Adventure Rider Magazine is published bimonthly by Clemenger Media.
CEO Tony Clemenger
Managing Editor Susan Plunkett
Contributors
LaLa Barlow, Tug McClutchin, Andy Strapz, Heather Ellis, Dan King, Dale Tolcidas, Bob Wozga, Holly Fields, John McLennan, Mark Bayley, Vicki Webber, Jonathan Kaye, Graeme Sedgwick AND others
(If you would like a chance to have your adventure in print = please email susan.plunkett@clemengermediasales.com.au)
Photographers:
LaLa Barlow, Dale Tolcidas, Jonathan Kaye, Bob Wozga, Dan King, Holly Fields, Janette Wilson, John McLennan, Mark Bayley, Vick Webber, Graeme Sedgwick, Manish Bhaskar
Design Danny Bourke Southern-bear@bigpond.com.au
Subscriptions
Phone: 1800 995 007
Website: www.advridermag.com.au
Copyright
Are We eco-Warriors? I
’ve seen several articles recently that talk about the interests adventure riders have in “sustainable and eco-conscious” riding.
In the forums I read, I never see riders discussing purchases based on low emissions (a factor often described in these pieces) nor necessarily moving to ‘eco-friendly’ tours.
This is not to say that the riding community does not care about the environment.
Indeed, on a daily basis I see photos of the beauty of the Australian environment, and beyond to other nations. I see riders voicing the beauty of spots they know or find and, where possible, see an occasional photo of wildlife.
Are you a rider who specifically seeks out gear made from recycled materials? Or is reputation of the brand and fit that comes out as top priorities (apart from price). Recycled materials are certainly a bonus but how many of us make decisions based on this as a top element of consideration?
Although eco-tourism may be receiving great interest from riders, I believe most riders undertaking expeditions are looking for an experience in a pleasing environment; one that will challenge them and offer the good ole “thrills and spills” (let’s not go too far with spills) vs a choice made purely for eco ethical reasons.
Cape York Motorcycle Tours (where our two gals are presently) is a potential groundbreaker in the area of eco-tourism and supports several recycling and environmental care initiatives, yet, how many people chose their tours on that basis alone?
L1 397 Chapel Street South Yarra 3141 P: +61 1800 995 007 tony.clemenger@clemengermediasales.com.au www.clemengermediasales.com.au
cycle riding in bush and native areas and in places where riparian erosion can occur, and yet some riders I know believe both 4WD and motorcycle riding can improve say fire trails through national park zones. Something mentioned often after storms when road areas can be closed (sometimes for months).
From my reading of multiple overseas adventure stories, riders certainly appreciate the magic of a new environment but also the interaction with local cultures. Knowing here and there that their spending money assists local businesses seems to be a strong incentive. You may be aware the living conditions locally are relatively poor and you can feel good about giving something back to those people.
So, for all you out there, what is your stance on enviro and sustainable practices? Did you choose your bike based on low emissions? Do you regularly have your bike serviced to ensure those low emissions are sustained (vs regular servicing to ensure life span of the bike)?
l Do you use, or indeed avoid, certain areas because of their natural beauty?
l On a 1 to 10 scale, where do you consider yourself to be as a motorcycling eco-warrior?
l Opinions please to: yourview@clemengermediasales.com.au
ANDY PLANS SOME DOWN TIME
There’snothing like a medical emergency to make you realise that life is short, and maybe you’ve been working a bit too hard. And so it was for our mate (and contributor to this magazine) Andy of Andy Strapz fame.
So, after 27 tears of making the best motorcycle gear there is, Andy has decided that retirement is coming due.
“Spending over a quarter century building Andy Strapz® has been a fabulous ride.” Andy said.
“I’m proud of what we’ve achieved, the quality gear we’ve made and the position we’ve hacked out in the Aussie bike industry
BENELLI MEGA SALE
Not to be outdone with the Spring bike sales is Benelli, chipping in with some great deals on their bikes at present.
There are $1,000 discounts on the Leoncino 500 (now just $8890 ride away), the Leoncino 500 Trail, and the 502 Cruiser. The Leoncino is the base for Harley’s X-500, so it’s a nice thing and the quality is more than acceptable, particularly for these prices.
The baby TNT 125 has also dropped by $600 to a ride away price of $3990.
You know the deal, see your dealer if you want more info.
ROYAL ENFIELD SPRING DEALS
The team at Royal Enfield clearly believe the change of weather that is about to greet us as springtime hits is worth celebrating. We don’t blame them really, nobody loves the end of winter like we motorcyclists.
And what better way to celebrate the warming of our cockles than with a new motorcycle?
If that is your plan, then Royal Enfield would like you to choose one of theirs. They’ve just announced great deals on a bunch of models, including the Hunter 350, Meteor 350, Scram 411, Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650.
Pricing starts at just $6990 for the nimble little Hunter 350. Go see your Royal Enfield dealer if their bikes float your boat.
over the 27 years we’ve been at it.”
“It’s time to hand the keys over to someone who is ready to drop the clutch, pop the front wheel up and steer the brand toward bigger and better things.”
So, while Andy might be planning on retiring some time next year, it doesn’t mean the end of the the beloved Andy Strapz business.
Hopefully someone will come along and pick up the strapz and run with them. In the meantime, it’s business as usual at Strapz HQ.
If you’re interested in becoming the new Mr Strapz and buying Andy’s business, contact him directly at info@andystrapz. com and he can send you a prospectus.
YAMAHA JOINS THE AUTO GEARBOX BRIGADE
Well, it really was only a matter of time. The soon to be seen on our shores MT09 Y-AMT will be equipped with Yamaha’s new auto shifting gearbox, or as Yamaha calls it, the Yamaha Automated Manual Transmission, hence the Y-AMT moniker.
The bike will give riders the choice of wither fully automatic operation or a finger operated shift via electric buttons. Yamaha claims that on the new MT-09 this will allow riders to fully enjoy the experience of riding that tasty triple, delivering an engaging and immersive riding experience.
And although the MT-09 is one of the best road bikes going around at present, we know you’re thinking to yourself, “It’s not an adventure bike”. And you’re correct.
But these tech advances have a way of finding themselves on our adventure bikes, and there’s a couple floating around with auto boxes already. Honda’s Africa Twin is the perfect example.
As with all things, not every manufacturer is going about the development of auto gearboxes in the same way. In Yamaha’s case, the tasks normally handled by the clutch and gear levers are looked after by small electric motors, so both levers have been dispensed with. Riders will no doubt find this an unusual set up, but Yamaha claims that the fingers are more effective at initiating gear changes than the feet as fingers are more tactile and closer to the brain.
Makes sense I guess. Their theory is that the rider can focus more on other parts of riding with the gear changes being easier to deal with. I guess that makes sense too.
The MT-09 is the basis for a couple of different models, including the Tracer GT tourer and the XSR900 and very tasty XSR900 GP. What are the odds on a road biased adventure bike built from the same platform with the auto box appearing in the future?
Or perhaps this technology can be applied to the Ténéré or Super Ténéré? That would appeal to plenty of riders.
HONDA’S MOTOGP CHAMPIONS DINNER
Heading to Phillip Island for MotoGP this year?
Honda would like you to come and join them for an unforgettable evening at the Phillip Island Winery
The evening will be hosted by Darryl Beattie and Simon Crafar.
Special guests will be Honda’s MotoGP riders, Joan Mir, Luca Marini, Takaaki Nakagami and Johann Zarco.
The Honda Champions Dinner is a celebration of all things Honda, from their incredible racing history to their cutting-edge technology. You can rub elbows with fellow Honda enthusiasts and enjoy a delicious meal in a beautiful setting.
If you’re a Honda fan and heading to The Island this year, this should be on your list!
It’s on Friday night of GP weekend. Tickets are $235 and include a three-course dinner. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.au
(just search for Honda Champions Dinner)
TENERE 700 FINANCE OFFER
Looking to blast off into the sunset on a new Ténéré? This might be the time to take the leap.
Yamaha has a 3.99% interest rate from Yamaha Motor Finance on the new Ténéré 700 and Ténéré 700 World Raid.
They’ll even throw in 12 months of comprehensive insurance and 12 months roadside assistance.
Similar deals are available on some other models in the Yamaha range as part of their Winter Thrills promotion.
We don’t care what they call it, we just think it’s a great deal for potential buyers!
Offer ends September 30, so see your local Yamaha dealer for the info.
HONDA UPS THE VALUE ON THE AFRICA TWIN
Does your local Honda dealer have a 2023 Africa Twin sitting on the showroom floor? Has it been catching your eye? Waiting on the right deal before you jump?
Honda may just have come up with
what you’re looking for.
Honda’s Adventure of a Lifetime sale adds $4,000 Honda Dollars to the deal, meaning you can get all those lovely accessories you have been eyeing off without splashing out your own cash. What’s not to love?
Offers ends 30th September 2024.
MATT MOSS BACK ON A YAMAHA
One of Australia’s highest credentialed supercross racers, Matt Moss, will join the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team for the 2024 Australian Supercross Championship, starting on October 12.
Moss, a nine time Australian motocross and supercross champion, reignites his relationship with Craig Dack and the CDR Yamaha Monster Energy Team after first working with them in 2006, and Mossy is already desperate to hit the track in preparation for the 2024 championship.
Moss had an injury interrupted 2023 season, but was the highest placed Australian rider in 2022 behind US rider Justin Brayton, and is fit and fired up for a huge year and determined to be the first Australian rider to win the championship in a number of years.
“It’s awesome that Craig and I have been able to put this deal together and we share the same goal for this season. To be an Australian rider, on an Australian team, to win an Australian championship as it’s been dominated by US riders in recent times. I know we are both motivated and determined to make that happen,” Moss said.
“The Yamaha YZ450F is the bike I feel the most comfortable on and had my best results on since
returning to racing and with the support of Craig and his CDR Yamaha Team, this is the best opportunity to get back that number 1 plate.
“The series is looking so good with high profile events in each state and in great venues so we will be able show case just how exciting supercross is to so many new people and I can’t wait to get racing with Yamaha and the CDR Yamaha team behind me,” he finished.
The CDR Yamaha line up for the championship will see Moss race alongside Jed Beaton, who is right in the heat of battle in the Australian Motocross Championship. Beaton is relatively inexperienced at the tight and intense nature of supercross but a man of his talents will pick it up quickly and he will be one of the big improvers as the championship progresses.
Team boss Craig Dack said, “The contrast between the riders will work well as Moss brings years of experience at every level of supercross, while Beaton will need some time to learn the ropes and find his feet again, but I have confidence in them both representing CDR, Yamaha and our sponsorship at the highest level.
“Jed will come in with a full season of racing motocross under his belt and a real enthusiasm for supercross. I have enjoyed working with him this year and believe he will step when we hit the stadiums.
“Matt wants to race now. He is a supercross fan as well as a racer and the first question he asked when we agreed on the deal was where his bike was and when can he ride it, so the energy in the team is already high and I will have my hands full trying to keep them calm,” Dack laughs.
The 2024 Championship gets underway on October 12 at Kayo Stadium, just north of Brisbane before winding up at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne on November 30.
2024 ASX Calendar
Rd 1: Kayo Stadium, QLD.
October 12
Rd 2: Kayo Stadium, QLD.
October 13
Rd 3: Win Stadium, NSW.
November 2
Rd 4: Adelaide Supercars. SA.
November 15-16
Rd 5: Marvel Stadium. VIC.
November 30
APRILIA TUAREG EXPEDITIONS
TUAREg EXPEDiTiOnS PURE ADvEnTURE TRAvEl
The Tuareg Expeditions are special itineraries on the Tuareg 660 dedicated to some of the most evocative locations ever. A special way, in true Aprilia spirit, to put the versatility of the Tuareg 660 to the test and discover breathtaking landscapes, exciting dirt roads, large metropolises, small villages and all the freedom you have ever dreamed of.
New Products
BarkBusters® Handguards new Fitments
Australian made Barkbusters® Handguards have been leading the world in hand and lever protection for motorcycles since 1984. They are proudly designed, developed, tested and built in Melbourne, Australia.
The ever-growing range of model-specific hand guard kits has expanded even further, allowing discerning riders to switch out OEM offerings with the best quality hand protection on the market.
Barkbusters® have added new bike specific fitments to their range including:
nEW Handguard to fit ZERO DS / DSR / DSR-X (’23 on): BHG-121 includes Two Point Mount hardware for impact protection.
nEW Handguard to fit HOnDA nX 500 (’24 on) and supersedes BHg-081-00-nP for the HOnDA CB500X (‘19 on) / HOnDA CB400X (‘20 on):
BHG-123 includes Two Point Mount hardware for impact protection.
nEW Handguard to fit SUZUki v-STROM 1050DE (‘23 on): BHG-122 includes Two Point Mount hardware for impact protection.
nEW Handguard to fit BEnElli TRk 702 (24 on) / TRk 702 X (24 on): BHG-103 includes Two Point Mount hardware for impact protection.
m AUSTRALIAN MADE – “Aussie Made Aussie Tough”
m Designed specifically for each bike with OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) specifications
m Two mounting points secure the full wrap around aluminium design
m Heat treated aluminium backbone for added strength and impact protection
m Easy installation
m Compatible with JET, VPS, STORM or CARBON guards (each sold separately).
Available from all good motorcycle shops.
To find your closest dealer, visit: www.barkbusters.net
HippO Hands
There are three models available from just $249.95, so far the base/smaller model ‘backcountry’ has been the most popular.
Hippo Hands are the original motorcycle hand covers. Each pair is durable and made using the highest quality craftsmanship. The outer shell is HippoSkin™, our waterproof outer shell and all Hippo Hands are insulated with HippoFat™, our closed cell foam insulation.
Hippo Hands Backcountry –
Enduro/Dual Sport Motorcycle Hand Covers
Hippo Hands Rogue –
Mid Size versatile Motorcycle Hand Covers
Hippo Hands Alcan – Max Coverage Adventure
Touring Motorcycle Hand Covers
Adventure Bike Australia
Phone: 0416 256 511
Email: sales@adventurebikeaustralia.com.au
rad guard CFmOtO 450mt 2024 radiatOr & exHaust
Anessential aftermarket part
m For the hardcore adventure rider
m Easy to fit
m Fitting instructions provided
m Lightweight and doesn’t restrict airflow
m Made from 6060 T1 –T5 aluminium
m Available in Black and Polished Aluminium
m Three-year worldwide warranty
m Australian made
RRP: $348. On special for $298 EXClUSivE DiSCOUnT:
Use coupon code: ADvRiDER at checkout for an additional $30 off Available from: Rad guard
P: (02) 6658 0060
W: radguard.com.au
Century launCHes new HigH perFOrmanCe everride Battery range FOr pOwerspOrt veHCles
The flagship EverRide Heavy Duty AGM range is designed to satisfy the requirements of power hungry, accessory laden touring bikes and are supplied fully factory activatedoffering a range of benefits for their intended application. The heavy-duty range feature cast radial plates, allowing for more active material to be applied to a larger surface area offering an improved electrical performance. The full frame design increases the structural integrity of the battery as well as adding increased vibration resistance and ensuring even current distribution to the terminals. The thick cast plates also allow for a higher cycling capability which is perfect for the high electrical demands of touring bikes. Brass and silver terminals ensure there is no loss or drop in power between battery and bike and offer superior electrical conductivity.
For more information on the Century EverRide powersports range, contact your local Century Batteries representative on 1300 362 287 or visit www.centurybatteries.com.au
WINNeR!
Anita Eley was the winner of the Six Day Bucket-list Cape York Motorcycle Tour – kicking off Sunday, 25 August 2024. Anita will be accompanied at Cape York by Heather Ellis –contributor and columnist for Adventure Rider Magazine – who will report on their experience in Issue #66 of this magazine.
We look forward to the photos!
Top left: Anita and her KTM 350.
Bottom left: A crowd of 400 turned up for the Bras and Bikes rally in 2020 and the popularity grows each year.
Above: Anita is an experienced motorcyclist and involved in the Bras and Bikes Charity for Bloomhill Cancer Care.
‘explore’ Proposition
Ilike travel. Particularly the immersion motorcycling brings when there’s a gap in my traffic. Additive? No! I simply enjoy escaping and are hugely grateful to have met many with similar and greater experience. Like Paul Bray, instructor and owner of Safe-2-Ride whose passion and patience to help riders better themselves is infectious. Together with his reminder that we as riders have an enormity of choice. A proposition that compelled me to ask. I wonder what CFMOTO’s latest 800 MT Explore might be like as a Traveller’s companion?
The answer after 4 days and plenty of Kilometres. A resounding it’s impossible to dismiss CFMOTO’s Explore as nothing less than an exceptional proposition for anyone seeking to tour and or feel the size of an affordable dual sport bike. Particularly one that affords a level of comfort plus ability to handle blasting over unsealed secondary gravel and dirt forestry roads when not chasing tarmac.
The Explore thanks to a re-tuned KTM sourced 799cc parallel-twin engine is quite the ticket. Its lightweight chromium-molybdenum alloy steel frame and sub-frame paired with aluminium swingarm. Sprung with adjustable 43mm KYB inverted front forks and single KYB rear shock affording no less than 150mm of travel with adjustable spring pre-load and rebound damping. Bosch’s 9.1 MP corning anti-lock
u
Words & Pictures by Graeme Sedgwick
Left: Great Ocean Road. Right: Rider & CFMoto (Beechworth/Dusk).
brake system that affords braking force to be optimised based upon bike speed and inclination to aid cornering lines. Is a realworld sum that’s a cracker to ride that also screams - ‘Let’s travel now!’
Add pannier racks and rear rack, that can be fitted with CFMOTO’s seemingly bullet-proof pannier boxes with removable inside liners, heated grips and seating. The latter boasting a firm comfort that’s made for touring. Plus, a long list of tech features that includes a new larger 8-inch multi-Media screen interface display
compared to 7-inch TFT display on Sport, Touring and Touring L.E models with functionality features: Apple CarPlay and Android.
