TG Newsletter: LADIES DAY & TRACK

Biker's Warehouse Ladies Day

(10 August 2020)

Biker’s Warehouse and Morag Campbell went to some trouble to pamper a lucky group of lady riders for Women’s Day, taking them out on a gravel loop around Johannesburg. Morag was the first South African female to compete in an international BMW GS Trophy, and because the day was sponsored by Honda South Africa, she got to show off the new CRF1100L Africa Twin.

Early morning, we had a quick warm-up coffee and muffins, and said ‘howzit’ to all the old friends, and a few new ones too.

The guys went on their ride, and a handful of ladies took a tar road trip of their own.

The adventure bikers, some of whom had never done actual dirt riding before, went out on the farm roads north of Johannesburg. I have to congratulate all of the less experienced ladies for daring to ride with Morag on their first adventure outing. You girls are bold and brave (and maybe slightly foolish), but with such an amount of guts you will enjoy whatever those future dirt roads may throw at you.

The momentous water crossing went with absolutely no incident. Though someone’s handbag did get caught in a bike’s sprocket and was tenderly disentangled by one of the jolly good fellows who rode with us. One Kawasaki leaked a few Oil of Olay drops and the clutch lever assembly on the new Dr Big came loose, but with enough lipstick and ‘lets ignore it – it might go away’, we all made it back safely for lunch and a munificent prize giving.

All the ladies received a gift (some bleddie nice stuff was handed out), and we all walked away with bags of lekker goodies and amazing new friends.

Ladies… *wagging my index finger in the air*

Stop complaining that not enough is being done for women riders or that there are no ladies events or suitable bikes or body armor that fits. When a day like this has been lovingly organized and you decide not to pitch up for whatever nambypamby reason, manufacturers will lose interest in involving women in dirt-riding. So when the next event comes along – ROCK UP!

Here are a few of the ladies who decided to ride rather than make excuses. I asked them some completely irrelevant impromptu questions.

Where in SA would you go on a three-day trip if you could go NOW?

Cederberg

Which three foods/snacks are essential on a week-long adventure?

Chocolates, chocolates and chocolates

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

Jo Rust

Nicola left before I could pepper her with questions about life, the universe and everything.

Where in SA would you go on a three-day trip if you could go NOW?

North! Far! Away! To the third tree on the left! Net weg...

Which three foods/snacks are essential on a week-long adventure?

NOT a Camelbak filled with whisky!!! Tequila, a can of mussels, anything else in a can (that we normally just bring home with us because we never ate it)

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

Soooo many! Taye Perry, Kirsten Landman, Ketula Melissakis, Cindy Porobich, the Pieterse-sussies, Nix (Nicole van Aswegen). And these are just the local girls! Internationally Dena Sodano will be on top of my list.

Where in SA would you go on a three-day trip if you could go NOW?

Mpumalanga

If humans were demoted as the rulers of SA, which animals should take over?

Elephants

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

Taye all the way!

Which three worldly things would you take if you had to flee to the moon?

No, that’s a complicated que… WHISKY! Jaycen! You can’t ride on the moon, can you? Okay Bikes. Oh, and my dogs

Which 5 foods/snacks are essential on an adventure?

Biltong, GU energy, and sweeties, and chocolate, and chocolate GU

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

Meg Griffiths, she’s on the enduro. She’s brilliant and recently started offering training (that was the question I wanted not foocking what three things will I take to the moon)

Which three worldly things would you take if you were banned to the moon?

Can it be a human – okay my husband, my smoker (e-cigarette) and my mascara

Where in SA would you go on a three-day trip if you could go NOW?

I would like to do the whole of the Transkei, Matatiele - Kokstad all the way to Cape Town

Okay - namedrop!

I don’t know anybody well enough to namedrop yet!

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

That little girl doing the Dakar, with long curly hair, dunno her name coz I am brand new, but after today I know some people! Next time I can drop a few names

Which 5 foods/snacks are essential on an adventure?

Biltong, naartjies, water, peanut bar, sweets, oooh and a little flask of whiskey

Where in SA would you go on a three-day trip if you could go NOW?

Swaziland

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

On Her Bike! I’ve been following her for a while and I like her girly, bubbly style

Where in SA would you go on a three-day trip if you could go NOW?

Anywhere where it is in nature

Which three foods/snacks are essential on a week-long adventure?

Water, fruit and protein

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

The Tank Girls! <3

If humans were demoted as the rulers of SA, which animals should take over?

Well it couldn’t be a monkey, that wouldn’t be good. Aliens! No?!? …next question

Which three foods/snacks are essential on a week-long adventure?

Cigarettes, cell phone – oh food! Liquorice!

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

Elmarie somebody… – she rides supercross GP. I met her once at Kyalami

Which three foods/snacks are essential on a week-long adventure?

Peanut butter, Provitas, Herbalife shake

Where in SA would you go on a three-day trip if you could go NOW?

Most probably Lesotho

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

O fok ek ken nie eintlik motorfietsvrouens nie – My very good friend Charice, she rides amazingly, and she inspires me. Also, Michelle Obama

Where in SA would you go on a three-day trip if you could go NOW?

Tankwa Karoo because I’ve never been there

Namedrop!

Morag Campbell

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

Oooh! Kinga (Touch-Your-Titties is haar van, of so iets). Elsebie Olivier – super jealous of her!

If humans were demoted as the rulers of SA, which animals should take over?

Donkeys!

Which three worldly things would you take if you had to flee to the moon?

Does a cat count? Cats, perfume and bikes

Which female rider inspires you, be it local or international?

Laia Sanz - my hero, if I just had a fraction of her skill I’d be so grateful!

CHIKITA PRODUCTIONS:

The ladies rode, the ladies ate dust, the ladies laughed, and we got it all on camera! Biker's Warehouse together with Morag Campbell & Honda South Africa, hosted a ladies day for old, new & middle-class ladies adventure riders.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-xb-bzrA4Y&feature=youtu.be

Motorentals Track Day

(25 July 2020)

For Skinny’s birthday she got a voucher from Chikita to rent a Honda and put a knee down on Redstar Raceway for the day. BEST PRESENT EVER!

Skinny and Chikita drove through to Redstar Raceway early in the morning to find the bikes prepped and ready to roll. Jason had them on paddock stands, with tyre warmers on and all fueled up. All the girls had to do was squeeze into their leather racing suits… which had definitely shrunk during 5 months of the lockdown-munchdown!

It started a bit slow, as their track experience have been covered by a thick layer of adventure dust over the past two years.

The track was very busy, as there was quite a few other people ‘testing’ their bikes as well.

*Testing…! A bit of wordplay certifies Corona-freedom…*

By lunchtime, their bodies had warmed-up, their minds started thinking quicker, braking later and giving MORE GAS!

They spent the last few sessions playing ‘catch-me-if-you-can’. They know each other’s riding styles so well by now that they might have made a few close (read ‘reckless’) overtaking maneuvers.

A day well spent on perfectly running bikes, a well organised track day, and the best company in the world!

Motorentals

http://www.moto-rentals.co.za/

Thank you to Beam Productions SA for the photos

https://www.facebook.com/BeamProductionssa/

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