Padmei is a famous author

[JATZ]

Did Not.....Ok I did, but Mrs Woodman told me to hurry up so never read the whole thing.

I can drop my copy in to your work if you like ?

[Woodman]

I can drop my copy in to your work if you like ?

Cheers, I have no issue with that at all.

[bart]

Finally bought the July edition. Bloody good write up guys. Good plug for the web site too.

"more slippery than two eels mating in a bowl of jelly"

[marks]

"more slippery than two eels mating in a bowl of jelly"[/SIZE]

yes I thought that was right up there with Nordie's comment about Padmei on the last Dusty Butt saying he thought Padmei must be near the coast somewhere cause he texted Nordie saying he'd 'Just blown a seal'

[Padmei]

the original saying was 'like 2 eels having a root in a bucket of snot' but since it's a family mag...

I'm pretty chuffed of the pic of the majestic Nordie upon his steed taken with my cheapo camera making the spread.

I'm currently trying to get into taking photoshoots for mens mags but for some reason all the random women I approach on the street start running.

Hopefully one weekend the rain may stop so I can get out & actually ride somewhere long enough to write about.

[bart]

the original saying was 'like 2 eels having a root in a bucket of snot' but since it's a family mag...

When they finally make Blackadder the fifth, I vote you for script writer.

[Night Falcon]

Rained most of the day in the Bay so sent the missus off to buy KR mag and parked up on the couch for a blob. Thought the lads write up was exceptional. The photos really made ya want to climb on ya bike an head south!.........no KTM,s but it was still good.

I did enjoy the article on the 6 mid sized enduros as well...but was surprised the Husky 310 was aledged to have"little bottom end" I mean whats the point of an enduro with no low down grunt....might as well be a KLR :

[Padmei]

I did enjoy the article on the 6 mid sized enduros as well...but was surprised the Husky 310 was aledged to have"little bottom end" I mean whats the point of an enduro with no low down grunt....might as well be a KLR :

I find that really really interesting cos I thought the 2 690s I've ridden for all their legendary status didn't have much bottom end . Up top yes but down low a bit disapointing really.The engines seemed to rev up quickly & freely.
Funnily enough I was comparing them to mine & Woodmans KLRs. I put it down to them being a revvy kind of bike. Horses for courses I thought.

I also wondered why they don't have somewhere you could put your hand under & lift the rear end around with.

Also I wondered why they make a bike with 650cc with such a small tank.

Oh well I guess they make bikes with different personalities.

[Night Falcon]

I find that really really interesting cos I thought the 2 690s I've ridden for all their legendary status didn't have much bottom end . Up top yes but down low a bit disapointing really.The engines seemed to rev up quickly & freely.
Funnily enough I was comparing them to mine & Woodmans KLRs. I put it down to them being a revvy kind of bike. Horses for courses I thought.

I also wondered why they don't have somewhere you could put your hand under & lift the rear end around with.

Also I wondered why they make a bike with 650cc with such a small tank.

Oh well I guess they make bikes with different personalities.

.....didnt want to start a KLR vrs 690 rant....... but since you were wondering ......Map setting no2 is best for low down torque, The 690 is more an enduro than an adv from factory ....tank size is comparable with other enduros of similar size (TE610, X Challenge, DR). They come with grab handles for the rear....don't no why people don't fit them? personally though, I like bikes with multiple personalities for ADV riding.....and before anyone asks, I do not suffer from muliple personality disorder...and neither do I.

[warewolf]

I find that really really interesting cos I thought the 2 690s I've ridden for all their legendary status didn't have much bottom end . Up top yes but down low a bit disapointing really.The engines seemed to rev up quickly & freely.
Funnily enough I was comparing them to mine & Woodmans KLRs. I put it down to them being a revvy kind of bike. Horses for courses I thought.

