Adventure Rider Issue #22

It’s we what

do

There’s an interesting little tug-of-war going on in the Australian adventure-riding fraternity at the moment.

On one side a section of bike manufacturers has decided horsepower is an excellent marketing tool. Whatever one brand offers, the others will match and go bigger.

The Ducati Mutlistrada 1200 Enduro offered 160 horsepower and we all peed our pants. KTM’s new 1290 matched it and we all peed our pants again. BMW’s Wasserboxer motor has a punchy 135 horsepower, and I must say I’m a little surprised that wasn’t increased for 2017, but for a while it was king and we peed our pants.

You know this is a marketing exercise because those figures are trumpeted to the public. Do you ever see horsepower figures quoted

“Whatever bike makes you stare, care and takes you there is the one you should have. ”

for 650 singles? Does anyone reject those bikes because their horsepower figures don’t match their competitiors? Well, no, because none of us know what the horsepower figures are. That’s because it’s not all that important.

Does anyone seriously feel disadvantaged by having 25 horsepower less when they still can punch out over a 100?

If you do, you’re far too accomplished a rider to be interested

in this grey-headed old wobbler’s thoughts and opinions on anything.

On the other side of the tug-of-war rope is a group of manufacturers saying, “Folks, what you need is a light, easy-to-live with bike that uses very little fuel and whose tyres last forever.” Yamaha leads the push with the WR250R, but Kawasaki looks like it’ll be lending its weight to the argument with the new Versys 300. Honda’s offering a rally version of its CRF250, and anyone who discounts Suzuki’s DRZ 400 is a mug. To keep the edges blurred, Yamaha also has the 1200cc Super T. While I haven’t seen horsepower figures quoted, I’ve ridden that very excellent motorcycle enough to know it’s offering some serious snort, and there’s a great deal more to be unleashed with just a little tuning. Suzuki has the V-Stroms, especially the 1000, so its hedging its bets as well. Kawasaki’s Versys are more road-oriented, but the 1000 snorts like a Kwaka motor at its best. I reckon there’s a better value increment to apply to adventure bikes. I don’t know what to call it, so I’ll just say ‘Happiness factor’. If 250kg and 160 horsepower leaves your face aching because you can’t stop grinning about the way that bike feels, it’s the bike for you. If effortlessly flipping your bike up from on its side in the sand has the corners of your north’n’south stretched from one ear to the other, that’s the bike you should be riding. If seeing the sun reflected in the deep, multilayer paintwork makes your bottom lip quiver with desire, it’s desire you should embrace. And if your riding buddies all want something different? That, I say, is where the real heart and soul of adventure riding is beating strongest. Whatever bike makes you stare, care and takes you there is the one you should have, and let’s all keep our fingers crossed that our sport never becomes so controlled and homogenised that we all end up riding the same thing.

Tom Foster - Editor

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CHALLENGE

Adventure Rider Magazine is published bi-monthly by Mayne Media Pty Ltd

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ISSN 2201-1218

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Arnhem Land

In the north-eastern corner of the Northern Territory is a region of nearly 34,000km with a population of barely 16,000 souls, the overwhelming majority of which are traditional owners living on ‘outstations’ far from European influences. Access isn’t guaranteed, and those who do venture in are confronted with an isolation equalled by very few places in the world.

Greg Murdock of Southern Cross Motorbike Tours had an opportunity to ride the area and he didn’t hesitate.

“Hainsey! We got ’em!”

“Got what?” queried a bemused Brian Haines.

“The permits for Arnhem Land have been approved!” I bellowed in reply.

“Shit hot!” blurted Hainsie.

“When are we going?”

The first week of November was the nominated time, and the normal crew – Brad Claydon, Brian Haines, Scott Luff, Gary Claydon and myself –was on board with a couple of extras to run support. November would be getting close to the Northern Territory wet season, so we’d need more than one support vehicle.

That was the start of our first excursion into the ancient region of Arnhem Land. What a ride it turned out to be.

Below:

Bring it on

The route was to traverse south-east Arnhem Land, entering from Roper Bar and exiting at Gapuwiyak, then riding the Central Arnhem Highway back to Katherine. The bikes for the ride were a KTM990, two F800GS Beemers, a DRZ400 and a 501 Husky, just to cover all bases. It all sounded easy, except over half the ride was to be on a track which was only used every now and then, and that became a boggy mess if it got any rain on it. Challenge accepted.

u

Main: The ride was epic and special thanks go to the traditional owners of the land of the land for allowing access.

Above: Southern Cross Motorbike Tours can take you through Arnhem Land.

Catching a breath at the Phelp River crossing.

Words and images: Greg Murdock

ARnhem LAnd

Dog’s dinner

Time flies in the Territory and before we knew it we were off.

We had two support vehicles, my 4X4 driven by Paul and Johnno, and Brad’s 4X4 co-piloted by his dad.

The beers were cold and the facilities excellent, and after dinner – which again was huge – we settled in for the evening.

“How many dogs do you think are in that yard between us and the backpackers?” asked Scott Luff.

The first day had us heading to Roper Bar via Katherine and included a steak burger you couldn’t jump over at the Mataranka pub.

Fuelled and watered we headed onto the Roper Highway for a lazy three-hour ride in 40-degree heat to our overnight stay at Roper Bar Motel where we were met by our host, Veronica (who admits to being the best cook in the area) and her lovely team of backpacker staff. We ordered our meals for the evening and were shown to our rooms in a compound separated from the bar by a yard patrolled around the clock, Veronica mentioned, by guard dogs.

“Enough to eat you,” was the reply from the rest of us.

“Bugger,” said Scott as he retired for the night.

Local knowledge

Next morning we awoke to find another superbly cooked meal and Scotty learned the guard dogs were only Aussie and Maltese terriers.

We headed for the beachside outstation of Wyagibar.

First we crossed the causeway at Roper Bar which was flowing over just enough to wash a bit of dust off the bikes. The road wasn’t too bad, being graded dirt

with only a few bulldust holes and corrugations. There were numerous shallow river and creek crossings in the morning, and by lunchtime we were at the turn off to Wyagibar. We stoppped to check the map and were greeted by a carload of local people.

“Where you off to?” they asked.

“Wyagibar,” we replied. They pointed us down the track toward the coast and told us to stick to the right.

Apparently the left-hand track was a bit rocky and unmaintained.

Farewells were exchanged and we headed off on what was to become 42km of sometimes knee-deep sand.

“Lucky we took the well-maintained road,” gritted Brian at one of the frequent stops.

The ride was brilliant, even though the sand was deep in patches and most of us had a minor off, some caused by

Top: There were numerous shallow river and creek crossings.

Left: Harris River was the chance for a swim and to wash the dust out of the riding gear. Below: But first there were barra to catch.

the sand and others by protruding tree branches on blind corners.

Coasting

trees and a wonderful, cooling, sea breeze keeps the climate pleasant.

Thinking ahead

On arrival at Wyagibar we were greeted by traditional owner Kevin (aka ‘The Black Shark’) who was our host for the evening and enjoyed telling us his stories of country and past.

But first there were barra to catch, and on the change of tide at the local creek they were lining up in numbers to be caught. The boys bagged some nice fish for dinner and released the rest for next time.

Wyagibar is one of the most beautiful spots you will see in this area. White, sandy beaches are lined with casuarina

The third day saw us heading to Numbulwar, a local community on the Rose River, to refuel before heading to our overnight stay at Milwul. The road to Numbulwar was still graded gravel, but some areas hadn’t seen the grader for a while and the bulldust holes were long and deep.

North of the community the road turned into a single vehicle track in good condition and the boys enjoyed the blast to the Milwul turn off. The track into the coastal outstation was similar to Wyagibar, but with a few more deep washouts and rutted tracks before we hit the sand closer to the coast.

Milwul is a tiny outstation with only one house, and unfortunately the traditional owner, Henry, wasn’t home so we had to host ourselves.

Milwul is another beautiful area with white-sand beaches and another local creek teeming with fish. The spare bikes were unloaded and given a bit of a blast along the sandy beach tracks to do some exploring for future trips.

We camped under the trees on the beach and enjoyed an excellent campfire dinner under the stars.

Snappers

Our fourth day had us heading north to Markalawa, another outstation located

Top: Sandy beach tracks were explored for future trips.

Left: Camp under the trees with an excellent campfire dinner under the stars.

Below: Two support vehicles meant the bikes didn’t need to carry much. u

on the Walker River, but before we got there we stopped at the Harris River for a swim and a chance to wash the dust out of our riding gear. Luckily the track is hardly used, as the sight of seven halfnaked men in the crossing probably would have startled most people. The water at the crossing was shallow and clear, but we were still a little wary of the local handbag population.

All clean again we headed on to our overnight camp at the billabong adjacent to Markalawa and another campfire dinner under the stars. The road on this day was a single-vehicle track across floodplains and over rocky escarpment country that doesn’t see any form of maintenance. The view from some of the escarpment ridges has to be seen to be appreciated, and it’s hard to believe how vast this area is.

Keep moving

We were getting closer to the end of this trail as we rode off the next morning, and we managed a little adventure loop to kick things off.

As we’d ridden in we’d seen a sign saying ‘Gove’ – a town in the direction we were heading – so we automatically took this turnoff. The track returned us to Markalawa outstation some 20

minutes later.

D’oh. Never trust bush signs. But it was a good short ride in the cool of the morning.

We headed on to Gapuwiyak via the Koolatong River Camp, and then on to Mainoru Store and safari hunting camp. The track started off much the same as the day before and slowly improved as we approached the Central Arnhem Highway. It was still littered with bulldust sections that kept all the riders on their toes, though.

Koolatong River Camp is another glorious bush layby overlooking a river that just screams, “Fish me!” Maybe next time we will. We had a quick wash in the river and jumped back on the bikes to ride north to Gapuwiyak, another community where we could fuel and provision at a the local store.

We then started our trek west for lunch at one of the many rivers before heading to Mainoru.

Relief

The Central Arnhem Highway is a gravel road and for the most part it was okay, but it still had some extended bulldust sections that needed creative riding moments for most riders. Sometimes it was just easier to ride on the road

shoulder instead of the road.

Mainoru Store is an oasis with green lawns, good accommodation, excellent meals and wonderful hosts. It’s also the first place in four days where we could have a beer, as the area so far had had alcohol restrictions. Luckily we’d prearranged some cool treats to be on hand for our arrival and the boys enjoyed a couple before dinner.

Can’t wait

The sixth day dawned and it was time to head home. There remained just a short run on the last of the dirt to the blacktop and then a few hours on the tar. Someone suggested we could stop off at Hayes Creek and check out the new thumper track they’d built for a meeting the following weekend, and it didn’t need a vote. We had a top afternoon and night at the Hayes Creek pub and, for the record, Brian now holds the track record for an 990, I have it for 800GSA and Scott Luff was the first to crash on it.

The ride was epic and enjoyed by all that came. We’d like to thank the traditional owners of the land for the opportunity to ride, and we look forward to going back to this ancient area and invite you to come and join us.

Southern Cross Motorbike Tours

Greg was checking out Arnhem Land as a possible tour for his guiding and rental outfit, Southern Cross Motorbike Tours. Get more information on this destination and plenty more at www.southerncrossmotorbiketours.com.au.

Above: The spare bikes were unloaded and given a bit of a blast.

TBC The Troy Bayliss Classic

A weekend of slidin’, ridin’ and taking a hidin’. The Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro kicked off its time with Adventure Rider Magazine and we’re packing a high-tech, super comfort grin.

The brand-spankingnew Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro was begging to be ridden and the Troy Bayliss Classic, a flattrack event on one of the few oiled surfaces left in Australia, offered a great opportunity to give the new bike a settling-in run. With a couple of mates, a few routes from Marty HC at DualSport

Australia and hardly a care in the world, we set off from the Pub With No Beer at Taylors Arm and headed for what promised to be an excellent couple of days.

Not paying attention

According to Marty HC it was about three-and-a-half leisurely hours to Taree on the route he’d planned.

Main: The Ducati Multistrada 1200 Enduro was a perfect choice for a strop along some backroads, a fang down the asphalt and some superb sightseeing.

Right: This grand old girl was propped on a stand in the spectator area. We’re not sure why, but it was getting plenty of attention. It sure looked horn.

In fact, he’d planned the route and a dozen or so alternatives and cut outs, some interesting possibilities (if anyone got bored) and a heap of get-out-of-trouble shortcuts in case of flooded rivers, closed tracks and other unforseen obstacles. He laid out each of these sections neatly on Google Maps in a different colour so even u

Image: Wilkinson Photography

Adventure Rider Magazine’s editor – not known for his navigational prowess –could get out of trouble if need be. The editor thought it looked like a dozen schoolkids had gone crazy-ape bonkers on the map with a packet of coloured crayons and promptly deleted everything except the direct route.

Easy does it

The spirit of the ride was relaxed.

The short riding time allowed a civilised 10:00am departure, and Darren AC on his DR650 and Dino Fizzywater on his new KTM 1290 rolled in right on time, just as a council worker pulled up for a bit of a yarn. That passed an amiable 15 minutes or so and set the tone before the three riders hit the trail, following the pink line through some crazy-fast dirt roads with much-appreciated bends and sweeping curves. In a masterpiece of planning and execution they arrived bang on coffee o’clock at the Willawarrin store.

While waiting for the other two to shrug off helmets and jackets and make their way inside, the editor offered to shout coffee. The lads put in their orders, but when the shopkeeper was asked if he had available, a ‘half-shot skim latte’ he shook his head in confusion. The ed instructed, “Just make a regular one, and when she comes in we’ll tell her it’s a half-shot skim.”

A leathery old bloke at the counter looked on with interest as the two riders came in and collected their coffees. “Which one’s the girl with the latte?” he asked toothlessly.

The ed pointed at Dino and said, “That’s her there.”

The old bloke was still giggling when the riders left 40 minutes later. We’ve mentioned the Willawarrin store

and its pornucopia of special-interest items kept behind a locked door, but it was new to Dino. His eyes grew to the size of dinner plates at Darren’s detailed and lurid descriptions.

It was interesting to note just how much Darren did know about the contents of that room.

The editor, meanwhile, was riffling through the old magazines always on display in the G-rated front room of the store. He let out a cry of delight and purchased some rare examples of Australian motorcycling journalism from a couple of decades ago.

But seriously

Despite the holiday atmosphere the whole ride was to get a feel for the Ducati. It was a work trip, after all.

The bike was collected from Ducati in Sydney and ridden up the coast to Coffs Harbour where it was entrusted to the Coffs Ducati dealership, North Coast V-Twins. The road tyres were swapped for Pirelli Scorpion knobbies, and it was surprising what a difference it made to the feel of the bike. It should’ve been

Above: “They’ve got what in the back room?” gaped Dino (left). Darren’s description was detailed. Below left: A council worker pulled up for a yarn. He had a TDM900 and was interested in opinions on the new bikes.

Below: The editor was excited to find a couple of copies of his past work at the Willawarrin store.

expected, but the gentle movement of the knobby tyres in corners brought on a loss of cornering precision that had bottom lips trembling and eyes moistened with regret. But of course, off-road, there was suddenly grip where none had been before, so it was a justifiable compromise.

