(Klein-Karoo – written for BIKE SA in 2013)

“Nick, can you do this for us?” Simon asked in a cryptic email headed “Harley rider opportunity”. Reading a little further I discovered that Kiehl’s hair and skin care products were organising a Liferide — yes, I was confused by the title, too — on Harleys from Cape Town to Barrydale and back. Now normally I only use tar to connect with the next dirt track, so the prospect of riding a heavy road bike on tar for 554 km over two days had limited appeal. But then I had no idea what was in store for me.

I cleared up any remaining confusion lurking in my post-weekend-addled-brain as to exactly what a Liferide was soon after meeting Kiehl’s South African Business Unit Head, Azhar Moosa. “You see, Nick, Kiehl’s uniquely New York City look and feel has developed over almost 150 years through the many passions and interests of Kiehl’s founding family.” These, I learn later, included a love of Harley Davidson motorbikes, a large collection of which were displayed in Kiehl’s first New York store and which still form an important part of Kiehl’s in-store merchandising strategy. But along with the brand’s historical association with adventure comes another attribute of the past: the caring for the individual’s needs offered by an old-style family apothecary, such as the one that John Kiehl started back in 1851. As the Kiehl’s brand grew, the company’s “caring” product strategy evolved into a broader philanthropic vision which made giving back to the communities a cornerstone of the Kiehl business model. “Kiehl’s Liferide in Cape Town brings together two of Kiehl’s historic passions, our love of adventure and our constant drive to make a difference in the communities we serve,” added Azhar, finally clarifying the Liferide title for me.

One of Kiehls’ strategic partners for its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) activities in South Africa is Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa (SHNSA), a company that does excellent work looking after the nutritional needs of hungry children in SA’s hundreds of informal, non-government-funded crèches. Along with its business partners — which include Edcon and Virgin Active Health Clubs —Kiehl’s has donated over 20,000 meals to SHNSA in its first year since launch.

Sweating away to the metronomic beat of the vibey music washing over us at our food-packing production line in Harley Davidson’s Tygervalley dealership, I soon discover that this Liferide is not going to be a completely free one. You see, the SHNSA concept entails getting the donor’s staff and their partners – including yours truly in this instance — physically involved in packing the individual meals for the kids in the crèches. And it’s a marvellous way for a donor to let its staff match the company’s financial contributions with their own physical effort. After “choking” down the contents of 2500 meal bags so my accomplice on the line could heat seal the contents, you also see the incredible team building attributes this sort of demanding activity breeds among staff, associates and partners. Of course, a savvy donor company like Kiehl’s and its partners will not only be able to reap the benefits of tax rebates involved with CSI spending, but there is a tremendous amount of brand goodwill generated from well-placed PR campaigns as well.

“Okay, so the first thing to remember Nick, is that this is a 1700 cc, high compression motor [the new 103 cubic inch twin-cam version], and there’s no need to crank open the throttle to get it going,” said Mark Marais with a mischievous glint in his eye, “just roll the gas on easy, and you’ll be fine.”

I’m receiving some personal instruction from Mark, a shareholder in Harley Davidson’s cavernous Tygervalley dealership,  on how to take charge of the mount I’ve chosen for the Liferide , a beautiful retro-styled cruising motorcycle called the Heritage Softail Classic.

“Yes, I’m fine with managing this R260,000 behemoth (dry weight is a whopping 326 Kg) and a pillion passenger through busy traffic,” I said to myself somewhat unconvincingly, making  me remember the very apt acronym made up of this often ill-fitting adverb: F = Frantic;

I = Insecure; N = Neurotic and E = Emotional.

But once I get over the initial fears of trashing myself, the bike and my pillion — her dad had asked her only to ride with the most experienced motorcyclist, so there was no pressure —and make it through the heavy traffic onto the highway without incident, I start to relax a bit. And by the time our group of five Harleys (two Road King Classics; a Street Glide and an Electra Glide Ultra Limited) hit Du Toit’s Kloof Pass I’m really starting to enjoy the smooth power of the incredibly torquey motor (130 Nm @ 3,000 rpm) and the low-gravity balance of my gentle giant.

Apart from its charitable, motivational and other lofty ideals, the Kiehl’s Liferide is also about living life, seizing the moment and just enjoying the ride. And judging by the average girth of the riders’ smiles when we pause at the top of the pass, everyone is having the time of their lives. It’s the most beautifully sunny Cape summer day and life on the open road less travelled, especially on a pass which sees a fraction of the traffic it used to before the tunnel was built for the toll road below us, is sublime.

