Adventure Rider Issue #53

We’re back! Husqvarna Motorcycles is pleased to announce the return of the Husky Trek for 2022, with the addition of a new Husky adventure model and an extra day of adventure in Queensland Country!

14th - 19th

Days Join the Husky Adventure community

It’s we what do

Tom Foster - Editor

Isometimes try and pinpoint when I officially became an adventure rider.

It comes up from time to time in conversation, and I occasionally hear ad manager Mitch saying, “He was an adventure rider before it was ever called adventure riding.”

I often feel I was close to being an adventure rider when, as a kid filled with blessed ignorance, I’d fire up whatever worn-out late-1970s model second-hand shitter bike I had at the time – I couldn’t afford anything better – and just go. If I’d tagged up with a group to thrash along a beach or do loops through forestry, or head out to watch an event 250km away up the main road, I’d throw my weight on the kickstarter, wait until the oily smoke cleared, and join in.

In those days, as I remember, a town 40km or so away could take a full day to

reach, and the bike would sometimes be equipped with a length of rope. When terrain became really savage all the riders would join their lengths of rope together to drag bikes, one-by-one, up tough hills or across deep water crossings.

That sounds like adventure riding, doesn’t it?

It was called trailriding back then, and I was a trailrider.

I think my first trip to Cape York with Roy Kunda and Cape York Motorcycle

“ In those days, as I remember, a town 40km or so away could take a full day to reach, and the bike would sometimes be equipped with a length of rope. ”

Adventures must’ve been in the mid1990s. I rode a TT-R250, and even now I get goosebumps thinking of that eightday experience. Belting along at full throttle for minutes at a time, carrying the bike across rivers – not creeks, rivers –sleeping under the stars and, finally, fulfilling a lifelong achievement as I threw

the bike on the sidestand and stumped out over the rocky headland to the marker for the northernmost point of the Australian mainland.

I remember there were dolphins just off the point as I arrived, my heart bursting at the enormity of being there.

But that wasn’t considered adventure riding back then, either. It was a trail tour.

I expect genuine official adventure riding began when I first moved from a specific-purpose bike – a motocrosser, trials bike, enduro bike or road racer –to an ‘adventure’ or dualsport bike, and I remember the occasion very clearly.

I took my XR250 race bike around to Marty Hardcore’s place for our regular Friday afternoon’s grasstracking. Marty had – and still has – a DR650, and I sat on it and thought it seemed really comfortable, but still really ridable. In the space of a few days I’d ordered my own DR650 and was once again at Marty’s when I mentioned I was picking up the bike and would head out to Cameron Corner on it the next day.

I don’t know why I decided that, I just did.

That night I received a phone call from one of the riders who’d been at the grasstrack asking if he could go with me to Cameron Corner.

We had such a trip. It’s still huge in my mind as one of the best rides I’ve ever done. Ozzo – the other rider – was a brilliant riding partner and we had a ball. We’re still good friends now, all these years later.

Everything about that ride qualifies as a dead-set adventure ride. The destination, the bike, making a new friend, seeing places I’d only read about and dreamed of, dealing with a few setbacks and laughing our heads off when things tickled our funny bones. We camped, stayed in a couple of country pubs, and, most of all, rode and rode and rode. I picked up the new bike from the dealer on a Monday and returned with it covered in heavy red dust and 3000km overdue for its first service less than a week later.

In the scheme of things that ride doesn’t seem all that long ago. In fact, it was August 2006.

So how long have been an adventure rider?

Not long enough.

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

Publisher Kurt Quambusch

Editor Tom Foster tom@maynemedia.com.au

Group Sales Manager Mitch Newell mitch@maynemedia.com.au

Phone: (02) 9452 4517 Mobile: 0402 202 870

Production Arianna Lucini arianna@maynemedia.com.au

Design Danny Bourke art@maynemedia.com.au

Subscriptions 1300 76 4688 arlette@maynemedia.com.au

ISSN 2201-1218

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ABN 27 130 678 812

Postal address: PO Box 489, DEE WHY NSW 2099 Australia

Website: www.advridermag.com.au

Enquiries: Phone: (02) 9452 4517

Int.ph: +61 2 9452 4517

Int.fax: +61 2 9452 5319

Built to excel in the dirt and on the tarmac, the new Tiger 1200 Rally Pro is the all-new globe-busting, desert-crossing, mountain-conquering adventure champion.

Powered by a new 1200 triple engine, the unique T-Plane design blends the low-speed capability of a twin with the top-end performance of a triple, for excellent traction in tough conditions, and supreme performance on the road. Add to that an all-new chassis that’s significantly lighter and more agile, long travel semi-active suspension and feature-packed technology, for unprecedented capability off-road and on. The all-new Tiger 1200 Rally Pro. It’s time to reset your adventure expectations. Find out more at triumphmotorcycles.com.au

Team Rehab

Chris Bostelman did guide duties for an overseas visitor and the injury count was high…before the ride kicked off.

