Honda Quest True Adventure finalists announced

By Réhann Coetzee

Honda Motorcycles Southern Africa, along with Specialised Adventures, have announced the 14 finalists for the 2018 Quest True Adventure that will be held over 10 days and covering 2 500km of some of the most iconic mountainous desert riding in the remote and harshly beautiful Richtersveld, Northern, and Western Cape.

From more than 1 000 entries originally, 30 semi-finalists and finally 14 finalists were selected]

The 14 finalists will be getting on their steeds – the Honda CRF1000L DCT Africa Twin – on 18 October for an adventure of a lifetime.

They are: André Labuschagne (from Bultfontein), André le Roes (Swellendam), Claude Deyzel (Cape Town), Denzil Lawrie (Sabie), Hannes Dippenaar (Johannesburg), Jana Botha (from Kyalami, the only lady in the group), Jesse Hardy (Nelspruit), Jodan Alberts (Pretoria), Jonathan Tee (Kirstenbosch) and Mojaki Rammoneng (Brakpan).

Just what it took to claim their seat was an intensive three-day semi-final Bootcamp. It was a combination of testing each to get a real measure of not just the person under the helmet, but also to prepare them as much as possible for the adventure ahead.

The seven teams of two will have the opportunity to test themselves both on and off the bike in the very tough, technical, yet stunningly beautiful part of the world. It will take something special in so many ways for the winning team to ride off on the very bike they will have competed on.

“We were looking for the true adventure riders of Southern Africa,” says Barend Fouché, head of Honda Motorcycles South Africa. “And we found them: men and women of courage who are adventurous, don’t shy away from physical and mental challenges, take the initiative and function as part of a team.

“Quest is not a race or a rally, it is an adventure expedition, designed to test human endurance and adaptability. Finalists will be tested on their adventure-motorcycle riding, mechanical skills, as well as their endurance, courage, and resilience against the African terrain.”

“Apart from carrying the title of winning Quest True Adventure 2018, the members of the winning team will each win the Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin that they used during the Quest True Adventure event,” says Fouché.