Cheers, anything you know of worth seeing, routes to ride East of Jo'burg, sure there are loads. Over for 4 weeks, week with the family and 3 touring. Provided this aged body can keep it up
Julian

Quinton need any help i am in johannesburg ride a ktm 640 have travelled most of SA so shout.

Thanks, biggest problem at the moment is going to be finding my way out of Joberg I think, might be able to get my family to lead the way by car and then got lost on my own. Will keep your email handy.
Julian

Hey Martman,
Keep that beer on ice thought, will be around in a couple of months, make it Tafel lager.

DO not deal with Mitaka i bought a yzf 600 yamaha from them and on delivery found it was only running on 3 cylinders but there worshop insisted it was running fine plus 2 months later the gearbox packed up I was futher told to take my junk somewhere else they could not help me so be careful.

even though it looks like you`ve already got a bike reserved JQ.........if it goes pair shaped maybe try these lot (as far as i remember they are based in natal):

http://www.alfiecox.co.za/RENTAL/bike_rental.htm

im off over there in oct/nov....i had a word with the blokes at this place and the prices seemed quite good for bike hire,and they said they`d deliver to where ever i was first staying after landing over there, but decided against the ktm in the end and booked through HC-TRAVEL here in england, who have reserved bikes from le-cap in cape town......hope this helps even though im probably to late

Thanks, all help appreciated, the people I am dealing with have offered a good price and are very helpful as well. Hope it all works out for you. What are your plans?
Julian

jq..........our plans are to head from cape town towards the garden route taking in mounatins roads around the wine route and places above george , which i`ve forgotten the names of.........head up to east london then durban, again taking in places ive read and heard about.........from durban inland to the drakensberg range, which i cant wait to see...then hopefully through lesotho anfd back to cape town via the karoo..............thats how ive roughly worked it out.........but the peeps im travelling with i wont see until the day or 2 before we leave, so we cant discuss it all till then..............

anyway , have a fantstic time and i`d lve to hear about you trip when you get back mate...

cheers, simon

Botswana is not biking country, if you want to do biking, I can recomend tons of other areas to go riding. If it is Botswana you want to go see you must rather hire a fourwheel drive because none of the game reserves is accesable with normal cars. To stay in the game reseves you must make prior bookings and have a well planed itenary. They will not allow bikes into the reserves and besides the roads are very sandy, witch is a danger in its own, and if you survive the crash you might be eaten by a lion or stood on by an elaphant.
Even when traveling by 4x4 you will camp in sites where there is no fences and you might find a pride of lions as your neighbour.
It is advisable to travel in a group with more than one vehicle.
In short, the allure about Botswana is the untamed experiance that you will have in their game reserves. The rest of the country is flat, boring and is covered by bush veld, so you hardly see further than the tree line.
Feel welcome to e-mail me if you need more help as I live in Cape Town and no the area.

Don't write off Botswana! It's a special country, worth visiting, and not like anywhere else in Africa. No, its not great flor motorcycling, but for meeting interesting people and culture, its worth a visit.

The best option if you are travelling through is to come in from Namibia, into the Transit Route through Chobe Game Reserve (bikes are allowed). You may see game on the route, but don't be afraid, it is very safe if you use your common sense (ride slow, give the animals plenty of space, don't rev or use your horn). I have camped in Botswana parks many times and have not yet been eaten or even gnawed on slightly.

Once through Chobe, camp at the Chobe Safari Lodge on the edge, and take their boat and 4x4 tours into the park. Seeing 500 elies on the banks of the Chobe is amazing.

Well.....sorry about the late reply on some of the posted answers!
Yes, we did our trip in October/November 2005, renting an 1150GS from Colin Gallop of Motorrad Executive Rentals in Johannesburg. We picked up an immaculate 7000km bike from their Cape Town office near the V & A Waterfront.
See http://www.f650.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=200187
for a trip report, with linked pics etc.

------------------
Jack Chomley
Rockhampton, Australia
'02 F650GS, '03 R1150GS '05 HP2 1200

If you prefer KLR / DR or MZ have a look at www.lecap.co.za

I can recommend Le Cap (above) I rented a bike from them and had a great trip.

Thanks Glynn! No more speeding fines so far :-)

I am looking to hire a bike in December to go: CT, PE, JHB, Gabs, Whk, Swakop, Whk, CT. All from 4/12 to 2/1.

Right now I am seriously thinking of shipping my bike down to CT doing the trip and then shipping it back to UK. With all the shipping I will still come out a couple thou cheaper. Hire prices for bikes are ludacrously expensive (R25,000 for whole period + 1.5/km with 200km per day free); more than hiring a Avis car (R5,249 for the whole period + 1.5/km with 5800km free). Tourism bug gone mad!!!

Will report back once I find my preferred solution.

[This message has been edited by Bossies (edited 24 March 2006).]

[This message has been edited by Bossies (edited 24 March 2006).]