The new touchscreen display supports multi-media interaction, Bluetooth, voice control and provides navigational directions. Along with fuel range, track lap times, ride history, remote vehicle status, the ability to conduct over-theair software updates, a security feature including movement sensors and bike location together with a virtual fence
set-up to alert the owner of their bike’s movement or theft! As well as time of day, ambient temperature, trip meters and trye-pressure monitoring. More on-board info than I had imagined.
Also Explore riders can choose between six different ride-modes. Each offering a unique combination of torque outputs
Below left: Sign: Wymah Ferry. Below right: Wymah Ferry to across into NSW.
and traction control (TC) intervention to complement different riding conditions, abilities and preferred rider desires.
SPORT: Provides the sharpest throttle response and maximum torque output with a low level of TC intervention. Perfect for experienced riders seeking a spirited tarmac run. OFF-ROAD: Enables a softer throttle with lowest level of TC intervention. OFF-ROAD +: Deactivates rear wheel ABS. ALL-TERRAIN: Provides a softer
throttle response than Off Road with no TC intervention with rear wheel’s ABS also deactivated. ALL-TERRAIN +: Deactivates front and rear ABS. And RAIN: Gives the softest throttle and gentlest power curve with the lowest maximum output and the highest level of TC intervention to best meet wet and slippery conditions.
On-the-move safety features are eye opening. Explore being CFMOTO’s first motorcycle to feature rearward-facing
radar technology with its Behind Radar System encompassing: ‘Blind Spot Detection’ monitoring blind areas within the rider’s field of vision and provides a warning signal. ‘Lane Change Assist’ monitors other road users from both sides and the motorcycle’s rear at a broader range to inform the rider of risk. Plus
Above left: Pub Chalk Board along the Way.
Above: Beechworth on Dusk u
‘Rear Collision Warning’ – providing distance between the nearest behind with signalling in the event of a collision. ‘Cruise’ control is easily set and adjusted via buttons on the left switch-block. Whilst USB port and 12Volt socket are standard and perfect for charging devices including smartphones and when off-grid. Speaking of which, if adventure riding implies coping with the unknown or unexpected. It is relevant to acknowledge the other side of CFMOTO’s 800MT Explore. As it’s a fair size when fuelled at 231 kg or around 212 kg without fuel. Even-so Explore’s
weight fits within the general ball-park of a broad competitor segment. This understood it is useful to know if you choose to point it, or for that matter some other similar weighted bikes toward more challenging circumstances All need a very good rider to remain master of the situation. Before the sheer mass of bike and situation can quickly reverse who is the master! Unless, that is, you are someone with the instinctive talent and experience the likes of Paul Bray have.
As for time aboard CFMOTO’s Explore? I seized the opportunity to travel as many passages typical of the type of
escapism I enjoy. Beginning with a charge along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road before turning north selecting Sport-mode to enjoy a great twisty run over the Otway Ranges. At once it wasn’t hard to feel at one with the flagship variant of CFMOTO’s Adventure range. Explore’s paralleltwin power allowing one to quickly indulge their best and imagine how much more greater riders might screw from this sucker.
Above: Upon CFMoto 800MT Explore. Below left: Extra Lights. Below: Brake Peddle.
Onward skirting the Lakes flanking the postage-stamp sized locality Beeac toward Lethbridge Explore’s responsive sport-mode amped up fun and reward. Before zigging to Steiglitz to pick a variety of meandering gravel and dirt minors through the Brisbane Ranges veering
westerly via Mt Egerton. Then arcing northerly into Wombat State Forest via Hocking Road toward Leonard’s Hill. Great terrain to get a feel for Explore’s Off-road plus mode which didn’t disappoint. Next toward Baynton skipping through the scrub country that’s around Pyalong and Glenaroua generally south of the Defence Force’s Puckapunyal Training precinct switching between ride modes. Keen to get as far north as daylight allowed without running the Hume. I took
one of ‘The Bear’ Aka Peter Thoeming (author of Hema’s atlas for motorcyclists) suggestions onboard. Taking the Old Hume Highway away from Seymour, through Mangalore, Avenel, Locksley and Longwood. Then over the Hume via Tatong, Edi, Whorouly and Stanley calling it a day into Beechworth upon dusk Motivated by the enjoyment that had proceeded. I was eager to get cracking after an enjoyable stuffing of eggs and bacon washed down with a creamy mug
of Beechworth’s best coffee. More the point when it comes to dual-sport bikes the country that rolls around Victoria’s north east is pretty dam good. Away, Yackandandah, Tangambalanga, Bulloh, quickly came and went before hooking into the Granya’s sealed ribbon of attention grabbing up and over twisties. Followed by a more relaxed rubber necking jaunt crossing into New South Wales upon Wymah Ferry. Then some dust toward Talmaino, Jingelic onto Tumbarumba beneath expansive blue sky without encountering ‘any’ road users. All a dream charge that encouraged plenty of opportunity to roll-on spirited indulgence. What a hoot!
And the fun wasn’t about to end quickly. As I’d suggested to a Newcastle mate ‘Trev’ we ought to catch up in Coolamon. Day still young the forestry country between Batlow and Tumut beckoned as a further chance to sample Explore’s Off-road plus and All-terrain plus modes before pointing westward.
Day’s end as usual Trev had checked-in-first and introduced himself to the local’s and a character named ‘Wombat’ at the Pub. Who recommended we dine at the Golf Club. So, we did and weren’t disappointed.
Free of pressures to be anywhere next day a lazy breakfast ensued. Away, Trev didn’t require encouragement to throttle-on the 1250RS’s impressive performance.
So, providing further opportunity to contrast Explore’s touring pace. As we crabbed our way south west along secondary passages via: The Rock, Henty, Walbundrie, Corowa, Mulwala to day’s end in the river-Boat border township of Echuca. Where we enjoyed a more bibulous evening of liquification waxing lyrical about all and anything mates can.
What impressed: Explore’s very sharp distinctive livery, power-assisted ‘slipper’ clutch which certainly keep things steady when punching sharp shifts that can sometimes cause the rear to hop and lock-up when requiring the exact opposite. Rear view mirrors, adjustable windscreen and for mine the brake pedal’s positioning, because like to position the arch of my boot over the footpeg to activate without having to move my foot back and forth. Coupled with the bike’s overall general capability for let’s face it, an escalating crowd of new-to and riders who simply want to travel.
In short with a suggested retail price of $16,990 RideAway inclusive of 3 years warranty coupled with growing retail / service representation nationally. CFMOTO’s 800MT Explore ticks a lot of boxes. Especially when you come back to a standard equipment list that has to rank upon a dollar-for-dollar count as comprehensive when shopping.
CFMOTO’s 800MT Explore offers eye watering value in terms of what comes standard complemented by a level of performance that’s hard to dismiss and leave plenty of your hard-earned over to travel further more often.
More broadly, there’s no doubt CFMOTO are here for the long haul with this added dual-sport range option and the Brand’s further addition of the 450MT Adventure. Yes, Paul was right. We are blessed to have such choice and countryside that has something for everyone, no matter what you seek.
Above: Different Worlds Different Objectives: 1250RS (right) CFMOTO 800MT (left).
Below: BIG Screen Display.
Below right: CFMOTO 800MT Big Bash Plate.
NAVMAN
DASHCAM
MiVue M820D Motorbike
Words and Images: Bob Wozga
Iwas asked a while ago why don’t they make a dash cam solely for motorcycles? Enter Navman.
Navman have been renowned for their navigational devices for over 20 years and have built a solid reputation for their quality and reliability. In recent years with the growing use of navigational devices incorporated in cars and trucks as well as apps on your smartphone, Navman have shifted their focus on developing dash cams.
With the increase of vehicles on the highways, peoples’ frustration in traffic queues during the week and weekends these days an emphasis has developed to record your trips to use as evidence just in case something happens. It gives that peace of mind while riding, as well as security when being parked, and of course this can affect your insurance premiums.
The MiVue M820D Motorbike is specifically designed for motorcycles. The unit comes with 2 cameras - front and rear, the main module, GPS Control box, power leads and a 64GB Micro SD card to capture your video.
Speaking to Elvis Tran, the Product manager from Navman, a considerable amount of time had been spent developing the MiVue M820D to ensure it is compatible and easy to install on pretty much
every motorcycle and scooter. The furniture is designed to be small and unobtrusive. The cables supplied are of enough length and durability to be hidden under fairings and routed so minimum cable is exposed. An extra lead is provided in the kit to extend a camera cable if required. Of course, it is preferred to move the main module to make things fit. This prevents you from trying to hide excess cable on the frame or under the seat.
The MiVue M820D Motorbike enables continuous capturing of your ride in HDR as well as Event capture and Trip Lapse capturing. These are all recorded in 1-, 2or 3-minute intervals depending on your preferred setting. The automatic optical sensors provide surprisingly clear quality images both day and night and the cameras’ stabilization omits any camera
shake that I thought would be evident on a motorcycle mounted camera. Continuous recording automatically activates a few seconds after starting your motorbike – for those that are forgetful. The handlebar controller, by a press of a button, allows you to toggle from continuous to Event capturing if you want to quickly record something on the road ahead. It also cuts in automatically when the G-sensor recognizes high speeds, sharp turns or a collision. They think of everything.
The Trip lapse recording – an option that is activated allows you to condense a long ride to a roughly eight-minute video. This allows you to share a clip without having five minutes of wheels going around following dotted lines on one stretch of road. Some enjoy long stretches of dotted lines, but it can be very boring. Continuous recording still goes ahead while Trip Lapse recording is activated. The Park Mode is activated/deactivated in the system settings. The device will sit idle monitoring the surroundings and will start capturing images when it detects sudden movements or vibrations. This is a handy security feature when parked in congested bike parking in the city or parked in a dubious location when on a
Above: Recorded image showing time, date, speed and co ordinates. Below: What you get in the box.
New Products
long road trip. To prevent a flat battery, placing the device in Smart Mode will deactivate the Parking Mode if it detects the battery fall below 12.4V. The MiVuePro App constantly monitors your battery voltage which allows you to monitor which helps if you have any power issues.
The built-in GPS also tags your route and records your location, speed and direction you are traveling. This can be downloaded and stored for future reference if you can’t remember where you were on a particular ride or where that ruin was that you wanted to revisit and get those afternoon photographs.
The MiVue M820D Motorbike comes with all the bells and whistles. It beeps when applications are activated and will also beep and ring when you are
have a spare accessory cable located under the seat and use a multimeter to determine the positive wire to the plug. The devices’ power leads do not come with plugs or eyelets to connect to the battery terminals, so you may need to stop off at an auto parts dealer or Jaycar to get some connectors.
It may take a little experimentation to get the camera mounting locations to their best positions. The cameras give 140-degree field of view which covers the whole road and the surrounds. The instructions recommend a central horizon. (Speak to a photographer and that will vary). The live view option with assist you with the camera placement and alignment. Try to have the motorcycle on a center stand when mounting. Take care with the placement of the wiring loom so it isn’t near hot surfaces, rubbing on any movable parts or getting damaged when remounting the fairings and seat.
All the data is collected and stored in the SD card and placed in the appropriate folders that can then be downloaded via the MiVuePro app on your smartphone. Connectivity to your smartphone is via the Navman MiVuePro app for free and can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store. It is compatible with iOS 9.0 (and above) and Android 5.0 (and above). Updates to the software are downloadable.
approaching redlight cameras and alert you if you are travelling more than the speed limit. The lights on the controller will also indicate what mode you are working in.
The instruction manual gives a good rundown of the meaning of the controller lights. I did get caught out with the switch 1 light constantly in a slow blinking instead of a steady glow as per the instruction manual – This was due to the “Trip Lapse” function accidently being activated while I was setting up. No big issue and easily rectified.
The installation of the MiVue M820D Motorbike is straight forward, and the installation manual is easy to follow. All cables are colour coded and labeled. Depending on your motorcycle, you may
When downloading the files, keep the engine running so you don’t drain the motorcycle’s battery. Motorcycle batteries are smaller than car batteries so are quicker to drain when lights and other equipment are active.
Is it worth investing in a Navman Dash Cam for your motorcycle? When you consider that many cars have dash cams mounted for the same reason of peace of mind to cover yourself in the advent of an accident, and the security of monitoring the welfare of your motorcycle when parked, the short answer is “yes”. The added advantages of recording your rides and complimenting the captured footage with still shots to share with friends, yes, once again, well worth the investment.
The navman Mivue M820D Motorbike retails for $579.00. Website https://www.navman.com.au
I can’t wait to ride this into an electrical storm to film lightning strikes!
Below: What you see on your smartphone.
Above & below: The Navman MiVue M820D controller.
Below left: Main menu MiVuePro app. Below right: Battery indicator.
Two Sandy Days With Miles Davis. Thrills, spills and Giggles.
Words and Images: Holly Fields
In issue 59 of ADVrider, I wrote about my journey into adventure riding. Like all things regarding adventure riding, even though we develop our skills and competencies, there will always be more to learn. My biggest nemesis, which I suggest is not mine alone, is sand. The rotten stuff brings out the whole fight-or-flight response in me with a stronger emphasis on the flight. If I am to do a planned adventure trip that includes central Australia, my response needs to be more fight. Fight the urge to run from sand but become more at ease and not drop the bike every 5 seconds. I don’t want to learn in the outback by trial and error in some seriously remote locations without the support of a trainer and a long way from help if I damage myself or the bike. This had to change. I contacted Miles Davis via Velomoto to see if he could offer private tuition. He suggested that if I could get a small group together, it would indeed be possible. A quick shout-
out to Women’s Adventure Riders Australia and the Melbourne Branch of Ulysses via their Facebook pages generated a good response. In the end, with a couple found by Miles, we had our group with riders from Tasmania, Victoria and NSW. This included 6 ladies and 2 men signed up. A location was found in Gippsland and a date set. It was on.
The group arrived with varying levels of experience in sand. In my case, I’d previously injured myself in the sand and the memory of the pain remained in my subconscious. Since then, if presented with sand ahead, I might as well step off the bike and let it fall because my fear would ultimately have the bike napping and my confidence floundering even more.
To add to my fear, I was still recovering from knee surgery and had just been able to stand on the pegs for the first time a couple of weeks earlier. Not wanting to hurt it before it was fully healed, with all honesty, I was the slowest rider in the group but hey as Miles
Above: It was truely thrills, spills and giggles. Right: Donna in action.
said, we will all get something out of the course and there is no pressure. If my knee had enough, I could still watch, listen and learn.
It was great that most of us met each other the night before at the motel and by morning we were checking out each other’s bikes and owning up to our fears with lots of nervous giggles. I was delighted to realise we had a great mix of characters in the group and would have lots of fun regardless of any sand anxiety.
Miles was true to his word. Day one was a half day with a briefing, and a quick run-over about the correct ergonomics for the bike and body position. Then we
Photo Rick Rycken u
headed into the Holey Plains State Park to gauge what levels each of us was at and to slowly introduce us to sand riding via varying levels of sand, starting with a gravel road, then onto a thin layer of sand and some deeper sections. Our first real task was to master paddling the bike through the sand. It’s important to judge the conditions and to know when to paddle along with our feet as there are plenty of scenarios where trying to stand on the pegs is risky or just plain stupid. The whole point is to arrive at point B unscathed.
As we progressed along the track, we were introduced to a variety of obstacles such as whoops (a series of small moguls), steeper hills and washed-out sections. For some in the group riding straight sections was more comfortable but for me, it was the opposite. I was very uncomfortable with stretches of straight sand, however with the familiarity of negotiating obstacles such as tree roots and washouts, wasn’t noticing the movement in the sand as much. It’s all psychological, so there was an element of chatting to myself in my helmet.
When we completed the larger track loop, the group broke up into three separate groups, those who wanted to tackle the larger loop again, those who wanted to only go over the whoops (MX
A masterclass from Miles. Miles having some fun on the whoops. Holly getting some instructing from Miles about riding in sand.
term for a set of bumps in the track; like riding over waves), and three of us who opted to stay at the meeting point with the van. I chose to stay at the meeting point. This choice allowed me to ride a smaller loop at that location, with whoops, tight corners, tree roots, steep drops and rises all with varying depths of sand, at my own pace. I started mostly paddling, but by the time the other groups returned, I was smiling from ear to ear continually completing the loop, standing on the pegs with increased speed. My learning style of hanging back and riding at my pace works for me. I learn the skills, may not be the best at the end of the course, but go home to practice, practice, practice what I have been told and shown. Miles catered to our variety of learning styles and needs. No one felt left out. At this point, it is important to highlight that when learning new skills such as sand, despite the temperature being in single digits with little to no sun, it’s typically essential to de-layer. I was down to a T-shirt with all my jacket vents open, wearing light comfortable well-vented gloves and taking my helmet off to cool down at every opportunity. Our bodies were operating at a heightened level, being challenged, both mentally and physically, thus heating up like we were in a sauna.
Photo Rick Rycken
Equally essential is to have a hydration pack on. It only takes minutes for a dry mouth, and it doesn’t take long for dehydration to cloud the mind and zap the energy. A bottle is unsuitable as hydration needs to be constant, not just when you stop for a break.
The next day we rode out to Krusic’s Ride Park where we had booked the park for our private use. Unfortunately, on this occasion, it had rained heavily and many of its tracks had a clay mix, which made it like an ice rink, despite being ridable it was deemed counterproductive for building our confidence.
It did, however, leave us with the main sand track, which had been groomed the day before for our use. I was now facing my biggest ADV fear, deep sand.