The next thing to attract attention was just how easy it is to ride the big Ducati smoothly.

This is probably a result of some excellent electronics, because there’s no doubt the bike, like all 1200s, is heavy and physically large. Even so, on those sweeping corners though the loose dirt, and on the throttle over rocky and choppy sections, the bike just felt incredibly easy to handle. It’s almost as though it’s smoothing out any erratic

input from the rider. The bike tends to swoop and glide in situations where it’d be reasonable to expect a nasty jolt or perhaps a struggle to hold a line. Previous experience had shown the bike allowed riding at a faster pace than usual, but on this trip there wasn’t any push for any pace, and it was the smoothness that was in evidence.

The further the Ducati travelled, the more comfortable it felt. The more comfortable it felt, the more the bike won approval.

It’s really an incredible dualsporter.

The only factor needing attention on this trip was the flexible mount of the front master cylinder allowing the master cylinder itself to rattle against the right-hand-side rear-vision mirror stem. It was annoying and over time would’ve knocked around the finish of the mirror stem and/or the master-cylinder top, so loosening the mounting bolt allowed the master cylinder to pivot forward a few millimetres and the problem was solved.

Meanwhile

As the riders headed south the temperature and humidity climbed, and by the time Dino’s 1290 clobbered a rock, dinging the front rim and rapidly deflating the tubeless front tyre, everyone was well ready for a break.

Darren sized up the situation quickly and suggested fitting a tube and to keep

moving. Dino, however, is one of those blokes who doesn’t like to be beaten by a problem. He likes to figure things out and come up with a solution.

A passing forestry worker happened to have a hammer, so, with eyes shining happiness, Dino set about wailing on the rim to try and bend it back into shape.

Around an hour or so later the editor thrust his jaw forward, offered a tube, and suggested Dino fit it and they get moving.

Pulling the front wheel out the KTM was a bit of a horse’s arse and meant removing the brake callipers, but Dino’s pretty handy, and between them Dino and Darren had enough tools to all but disassemble and rebuild the entire bike. Soon enough the situation was in hand…except the tube the

editor supplied turned out to be a second-handy. A punctured secondhandy, actually.

He wandered off, red-faced, to sulk in the bush as the insults flew.

Darren produced a new, heavy-duty tube, it was fitted, and the show was on the road again.

Logjam

Part of the supplied route was from the upcoming Disc Four of the DualSport Australia series, and it’s a closely guarded secret that can’t be revealed. That, plus the editor deleted everything except the direct route, so when the trail was blocked with a hefty sized fallen tree, nobody really knew where they were.

This was the only time the weight of the Ducati was an issue. Turning the

Above: It was a relaxed ride. Darren AC and his DR650 (left) and Dino Fizzywater on his new KTM 1290 were great blokes to have along.

Right: A dinged front rim on the KTM gave everyone a break.

big girl around on that narrow, damp trail took two blokes. It’s just too heavy a bike for a single rider to manhandle in a narrow space on wet ground.

Dino did a very impressive spin-turn on the big KTM, and Darren stood there shaking his head. He was happy to pick up the DR650 and toss it over, and wondered out loud what was the advantage in the big bikes.

Slabbin’ it

Backtracking and looping around had all three riders on the Oxley Highway. When they left Taylors Arm they expected to be in Taree at around 2:00pm, but it was already 5:00pm when the crew rolled into the roadhouse south of Port Macquarie. After several litres each of rehydration, the advantage of the big bikes was soon made very obvious. It was raining, the light was fading and it was decided to head down the highway to Taree. Hightech lighting, adjustable screens, big cover for the riders and cruise control made the next 45 minutes or so a very pleasant dawdle through the light rain… except, not so much for Darren on the DR. Ah. The big bikes come into their own when there’s distance to be covered and cruising to be done, on- or off-road.

Above: The racing at the Troy Bayliss Classic was brilliant and the riders all went like the clappers. Left: A fallen tree meant backtracking and running down the bitumen.

Below: The DR took a pounding but couldn’t be stopped. With some good thinking and fast innovation bike and rider made it home.

The Ducati loved it, destroying the 70km or so in a smooth, fairly dry, hazy comfort.

Racing

After a snug motel night, Dino discovered the 21-inch tube he’d put in the 19-inch front wheel had chafed its way to another flat. He also discovered an engineer’s shop and in no time had his wheel pressed back into really excellent shape. Seriously, there was no visible ripple or wobble in the wheel as he smooved along the freeway later that day.

The plan had always been to watch the racing then ride home up the freeway on Saturday night. Darren decided he’d rather give the Classic a miss and ride home through the bush.

Unfortunately, a rock threw the back of his DR sideways and it came down hard, smack on the oil-filter cover, which smashed, destroying the cover and the filter.

Fortunately, Darren’s a very capable sort of bloke. He managed to gum the pieces of the oil-filter cover together with Knead It. Even without the filter and showing no oil in the sight glass, the DR650 got him home, no problem.

Awesome.

Race Case

The Taree track hosted a huge line-up of big names, some from the past and some from the present, and the racing spectacle was excellent. The whole track can be viewed from just about every-

where and the ’bar-banging was serious racing at it’s best. Names like Sean Giles, Vaughan Style, Stephen Gall, Phil Lovett, Troy Herfoss and of course, Troy Bayliss slid and roosted their way around the oiled track with incredible ferocity. It was fabulous to see.

In the mid-afternoon with the temperature once again in the low 30s and the humidity high, the Ducati and KTM took to the highway for a glorious, sunny, lazy run home. There were stops for frozen Cokes and coffees and a trouble-free, under-the-speed-limit snort through sub-tropical heat capped an excellent couple of days.

This trip really did suit these two bikes. Some long, off-road rorting on open, flowing dirt, some freeway travel and the occasional slippery mud and tight forest section suited them down to the ground. The Ducati wasn’t pushing any of its limits at any time. It was glorious.

Now we’re more confident than ever with the bike and we’re looking forward to hitting some tougher terrain and seeing how the bike handles it.

We’re backing it’ll love it.

We’ll let you know.

Hassans

Bob Wozga grabbed his Olympus E-M5 Mark 2 and headed out of Sydney in search of adventure.

walls

Not long ago while at Kandos, near Mudgee, NSW, with friends, a couple of lads rocked up on bikes and started setting up camp adjacent to ours. Rod and I, both being riders, went down to say hello and have a look at their bikes. I can’t remember their names so I’ll just call them Bill and Ted.

Apparently they’d come all the way to Kandos after reading a story about a place in the Wollemi National Park and wanted to check it out for themselves. They’d set off on their excellent adventure to Kandos hoping to find bodacious babes but discovered us, a group of middleaged youths on a weekend away from the grind of Sydney. It must’ve been a downer for their expectations, but you can’t have everything.

On the up side, the ride and campgrounds were just as good, if not better, than the story depicted.

Back again

Sharing the campfire and a few drinks through the night, talk moved to rides often overlooked close to Sydney – roads often glanced at while riding past and thinking, “I’ll check that out one day,” or roads that captured interest while looking at a map, but there was no time to explore. Mount Wilson was mentioned.

You’ve probably flown past the sign on the way to Lithgow and wondered what lies at the end of that road.

I hadn’t been to Mount Wilson for a long time. It’s an eccentric little village in the wilderness. During the summer we used to head up there and lilo along the Wollangambe River. During autumn it’s covered in the reds, golds and browns of an English village. There was also an incredible gravel thoroughfare called Bowens Creek Road that linked Mt Wilson to Bilpin. I first explored this road in my Renault 12. Lilos and Renault 12s. Yes, it was a while ago. Back then the road was narrow and only wide enough for one car in many places. Every now and then there were places to pull over and allow a car heading in the other direction to wriggle by, and at the bottom of the road was a wooden bridge that crossed Bowens Creek. The road was built as a Depression make-work project that was common for the day, and was a secondary path between Bilpin and Mt Irvine.

Bill mentioned he’d been along this road not long before and it was accessible over the bridge coming from Mount Wilson, but further up the track towards

Words and images: Bob Wozga u

Main: The turnoff to Hassans Walls.

Above: Hassans Walls near Lithgow was crying out for a visit.

Above right: The author enjoys the view from Bowens Creek Road.

Below: You’ve probably flown past the sign on the way to Lithgow and wondered what lies at the end of that road.

Bilpin the road was blocked. After reading of the poor lad that lost his V-Strom along the Bridle Track a couple of years ago you can hardly blame Bill for being cautious and turning back. He said you could probably do it on a DRZ, but on a solo ride was a bit too dicey.It looked like the road needed to be revisited.

Wide angle

On a sunny morning I loaded the bike with the essentials – fuel, water, tea, camera – and headed out.

studied the map and there was one extra place that had always intrigued me; Hassans Walls at Lithgow.

It was only a slight detour. To bypass the roadworks between Mt Victoria and Lithgow you can travel along Hartley Vale Road. It comes off the Darling Causeway and is narrow in some parts, so a rider needs to keep an eye out for oncoming traffic.

As the road comes into the Vale Of Clwydd, a dirt road veers to the left leading to Hassans Walls and Bracey Lookout. It’s only a short run, but a nice stretch as it climbs up the hill giving glimpses of the valley below. At the beginning of the road are signs warning to watch out for swerving cars and black bicycles with no riders. Another sign advises of mine subsidence and that entry is at your own risk.

The view is worth it and gives an aerial panorama of the roadworks coming into Bowenfels. It’s not a bad spot to stretch the legs, have a cup of tea and listen to the wind.

Shall not pass

From there, head through Lithgow and up Bells Line Of Road.

Not far from Bell is the Mt Wilson turnoff. Double white lines guide you through fern and eucalypt forests to an English village in the middle of the bush. Houses built in the early 20th century with massive gardens dot the village and huge oak trees line the main street, called The Avenue. There’s even Turkish baths at one of the old properties.

Just out of the village is a picnic and camping ground with walks through the Cathedral Of Ferns that makes for a convenient rest stop. Further along at Mt Irvine, Bowens Creek Road begins. When I arrived the road was blocked with a yellow barricade. Hmm.

Due credit

The road had deteriorated considerably since I’d driven the Renault through there. Fresh tyre tracks from both 4WDs and motorcycles marked the ground, indicating it still gets a bit of use. Over time, erosion had changed the road to a track, becoming narrower and looser, and ruts keep a rider on his toes in sections. Although the road looked stable, the bike slid on loose gravel while cornering, and there wasn’t anything stopping an overthe-edge excursion. It’s a long way down. Part of the road hugging the cliffs leading up the opposite hill could be seen through the trees and there were some brilliant sights. Credit must be given to the men who built this road during The Depression years.

A slippery slope

As much as I enjoy riding on my own with the freedom to stop and photograph whatever catches my eye, there’s still a safety aspect that needs to be considered when venturing on some roads. I wasn’t prepared for an overnight stay for instance, nor had I informed anyone of where I was heading. All it would’ve taken is a sprain or a slip over the edge and I might’ve been in some difficulty.

Due to the time of day, the sky getting dark and the fatigue from the ride, I pulled over and walked down the track a little to see the state of the surface. After slipping twice I decided it was better to turn back, and heading up a steep incline I stalled the bike just after getting out of some ruts and had to fight to stay upright while sliding backwards. I walked the bike up around the hairpin bend and took a rest.

Some may say I wimped out, but these tracks are better tackled in a group, and that’s no doubt why organised rides employ a sweep.

As I rode along the Darling Causeway,

returning to Mt Victoria, bands of rain could be seen to the west. It seemed it’d been a good idea to pull out when I did.

Good things

Bowen Creek Road is a striking stretch of road to follow and well worth the ride. There are also roughly 17 fire trails darting off the main road and begging for exploration, making it well worth a return trip to camp out and spend more time in this part of the mountains. It’s still on the bucket list to get to the bridge and follow the road through to Bilpin,

but I just need to do it with a group. So, a big thank you to Bill and Ted for reminding me of Mt Wilson and Bowens Creek Road while having a few drinks by the campfire.

One of the great things I enjoy most about venturing into camping grounds or pubs are the people I meet, the stories I gather and the information exchanged. Riders can be a friendly lot and are quite happy to help each other out. The world currently seems to be in a mess, but fortunately there are far more good people than bad, with 90 per cent of the good ones being adventure riders.

Right: Hassans Walls Lookout allows glimpses of the valley below.

Below right: To bypass the roadworks between Mt Victoria and Lithgow you can travel along Hartley Vale Road.

The valley at Hartley Vale. About as picturesque as it gets.

Four

rideelements

The idea was to ride down through some of Victoria’s best high country then follow the Murray and Darling River systems home through three States. Covering around 4000km on mostly dirt roads and tracks, riders had to cope with earth, water, air and fire. Andrew Bickford was there and tells the story.

After the cold, wet winter we were all as keen as mustard to get away for the eight-day epic ride, and the group included Ian Meek, Tony Gullifer and myself on XR650Rs, and Colin Bennett and Peter Cox on DR650s.

The ride was Tony’s brainchild, and he’d also organised Ralph McKay and Don Sinclair, who both still enjoy adventure riding, to run the support vehicle carrying luggage and the well-sorted arrangement of tools to keep the bikes running in case of trouble.

The bikes were all highly modified for adventure riding, with upgraded suspension front and rear, large fuel tanks, exhausts, screens, lights, rims and seats. They were also fitted with UHF radios to make communication and directions easier, and also make it easy to share safety information and enjoyable to talk along the way.

Horses on courses

We left early from Bathurst, and even though it was late October it was still cold. The first run took us through Trunkey Creek, Tuena and into Gunning for breakfast and fuel. The weather improved as we got to Murrumbateman and we continued on to Talbingo where there where plenty of brumbies to been seen.

Just as we were coming into Corryong we had to cross two rivers that were really swollen from recent rain. A local advised us to turn around, and three of us did and kept our boots dry.

Main: It’d been so cold the night before the group rode through snow. From Left: Colin Bennett, Tony Gullifer and author Andrew Bickford.

Above: Eight days, five riders, two mates running a support vehicle and all four elements in one ride.

Right: The river crossing at Corryong was swollen from recent rain. u

Words and images: Andrew Bickford

Above: Obstacles were thick on the first day. Colin Bennett pondered the best way around or over this one between Talbingo and Corryong.

Below: The snow that had been 50mm-deep fun became 30cm and 60cm of hard slog. Ride organiser Tony Gullifer contemplated the situation.

The other two ended up with four wet boots and one drowned XR.

It was a big day covering nearly 700km, mostly on dirt.

Trunk

calls

The following day we met up with some mates to ride over Mount Pinnibar.

We made it, and at nearly 1800 metres above sea level it was cold and snowing.

We were pleased to arrive as we’d failed to get there on a previous attempt due to wet conditions.

strong winds had downed trees over the tracks, and it took a long time to get around or over them. I might add the temperature most of the day was in the single digits and kept crisp by a cold wind.

We finished up going through to Benambra and on to Omeo. Thanks to the rain there was no dust, which made it a great ride…when it wasn’t hailing on us. The visors didn’t cope that well with the weather as they always fogged up and made visibility poor.

This was a hard day riding through the high country as the wet winter and

After a warm shower at the Omeo Hotel the body was functioning again.

