Archive of BMW Motorrad Club Cape (2006 - 2019)

This post is dedicated to two men- both Good and True.

Men like Clayton and James are rare, Proper, If I ever go to war, I want them on my team!

Sunday 29th June 2014, Western cape, S/west to The Boathouse, Malgas.

I fail from time to time and my big FAIL of recent was my management of a flat battery on a cold winter day while leading a section of riders on the Liberation of Infanta,

you can read of that exploit here......

http://bmwmccc.org.za/liberation-infanta

I abandoned my bike with a dead battery on Sans Soucci sheep/grain farm, kind favour of the landowner,  200km from home and rode pillion to continue liberating Infanta.

The big FAIL was to be towed with bike in gear after the latest attempt to pull start it failed. I had my clutch in for a few kilometers and the clutch burnt out, as in PROPERLY.

Should never have done it and I paid dearly.

You can read about that here.......

http://bmwmccc.org.za/tech-torque-clutch-plat-replacement-open-heart-surgery-home-r1200gsa

At infanta, while James the tactician, worked his jaws on a good pizza, he was working his mind on my dilema of bike recovery, knowing I was due to leave a week overseas.

Ever the the entrepenuer he evolved a simple plan.

I hand over the reigns to a far better leader in Eric Mclaren to take the group home safely.

Annie borrows a trailer and drives out in our direction and meets us, wherever that may be.

James takes me pillion to where I left the bike and tows me in the direction of home.

Somewhere in between we will meet Annie and recover the bike by trailer.

And seeing as Calyton is joined to James at the hip, he would not countenance us riding the wilds unescorted, came along to ride shotgun and keep the traffic off us.

Stroke of genius, it all worked out fine.

We towed on gravel at between 40 and 80kph and James towed me on tar  at between 80 and 110 kph.

As the rear bike, I was his brakes.

We had to negotiate two rural towns - Bredasdorp and Napier, and we met Annie in Caledon and alls well that ends well.

Here is a video clip of towing at 80kph on gravel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH0ywTJFzIY&feature=youtu.be

Here is a video clip of towing on tar at 100kph.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXCifHgk5cU&feature=youtu.be

Clayton, I am indebted to you for your kindness and for taking the videos.

James, Ever am I in your debt for towing me much further than I ever towed you back in December.

 I know we each had tons of fun!!

And it was safe and rustig.