We started with the essential skill of how to get you and your bike out of a bogged situation. It was a skill I was to use again later that day and can happily
report, that without any help I got myself out. Importantly, we were taught how to use the throttle to help rock the bike and reduce the physical effort that can otherwise be dangerously exhausting. On the track, Miles guided us through the skills of standing, looking ahead, body position, getting the rear tyre to grip, throttle control and gear choices. With every lap, the competencies and grins grew on all the riders. The Lego man stances on the bikes were disappearing and we were starting to relax, adapting our body position and weight as the bike moved in the sand, to dance with the bike.
Just as crucial as knowing the skills to ride along a sandy track or patch, it is vital to be able to enter or exit tracks from the side if needed, especially if avoiding difficult or dangerous sections. Like many sandy tracks, our track had a tall build-up of soft sand on the side, with some corners cut over 1.8m deep into the hill.
We were shown how much power is required to ride over the soft mounds, drop down into the sand track, cross the mushed-up track and ride back out up and over the other side. There are times when riding up a steep section requires the body weight towards the back of the bike instead of the usual front to get the rear tyre to keep traction. Initially, it looked terrifying to me, but starting with the smaller mounds and drops I was soon enough tackling dropping down and up heights, at least as tall as me, that I didn’t think I or the bike could handle. It was a fitting way to end the course.
What did I get out of the two days, the knowledge of how the bike behaves in the sand, how my input can improve control, subtle skills to reduce physical effort, when to not stand on the pegs, how to recover if I do get myself bogged, and how to get myself out of sandy track onto easier ground.
was still the timidest rider of the group but had made significant improvement and gained enough confidence/ knowledge to go home to practice, practice, practice as I stated earlier. That’s how I get better at being adventurous. Others were taking on each challenge with confidence and unconstrained enthusiasm. Ultimately, we all got what we had hoped for and more. Everyone left buzzing, knowing we had some incredible adventures ahead.
A bonus was to meet some amazing women and men with the same goals for adventure, travel, exploration of places less travelled, and a well-developed “do it, do it now” attitude.
Above left: Holly having fun.
Above: Sarah and Donna enjoying the day.
Top right: Miles showing position and throttle control with Keri.
Right: Dropping the bike is all part of the learning process.
Far top right: All smiles and muddy boots with Sarah.
Photo Rick Rycken
Photo Rick Rycken
showdown BMW F900 GS Enduro
How does the newly refined BMW F900GS Enduro stack up against the leaders in the market?
Selecting the right adventure motorcycle can make or break your journey through rugged terrain on endless exploration. The midsize segment is very popular, and the choices today are bountiful. Not everyone can afford to have two bikes. One for tight bush sections, single trails, and hard off-road riding, and the other for long adventure tours on the road. Many people want a single bike that can be a true one-stop-shop and handle all these tasks. The midsize adventure bike hits this sweet spot perfectly, hence its popularity with many riders.
The Ultimate Midsize Adventure Showdown: BMW F900 GS Enduro
compared to the KTM 890 Adventure R and the Yamaha Tenere 700.
I have been early to eagerly awaiting the opportunity to throw a leg over the new Bavarian beast for some time. There is a lot of hype around the latest iteration, and it’s only fitting to compare the BMW F900 GS Enduro to the two market titans. The KTM 890 Adventure R and the Yamaha Tenere 700.
Our mission? A full day of riding with three experienced everyday adventure riders, each swapping bikes after completing a loop on our challenging adventure course. This setup will give us comprehensive feedback on how the BMW F900GS Enduro stacks up. For those who prefer a visual feast, head over to my YouTube channel, where you can catch the video companion to this article.
The Riders Profile
Simon: Our seasoned BMW owner and adventure pacesetter. He’s the kind of rider who could probably handle an adventure bike on a tightrope. John: A well-experienced rider with more adventure bike stories than a campfire has sparks. If there’s a bucket list for adventure biking, John’s probably added more items to it to have the pleasure of ticking them off.
Dan (me), AkA Dk ADv: Just another bloke with a camera strapped to his helmet and a reputation for being a previous BMW bike destroyer. Think of me as the adventurer with a dash of chaos, capturing it all on film.
Setting Off: First Impressions Matter
As we gather at the trailhead, the crisp morning air is charged with anticipation. All bikes are privately owned, so we are not obligated to anyone, and we can say what we honestly feel. The KTM 890 Adventure R strikes an imposing figure with its aggressive stance and unmistakable orange livery. It has a wet weight of 210kg and a fuel capacity of 20 litres. The 890 has the proven ability to hammer the trails with 105hp and can stay out in the bush for long sessions with its low-slung fuel tank, which gives it excellent fuel range for big trips. It exudes readiness with its rally-inspired design, featuring premium suspension and a robust chassis that promises uncompromising off-road capability.
Left: Which one to ride?
Above: Dan with the KTM, BMW, Yamaha.
In contrast, the Yamaha Tenere 700 stands tall, ready to pick a fight with anyone who dares to hop on. Its blue and black livery hinting at Yamaha’s Dakar pedigree. With a lighter feel, narrow profile, and wet weight of 206kg, it appeals to riders seeking agility without
“ I wanted to ensure our adventure loop covered a variety of challenges: steep hill climbs, rough and loose descents, rutted sections, high-speed stretches to test handling, and a cheeky creek crossing. ”
sacrificing ruggedness and price. Its 689cc parallel-twin engine produces 72hp and promises a punchy performance on and off-road.
Meanwhile, the BMW F900 GS exudes a refined aura, blending adventure touring comfort with off-road prowess. The F900GS Enduro engine grows from 853cc to 895cc, delivering 105hp at 8,500rpm with a notable 15hp increase over its predecessor, the F850GS. BMW has shed the kegs and now has a wet weight
of 219kg and a redesigned 14.5L plastic fuel tank. Upgraded Showa adjustable suspension and a lighter highperformance Akrapovic exhausts come standard. Its sleek lines and premium finish suggest a machine designed for serious adventures, boasting BMW’s engineering finesse and technological sophistication. I feel guilty getting it dirty.
On the Trail: Taming the Terrain
It is only fitting that I nominate myself to ride the F900GS Enduro first. I’ll be honest. It has been a little while since I have ridden a 200kg+ bike in the dirt.
I’m a fully pledged single-cylinder adventure bike warrior. Not to mention, it’s brand new and has not kissed any dirt yet.
Firing up the parallel twin with its 90-degree crankshaft offset and 270/450-degree firing interval delivered a unique sound I had not heard from a BMW. “It sounds like a V-twin,” I chuckled to John, who had only recently purchased the bike. It achieves this sound through its counterbalanced shafts and Akrapovic
Above: Dan creek crossing BMW F900GS Enduro. Below: KTM 890 Adventure R. u
tailpipe. Under my helmet, a familiar smile appeared on my face. Yep, she is ready for the big dance. There is no doubt about it.
As I jumped on and settled into the riding position, I glanced over and saw John’s intense gaze. “It’s brand-new. Take it easy, mate!” he warned. As with any new bike, it’s wise to warm up and get a feel for it. Well, that plan went out the window as soon as I switched it straight into Enduro Pro mode. The immediate confidence the F900GS Enduro instils in the rider is nothing short of remarkable. BMW has clearly focused on riders who prefer spending more time in the dirt. This bike is leagues ahead of my old 2016 F800GS Adventure.
I wanted to ensure our adventure loop covered a variety of challenges: steep hill climbs, rough and loose descents, rutted sections, high-speed stretches to test handling, and a cheeky creek crossing. Our first challenge was the steep hill climbs, filled with ruts and loose surfaces. Simon, the pacesetter, shot past me on the Tenere, guns blazing. Right! We’re on! The F900GS Enduro comfortably sat in second gear and tackled the climbs with confidence. The torque was reassuring throughout the rev range, especially in the lower range when navigating technical terrain.
Time to open it up in the next section. I get it if you’re focused on horsepower when buying a new adventure bike.
Above: Simon exerting his dominance on the Yamaha Tenere 700.
Below: Dan - KTM 890 Adventure R.
Manufacturers often emphasise horsepower, convincing you that more is better—I’ve fallen for it too. But the critical question is, “What’s your main intention for the bike? Road or off-road?” For serious off-road riding, high horsepower isn’t always ideal, and honestly, you probably won’t use it all. On the road, however, more power can be appealing. Is 105hp too much? In short, yes. The F900GS Enduro produces more power than the iconic 1200GS did at its launch back in 2004.
You don’t need to look much further than the Tenere 700. With 72hp and a wet weight of 205kg, it hits the sweet spot— and costs much less than the BMW and KTM and can comfortably keep pace with them also.
All that said, good, merciful lord! The BMW is quick! Once the tap is open, the power flows exceptionally well. At speed, the balance of the bike is perfect. The rear section of the bike has been totally redesigned and now has a more enduro look and feel. The rear subframe has cut 2.4kg in weight from its predecessor. We encountered a rock and gravel hotpot in the faster section of our loop. The harder I pushed the Beemer, the more it soaked it up with the beefed-up Showa suspension.
This difference becomes most noticeable when switching from the BMW to the Tenere with its stock KYB suspension.
If I were to own the F900GS Enduro, it would be the first adventure bike on which upgrading the suspension wouldn’t even cross my mind. It comes equipped with fully adjustable rebound and compression, along with hydraulically adjustable preload and rebound damping high/low speed on the rear.
One fork handles compression, while the other is dedicated to rebound. Getting individual rebound and compression on the front forks would have been great. This allows the rider to maximise their custom set-up further and find the perfect sweet spot with precise tuning. A minimum requirement for all premium suspension. Another gripe I found was the rear shocks preload adjuster location, which is close to the mud and dirt fest party of the rear wheel. It will be exposed to a lot of dirt in that area and must be cleaned thoroughly and inspected after each mud pit excursion.
John on the KTM led us into the next section - a labyrinth of deep ruts where choosing the right line was crucial. Success meant glory, while failure meant becoming the punchline at the post-ride beer session.
hates you if you get it wrong and bog the bike down.
The 21” front wheels on all the bikes are perfect for both descents and climbs in this tricky section. The BMW rolls on a 21” front and 17” rear with spoked tubeless wheels and Metzler Karoo 4 tyres. However, there’s a slight drawback: the limited tyre options for the 17” rear wheel compared to the 18” rear found on the 890 and the Tenere. The scarcity of 150/70 - 17 50/50 tyre choices for BMW is worth noting.
It’s time to swap hogs and complete another lap on each bike. Knowing the
best lines to take, we aimed to tackle each section a bit quicker.
The KTM 890 Adventure R boasts the most aggressive motor out of the three. True to KTM’s “Ready to Race” ethic, it’s plain and simple: this bike is nuts. We dubbed it the “tyre fryer” because it’s so aggressive, it constantly entices you to feed it more power. But with that speed comes responsibility. A small but agile wallaby decided to play chicken with our three adventure bikes, giving each rider a chance to test their braking systems.
The 890 impresses with its sharp handling and responsive throttle. The WP XPLOR suspension effortlessly absorbs bumps and negotiates ruts, providing a plush ride even over rough patches. Our route dropped us into a gully with steep sides—a place where your clutch
The BMW features a two-piston floating Brembo calliper squeezing a 305mm disc. Despite being smaller than the KTM’s 320mm disc, it didn’t feel weak when bringing the bike to a complete stop. The weight loss on the BMW not only improves performance and handling but also takes a load off the brakes, making for an impressive stop despite the smaller disc.
The Adventure Bike Trifecta: Weight, Power, and Fuel Range
When choosing a bike, weight, power, and fuel range are crucial factors. If you’re planning to push your bike between petrol stations and that is exactly what we did until the fuel light came on the BMW, it’s worth noting that the BMW F900GS Enduro doesn’t quite measure up to its competitors. The KTM 890 Adventure R boasts a 20-litre tank, and the Tenere 700 offers a 16-liter tank, both providing better range for long-haul adventures. In its quest for weight savings, BMW reduced its tank size from 16 litres to
Right: Descending into the gully of fun -Simon BMW F900GS Enduro Dan KTM 890 Adventure R. u
14.5 litres. While this trim-down helps shed weight, it also significantly impacts the bike’s range. So, if you find yourself riding the BMW, be prepared for more frequent fuel stops or consider the F900GS Adventure with its 23-litre tank as an alternative.
Feedback Roundtable: Perspectives from the Saddle
After completing the loop on each bike, our riders gather to share their insights: The kTM 890 Adventure R: Is a beast off-road. Its superb suspension soaks up everything thrown at it. The engine’s torque is downright addictive, and the bike feels ready for anything. The clever weight distribution of the twin tanks, which extend down around the top end of the motor, helps keep the weight low. This bike is perfect for more aggressive riders. It’s essentially a dirt bike disguised as an adventure bike, offering the best of
both worlds.
Yamaha Tenere T7: “I love how flickable it is. It’s like riding a dirt bike with the capabilities of an adventure bike. Its pure simplicity and affordable price tag, high torque and smooth power from the CP2 parallel twin, and proven reliability make it the most well-rounded and sought-after bike in the segment.
The Tenere has had a target on its back from other manufacturers for a few years now, pushing them to create better and lighter-weight bikes for us to enjoy. Thank you, Yamaha, for setting the bar high and keeping the competition on their toes!”
BMW F900 gS Enduro: It’s about time BMW showed us what they can do with this model. The BMW F900 GS Enduro is a well-rounded adventure bike that offers a fantastic blend of off-road capability and on-road comfort. Its lighter weight, improved suspension, and powerful engine make it a compelling choice for
riders seeking a versatile and reliable adventure companion.
BMW 1300GS owners, be warned: this Bavarian beast could be the new fan favourite.
Conclusion: Choosing Your Adventure
Each of these motorcycles brings unique strengths to the table, catering to different rider preferences and styles. Personally, I have a very specific list of requirements for my adventure bike. I’m looking for a battle-hardened machine that I can ride hard in the bush without worrying about expensive parts when I inevitably drop it. It needs to be loaded with camping gear and supplies so I can live off the bike for as long as possible, avoiding civilisation. That’s what adventure riding means to me. The BMW F900GS Enduro has proven itself to be a prime contender again in the segment, and I would be happy to load it up and head bush. So, which one would I get? I can’t go past the Yamaha Tenere 700 for its simplicity and price. When you’re travelling in more technical terrain, pushing the bike can hit the back pocket hard when you drop it. The Tenere 700 is perfect for this, offering a rugged, no-nonsense approach that’s easy on the wallet.
However, if money were no object, the BMW F900 GS Enduro would be my pick, hands down. It combines top-tier comfort, advanced features, and impressive performance, making it the ideal choice for those who can afford to splash out a bit more.
John: “The commute is a massive factor when you’re on a long trip. You have to put the road miles in, and the BMW F900GS Enduro is the most comfortable. In my point of view, the BMW gets the comfort edge over the other two.”
This bike isn’t just about power and performance; it’s also designed for longhaul comfort. Whether you’re tackling rugged trails or clocking up highway miles, the F900GS Enduro keeps you in the comfort zone, making it the ideal choice for those epic long adventures. With its well-thought-out ergonomics, plush seat, and smooth ride, it’s perfect for riders who want to cover serious ground without sacrificing comfort.
Simon: “All three of us previously owned a BMW F800GS Adventure, and they were great bikes back in the day. When the new F900GS Enduro arrived, I asked, ‘Is it going to be much better than that?’
I am honestly blown away by the improvements that have been made to the new model. If I had an endless budget, hands down, the BMW is my pick.”
I’m so impressed by the leaps and bounds BMW has made with the F900GS Enduro. While we all have fond memories of the trusty F800GS Adventure, the new model takes everything up a notch. From the lighter weight to the more powerful engine and refined suspension, the F900GS Enduro is a whole new beast. But don’t just take my word for it! Be sure to swing by my YouTube channel, where you will find the full article from this comparison, along with some epic footage of our test rides.
Special thanks: A big shoutout to Steve, our resilient videographer and photographer, who captured all the action. Thanks, Steve, for making us look good on and off the bikes!
Above: BMW F900GS Enduro. Right: Simon on the BMW F900GS Enduro. Bottom right: The lads deep in analysis.
up to the tip,
in the land down under
An adventure ride to the northernmost point of the Australian continent on a motorcycle.
Words and Images: Dale Tolcidas
Just like every other adventure, it starts with a dream. I’ve been wanting to ride up to Cape York and do the Old Tele Track for many years now, but I found myself slightly anxious in doing it alone after quick research online; the river and creek crossings, the big drops, unknown terrain, crocs, Gunshot Creek, and the list goes on. I decided to wait until I get a chance to do this with a few other riders. I hope this article may give you a little more of a better insight that a trip to the tip isn’t as daunting as it seems.
Prep time
With my planned Simpson Desert trip canned, I was in search of another adventure to tick off the list. I came across Tom whom I met on the previous year’s KLR Rally, he was planning a Cape York trip with his mate Luke for a while now. I had asked if they have room for one more person to join them in this journey, they were more than happy to take me with them. There couldn’t have been a more perfect timing, why not! Quite spontaneous, I reckon. I had two months to prepare myself and my 2008 KLR650 for this, most would prepare several months for this kind of trip, but I wouldn’t let this
opportunity pass. The bike is my daily driver and my weekend warrior, so there was a fair bit of maintenance that needed to be done. Over the course of 8 weeks, I managed to strip the bike apart, down to the engine and frame sitting on the stand. I had to replace the bike’s entire chewedup-problem-filled wiring harness, fit a new airbox, put the stock carburettor back in, rebuild the suspension, Loctite every single nut and bolt, replace all bearings, install a new swingarm as I had done some damage to mine, rebuild the brake callipers and more, sourcing all these replacement parts from a trusted local wrecker and odd online marketplace finds. I needed it to be up to spec and more reliable than ever. The last thing you’d want on a trip like this is breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Even though there are local companies specializing in touring the Cape York region on motorbikes, taking my own motorcycle and planning the trip myself just makes this trip more exciting, and was an independent challenge I needed.
I was ready, or so, I thought I was. By the end of the trip, I came to understand how important good road support can be.
Above and right: The trusty steed taking a break at the Big Mango in Bowen, QLD. Staying very clean with all the rain over the first few days.