Below right: As the snow deepened wheels began to pack solid and staying upright was difficult. u

Bright outlook

The forecast indicated the weather was clearing so we convinced ourselves to pack away our wet-weather gear and departed Omeo in light drizzle, headed high up into the hills. We couldn’t believe it’d been so cold the night before, but the proof was there. We rode through the snow.

This was a first for most of us. We’d taken photos thinking it was great, until it started snowing again and suddenly what had been 50mm-deep fun became 30cm and 60cm of hard slog. Suddenly it wasn’t as much fun as we first thought.

The bikes heated up as we climbed the hills and some experienced riders took tumbles – as many as four times in one section of road. Visibility was close to zero, and fogged visors and low snow clouds added to our problems. We had to retreat through one section before we got going again. The rims of our bikes were packed solid with snow that’d frozen through the spokes, and that section was spoken about at length that evening.

We arrived at Harrietville then rolled on to Bright to stay the night. Now is a good time to point out our bikes were carrying only the bare essentials – just wet-weather gear and tyre-changing tools. This allowed the bikes to work as they should and not overload the suspension or place unnecessary stress on the subframes. It also allowed us to ride a lot better, with less weight to balance and manage.

The backup vehicle was informed every morning where to meet us that evening and when we rolled in the rooms were booked, our luggage unloaded, and we enjoyed a good night’s rest after dinner and a few drinks.

Buzz off

We left Bright in perfect spring weather, as if it’d been fine for days, and soon arrived at Bonnie Doon for breakfast and fuel. The serenity was amazing! The country was looking fantastic after a huge season and hay baling was going flat out.

The other thing going flat out was the mosquitoes. At every location along

Top right: The prospect of riding Feeneys Track had everyone excited. Ian Meek set off to live the dream. Right: A celebratory pic on the South Aussie border. u

the rivers they were buzzing around like Cessna aircraft.

Soon we tracked through Barmah, Barham, Echuca and into Swan Hill.

Adventure defined

After a quick look at the Murray River we headed off to Ouyen before the mozzies could get at us, and then through to the long-awaited town of Hattah, where we filled the bikes and topped up with water and found the temperature in the mid- 30s.

We were keen to see where the Hattah 500 was held, but more importantly, we were all excited at the prospect of riding Feeneys Track. We’d heard of so many riders going through and having a ball.

It lived up to our expectations. The track conditions varied, but hammering through the loamy soils and sand with

mates was a blast, and there were a few minor stacks along the way.

When we stopped to regroup along Feeneys Track we all made comment about Australia’s climate. Two days before at the end of October we’d ridden through snow, and now we were riding through dust and sand in the desert heat. For us this was what adventure riding was all about: never knowing what’s around the next corner.

We came out of the bush tracks straight on to the highway, through the border crossing to South Australia and into Renmark for the night.

No swagging

The next day led us through to Wentworth at the confluence of Australia’s two most important rivers: the Darling and the Murray.

place to stay and we’d recommend it as an excellent adventure ride to see some unique country.

It wasn’t a big day, so it allowed us to do some maintenance on the bikes, including changing some chains and sprockets on the XRs. A cush drive would be a nice upgrade one day on the XR, as the DR chains and sprockets held on fine.

Puncture

Our ride then took us through to Tilpa where we made a quick stop at the pub, and the water was certainly traveling fast through the Darling there.

Top: A quick look at the Darling River. Below: It seems like there’s not much to see at White Cliffs, but it’s a great adventure-riding destination and the Underground Motel is a neat place to stay. Top right: Good accom was inexpensive. The Nyngan caravan park was a good example.

The next port of call was Pooncarie for a fuel stop and a quick look at the Darling River, which we followed through to Menindee and got to see Lake Menindee filling. It was an amazing sight as we’d seen this lake empty in the past. With a surface area of 47,350 hectares it’s an impressive sight.

Broken Hill was our stop off for the night. We stayed at The Palace Hotel, where part of the movie The Adventures Of Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert was filmed, and it’s worth noting that it cost about $35 per head and came with lock-up bike storage.

When booking in a group and staying in outback pubs we found our accommodation cost averaged $52 per night. You wouldn’t catch us unpacking and packing up swags every day for that price, plus it supports the local communities that need a little cash flow. Each to his own though. Many riders I know enjoy the camping aspect and I respect that.

Chain reactions

We had a few hours off in Broken Hill for a look around, and a quick trip out to Silverton was worth the visit as well. We then headed to White Cliffs and the Underground Motel. It was a great

Louth was a fuel stop and look around before roosting on to Cobar where we had the first flat tyre. The DR was quickly taken around to Claude and Mario Parisi’s dealership where Mario fitted a new tube quick-smart.

That, as it turned out, was the only flat tyre for the whole trip. There must’ve been something working well with the Dunlop 606s and 20PSI.

That night we booked into Nyngan to catch up with another great adventure-riding mate, Dave Smith, who couldn’t make this trip, and we had a great night.

Start/finish

The next day we travelled through backroads from Nyngan all the way to Bathurst. We’d travelled 4000km through wind, hail, snow in the mountains and then later through the dust and heat of the desert, and it was a trip many of us won’t forget in a long time.

If you can ever organise eight days off, you can see a lot of Australia in that time. Get on to setting your dates and plan your own adventure.

Hints and tips

R UHF Radio communication is very helpful in keeping the group moving and with navigation. It’s also a great tool to advise of road conditions ahead and warn about oncoming vehicles

R Safety jackets were worn. They might make a rider look like a goose, but a bit of hi-viz is very helpful in avoiding collisions

R Always fuel up the night before if possible. It makes it easier to leave early the next morning

R Ride out early and get breakfast down the road a bit. It saved us time and got us all moving in good time

R New tyres are essential before leaving

R Get all your maintenance work done in the shed before you leave and go for a quick test run. If you iron out your bugs it’ll hopefully give you a clean run on your ride

R It’s good practice to know what bolts and nuts can work loose so you can tighten them up at the end of each day

R Support crew are a great bonus, and they still get to see a lot of country as well

Rodney Faggotter

The Longreach waterboy

Yamaha Dakar competitor Rod is a very down-to-Earth sort of bloke, but his riding achievements are out of this world. You might be surprised at just how much this cheerful bike-shop owner has done.

was used to rough country and higher speeds. That was all I the racing did in 2006. The following year did Finke again, and I think I got a top 20. In 2008 just decided to do a few more races. I tackled my first Condo 750, first Australian Safari, Hattah, and did Finke again.

AdvR: You’ve battled a bit compared to some, haven’t you? You’ve been on your own for quite a while.

“Growing up out here in Longreach meant I was used to rough country and higher speeds. ”

Mustering sheep and cattle in Australia’s outback must be an exceptional school for off-roaders. Not only does it teach riders to think and act fast, it makes them tough and innovative. Rod of Centretune Motorcycles in Longreach is a good example. The 2017 Dakar didn’t launch Rod into the spotlight. He’s been there, quietly achieving, for quite a while.

AdvR: How did you get into motorcycling to start with?

RF: I grew up on a property out here in central-western Queensland which my mum and my next-oldest brother still own. It’s a sheep and cattle property, so we grew up mustering with bikes from a young age, and riding really just progressed from there.

I always had an interest. We did gymkhanas in the bush, but I didn’t race until I was 19. I bought my first motocross bike – a second-hand 1992 YZ250 – when I was 18, and went out for my first race when I was 19. I raced motocross for a few years.

AdvR: How did you go on it?

RF: I got flogged, actually. I had no idea what motocross was about when I started. I’d never actually been to a race. I’d watched a bit of it on TV and read ADB magazines, but there was no racing out in Longreach. It was a bit of a steep learning curve, I suppose. I got the bug pretty quickly, though.

AdvR: How did the move from motocross to rally raids come about?

RF: I didn’t race too much in the

early- and mid-2000s because there just wasn’t time. We were getting the business going and we had family on the way. The first of our two boys arrived then. I dabbled in the odd clubday motocross, but nothing serious. In 2006 I went to the Finke Desert Race. A couple of my mates had done it and reckoned it was a good thing. They suggested I have go. I rode a YZ450F and I sort of took to it. I think I finished 22nd outright that year, which was a reasonable effort at the time. Finke’s always been pretty big. It was the same as when I started motocross in that I didn’t really know what I was in for until I got over there, but that style of riding suited me a bit more. Growing up out here in Longreach meant I

RF: I wouldn’t say I’ve ‘battled’, really. No-one out here really races much. I suppose I didn’t have the mum’n’dad scenario where they took me racing all the time, but by 2006 I was into my 30s. At that age you just go and do these things yourself. found it easier to do it by myself, because that way no-one could let me down.

AdvR: In 2008 you finished second outright in your first Safari. That must’ve been pretty special for a bloke on his own. There were some high-powered teams running.

RF: I guess it sums up rally racing. It helps, and it makes it easier, to be part of a team, but you don’t have to have the best bike or the best team to get good results.

guess I really got the bug for rally riding after that event because it was just raw. It was through Western Australia’s country roads and tracks and

Main: Rod feels desert racing in general suits the kind of riding he does around his home in central Queensland.

Above: Rod Faggotter. The Longreach-based bike-shop proprietor has a string of big races to his credit, including several Dakars.

Images: Yamaha Motor Australia

along fencelines. Apart from the navigating side of things, which I was still learning, for me it was just what I grew up with. I love that sort of riding.

AdvR: You got your first Safari win in 2013, and by that time you had your own team.

RF: Yamaha had been gradually stepping up the help from 2008 onward. I was still a solo operator, but with a mechanic and a bit of support.

We started the team in 2012 and we didn’t get a result that year.

In 2013 I ran the team from here at Centretune and fielded four bikes including my own. We found a shipping container and sent all the bikes and gear, set up and ready, from Longreach across to Perth. And we got the result: first and third.

We were very pumped with that outcome for a small country town.

AdvR: You won again in 2014.

RF: Yeah. I had another win, which was great.

That was the last one. AJ Roberts’ Activ8 team ran the support for us. Trying to run a business and trying to run a team, even finding the time to train and build bikes, is pretty hard, so when the offer came for Roberts’ team to handle the support, it made my life a lot easier.

AdvR: Has Dakar always been a dream since you started riding?

RF: It was one of those things where you think it’d be pretty cool, but you can’t believe you’d ever get to do it. It was a pretty far-fetched dream, I suppose.

Dave Schwartz (an Australian off-road international – ed) was on a few of those Safaris and he’d done Dakar. That gave me a gauge of the speed and

rallycraft needed, but it really came about in mid-2011.

Gary Connell was then running the Husaberg team. He’d tried Dakar himself and didn’t get through, but he wanted to run a team with a couple of Aussies. He grabbed Dave Schwartz and myself

“I rocked up to Dakar in 2013 and I’d never met the guys. The first time I rode the bike was in the first stage. ”

and we went there in 2012. They supplied the Husaberg bikes and logistics and we had to come up with the money for the flights, entries and some of the fees.

So it still cost a fair bit.

But it was a good opportunity to get involved in the event and it took away

some of the organisation stress, because Gary did a lot of that.

That year I only got to the fifth day and blew a motor, but even on a privateer bike, a bit underpowered and a bit heavy, I was still getting around top-20 results, so it gave me heart. I needed to go back and have a few more goes at it.

AdvR: How long before you had another crack?

RF: I went back in 2013.

I tried a lot of options throughout the year and ended up getting basically a customer ride where I paid for the bike and the support through Yamaha France.

Obviously Centretune Motorcycles is a Yamaha and Kawasaki dealership, and I’ve done most of my racing on Yamahas, so it was a good fit.

To raise the money we did a lot of fundraising, sponsorship and media. People chipped in and helped where they could.

I rocked up to Dakar in 2013 and I’d never met the guys. The first time I rode the bike was in the first stage. As far as logistics went it was easier, but as far as preparation went, it probably wasn’t the best.

But you learn the bike pretty quick in the first week of Dakar.

AdvR: How’d you go in 2013?

RF: I finished 14th outright. It was a lot better result than I’d had previously. I had a few other Aussies around me, and that was good. Ben Grabham and I were tousling around the same position. I ended up 14th and Ben 15th, so it was a good result for both of us.

AdvR: Did you have the bug? As soon as Dakar finished were you thinking, “Man! I can’t wait to get back here next year!”

Above: 14th outright in the 2013 Dakar. Awesome. Below: Support has varied over the years. u

RF: I definitely had the bug.

Financially it was pretty tough though, especially in the bush.

It was around the time live-cattle export markets hit the wall and drought started kicking in pretty hard. It was pointless trying to raise the money through fundraisers. We were doing it tough here in the business too, so we had to be careful. It took quite a while to recover financially from that ride in 2013.

There’s not a lot of factory rides or supported rides available for Dakar, especially for riders not based in Europe, and I never came up with a solution. I didn’t go back the next few years because the support wasn’t there and I couldn’t afford it with our economic situation.

Nothing really happened until last year – 2016. I decided to go to Abu Dhabi to do the Desert Challenge with Jake Smith and a couple of other Aussies.

was still hammering the Yamaha guys the whole time. I asked if Yamaha had support at the Abu Dhabi rally, at least in refuels or logistical support, but there was no program there. Yamaha said it wanted to talk to me about Dakar and other things. The team had only just become a Yamaha Japan factory-backed outfit. Previously they’d been run from Europe.

AdvR: How did you go in Abu Dhabi?

RF: Pretty shit, to be honest.

I’d raced the Condo 750 the weekend before. I was leading the event when I hit an unseen obstacle and was knocked out.

I was pretty sore but went to Abu Dhabi few days later anyway. I started off in the

Left: The deal to be the support rider/waterboy for the Yamaha Factory Dakar team in 2017 meant Rod could ride his own race, but was expected to help the other Yamaha team riders.

but you were the fastest Yamaha rider.

RF: I finished tenth on the second day, in front of all the official Yamaha riders.

There was plenty of support and the team managers were pumped for me. They were really rapt. I guess it just caused a minor hiccough as to who was going to look after who after that, seeing as the waterboy was in front at the time.

top 15 in the prologue and the first day was going all right, but I had some minor mechanical issues plus the injuries from the previous weekend and it put me out of the event.

Fortunately, the relationship with the Yamalube Yamaha factory team just sort of grew from there, and the deal to be the

“I’d raced the Condo 750 the weekend before. I was leading the event when I hit an unseen obstacle and was knocked out. ”

support rider/waterboy for the Yamaha Dakar team happened.

AdvR: As ‘waterboy’ what were your responsibilities within the team?

RF: Essentially I’m in the event, I ride my own race, but it’s expected the factory riders are going to be faster and that I’ll help them if they have a mechanical problem or if they need assistance – say they get bogged or something. I’d have to pull up and help them.

The ultimate sacrifice is if they break something on their bike, like a wheel or something major, I would be expected to give up that part off my bike to keep them going and if I DNF because of it, well so be it.

That’s the understanding.

AdvR: That was your position in the team,

AdvR: You had a mechanical DNF which was a heartbreaker, you looked after Toby on the way out of South America and now you’re home in Longreach. What’s happening? Are you going back to Dakar in 2018?

RF: I won’t know for a month or two.

The deal for Dakar 2017 was just for Dakar 2017 to see how everything would go and how everyone would gel. The team was happy with me and has expressed interest in including me again, but those guys still have to sit down and debrief and talk to the bean counters. They have to work out what riders they can afford and what riders they’re going to keep for next year and go from there.

