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Makadikadi deep sandy ruts two up Makadikadi deep sandy ruts two up
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sub-Saharan Africa Topics specific to sub-Saharan Africa. (Includes all countries South of 17 degrees latitude)
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  #1  
Old 30 Jul 2019
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Makadikadi deep sandy ruts two up
Hi All

My wife and I are riding our modified BMW R80GS through Africa and just crossed the Makadikadi salt pans.
We are about 400-500kg with all our stuff, we have traveled all over the world in all terrain with this bike.

The deep rutted sand in the Makadikadi really knackered us. We did 100km in one day, 60km the powder stuff.

I'm looking for a pat on the back or something. No matter how hard I/we try we cannot get the bike rolling properly in the deep dust.
I can do deep sand by myself unloaded, but two up on the heavy bike it just becomes difficult. I'm only a small lad of 65kgs myself and need to work hard to keep things going.

Basically what I'm trying to figure out, is it me or is it just practicality impossible to ride properly (more than paddling) im deep sand ruts two up on a heavy bike?

Words of encouragement welcome

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  #2  
Old 31 Jul 2019
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It is not just you. Deep sand is difficult on a heavy bike. Deep sand is difficult two-up. Fesh-fesh is difficult no matter who, what, when, where or why. Put them all together (1000-1200 lbs GVW!!!) and you'd best scale back your ambitions.

That encouraging enough?

Mark
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  #3  
Old 31 Jul 2019
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Glad your clutch survived!


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  #4  
Old 31 Jul 2019
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I find sand difficult on my R80GS so you are not alone, fair play for your perseverance but the only advice I can give is avoid the stuff, that's what I do.
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  #5  
Old 5 Aug 2019
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Hi all. Thanks for the words of encouragement. We've had a few more days riding small bits of sand and i feel I am slowly slowly getting the hang of it. By hang of it I mean the clutch can be engaged entirely for a minute or two before I need to regroup..

We are making a video about our experience in the Makadikadi where I will show a lot of the drama we went through. I'll post it here once it is finished.

Again thanks for encouragement!
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  #6  
Old 6 Aug 2019
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Lower your tyre pressures, that will give a bigger footprint and your bike will roll better over the sand, instead of ploughing through.
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  #7  
Old 10 Nov 2019
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You're doing amazingly well. I've driven there in a Hilux in the sand, and that was really hard work.
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  #8  
Old 10 Nov 2019
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Sand and fesh fesh (bulldust) suck.

Clutch: Don't slip it, fan it. That means;
don't keep the clutch slipping for any long time - it will cook the clutch and you'll be stranded.

fan the clutch - rapidly fully disengage it to let the engine revs rise then dump the clutch to fully closed. This reduces the damage to the clutch and gets you power to the rear wheel.


Check the play on the clutch .. if that is increasing you clutch is wearing. Think about replacing it?
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  #9  
Old 17 Nov 2019
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Wish I'd read...
Hi all,

Wish I'd read this thread before dropping the bike twice (two-up Africa Twin DCT - full luggage) on the way from Nouakchott (Mauritania) to Diama crossing (Senegal) two days ago. Neither on the infamous piste through the nature reserve, but both times on soft sand encountered randomly on the ride.

I tried to be assertive - as I've read you should - and got dumped off both times.

I'm taking it easy in the soft stuff from now on. Paddling is the way. No heroics!

Be safe!

Simon
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