Words and images: Chris Bostelman

It all started with a message to Sam Keck on the Sydney Adventure Riders Facebook group. Danny Steyn was flying out to Australia from the US for work and wanted to ride some Aussie dirt while here. Sam put Danny in contact with me, as I’ve ridden countless tracks on both sides of the Great Dividing Range over the years, both up and down the east coast, completing recces and running tour and training events.

With many track-file options available, I pondered where I would send a solo explorer.

After all the recent rain in NSW, and with more forecast, Sam and I suggested we join Danny so we could re-route on the fly. With the state of the weather in 2022, what’s open on Monday could well be flooded out or closed by Saturday.

Armed with broken bodies due to recent injuries, a great sense of humour and neversay-die attitude, three old blokes – Team Rehab – came up with a plan: meet at Seven Hills in Sydney’s northwest, on a Friday morning at 9.00am, and head west.

Many talents

Born in South Africa and now living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Danny Steyn conquered

miles of deep sand, silt beds – like our bulldust –the rocky sections and cactus forests (yes that’s a thing) to lock up second place in the over-60s ProMoto60 class of the 2021 Baja 1000. He was almost run over after crashing in a silt bed at night, but was able to drag his bike clear of the track as the 800hp trophy trucks went through at over 110kph.

‘Better you than me,’ I thought, as Danny told us the tale of cactus spikes in his knuckles and scrotum.

The Baja 1000 must certainly be a unique experience.

Danny has won championships on both two and four wheels. If that’s not interesting enough, he’s also a professional photographer specialising in lingerie and ‘glamour’ pics for very well-known adult magazines.

Apprehension

We met Danny at Seven Hills as he picked up his hire bike. Then, loaded up after exchanging hard boxes for a soft duffle bag and road slicks for 50/50 tyres, we headed for the Zig Zag Railway at Lithgow.

Danny had a beaming smile, but you could tell he was wondering what he was in for, riding into the Australian bush with two people he’d never met.

The tyre change was a very good call. There had been plenty of rain in the days leading up to the ride and there was still water laying around from rain over previous weeks. Danny had messaged a few days before saying he was okay if we didn’t want to ride on a weekend with a forecast of 100 per cent rain. Sam and I responded with the usual, ‘We’re Aussies.

Right: Sam’s technique: less approach speed and more throttle once committed.

Left: Danny and Sam checking out the views and wildlife south of Crawney Pass National Park. u

Team Rehab

Right: Wallabadah Hotel as the sun disappeared. Below: Sam still needs a LHS wheel alignment. His physio is making progress.

Below right: A decent red mark on the head, some sore ribs and skin missing from the left arm.

We ride in any weather’, ‘You can’t get wetter than wet’, and, ‘Don’t worry, skin is waterproof’ responses. We explained we were going with or without him, and Danny, being a go-getter, was in.

Poor taste

Our plan was to head to the Blue Mountains. The radar suggested we should get a break once we were over the Great Dividing Range, and we wanted to show our guest some of our favourite sights and tracks – places like Mount Banks, Blackfellows Hand Trail, The Lost City, Gardens of Stone National Park and so forth.

Even though there wasn’t a drop of rain during the ride, the tracks were waterlogged, and even though a low-clearance F750GS with 50/50 tyres wasn’t the perfect tool, Danny was up for the challenge.

Not long into the first tricky off-road section our South African/American friend went down for a taste of Aussie dirt. There were no injuries beyond pride, and after some minor bike tweaks, including the first of three gear-selector straightenings, we were soon back on the track.

Three strikes

We had trouble finding the The Lost City. Seriously. We did.

There are several ways in and the one we initially chose was impassable, so we

had to backtrack and follow the ridgeline track. As usual, the landmark didn’t disappoint, with wet stone and the sun in the perfect position, the rock formations glowed like I’d never seen before.

We slipped and slid along for hours, heading towards Capertee. Three guys on enduro bikes passed us at one of the many deep bogholes, but it wasn’t long before the muddy tracks equalised our journeys. The first enduro rider stalled in a puddle and couldn’t get out, and we helped before moving on to alert his mates he needed their tool kit.

The second enduro rider wasn’t much better off with his bike upside down in a huge rut. Again, we helped retrieve the bike and then helped the pair re-unite.

We continued on to alert the third of the trio, only to find him standing in the middle of the track without a bike in sight. As I pulled up I asked the obvious question, “Why are you bushwalking in motorbike gear?”

He’d gotten well-and-truly stuck in the mudhole from Hell on a sidetrack.