AdvR: Obviously you have the business to run and a family to look after. How does a bloke relax between Dakars?

RF: (Laughs). Well, I have 10- and 13-year-old sons, and they’ve started racing motocross in the last year or two. Most weekends we get them out for a ride. We take them to the regional motocross every few weekends. That’s tough and time-consuming in itself. Our closest club day is a 900km round trip. If we do any other rounds it’s even more than that. It’s a pretty big commitment just to take those boys away.

If I know I’m getting ready for a rally, I need to set aside some time for training and preparation for the smaller ones. If it’s Dakar I can count the last six months of the year taken up in getting ready. That’s probably my free time covered at the moment.

AdvR: How can readers stay in touch with your racing in general and your Dakar in particular?

RF: The best bet is the Facebook page: rodney faggotter offroad racing.

The

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Augustus Mount

My life was starting to sound like a country-and-western song. You know the type… woman trouble, dog deserted me, hole in my shoe and so on?

To save me from shooting the sheriff or developing a drinking problem a good mate rocked up with stories of a 4WD trip to Mount Augustus and Tom Price in the mid-west of WA. He’d been stuck on a remote track for days as heavy rain fell, and his description of the spectacular country, along with my understanding rain would mean a wildflower show like no other in six weeks or so, made me decide to cross out some time in my diary. It was on – a trip to blow away the cobwebs and crap of life.

Pore me

I pored over maps, spoke to old-timers who knew the area, packed my gear, did shakedown overnighters, and then repacked my gear.

It looked as though I’d need a fuel range of around 500km, and I’d need to be self-sufficient for at least three or four days. After my last disaster (issue #18, White Sand To Red Dust) I’d travel with an InReach satellite beacon, along with a system to move the bike if needed: an aluminium pole, parachute cord and a ratchet.

Passed indiscretions

Leaving my Busselton home I travelled up to Perth, joining

colleague Byron Geneve. We’d travel together for the first few days, then I was on my own. Light rain, low, steel-grey cloud and chilly temperatures filled the first few days, but weren’t an issue as I knew there was sun and warmth waiting for me further north. Byron’s back yard is the Perth Hills and it was great following his rear wheel, weaving through the backroads heading north-east. Wheat-belt towns came and went with the crops forming green oceans over the rolling hills. As the wind moved through the landscape it looked so much like a big ocean swell moving around us. Our overnight stop was the town of Wyalkatchem. Like so many rural towns it was a shadow of its past glory. The highway had passed it by and the main street, wide enough

Above left: A trip to blow away the cobwebs and crap of life. Above: This is what can happen if you travel without your mother to comb your hair before someone takes a pic. u

Words: Michael Treloar. Images: Michael Treloar and Byron Geneve

Left: The author at Chinaman Rock, one of the best campsites on the route.

to turn around a wagon pulled by half-a-dozen camels, was empty. There was no rush hour at 5:00pm and we stopped in the middle of the street to discuss eating options. There turned out to be only one: the pub.

Byron’s pannier clipped my bike as he took off and all I knew was my front wheel rose above my head and the bike swung clockwise as I went down like a bag of spuds.

No damage was done and I was laughing my head off as Byron made lots of apologies. It was a good five minutes before I got off my arse and picked up the bike, and not a single car passed us in that wheatbelt rush hour.

Payne threshold

Morning frost at minus-four degrees greeted us on the second day, and it was to be the norm for the next few nights, along with the temperature never going

above 16 degrees during the day.

At least the grey sky gave way to blue.

Heading north to Paynes Find the wheatbelt stopped when we reached the emu-proof fence where the small trees and a carpet of wildflowers replaced the green crops we’d seen yesterday.

Following a well-maintained dirt road, we kept a sensible speed to conserve fuel and that allowed us to have a good look at the passing scenery.

There was no sign anyone had been on the road for a long time, so it was a surprise when we saw a van camped in the middle of the road. It turned out to be a couple keen on the floral show, and they’d seen no need to camp off the road as they hadn’t seen a soul for days.

We ate homemade biscuits and enjoyed a cuppa while we discussed flowers and the large holes bulls had dug in the track. We were clearly in station country.

Above: It was a surprise to find a van camped in the middle of the road.

Left: Paynes Find Roadhouse. All the money from the tea and coffee they sell goes to the RFDS.

Below: Broken dreams dotted the landscape.

Top right: The rocks were sharp out there.

Late arvo saw us pop out across the road from Paynes Find. Tourists in big vans dawdled along and road trains roared past. It was a step back into the modern world and we bundled our way into the Paynes Find Roadhouse, a place that deserves the support of every traveller. All the money from the tea and coffee they sell goes to the RFDS. I’d like to see Coles Express do that.

A camp was established a few clicks from a windmill, and as the sun sank and the fire warmed us we could hear two bulls fighting at the waterhole. I was a bit wary of bulls fighting nearby, having been hurt by one years ago, and the level of anxiety rose as we hit the tents. The two bulls walked up the track and propped 20m from us, bellowing and digging up the dirt. Despite my concern I was soon asleep, tired out from a great day on the bike.

On Cue

Everlasting daisies are a popular tourist draw in this part of WA, and as we’d

packed our tents while they were still covered in frost and dew, we unleashed a snow of petals when we unpacked that night. In fact, the white-and-pink petals, as light and fragile as rice paper, found their way into everything from meals to our kit. They’re almost like red desert dust in the way they can penetrate even the tightest-wrapped bundles.

We were in the northern part of the WA goldfields.

The ancient landscape was scarred by old diggings, the occasional ruins and the fenced-off, high-tech modern mine tenements.

After a cool morning ride our track popped us out across the road from Yalgoo, a very small community offering little other than a mid-morning ice cream and some very nicetasting tap water.

Another vermin-proof fence made a pathway to the Dalgaranga Meteorite Crater, an impressive hole in the otherwise flat scrub country. This is the youngest meteorite crater in the world. A basketball-sized bit of space rock hit when Jesus was still in shorts – roughly 2000 years ago. What was just as amazing was that someone actually found it while mustering stock, seeing as the scrubby bush restricts vision to less than a 100m most of the time. Halfway to the meteorite site, small, flat-topped hills studded the country and carpets of wildflowers stretched up the slopes, stopping at the rocky buttress near the top of each hill.

Our morning cuppa was on an outcrop called Chinaman Rock, one of the best campsites I saw on the trip, although it was too early for us to stop.

In the afternoon we came across an abandoned station homestead. The empty home and outbuildings were a testament to decades of trying to scratch a living from the dry, ancient land.

Zig-zagging through the numerous tracks which seemed to lead from one abandoned mine to the next, the devastation to the environment was a shock to the senses. Massive mine structures were abandoned among piles of scrap and heaped tailings jutted out of the landscape. Nothing grew on these man-made hills.

The town of Cue came into view in the afternoon, and it was a derelict environment. It looked like every metre had been ripped up and mined. The highlight was largest road sign in the west.

Grid lock up

North of Cue was to be our last camp together. In the morning Byron would head back to work and I’d push on alone, and once again a shower of petals covered everything as we unpacked. Despite being several hundred metres from the road, every road train pushing through the night sounded as though it was coming right through our tents. Still, it was better than bulls fighting nearby.

Packing up in the frost again it wasn’t long before we parted ways. A small pang of dread came over me as I watched Byron head south, and this wasn’t helped as I stalled the bike making my own departure.

A short fang along the blacktop took me to Meekatharra for fuel, coffee and water. Then it was a left turn onto the Meeka-Carnarvon Road.

The first 100km or so were very good, then it became just okay. The carpets of wildflowers had given way to just a scattering of colour here and there and the country looked heavily grazed.

Very little grew under the scrub, despite it looking wet. In fact I couldn’t have travelled this area at a better time.

There was enough damp to keep dust down to acceptable levels, yet it wasn’t so wet that I could feel the wheels slipping and sliding.

It was here the cattle-grid roulette started.

The grids were about 10km to 20km apart, and each was built up higher than the road. As you approached there was no way of telling if it was made up of two, three or four sections. Each section had a gap bigger than the front wheel, so it was kind of important to know. It meant each grid involved slowing down, standing on the ’pegs for a better view, then making a quick decision to keep going straight or rapidly change the angle of attack.

I never got used to the heart-stopping second between my eyes taking in the grid layout and my reaction time.

Canine country

The only traffic I saw on this section was someone on a 1200GS heading south. He warned me about the sharp rocks ahead and it was good advice. A dozen or so clicks further on I found another traveller – yes two in 350km! – sitting in the middle of the track with his car doors open and a tyre beside the front wheel. I stopped to offer a hand.

Old-timer Norm was missing most of his teeth – dentures are optional when changing tyres out there – and didn’t see the irony when he described the rocks on this track as being ‘sharper than a mother-in-law’s tongue!’

Country comfort

I was travelling through channel country towards Mount Augustus, and every 100m or so the dirt road would suddenly drop into a washaway. Despite travelling at a sensible speed, many caught me by surprise. Loose sand, river rocks or hard rock, each was different. It seemed like I spent hours braking hard, sliding down into the washaway, then either bouncing over the rocks or floundering in the sand before accelerating my way up the other side. There must have been hundreds before I got to the base of Mount Augustus late in the afternoon.

the bike on lovely grass was well earned.

Mount Augustus is the biggest rock in the world – twice the size of Uluru – and glowed red as the sun shone through the thin scrub.

Below: Cattle-grid roulette. Get your front wheel caught in that gap and you lose.

Top right: Byron Geneve and his KTM seemed made for the terrain.

Mount Gould homestead, an abandoned police station and lockup, were the backdrop for my camp that night. Sitting beside the start of the Murchison River, the old cop shop was set up 100 years ago to deal with locals helping themselves to sheep.

Sheep country has given way to cattle now, largely because of the increase in wild dogs.

I’d been told Mount Augustus is the biggest rock in the world – twice the size of Uluru – but all I saw was a big hill covered in scrub as I was approached from the shaded eastern side. It wasn’t until sunrise the next morning I had a glimpse of the immensity of the stone. It glowed red as the sun shone through the thin scrub cover and was a most impressive sight from the comfort of my tent.

Gear selector

Two days of rest and a good going-over

I was amazed how little maintenance was needed once the chain and filters were cleaned. Modern bikes stand up amazingly to the hammering we give them.

By now the frosty mornings were gone, although the morning easterly off the desert was cutting cold. As a station manager had said, “It’s a lazy wind. It can’t be bothered going around you. It just goes right through you.”

Camped at the base of Mount Augustus I was aware I’d entered the domain of the traveller as opposed to the tourist. Out there people look out for one another, stop on the side of the track for a yarn

and make a cuppa for dirty bike riders. When someone turned up with several flat tyres, many hands saw the job done in no time. The rocks are sharp out there, and they went through the tread of two 4WD tyres.

Morning saw me leave for Ashburton Downs Station then Tom Price on a track that had more doglegs and turns than any other route I’d travelled. The going was slow and sharp rocks were a heartstopper on many occasions. I swear they were out to slash my tyres (I heard them talking to me). Several times I pulled up thinking my tyre was flat, only to find my mind was playing tricks on me. The track twisted and turned, crossed creeks,

Above:

then doubled back to get over a rocky outcrop. I was in third gear all morning.

Show us your willy, Willy

One of my spare fuel containers had sprung a leak. I didn’t lose much but it just goes to show that softdrink bottles are only good for softdrink.

A flat-topped hill gave the chance for a little wide-open running, but halfway across I realised I was on a dirt airstrip. I headed back down to deal with more low-speed turns, washaways and deep ruts.

Just after lunch I entered my first patch of flat, gibber country. You really do get the feeling that this continent is millions of years old when you see such barren lands covered with little but weathered, black rocks. A dust cloud appeared on my left, and what I thought would be the first traffic of the day turned out to be just a willy-willy cutting through the rocky ground. Several hawks flew in its updraft, I presume to catch insects pulled into the air.

The strength of these little tornadoes became apparent a few hours later as one snuck up behind me while I was picking my way along the track. It almost took me off the bike and pushed dust everywhere.

Once again the landscape I traversed

Left: Rocks sharper than a mother-in-law’s tongue.

Cannning Stock Route. While the roads were good, a few bulldust holes meant it was no road to let your guard down on. I rode back into tourist country. Gone were the travellers of the outback. Now I was seeing blinged-up 4WDs showing no regard for someone on a bike. A shower of dust and stones became the norm.

Travelling south through Leinster, Leonora and Menzies I found small settlements lost in a land of big sand dunes, spinifex, flies and heat. For the first time in weeks I stood up on the ’pegs to get a better airflow and reduce the engine heat on my legs.

slowly turned into the classic north-west vista: blood-red rocks, spinifex and the odd white-trunked gum tree.

Flat-topped hills rose up either side of the track.

How do those white gums stay so clean and white? Everything else is covered in a fine layer of red dust, but not them.

Dune bug

Night saw me sitting by the fire for longer than normal. I wasn’t driven into my sleeping bag by the cold, though Tom Price and the Karijini were ahead and are some of the highest – thus the coldest – bits of land in WA.

Having lost some fuel from my leaking container it was with an empty tank and a prayer I reached the next town. It was nice to have a shower, sleep in a bed for the first time in a week and enjoy a drink cooled by refrigeration.

At this point it was time to turn around and head in a south-easterly direction for home.

The Little Sandy Desert was a little sandy, and once again a lazy cold wind cut through everything.

Past Newman I hit the dirt again and was glad to get my knobbies off the blacktop. A left turn saw me head to Wiluna, passing Well Two of the

My last stop before the big city of Kalgoorlie was the wonderful metal sculptures located in a salt lake 20km from Menzies. I camped overlooking the figures and they appeared to hover above the white salt lake bathed in moonlight. Mines punctured the landscape and historic stone ruins broke up the regularity of the dunes through which the road cut its path.

Petal to the metal

By this stage I was desperate for chain oil, having used cooking oil for two days, and Kalgoorlie had all a traveller would ever need and more.

The call of home was strong after being on the road for weeks, so after a catch up with friends over a counter meal I was itching to get moving.

Within an hour the open woodlands of the Kalgoorlie area gave way to the wheatbelt, and the occasional fleck of a yellow canola flower gave an indication of the time that had passed since I was last there.

With the sun in my face I pushed on westward; Southern Cross, Hyden, Wagin – by nightfall I was home, the cobwebs well and truly blown away. I’d covered just over 4000km with more than 3000km of it off road. Seeing the best wildflower show in years had been the icing on the cake, although the country I travelled through would’ve been amazing even in a dry year.

Two weeks later I was still finding everlasting daisy petals falling out of my hair when I took off my helmet after the commute to work.

Overseascrash

November 16, 2016, was a stunning, blue-sky day on winding back-country roads in the Hunter Valley of NSW.

Four riders were heading from Walcha to Bathurst. I’d recently completed 3000km off-road on two rides: the Maschine NSW Four Day the GS Safari in Queensland. I was feeling pretty thankful myself and my trusty F800GS had both survived. Having ridden approximately 50,000km around Australia over the past four years I’d often imagined the scenario of encountering a ’roo at close quarters and thought what I’d do. ‘Brake, swerve and dodge in some amazing manoeuvre worthy of putting on Youtube,’ I thought, expecting to come out the other side bathed in glory with a bewildered ’roo staring in amazement at my skill in saving both our lives. When it finally did happen, it didn’t happen that way at all.

