The Adventure of Riding | Thomas Bohm

Riding a motorcycle is a big part of living in the Lowveld. Thousands of casual cruisers and adventure riders are found on and off the amazing roads every weekend and just as many Gautengers make the trip to our windy passes on a regular basis.

By Benno Stander

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Few guys are so well known on the Lowveld two-wheel scene as Thomas Bohm. He owns The Windmill Wine Shop between Hazyview and Sabie (on the 22). He also manages Böhm’s Zeederburg Country House and runs the BMW Sabie Valley Rider Academy. And somehow he still manages to get a fair amount of riding time into his tight schedule. In fact, the only thing he does better than time management is probably adventure riding.

Thomas is at home both on tar and on gravel and feels that the Lowveld is the ideal place to do both. He’s also a diehard BMW motorcycle fan and together with wife Jacqui owns two of the rarest modern BMW’s around, the HP2 and R9T. But his preference is no bias and although the rider academy was started by BMW, he trains riders on all makes of bikes.

Thomas Bohm with his BMW HP2

Learn to ride

For most people who already own a motorcycle learning to ride seems like a ridiculous notion. Truth is that most riders learn through trial and error and never really get to understand the logic behind riding a motorcycle and what to do in emergencies. Not only does a riding course teach you all this and more, it is also the perfect opportunity to meet new people and have loads of fun. Thomas currently does Adventure Riding Level 1-3, Responsive Road Riding Level 1 and also a specialised sand riding course. He also hopes to soon start doing a track proficiency course which will be hosted at Red Star Raceway.

Where to ride

If you can ride, push or tow a bike there (Thomas can teach you how to do this), chances are he knows where it is. We asked him for some of his favourite places to ride both on the road and off. Here is his top pick:

Old Gold Diggers Route – Tar: 310 km

Start in Sabie and ride to White River and past the KMIA Airport near Plaston joining the N4 in an easterly direction towards Komatipoort.

After 8.5 km turn right at the Mara/Boulders road and follow until you reach a T-junction, turn right towards Barberton on the R38.

On the outskirts of Barberton turn right on the R40 to Nelspruit via the twisting Hilltop pass. At Nelspruit turn left to Kaapsehoop where it is a good opportunity to stop for coffee or a meal. Continue on to Ngodwana on the N4 where you turn right on the N4 towards Nelspruit. After 18 km look out for the road to Sudwala Caves and turn left on to the R539. Just before the caves you turn right and navigate to Sabie via the R539.

Canyon Round Trip – Tar: 265 km

Depart Sabie toward Graskop, a few kilometres before Graskop turn left To Pilgrims Rest on the R533 and continue past the historic town turning left up the steep Robbers Pass towards Lydenburg. At the T-junction joining the R36 turn right and continue past Origstad to the R532 and turn right towards the Blyde River Canyon. The Three Rondawels, Bourke’s Luck Pot Holes, and Lisbon Falls are all viewpoints worth stopping at. Turn left at the R534 in order to include Wonder View and Gods Window where after joining the R532 again to Graskop that is famous for their Pancakes, well worth a stop. After Graskop navigate to Hazyview via the R535, as you enter the town of Hazyview turn right on the famous R536 road to Sabie that concludes in the last 22km known as the “22”, the best riding road in the Lowveld.

Adventure Riding

Old Harbour Road – Dirt: 48 km
Medium difficulty with some ruts after rain

Start with a cup of coffee or breakfast at Misty Mountain Lodge on the Long Tom Pass between Sabie and Lydenburg. As you exit the lodge cross straight over the tar road onto a gravel road that leads down the mountain, after 3 km look out for the waterfall where the Sabie River plummets hundreds of metres down the escarpment. Follow the road until you reach an avenue of oak trees where you turn right keeping the Sabie River on your right hand side. Stop at Horseshoe Falls on route to Sabie. When you reach the town of Sabie turn left on the main road towards Graskop, after 8 km turn right on the Wilgeboom Road. This road was part of the route that the transport riders used to get their goods from Maputo at the coast in Mozambique to the Gold Digger towns of Sabie, Lydenburg and Pilgrims Rest.

After 4.5 km stop on a big left hand bend with a view to the right over the Lowveld. With Kruger National Park in the distance, this is known as Worlds View.

When you have admired the view continue until you cross the Mac Mac River, turning right when you reach the Venus Timber Mill. At the Tar T-junction R535 you can either return to Sabie via Graskop (left) or Hazyview (right).

Adventure Riding

Casper’s Nek Pass – Dirt: 60 km
Easy to Medium difficulty with some loose rocks on the Pass

This route starts in the village of Pilgrims Rest where Johnny’s Bar in the Down Town is a good place for refreshments before the ride. Depart from Pilgrims Rest via the old historic Joubert Bridge towards Lydenburg, soon the road becomes unpaved, this is known as the Vaalhoek road that meanders along the Blyde River. After 19 km turn left onto the Casper’s Nek Pass crossing the mountain and dropping down on the Origstad side with its fertile farms. Look out for big troops of baboons. When you near the tar road (R36) keep left towards Origstad where it is possible to refuel and have something to eat. Return to Pilgrims rest via the Robbers Pass or back to Sabie via the Long Tom Pass.

Bakenkop Ride – Dirt: 54 km
Medium to difficulty with some ruts after rain

This ride starts in Hazyview and ends in the deserted railway village of Hendriksdal. Depart from Hazyview from the Perry’s bridge centre and turn left up the R536 towards Sabie, after 2 km turn left on an unpaved road D105 to Kiepersol. After 5 km the road becomes tarred, continue past the small settlement of Kiepersol and turn right on the D514 towards Sabie. After 2.5 km turn left at the soccer field onto the D1510 and continue for 8.5 km until you reach a T-junction, turn right on the D779 navigating toward Bakenkop that you can see ahead of you. After 17 km you would have crested Bakenkop, look out for the communication towers on your right and navigate to them for a breath-taking view over the Sabie Valley. After the rest continue on the D779 towards the Sabie – White River tar road, cross straight over and continue towards the railway Station town of Hendriksdal.