About Ride Down South
Every Trip is a Story - this is one you'll tell for the rest of your days
Whilst Ride Down South has been in operation since 2016, Andrew Vaughan (founder, owner, chief mechanic, and guide) has been riding motorbikes throughout Africa for much longer. He has set off on many an adventure on two wheels – sometimes with others, sometimes alone. Andrew rode 30 000 kilometres from Vancouver, Canada to Cape Town, South Africa in 2007, enjoyed a 14 000km ride through Southern Africa including Angola and Zambia in 2014, and has done many shorter rides in between.
In 2015 Andrew was on a motorcycle trip with a friend from Canada, riding from Cape Town, South Africa to Kigali, Rwanda, and raising funds for two youth-focused non-profits along the way. Sitting around the campfire after a rather average day in Namibia, his friend commented that he was having the time of his life riding a motorcycle through the African landscape, and it was an experience that many of his friends would envy. That conversation under the stars opened up a smorgasbord of ideas and possibilities. Andrew realised that this could be made accessible to keen adventurers who were unlikely to do this kind of trip on their own.
The Ride Down South team love the outdoors and the wildlife that goes with it, and have vast personal experience of rides through Africa. These epic African motorcycle adventures for individuals and small groups have drawn people from around the world. Their knowledge and expertise removes the stress of travel in sometimes tough places. Knowing what to do at border posts, which routes are safest to go on, where to stay and who to ask for guidance, where to fill up with fuel, and more, make trips all about the fun and adventure, and less about logistics and stress. The team also offer local rides around the Western Cape. And the Ride Down South motorbikes that adventurers ride on have become something of an attraction on their own!
HONDA AFRICA TWIN
The Honda Africa Twin has a committed global following. Sturdy and reliable, and able to handle any kind of road that Africa has in store; this motorcycle is a fantastic bike for African adventures. And that Andrew is a mechanical engineer helps with any glitches along the way. Ride Down South’s fleet of 8 classic Africa Twin XRV750s are lovingly named after female action heroes and are looked after like the gold that they are. In 2022, six of the upgraded Africa Twin CRF1000L motorcycles joined the fleet, giving riders the option of riding a more modern machine.
Ride Down South know that the gold in these trips is those ‘end-of-day’ campsite moments, having ridden 400 kms on a dusty Namibian road, reliving the experiences of the day, whether those were seeing elephants on the side of the road, or battling through tricky gravel, emerging with some scars but having overcome a challenge, and had a good adventure along the way.
If you are after adventure on trusted reliable motorcycles that have stood the test of time, off the beaten track with people who have been there and know, and enjoy chats under the stars with fellow sojourners, Andrew and his team are ready to connect.