a sandy track to the steep Kliprug Pass, a pass surely carved from the mountain with a blunt shovel wielded by a sadistic anti-bike lobbyist.
The medical staff from Medi-Clinic stood at the top of Kliprug and spied on us with binoculars. Not a promising sign.
With the last Special Stage behind us, the ride back to camp went by quickly. Parking the bike and pulling off my boots felt rewarding and slightly saddening. Why must all good things come to an end?
We made our way to the open field hosting the third day of the skills challenge.
The final six contestants were fighting it out on a sand track. Two identical R1200GS Adventures lay on their sides in the middle of an oval track. Two riders sprinted to the bikes Suzuka-style and quickly donned helmets before starting up the bikes and racing off. Elimination came when a contestant overtook another or when someone made a critical mistake like leaving the marked course.
When the six were down to three, the rules changed. The contestants now raced counter clockwise in a time trial race. They looked spectacular and the bikes did well under their expert control.
At the final debriefing we learned of Deon Meyer’s retirement as organiser of the GS Challenge and his ambitions to become a full time author. He performed his last official duty under applause by announcing blonde surfer-boy, Roger Kane-Berman as this year’s challenge winner. Roger became the owner of a brand new 650 X-Challenge.
Various dignitaries then took centre stage; starting with the head of the Northern Cape tourism board, Owen Coetzee, who thanked the Challenge organisers for employing and training so many local people and thanking the participants for donating hundreds of books to local scho ols.
Lachlan Harris, general manager of BMW Motorrad South Africa, had a surprise up his sleeve (or so he thought). BMW’s newest pony in the growing stable was given a world premier and we were the first to see it; the 450 Sports Enduro. But rumours about the bike had already spread throughout the camp two days earlier; you can’t keep a bunch of enthusiasts in the dark for long.
The 450 is a fully functional concept bike that will be entered into this year’s E2 class of the World Enduro Championship to be held in Puerto Lumbreras, the south of Spain.
Two riders have been signed to ride the bike, Joel Smets and Sascha Eckert. Christian Wettach, product manager for Motorrad Germany, was kind enough to fly the bike to the Challenge and personally introduce it to u s.
It was a treat to be given a first glance, but all our fears were dispelled when someone asked if it would be allowed on next year’s GS Challenge. Since it was not road legal it would not be admitted.
The last evening was typical of a final night at any motorcycle rally (although participants are sworn not to use the ‘R’ word), partying next to the huge bonfire into the early hours, the devil may care what happens the next day.
History of the GS Challenge:The first challenge was held in 2004 at the Country Trax facility outside Amersfoort in Mpumalanga. Initially riders had a choice bet ween two routes; Green or Red. A relatively small number of 98 participants entered.In 2005 it moved to Loxton in the Northern Cape where the Blue route was introduced. The number of entrants had by then jumped to 380.The third annual GS Challenge was held in the beautiful valley of Moolmanshoek, near Ficksburg in the Free State. The Blue route was discarded but the green route was seen by the average rider as too easy and the red route too difficult. The organisers decided to limit the amount of entrants to roughly 600 participants.This year’s challenge hosted one hundred fewer participants than the previous year. It can be attributed to increased distance from Gauteng, higher costs and the disappointment some participants experience in 2006. The latter reason was mainly based on the cold mielies served for dinner, an unforgivable sin when dealing with Northerners, or so I’m told.The original intent was to offer an adventure for GS owners all across Southern Africa. Participants would be encouraged to ride their bikes all the way from their homes and partake in a weekend of technical riding on private land where the general public are not usually allowed.The challenge has stayed true to this spirit and riders came from as far as Windhoek with their tent and sleeping bag strapped to the back.Participation from abroad was also noticeable in the form of European entrants.For information about the next Great African GS Challenge, visit www.gagsc.co.zaAbout t he venue:Papkuisfontein Guest Farm is located 25km south of Nieuwoudtville. It is owned and managed by the Van Wyk family. It offers rock pools for swimming, canyon and waterfall, hiking trails, wild and birdlife and is situated in the unique Cape Fynbos and Succulent Karoo biomes.
Several types of quaint but comfortable accommodation are offered. There are the stone cottages of De Hoop, Gert Boom and Ronde Kraal, the country style De Lande guest house and the little Sinkhuisie with its charming character.
Visit www.papkuilsfontein.com or phone 027 218 1246 for more information.
Typical packing list:A small tentSleeping bagMattress and pillowTorchTowelToiletries / prescription medicine
Casual clothing for evenings
A small rucksack and/or water bladder
Cash
Tyre repair kit
A Camera
A Cellular phone
GPS or tank bag with map window
You don’t need anything else but you are welcome to take along whatever luxuries you feel will complete your experience.
This article appeared in the December 2007 issue of TOPbike magazine