On the hop

It was after lunch and we were 280km into a 500km section when a reasonable-sized kangaroo chose to cross the road in front of the second rider in the group. That was me.

When I saw its camouflaged shape it was maybe two metres off my right side and tracking at 60 degrees to my front wheel. It burst out of a long roadside tree shadow like a rocket. We were riding down a narrow valley with steep sides on an immaculate, newly sealed surface. In the instant I realised what was about to happen, I also realised there was going to be no braking, no lean-and-swerve, and I definitely wasn’t going to have any glorious footage for Youtube.

gripped the ’bars tight and braced for impact, hoping in that spare millisecond maybe it would bounce off and I’d carry on.

Real world

The bike went straight down on the right side at 100kph, fortunately not high-siding. I hit the deck and my forearms ended up under me like skis. Riders behind watched and said I cartwheeled as well. For me it was all a bit vague, but I definitely heard the grinding of my gear getting shredded and my bike sliding.

From the look of the fur stuck to my tank and boots the ’roo must also have been pushed down the road in front of, or under, me and the bike.

There’s nothing more frightening than entering the medical system of a foreign country. Most riders don’t think about it, but for racers the thought is scarier than the injury, especially in non-Englishspeaking countries. But what about international riders who need medical help in Australia? How do they fare? Kiwi Ian Macartney gave us a firsthand account. u

Words and images: Ian Macartney

Left: Author and New Zealander Ian Macartney had ridden 50,000km around Australia without incident.

After what seemed like an interminably long time – about 60m of distance – we all ground to a halt and like anyone who’s reached this point my first thought was, ‘Hell! I’m alive! Is everything working?’

There was no pain in the groin area so I was pleased about that. My arms, neck, ribs and hands seemed okay as I picked myself up off the road. No doubt I was full of adrenalin, but could feel a twinge in my right knee and leg.

On the road lay my bike, the sole of my boot, a wing mirror and a dead kangaroo of about 40kg. My friends were in a state of shock. I was mainly relieved.

Good job

My riding friends picked up the bike and pushed it to the roadside, and it didn’t look too bad, considering. The ’roo was dragged into the bush beside the road and would take no further part in proceedings.

Fortunately the rider behind me was Georgia, a NSW Ambulance paramedic.

The riders set up a camping stool in the shade and stripped off my gear to assess injuries. ‘Shock’ was in the list. had a few large friction burns on both arms that were oozing blood and covered in flies. Georgia applied Betadine and large non-stick pads, then bandaged the arms. She did an amazing job.

Gear report

My three-week-old, $1300, Klim Badlands jacket with the latest D30 armour, Armacor material and triple-bonded Gortex had shredded the right forearm completely through and there were various holes in the left arm. The Rallye 3 pants had a hole in the right knee material and the leather knee patch was well-scuffed with all the BMW imprinted logos removed. The Klim Inversion gloves were scuffed and showed the odd hole, but no skin had been damaged on my hands. The BMW knee armour was superb

due to its size and coverage. It didn’t stop my knee twisting but did stop any skin damage and reduced the impact severity.

The impact damage was bad enough, even with the protection.

Diadora Adventure boots did their job even though the sole was ripped off one of them.

There were a few deep grooves on the jaw and visor of my helmet, but little visible impact damage.

After inspecting the bike and riding it up the road a bit it seemed fine.

Pill low

While these assessments were being done my knee joint started to expand. What I didn’t know at that point was the leg was broken.

My Garmin showed Bathurst hospital to be 220km away.

I figured with the V8 Supercars racing there it’d have a reasonable sized medical centre, but I was wrong. I later discovered Orange, a further 50km away, was the region’s main hospital with 24-hour surgical teams.

The others helped me on the bike. I pulled my leg up by the pants, placed the foot on the ’peg and set off, full of Panadol (the only drugs we had). I settled in to the four-hour ride, passing lots of kangaroo-warning signs.

left: Ian’s

a

of

Above: The 2016 BMW Safari was a highlight. Below left: Quality apparel did its job.

Below: Having friends around at the time of the incident made a huge difference.

In the middle of some single-lane roadworks we had to make an adjustment to the bent handguard as it was jamming the front brake on – that was tricky – then we stopped at a pharmacy to buy some more painkillers. The pain increased as I counted down the kilometres.

Frame up

I was so pleased to see Bathurst. I rode to the front door of the hospital’s emergency ward and my fellow riders held the bike, put the sidestand down, got a wheelchair, poured me in to it and we checked in.

I did have comprehensive, worldwide medical insurance, but it’s worth noting Australia has a no-charge reciprocal treatment agreement with hospital services in New Zealand.

The next five hours were a blur of injections, intravenous fluids, blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, and, finally, a full-length leg brace and crutches. Because it was after hours there was no MRI facility or orthopaedic team available.

It’s also worth noting in Australia any motor-vehicle accident on a public road requires a compulsory a blood test for the driver/rider.

Examination did identify a shattered fibula head and oblique fracture further down, plus suspected serious knee-ligament damage. After consulting elsewhere I was discharged into the night at 11:30pm and sent to a motel where my friends had a room for me.

The doctor gave me a letter for the airline, another for my doctor, a couple of CDs of X-rays and CT scans and a packet of painkillers. He said I’d be okay to travel home as long as I got immediate treatment and an MRI scan.

So that was reassuring.

On reflection the duty of care during this part of the ordeal was possibly a little questionable. I was a bit out of it on injected painkillers and not in a debating frame of mind, but I can’t say I was too impressed and the insurance company was even less so.

Gear & Inspiration for Two-Wheel Travel

Above

BMW F800GS was

model

reliability. Even after hitting the ’roo and sliding down the road it carried him four hours to the nearest hospital.

Weight a while

Next morning I crutched over to the breakfast room with my riding buddies. In town they scored a big gearbag for me and some better bandages to get me home.

After having ridden much of Australia solo it was an absolute godsend to have support on this trip. I can’t thank these guys enough for their help at every turn and it was very humbling. It would’ve been a totally different scenario on my own, for sure.

It raises some important points about having essentials like a first-aid kit, money, passport, phone and charger, emergency phone numbers, and spare clothing in your tankbag or tailbag to grab in an emergency. I had some of those things, but not all, in my tankbag.

I sat alone in a motel room a long way from home in a town where I knew absolutely no one. I had a damaged bike parked outside, 30kg of luggage strewn about the room and instructions to keep the leg horizontal and non-weight-bearing. It was a challenge.

is something else, I’ve got to say.

The next morning I was up early to get ready for a 6:00am departure. It took half an hour to get on a single sock before a minibus arrived for the three-hour ride to Sydney airport.

Air New Zealand took over when I arrived. Bags disappeared, the wheelchair was pushed all the way to the business lounge and later to the door of the plane. I’ve never travelled that fast through an airport. Around 14 hours after leaving Bathurst I landed in Whangarei, pleased to be home.

The medical team from the travel insurance company kept in touch by phone and email all the way home and for several days afterwards. They were totally professional and compassionate.

The Australian bike insurer dealt quickly with the claim and classed it as a repairable write off. I’m still sorting out the clothing claim and also the miscellaneous items of unused accom and airfares.

Two weeks after returning home I’d had an MRI, orthopaedic review and various interviews. My claims and surgery had been approved.

It turned out the fibula head had shattered and there was also an oblique fibula fracture. The tibia-head had also fractured and there were severe contusions, both menisci were shredded and needed to be removed. The doctor’s prognosis was 12 weeks for the bone damage to heal without plating or pinning and probably six to nine months for a full recovery.

Lessons from experience

Pizza ’ere

I spent most of the day on my mobile (a $5-per-day Vodafone roaming phoneand-data deal was a lifesaver) talking to the travel-insurance providers and the bike insurer.

A fellow BMW adventure-rider friend, John Read, who lived more than an hour away, came and collected my bike and took it home. That solved one big hassle for me. Next, after several long phone conversations and interviews, I had to send copies of the medical reports – seven pages – and passport to the travel-insurance company. This is where being able to photograph documents and email them with the iphone or iPad was invaluable. I would’ve been stuffed without it. The insurance company’s medical and travel teams got busy behind the scenes and a few hours later the claim had been approved and transport arrangements were being finalised. I spent rest of the day packing my bike gear, tools, panniers and so forth into the huge gear bag. After that it was dial-apizza for dinner.

Time out

Another Queensland GS Adventure rider called in on his way south to say hello and offer help. The adventure-riding community

R It’s a good idea to ride with friends for company and support

R Have your essentials in a single bag you can grab or your friends can chuck in an ambulance if things go wrong

R Invest in the best riding gear you can possibly afford

R Carry the best travel insurance you can. Make sure it covers motorcycling, top medical cover and return home

R Carry a modern camera-phone with an overseas call-and-data plan

R Photograph your insurance policy and emergency contacts to refer to

R Carry cash and credit cards enough to get you home if you’re incapacitated (food, tips, medicine, Adventure Rider Magazine at the Airport)

R Patience, politeness and a sense of humour are important no matter how rubbish you feel

R Keep an emergency-info card in your wallet in case you’re unconscious. List your name, insurance information and contact details of your next-of-kin

R Carry a first-aid kit with serious, large, 75cm nonstick pads, two large crepe bandages, tape, decent wound cream and serious painkilling tablets. Don’t scrimp

R Carry a PLB ( Personal Locator Beacon). I have one in my jacket at all times. Consider a satellite locator/ communicator like an InReach or SPOT or even a satellite phone as well

R Make sure you have clear medical instructions and diagnosis from the doctor or hospital for the airlines and insurance company

TOOLS MADE FOR MOTORCYCLES

Above: A little worse for wear after the incident and then riding four hours to get medical help. Left: Crutching off to breakfast.

Triumph Tiger Explorer 1200

One of Adventure Rider Magazine’s favourite big adventure bikes has found a spot in the shed.

Main: “Ride real adventure,” Triumph told us. “The tougher the better”. We will. You can bet on it. Above: Look closely. Ours will never look this clean again.

Before everyone sends nasty e-mails, we reckon the Triumph adventure bikes are awesome, and we don’t care who knows it. Don’t bother telling us how we always bat on about them. We know. It doesn’t mean there aren’t excellent motorcycles in the other brands – there are. We’ll bat on about them when we feel like it too. But it’s the British bikes we’re talking about right now.

It’s an opinion formed after a big dollop of experience in the real adventure world. Triumph Australia has never held back on putting our firmly rounded backsides on its bikes and encouraging us to push them hard. We’ve responded and given some of the 800 Tigers a very tough workout.

Now it’s time for the Explorers to face the challenge. That’s right. The bike we thrashed through far-north Queensland last year, and to which we – and the rest of the Australian motorcycling journalism fraternity –showed absolutely no mercy, has landed in the Adventure Rider Magazine shed with the same instruction from Triumph Australia: ride real adventure – the tougher the better.

Recap

Just to refresh everyone’s memory – and ours – the Explorer packs a fair punch from a 1215cc, liquid-cooled, 12-valve, three-cylinder powerplant. Some tuning means the current bike has a little more horsepower and torque than the previous model, and one interesting aspect of the Explorer is its shaft drive. That can sometimes mean the bike will behave in interesting ways. We couldn’t fault the final drive during our time with bike at the media release, or on previous models, but we’ve never had the chance to work them as hard as we plan to work this bike.

The Explorer has a good electronics package, so the modes offered are: Road, Rain, Off Road, Sport and a fully programmable Rider mode. The XCA variant also has heated seats, an electronically adjustable screen, pannier rails, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Hill Hold, CNC-machined footpegs and LED auxiliary lights. WP suspension with Triumph’s electronically controlled semi-active suspension – TSAS – made a big initial impression on us, as did the leading-edge traction control and ABS.

We loved all of those features when we first rode the bike back in issue #19, and it’s a serious bit of adventure-riding kit.

Step aside

So now we get to take the Explorer and do what adventure riders call ‘serious shit’.

Thanks, Triumph Australia! Have we got the best job in the world, or what? Planning for the first gut-splitting test of tenacity is underway. We’ll report back…eventually. We don’t want to rush work as important as this.

SouthNZ Island

An adventure-riding paradise

Ian Bowden’s a proud Kiwi who loves his homeland. He especially loves it when he gets to show it off to others.

We needed to cross from the North Island to the South, so the meeting point was to be the Wellington Cook Strait ferry terminal. After a hastened journey from Tauranga on my 690 I arrived to find Pete and his 990 and Ted and his Husky Terra chatting to an unknown adventure rider. Peter – the unknown rider – was a native New Yorker keen to experience New Zealand by motorcycle. He’d hired a DR650 in Auckland, was on the same sailing to the South Island as us and didn’t have too many ideas of the best routes. We offered to show him the real Kiwi riding available, with a bonus of seeing fantastic scenery at a twist of the throttle.

Helping out a fellow rider gives you that feel-good factor, especially when it’s one from the other side of the world.

Reefton

We stopped the night in Picton and met up with Peter in Blenheim after a blast over the winding Port Underwood road. Peter was on a budget and loaded up with camping gear and clothing while we travelled light, stopping at motels or country hotels. We didn’t pre-book any accommodation. We just phoned ahead or found something later in the day. That way we could vary our route if the weather turned to custard. After a coffee kickstarter we headed over Taylor’s Pass and up the picturesque Awatere Valley to Molesworth Station, New Zealand’s largest farm station. It’s now run by the Department Of Conservation, and the private road through is open for about three months of the year. It’s a great, gravel, back-country route of some 200km through very scenic high country which finishes in the thermal-spring resort town of Hanmer Springs.

After a late lunch we split up, with us heading towards the west coast over the Lewis Pass and Peter going on to Christchurch. We’d arranged to meet up again in Fairlie in two days’ time.

Words and images: Ian Bowden

Main: Top trail on the way over Thompsons track Above left: Mavora Lakes. Check out the reflection

Left: Ted, author Ian and Pete on Black Forest Station.

Above: One of the world’s premier adventureriding destinations. u

That night was spent in a classic old west-coast pub in Reefton where we expanded our waistlines with a huge roast meal and beers.

Fairlie

Rising to another clear, fine day we headed towards Greymouth, taking a left through Nelson Creek, the forests to Lake Hochstetter and lunch by Lake Brunner. After lunch it was up and over Arthur’s Pass and a gravel side road that took us to Lake Coleridge and on down beside the Rakaia River.

We spent the night in Fairlie where we caught up with our American friend.

Cromwell

In the morning we took the backroad route up the Limestone Valley and over Mackenzie’s Pass to Haldon Road. Our plans were to ride through Black Forest Station. I’d been in touch with the farmer and arranged access and the gate combination for a small road toll, and what a beautiful ride it was. There are great views over Lake Benmore from this pylonaccess road.

We had lunch at Kurow. Peter was by now blown away with all he’d seen and experienced, and we’d barely started.

Back to base

We based ourselves in a Cromwell motel for five days to explore all the riding options available in the area. Peter camped at Bannockburn behind the old pub and met up with some more keen, helpful Kiwi riders.

