Johannesburg-Beitbridge-Northern Highlands. Start of the trip with some long riding days including a unpleasant surpriseThursday I started from Johannesburg, having collected the bike from Cytech, who did a phantastic job replacing the clutch in only one day. "Smooth as silk", as Donovan said, and the bike is still running like clockwork today.
Loading the bike took only a good hour as everything was pre-packed and ready to load:
Two panniers and top case (original BMW), tank bag (Kahedo) and one waterproof bag (Ortlieb). Plus Garmin Zumo 660 with Tracks4Africa and GoPro camera-equipment - all set and go for Zim.

Road: N1 - Motorway until north of Pretoria, then smooth tarmac via Bela-Bela, Mokopane, Polokwane, Makhado and Musina right to the border at Beitbridge.
All toll road, have cash ready (approx. R300)
Riding time: 6 hours
Border: 1:30h, including Carnet and Zim visa (US$30) - really quick for this extremely busy border post, the only one between South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Bikes can pass all truck/bus/car qeues.
ZIM side: Pay road tax & bridge tax, get visa and passport stamped, finally carnet stamped - all steps documented on a gate pass.

Then, in pitch dark, I was fetched by Nerva at a street corner (almost missed him, black guy in the dark - but I guess I was easy to spot, standing out like a christmas tree in July - white guy on a motorbike in Zim ;-) )
Overnight: Private house in Beitbridge - enjoyed the hospitality at a bachelors house, with pizza for dinner!

Next day, after visiting the freshly re-opened Africoil fuel and diesel-depot (Nerva's project for the past 2 years), it was on the road again... A lot of riding, partly on roads I did in 2010 on the imfamous trip that ended me in hospital with a broken ankle... But still an extremely scenic country with friendly and open people who suffer from an old man's regime...

Road: Beitbridge-Masvingo-Mutare-Rhodes Nyanga NP - Troutbeck
Partly toll roads, but no toll for bikes. Thank you!
Overnight: Troutbeck Inn - nice Golf resort hotel, a bit expensive for the start, but nice room, beautiful view and food and wifi!
Location NOT recommended to stay here on a overland trip towards Mocambique/Malawi - see next day...

Until now it was all tarmac, which was going to change on day three - and how!
Both paper map and Tracks4Africa map showed a tar road straight north from Troutbeck Inn to Nyamapanda and the border to Mocambique. However: LEARNING FOR THE DAY: Always ask if the road ahead is okay, not blocked or anything. I found out the hard way...
First of all it tarmac stopped about 50km after the hotel. I had a nice chat with the officer at a police checkpoint, mentioned where I was going - but did not ask about the road, and he did not bother telling me that the road was actually going nowhere, or rather: Ended at a bridge that was destroyed already a year ago... No way to get through, with breast-high water. So I had to turn around, 2 hours of riding back to the police checkpoint, where another friendly officer told me there is a shortcut on a nice dirt road, no problem! Just had get fuel first (black market from the guys across the road, 2$ a liter, but good quality), and then off on that road, which was on no map except for the hand-drawn one from the police officer.
Result: 2 hours to the bridge, 2 hours back, and 5(!) hours on the dirt road shortcut, with technical passages, sandy patches (dropped the bike but no harm done except for a broken light and a small bruise on the heel), lots of dust and various gravel. Actually a nice challenging road for the next Drifters bike tour - but should not be attempted on a solo ride!
After the point of no return I had to push on, and finally made it back on tarmac at Mutoko. Refuel and then to Pumpkin Hotel near the border.

Road: Very bad road. Just avoid it and rather detour via Harare to Nyamapanda, or even better cross into Mozambique at Mutare.

Overnight: Pumpkin Hotel nar Nyamapanda. Only stay if you cannot avoid, though clean bedding and hot shower. Dinner and breakfast pre-prepared and put on the table in foil. Safe parking.

Start in Johannesburg

Overnight at Troutbeck Lodge

The end of this road in Northern Zimbabwe