In our group of five, we have two Superbikers (Vongani Shiburi —Yamaha R1 and Terence Miya — Honda Fireblade); two riders who are Harley specialists (Mike Joubert and Allen Mclleland) and myself, an adventure motorcyclist who prefers riding 650-800 cc dual-purpose bikes capable of handling the more technical gravel with ease. For the uninitiated, handling a Harley can take some getting used to. There’s the low ground clearance for cornering – especially on my Heritage Softail Classic; the heavy front end experienced during low speed manoeuvring and the relatively slow acceleration. But what all of us love is the comfort — the seats are just so plush they sit better than your best armchair —the powerful and oh-so-heavenly-sounding V-twin motors (they pull willingly from 1500 rpm); the superb balance, the ergonomic riding positions, and most of all, the relaxed vibe of it all. In general, the bigger touring-suited Harleys we’re on are not about riding at breakneck speeds and certainly not suitable for robot to robot dicing. They are about relaxed, safe and comfortable cruising, and once you realise this and stop trying to throw it into corners, and use their power judiciously, you’re bound to have as much fun as we were.

At our fuel stop and leg stretch just outside Worcester our travelling circus of wannabee

pillions, back-up vans, and other attendants is still full of the goodwill brought on by this morning’s food-packing exercise. And this general bonhomie, blended with the riders’ palpable joy of cruising on a Harley, makes for a chorus of impromptu outbursts of infectious happiness that brings the petrol station’s normal traffic to a standstill.

Once we’ve made our way through some of the slower traffic on the outskirts of Worcester, we’re able to open up the Harleys a bit of the long straights and gentle curves that make up the R60 to Robertson. On one section I decide to wang it to close the gap that’s opened up in our staggered formation and I reach 160 km/h with relative ease – the rev counter topping around 3600 rpm in sixth. Of course, at that sort of speed, you’ll get less than your average 16 km to a litre, so speed limit cruising is best on these relatively thirsty beasts.

After cruising through the remainder of the Breede River Valley onto Montagu in the Klein Karoo, we arrive at our overnight destination, the Barrydale Karoo Hotel. The décor and furnishings are sumptuous, arty and even a touch theatrical; and it’s these touches that turn this old platteland hotel into a delightful venue for a country get-together such as ours.

Dinner is an outdoor feast of lamb on the spit partnered by local wines, all hosted beneath a carpet of Karoo stars. During a short speech, Kiehl’s Azhar Moosa reminds us again how many children we have all helped feed today, and that it’s time for us to indulge and spoil ourselves. Not needing much further encouragement the dinner throng takes to feeding and watering itself with gusto and the mood elevates once more. But after my Lemon Meringue pie and fresh mint dessert, my conversation tank suddenly runs dry, my eyes grow heavy and the percale linen on my bed starts calling me like a voluptuous, wanton siren.

We awake to a beautiful blue Karoo Sky and are reminded at breakfast that today is “World Kiehl’s Day”, an honour bestowed on the company by New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, for their on-going commitment to the communities of New York’s East Village. And it’s after enjoying this renewed festive spirit, that my pillion, Angie Khumalo, and I ready ourselves to set off ahead of the pack to get some photographs of the Harleys as they snake their way through the majestic Tradouw’s Pass, en-route to Suurbrak.

Before we leave Barrydale, Angie tells me that she’s also a keen biker and often takes her Triumph America cruiser out onto the country roads on weekends. Knowing that I have a knowledgeable pillion, I try my best to give her a feel for the bike without pushing too hard. And in so doing, I’m once again reminded of the strengths and limitations of my mount. Even though Mark Marais warned me that it was “perfectly normal” to scrape the large foot platforms when cornering, hearing grinding metal and seeing sparks fly are not confidence-inspiring in tight bends. But as the straights unfold and I’m able to open the big V-Twin up a bit, the cacophonic babble of the uninhibited exhausts — amplified further by the rising cliff faces around us — assaults our senses and we are in Harley cruiser heaven once more.

Angie and I find the slow, straight ride from Swellendam to Riviersonderend on the N2 a trifle boring and I immediately think of the alternative back route I would have taken if we were on a dual-purpose motorcycle. But the route from Riviersonderend along the smooth tarred surface of the undulating R326, and then the gradual yet absorbing twists of the vineyard covered Akkedisberg Pass to Stanford, gets our endorphins flowing once more.