I wonder how much is perception, 'cos it made power & handled it without any fuss? And then made shitloads more, the more it revved, so it felt peaky? My Triumph was a bit like that, had a killer top-end that just kept building with revs but the bottom-mid quietly saw off plenty of challengers, to their surprise. To me, the 690 has more power everywhere, but can't remember what I thought of off-idle response. Most reviewers seem to think it's got usable power everywhere, even in KLR comparos they don't mention any glaring deficit. Most don't like the seat, or highway work, but everyone seems to love the engine, eg:

KAWASAKI KLR 650
Price: R48 995
Engine: 653cc
Power: 37 bhp
Torque: 45 Nm.
Weight: 175kg
Seat Height: 890mm
Fuel Capacity: 22L
Good points: Can't argue with this much performance for this price.
Bad points: No getting away from it – old-tech, new clothes.

Not the prettiest face you've ever seen on a bike, but there's no denying the character that seeps from every pore of this motorcycling legend. Always popular in SA because it provided cheap (still only R55 000) transport and touring abilities and minimal running costs, and it's reliable as Zimbabwe's expanding inflation rate; it just keeps going without any real hope of it ever stopping. Old engine technology shows when you compare the numbers with the Aprilia which is much happier to rev. Quite impressively it will rev to nearly 8000rpm, but there's no need to go even as far as 6000 rpm for best acceleration. Everything might be basic, but clocks, brakes and engine still do the job.


KTM 690 ENDURO
Price: R87 999
Engine: 654cc
Power: 65 bhp
Torque: 67 Nm
Weight: 148kg (dry)
Seat Height: 860mm
Fuel Capacity: 13.5L
Good points: When the going gets super-tough, it’s the only one left.
Bad points: Zero comfort, lying fuel gauge, crippling seat and limited range.

Well, what can we say. It's quite amazing that a 690 enduro (hardcore dual-purpose) bike can be so, er, quite amazing. The engine is smooth, revs like a washing machine, makes monster power and torque and the whole thing handles (to us, anyway) like a 250 MX bike. For hard/fun/extreme riding it simply cannot be beaten, and if your adventure riding is going to stray through some genuinely difficult terrain you'd be a fool to take anythng else. If you were thinking of aTransalp or Aprilia and are considering the extra cash for the KTM, stop! Unless you can do the Roof of Africa rally riding backwards, blindfolded, the KTM's undoubted charms will be lost on you, and it would be wasted on the road.

[NordieBoy]

Most reviewers seem to think it's got usable power everywhere, even in KLR comparos they don't mention any glaring deficit. Most don't like the seat, or highway work, but everyone seems to love the engine, eg:

And what bike does the guy who can do the roof of africa backwards in his sleep use for adventure riding?

[marks]

I wonder how much is perception, 'cos it made power & handled it without any fuss? And then made shitloads more, the more it revved, so it felt peaky? My Triumph was a bit like that, had a killer top-end that just kept building with revs but the bottom-mid quietly saw off plenty of challengers, to their surprise. To me, the 690 has more power everywhere, but can't remember what I thought of off-idle response. Most reviewers seem to think it's got usable power everywhere, even in KLR comparos they don't mention any glaring deficit. Most don't like the seat, or highway work, but everyone seems to love the engine, eg:

Maybe flywheel has something to do with it. Most ktms I've ridden have felt pretty light in the flywheel and therefore a bit more sensitive to throttle/clutch - a bit easier to bog? theyve also needed a bit more clutch feathering at low revs to stop the 'chugga chugga's whereas the klr just grunts from about 2500 onwards (admittedly its all done by 5000 whereas the ktms are just starting to sparkle).

[warewolf]

Maybe flywheel has something to do with it. Most ktms I've ridden have felt pretty light in the flywheel and therefore a bit more sensitive to throttle/clutch - a bit easier to bog? theyve also needed a bit more clutch feathering at low revs to stop the 'chugga chugga's whereas the klr just grunts from about 2500 onwards (admittedly its all done by 5000 whereas the ktms are just starting to sparkle).

I think you're right on the money. Mine as standard used to chugga chugga hopelessly even above 2500rpm if you used big throttle, but now it's uncorked it's ok at 2500 and a bit below.

[Padmei]

A long time ago in a kingdom far from here there lived a beautiful princess. She was as pure & as beautiful as the snow capped peaks that surrounded her castle.