There was more after lunch. We wound over the twisting historic Danseys Pass before joining the bitumen to Omakau. After a coffee fix it was up and over the rough dirt trail called Thompson’s Track and to our destination of Cromwell. It was four thirsty riders who arrived there late in the day.

He was a bit worn out after the previous day’s ride. It’d been tough going when the DR opted to ride him for a change, so he’d passed on this day’s adventure over the Nevis Crossing with its many river traverses. After that we cruised back to Queenstown and arranged to get our bikes on the classic old steamer TSS Earnslaw the following day for a ride out through Walter Peak Station. Unfortunately there was only room for our three bikes, so Peter missed out.

That afternoon we rode over the Cardrona Range to Wanaka, then around the lake and up the Matukituki River to the access point of Mount Aspiring. A side trip up the steep Treble Cone ski field for scenic snapshots finished off our day and we retired back to our digs in Cromwell.

Fiordland

It seemed we couldn’t go wrong with the weather and awoke to yet another fine, clear day. A brisk, early-morning ride through the Kawarau gorge to breakfast in Queenstown started things off before we loaded our bikes on the Earnslaw for the trip across Lake Wakatipu, which was more scenic overload.

The foreign tourists loved us and our bikes, and there was a lot of shutter action after unloading the bikes on the wharf at Walter Peak Station.

We rode through the station and headed south on the fast, loose, metal roads with a brief stop at the beautiful Mavora Lakes.

A blast south on the tar past the town of Manapouri and a right turn onto a road I’d been told about turned out fantastic. We rode over the Borland Pass Road out to the South Branch of Lake Manapouri, deep into Fiordland high country. This road was made to service the large Manapouri power station built underground on the west end of the lake.

The beers never tasted better than that night back in Cromwell after yet another big day.

Above: Duffers Saddle on the Nevis Road. It’s the highest public road in New Zealand.

Below left & right: Ted unloading his bike from the classic old steamer TSS Earnslaw at Walter Peak Station. The trip across Lake Wakatipu is sensory overload. Top right: Manorburn Reservoir.

Canyon Road is infamous for its cliffs and drop offs.

Below: Warning sign at the start of the Skippers Canyon Road

Top right: New Yorker Peter had a tough day when the DR opted to ride him for a change.

Cracks appearing

An easy day was called the next morning as I had to get the 690’s rear disc sorted. Much to my chagrin Pete and Ted insisted on calling me ‘Throttle jockey’

The disc was badly cracked and ready to fall apart.

After a few phone calls nothing was available, so down to the local welding shop I went and the owner welded up the cracks and smoothed off the work with a disc grinder. It was hardly an approved repair method, but when you’re having a fencing-wire moment, anything is better than nothing. Besides, it worked and held out for the rest of our adventure.

I met up with the others, including our native New Yorker, at Glenorchy and we rode up the Rees, the Dart and Greenstone river valleys before returning to Cromwell.

Highlands Park

That night we had dinner with friends we hadn’t seen for some years. It turned out they had a plane, so a scenic flight from Wanaka the next day was organised. It was a small, singleengined aircraft and I was the only one keen. My over-cautious friends missed out on a fantastic scenic flight around Lake Wanaka and up to Mt Aspiring. The rest of the day was spent riding up the Skippers Canyon road with its infamous cliffs and drop offs. It wasn’t the place to play up unless you fancied plunging down a sheer cliff into the river gorge far below.

Later that day we were invited to the new Highlands Park motor racing complex. Local bike enthusiasts had arranged a visit which included two sighting laps behind a Porsche SUV, and, after a briefing, away we went. Our friend in the Porsche wasn’t mucking around and I soon found the

limits of my front knobby with a big, front-wheel slide! I’d forgotten I was riding my adventure bike, not my road bike. Fortunately there was enough room to get off the brakes and get it under control without an embarrassing spill. What a fantastic track, and the museum full of cars was well worth a look.

The next day’s ride was to be through an area known as The Old Dunstan Gold Trail.

We headed south through Bannockburn to Carricktown. Taking a left, we rode the pylon track over the Cairnmuir Range and dropped down a steep trail u

Above: The views and terrain on New Zealand’s South Island are as spectacular as any in the world.

Left: Skippers

Dunstan gold trails

overlooking the Clyde Dam. From there we headed south through Alexandra and Roxburgh to the small town of Lawrence for lunch. Then it was back into the rough as we headed inland, crossing Lake Mahinerangi to Clarks Junction and the long, fantastic, 4WD trails north past the Poolburn Reservoir. This isn’t a route to take if the weather isn’t good as the trails would turn very slick, much like the Aussie outback in the rain. Also, it’s very exposed and it snows there in the winter. Our last day in central Otago was spent

riding more of the great trails of the Dunstan area, including the Manorburn Reservoir and a long, exposed trail past Lake Onslow to Roxburgh.

West coast

Leaving Cromwell early the next day, we headed west over the scenic Haast Pass, arriving to nice weather on the coast.

We’d said our farewells to Peter earlier as he wanted to check out the riding further south.

Heading down the coast we took the

Jackson River Road and followed it to the very end, which is close to the mighty Cascade River. We had to backtrack from there to return to Jackson’s Bay for a crayfish lunch at the seaside diner. We then proceeded north up the very scenic west coast, stopping the night at a neat country pub in Harihari. Continuing

north the next day, and apart from a deviation to the picturesque Lake Kaniere inland from Hokitika, it was just more great motorcycling roads to an overnight stop at the Reefton pub.

Back east

Heading further inland to Springs Junction and back over the Lewis Pass to Hanmer Springs in the morning, our plan was to ride up through Rainbow Station. This 4WD road goes through another private farm open in the summer for a small road toll, and we took the optional side trails to the Edwards River and Mauling Pass. Access to these is available through a Department Of Conservation website – www.doc.govt.nz – which gives you a gate combination number. It’s all fantastic riding and a superb route to take.

That night we stayed at a good friend’s holiday home not far from St Arnaud, which is where the Rainbow Road finishes.

The North Island and home

Our epic adventure drew to a close.

The following day it was a short ride to Picton to catch a ferry back to the North Island where we stopped the night at Pete’s place. Ted and I headed north later the next day while Pete caught up with his farming duties.

I’ve listed place names and routes so any keen Australian adventure riders will have some idea of the great riding available on this side of The Ditch. It’s all relatively easy to access, and with a bit of planning using maps and the internet you can have a great adventure. There’s a lot more riding in the South Island we didn’t do. I’d just picked some of the best I know of for this adventure ride.

A final note

Our friend Peter from the Big Apple was so impressed with what he saw he moved to New Zealand and started a family with his Kiwi partner. He now works in an Auckland motorcycle dealership and rides a KTM.

Above: A very scenic Borland road. Below: Ted and Pete, on the Jackson River road, looking down the Cascade.

Replacing a tube

Last issue we had a look at tubeless tyre repair. This issue we’ll tackle the far more involved process of replacing a tube. Note we didn’t say ‘tubed-tyre puncture repair’. Using a patch is a process we constantly see done incorrectly and we’ll tackle that separately. For now, we’ll assume you’re carrying a spare tube and the tools you need. If you haven’t sorted out the equipment you need to carry for tyre repair, no amount of advice from us or anyone else is likely to help you. Also, we still see a lot of people reciting tyre-repair advice they’ve obviously recalled

from enduro riding in years past. There’s nothing wrong with that, but the enduro bikes and tyres of our youth were a far cry from the bikes and tyres used by modern adventure riders. We’re going to step through a process that’s aimed at getting a new tube in place on a modern bike with a tough tyre, and get bike and rider going again. We’re not trying to show how to get the job the done in the fastest possible time. We’re just showing how to get it done. Mind the step, and be ready to improvise for your individual situation and as things don’t go to plan… Have a careful look and see if you

Remove the valve stem and locking nut. Even though the tyre seems flat, you don’t want to have to battle even a small amount of air in there while you’re removing the tube. The job’s likely to be tough enough without that. If you’re running a rim lock, make sure that’s as loose as you can get it.

Once the bead is first broken it should be easy to work around the tyre and ensure the entire bead is down in the tyre well all the way around. It’ll look sort of floppy and loose on that side when you have it right. Some wheels won’t need the bead broken on the opposite side, but some will. You’ll have to learn what needs doing on your bike. The job will be easier if you can leave the opposite bead in place.

If everything is right, the ends of the tyre levers in your hand should move down to the wheel hub. Slip one lever behind a brake disc or sprocket. Make sure it’s secure. Once the first lever is secured and there’s a little of the tyre bead visible over the rim, remove the second lever by swinging it sideways. When it’s free, insert it between the bead the rim and do the same thing: ease it back toward the hub. Don’t try and grab too much tyre. ‘Small bites’ should be your motto for all phases of this operation. If you look carefully there should be a tiny little spot where there’s a gap between the tyre and rim quite close to the first tyre lever. That’s where you should be aiming to insert the second lever.

Lay the wheel flat. If possible, put something solid – like a branch or block – under the rim. With your boots on, step firmly on the tyre wall as close to the rim as possible. You need to ‘break the bead’. In other words, you want the bead of the tyre – the part that seals against the rim – to let go of the rim and slide down into the well of the wheel where the spoke-nipple heads are, hopefully covered by tape or a rim liner. This can be a very difficult process on big adventure bikes. You may have to bounce up and down on that tyre wall for a while, or it may well be you need to carry a bead breaker. A good tip is to use the sidestand of a mate’s bike to do the job. We don’t recommend it, but if the bead absolutely refuses to break and the situation is really desperate, you can ride on the flat tyre for short distances at low speed. The heat will expand the tyre and make breaking the bead easier. It’s risky, though. The tyre can very easily be destroyed, and so can the wheel. The tyre can also quickly and unexpectedly work it’s way off the rim and cause a serious decking. Don’t ride on the flat tyre unless the situation is extreme.

Here’s where some good technique can help. If you’re worried about the rim being damaged, there’s rim protectors available from www.motoplace.com.au. With the tyre bead down in the wheel well all the way around, slip your tyre levers in close to, and either side of, the valve to catch the inside of the tyre bead. Gently ease the tyre levers back, using the rim as a fulcrum (or lever point). As you apply pressure, make sure the tyre bead on the opposite side stays in the wheel well.

With both levers holding up a section of tyre bead you’ll have to deal with a fair load of force. Make sure you’re well settled and the levers are secure. If you allow the tyre to take over and flick those levers back, you could well end up with a serious injury and a flat tyre will be the least of your problems. You should now be able to remove one lever and end up with the bead still caught up there on the rim and remaining lever. If you have, hooray! If you haven’t, keep reworking the previous steps until you do.

Ideally you now have a lever free in your hand and one holding the tyre. Insert the free lever a little further along the bead – ‘small bites’, remember – and lever up a little more of the bead. Keep repeating this around the rim until the entire bead of the tyre is free and above the rim.

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The situation should now be you have a wheel on the deck with the bead still set on one side, and the other side has the bead off the rim and the tyre open. You have the tube dangling from your near lifeless hand and you’re wheezing like a Husaberg with an open airbox. While you’re getting your breath back, pick the wheel up, sit the tread of the tyre on the block or branch you used to break the bead, and lean on it, pushing straight down. The tyre should flatten out across the bock and give you a good view of the inside of the case. Do this all the way around and make sure there’s nothing still sticking through that’ll puncture the new tube. Don’t just rely on your eyesight. Carefully run your bare hand around in there as well. It’s amazing how often a tiny, almost invisible point or spur can be only just protruding through the rubber. Be careful not to cut your fingers when you’re rubbing them around inside the tyre. If you find anything, ferchrissake remove it.

Make sure the valve stem is poked back through the rim and is free inside the tyre. Now it’s time for some muscle work. Plant your foot on the hub, stick your fingers under the bead of the tyre and pull the tyre wall up. While you’re doing that, and before you drop a plum in your pants, stick your other hand in and grab the tube. Grab it and reef that bastard out of there. Once you get the tube free you can have a little heartie if you need to, but not before.

Now the next phase. This is important. Don’t try and install a completely flat tube. Put enough air in the tube to give it some shape. The less air the better, but you want the tube to roughly assume and hold its round shape. The idea here is, if the tube is a flappy, flat bit of rubber –as they are when they first come out of the box – it’s much easier to pinch. Just a tiny little bit of shape helps make the surfaces curved and that much harder to grab with the end of a lever. The shape will also help keep the tube from twisting while you’re pushing it into the tyre.

12 u

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Muscle time again. Making sure the valve stem is situated as close to hole on the rim as possible, plant one hoof on the hub again, reach under the bead and grab it, then haul that unforgiving bastard up for all you’re worth. Using the space you’ve created, tuck the new tube inside the tyre. Work your way around the rim, tucking in the tube as you go. The toughest part is the last. Make sure you have the valve-locating nut ready, then place your foot and haul the bead up again. Do whatever you have to do to get the valve stem to pop out through the hole in the rim, then quickly fit the lock nut to stop it slipping back inside. Loud swearing is acceptable during this part of the procedure. If you have a rim lock, it should’ve stayed in place. No problem.

With that start probably half the tyre can be pushed into place using your hands. The more tyre that slips over the rim, the tougher it will be. Keep checking the bead is down in the wheel well on the opposite side to where you’re pushing the tyre. Soon enough you’ll get to the point where you can’t get any more tyre over the rim with your hands. It may be you couldn’t get any more than the initial little bit you pressed with your boot over the rim. It happens, especially on the big bikes. It’s tyre-lever time!

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With the valve through the rim and the tube in place you’ve almost got this job licked…except that one side of tyre that needs to go back on the rim. This is another part of the process where a lot of people come undone, especially on the big bikes. No matter what happens next, remember that tyre came off there, so it’ll definitely go back on. Technique makes all the difference during this stage. First up, lay the wheel back on the block you used to start with and use your booted foot to press the start of the bead over the rim. Once you have a bit started, drop to your knees and put one knee on the tyre to hold it down in the wheel well.

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This is where tubes are pinched. With your knees holding the tyre down in the wheel well, slip the tyre lever under the highest part of tyre. Make sure you hear the metallic clunk as the lever contacts the rim. Then slide the lever around the rim until it’s as close as possible to where to the tyre is crossing the rim. Small bites, remember. Keeping your head well away from the line of the lever in case it flicks back, lift and push the lever until a little more tyre has crossed the rim and is inside the rim wall. Repeat this process around the rim, moving more and more of the tyre into place, and chasing the set bead with your knees to stop it sneaking up again.

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Okay. Some lucky people might find it as easy as that, but in the real world, a lot of people get to the point where the last 15cm or so of tyre is stretched so frigging tight it looks as though the tyre itself will split if its forced any further. We’ve seen broken belts and rubber strands in tight tyres. It can happen. But it came off there, so it’ll definitely go back on there. The first thing to check is that the opposite side of the tyre, and as far around the rim as possible, is down in the centre well. Push down with your knees to make sure. You probably won’t have any hands free because by this stage you’ll have two levers in the tyre and they’ll both be threatening to break free and release huge amounts of potential energy – mostly into eyesockets and other tender facial features. If the tyre’s in the well, trying easing one lever by lifting it a little. If the tyre’s caught in place and both levers can be removed, take them out and try a single lever in the remaining bite. Somehow, no matter what it takes, that tyre has to go back on, so don’t go looking for other alternatives. Make it happen.

