My First Rally Raid: "Bookin' it!" (or maybe "Roll With It!")

[Lightcycle]

Why do the guys faces look so much dirtier than the girls?

Riding order - whoever's in the back gets the most dust kicked up in their faces.

Faster riders up front, slower ones in the back. We're quite a bit slower than the riders up front, so we got roosted a lot more. Paul, in the Monster jersey is the most experienced, so he rode sweep to help out the slower riders if they ran into issues. We're very grateful to have fallen in with very good riders who have taken us under their wing to coach us on our riding technique. Most of them have been riding dirt bikes before they could walk.

I feel like it's karma though. When we lived in Toronto, we'd organize and lead newb rides to help riders get more comfortable riding street. Now we're getting the favour returned in the dirt.

 

[MacDoc]

Good write up and great company. √
Itchy Boots became a fan after finishing the Kalahari on her 250 Honda ( breaking it in the process )
There are 5 videos

I was impressed with her last stage...700 km in mostly sand on a 250. She was a grungy girl at the end of that and her bike in an SA museum.

Is there a booking for S Africa in your future??

•••
Would the CB500X do it? ....not the route portrayed here without full RAID kit and that adds a ton of cost. A milder route ....sure tho it's not really any sort of an off road bike. It's okay on off pavement and dirt roads.

 

[Lightcycle]

Is there a booking for S Africa in your future??

We spent a year and a half meandering our way from Cape Town to Nairobi, Kenya, hitting about a dozen African countries in between. Of all the countries, South Africa was the most motorcycle-friendly country. Lots of gravel roads over scenic mountain passes. We spent over six months riding all over the country. Would not hesitate to visit on two wheels again. While we were there, we managed to finagle our way into the national driver registry and both got South African driver's licenses, so we can fly in and buy and sell vehicles anytime we want to in the future!

Would the CB500X do it? ....not the route portrayed here without full RAID kit and that adds a ton of cost. A milder route ....sure tho it's not really any sort of an off road bike. It's okay on off pavement and dirt roads.

Most bikes are capable of doing any route or trail, it just depends on how skilled the rider is and how slow and deliberate vs fast and fun you want to take it. Like most street bikes, the suspension on the CB500X is the weakest link and will be the best bang-for-buck upgrade if you're taking it anywhere gnarlier than steep uphill climbs over babyhead rocks.

 

[MacDoc]

The 2019 and up version of the 500x were better suited with a 19" front wheel as opposed to the 17" on yours, The downside is getting to legal trails with Ontario's restrictions tho your cottage area might offer more. A set of 50/50 tires, even 80/20 would give you more confidence off pavement. Next step would be engine guards and bash plate. Itchy Boots took her 500x in Season 3 into some off pavement stuff at her pace tho I think she's got you in inseam.

When she got the proper CRF250 and then CRF300 dual sport Honda's, it was much better for her. The 500x would not have survived the Kalahari I don't think tho a full Rally kit might have made it possible.....even the 250 broke.

We used to take our street bikes ....that was pretty much all there was in the 60s and early 70s.....on stupid local rides around the clay pits in Burlington. Jumped a sand dune once and there was a stream cut in the middle so I came straight down about 10' - stayed on the pegs, bike took it, my knee was sore for a while.....my surprise at that little error is sill quite clear over 50 years later.

Honda CB77 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

There was a scrambler version...don't think I've ever seen one in the wild.

So yeah with a little bit of upgrading you could have fun on your 2018x on dual track for sure and mild single track.

Buddy here who is an experienced off road rider in the outback bought a 2019 CB500x and has tricked it out for the OCR Rally. He has broken a number of bikes on it including his 2008 KLR650.

Bunch of local guys here go most years.
Missing an off pavement bike now....

 

[NuggyBuggy]

I want to do something like this, hopefully with one or both of my teens!!! Going to go looking for events in Ontario RIGHT NOW!!

Thank you @Lightcycle for the inspiration.

 

[Ash]

FYI, for those interested in an event coming up soon in Ontario, there's the RallyConnex Fall Colours ride: Fall Colours Ride

This is GPS guided. No roadbooks or anything like that. Three different route options for dual-sports, gravel/pavement, or pavement-only. I haven't done this ride, but it looks a lot more casual than their other events like the Rock Hound rally.

 

[NuggyBuggy]

FYI, for those interested in an event coming up soon in Ontario, there's the RallyConnex Fall Colours ride: Fall Colours Ride

This is GPS guided. No roadbooks or anything like that. Three different route options for dual-sports, gravel/pavement, or pavement-only. I haven't done this ride, but it looks a lot more casual than their other events like the Rock Hound rally.

and off to Kijiji to look for used dual sports I go.