Zonked In Zululand

Winter’s behind us, but winter touring was different on classic machines back in the early eighties.

Winter has struck. But bike riding continues unabated – not only for the rock-jaw all-weather adventure hero set but for all of us. Thanks to effective screens, touring bodywork, heated grips seats pegs (?) and ultra reliable bikes, it’s an on-going pleasure. But it wasn’t ever so. Back in the days of yore winter touring was characterized by massive misdirected enthusiasm on much maligned classic machinery and was ALWAYS an adventure. This was when the old Classics of the era were Brits and Teutons, with generally 500cc the norm, 650cc menere, and 750’s the real heavies. And the Japs were just emerging.

Cast your mind back to midwinter 1984 on the Highveld. It was icy cold and the three of us were living in Springs. RRP, Thundergutz, and myself. Thundergutz was a venerable old 500 single-cylinder Velocette Venom, full-on getchoon with all the racing gear. Fairing clip-ons rearsets and empty exhaust. A pig to start but lovely and loud underway – and gave you a feeling like nothing could outrun it. And RRP was the Ravishing Redhead Pillion. Fellow conspirator of seven years and a natural pillion. Hung on lekker tight wedged against Thundergutz’ racing hump.

Our Classic Crowd, under Chairman Graham ‘The Chair’ Kendall planned a weekend away on the old bikes to enjoy the warmth of Zululand. The route was gonna be down through Standerton Volksrust Laingsnek (Majuba) and Vryheid to overnight in Babanango and finally luxuriate in balmy Mtunzini fishing village on the coast. Lekker.

This time, Thundergutz needed no frantic Friday night’s final fettling. Previously a new Dunlop K70 rear tyre and two new fork bushes had been fitted, together with a one-tooth smaller final drive sprocket for the intended max revs two-up.