The time came when The King & Queen decided their daughter must marry & sent declarations out around the world to find a suitable suitor. The King of course had ridden motorbikes all his life (he was on the look out for an original undamaged tank to finish his 69 Bultaco restoration) & decided the one to take his daughters hand must prove themselves on their chosen steed. As a marriage gift the King would hand over his prized 84 IT465 he had himself ridden to win the Riverhead 100.

The tournament was scheduled for Labour weekend & when that weekend came there was a great gathering of bikes & riders. Word had spread of the prizes on offer around the globe & all the best riders beganarriving at the small kingdom.There were representatives from the Orient, Eastern European nations as well as the Germanic tribes.
The town square became crowded with bikes & riders. As the morning wore on & the sun rose overhead, anticipation of the upcoming tournament caused many riders to start getting antagonistic. Soon shouting matches began about whos motorcycles were the best. Suspension components,fuel capacities, kerb weight comparisions filled the hot still air.

Tensions were running high & the locals began to worry about rioting when trumpets heralded the much awaited arrival of the Austrians. And what sight to behold they were. A cascade of gleaming orange,black & chrome motorcycles seemingly floated across the drawbridge on their WPs & into the square. A hush descended upon the crowd. The riders' clean shaven, chiseled faces looked straight ahead as they rode thru the parting crowd. Women swooned,young boys looked on spellbound & several other riders broke down in tears at the akrapovic symphony.
As they dismounted & quietly made their way towards the reserved tables outside the boutique brewery, their charges began polishing mudguards & helmets.
A few riders got on their motorcycles & started the long journey back towards their homes knowing they had no chance against these champions

Not too far away from the town square down a narrow dark alley in the courtyard of a shady tavern oblivious to the goings-onatthetown square, five frogs were busy working on their KLRs.
Surrounding the dirty, oil sprayed bikes broken parts,some potentially necessary were discarded. One frog was tying a pillow around the counterbalancer casing in an attempt to quieten down the doo. Another was using a straw to reconnect up a perished fuel line. Two were carrying the deep fryer out of the kitch followed by the kitchen wench with a syphon hose to top up their engine oil levels.

The last was laying beside his mudcaked bike with his arm up the exhaust pipe trying to dislodge whatever it was that was choking his exhaust after a rather spectacular drowning in a deep mud bog. His hand closed around the offending article & with a squelch he pulled out a large clump of weeds & a small frog. He smiled at the irony as he released it & it hopped away.

Soon missing bolts had been replaced, important frame joints secured with strong twine & the frogs sat back with some mello yello & big bowls of Nachos.
Well fed & hydrated the frogs soon began discussing where they would ride that afternoon. It was decided they would return the same way they came except they'd try & ride down the river this time.

On their way out of town they came across the princesses carriage perched precariously in a ditch at the side of the road. She was on her way to the tournament when her coach driver had to answer a text sending them off the road into the ditch.

Unfortunately one of the wooden spokes of the wheel was broken & needed repair before she could carry on her way. Luckily a healthy application of duct tape soon solved the problem & the Princess was able to carry on.
She was so grateful for the assistance she royally announced she would kiss each & every of the KLR frogs to cure them of their specieal affliction. "Now you don't have to ride KLRs-you'll be free to choose whichever bike you wish"
The frogs looked sideways at each other &, as one of them pointed behind the princess & exclaimed "look new botox treatments", they all quickly jumped on their bikes & with a puff of oil they roared off.

After a few ks one frog leant over & shouted to the closest frog "Mate she was a bit stuckup wasn't she?"
"Yeah you can say that again. Hey did you hear the commotion over by the town square when we were at the tavern?"
"Nah my ears were still ringing from listening to his pipes" He laughed gesturing at the frog ahead of him.

Grinning, the frogs rode off & lived a happy & contented life

[Woodman]

Bloody fantastic bedtime story. Really wish I could join words up like that

Since the 685 conversion the fat tractory power has become quite addictive. I now have my shift light set up at 5000rpm, theres just no point going any higher. Yeah there isn't a lot of power but just wafting along is nice and honestly except for the beach racing it has plenty for what I do with it.

In saying that a 690 would still be nice