But the scenic highlight of the day so far is the view from our lunch stop venue, the Harbour Rock Restaurant in Hermanus. We look out over the small craft and aquamarine-coloured water of the new harbour, across Walker Bay to the bustling spread of Hermanus town and beyond to the mouth of the Kleinrivier estuary. More pristine white beaches lead from there all the way past De Kelders to Gansbaai – the shark-cage diving mecca of South Africa. And then a lone whale blows in the middle-distance and the picture is complete.

Rolling thunder arrives just before our lunch is served. The Tygervalley Harley Davidson Club, represented by about twenty of its members, joins us for a meal and will also accompany us on our remaining ride along the coastal road (R44) via Kleinmond, Betty’s Bay and Gordon’s Bay to our final destination — Canal Walk shopping centre. Here the second half of Kiehl’s (along with partners Edcon and Virgin Active) CSI food packing event will take place (another 2500 meals) again put together by Stop Hunger Now South Africa (SHNSA).  

Being part of a formation of around 25 Harleys is an experience I won’t easily forget. Wherever we go, tweezer-lipped aunties’ jaws drop, kids wave frantically while young men and women clap with appreciation; and you just know that they would give anything to be sitting in your seat. But halfway through Kleinmond village I nearly give up my seat for a dog. A plucky Cairn terrier decides to defy the laws of science and stop our rolling mass of nearly 500 kg with its puny 15 kg frame. I instantly put the Harley’s ABS brakes to the test and because I’m going over 50 km/h (30 mph) some of the front brake power I’ve applied is judiciously transferred to the rear brake. And I’m happy to report, as is the dog, the system works very well.

Most Capetonians rave about the beauty of Chapman’s Peak Drive, and while they have a point, it doesn’t compare even remotely in terms of the ride quality it offers a cruising biker when contrasted to the R44 from Rooi-Els to Gordon’s Bay. And the latter is for free, too. At our halfway view-point I decide to chat to one of the more eccentric-looking Harley Club members and meet  veteran motorcycle cop, Rodney Ford, who’s riding a 1969 American police issue Shovelhead 1200 cc (low-compression motor with generator and back-up kick-start) Harley that boasts a hand shift gear-lever next to the petrol tank and foot clutch pedal. This set-up is too much for my conventional motorcycle brain to take in and I walk away wondering how Rodney co-ordinates all the levers and pedals, plus throttle, when going into a tight corner. But then I remember it’s a Harley and with all that torque there’s no real rush required.

Arriving at Canal Walk after threading our formation through the peak afternoon traffic, we battle to get the parking attendants to hold the boom up and let us in en masse to access the parking area cordoned off for our group. Some rabble-rousers at the back start to get impatient and encourage us to rev our motors to persuade the staff to lift the boom and let us in. It’s not a very polite strategy, but I have to say I felt a certain solidarity with the cause, and besides, making a beautiful noise is part and parcel of the Harley experience.

Thanks to Kiehl’s SA; their partners at Edcon, Virgin Active and Harley Davidson; plus the great teams at Brandsrock and SHNSA for opening my eyes to the Kiehl’s Liferide experience…and the joy of slow cruising on country roads on an iconic Harley classic.

The route and other Kiehl’s Liferide participants’ details

Route markers — Day 1: Harley Davidson’s Tygervalley dealership (Willowbridge Lifestyle Centre) to Barrydale:  N1 to Worcester via Du Toit’s Kloof Pass, the R60 to Robertson and the R62 through Montagu to Barrydale. Total Distance Day 1 = 195 km.  Day 2: Barrydale via Tradouw’s Pass to Suurbrak, then onto the N2 outside Swellendam for Riviersonderend and then on the R326 and R43 to Stanford and Hermanus. The remainder of the trip to Canal Walk took in the beautiful coastal road (the R44 to Gordon’s Bay) and then a combination of the N2 and N1. Total distance Day 2 = 359 km.  Total trip distance = 554 km.   

Accommodation: Barrydale Karoo Hotel – 028-572 1226 / www.barrydalekaroohotel.co.za

Kiehl’s Products: For particular interest to bikers are some of the company’s Cross-Terrain skin care products such as the All-in-one Refuelling wash and SPF 50 UV Skin protector. Check out more of their active lifestyle products at participating Edgars’ stores, on Kiehl’s local Facebook page or at www.kiehl’s.com

Harley Davidson Tygervalley: To rent or buy one of these iconic motorcycles, speak to the good people at this very well-stocked and well run store – 021-914 8888 or visit www.harley-davidson-tygervalley.co.za

Stop Hunger Now Southern Africa (SHNSA): To find out how your company and staff can get involved with a CSI project at your own premises from as little as R15, 000, call 011-872 2498 or 021-705 6278, or visit their website: www.stophungernowsa.org