Brisbane to Townsville
The first leg of our trip was to make it to Townsville in about 2 days to meet Luke and start the trip from there. I left Byron Bay early to meet Tom and spend the night in Brisbane. We left Brisbane at 3 in the morning to try and beat the motorway traffic, but then we were greeted with a heavy downpour of rain that left us drenched and soaked, but this didn’t stop us, we pushed on.
We were eventually past Sunshine Coast after a few hours of endless traffic, and the sun shone upon us as soon as we reached Hervey Bay. Covering a little over 1,000 kms on the day, we reached Ilbilbie where we found a motel to stay for the night, paired with a gourmet selection of crumbed sausages and a hot pie from the petrol station across the road - a perfect start to the trip.
The next day we set off for Townsville, a shorter day of riding to meet Luke on his LR Defender who would then give us some support during this trip. We had already arranged a set of new tyres for the two
bikes to be fitted at a local dealership, do our last-minute shopping for food and supplies, and finalised the gear we would take on the bike. I know I took too much stuff with me as I had to leave a few items behind. The key to having a better riding experience is lighten your load on your bike, so share the gear in between the group such as cooking gear. Sharing the equipment saves you some weight, which tends to give you more confidence in riding these trails.
Townsville to Cooktown
Leaving Townsville, the next morning, we planned to take the coastal road through Tully, Innisfail and past Cairns. Stumbling on a minor hiccup along the way right before we reached Cairns, I felt that I was losing my front brakes, only to realise have lost a bolt that holds the brake calliper - this could have been devastating. After a quick stop to the local nut and bolt shop in Cairns, we set up camp that night in the heavy rain at the caravan park in the Daintree village, reviving our souls with some
great pizza and a few schooners at the local pub, hoping to give the Creb track a go in the morning.
We knew our chances of doing the Creb Track were very slim. Heavy rainfall had been upon us for days now and hearing the news of a serious roll over of a couple of vehicles attempting to do the track in the wet blocking the track, including the UniMog that was sent to recover the vehicles, it didn’t look very promising. The CREB Track is a very steep and very rough track linking Daintree to Wujal Wujal and is only suitable for well-equipped 4WD vehicles and motorists with vehicle recovery experience. It was originally the service access track for the old powerline to Cooktown. Even after moderate rainfall, the track can become treacherous or impassable and vehicles easily become bogged or stranded.
I woke up to a ridiculous
Left: Camping at Captain Billy’s Landing: Seriously the best camping spot have ever stayed in Australia.
Below left: The iconic Bramwell Station, we’ve come across a group of KTM riders from Victoria making their way back heading south from the tip. Bramwell station is the last stop for fuel and supplies before reaching the Jardine Ferry.
amount of water inside my tent the next morning, it was literally like sleeping in a pool. The rain has not stopped for several days, and we knew we weren’t doing the Creb this time. At the Daintree River crossing, where the Creb Track starts, the water level was high and flowing quite fast. We’ll have to save this for another trip, so off we went onto the ferry that would take us to the other side and ride to Cape Tribulation. I was in awe about how beautiful riding through the rainforest was. The road along the coast was filled with magnificent views even in the heavy rain. We found several small waterfall formations right on the road, a canopy of large trees surrounding above us - it was spectacular - experiencing this ride is an absolute must. From Cape Tribulation, we aimed to be in Cooktown by the end of the day. We took the Cape Tribulation Bloomfield Rd (Bloomfield Track) which was an easy gravel road, through the rainforest and was full of wildlife. This track runs almost parallel to the Creb track, where all the steep sections are paved. There are two major steep sections on this track, Donovan’s Range at 20% grade and Cowie Range at about 33%. I could imagine how difficult it would be doing the Creb Track in the wet. Mud this steep; it would’ve been more than just challenging. We took our time doing the track, considering that the rain was still quite heavy. We took it all in and didn’t need to feel rushed. Our first challenge on this trip was the Emmagen Creek Crossing. Usually, this creek is quite calm and clear, a solid base mixed with large rocks and boulders, with water levels just above the ankle on a good day. Not for us. During our crossing we were faced with fast-flowing water, which was to me, waist deep. There was no chance of riding the bikes through this, as the raging water was powerful enough to drag the bikes down the stream.
was up to cross first, so we shut the bikes off, and had four people push the bikes through the crossing. The water was going over the front wheel, the flow was pushing the soft panniers and the bike sideways. I was terrified then, asking
Above: Part time bush mechanic: An oil leak has become worse cause by a worn cam cover gasket. Nothing a quick epoxy can’t fix! While the bike is apart, it’s a good time to do a once over and see if any adjustments are needed. u
A quick smoko, admiring the remoteness of Lakefield NP. Moments like this make me realize how big and remote Australia can be. There were sections of vast plains along the route, hard to miss the beauty and serenity of the remote country.
myself what in the world did I get myself into? It doesn’t help either that we found a sign right on the creek entry saying “WARNING! Crocodiles inhabit this area – attacks might cause injury or death” great! Just great!
We eventually got the bikes across, helping another rider who was heading south on his RE Himalayan. Both bikes started at the first go, luckily no water has come into the airbox, otherwise it could have been a different story. We pushed on through with the heavy rain and limited visibility. The steepest parts of the track were relatively easy, down to first gear and keeping the revs high, lots of clutch control.
We did come across a 4WD touring group in trouble coming the opposite way. One of the 4WDs had jackknifed its trailer trying to make its way up, eventually blocking the track. Although this road is paved, with decent rain the track can become slippery. After a quick breather out of the rain at Wujal Wujal, we made our way to the iconic Lion’s Den Hotel for a well-deserved feed (pizzas were amazing!) and some odd souvenirs. Cooktown wasn’t too far away; we’ve set up camp well before sunset.
Cooktown to Bramwell Junction
Straight after the morning caffeine fix a few pies for brekky and a quick stop at the Grassy Hill Lookout, we headed north to Archer River Roadhouse through Lakefield National Park. A quick Google search tells us that Lakefield NP is 5,370 km2 (2,073 sq. miles) - making it bigger than Trinidad and Tobago and almost as big as Brunei. Riding through here was a great experience, with some parts being closed
six months out of the year due to extreme weather conditions. You’ll feel how remote some parts of Australia can be, as we’ve only passed probably a couple of cars in a span of a few hours. The roads were graded perfectly, certainly a lot better than the Bruce Highway!
The Peninsula Development Road aka “The PDR” runs 571km from Lakeland to Weipa, of which only 200km in sections are sealed roads. It is infamous for its extreme corrugations in some parts so, add a bit of rain and it’s a different story.
We weren’t quite sure what to expect, all we know its going to be a little rough. This was the main throughway to and back from the tip. You can certainly reach the northern most point without taking the Old Tele Track using the PDR. At this point
we’ve passed through Musgrave Station, Coen and spent a night in camp at the Archer River Roadhouse, a busy hub for many travellers, riders, and workers in the area.
If you’re taking the PDR, drop your tyre pressures! I dropped mine to 22psi and it was perfect for this. The road conditions can change very quickly from sand to extremely loose gravel, to compact red dirt and a mix of everything. Driving over the corrugations for the first time wasn’t the most pleasant
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experience, but it takes a bit of getting used to. It will shake every bit of you and your bike. Remember when said I put Loctite on every bit of bolt on the KLR? This was why. We’ve eventually found out that driving at speed makes you skim over the corrugations, staying at 90-95kph was the sweet spot - any more or less we felt like we were losing control. There’s a need for a lot of attention on the road, bulldust may be up ahead, some of them are signed, some are not. You’ll be sharing the road with caravans, road trains, trucks, and wildlife. I found myself in panic when three wild bulls popped out and stopped in the middle the road while I was doing 98kph over corrugations, engaging both brakes and downshifting a gear. I’d stopped 3 metres before them, a jock staining moment right there.
We’ve reached Bramwell Tourist Park after two days, where we spent an extra day of rest before starting the Old Tele Track. Doing some maintenance on the bike is essential for a successful trip. Here, I’ve changed my air filter with a clean one that I brought with me pre oiled in a Ziplock bag, adjusted, and lubed the chain, gone down to a 14t from a 16t sprocket for some extra low-end grunt, and fixed the weeping oil leak from the cam cover with JBWeld. Old Tele, here we come!
The Old Telegraph Track - South
Here we go, the most awaited part of the trip. I didn’t do a lot of research about the Old Tele. just watched YouTube videos and referred to some Facebook posts, so kind of had an idea, but not totally. I honestly was so nervous at this point, I asked myself, why did I decide to do this? Nevertheless, there’s no turning back. Bramwell Junction was only 5kms away, so we raced north.
Funnily enough, after my maintenance day, I thought the trip was over for me as I reached Bramwell Junction, the bike wouldn’t start. After a bit of digging
through relays and the starter motor, it ended up being just a loose battery connection, yes, one of those simple things. Bramwell Junction was our last fuel stop before Bamaga. Behind the building is also the entrance to the Old Tele. After a quick coffee and a few photos at the sign, we were on. First obstacle was Palm Creek, which was honestly the hardest one we did. Of course, you must pop your cherry,
the first one is always the hardest!
The original entrance for Palm Creek was too steep, it was literally vertical, otherwise, the water was too deep for the bikes to cross, so we had to find other “chicken tracks” that we could potentially use. After hesitating for too long, we finally dropped into the creek. There was no driving at this point, it was all about clutch control and letting the bike roll down and do its thing and maintaining balance. Luke on the Defender on the other hand made it look so easy in a 4WD. The exit we considered wasn’t going to work for us as the water level was still too high, so we sort of had to make our own. We’d managed to find an ideal exit, but it was steep, and the dirt was loose and there was very little traction. I do think Tom and I spent a good 45 minutes getting the two bikes out of the creek, uphill while Luke was winching out his 4WD by himself. All part of the adventure!
The next four creek crossings - Ducie, South and North Alice Creeks - were relatively easy, Ducie can be moderately deep, so hug the left bank as you turn into the exit. Coming into water crossings,
it is ideal to walk through them to find the best way you can position yourself with the bike, watching out for potholes and obstacles underwater. The Dulhunty River Crossing was easy too, just watch out for some washouts that you might come across.
Bertie Creek was the widest crossing.
It has a solid rocky base, although it requires you to hug the rightmost bank as you come into the creek, run up and few meters and you’ll find the exit but be aware of the deep holes that are present along the crossing: you certainly don’t want to drop your front wheel in them. After Bertie, you’ll come to a crossroad
Above: Luke’s Land Rover Defender coming up from a creek crossing at Lakefield NP.
Below: Tom on his blacked out KLR cruising through Lakefield NP.
that would eventually let you bypass Gunshot Creek (not for us), otherwise, as you continue the track, Cholmondely Creek is up ahead, which has a sandy base, but is very straight forward. Now, for the most awaited crossing, Gunshot Creek! It’s probably the most notorious crossing and many deem as the most difficult. There are a few chicken tracks around the infamous drop, so there is no need to risk it. We chose the one on the left of the big drop. You’ll find a tight bank on the rocks with motorbike tyres marking a channel telling you where your front tire should go. It will be tight, so take the panniers off when doing this as even your leg and foot pegs will scrape the wall on your left. Hang tight as you do this, don’t lean to your right too far as it’s a fair way down, put your bike on 1st gear and control the bike with the clutch and just let you and your motorbike roll down. It will eventually feel very easy, yet daunting
if you’re afraid of heights like I am. The exit out of Gunshot was harder. It was a steep, uneven uphill section that required momentum, we’ve watched a few dirt bike riders on DRZs fly up easily, but it’s a different game on a 190-kilogram motorbike plus luggage and a tank nearly full of petrol. It took me a couple of tries to get up, coming off once as I put too much throttle that made my front wheel bounce off out of a straight line. Eventually we got ourselves out with the feeling of reward of finally conquering nearly half of the Old Telegraph Track, but we still had a fair way to go.
Cockatoo Creek’s water levels may vary a lot, walk the crossing first as best practice to find the best line, watching out for the bog holes. We hugged the bank on the right and headed straight out the exit on the other side of the creek. Sheldon Lagoon and Sailor Creek was up ahead which were relatively
Left: Dropping off Palm Creek – Photos and videos don’t do any justice of how steep these drops are. I ended up rolling down in false neutral and fell over onto the water as soon as I reached the bottom. Below: Gunshot Creek! Photos again don’t do any justice. Its more dauting when you are in the moment. To the left is a heavily eroded track next to the original gunshot drop.
easy, and as you continue further down the track, you’ll eventually link up back on flat ground on the PDR, making our way to camp at Eliot Falls. At this point we were very excited to call it a day and enjoy a well-deserved beer.
Old Telegraph Track - North
After spending a full day of rest at Eliot Falls, it was now time to finish the Old Tele and head north. The southern section of the track took us almost an entire day, with our confidence topped up a little bit more, and we knew what to expect, the northern section of the Old Tele was easier and faster to complete. We skipped to see Fruit Bat Falls for the return trip, so we headed on to the first crossing on the north side, Canal Creek.
Canal creek can be quite deep, the bottom is also uneven, so it is worth walking and finding the best line to go across. Cannibal Creek entrance was steep, I took the wrong line, so some assistance was needed to readjust the position of the bike. The creek was waist deep, but hugging the bank to your left, you’ll find a ledge wide enough for a bike to go through very carefully, eventually making a wide right turn towards the exit. Cypress Creek does not require a water crossing, although you’ll have to make your way across the famous log bridge. This bridge is basically made by travellers who come past, its only a few meters long; large and some narrow tree trunks compose the bridge. It was held together by a few ratchet straps and one wrong position will let your wheel fall into a gap. Not an ideal situation as it is a fair way down. Luke on the Defender, and another group on 4WDs were behind us, making precise manoeuvres to align the wheels correctly. On the makeshift bridge, you could hear the logs squeaking and creaking with the
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weight of the heavy 4WDs. We’re on for the last two crossings, Logans and Nolans, both of which are notorious for claiming vehicles, known for their deep-water crossings. It was a fair way from Cypress to Logans, following the track filled with vegetation, tinted with red soil, the track quickly changes from white sand to hard red rock, uneven red dirt with potholes and large washouts. Some sections you can do easily doing 60kph, some at 10kph. It’s a tight one lane track at some sections - the branches and bushland constantly hit the Barkbuster hand guards. The large termite mounds can be found along the track, a quick photo op got me stung by paper wasps on the face, so be careful where you stop, as stings on a swollen face isn’t one of the best feelings. We got to Logans in no time and there was a queue of probably six 4WDs waiting for their turn. The chances of the motorbikes of going through the water were not great as the water level was too high, going over the seat. We found ourselves a small drop that would bypass the deep water, but on the bottom was this unforgiving, slushy mud that got
us bogged once we landed. The boys that watched us do this gave us a hand pushing the bikes out which was lucky.
Last crossing, Nolan’s Brook! We could definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel, after an exhausting couple of days, we were ready to kick back and get to the tip! We wouldn’t be able to get our bikes across without using the log bridge, yes, again. It was built for the motorbikes, made from larger sticks and a random sidestep off a 4WD, this made this seem unstable, when we tried to cross. We had to position the wheels correctly and walk the bike through with the three of us holding the bike up as we made it across. Finally, we did it! We finished the Old Tele Track! I would probably do this again on a lighter motorcycle!
The pure joy of knowing you’ve conquered something this challenging, stepping out of your comfort zone in riding is exhilarating, the constant adrenaline rush over the last few days boosts up your confidence and skill as a rider, having to take on and experience one of the most challenging off-road tracks in Australia, you feel that you can
ride almost everything.
We’ve then set ourselves to head north along the worst corrugated section of the PDR and we eventually hopped on to the most expensive ferry ride in Australia, the Jardine River Ferry, at $55 for a motorbike, for a crossing of less than 100 metres. After a quick stop in Bamaga for some much-needed supplies, and a stop at the famous Croc Tent, we set up camp in Punsand Bay and not long after, reached the Northern Most Point of the Australian Continent. It was such an achievement. We enjoyed two full days at Punsand Bay and exploring a bit of the area, our route home was to follow the entire PDR pointing south, spending one night at Captain Billy’s Landing, stopping by the iconic roadhouses and stops along the way. The corrugations during this time were extremely bad in between the Jardine Ferry until Bramwell station, eventually, the road becomes pretty much bitumen from Laura heading south.
Gearing up for a trip to Cape York
Camping on a motorcycle for an extended number of days, can become quite a task. Luckily the tropical weather in FNQ requires much less camping gear you need to bring, depending on your preference. I’ve decided to go back to basics, and settled with just a hiking tent, an inflatable lightweight hiking
Top left: The log bridge crossing, a long way down to the flowing creek. Definitely one of the worst places to drop your motorcycle!
Top right: Coming down over a random erosion, there was an easier way around but, it doesn’t hurt to muck around!
Left: Tom coming down from the hill down to the creek bed. This was one of the steepest we had to come across, the sand was so soft, there was barely any traction coming down.
mattress, a sheet cover, and an inflatable pillow. Leave the sleeping bag at home, you won’t need it as the nights are well warm. I’ve found a good cotton sleeping bag liner is great as a blanket, otherwise, sleeping with just your jocks on was the main go. We were fortunate that Luke had a dual battery system in the Defender so we could charge on the go. I got myself a 12v battery powered fan for those hot and humid nights! The Defender was also somehow our mothership, which carried the fridge for all the food and drinks, and some of our camping gear to lighten the load on the bikes.
I’ve found wearing MX gear perfect for this trip, sporting the adventure riding jacket and pants didn’t really attract me this time - I wanted to be extra comfortable. A jersey, armour, MX pants and a good pair of motocross boots were perfect for what I needed. You’d want something that provides a whole lot of airflow and dries up very quick, because there’s a 95% chance that you’re going to get wet. Pack light and keep it basic. Roadhouses and petrol stations are less than 300km in between, so you’ll be
able to restock if you need to.
