Iron Butt on Stock Seat

[darthDassie]

Just thought I would tell people who might care - just got back from a trip down to Cape Town (I live in Pretoria, South Africa). Still have the stock seat, which will change now, and soon! Took two days down there - 1000km in the first, and 450 the next. Spent a week and came back up in one day - 1450km's in 15 hours.

Thought I might add that the temperature reached a max of close to 40degC, and we had crosswinds of close to 60km/h (also hot), and there was never anything close to overheating problems.

She handled it like a dream.

Thanks for listening.

[Chad]

dude if you can still walk after that on a standard seat then you truly are an iron butt

[lootch67]

Well done darthDassie! I bet the Karoo was a killer! Better get that seat sorted as people will be wanting to know why you're walking funny

[darthDassie]

yip - that Karoo was fun.. hehe.. think the general rule is - walk funny anyway - then you can get away with lots of things before people start asking questions..

[african twin]

Well done!! I did that road many times, hitchiking back and forth in the army!! Those were the days!!

I hope you went over the pass and not through the tunnel on the way down - that view of the peninsula ahead is awesome!!

I have a touratech single seat on mine and it makes a HUGE difference on longer trips It's a bit harder and lower than the OE, but it's also a bit wider and I reckon that's the trick!!

So, any photo's of your week in good 'ol Cape Town?? Did you do any nice rides down there??

Glad to hear the bike did so well, they really are amazing machines

Any idea what the fuel consumption was on the way back - what sort of speed were you riding at?

15 hours in the saddle - that is truly impressive

[darthDassie]

Yes - went over the pass - it is one of the most beautiful things anywhere when you come around that corner and its all there - stretching out as far as you can see. Had to go down there for work, so didn't do much riding - just out to Blouberg the one day - nice road - over Kontermanskloof and Vissershoek.

The consumption was interesting - wind has a huge effect. On the way down, I experimented - did some sections at around 5k revs and then 5500, 6000, etc. Got around 18km/l when keeping it under 5500, and that dropped to around 15.5 at 6000. But that was into the wind. When I had the wind at my back, I got up to 17, keeping her at 6k revs (which is about 125km/h).

Not too bad, I think. Not the 22km/l I got from the 650GS doing 125km/h..

[african twin]

Hiya darthDassie!!

Sorry about the delay been a bit busy and then had to do a few calculations, what with miles and miles per gallon talk over here!!

Your consumption is pretty similar to what I get - my average over the last 10 000km is 18.45km/l

It's amazing how thirsty she does get when you twist the 'ol throttle a bit further!! The best consumption I've had was tootling around the Yorkshire Moors, probably averaging around 40 - 50 km/h where I got 21 km/l

Aww man, just the mention of Blouberg, Kontermanskloof and Vissershoek make me go a shade of green and also makes me a tad homesick - I grew up down there and used to tear around those stunning roads on a good ol XT500 . Wow, seems like a lifetime ago!!!

[Zonkelnut]

Just thought I would tell people who might care - just got back from a trip down to Cape Town (I live in Pretoria, South Africa). Still have the stock seat, which will change now, and soon! Took two days down there - 1000km in the first, and 450 the next. Spent a week and came back up in one day - 1450km's in 15 hours.

Thought I might add that the temperature reached a max of close to 40degC, and we had crosswinds of close to 60km/h (also hot), and there was never anything close to overheating problems.

She handled it like a dream.

Thanks for listening.

Not to sound like I am talking big or something, but darthDassie, (I also stay in Pta and go to http://www.wilddogtours.co.za/forum/index.php for a DS forum site in ZA) I went to Nam in December 2006 for 6 days and did over 6000km. Two days I did over 1600km and others 200km. Ave 1000km per day. And THAT on a standard stock seat. They are the best!!!
I LOVE my Alpie.
Hello lootch67