By now you would have read a few articles about our experience at The Roof of Africa 2025. Every year, we try to grab a bunch of bikes to follow along, get to the starts, then try to get to the best spectator points before the racers do, to try and bring you the best coverage and the best pics and videos of the action.
Photos by : Black Rock Moto: Go check out their link for lots of great pics from this years Roof.Words by: Sean Hendley
Truth be told, Lesotho is possibly the best spot to test bikes like these. At 3,000m the engine performance characteristics change, the roads are good for the most part, a never ending series of switch backs, sweeping mountain passes and mild to serious off road riding all in the most pristine Alpine-esque scenery.
The weather in Lesotho is Mother Nature at her most temperamental, you can get all four seasons happening in less than 30 minutes. Mobile stop street, (AKA free range farm animals) and a very relaxed driving attitude towards the rules of the road as we know them make for exciting breaking and swerving opportunities along with evasive detours onto pavements and along goat paths…
We have taken everything from big heavy duty big cc Adventurers, to upper-middle weight and middle weight adventure bikes and have always had a blast. However, this year we all agreed to go for whatever basic, entry level, 250cc to 500cc adventure bikes we could rustle up, because we like them so much. Suzuki Motorcycles SA supplied the Suzuki DS250SX V-Strom, CF Moto loaned us their 450MT and Honda Wing SA came to the party with two offerings, namely the CRF300L and the NX500.
We opted to tow the little bikes to Lesotho, because the weather was predicted to be wild and wet and we had to load a lot of stuff into our kombi anyway.
Once we offloaded, the Kombi was parked and we spent the next 4 days bombing along mountain passes, negotiating mountain trails and negotiating Maseru’s often manic traffic. had we been in the car we would always have been late and we certainly would not have smiled as much as we did.
Suzuki V-Strom 250SX
If someone told you a R60k, 249 cc bike would keep up with 450/500 cc machines on Lesotho’s high altitude mountain passes and still blast down rocky gravel roads with a massive grin factor, you’d probably laugh. Yet that’s exactly what the little V-Strom 250SX did for an entire week chasing the Roof of Africa.
Suzuki DS250 V-Strom
Donovan: Best describing word: Joy
It’s the smallest, least powerful and least sophisticated, and you might be mistaken for thinking it could be boring. Yet it makes up for its shortcomings by being so full of personality that you fail to notice them at all. The R62,000 asking price means your wallet will be reassuringly heavier in your pocket cheering you up endlessly.
The flip side is the 155 mm ground clearance; over rocks and deep ruts wee had to pick creative lines or paddle like a madman. Sean, at 1.97 m, looked like a bear on a tricycle but after 200 km of Roof chasing declared “I freaking love this bike, it has heart and soul for days” and immediately started moving money around in his budget.
Peter the German Bomber loves the low 790 mm seat height, “finally a bike that fits me!” and used it to weave through Maseru’s chaotic traffic like a scooter with attitude. The only complaint from him was swinging his leg over, the top box kept getting in his way. Glenn jumped on for a few sections and came back saying “Great bang for buck, it simply refuses to feel cheap or slow.”
It never missed a beat, returned fuel efficiency even when ridden hard at 3 000 m altitude, and proved that you don’t need big cubes to have massive fun.
For pure rand-per-grin it’s one of those bikes that are quite simply untouchable.
Here’s what you need to know:
- 249 cc oil-cooled single, 26 hp @ 9 000 rpm, 22 Nm @ 7 300 rpm
- 165 kg wet
- 155 mm ground clearance, 790 mm seat height
- 17″ cast wheels front & rear, tubeless tyres
- 12 L fuel tank
- Switchable rear ABS
- Full LED lighting
- USB charging port
- 835 mm overall width
- Price: R89 950
Honda CRF300L
This is the bike that actually went where most Roof of Africa spectators could only dream of reaching. Deep river crossings, single track donkey paths, rocky climbs that had 4×4s struggling, the CRF300L just tractors through everything with that low down 286 cc torque.
Glenn claimed it for three full days and racked up hundreds of kilometres of abuse: sunrise starts on chilly rides to 3 200 m starting points, night rides home in pitch black and everything in between. “This is my sort of bike,” he said. “It’s a go anywhere, do anything machine that doesn’t try to be fast or flashy, it just works, and it’ actually costs less than my dirtbike”.
“It is, in fact a dirtbike with plenty of street cred. If you need a bike for everything – except long distance touring then this is one bike you need to consider. Oh – and its really good fun to ride!”
Donovans Best describing word: Everywhere
As the looks suggest, the CRF is the most off-roady of the bunch. It is light, tall, minimalistic and is what I like to call an Everywhere Bike. The suspension travel is huge as is the ground clearance,, and can be pointed anywhere with utmost compliance. Contrastingly, it’s the slowest and lest comfortable on the tar, but the nature of Lesotho does not allow high speed road travel, so most problems are negated. We didn’t do much in the way of difficult off-roading on this trip, but if we had four CRFs, we probably would have.
Sean attacked sweeping Lesotho passes supermoto style, knees out, laughing like a lunatic inside his helmet. Yes, the seat is wooden, the 7.8 L tank caused proper fuel anxiety in the middle of nowhere, and the knobbly tyres howl on tar, but everyone forgave it because “It’s a dirt bike being forced to play on the road, of course it’s going to have certain limitations.”