Do an extensive pre ride check on the bike, from making sure the bolts are within torque spec, to lubing your brake and throttle cables and greasing all necessary bearings and pivot points. Take the essential bike tools with you in case the need for repairs. During the trip, I used gaffer tape, lots of cable ties and JBWeld to fix an oil leak. I also used this to make on road repairs on the
crack of my radiator when we got to Coen due to the corrugations. Between Tom and I, we had two sets of ultra heavy-duty tubes for the entire trip, I only used one rear tube. A cut on the base of the valve stem caused a slow leak, needing an immediate replacement. If an opportunity for a 4WD support is available, don’t hesitate. Its beneficial to make the ride easier, and having a good crew to do this is important!
Winter Trails and
Mountain Tales
Winter Motorcycle Camping in Northeast Victoria
Words and images John McLennan
In the heart of winter, the Australian Alps transform into a rugged wonderland, where icy winds whip through the trees and the landscape is painted in shades of white and grey. When winter rolls around our choices for two wheeled
adventures, at least nearby, become more limited. The mountains are covered in snow, and the weather is at zero or below in our favourite alpine riding mecca! For me, it’s time to go back to basics and revisit some old-time favourite camping spots!
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A long-time favourite of mine is Mountain Creek Campground near Tawonga in Northeast Victoria. A visit to this place is all about getting back to nature! I have always been drawn to this
picturesque region in Northeast Victoria.
In fact, I have camped at this campground at the base of Mount Bogong, Victoria’s highest mountain, 1986 metres above sea level, regularly for more than 35 years,
Above: Mitta Mitta Pub has excellent meals and a relaxing beer garden on the Mitta Mitta River.
Top right: Delicious pies at the Mitta Mitta General Store. I hear the hamburgers are great!
Below: Trappers Gap Road checking gear before heading up to Mount Emu
The journey begins just outside Wodonga, where the urban fringes give way to the rolling foothills of the Alps. Despite the cold, the ride is exhilarating. The clear, crisp air enhances every sensation, from the wind rushing past, to the rumble of the engine! Heading through Tangambalanga, and then onto
the foothills of the Australian Alps and has a population of around 170. Arriving here feels like stepping back in time, and the charm of this small town is evident.
climbed nearby Mount Bogong many times, and hiked and motorbiked the trails and tracks extensively. For those seeking an adventure that pushes the limits and offers unparalleled natural beauty, this ride is an excellent choice.
The BMW F900 GS Enduro proves to be an ideal companion, handling the diverse terrains with ease!
Come along as I take the BMW F900 GS Enduro up to this beautiful region, visit an icy Mount Emu, the quiet rustic town of Mitta Mitta, ride the back tracks and ridge lines, to finally spend a night camping at one of Victorias most scenic campgrounds. A journey that combines the thrill of the ride with the serenity of nature. As I know adventure bike riders are a curious lot, I will give a rundown of my winter camping/riding setup as well! Camping in winter is a unique experience. The cold is pervasive, but with the right gear, it’s manageable. Thorough planning is essential. As is the correct gear.
Tallangatta, I am looking forward to getting off the asphalt and out of the cold wind!
About 5km outside Tallangatta, I turn right down Yabba Road, and head towards Callaghan Creek Road, which will take me through some open terrain, then some beautiful bushland and eventually bring me to Mitta Mitta.
Nestled by the banks of the Mitta Mitta River, the historic buildings and the tranquil atmosphere offer a stark contrast to the adrenaline-fueled ride along Callaghan Creek Road. It’s a good place to take a break, refuel both your bike and you, and maybe even chat with some locals for information on the roads. In winter the road to Omeo is subject to snow, and often closes in winter due to snow drifts. I highly recommend the pies at the Mitta Mitta General Store, and the beer garden behind the local pub is outstanding, situated on the beautiful Mitta River.
A check of the gear ensures everything is in place for the more challenging sections to come. The river’s gentle flow and the surrounding greenery provide a stark contrast to the upcoming rugged terrains of Trappers Gap and Mount Emu. I decide to alter my plans slightly, and head directly over Trappers Gap Road, taking a shorter route as I am starting to wonder if there will be competition for the camping spot I have in mind for the night, considering it is school holidays in Victoria at present. The track starts only a couple of kilometres outside Mitta and leads along Trappers Gap Road with a scenic long straight section of dirt road to mark departing asphalt! Winding through the bush, the road is perfect territory for the GS! Trappers Gap Road joins Mitta Mitta with Mount Beauty and Tawonga, just under 50km. I enjoy this section, stopping to admire the views of Mount Bogong in its full beauty! u
Eskdale Spur Track adjoins
Road and climbs to the magnificent summit of Mount Emu, which stands at an elevation of 1,360 metres.
To arrive on the open summit of Mount Emu is nothing short of breath taking!
I spend some time to take it all in before I decide to descend to Mountain Creek via a tight little track that rejoins Mountain Creek Road, from there it’s only 2km or so to the campground.
The Final Stretch: Mount Emu to Mountain Creek Campground
With the afternoon sun casting long shadows, it’s time to head towards the Mountain Creek Campground. This leg of the journey is shorter but no less scenic. The road narrows as it winds through the foothills, the forest closing in around you. Occasionally, the canopy opens to reveal breathtaking views of snow-capped peaks in the distance
warmth of the fire. Always carry fire lighters and dry matches with you, especially when travelling solo. Can you imagine, in the event of an accident or emergency in a remote cold location messing around with flint or rubbing two sticks together to keep warm? Setting up camp in winter requires some preparation. A sturdy tent, a high-quality sleeping bag rated for sub-zero temperatures, and plenty of clothing layers are essential.
Top right: MSR Hubba Hubba tent is fast and easy to set up.
Inset right: There are around 7 established camp sites with tables, fire pits and the campground has pit toilets.
and across the valley below. The F900 GS feels comfortable on this tight, damp and icy track. The occasional wet slippery log across the track catches me unaware but I manage to save it every time! The anticipation builds as I get closer to the campground, knowing that starting a warm fire will be the first task at hand. A critical part of winter camping is warmth, and your campfire.
Setting Up Camp: Mountain Creek Campground
Reaching Mountain Creek Campground as the day fades is a welcome relief. Here you’re greeted by the serene beauty of the alpine environment. Nestled by a creek and surrounded by towering trees, the campground offers a sense of seclusion and peace. Nestled at the base of Mount Bogong, this is a popular spot for adventurers. In winter, it’s quieter, with fewer campers braving the cold. The cold is more pronounced here, with temperatures dropping sharply as the sun sets. When the campfire is lit, the cold becomes more manageable, giving way to a cosy warmth. The priority here is to have a strong fire with plenty of red coals for warmth as soon as possible. I prefer three or four fire lighters and some dry kindling, and quickly build the fire. By the time the tent is up you will be able to enjoy the
Above: The magnificent summit of Mount Emu
Left: A small track brings you down from Mount Emu summit to Mountain Creek Campground.
Below: The campground is extremely scenic, with the beautiful mountain stream and nature providing a relaxing background symphony! u
The
Trappers Gap
Above: The MSR Hubba Hubba light weight backpacking tent is ideal for winter camping. It is strong, roomy and full of features! Weighs only 1.3kg it is very popular amongst hikers!
Below: All Day Breakfast from On Track Meals is my go-to when camping. Absolutely delicious! In fact, all their meals are convenient and delicious! Just boil them up and eat from the pouch! www.ontrackmeals.com
The Night: Embracing the Chill
The night at Mountain Creek Campground is a mix of challenges and rewards. Thankfully I had arranged a mate to drop off a stash of dry firewood earlier in the week. Alternatively, I use my Silky folding saw to cut firewood as I near my camping site and strap it onto the bike. The cold is intense, but the clear skies reveal a canopy of stars that seem almost within reach. The sound of the creek, the crackling of the campfire, and the occasional call of nocturnal wildlife create a symphony that is both calming and invigorating.
Sitting by the fire, you reflect on life in general! I believe there is no better way to focus and think, than when you are comfortable and warm watching the bush television! After the day’s journey, and despite the cold, there’s a sense of warmth – from the fire, from the adventure, and from the sheer beauty of this beautiful campground. The mountain stream flows fiercely, full of the recent rain, and provides a relaxing continuous pleasing backdrop, as enjoy a glass of red. I start to think about previous trips here, and how I have spent hundreds of nights over the years staring at this very campfire, listening to the beautiful soothing sound of the mountain stream. As I start to think towards turning in, the night is cold, with temperatures dropping well below freezing. But the sense of accomplishment and the warmth of the fire make it all worthwhile. Dinner is a simple affair, with hot homemade stew and crusty bread rolls. A tasty feast after the day’s exertions. As I hop into bed, I put on my layers being my merino thermals as a base layer, a thin fleece as a mid-layer, then my down jacket and my fleece beanie. Then wait for the sleeping bag to do its work! The benefit of layering is you can remove or add a layer as required to regulate your body temperature. Add a layer if cold, remove a layer if too warm. The sound of the river puts me into a deep sleep in no time, one of the best night’s sleep I have had in a long time!
My moto camping gear setup in 1990.
I have a tyre strapped on the bike as this is just after Cape York where I had this cheap knobby fitted. It lasted for ages! Gear sack luggage and a Dri Rider jacket from memory! Bike is a 1990 DR650 RS. Occy straps hold it all together!
Revolutionizing Adventure: Lightweight Camping Gear for Hiking and Motorcycling
In recent years, the adventure bike riding community has witnessed a remarkable transformation thanks to cutting-edge advancements in lightweight camping gear. Modern innovations have produced ultra-lightweight tents, sleeping bags, and
cooking equipment, specifically designed to cater to the needs of both hikers and motorcyclists. These gear advancements not only significantly reduce the weight and bulk traditionally associated with camping, but also enhance durability and functionality. New materials like Dyneema and advanced composites are leading the charge, offering exceptional strength-to-
weight ratios. Compact, portable power solutions and solar chargers ensure adventurers can stay connected and powered up even in remote locations. As technology continues to evolve, the line between comfort and adventure blurs, allowing enthusiasts to explore further and camp more efficiently than ever before.
Morning and Departure
I am usually up early before the sun rises when camping. My bike gauge reads -2 degrees. Again, attending to the number 1 priority of a warm strong fire. Getting breakfast under way is simple, an Allday Breakfast from Ontrack meals is my current preference for breakfast. It’s easy, takes up minimal room in your luggage and along with a Moccona Cappuccino satchel I am good to go. Packing up with a resolve to face the cold again! The ride back home is just as exhilarating, the big Beemer feeling even more like an extension of myself. The return journey offers a chance to see the landscape in a new light, with the early morning sun casting long shadows and illuminating the beauty of winter.
My 2024 setup.
2024 BMW F900 GS Enduro, Kriega luggage, Arai Tour X5 Discovery helmet, BMW Enduroguard suit, Kriega backpack, BMW GS Rallye gloves and Gotthard Gore-Tex boots www.bmw-motorrad.com.au
Camping Gear
MSR Hubba Hubba Lightweight backpacking tent.
www.wildearth.com.au
Big Agnes Q Core Insulated Deluxe sleeping mat 30x78cm.
www.wildearth.com.au
Exped REM pillow.
www.tomsoutdoors.com.au
Western Mountaineering Alpinlite sleeping bag.
www.paddypallin.com.au
Conclusion:
The Joy
of Winter Riding
Riding and camping in winter is more than just a journey – it’s an adventure that tests your limits and rewards you with unforgettable memories. The cold is a challenge, but it’s also part of what
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makes the experience so special. It sharpens your senses, enhances the beauty of the landscape, and makes the warmth of a campfire feel even more magical.
So, if you’re looking for an adventure that combines the thrill of riding with the tranquillity of nature, consider this winter ride. The winding roads, and the serene campground await – all you need is a spirit of adventure and a love for the open road.
Cooking Gear
Soto Windmaster light weight hiking stove.
www.wildearth.com.au
Toaks Titanium 900ml pot.
www.wildearth.com.au
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Mount Bogong, Victoria’s highest mountain.
ThePacking Dilemma
Asignificant component of any trip is the decision about what to pack. There are many factors to consider, such as the type of travel road/offroad, climate, distances, time away, accommodation type, health needs, first aid kit, bike maintenance and types of luggage. There is no medal for the lightest pack bike. Even yesterday I had to defend my packing from others. They didn’t know I had an infusion pump and kit packed, vials of human immune cells preciously stored in a cooler bag, and a large medicine bag, all due to my rare immune condition. What I am conveying is, before you have a go at someone, think why have they packed so much? Unless of course, you do see the kitchen sink strapped on.
I can’t count the number of times, I have patched someone up either with a Band-Aid or while waiting for an ambulance, jump-started people’s bikes or pumped up their tyres because they decided packing light is best.
Never leave, even on a trip to the shops, without a jump start kit, a tyre repair kit, and a first aid kit. Ensure you know how to use these too. Carry a small tyre pressure gauge, don’t rely on the ones at the petrol station. Life is much easier if you can resolve a
Words and Images: Holly Fields
problem immediately rather than wait for help. I have a top RACV cover that has saved my bacon around Australia for more difficult situations, but they refuse to jump-start motorbikes. Why? It beats me as other auto clubs do.
Carry a small tool kit relevant to your bike, spare straps, Loctite, metal epoxy, cable ties, and electrical tape. These take up little space, and the uses are unlimited.
For toiletries, take the essentials, toothbrush and paste, deodorant, soap and shampoo (yes, it is essential to everyone nearby). Don’t forget half a roll of toilet paper, there is nothing worse than using all your accessory muscles attempting to contain that determined number two and experiencing the terror when you find the public loo has run out of paper. Occasionally, you hear about a rider gone missing, with massive searches. If people have a satellite tracker, they are easy to locate. I religiously have my SPOT tracker on my jacket. SPOT is a satellite tracker with an SOS/PLB. I can still seek emergency services when out of mobile coverage. If injury inhibits access to the button, when I don’t report in, those with access to my SPOT can alert the services of my location. The more day-to-day feature is the tracking
that pings me every 10 minutes. This provides reassurance to family and friends to whom I give access to my tracker via their computer or phone. They can see how I am progressing; it allows them to be part of my adventure.
The type of luggage can range from hard/lockable panniers and top boxes to softer panniers and duffle-style bags. Hard panniers are advantageous for locking up the contents, securely to the bike. When on adventure/offroad trips, I use soft, flexible panniers. There is a higher risk of leg injury if you drop a bike with hard panniers. I’ve just purchased lockable security straps to wrap around my soft panniers and racks to test on an upcoming trip. It won’t stop thieves; it might slow them down or deter individuals who prefer easier targets. I mix it up and have a lockable hard-top box for items of value and soft panniers for the other items. I use a waterproof duffle bag on the pillion seat if need more space.
We need to charge our gadgets. Carrying a power bank from the jump starter is handy if off-grid. When power is available often it is only one power point. Use a multi-socket charger with a standard socket, USB A and C ports. Too frequently the power point is placed against a desk, shelf, side wall, or floor, all of which restrict fitting plugs that are angled, so I carry one that sticks up and another that sticks down. Pack a twometer charging cord for using a phone somewhere comfortable from the power source. Cut up double-sided Velcro, so you can tightly wrap up cords for easy storage. The climate dictates clothing such as wet weather pants and jackets. I have a
pair of Held pants that unzip the entire leg length for easier access: instead of balancing on one foot while trying to put my foot with an adventure boot through the leg of the pants without falling over on the side of the road.
In the cold weather merino wool thermals keep me warm but also adapt and I don’t get too hot once the temperature increases. Merino is light to pack when not in use. Take spare gloves so that if one pair gets wet, you have dry ones still available. Depending on the climate, I may pack a warm and light set.
Above:
Below:
On the bigger trips, consider posting items ahead and back home. I live in the south, starting off wearing bulky warm clothing in winter, when I arrive in warmer climates and are no longer needed, I post it to a point where I need it again or back home.
Purchase quality packing cubes to keep the contents neatly together, they pack tightly in the luggage and reduce the contents explosion at the end of the day. Even if you don’t carry food, I can’t emphasise the importance of hydration enough. In winter you may get away with a drink every couple of hours but not when it’s warmer or if you are adventure riding. A hydration pack to drink from as you ride is essential to reduce mental and physical fatigue. Placing the bladder and hose in a tank bag is an easy alternative if you don’t want it on your back. Mixing sachets of electrolytes in the water like Hydralyte helps when the going gets tough. Once packed, get on the bike and have fun.
Far left: Placed out to sort what is or isn’t needed.
Top left: Repaired broken brake level.
Top right: Packing with cubes.
A variety of chargers.
Hydration bladder in tank bag.
Each day’s ride is about six hours, riding around 200kms with plenty of time to stop and enjoy the mountain scenery. Plus, you’ll visit remote picturesque villages, buzzling bazars, ancient monasteries and a dark sky reserve with one of the world’s highest observatories at Hanle. You can also travel with your family who can enjoy the journey by booking a seat in the accompanying back-up vehicle. This ride is not for the faint-hearted and a median level of off-road riding skill is required, but you’ve got plenty of time to prepare for this bucket-list trip of a life time. And if you’re wondering if deathdefying cliff-hanger moments playing chicken with wired Indian truck drivers is included, you’ll be pleased to know it is not. I am! Many of the dirt roads travelled are far from the maddening crowd where you can soak in the wonder, beauty and serenity of the high Himalayas with like-minded adventure riders.
The 14-day expedition (maximum 15 riders), includes hire of a 2024 Royal Enfield Himalayan 450cc and fuel, ride leader, medic, photographer/drone operator, mechanic and back-up vehicle, accommodation, meals and more…
Royal Bikers also support the Headlight Foundation and part of the trip cost goes to remote villages for infrastructure development, education, and women’s empowerment.
