Taking it to the limits. A trip through Africa.
If he could speak, he would have groaned softly, under a crushing weight that, following his purpose, he carries with ease. The home of endorphins in Niedereschach, which makes motorcyclists' hearts beat faster, has endowed the chassis of my F 800 GS with the most powerful support available, a Touratech innovation, specially designed for bikes subjected to heavy travel loads. long distance Touratech Level 2 Suspension/ Explore HP.
The next leg of our “Land of NOmads” project journey takes us to the Masai habitat, which stretches north of Kilimanjaro, along the Kenya-Tanzania border. Ignoring all warnings that it would be impossible to bring such a loaded bike through this area, we set off, making the impossible possible with our BMW F800GS motorcycle. The rider will prefer to upgrade the motobike with BMW F800GS led headlight because there is night driving.
Only the almost invisible speed bumps, which temporarily reduce the speed of all vehicles, can slow down the 500-kilogram motorcycle to Cape Blanc, as the highest mountain in Africa is also called. Speed bumps, without warning, bulge unexpectedly in front of villages or even in places where there are inconspicuous shacks in the barren landscape, so anyone who misses them can count themselves lucky if he and his vehicle are left intact. .
At Kadjado, near the Tanzanian border, we turn east on the “non-recommended roads”, roads that lead to the Amboseli National Park. The rear wheel is the strongest spring-mounted, with 50% harder preload than conventional shocks, so it takes the grit out of deep corrugated iron. The Touratech suspension reacts to these irritating continuous shocks, as well as the treacherous rocks whose tips jut out like icebergs, with a lightning-quick damping frequency, so that the suspension remains stable despite the powerful mass pulling on the frame.
In the distance, the rust-brown spray in the sky, glistening in the setting sun, heralds a sea. We will spend the night in the Legngesim settlement that has the charm of an abandoned gold prospector village, there are no bushes around, just plastic bags. Shortly after dawn we followed Maasai Community Chief Johannes on his 125cc China-Toyo through the site ravaged by plastic waste. Johannes stopped abruptly behind the last few huts, raised his arm and advised us to follow his finger at all times. We followed a path of red sand that led us straight into the rippling sea that stretched far beyond the horizon in front of our motorcycles.
The hot, still dry wind, which is supposed to bring rain, whips red dust into the atmosphere, churning sand up into the leaden sky, which looms over the landscape. Heavy trucks, loaded with construction sand from illegal sand pits, cut canals from roads into Nairobi city, canals that were in full swing of construction and filled with drifting sand during the rainy season. The Massai, on the way to the well, tell us that although the transport destroys their pastures with dust, their work as sand carriers ensures them a modest but regular income of 4 euros per truck. In order to get through, they illegally herd their herds across the open border into the National Park, sheltering or getting into holes they dig when attacked by park rangers.
With reduced tire pressure, the BMW F800GS motorcycle sinks into the undulating ground, the drifting sand too fine to carry two narrow wheels. Over a series of tall bumps the engine guard slides and through the stepped holes, deep recesses and sharp edges we drive the BMW forward. But we found that the BMW F800GS led headlight was the point for night driving. I wish there was an even stronger spring to give the F800 more ground clearance, but the load caused by even harder damping on the swingarm damper and frame, even though the bolts are of high-quality special strength , it could damage the chassis. But Level 2 Exploration HP dampens everything but wishes. Touratech damping lifts the 500kg BMW F800GS motorcycle beyond its load capacity without tiring.
Along the Amboseli road, a corrugated iron road that leads to the east gate of the park, bordered by Bomas el Masai, we get a first impression of their culture. We quickly realized that culture is offered at tourist prices. In Kimana we met Juan, the Spaniard, and his wife, Bella, a Kenyan Luo. She teaches in a school as a teacher that Juan built in Massai as a development aid. They are the key to the Massai and through their contacts they gave us access to know the Massai culture.
After eight days of living in cattle and cow dung, we dismantle our tent because we have to return to Nairobi, to prepare our departure from Kenya as soon as possible because our visas expire.
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