Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

Unless you get the G450X at a ridiculously low price, look at other options.  Apparently the resale value of the G450X is poor, and from what I have seen it seems expensive to run.  Also, any 450 is a real handful and quite intimidating unless you are big and quite experienced.

The Yamaha 250 is a great bike, and the KTMs are also superb (if a bit more expensive and difficult to maintain).  You will find that people are not shy to let you try their dirtbikes, so ask around and try a few.  Also, consider a two-stroke - the modern ones have a much better spread of powerband and are light and cheap to run.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that because you ride an 800/1200/whatever, that a puny 250 is too little.  On a dirtbike it is more than enough.  Jan du Toit, who is not a small man, and Wayne Sheppard, who is just as big, love to dice each other on the Honda CRF230F.

You can go look at a KDX200 as well, warren has one, and that thing just wants to go....even with Warren being...uhm......"size challenged". :-D

Because I don't own a car and trailer, I think what I'm after is something that I can also ride, with relative comfort, within a 100 km radius of Cape Town. The bigger (up to 500cc) 4-strokes seem more appealing, for that reason.

I've also got my eye on a 1982 Honda XR500R that's lying covered in 3 years of dust on my cousin's farm in the Free State

Got a roadworthy Honda CRF230F.  Pretty soon, it stopped being fun riding the knobblies stukkend on tar getting to Zone 7 or the quarry or wherever.  And then the indicators got broken, the mirrors, the numberplate etc etc.

Also, some of the best rides are out Clanwilliam, Ceres, etc way and you have to use a bakkie or trailer anyway.  There is always space on a friend's vehicle - you don't want to ride alone in any case.  I'm lucky to have a bakkie though, and when we replace it we have to consider a trailer or something.

I've got a G450X on a trailer. Like new. It's a great bike. 2009 model only 2000km. If you are interested