REG GURNELL WINS RFS BIKE ECONORUN
author: Andries vd Walt
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Reg Gurnell, riding a KTM 690 Duke, finished first overall and first in class A (up to 700 cc) in the RFS Bike Econorun.
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Reg Gurnell, riding a KTM 690 Duke, finished first overall and first in class A (up to 700 cc) in the RFS Bike Econorun that ended in Hazyview on Saturday. It was his fifth victory in the annual national motorcycle economy run in 10 years and his first since 2008.
He completed the 900-km two-day event in Mpumalanga Province with a fuel consumption figure of 3,22 l/100 km. Second overall and first in class B was previous winner Peter de la Rey on a BMW 800 (3,38 l/100 km) with another former winner Graham Mephius on a Kawasaki ER6F (3,56 l/100 km) third for the second year in succession and runner-up in class A.
Making up the top 10 were Mike Peel on a BMW F800ST (fourth overall and second in class B 701 to 1010 cc)), Grant Scott (fifth overall and third in class A on a BMW 650 CS), Andre Schoeman (sixth overall and winner of class G – adventure motorcycles up to 1000 cc - on a BMW F650GS), first rookie Charl Krebs (seventh overall on a class A Kawasaki ER6F), first woman rider Dianne du Rand (eighth overall on a class A BMW F650CS), Callie Fouche (ninth overall on a class G BMW F800GS) and Gerhard Schutte (10th overall on a class A Kawasaki ER6N).
Other class winners were:
Class J (pillion up to 1200 cc): Marchand and Elaine Rossouw, BMW F650GS, 13th overall, 4,35 l/100 km;
Class F (luxury touring): Johan Nelson, BMW R1200RT, 15th overall, 4,42 l/100 km;
Class D (1201 cc and above): Neil Smith, Suzuki GSX, 19th overall, 4,51 l/100 km;
Class C (1011 cc to 1200 cc): George Booker, KTM RC8, 20th overall, 4,58 l/100 km;
Class E (sport touring): Dave Adam, BMW 1300GT, 22nd overall, 4,78 l/100 km;
Class H (adventure motorcycles 1001 cc and above): Kevin Martens, BMW R1200GS, 23rd overall, 4,81 l/100 km;
Class K (pillion 1201 cc and above): Lawrence and Emmery Meintjies, BMW K1300S, 25th overall, 4,93 l/100 km;
Class I (cruisers): Doug Moss, Triumph, 27th overall, 4,99 l/100 km;
Class M (modified): Daan Hugo and pillion rider Glenda, Kawasaki 22R1200, 32nd overall, 5,22 l/100 km;
Class L (bikes older than 10 years): Tobie Beetge, BMW R1150GS, 42nd overall, 5,78 l/100 km.
Clive Strugnell, who has competed in all 29 motorcycle economy runs, had the misfortune to fall off his Suzuki SV1000 just 44 seconds from the start and was awarded the Bertus Luus memorial trophy for good sportsmanship.
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Marchand and Elaine Rossouw
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Other special awards went to Dianne du Rand (first woman rider) and Charl Krebs (first rookie).
Jerry Paice, a regular driver in the Total Blind Navigators Rally Championship, finished 35th overall on a Kymco Xciting scooter with blind navigator Bonita Blankenberg riding pillion.
Kristene Smuts, who made history in 2009 when she became the first woman rider to win the event, came close to making it two in a row, but a missed turn-off in Middelburg cost her a 16,5-litre penalty and she finished 44th out of 53 riders on a BMW 650F.
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