Bikers bid farewell to Johan Roos

Local biking legend Johan Roos passed away on Monday (May 23) after numerous operations and a long battle to save his legs. His long battle with gangrene never saw him give up.

Bikers from throughout South Africa paid tribute on Friday, with a mass guard of honour and ride.

A memorial service was held on Friday (May 27) at the CG Church in Carbineer Road, starting at 12:00 midday. Bikers left the Total Oasis petrol station in Murchison Street at 11:30, driving in convoy to the church.

Johan was a ‘larger than life’ character who could be seen in Spar doing his weekly shopping.

He was born on August 23, 1950, in the Free State and completed his schooling at Ladysmith High School in 1968. Johan started his plumbing apprenticeship in Pietermaritzburg the following year (1969).

On weekends, he would work overtime as a train driver’s assistant. He then joined the army in January 1970 for a year before returning to Ladysmith. Johan qualified as an artisan in 1973 and started his career as a plumber.
In 1982, he became a general duty artisan.

He completed his career with Transnet in 2005 and got involved in long-distance trucking, later rejoining Transnet Pipelines.

His true passion, as we all know, was his friendships and biking.

He has travelled far and wide on his motorbikes, and attended hundreds of rallies all over Southern Africa.

Johan was an avid biker who was well known in the community and liked by all who knew him. He always had a kind word and a joke. From humble beginnings, he established himself as a South African biking legend.

He loved to tell the story of how he attended his first Buffalo Rally in 1969, riding a tiny 50cc motorcycle. After that, he was hooked! Soon after, he became a staple at rallies countrywide, known for his legendary ‘laughing dop’ when he would try to convince the unsuspecting to have a drink on him. Hidden inside the beer would be his false teeth… He would go on to attend over 700 bike rallies, going by the moniker of ‘Rosebud’ or ‘Ouboet’.

His denim jacket, German helmet and jeans were all adorned with badges from the rallies he attended.

He featured on TV shows linked to SA biking and in numerous newspapers too. His German helmet and captivating laugh attracted photographers like a magnet.

The news provided to you in this link comes to you from the editorial staff of the Ladysmith Gazette, a sold newspaper distributed in the Ladysmith area.

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