For the full itinerary, ride map, expedition details, to ask any questions and to book visit: www.royalbikers.com/our-tours/ epic-ladakh-adventure
Cost is US$3150 (inc. gst) (about AUS$4800) plus international and india domestic flights. Tour Dates: 26 August 2025 from Srinagar, ending on 8 September 2025 in Manali.
Learn more about Royal Bikers and their adventure motorcycle tours: www.royalbikers.com
on a Himalayan 450 High Himalayas
Ride the in 2025
Royal Bikers have curated a 14-day motorcycle expedition for Adventure Rider readers and their friends for late August 2025. Riding the new Royal Enfield Himalayan 450, the 14-day trip covers nearly 2000 kms reaching altitudes of up to 5800 metres. The trip takes in some of the most remote off-road riding in Ladakh, a region of the high Himalayas known as the ‘Roof of India’. On this 14-day epic adventure, you will ride a mix of tarmac, off-road and no road from lush mountain valleys to the world’s highest motorable roads and everything in between, and all set against a backdrop of the majestic snowcapped Himalayas.
Royal Bikers is run by locals Manish Bhaskar and Rajendra Prasad, who have been riding around the region and operating motorcycle tours to Ladakh, and many other destinations in India, Nepal and Bhutan, since 2003. Using their local knowledge, Rajendra and Manish have curated a ride that will take you away from the overcrowded routes and includes the recently opened NPD (Nimmu-Padum-Darcha Road). The trip is booked for late August 2025: the ideal time to ride the high Himalayas. The monsoon has finished; the landslides are cleared; India’s school holidays are over; and you are rewarded with mostly clear crisp days for riding, and night skies for star gazing.
Words: Heather Ellis Photos: Manish Bhaskar
For what it’s worth
Words and Image: Mark Bayley
Along time ago ….in a universe far, far away, a young boy looked out the window of the family car at this motorcycle at the traffic lights … bang, bang, bang …..what a sound…it was a Ducati.
A spark set a slow burn.
Some years later a lap around the neighbourhood on his father’s friends 750 Honda ensured the flame was well alight …. the noise, the wind, smells …immersed in the world.
The opportunity to buy that first road bike came through a new girlfriend.
The bike had been won in a game of cards by her brother, all he had to do was pay said brother the princely sum of $500 (brother didn’t want the bike!) and it was his.
At 18 he was now the proud owner of a WLA Harley, chrome forks, purple with flowers painted on the tank and that crazy suicide shift.
Off to the nearest disposal store to kit up and on to the highway….. greenhorn is the word.
While days can be long, the years can be short. In what seems to be the blink of an eye thousands of km have been travelled,
many on that SS Ducati. A 750 SF Laverda two up from Sydney to Perth and back and an 850 Le Mans from Sydney to Darwin in the pursuit of a dream and lover and those new horizons among numerous other trips.
In that world of motorcycling and on the road, there’s been grief with the death of friends while he survived, laughter, tall stories and true shared, friendships, loves come and go and so much more which brings that young lad to a point in life closer to 70.
That passion still burns bright. Life is to be lived with motorcycling a truly immersive experience that brings you closer to what it is to live, to be alive.
Another horizon, another sunrise, another chapter. What is over that hill?
The 1050 speed triple is the current ride of choice to find out….and in itself another story.
There is no time like now to chase that dream.
It may be a fleeting moment so in the words of others, embrace the day because I figure, it’s better to: Live on your feet than to die on your knees.
Tatra Tossers Tour
Words and Images: Jonathan Kaye
September 2023:
2023
supposedly inescapable, however, there were a lot of escapes using some pretty ingenious ideas. One of the ideas was the building of a glider in the roof of the castle from bed sheets and bed slats! The glider was never used for escaping but many years later it was tested to see if it would work, and it successfully left the castle and flew over the river.
along for some of the trip and Brian decided he would ride to Auschwitz with us and be our guide on the road.
The group of 8 were a mix bunch and the culmination of two groups of riders who had met on the overnight train from Innsbruck to Dusseldorf a few years prior and consisted of eight riders on a mixture of bikes - four BMW GS’s, two Yamaha tracers, one Honda 1100 NT, and one Ducati monster.
Our plan was to meet near the ferry terminal in Hull for the overnight boat to Holland. On the boat, maps were studied and stop points looked at whilst a few beers were drunk. The boat arrives in Holland at around 08.00 so this offered a full day to travel across Holland and Germany to our first stop Colditz. The only issue was as we got off the ferry and headed out of the port, the weather turned very wet. We quickly reevaluated our ideas and decided to get the miles done on the autobahn as we had nearly 600 miles (approx. 965 km) to cover.
We arrived in Colditz at around 18.00 after a long and boring ride in the heavy rain. Luckily the owner of the campsite took pity on us and offered to let us bed down in one of the large communal cabins with heaters available. Rather than trying to pitch our tents and struggling to dry our kit we took him up on the offer!
The following morning, we left our kit drying and headed for Colditz castle. This was used as a prisoner of war camp and
From Colditz we headed to Poland and camped in a pretty rural location. We noticed a big change in the costs of things from this point and also the scenery. Poland was a lot different to what was expected. It’s a beautiful part of the world with quiet roads and super friendly people. After pitching our tents, a trip to the shops was in order for supplies. The beer worked out at £0.76 for 660cl bottles straight from the fridge.
The following morning, we had a nice steady ride through rural Poland cris crossing the many villages on mostly deserted roads, heading for Stalag Luft 3. This is the prisoner of war camp made famous by ‘the great escape.’ There is little left of the camp; just a small museum and, hidden away in the woods, one of the tunnels is marked out.
Before we left England, we had been in touch with a Scottish man living in Poland. Both he and his wife are keen bikers who said we could stop at their house for the night. When we arrived, Brian and Gosia had been busy preparing for eight bikers to camp at their house. There was beer in the fridge, food on the table and facilities for us to use. Gosia told us the history of the area and what had happened to her family during the war and how things had changed in Poland over the last few decades. We couldn’t have asked for better hosts. Their hospitality was amazing, and they wouldn’t even let us pay for the food or beer. We invited them
We had a full tour of the camp which took all afternoon. It really is a very earie place. We all know the stories of what went on there but until you visit and see the place, you don’t get the full picture. It’s something that will stay with me for life and even thinking about it makes the hairs on my neck stand up!
After this, I think people wanted to spend some time on their own, so the following day a couple went to Krakow, some went to the salt mines, and some headed straight for Slovakia. I had a little issue with my bike and went to BMW to see if they could help. I also needed my sat nav updating as it didn’t include eastern Europe on the maps. I left the dealers and headed to the camp site in the Tatra Mountains. I made my own route down through Zakopane
Above: Riding from Poland to Slovakia. Right: Waiting for the ferry.
Above left: After a very long ride in the rain, the communal cabin was snug.
Above middle: The glider in the roof at Colditz. This was proven to fly!
Above: Brian and Gosia’s hospitality was extended to some fantastic food and drinks.
Below: One of the minor roads used to explore the Tatra Mountains in Slovakia. u
and over the border. On several occasion I came across some of the others who were doing the same thing, then we parted ways even though we were all heading for the same place. I can honestly say this was one of the best days riding I have ever had. The roads were fantastic, the scenery unbelievable and the people I met extremely friendly. I chatted to Polish and Slovakian bikers who pointed out roads to try and ways to go.
We had 2 nights in the Tatra Mountains at a mountain village called Strba. This area is nice, with plenty to see and do. Again, some of the group did their own thing and visited a mountain railway
and the ski village whilst other went to explore on the bikes. I did the latter with a couple of the others to explore the local villages. For lunch we stopped in a small village restaurant; the menu was set so everyone had the same and it was brilliant. It was full of locals and even the police turned up for lunch. From Strba, we headed north for Czechia but before the border we wanted to take in a cold war airbase and museum. Unfortunately, when we arrived it was closed for refurbishment! This was a long hot day, and everyone was tired and luckily, we found a campsite in a town called Piestany. The site was along the
In Czechia we visited Hell’s Mine which is home to the Pekelné Doly (Mines of Hell) motorcycle club. The cave is an old relic dating back hundreds of years but was used by the Nazis in the war. The cave has a road and round about inside, along with a bar and restaurant.
This was where we had the first incident. Two of the group parked on the steep hill outside and dropped their bikes, fortunately with very minor damage.
banks of the river Vah, which made for nice views, and it also had an onsite restaurant and bar swimming pool and bunk house. After the ride we opted for the bunk house and headed straight for the pool to cool down. Beer here was around £1.20 per pint and went down very easily.
I was leading the group through the countryside and was coming into a town when I missed a turn. I took the next street which doubled back, and I stopped as I got around the corner as I thought it was a one-way street. Unfortunately, the guy behind didn’t, my panner went flying down the road and he was laid under his Ducati. This time there was a little more serious damage. My pannier was broken and had to be ratchet strapped o. His gear lever was broken off along with some expensive carbon parts. An Allen key was used as a gear lever for the remaining few days.
We had one night in Czechia at a lake side resort we found by accident. It seemed to be a holiday hotspot, and we camped next to the bars and restaurants and had a really good evening to forget about the day’s incidents. The owner of one of the bars did seem to increase the price each time we went back, but it was still less that £1.20 for a beer and around £5.00 for a pizza.
It was a straight run back through Germany and Holland to the ferry from here. All in all, we had done 11 days through some amazing countries which surpassed my expectations significantly. Would I go back? Yes. I would like to spend more time in each country and get to see more of it.
Do I recommend visiting? Without a doubt! If anyone is looking to travel and explore this region of Europe, I would suggest you stop thinking and start planning.
Above left: One of the tunnels made famous by the great escape at Stalgluft 3.
Above: Looking down from one of the abandoned watch towers at Stalagluft .
Below left: Camping in Brian and Gosia’s garden. Below: Deading to the Slovakia border from Zakopane in Poland.
Top right: The bridge over the river in Piestany. Right: Tent drying in the early morning sun - Strba, Slovakia.
Anniversary
Celebrating 39 years!
e decided being that as our 39th Wedding Anniversary was coming up, we needed to do a little adventure to celebrate. Initially the intention was to head North and travel some of the country West of Wauchope.
My husband was plotting the intended route when we discovered our intentions had been destroyed by a bushfire the same day! High temperatures and out of control bushfires sent us looking at weather forecasts across South Eastern Australia for a cooler alternate route.
The forecasts showed that heading south was the most viable course to be undertaken with no prediction of significant rain or extreme temperature. So, we pointed the wheels south.
What followed was eight days of motorcycle camping with some of the best riding we have ever done!
Day 1: Central Coast -Oberon -Taralga
We are allergic to expressways and whenever possible stick to quieter roads. This saw our departure from the Central Coast along the Hawkesbury River crossing the river at Wisemans Ferry and the Sackville Ferry to gain the Bells Line of Road over the Blue Mountains. Through Lithgow had us topping off the tanks at Oberon. The intention was to camp at Wombeyan Caves for the night, but the closer we got to the caves, signs began to appear stating that the caves were closed! Maybe it was a misprint? So onwards we travelled to the road barriers that had been placed unreasonably across the road by someone trying to impede our further progress. We halted for a short while whilst my husband scouted ahead. On his return he declared the road was quite suitable for our progress. So, around the barriers
we trundled, travelling stealthily down, so as not to draw any unwanted attention. To our dismay we found at the bottom of the descent all the campsites meshed off with building site barriers and our drawing the unwanted glare of a ranger on a slasher. I think he might have been having a bad day. Quickly, we begin to haul off up a dirt road covered in kangaroos to regain our lost altitude back to the top of the gorge. There was nothing for it. Off to Taralga we headed. (On a previous recent trip through Taralga we discovered that there is no reliable fuel to obtained in the town on a Saturday afternoon, which had left us running on fumes to Crookwell.) As we were now pretty tired, having done over 400km for the day, we headed straight to Taralga Show ground for an awesome shower and a good night’s sleep.
Day 2: Taralga- Marulan-BraidwoodMoruya - Congo Point.
Awaking to a frost on the ground reminds us we are in the Southern Tablelands. Out of town on the Bannaby Road, we pull up at a gorgeous old church for a photo stop and muse that this would be a great spot to be buried.
Onwards we run down Swallow Tail pass and found it to be in really good condition. The run to Marulan sees steadily increasing traffic and we pause in town to top off the tanks and set course for Bungonia Gorge. At the lookout we are awestruck not at the grand natural beauty of the ragged gorge plummeting
below us, but at the giant mining scar on the opposite side of the gorge. The temperature had been climbing and it was good to remount the bikes and run the quiet mixed roads to Braidwood. In town
we spy some large loaded ADV’s at a café. Dutifully we swing in and stake our claim on an adjoining table. These guys are travelling on large KTM’s and GS’s and turn out to be a font of information; giving
u
Words and Images: Vicki Webber
us new route options in country we had previously travelled.
Out of town it was an amazing run down steep tar, before gaining the dirt down the Araluen Valley. Speed was tempered by high temperatures, the bikes were now reading 42 Degrees, lots of twisties and lots of skatey ball bearings in the very numerous corners. It was still lots of fun, but we were glad to exit down near Moruya. Heading to Congo Point we get to within 500M of the campground when we are once again beset by road closure. The ensuing “U” turn sees us making an unintended detour to gain the said campground via some minor roads.
The water available at Congo Point is brackish, saline and undrinkable even after filtering. It was a relief when a nice couple with a big ‘van gave us some water and a bottle of cold VB with which to slake our thirst. Much appreciated on both counts.
Day 3: Congo Point- Eden – Bombala
The Princess Highway after Congo point reminds us why we don’t like highways. We are much more comfortable when we take the Bermagui Road and the fun ride down the coast to Merimbula where we get hung up in midday traffic through the town. Back to the highway until about 25km past Eden when we head up Imlay Road that leads up through the forest to Bombala. Lots of logging trucks on this
road but the road is wide asphalt and they are all coming in the opposite direction, so we have no other competition on our road. Camp was at the local council camp ground, once again amazing showers with heaters but outside was freezing cold. The temperature was 4 degrees but Elders Weather said it felt like -5.6. Rather chilly.
Day 4: Bombala – Delegate -
Orbost -The Snowy River Barry Way campground Willis.
It was freezing cold with a gentle drizzle upon leaving Bombala. We were
regretting not having bought along our winter riding gloves, so we stopped at Delegate to buy rubber dishwashing gloves. We used these as liner gloves under our summer gloves, to try and help keep a little of the wind chill off. It helped a little. We turned off toward Bendoc on some lovely dirt roads surrounded by a towering Mountain Ash forest. We stopped for a break to warm up and take a photo on some steep ground. Bike balanced precariously. A photo, a wee and a warm up. Getting back onto his bike from the high side, my husband knocks his bike over once he gets his leg over the other side. We then get to warm up further by picking up his heavy beast. Shortly after we join the Bonang Road for the constantly twisty run down to Orbost. Quite a few of the speed advisory signs are understated which needs some respect. Great road and great fun all the way to Orbost. We had planned to do a 70km circuit down to the coast and back to Orbost but the southerly was blowing hard and a run along the coast looked like it could be pretty miserable. A quick re-routing sees us swing north again heading through Buchan toward Jindabyne along the Barry Way. We got to celebrate the morning of our 39th wedding anniversary by the Snowy River. No hot showers tonight but a cold dip in the Snowy.
Day 5: Snowy River (Vic) to 3 Mile Dam
via Jindabyne, Khancoban and Cabramurra.
I lost one of my expensive Saloman hiking boots somewhere on the Barry Way. The NSW side was much lumpier than the Victorian side, so I blame the NSW National Parks. Note to self: pay attention to how you attach things to your bike!!
It has snowed in Thredbo and Perisher overnight, and when we were in Jindabyne late in the morning the weather said it was still just above freezing in Thredbo. Fortified by this knowledge, we bought some merino glove liners in anticipation. The run up and over Dead Horse gap was fantastic, not cold at all, so now I have a spare pair of liner gloves. The run down the Alpine Way was as usual epic fun until a close call with a large doe on the side of the road. With a 60-degree slope above and drop off below it didn’t look like the doe had anywhere to go but
in a few effortless strides, it leapt up the 20m embankment to disappear happily into the forest.
Stopping at Khancoban for lunch, there were three guys in plain clothes walking around with pistols holstered at their side chatting and eating lunch. I presume they were police but wasn’t about to ask. It looked like a scene from a Wild West Movie, a little disconcerting. Had a great chat to a guy touring on his Moto Guzzi, having done 40K on his bike in the last 2 years.
Post lunch, we remount and rode the most amazing road to Cabramurra, then on to 3 Mile Dam. This was Swampy Plains Road to the Tooma Road which becomes a steep sinuous strip of asphalt around the Tumut Pondage area. Gorgeous views with absolutely awesome riding on one of the best roads I have ever ridden. The camp site at Three Mile Dam, past Cabramurra, was delightful. We rode between the barriers onto an isthmus jutting out into the dam, whilst it was a long walk to the toilets, we had the place to ourselves. A great spot to celebrate 39 years of marriage!
Day 6: Three Mile Dam- Blowering Dam via Tumbarumba, Tumut, Long Plain.
The howl of wild dogs on the opposite shore accompanies our breakfast. The fog is thick and gives an eerie “out there” feel to the camp. By the time we have packed up, the fog had burned off and the campsite resumed its idyllic atmosphere.
The first part of this day’s ride was a backtrack toward Cabramurra, to Goat Ridge Road. What ensued was more unbelievable twisty roads, descending spectacularly to the Tumut River. Onto the Elliot Way thence the Tooma Road through to Tumbarumba is also great riding but became progressively more mellow.