Go back to step one and do it all again. And this time, try a little more air before you insert the tube. 18

Once the tyre’s back on the job’s all but done. Hook up your pump and sit back while the tyre comes up to pressure. What if the bead doesn’t come up? You can deflate and pump again, you can try a little lube in the trouble spot if you have some, or you can ride away with the tyre not properly in place. In a lot of cases the bead will pop as the tyre warms. Be careful on big-horsepower bikes. A tyre not set properly can be a big safety concern if it starts to creep. What if you pinched it?

Log on to www.advridermag.com.au/store and keep the adventure throbbing…

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406MHZ transmission

121.5 MHZ homing signal

GPS location

Visual strobe

Signal mirror

Whistle on lanyard

Ready for a coast-to-coast ride…once the Safari Tanks fuel cell is fitted.

Riding east-west from one Australian coast to the other – or vice versa – would have to be on just about every adventure rider’s wish list. It’s up there with Cape York and The Simpson as one of those challenges where a rider can measure his worth.

Even if the route doesn’t include some of the more ferocious alternatives in central Australia, the distance and isolation make it a ride that needs to be taken very seriously.

Back in 2015 the APC Rally staged ADVX, a monumental crossing which offered all the toughest possibilities: Steep Point, The Gunbarrel, Finke Gorge, The Simpson and some other bits and pieces no-one expected. Adventure Rider Magazine’s publisher was one of the first to sign up, only to find when the event came around family commitments meant he couldn’t make the start. Not to be denied, he sent his worked-up KTM990 out to Alice Springs and joined the ride in the red centre…only to have the clutch give out in the axle-deep red dust of the Finke access road.

So that was that.

Across Aus

For Adventure Rider Magazine’s publisher, riding across the Wide Brown Land has been a long-held dream. In 2017 the dreaming is over. It’s time to take care of business.

Left: A well-sorted cockpit.

Right: Big ’pegs and high handlebars are the go for a tall rider.

Below: The total weight of the luggage, including camping gear, is expected to be about 10kg. There’ll be no need for a fuel bladder on the crossing.

The Man

Then, in 2016, he grabbed a bunch of mates, an SWM RS650R, shipped the whole lot over to the west coast, dropped the clutch and started roosting eastwards.

That all went well until Cameron Corner, when an oversight in preparation caused a failure that couldn’t be dealt with on the edge of the Sturt Desert. Once again he loaded the bike on a trailer and headed for the coast.

‘Third time’s a charm’ goes the saying, and everyone’s fingers are crossed that’s true, because he’s about to give it another shake, and this time he’s setting up a DRZ.

First port of call: Vince Strang Motorcycles in Inverell.

When it comes to Suzuki’s DR range, Vince Strang is the Grand Poobah. His Inverell dealership stocks everything Vince has found an asset for the Suzukis in his many years of building and racing the DR range.

The publisher’s DRZ was rolled into the workshop, the credit card swiped, and Vince was briefed on the mission: Australia’s east coast to Australia’s west coast, with probably a ride back through the southern part of the nation after.

Vince thought for about…ooo…0.5 of a second or so, then, in a blur of movement that resembled the exhaust valve of a DR650 with the throttle wide open, he went to work.

First up was a pair of new sprockets to reset the gearing. A 43-tooth rear and a 15-tooth front allow the bike to run open-road speeds without excessive revving. Vince says the DRZ400 motor has heaps of torque and handles the taller gearing without any stress at all.

A Ralle Moto ’bar clamp raises the Renthal RC Twin Wall ’bars around 30mm and moves them forward just a little.

Adventure Rider Magazine’s publisher is a tall bugger, so there were a few concessions made to his height. The ’bars and Ralle Moto mount were one example, and so were the Pivot Pegs. A 60mm ’peg instead of the standard 45mm makes a big difference under a size 13 hoof.

Heated grips were fitted under Pro Taper dual-compound pillow grips, and a VSM screen, Funnelweb filter and B&B rack round out some fairly standard changes.

A few words to the fans

One thing that did catch our eye was the VSM fan kit.

The S model DRZs come with a fan already fitted, but the E models – the standard choice for adventure and trail riders – don’t. For low-speed running, and slogging through deep sand comes into that category, the fan is great idea and can mean the difference between a

batch of good memories and a DNF. Heavy-duty tubes were fitted and the suspension tuned for the publisher’s weight, including heavier springs and some revalving, and, mechanically, the bike was ready to go.

Stray bits and pieces

While all this spanner work was going on, consideration was being given to navigation and luggage. For this crossing the bike will run a Garmin Montana on the ’bars, but will also have a Hema HN7 in the map pocket of the tankbag. That should save any geographical embarrassment. Luggage will consist of a Giant Loop over the rear of the bike and a backpack. All up, including camping gear, 500ml of oil and a can of chainlube, it looks like the load will be about 10kg, and naturally, a Safari Tanks fuel cell will do the bizzo and give the range needed to cope with The Outback.

There’s a few other bits and pieces which will be sorted as the weather and route are made clear, but for now, it’s a damn good package.

Karen Ramsay

All

class

Karen Ramsay enjoys riding with good people, especially when things get tough.

I’ve achieved a couple of firsts since last issue: a women’s-only ride and mild heatstroke.

I got my first taste of heatstroke riding in ridiculous temperatures. Despite constant drinking I went from being hot to overheated in a very short space of time. While Dave went off to check out a river crossing, apparently I left my helmet laying on the ground while I wandered off somewhere away from the track. An hour sitting in the water helped immensely.

Just this mild dose was scary enough to make me realise how quickly things can turn. It also emphasises the importance of riding with people who’ll take you seriously when you say you need a break.

Crazy girls

Fortunately our womens’ weekend ride wasn’t hot –quite the opposite in fact. We crossed paths with some trailriders and heard later we were classed as a bunch of ‘crazy girls’. I’m not sure why we got that label. It can’t have been because we were out riding in the rain through mud and goodness knows what else, because they were out there too. Perhaps it was that we were laden with gear for a weekend camping/riding trip while they weren’t. Maybe it was our bike choice? Kylie was on her suitable WR250R, Lianni was on her Transalp and I was on my Terra. Hopefully it wasn’t that we three women riding without a man.

Left: The ‘thumbs up/I’m okay’ signal seemed clear enough.

Above: An hour sitting in the water helped cope with heatstroke.

Below right: Lianni and Kylie take stock on the trail near Kookaburra.

somewhere near water we could sit in.

Flagging signal

Ascending a gentle rocky rise (at the time I thought it was a barely surmountable vertical cliff covered in boulders and mud) I obviously misjudged how close I was to a protruding branch. It speared into my side bag and left me lying face down in the mud and rocks under the bike. Until then I’d never understood how anyone could possibly become stuck under a bike. While making supportive noises and concerned expressions I’d be thinking ‘Why didn’t you just try harder?’ ‘Why didn’t you just wriggle out?’ ‘How hard can it be, mate?’

Having been on the other side of the bike now, so to speak, it all becomes crystal clear. My foot was well and truly wedged, so much so I couldn’t even flex or relax it.

I did have the advantage of having two riders behind me who could get it off me (if they chose to), but in the meantime I tried pretty jolly hard to get out, or at least move my foot, with absolutely no success. Who knows, perhaps if they weren’t there I may have got out because I would’ve been forced to try harder, but in the short time I was stuck there was no way I was going anywhere –which was a very sobering thought. It also made me realise I need to work on my sign language. I’m fairly certain they understood my ‘thumbs up/I’m okay’ signal, but my ‘now you know I’m breathing you can take a quick photo before you lift the bike off my trapped and aching ankle’ signal needs refinement.

Horsing around

Our girls-only adventure-ride weekend was a great success, with Lianni, Meg, Kylie and riding together at different times through Spokes Trail, Barrington Tops and Barry Station Road in NSW. There was some challenging riding (maybe not for Kylie) and lots of fun. It’s always good to go riding with people like Kylie and Lianni who are really considerate and more than happy to impart some of the knowledge and skills they’ve accumulated over the years. Don’t despair, I’ve also continued to have my share of embarrassing moments. Top of these was on the last evening camping when it was just Kylie and I. With little idea of where to camp we decided our prerequisite would be

Kylie said we’d know it when we saw it. And we did. It was a freshly mown common beside a creek with plenty of room for both tents and out of view of most of the locals. Paradise. However, sometime through the night I heard all sorts of awful noises right beside my tent. I like to think I’m pretty level-headed most of the time, but this was scaring the daylights out of me and my first instinct was to scream as loud as I could for Kylie – except nothing more than a squeak left my lips.

I was snugly wrapped in my sleeping bag and unable to get out in a hurry, which made me the perfect sausage-roll sacrifice for Hannibal and his mates outside. Just as useful was the multi-tool I’d taken to bed that night in case of a scenario like this – only it too was snugly wrapped up in its pouch. I’d have had to call out, “Hold on a minute will you please, sir, while I get out of my sleeping bag and get my knife ready to defend myself”. And that would only be if the power of speech returned. Whoever, or whatever, was on the other side of that flimsy material must’ve decided I wasn’t worth the bother.

I tried to rationalise that it sounded a lot like a horse, which is the reason I didn’t go check to see if Kylie was safe, not that I’m a chicken. She in turn slept through the whole thing and thought it was hilarious the next morning.

The local who wandered down in the morning reckoned there were no horses around and it could have possibly been a pig. There was no sign of anything rooting around, so I’m still no closer to finding out.

Lockdown

All packed and ready to go after my night of terror I jumped on my bike to warm it up...only to find the keys weren’t in the ignition. My heart skipped a few beats until it dawned on me they were in the tent, along with my purse and multi-tool, rolled up, packed away and tied on the bike.

I really hope the girls will let me go riding with them again!

What I’ve learned

R Ride with people who’ll believe you if you say you’re too hot, even if they don’t believe you’re hearing noises in the night

R I conquer technical riding situations and easy stuff with equal lack of finesse

R Stopping for lunch takes a back seat to making it out of the bush unscathed

R Double check the tent before you pack the bike

Words Karen Ramsay. Images: Dave, Karen, Meg. Lianni and Kylie

how to ride gear Looking after your

Last issue Miles Davis outlined the importance and advantages of good-quality apparel and equipment. This issue he has some pointers for looking after it.

Like many sports and hobbies, adventure riding has quite a bit of kit that goes along with it. Your bike, accessories, spares and tools for instance. There’s also apparel – jackets, pants, liners, boots helmets gloves and so on. You can do it on a shoestring and do without many of the nice-to-haves, or you can be fully equipped and have the lot. Regardless, there’s quite a bit that goes into researching and buying your kit. It can be expensive, so you might as well look after it so it lasts and you get your hard-earned money’s worth.

Apparel

I’ve been fortunate in being provided with top-shelf adventure-riding gear for the last 10 years and I really appreciate its worth. Riding in dust, rain and mud can really take its toll on gear, so it pays to wash it every now and then.

Once it’s washed there are a few things you can do to keep it working like new:

R Washing

After some rides your gear almost

doesn’t look like it’s worth keeping, but a thorough wash will have it looking pretty good again. I learned quickly if your gear has body armour built into it – like the Rallye Pro suits – it’s tricky just getting it into the washing machine. Removing all the armour can be a headache, and getting it back in is even worse. I’ve had great results by simply removing the large back protector and leaving all the other smaller items (knee, hip, elbow and shoulder pads) in place. That way it fits in okay. The back protector is the easiest item to remove and replace.

R Waterproofing

Some gear relies on zip-in waterproof linings for its waterproofing, while the outer layers are treated to be waterrepellent. That’s all good and fine, but after use and washing the outer layer needs to be re-treated to retain its water-repellent qualities. You can do this by treating it with Scotchguard, or by adding an agent to the wash when you’re cleaning the gear. I have had good results from Scotchguard so that’s what I do.

After your gear is washed and dried, hang it on hangers in a well-ventilated, but non-windy, outdoor area. Spray the Scotchguard evenly, let it dry for an hour and do it again. The next time you go riding the outer layer won’t suck up moisture like a sponge, and it’ll repel

water like it did when it was new.

R Zips

When you think about it, zips have a pretty rough time for the reasons already mentioned. Dust in zips must be like grinding past to those tiny plastic teeth when they’re being used. And now some zips are waterproof, so they’re probably

Main: Adventure riding has quite a bit of kit that goes along with it. Good equipment can be expensive, so it’s best to look after it.

Above: After your gear is washed and dried, hang it on hangers in a well-ventilated, but non-windy, outdoor area.

Below: Camping gear should be kept happy and ready for action. Clean it, air it out and it’ll be ready for next time. u

Words: Miles Davis

even more sensitive. After you’ve applied your Scotchguard go around with a can of silicone spray and give all the zips a squirt. It’s amazing how well they’ll work, gliding up and down without any friction.

R Boots

I have a bit of a process for my GS boots. They have removable liners so they get a wash every now and then, or even just an air out between washes. Near my garden tap I have a bit of pipe in the ground and I sit my boots upside-down on the pipe. This way you can hose the hell out of them and the water drains out, not into the boot. Sometimes I use truckwash to get them clean easily, but I did notice my Sidi Crossfires had probably suffered a bit from the truckwash, so maybe use some lighter soap instead.

Let the boots dry and then hit the buckles with some silicone spray. They’ll work a treat!

Luggage

There are lots of different luggage

solutions, but they’ll all benefit from the same sort of love as your gear. Maybe you won’t put it in the washing machine, but you can hose it or wipe it down, re-waterproof it if it’s textile, and lubricate any zips.

I know from experience with the BMW waterproof duffle bags that the waterproof zips end up being quite hard to move. This is when the zip is getting worn and unhappy. A squirt of silicone zip spray – available from most hardware or camping stores – after you’ve given it a wash or wipe over will extend its life in a big way.

Helmets and goggles

In Australia an adventure helmet can have a really tough life. It’s often in use 10 hours a day, in up to 50 degrees, pumped full of sweat, dust and the odd tear. They can really stink and get nasty. After every GS Safari I’ll remove the liner and wash it. While the liner is out I’ll give the helmet a light wash with warm water and some light hand soap. The chin straps

Top: I’ve been fortunate in being provided with topshelf adventure-riding gear for the last 10 years and really appreciate its worth.

Above: Storing an empty bladder in the freezer between rides will help prevent mould. Ew.

Above right: Boots really cop it, but it doesn’t take a lot of maintenance to keep them in good shape.

Right: After some rides your gear almost doesn’t look like it’s worth keeping, but a thorough will have it looking pretty good again.

can do with a good going over as they turn pretty feral. At this time I’ll generally remove the visor and give it a rinse under the tap. If it’s got a pinlock I’ll remove it and rinse it separately.

Let it all dry off and air out before reinstalling the visor (or replacing it if needed) and liner. The next time you put on your lid it’ll feel pretty fresh and not make you want to dry retch.

The same for googles, rinse them under the tap with warm water, get the dust and sweat out of them and you will be good to go for your next adventure.

Hydration pack

Give the Camelbak a bit of a wash or wipe down, remove any perishable food, and replace any spares like cable ties and so forth.

only put water in mine so I don’t bother draining it, but if you use some sort of supplement powder I’d suggest draining and rinsing the bladder before storage or it might get a bit nasty.

