There is a very fine line between bravery, and stupidity and
sometimes these lines get blurred to such an extent that you are left confused
and wondering whether or not you are actually sane. This is what happened to me
when a Michael, a JOC reader told me he was planning a road trip.
Normally I would have said good luck, take loads of
pictures, and enjoy yourself. Mainly because A)It was done with a motorbike,
and B)it was from Johannesburg to Durban. So it’s not something special.
This was slightly different. It was done on an 8 year old 250cc
Chinese branded bike. You know those bikes, the ones that can barely reach 120.
The ones bought by school kids with cigarette money.
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| Peaceful at Ballito |
Now it must be noted that I did own a BigBoy DRT 250 for
about a year. I sold it, in spares, and not because of the name, but because I
came of twice in one month. I can honestly say that from my little biking
experience, the falling part is not so bad. It is when you stop falling when
stuff starts to get seriously painful. This is also all I know when it comes to
serious biking.
The bike in question is a Bashan 250RR named Grace.
Delivering somewhere in the region of 12Kw and 14Nm torque through a 5 speed
wet clutch system. The bike has a rated top speed of 110km/h and an average
cruising speed of between 70-85km/h. The Maximum rider weight is 150kg. This
would mean Michael, rider reader, took a 700km trip with a machine that would
be operating at its limits. This would in essence be test of endurance.
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| The graceful Pony |
I asked Michael to make notes as he goes along, and take
pictures. Sadly though, there were not many photo opportunities as he was “cruising”
down. Safety was a priority for Michael, and as such pulling over to take
several selfies was out of the question.
Here is our little conversation.
JOC: Why take a little 250cc on such a trip, why not fly or
use the bus or train services?
ML: I wanted to experience what it would be like and decided
why not? Let’s have an adventure. It opened my eyes, I saw things differently
while on the road. If you ride a bike it’s just you, the road, and nature.
JOC: How many times did you hear you will not make it purely
because it is a Chinese brand?
ML: There were actually quite a few people who told me I would
not make it, many told me I was crazy, and a lot of them were not shy when
expressing their opinion.
JOC: How long did you plan for this trip?
ML: The planning for the trip was almost a month. I did a
few trial runs and internet research.
JOC: Any problems along the way not relating to Grace?
ML: Yes there were a few issues. Getting frustrated with
traffic, and getting tired. The people in the Urban areas who has no idea where
they want to go made me do a lot of excessive braking. My back and feet were
wasted.
JOC: What was the general attitude towards you when on the road?
JOC: Tell us about Grace.
ML: I have owned her now for almost 8 years and at one stage I did just over 200kms per day. There is 30,000km on the odometer now. There is a full service history, with most of the services done by myself. However I do occasionally use Silverspokes in Kempton Park. The owner was also very encouraging when I told him about the trip.
Grace just wanted to go, there were a few times you could feel she is hot, but it still did not seem like she will be letting go any time soon.
JOC: I have to ask this. Why a Bashan, and not something
known, like a Honda or Suzuki for example?
ML: It was the cheapest option available at the time I went
looking for a bike. I wanted something small, and it was quite a good looking
bike as well.
JOC:
Riding a bike is one thing. Taking a 700km road trip with a 250cc is something
completely different. What advise will you give to someone who wants to attempt
a small cc road trip like you did?
ML: Make sure your bike is 100%. Check everything from tyre
pressure to each and every bolt as they tend to loosen with the vibrations.
Make sure you take a couple of needed tools with you, and a couple of spare
parts such as a spare chain, sparkplugs, and nuts and bolts. Have it services
before you go. For riding I would recommend going as early as possible to avoid
the heat, as some of these smaller CC’s are air cooled. Make regular stop and
take about an hour, dress with the correct safety clothing, and be aware that
your chain will rust. As for the rest, take your time and enjoy the ride!
JOC: What was the
biggest challenge you had to face on this trip?
ML: Heat, weight, and baggage. I do not have a top box, so
it did make life a little more difficult. I am also quite tall, so getting my
back to work with the rest of my body was quite a challenge. It required
stamina even if the bike went well.
JOC: You obviously had the biked checked before you set off,
but with hindsight, what would have focused on, and what is in your opinion the
most important thing that needs to be checked or done before you go?
ML:
Check your bearings and chain. My chain snapped a day before I was supposed to
set off to travel, and even with all the checks done by a professional, a few
bolts managed to be unchecked. I lost my exhaust manifold nut with the vibrations
on my way there.
JOC: I understand you are not one of the fittest men in the
world, how did you manage to keep going mile after mile?
ML:
This will probably sound strange, but by going from town to town, and stop to
stop, remembering that I will eventually get to my final destination, and by
being positive that I will make it. I told myself I will win this challenge,
and I made a point of it to enjoy the ride.
JOC:
Ultimately Grace did end up with some damage during the trip. Tell us about it.
ML:
Sadly yes. That is why you have to check the bolts. The 250 Bashan motor
vibrates a lot. I have lost the rear bolt and nut on the exhaust somewhere between
Pietermaritzburg and Pinetown. It made the performance drop quite a bit. I had
to floor it just to keep up with traffic.
A
day before coming back to Johannesburg, I went through and discovered I lost
another bolt on the rear brake calliper, and the left wheel bearing casing sheared
off and wrapped itself over the wheel shaft. I had to do a bushman repair by
bending it straight again. I’ve put it back in its place, and it held up all
the way back. I have a slight suspicion the mechanic who replaced my rear tire
(also done days before leaving) did not put back the grommets that keep the
seals and wheel bearings in place, so I did another temporary repair job by
using a hose clamp on just to keep everything from breaking.
JOC: What was your most memorable moment?
ML:
It has to be when I hit van Reenens Pass. It was in the morning with no clouds.
There was nothing to be seen but the mountains and the curves of the road. It
was outstanding. I think it was impressive that I could do that pass in 5th
gear.
JOC: What was your worst moment?
ML: It has to be when I hit Durban. The traffic was awe full,
and everybody leaning on their tooters because of my exhaust being loose. I
also got a little lost.
Gallery
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| No Top Box? No Problem! |
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| A view from the front |
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| The Bashan 250RR named Grace |
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| The broken bearing housing |
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| Apparently the engine is sweating the salty air |
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| The hose Clamp repair Job |
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| Taking a break |
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| The way back home |
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| Add caption |
It does seem that even against all odds it was, and forever
will be something to remember, but when I asked him if he will do it again, he
responded without hesitation.
“No. Not with Grace”
If you have a similar story you want to share, give me a shout on Twitter @Jonnieoncars or Facebook Jonnieoncars
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