We avoid Batlow taking the quieter Old Tumbarumba Road to Tumut. Refuelling in Tumut, we travel the Snowy Mountains Highway beside Blowering Dam and climb steeply back up the range to Long
Plain Road. Our plan was to ride Long Plain Road to Brindabella Road then on to Wee Jasper. We had done this a couple of decades before when coming from Wee Jasper to Blue Waterholes. Stopping at the information board at the start of Long Plain Road we are surprised to see a locked gate marked on the map before Brindabella Road. We head out anyway, if we can’t get through maybe we will just camp at Blue Waterholes. The first 10km of Long Plain Road is covered in loose road ballast which is very squirrely to ride. We are u
given some hope when we find another map not showing a locked gate on Long Plain Road. There is an alternative route on Brindabella Road via Broken Cart fire trail. As this track appears before the mythical gate, we poke our noses up this track but find it descending steeply on loose rock after 1.5km. Not a big deal, but we know nothing of the conditions or country this road traverses, so we turn tail and strike back up Long Plain Road. It is some kilometers later that we find a rather definitive sign stating NO access to Brindabella Road. Grrr! Now, time to make a decision on the run.
Initially, we exercise option 1, the Camp at Blue Waterholes, but with no phone reception and the NSW National Parks crappy, book ahead policy, we abandon this idea when we see numerous vehicles heading out there. Option number 2. Head further along the Snowy Mountains Highway to the Boboyan Road, or option number 3 retrace our route to camp at Blowering Dam. After deciding we did not want to go to Canberra, the Boboyan Road option was scrubbed in favour of option 3. Returning to the Snowy Mountains Highway we find the poor gravel surface easier to ride at 60-80km/hr. Fortunately there wasn’t too many corners but the ones we did encounter required careful deceleration and negotiation of deep gravel heaps. In due course we
return to Blowering Dam for a quiet night with the odd emu wandering through the camp.
Day 7: Blowering to Chiefy Dam via Wee Jasper Yass, Crookwell and Rockley.
After procrastinating over route options, we finally settled on a plan of attack. Back all the way to Tumut, we take the Wee
A free campsite, with toilets, picnic tables, water, gas barbeques and lovely views of the dam. Not a huge amount of flat space to pitch a tent, but as we had the place to ourselves, we had the pick of it.
Day 8: Tarana-Lithgow-
Colo HeightsLower Portland- St Albans- Home Isn’t there an old saying that goes like: “the last mile from home is the most dangerous?”
Jasper Road to Bombowlee Creek Road. This linked up with Brindabella Road and then the Nottingham Road. This gives great riding on asphalt and dirt. We used to tow horse floats up Nottingham Road. However, the descent to Micalong creek has become more overgrown, often blind and occasionally deeply rutted. I wouldn’t rush to take a float up there anytime soon. In the Wee Jasper township there is a distillery, where we have an early lunch, with quite a few Canberra bike riders present. Since the asphalting of all the road from Yass, this has become a bit of a local favourite for road bikes. Stopping in Yass we once again develop our plan of attack. Avoiding the Hume Highway, we head to Dalton and Gunning on some often very dusty roads. The reward being is that we only see two other vehicles in 50km. Onto Crookwell, Binda and to a campsite on the Abercrombie. We investigate the campsite whose track is deep river sand interspersed with large river racks to rocks. The place is sandy in the extreme and we find it unappealing. Next option the Trunkey Creek showground where we get a great free shower but leave when we are finished due to the presence of an obnoxious personality. I recalled the guys we met in Braidwood had said the road to Rockley was now in good condition so off we went again. The road was good and we traversed some beautiful farming country and finally called it quits for the day at Chifley Dam.
The forecast is for a hot and windy day. We head to the Northern side of the Fish River and follow this to Tarana from Tarana to Lithgow. All great riding. We stop near Bilpin for some lunch and as we park the bikes this Indian guy pokes his head out of the restaurant then retreats. Curious. We place our order and this gentleman comes over to chat. “I heard the bikes. I knew they must be Royal Enfields!”, he says excitedly. We talk for about 20 minutes, lovely guy. He has seven bikes in India but his Australian wife won’t let him have one over here. Talk about a frustrated rider. He comes out to wave us goodbye and we both leave with a big smile.
Down Mountain Lagoon Road we test out the new bridge across the Colo River at Upper Colo then climb steeply to Colo Heights. Out along Wheelbarrow Ridge Road we miss the Wheelbarrow track turnoff. As the roadworks on Wheelbarrow Ridge Road had been completed, the detour sign for the track had been removed. We continued reluctantly onward to Lower Portland. It was now very hot, and the riding on a very narrow occasionally asphalt, often dirt road descended and followed the river. The speed limit is 50km/h but with the narrow loose surface we were only doing 40kmph. I’m sure I saw a sign prohibiting caravans on this road. My husband was in front, when around a blind corner a four-wheel drive towing a caravan appeared. No possibility to brake without a collision he swings into the loose drainage on the left. Still doing 40, the front wheel tucks to the left and with a quick dab pushes the bike back up where the front wheel immediately tucks to the right. Another dab to the right corrects the bike as the four-wheel drive following the tail of the caravan steams past. He brings his bike to a stop and I’m sure his previously sweaty underwear, has now taken on a serious shade of brown. All of this had occurred in a space no greater
than 1.2m wide. Neither vehicle had braked at all. The fun was not over yet as we climb steeply up on loose dirt hairpins when my husband yells over the comms’ STOP! GET OFF THE ROAD! As a dutiful wife, I do as instructed for a change. He is now stuck part of the way through a steep loose dirt hairpin and no space to complete the turn due to the presence of three closely spaced descending four-wheel drives. After some vehicle shuffling, some space is created and he is able to get his fully loaded bike off the steepest part of the hairpins apex.
We continue but have had just about enough by now with the heat, the near death experience and now a 500M queue of cars waiting for the Webb Creek Ferry. Once again, we change our route on the run as we overtake all the vehicles and head to St Albans rather than Wisemans Ferry. A dusty run up to Bucketty sees us descending down to the coast with the bikes now reading 41 degrees. It has been a long hot day, and we were glad to be back home. Store the gear, wash the bikes and collapse.
A great ride and a worthy 39th anniversary experience!
Himalayan Hijinx
Words and Images: Damian King
You know the scene. A group of riders sitting around a table at the end of the day with a few beers. The question is asked – where are we going for our next big ride? How about the highest roads in the world?
With the Himalayan destination agreed, we just needed to make it happen. A few of us had previously ridden in Mongolia on a tour organised by Rex from Himalayan Heroes, so we contacted Rex and he was able to put together a two-week tour
temperature for long as next day we flew north to Leh.
The flight had a 15kg weight limit on checked baggage before extra fees were payable, so most of us wore our bike boots and jackets on the plane. Security checks are slow and thorough and satellite devices such as sat phones are not allowed. We couldn’t make sense of it as phones are acceptable, but a Garmin
InReach Mini was confiscated on our return flight.
Leh was a more pleasant 15 degrees which felt more like 25 degrees due to the intense sunlight at this altitude of 3,500m. We certainly noticed the reduced oxygen when walking up stairs. We were aware of altitude sickness, so we arrived two days before the start of the tour to acclimatise, and had appropriate medication from our GP’s that can limit the effect of low oxygen at altitude.
On the first day of the tour we were introduced to our bikes – a fleet of new u
on dates in June that would work for us. www.himalayanheroes.com
Along with several mates, my son was joining us on his first overseas bike trip. We arrived by plane in Delhi, India and meet with a temperature of 45 degrees. Even the locals said it was hot. But we didn’t have to put up with that
Top left: Riding Nirvana.
Top right: Warming up on the road.
Bottom right: Cows in Leh.
model Royal Enfield Himalayans. These proved to be the ideal bike for the road conditions. Riding through Leh allowed us to get our heads around what seemed to be a lack of road rules and horns tooting. The horns basically mean I’m here, please don’t collide with me.
This is a Buddhist area so people are relaxed, and the wandering cows and
dogs are sacred. Several hours were spent riding to nearby farmland, a monastery, and watching the military fighter jets landing at the airport. At our accommodation we realised the local beers need to be treated with care. After a couple of cans we noticed the 500ml cans were 8% alcohol so one can is equivalent to three Australian cans.
This part of India shares disputed land borders with India and Pakistan so there are a lot of military bases. To ride some of the roads you need a military permit and this is where our local guide was invaluable. We corrupted his Indian name to Gumnut to suit our Australian lack of pronunciation. Gumnut organised permits, knew the back roads and which roads were open on particular days, and importantly where to find beer in a Buddhist province. The military are putting in new mountain roads every day so the road situation varies from day to day. Gumnut treated us with brand new roads that were not yet on the maps. Some were lovely gravel and others were like the best European mountain roads with dozens of switchbacks that brought out the boy racers in us.
The next day we left Leh and ascended Khardungla Pass at an altitude of 5,480m (17,982 feet). La at the end of the word means pass in the local language. Being close to Leh, this road was carrying a lot of day tourist traffic as well as military trucks. These trucks were full of young men heading to road construction projects where a lot of the work is done by hand. Perhaps it’s a way to toughen up the young blokes on military service. After crossing the pass, the traffic became lighter and we descended into the adjoining valley and our accommodation at Hunder. Here we saw some two humped Bactrian camels. Khardungla was once used by thousand of camels and horses every year as it was part of a trade route to central Asia. Much of this area of India is high altitude desert. In winter it’s covered in deep snow and in summer there is little rain. The snow melt feeds the rivers in the valleys and it’s here that there are farms and isolated towns. No broad acre farms here, more like market gardens and a few goats and yaks. Pashmina is a very fine goat wool that is produced in the area and the shawls are a popular souvenir in Leh. Over the next few days we went over several high mountain passes, bounced along gravel roads and smaller winding paths beside rivers. These river paths get washed away each year with the snow melt and get regraded when the water level drops. On the third night we stayed at Pangong Lake. This brilliant blue lake is at 4,200m and straddles the disputed border with Chinese administered Tibet.
We visited Rezang La Indian military memorial which was built to remember a bloody battle that occurred in the nearby hills in 1962. 114 out of 120 Indian soldiers died as they held back the invading Chinese soldiers, of which 1,000 died. I don’t think many people from outside India visit here, as the military staff were keen to take their selfies with us and our bikes.
Altitudes of 4,000m-5,000m are now daily occurrences and we are still feeling ok, until we need to exert ourselves. Picking up a dropped bike is exhausting and best done in pairs as it takes a few minutes to get our breath back. The altitude is rated as Very High to Extreme, and we only have 50% of the oxygen that you would have at sea level.
Our guide Gumnut has arranged accommodation for us at the small town
of Hanle. New roads have recently been built and are bringing tourists to this area, but the town is yet to catch up with available accommodation. Whilst we were relaxing, several small groups of local motorcyclists called in asking about rooms, only to be turned away.
Next day we were on a magnificent new bitumen road that climbed up and up with what felt like hundreds of hairpin corners and no other traffic. Riding Nirvana.
It’s along here we pass a sign “You are
now higher than Everest Base camp”. Not something I do every day. One section here was cold so at a regroup, blokes were lying on the bitumen as it felt warm but it looked like the scene of a bad accident. Soon we crest the top of the pass at Umlingla, the world’s highest motorable road at 5,800m (19,024 ft). It also has the World’s Highest Parking. There are about 10 other tourists here that have arrived from the other direction which is shorter, a wind shelter, coffee van, and an
Top: Pangong Lake.
Left: I dont do this everyday.
Top right: Umlingla worlds highest road. Right: Let me catch my breath down but not out.
oxygen café but it was closed. After the obligatory photos we ride back down the nirvana road (no complaints from anyone) then turn off to go down a wide valley with no easily defined road. The views along here were stunning. At one spot the surface became soft grey bulldust and there were a few blokes doing face plants. Next day we crossed Taglangla, only
the 12 highest pass. Just after the top the road became icy and was causing grief to trucks coming up the hill toward us.
As soon as one was stuck, others tried to pass and also became stuck. The result was a traffic bank up of about 100 trucks and cars occupying both sides of the road.
On the right was a 3m high snow bank and to the left a step icy drop off. On the
left we had about half a meter to squeeze past, sometimes working in pairs to support the bike across the icy surface and not drop off the cliff. Some sections had a steel barrier fence that was comforting. Eventually we could pick a wider gap and ride down the right-hand side of the road.
Over the next few days our adventure took us back past Leh and west into the
Left: The start of the icy traffic jamb. Bottom far left: Kargil.
Bottom left: Houses built into cliffs near Kargil. Right: Valley view near Kargil.
Aryan Valley. Ho hum, more remote gravel roads, mountain passes and green valleys. The people in this part of India are more Muslim, where in Leh they were Buddhist. Just out of Kargil we went to a lookout and from here we could see the border with Pakistan and two observation huts watching each other across the valley. Not many foreign tourists in Kargil and I saw a few locals taking photos of us as we walked around and tried the street food.
Gumnut knows the back roads around here and took us to a small farming village built into the side a cliff face beside a river. This was to get the houses above the high water level during floods and kept the fertile flat land for farming. Nearby we ascended to a remote plateau that was breathtaking in its beauty and had recently been used in a Bollywood movie. On the main roads there are road safety signs about every 500m. They usually say something like “BRO slow down your
family wants you alive.” Took us a while to realise that BRO was not someone being friendly but Boarder Roads Organisation. Some signs would not be accepted in Australia. Such as ‘Stop looking at her behind and watch the car in front” or “Stop your nagging and let him drive” Next stop is our 10th night and we are
back in Leh after a great adventure of 1,665km and 13 of the world’s highest mountain passes. The bikes performed well without any problems and the guides were great.
So, here we are again, sitting around a table having beers and asking “where next?”
Pursuing the
south American Tour Dream
Part 1 was Bolivia. Part 2: Chile : Breakdowns for breakfast, What do you mean you can’t ride in sand and are snowed In…… in the Atacama Desert!!?
This was my second worst nightmare. I felt my stomach flood with a tense awakening of constipated butterflies. I could taste the dust clouds gathering in my mouth, as they manifested in front of me as another enormous truck blazed past, capable of squishing me and my puny Ladybug into a wiry pulp.
Two weeks in Chile and I’m ready to leave. What the hell did he do to my bike?! Could walk back to the unmistakable ‘Hand of the Desert’ where I would undoubtedly find a torrent of tourists, wanderers and smelly bikepackers…… and indeed perhaps some assistance?
Why in the name of Kevin Bacon did I scoff down that emergency peanut butter protein bar two hours ago right after breakfast when I should have saved it for a situation precisely as this. Broken down, my moto unresponsive and its owner similarly clueless, by the side of the road, on a barren stretch of the Panamerican Hwy. I was roughly twenty kilometers from the Mano del Desierto, about seventy kilometers from the fascinating seaside mining town of Antofagasta and about a million kilometers away from the edge of my comfort zone. Yes. I wondered many
things, in addition to my pained regret for the peanut butter protein snack now partially digested in my somersaulting stomach. How much water did I have on me? I pulled as far onto the shoulder as possible and put down the side stand.
I looked up at the sky, unzipped my Ixon Ladies Eddas Jacket and popped a zingy Gin Gins lolly in my mouth.
As I chewed, I recalled the quote of the wonderful Yvon Chouinard, “True adventure begins when everything goes wrong”. Exhale. Chew. Remember. You chose this! Oh yeah! Smile.
After leaving Bolivia and my South African and German ‘mum and dad’ and entering Argentina via the La Quiaca border, spent a week enjoying the delectable wildness of the far north region of Jujuy. I camped for three days in Humahuaca, basking in the brilliant white of the moon, getting as dirty as possible with many impressive cacti, and enjoying the challenges presented by the fuel shortages prevalent at the time due to the upcoming elections.
I must mention the astonishingly long nine hours I spent in line at YPF (the energy company here) in Humahuaca with twelve charismatic male riders from Buenos Aires. Whilst we waited for the
Words and Images: Lala Barlow
Melting but grinning like an idiot in the desert sun whilst my off road riding instructor puts me through my paces. I ended up with a lot more than bargained for!
Top: Death by sand. Two hours into my offroad training session with Agustin on a sizzling 39 degree day in one of the driest places on planet earth, San Pedro de Atacama.
Middle: Lining up for 12 hours for fuel isn’t so bad when you have the company of nine dashing Argentinian riders on a trip together from Buenos Aires!
Above: Riding south from La Quiaca towards Humahuaca on the Ruta 9, alongside the incredible coloured mountains of the Quebrada de Humahuaca.
Below: Triumphant and smiling like a lunatic at the Hornical mirador with the sunset spotlighting the jaw-dropping mountains of 14 colours in Jujuy, Argentina.
fuel truck to arrive, we ate pizza, drank Mate, ate ice-creams, sung all of our favourite 90’s Boy Band hits and shrieked and hollered in delight when finally, at 11.46pm, the petrol tanker swerved a corner towards us and we could finally continue on our merry paths. I don’t recall ever grinning so much as I did on that day. The first imprints of a lasting and deep love affair I was to develop for Argentina – my next country stop - her intoxicating culture and the most memorable people on planet earth. Facts were facts. If I didn’t reach Paso Jama, a desolate border connecting Chile and Argentina sitting at 4200 meters altitude by November 4th, I would have to pay another $110. Unthinkable. I couldn’t stomach such a wasteful pillage of money. After staying a night in Susques, I rode a lonely and forsaken road reaching Paso Jama on November 3rd, a whole day before my visa was to expire. A lovely chap who my ‘mother’ had done some riding with had my number and he kindly offered to meet me with some ‘just in case fuel’ atop the wild, windy and untamed altiplano on the way to San Pedro de
Left: The ‘friends of friends’ out there on the road that meet you high on the altiplano and wait three hours for you with a full canister of gas, ‘just in case’ you run out of fuel.
Right: Baking in the desert sun, outside Hotel Cactus in Susques. A relaxed night in a tiny town in the middle of nowhere before traversing the high pass into Chile the next day via Paso Jama.
Below: Welcome to Argentina in November 2023, where fuel (nafta) is difficult to acquire due to the upcoming elections and political situation. Another hour in line!