Here’s a tip: to keep the bladder from going manky during storage, keep it in the freezer.

Tools and spares

It really sucks when you’re out on a ride and you need something you usually have in your kit but you didn’t replace from a previous ride.

My trick is, don’t put it away until it’s ready for your next adventure. Leave it somewhere where you’ll see it so you can replace that tube or cable ties before your next ride. If you know

you didn’t have something you needed, make a list or send yourself an email at your next pit stop reminding you to do it when you get home.

Techno

The list of ‘devices’ for adventure riding is big and seems to be growing. It makes sense to look after them. Check it, clean it, re-charge it, download tracklogs and file them for future adventure planning. I’ll try to recharge helmet comms systems before I put them away so it’s likely to have good charge if I need it in a hurry. Check or replace batteries in SPOT trackers.

Camping gear

The same processes as already mentioned will help you keep your camping gear happy and ready for action. Clean it, air it out and it will be ready to go next time.

Dialled

Once you have a good routine, stick to it. Make sure you know where your gear is and know when you grab it it’s ready for your next adventure.

oldOutwith the I

n general, when a bike finds a place in my shed, it stays a while.

I’ve had one stolen, I gave one away once, I’ve sold a couple (not many, and very reluctantly) and I’ve written off

In with the …not so old Adventure Rider Magazine’s editor deals with a dilemma.

a few. Now I’ll have another to add to the list: I’ve retired one.

My personal favourite adventure bike has, for many years, been a 1995 Honda Dominator. There’s lots of reasons why I hold that particular bike in such high regard,

some of them relating to fond memories from last century. In recent times the bike’s carved out to Cameron Corner and back a few times, seized a couple of times, thrown its chain and locked solid, devoured endless kilometres of

Left: Touratech boss-man Robin Box fitted a few premium bits and pieces to the bike and loaned a set of hard panniers for the highway run.

Above A minor off in the rocks should’ve been nothing more than an expensive pest, but parts were becoming difficult to find.

Below: The Adventure Film Festival in Bright attracts bikes and adventure fans of all kinds.

Right: The 1995 Honda Dominator had proven its worth.

highway and dirt, and never yet failed to make it home.

But the latest mishap – a decking in some rocks – brought forward a whole new problem: parts are just becoming too scarce.

It was time to consider the age and future of the bike. It still runs like a dream, it’s earned its stripes with me 100 times over, and I couldn’t bring myself to part with it.

So it’s been retired.

New plastics, some careful attention to paint and trimmings and the bike is set for an easy life of dirt roads and leisurely rides. A stick-on grey ponytail for me and the picture will be complete. But now what?

Kremit

It’s not easy to replace a bike like that one, but I stumbled on a 2007 KLR at a great price, so I took a chance and grabbed it. I always liked the KLR. I really enjoyed the magazine’s Shop Bike and I still treasure a memory of receiving in the mail a voodoo

doll of a DR650 with pins stuck through it. I’d just bought my second DR650 and one KLR owner at the time clearly thought it was Kawasaki’s turn. Maybe they were right. feel a Kawasaki should be green, and when this one arrived ad man Mitch quickly dubbed it ‘Kermit’. After a typo in an interoffice email it will be forever known as ‘Kremit’…or sometimes ‘Kemrit’. It was a good omen. The fun with this bike had started straight away.

Good to go

A Safari Tanks fuel cell was one of the first things on the shopping list, and during conversation with Safari Tanks owner Robin Box – also the importer of Touratech – it turned out Touratech was keen to build a KLR that would be given a hard life. Hands were shaken and Kremit found itself at Touratech headquarters in Victoria. A Safari Tank was fitted, as was Touratech Level Two suspension front and rear, Touratech pannier racks and a Touratech headlight protector.

The bike already had some good fittings, including an FMF full system, a high screen and a good bashplate, and I’d added a dash to take the GPS, some cheapo ‘trail blinkers’ I found in my shed, my choice of ’bars and some bits and pieces from Adventure Bike Australia (those guys keep a great range of KLR fittings).

With a pair of new Motoz Tractionators, that’s how the bike looked when it went on display at the MotoExpo in 2016.

It was an experience that made a big impact on me.

The next morning I fired up Kremit and hit the road.

can’t say the next 1200km or so of Hume and Pacific Highways was one of my favourite rides ever, but I did learn a few things about the bike and some of the equipment it now had.

The first was obviously the Touratech suspension, and while it seemed way more supple than I remembered, the highway is no place to make a judgement.

The pannier racks were solid, well-made gear, and Robin loaned me some Touratech hard panniers for the road trip. They were brilliant.

There was one small thing that made a huge difference. Motorrad Garage had sent an Omni Cruise Control for me to try. It wasn’t an impressive-looking item, but holy

suffering cats! On a droning ride like this one I could lock the bike on 110kph, then just sit back and monitor my rapidly increasing arse numbness.

Hooray. It made the long, boring road kilometres a very great deal easier to take.

By the time I hit Sydney the state of my rear was the least of my problems. The heat was savage, and with a few red lights the temperature gauge began to head ominously northward. It stopped about halfway up the scale and went no further, much to my relief.

More to come

There’s a tough year planned for this bike, and this introduction is just so you readers know where the bike came from and what sorts of things it has going for it.

A couple of things it doesn’t have going for it are the front brake – which hardly works – and a seat that’s bloody awful over long distances. So those things will be addressed first up.

Hold on tight. We’re going to find out what a beat-up ol’ KLR can do.

Above: Touratech hard panniers, but not as we know them, Jim. Without all the plastic trim, locks and other fancy bits and pieces, these ones are very light. They’re the same metal and construction as the more expensive units.

Below left: An outdoor cinema under a full moon is a very special occasion.

Top right: The 2007 KLR650 as it appeared in the ‘for sale’ ad.

Hot stuff

The Adventure Film Festival in Bright offered a great opportunity get the bike back in my shed in northern NSW. After a couple of planes, buses and a train, I stood in Bright, Victoria, contemplating the heatwave conditions. The town was buzzing with bikes of all kinds, adventurers of all kinds, and the film festival was rockin’.

As the sun went down and the temperature plummeted into the low 30s I sat under a full moon beside a clear, chuckling stream and enjoyed the outdoor cinema.

Checkout

Put the product in your productivity!

ExpEd UltRa light Synmat

Andy’s mattress of choice, so it must be good.

R About the size of two cans of beer and weighs less

R Can blow it up by mouth in about 20 breaths

R Can also be inflated with the Schnozzle bag (roll-top bag that doubles as a pump)

R Rated to minus-four degrees, so can handle Aussie cold

toyS2go panniER RackS foR ktm

690 EndURo

Pannier racks with integrated rear carrier.

R Strong stainless-steel construction

R Retains the use of the rear ’pegs

R Supports a number of soft-luggage systems

R Available in stainless or black finish

RRP: $493 – $535

Available from: Adventure Motorcycle Equipment Phone: 1300 883908

Email: adventuremotorcycle.com.au

hEld aiR vESt

An inflatable protective vest.

R High-breathability liner with 3D air-mesh panels on back

R Quick closure at front

R One outside pocket

R Turtle Air Bag certified according to current standards, unfolds entirely within 0.1 seconds

R SAS-TEC coccyx protector

R Velcro for optional chest protector

R SAS-TEC back protector certified to EN 1621-2

R Sizes: S, M, L, XL, B-L, B-XL

R Colours: black; black and neon yellow

RRP: $850

Available from: heldaustralia.com.au

antigRavity lightS

Lithium-powered and rechargeable torches and lanterns.

R Multifunction pop-up lantern: four-in-one lantern, wireless bluetooth music/audio player, speakerphone and flashlight

R Multifunction aluminium flashlight: all-aluminium, waterresistant, four-in-one flashlight, bluetooth music/audio player, speakerphone, and power bank

R Multifunction modular flashlight: modular, multifunction four-in-one flashlight. Bluetooth music player, speakerphone, and power bank. Use flashlight and audio at the same time, or swap the LED end-piece for a second speaker (included)

RRP: From $79.95

Available from: Carlisle Accessories Web: ctaaustralia.com.au

oUtback m afRica twin f

Good looking and functional. Crash bars, bashplate and rack.

R Canadian made

R Rack has laser-cut holes that allow direct mounting of RotoPax

R Made of five-millimetre thick aluminium

R Skidplate attaches to crash bars for added strength

R Embossed ridges on skidplate

RRP: Crash bars from $395. Crash bars/skidplate combo

$755. Full suite (crash bars, skidplate and rack) $935

Available from: AdventureMoto Web: adventuremoto.com.au

Shad watERpRoof REaR bag

Fixes straight to all motorcycles thanks to the four included straps.

R Measures 42cm x 26cm x 17cm

R Capacity: 35 litres

R Four fastening straps and six attachment rings.

R Waterproof

R Converts to backpack: padded shoulder straps and back with EVA foam

R Chest straps

R Inner compartment

R Two side compression handles

RRP: $135

Available from: Moto National Accessories

Web: motonational.com.au

yclopS klR gEn adlight kit

Improved for 2017. Now with 8000 lumens. LED upgrade kit

Includes two 4000 lumen Phillips-chipped LED headlight bulbs and spacers to replace factory adaptors

R IP68 Rated

R 5800K

R 30,000-hour bulb life

R One-year warranty

RRP: From $229.95 plus postage

Available from:

Adventure Bike Australia Web: adventurebikeaustralia.com.au

klim caRlSbad jackEt

The lighter, slightly less-ostentatious little brother of the Badlands jacket.

R Highly abrasion-resistant ripstop build quality

R Vastly improved venting and mobility

R Optional kidney belt

R Goretex reinforced with 500 denier Karbonite ripstop on impact and high-wear zones

RRP: $795

Available from: AdventureMoto Web: adventuremoto.com.au

pRogRip 2017 vEnom gogglE

Made in Italy with a frame design to provide enhanced peripheral vision and better fit.

R Outriggers for perfect and even fit

R Triple-layer, sweat-wicking foam with coloured velvet

R Anti-UV, anti-scratch, no-fog lens

R Pre-cut and moulded channels for eyeglasses

R Extra-wide, triple-silicone-beaded, anti-slip strap

R Also available as Venom 3218 Roll-Off Goggle, featuring the Progrip X-Large roll-off system, 25 per cent wider than most other brands

RRP: Venom 3200 $99.95. Venom 3218 Roll-Off $149.95

Available from: Your local dealer Web: jtr.com.au

foRma ElitE mEn’S URban toURing boot

Not a full adventure boot, but a great boot for low-risk rides with a casual/urban look.

R Lug sole cannot be crushed sideways from any reasonable impact

R Oiled, full-grain leather upper

R Urban non-slip gum rubber sole

R Drytex® waterproof and breathable lining

R Padded collar

R Lace closure

R Ankle TPU molded plastic protection

R Dual Flex midsole with anti-shock EVA

RRP: $229

Available from: All good Forma dealers or the Forma website

bob coopER hElp blankEt

Developed by Australia’s survival expert, Bob Cooper.

R Designed for, and tested in, Australian outback conditions

R Provides signal colours and large ‘HELP’ message for emergency situations

R Includes ‘ABC For Survival’ information panels

R Works as an emergency windproof, waterproof shelter

R Reflects 80 per cent of body heat, ideal for cold conditions and/or shock scenarios, including motorcycle accidents

R Ultralight weight (less than 50g)

R Suitable for use in all conditions and environments

RRP: $19.95

Available from: Overlander Adventure Equipment Web: overlanderae.com.au

macna voSgES jack

An all-roads, all-seasons adventure jacket.

R Super-tough Durylon construction

R Ventilation panels in sleeves, chest and back

R Safe-Tech, CE-approved shoulder and elbow armour

R Removable 100 per cent waterproof and breathable Raintex liner

R Removable, thermal liner

R Easy Cuff liner attachment system

R Colour options: black, black/flouro or ivory/grey.

hElinox UltRalight tablE

An ultra-compact table for two – anywhere you like!

R Perfect companion for Helinox Chair One

R Packed size: 41cm x 11cm

R Weighs just 690gm

R Table surface: 40cm x 60 cm

R Sturdy, heat-resistant, washable mesh surface

R Features two recessed cup holders

R Five-year warranty

Available direct from helinox.com.au for $128 with free delivery Web: helinox.com.au

indicatoR

bikESERvicE chainbREaking and RivEting tool

Comprehensive tool kit for drive-chain replacement and repair.

R Provides the ability to break, rivet and press drive-chain master links

R Manufactured from high-quality alloy steel

R Kit contains three-position handle assembly, press plates, punches and anvils

R Suits chain sizes 415, 420, 428, 520, 525, 30 (50), 532, 630 and 632

R Instruction manual included

LED lights for attachment to Barkbusters handguards.

R Extra-bright LED technology for indicator and running/position lights

R Each light consists of 15 super-bright LEDs

RRP: $499

Available from: Selected stockists Web: linkint.com.au/macna.html

R Long lifespan LED with power consumption of only 0.4 amp per indicator light and 0.2 amp per running light

R Easy installation with complete mounting instructions provided

R E mark approved

R See website for compatibility with different Barkbusters models

RRP: LED light sets $69.95. Resistor sets $14.95

Available from: Your local bike shop Web: barkbusters.net

RRP: $248.49

Available from: motoplace.com.au Web: motoplace.com.au

acERbiS advEntURE appaREl

Jacket and pants from the Italian adventure specialists.

R Jacket designed for drink system

R Takes Clay leveltwo back protector, sold separately

R Use of magnets to adjust ventilation

R 10 pockets; zip to attach pants

R Pants have inner quilted lining

R Baggy fit over the boots

Top-grade tools in a sturdy, roll-up pouch.

Total weight 1.5kg.

RRP: Jacket $449.95. Pants $259.95

Available from: Your local dealer or mx1australia.com.au

wild at hEaRt Sid

A bigger footprint to support the weight of your motorcycle when parking on soft or uneven surfaces. Made in South Africa and available for:

R KTM 950/990 Adventure and the 2013 KTM 1190 Adventure

R KTM 1190 Adventure 2014+ and KTM 1290 Adventure

R BMW F650/700/800GS

R BMW F650/700/800GS Twin

R BMW R1200GS 2008-2012 and BMW R1200GSA 2008-2013 air-cooled

R BMW R1200GS LC 14+

R Triumph Tiger 800XC

RRP: $46

Exclusive to Rocky Creek Designs Web: rockycreekdesigns.com.au

Combination wrenches: 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm.

Adjustable 200mm wrench

Curved-jaw, locking pliers

1/4”-drive socket set: 48-tooth mini ratchet, 58mm extension, 8mm, 10mm, 12mm

R 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm hex keys

R 6-in-1 reversible screwdriver

R Spark plug socket and plug gap gauge

R Tyre gauge

R Loctite, oil

RRP: $240.99

Protection you need.

R Protects your radiator and oil cooler from rocks and other debris

R Allows adequate air flow

R Easy to fit

R Made from high-grade aluminium

R Three-year warranty

RRP: $229. On special now for $175

Available from: Rad Guard Phone: (02) 6658 0060 Web: radguard.com.au

Motorrad Garage

Ducati Mutlistrada 1200 Enduro