With just his tyres between him and the terrain, local adventurer Bryn Roberts has set off on an epic solo adventure bike ride from Durban’s sunny coast to the mighty Congo River, traversing roads and trails on his trusty KTM 1090 adventure bike with TrailMax Mission tyres sponsored by Dunlop. Here, he and his bike take a quick stop in the Hakskeen Pan, a mud and salt pan in the Kalahari Desert, Northern Cape. Image: Supplied.
Labelled Coast 2 Congo, Roberts departed Durban on 3 August from Twisted Trails bike shop in Hillcrest and made his first stop at the Dunlop Ladysmith manufacturing plant.
With his route taking him to Lesotho, up through South Africa, on to Namibia, and then Angola, Roberts expects to reach his end destination - the Congo River - in three weeks. He has already completed one week into his journey.
Roberts is a veteran in the adventure industry with over 30 years of experience in corporate adventure team building and training industry, and his passion for adventure biking was ignited through his circle of friends, including professional racers Brett Bircher, Gary Galway and Russell Wood. He’s been off-road biking for just under a decade.
The route will take him through a range of conditions, from open South African roads to sandy deserts, rugged mountain tracks and onto sharp shale rock in Angola, putting the durability and versatility of Dunlop's TrailMax Mission tyres to the ultimate test.
“As a de facto ambassador for the brand, I appreciate the reliability and performance of Dunlop tyres in various challenging conditions. The TrailMax Mission tyres are known for their excellent handling and puncture resistance, and I’m definitely going to put them through the test on this adventure. In a journey like this, it’s so important to have confidence in one's tyres, especially when travelling through diverse terrains. This is my second set of Dunlop Trailmax Mission tyres, and they are value for what you get out of them,” said Roberts.
His KTM 1090 Adventure bike carries his sleeping bag, tent, gas cooker, spare clothing and other supplies that he’ll need.
“This is the beauty of getting on your bike and setting off. I’ll drive through rainy conditions, beach sand, desert sand, loose tar, gravel, smooth road, trails, and it won’t be just my bike and tyres put to the test, but myself as well. Nothing feels better than getting on the bike and navigating the environment. However, in order to enjoy the lifestyle, you need to know that the only thing between the harsh terrain and the weight of what you’re carrying, is a good set of tyres,” he said.
Roberts is documenting the adventure, the landscape, and the tyres supported in parts by Ross Coull, an experienced enduro rider and drone expert.
Apart from the scenery, Roberts will play an important role by connecting with people and biking groups along the journey. He will visit Dunlop tyre dealers and interact with local communities, generating awareness and excitement about the adventure biking lifestyle.