At 142 kg wet and with 285 mm of ground clearance it simply laughed at obstacles that stopped the other bikes. It just kept chugging along with its low gearing. If your Lesotho trip is 20 % tar and 80 % “where did the road go?” this is absolutelly the weapon of choice.
Here are our top 10 likes:
- 286 cc liquid-cooled single, 27 hp, 26.6 Nm
- 142 kg wet
- 285 mm ground clearance, 880 mm seat
- 21″/18″ wire-spoke wheels (tube-type)
- Switchable rear ABS
- 7.8 L fuel tank
- Full LED lighting
- Digital instrument cluster
- Assist & slipper clutch
- Price: R109 999
CFMOTO 450MT.
This is one bike that has impressed everyone, including us. It looks great, feels great and runs great too.
From the moment you swing a leg over the adjustable seat you know that you’re on a proper mid-weight adventure bike. Wide bars, adjustable KYB suspension, protective screen, big tank…
Then you ride it and it feels light, comfortable, flickable and very capable.
Dons best describing word: Excitement.
That motor is thrilling – the way it sounds, how enthusiastically it barks its revs, the exhaust sound bringing that bark to life. It makes you grin. It makes you giggle. It makes you feel like a mischievous child left alone with a lighter and a deodorant can. And this is wrapped in a motorcycle that’s giving you death stares before it even moves. When you do take one of these for a spin, do try and behave. It will be near impossible, but do your best.
Glenn loves the looks, the long-distance comfort and how well it tackled technical tracks. He also commented on the headlights when he got in really late after cheering the very last riders up to the top of music box.
“In terms of sheer value for money, this is a tough act to follow…”
Peter remembered riding one the last time he was in SA and happily rode it up the atrocious road to Music Box without any drama. In fact, he spent more time than anyone on the little CF Moto and he only had good things to say. “The offroad tyres do affect handling on the tar, so I checked the pressures a few times, but I was glad that they were fitted for when I hit the dirt sections. For the longer journeys, this and the 500 Honda were my two most comfortable, but for off-road, the bigger wheels made more sense and traction for me.”
Tall Sean commandeered the 450 for what felt like most of the trip. At two odd metres tall he felt that over time, the ergonomics do become a bit cramped for a taller, heavier rider. He also mentioned that he’d like a better padded seat.
“That engine sounds amazing, more like an 800 than a 450, but I needed to row through the box on the steeper climbs.”
“This was the bike most people fought over for the good mountain passes and it never put a foot wrong mechanically. It absolutelly attracted the most attention and comments from on-lookers.”
Here’s the skinny on it:
- 449 cc parallel-twin, 44 hp, 44 Nm
- TFT Display
- 175 kg dry/190 kg wet
- Adjustable seat
- Tubeless spoked 21″/18″ wheels
- Switchable ABS and traction control
- 17.5 L fuel tank
- Fully adjustable KYB suspension
- Price: R125 900
- 4 year /48000 warranty
Honda NX500
The tar tourer that refused to be embarrassed in the rough stuff.With 19″/17″ cast wheels, road biased tyres, the lowest ground clearance (180 mm) and the tallest seat (830 mm) of the group, the NX500 was supposed to be the weak link when the tar ran out. Instead it surprised everyone.
On Lesotho’s endless sweeping mountain passes it was the bike we all wanted. it has the smoothest, most powerful engine, the best wind protection, the comfiest seat, and enough midrange to blast past slow trucks at 3 000 m without breathing hard.
Peter “The German Bomber” basically annexed it for the entire week, “Ja, no complaints. Good comfort, easy to ride.” His only moan was having to find a pavement to climb aboard because of his shorter legs.
Dons Best describing word: Sophisticated.
Of the four, the NX’s cup contains the least amount of off-road prowess, and should be confined to soft-dirt only. That means it is inherently the best on tar, a legacy it lives up to. Without the need for robust off-road protection, Honda were able to splash out on classy looks and feel, and it oozes class. Road handling is excellent, the motor is the most powerful of the bunch and it will get you invited to a bunch of fancy dinner parties.
Sean didn’t ride it in Lesotho (thanks Peter) but points to his 500+ km single tank ride in South Africa as proof of its touring credentials. The 471 cc parallel twin barely notices altitude, the 17.5 L tank laughs at range anxiety, and the Honda RoadSync connectivity plus traction control make it feel properly premium.
If your Lesotho trip is mostly tar with the occasional gravel detour, or if you just value comfort after 500 km days, the NX500 is the easy choice. It’s the only one here that feels like it could jump straight on the N1 and head to Johannesburg tomorrow without excuses.
This is the important stuff to know:
- 471 cc parallel twin, 47 hp, 43 Nm
- 196 kg wet
- 180 mm ground clearance, 830 mm seat
- 19″/17″ cast wheels, tubeless road tyres
- Switchable ABS + Honda Selectable Torque Control
- 17.5 L fuel tank
- 5″ TFT with Honda RoadSync connectivity
- Adjustable windscreen
- Full LED lighting
- Price: R149 999
Every single bike came home unscathed. That alone tells you a lot. Catch more on this lot on The Bike Show TV, Monday nights only on IGNITION, DSTV Channel 189..