Atacama. Look up the word ‘awe’ in the dictionary now. Go on! I insist. Next to it, you will find an image of life on the arid high plateau of Northern Chile. Imagine this. You will ride for around two hours at 4,800 metres altitude, passing mountainous mirages and voluminous volcanos you’ll swear are paintings, pink frosted and cupcake dusted flamingos basking in the luminous turquoise hued lakes, a rock strewn salt-flat studded floor-map stretching from there to forever with textures, shapes, tiles and taints that defy conception, consciousness and logic, and a languid lightheadedness that only life at 4800 metres can provide.
I’ve forgotten how many times I had to pull over to dry the tears of awe from my eyes. After battling the elements at these heights, plus a nasty wind gust, my ‘Desert Angel’ Agustin and began the descent from the altiplano to the oasis of shade in the middle of the land of burning sands; San Pedro de Atacama, sitting at a very chilled 2500 metres. Plummeting 1000 metres in 30 minutes into the swaddle of San Pedro was such a thrill. I looked back at my new friend Agustin and we
whooped and smiled at each other. This was living! And that was precisely where things started to go wrong.
Agustin was angelic at first and I took him out for lunch to thank him for meeting me in such a hostile location and bringing me ‘back up’ fuel - which I never used. In the first three days of my exploring San Pedro de Atacama, he was helpful to a fault and I was happy to accept the offers of assistance from a highly trained, offroad riding adventure guide who was also a seasoned saxophonist and ex-traveling circus performer. Not even a word of a lie. However, his helpfulness extended beyond emergency fuel drops. “Lala! Your luggage is terribly packed and balanced, I will help you repack it.” “Sure, thank you,” I retorted at the table whilst scoffing down a sandwich. I half expected him to help me re-pack wearing a clown nose and some oversized shoes that whistled.
The next morning, he turned up outside my tent at 7am with a bag of tools as I was brewing my morning coffee. “Lala, I want to check over your Ladybug. She should be able to go faster. I will check over her.”
Okay. Is this creepy or just gentlemanly?
The thin line of a new friendship was being teasingly toed and not in a cool ‘I’m a circus performer, let’s hit the park and do some funambulism’ kind of way.
The same day, I made the mistake of mentioning that I’d very little experience riding on sand and that went down like a fart in a funeral. “Lala! What do you mean
you can’t ride on sand? You are useless! Tomorrow, we train at 8am at my camp!”
The next day, he put me and my little Ladybug me through our paces. After two hours in my full riding gear, I was sweating like a pensioner in in a Scandinavian sweat lodge. After thumbing the Ladybug with one finger to ‘feel into her energy’ and falling over in the sand for the 40th time, was ready to thank my angel, give him back his wings and ride away on one of his circus elephants whilst blowing Careless Whisper on the saxophone. Strangely, he seemed to delight in my discomfort and every time I almost fainted from the heat, he’d insist upon another drill in the sand. My intuition had started nudging me, like a glistening and freshly steamed dim sim from the South Melbourne market. I couldn’t ignore it. I needed to leave this place.
A few days later, after Agustin had taken me to a ‘river’ (not a euphemism), fiddled with my spark plug (also not a euphemism), meddled with my coolant, changed my spark plug, (I later found out, badly!) tampered with my odometer, tampered with my suspension, and taken me for yet another unrequited ice-cream. finally announced to him that evening that I was going to leave the next day and return to Argentina via the same high pass. “It’s going to snow tonight on the altiplano” smirked Agustin, as I chewed my calamari at a dinner he wasn’t invited to. Snow? Surely not. He’s crazy right? “This
Below: Bonus of riding the northern coast of Chile = made it to the Hand of the Desert! And promptly suffered my first major breakdown about an hour later......
Below: How is this even my life? Looking out over the ‘Devils’ Throat’ in San Pedro de Atacama, after mountain biking through a multitude of narrow caverns and caves to reach the top. Riding down will be a breeze!.
Middle: The ‘Escape from San Pedro’ as rode towards Calama and Antofagasta, and towards the healing waters of the ocean.
Bottom: My ‘Desert Angel’ Agustin, looking out over the sweeping Atacama Desert as we rode together from Paso Jama toward San Pedro de Atacama.
is one of the driest places on planet earth, it can’t snow here!” I shrieked. “Of course I’m serious! I’m a guide. I take people out for adventures every day. I know the weather patterns, and tomorrow, there’s going to be snow up there and a lot of rain down here.”
The next morning, I woke up to ‘once in a year’ flooding in the Atacama Desert and you guessed it, snow on the altiplano. Help. I avoided Agustin’s eye gaze as we had a coffee the next morning, a coffee that he also hadn’t been invited to. I felt like a dark cloud had descended upon me since arriving here, one that had provided me with a lot of helpful ‘assistance’ yet one that seemed determined to trap me here in his dusty grip for all time. felt as if some wicked witchcraft was at play, and not the sexy kind Sally Owens dabbles with in Practical Magic. I was becoming scared. I was desperately uncomfortable with what was unfolding. Every time Agustin touched my bike to ‘help’ me, something else spiralled out of control with it, and yet he was so charmingly manipulative, so cunningly subtle about his methods of control, found it difficult to stand my ground. I felt painfully alone.
Stranded by the
with minimal water and very
travelling together for four days along the coast to Valparaiso. Bottom: Bikers, food and beer. After a long days ride, is there anything better!?
I had to get out of here. “Haha, I told you it would snow. I know everything. You should never doubt me. Also, tomorrow when you leave, I’m going to come with you. We can ride Ruta 40 together…….” Gulp.
The coast of Chile was not part of the plan and I hadn’t researched it at all, because I was determined to ride the Ruta 40 in Argentina. But I was also determined to finish my trip, alive…… and not become bound to the desert but some strange spell, cast by a seemingly lovely but clearly lonely sadomasochistic Chilean with a penchant for single Australian females with blue eyes and a flailing lack of discernment.
The next morning, I woke early and breathed a sigh of relief when I didn’t see the shadow of his big chunky body outside my tent when I woke. I packed stealthy, like a wild camper next to a nunnery. And at 10am on an ordinary Tuesday, I rode out of San Pedro de Atacama toward the mining town of Calama, away from Agustin and his sandy sorcery, and towards a better understanding of assertion over myself and my motorcycle. The lessons from the road
Left:
side of the Pan American Hwy, at midday,
little road traffic. Dear Motorcycle Gods. Help me! Below: Three wonderful men came to my aid! Rodolpho the truck driver, Alfonzo the man in the van and Papa Joe the roadside mechanic. Middle: Wonderful Suraj on his GS in Antofagasta. We enjoyed each others company
never cease.
From Calama, I kept riding onward where I enjoyed three beautiful days in the deliciously charming and eyewateringly expensive seaside mining town of Antofagasta. I splurged and stayed in the Hotel Ibis for three days. My nervous system needed a reset that only lush towels and a buffet breakfast could provide. Three days later, feeling like a new woman, I set out to Chañaral …… which left me in my second worst nightmare that I’ve already described. With my battery seemingly ‘dead’ and Ladybug unresponsive by the side of the Panamerican Highway. What the hell did he do to my bike?
As always on the road, the motorcycle Gods smiled upon me and sent me three legitimate angels to rescue me during the course of that day. Though the news wasn’t good. My stator and rectifier were fried. Back to Antofagasta we go!
My eyes watered as I paid the extortionate price quoted for these new items and patted my Ladybug fondly as I promised her I wouldn’t let just any old bozo touch her next time. The positives of being in Antofagasta for longer were stumbling across Suraj, a softly spoken Indian rider
that was currently living in America and riding to Ushuaia on a BMW GS. He’d just suffered a nasty tumble on some sand on ‘that’ particularly awful section of the Ruta 40 just south of the La Quiaca border in Argentina and I was in need of some gentle nurturing companionship.
We spent a glorious five days helping each other feel better, camping and riding together and sharing stories of moto comradery as we rode along the Panamerican Hwy, visiting blissful seaside towns and cities such as Bahia Inglesia, Chañaral and Pan de Azucar National Park. Upon arriving in vibrant Valparaiso and checking into Nomada Eco Hostel, think I finally exhaled for the first time since arriving in Chile three weeks prior.
And I thought Chile was going to be easy! Rookie error. As always on the road, expect the unexpected! Learn the lessons. Listen to your gut. Be willing to adapt at any time. Being resilient is a muscle you can only strengthen through direct experience. Lean into the discomfort. Always believe in the kindness of strangers. Pack an umbrella.
And BYO clown nose.
I can feel Part 3 of this story stirring in my mind. Let’s ride on.
Below: I love my tent. I love my bike. But most of all. I love my life!
Below: The best empanada I’ve ever had, on the beach in La Serena, Chile. Empanada de Mariscos with freshly caught seafood. WOW! Middle: Star-crossed lovers in Valparaiso Chile. One of my favourite cities in the world. Street art, coffee, music, history, ocean, BLISS! Bottom: Campfire grub, Lala style. Suraj and I camping and enjoying dinner by the ocean in Pichigangui, Chile.
for ‘off-road’ adventure riding? Fitness
Before my solo motorcycle adventure to Africa back in the early 1990s, I realised I needed a certain amount of fitness… and strength to do it. For how else would I pick up my Yamaha TT600 fully loaded around 200kgs. Before my Africa trip, which turned into an epic four-year world motorcycle adventure, I was working as a radiation tech at the Ranger Uranium Mine near Jabiru, on the fringe of Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. There was no gym in town so I asked the local police if I could use theirs. Help yourself they said. I had no idea how to use the equipment but through trial and error, I figured it out plus regular rides throughout Kakadu with my mates, which got me ‘bike fit’. So how important is it to get fit and strong… and flexible for off-road adventure riding? If you don’t want to end up with a back injury or torn muscles and tendons, I believe it is very important. Plus a good level of fitness, means you’ll enjoy your adventure so much more. For an epic motorcycle adventure to somewhere like Africa where the aim is to ride the dirt roads, to get ‘off-the-beaten’ track, at every opportunity, just the act of riding every day will get you fit in no time. And this is even if you start out as limp as that aging lettuce at the bottom of your fridge. The simple act of riding your bike on rutted, sandy and muddy tracks and probably dropping it a few times, will definitely get you strong.
Fast-forward to 2024, and I no longer ride off-road every day. In fact, I have not ridden off-road for any distance since the Altai Mountains in Kazakhstan and Russia back in the
summer of 1997. While I await the rebuild of my Yamaha TT600 enduro by Just Dirt Bikes in Derrimut (there’s been a few delays in sourcing parts), I am presently in ‘off-road rider transition mode’. So for the past 27 years, I’ve been a road rider. Firstly on a Moto Guzzi V50 then on a Triumph Thruxton, which do take on the occasional off-road adventure. But anyone can ride on tarmac; some of us are just a bit quicker on the bends than others. With a day job in communications, I stand (mostly) at my desk 9 to 5. These days, my life is not conducive to a high-level of fitness and certainly not to strength and flexibility, both pre-requisites, I believe, to get the most out of riding off-road. However, I’ve always maintained a reasonable level of fitness with a daily short morning jog, plus a few Pilates sessions each week. It’s more exercise than most of my motorcycling mates I believe, although some might be bricklayers (I haven’t asked!).
So when the offer of a six-day trip with Cape York Motorcycle Adventures landed in my inbox, I jumped at the chance. After all, riding from Cairns to the tip of Cape York was one of my ‘bucket list’ rides just like it is for most adventure riders. I’d be joining Anita Eley, an Adventure Rider magazine subscriber who won the trip with Cape York Motorcycle Adventures in a recent subscriber competition. It was only after I’d said yes and booked my flights that any actual thought went into what this six-day ride from Cairns to Bamaga on mostly dirt tracks, many rutted and on sand with a dozen or more creek crossings (some with crocs), actually meant, especially as I’d just turned sixty. then had a look at the trip details and realised I’d be riding the GasGas 350. A quick online search and I knew I was out of my off-road riding depth and ‘leg length’ as the GasGas 350 has a seat height at 960mm (pretty normal for dirt bikes).
suddenly had a serious case of ‘I’m FOPFD’ (Fear Off Putting Foot Down). This was a term I coined after I rode the 2024 Aprilia Tuareg 660 for a review published in Adventure Rider earlier this year. I have no issues riding a tall bike, it is just when I need to stop that the panic sets in. The Tuareg is a great bike with a relatively low seat height of 860mm compared to the
GasGas. With a lowering link and a bit of seat trimming, it’d be a great bike for someone like me who stands at 165cm. However, the GasGas is nearly 10cm taller and that is a lot more air between my foot and the ground!
But there was more to my dilemma than simply seat height and defying the laws of physics with my rather short legs. To help build my confidence, like channelling wise words from Yoda, I recalled what Simon Pavey (former Paris Dakar racer who’s only 5cm taller than me), had told me: ‘Short people can ride high bikes, you just have to practice the skills’. The skills he was talking about were the techniques he taught when I attended his off-road skills course offered through Compass Expeditions. Simon runs this course every December in Australia (it’ll be in Tasmania for 2024).
So if I was going to get the most out of this six-day bucket-list ride with Cape York Motorcycle Adventures, something had to be done. Otherwise, I would at worst, ‘crash and burn’ or at least, hold up the team as I repeatedly dropped my bike every time the going got tough… A few months before departure in late August 2024, ‘Operation Dirt-Bike Fitness’ swung into action. I added strength training classes to my weekly Pilates workouts, upped my protein intake and discovered bet-alanine. I put the call out for a dirtbike and a friend turned up with a 1991 Suzuki RMX 250 2-stroke. Seat height 955mm, kickstart and no side-stand; it was a beast and it was perfect. Working from home, my lunch breaks became my practice sessions riding the RMX in never-ending tight figure of eights around my front yard, practising swinging my leg over left and right, stopping from standing and laying the bike over (some planned, some not), to practise picking it up. Weekends, I rode the trails on a mate’s property up the road. And thanks to Simon’s words of wisdom, my skills vastly improved as did my strength. But it wasn’t until watching the recent Paris Olympics rhythmic gymnastics that my dilemma of how to improve flexibility to extend my leg raises was solved. I knew I would never achieve anything near the super-human flexibility of these Olympic gymnasts or the dancers of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, but YouTube vid-
eos revealed their exercise secrets and I was soon swinging my leg over the RMX with ease, even in a pair of Alpinestars Tech 7s.
I’ve seen the YouTube videos of the ride to Cape York and there’s no denying there are some tough off-road sections, but I’m ready to make the most of this bucket-list adventure thanks to Cape York Motorcycle Adventures. And now for the good news. In those final days before departure, I was offered a choice: the GasGas 350 or the Suzuki DR200, which has a relatively lower seat height of 845mm. My FOPFD fears of constantly dropping the GasGas (and paying for any damages), evaporated instantly. With my new-found level of fitness, strength, flexibility and dirt-bike skills for short riders (thank you Simon), I am ready to take on Cape York. You can read about my ride with Cape York Motorcycle Adventures and with Anita Eley in the next issue of Adventure Rider magazine.
Check out the Cape York Motorcycle Adventures: www.capeyorkmotorcycles.com.au
Heather Ellis is the author of the two bestselling motorcycle travel books: Ubuntu: One Woman’s Motorcycle Odyssey Across Africa and Timeless On The Silk Road To read more about Heather and to purchase her books visit: www.heather-ellis.com
around in my empty skull for the next 30 klicks or so. Comfort, comfort… Hmmm, it was 12 degrees ambient temperature, at $1.10 the wind chill factor gets us to a bit over 6 degrees. “No mate, it’s not comfortable… It’s friggin’ cold!”
I have the Duck’s Disease seat on the bike and it ain’t no feather pillow. It does encourage me to keep moving about to maintain circulation, however. “No mate, the seat’s a bit hard”.
The riding position is pretty good but it’s not like my recliner at home, my riding gear is the best I can get but it’s not uggies, a pair of trackies and T-shirt. “No mate, it’s a bit tiring and heavy to wear”. The wind roars past my ears despite my earplugs. “No mate, it doesn’t help my tinnitus”.
Comfort Bah Humbug I
Words and Images: Andy Strapz
was stopped at a servo the other day, pouring 98 bang water into the Kato when a bloke standing by his luxury asked me, “Is it comfortable?”
Initially, I saw an irony, he was dancing about waiting for his kin to return from their pitstop so he could leave his precious luxury tin top for his turn to strain the beans.
The best I could come up with at the time was… “depends, it’s not bad”. Comfort is a weird concept on bikes, inherently they are uncomfortable things, compared to say… A bed, a sofa or a 5 Series BMW. Bangin’ along in the wind, dust, rain, heat, cold (e. All of the
above) on a ride does little to qualify on the Snuggly Comfy rating scale.
Wrists ache, numb bum sets in and toes turn into pinkycicles, the ringing in yer ears reaches screaming pitch and you verge on a road rage incident as you pass a car whose occupants are passing around the Tim Tams.
Regular readers know, I grew up on a 1974 Italian Sports bike, comfort never entered into it. It was just riding, it was what it was. Stroof, riding an angle iron horse over corrugations would have been cosier than piloting Mario Ducati on North Queensland roads of the late 70s.
I rode off and the question reverberated
The suspension is amazing… for a bike, it sticks to the road like poo to a doona, but it’s not designed for a refined, magic carpet ride like yer car mate. My riding buddy and split off the tar onto bumpy back roads and then onto fast-flowing gravel. ABS off, traction control to ‘off-road’ setting and we were off! The views across the valleys in the clear crisp air of winter were soulenriching and the joy of the bike wriggling about under power, sublime. When we came to a few rougher bits that allowed me to get a bit looser again any thoughts of comfort had evaporated. The seat was still hard but I stood up half the time, it was cold but I could take a rest behind the screen, my hands and feet weren’t too cold, they were busy. No mate, it’s not comfortable, that’s the point, it’s exhilarating who gives a rat’s buttocks about comfort? This thing’s a missile and it takes me to places that comfort the soul!