Wet’n’forget

We all literally pulled together – and sometimes pushed – to get the six bikes clear of the many holes, ruts and puddles. As usual, the bigger bikes were up to the task, but sometimes needed less approach speed and more throttle once committed. That was certainly Sam’s technique.

The weather was great: not too hot, no dust, no cloud cover and some mythical blue sky, so the views were amazing.

Stopping at the lookout on Long Swamp Trail, we decided to pay tribute to Sam’s left leg (see panel – ed). He’d been recovering amazingly well, but the limb needed loads more physio to get the muscles in tune and the leg straight again. As mates do, we supported Sam in his time of need. Of course, occasionally, we made fun of his misfortune.

We continued along the Capertee Valley and made our way towards Ben Bullen and our overnight stay in Lithgow.

Danny had a little swim along the trail, flooding his tank bag and causing a

Team Rehab

waterfall in his helmet. A washing out of the mud from his base layers and tank bag were in order once we arrived in Lithgow, before an evening spent sharing stories of the day and adventures from our respective pasts.

Nice one

The second day saw us heading through Capertee Valley.

At 1.6km deep and 30km wide, it’s the second-widest valley in the world. Once the low fog lifted, the views were fantastic.

Bylong Valley Way is a great ride, and after a break at Rylstone we hit Denman for lunch, then Crawney Pass, Nundle Forest and a stop at Hanging Rock as the sun was heading for the horizon. We timed it perfectly, getting fuel at Wallabadah as the sun disappeared.

Live music, a few drinks and some local produce topped off the evening, along with many more laughs and tales of the day.

Fauna

The plan for the final day was to take Danny and cross 20 creeks and a few slimy causeways. We’d shared plenty of video fails and filled him full of apprehension.

The day dawned and, in the crisp, clean, country air, we headed back through Nundle to get some breakfast. Some riders from Newcastle told us of their previous day’s bike drownings in the deep, fast-flowing, brown creek water, and, being on a hire bike due back at Seven Hills by 4.00pm, we chose the sensible option and avoided the troublesome route.

Our journey was filled with plenty of power slides, a few wheelies and plenty of ‘Dodge The Native Animal’. Coincidentally, Danny had mentioned not seeing a lot of wildlife, so I’d put a call through to Skippy and Blinky Bill to set up some encounters.

First up we had to duck the low-flying kookaburras, galahs and a large kite. We saw wedge-tailed eagles, hawks, rosellas and grass parrots.

Then the wallaby-dodging started. Some even came with joeys in their pouches.

Next up was a selection of grey ’roos, foxes, rabbits, deer, tortoises, bluetongued lizards, corellas, black cockatoos and the usual cows and sheep, along with a llama for good measure.

I felt we’d met Danny’s wildlife expectations.

Man down

With the bike-hire deadline looming we headed for the joys of freeway riding. While covering the last of the dirt, thinking about what a great ride we’d had and how we’d been able to share

Top: Rylstone courthouse. One of the better memories of appearing before the court! Middle right: Well-and-truly stuck in the mudhole from Hell.

Right: Team Rehab on its first international mission.

From left: Chris Bostelman on his Bike Butler-built Husky 701LR, Danny Steyn on a BMW F750GS, and Sam Keck behind his BMW R1200GS.

Team Rehab

Above: The mark in the ground ran all the way from the cattle grid – as did Danny’s helmet cam, attached to the helmet on his

some cool places and experiences with our new friend, I checked my mirrors and couldn’t see either Danny or Sam. I slowed to a stop.

It was a rather spectacular crash. Danny’s front tyre had washed out on a cattle grid, and with little rubber left

in contact with the dirt track, he’d tried to brake using his head, helmet camera and left arm which hadn’t worked out too well.

While Sam got to straightening the poor old bananaed steel gear shifter again, I started a systems check on Danny. There was a decent red mark on his head, some sore ribs and skin missing from his left arm.

With first-aid kit at the ready and gloves on, the scrubbing and wound irrigation began.

Ends well

While Danny’s injuries will keep on giving for a few weeks, albeit not as bad as his previous motocross mishap (see panel – ed), the memories and videos will last for years to come.

Riding brings people together and is a great social equaliser. Adventure riding also transcends international borders.

How cool is that!

The Bike Butler

Chris

Bostelman has been in the adventure game for many years, initially as tech support on BMW GS Safaris and Maschine tours. Chris was known for his ability to fix almost anything in the bush.

Later, as one of the owners of Maschine, Chris planned and managed events for thousands of riders, fixing bikes and bodies along the way.

After Maschine, Chris became a partner in Adventure Moto, and now, in his own new business, Chris helps avid adventurers with bike builds, independent product advice, bespoke tours and provides a new service to the industry: ‘bike butlering’. Store your bike at The Bike Butler HQ in Sydney and it will always be ready to ride. You don’t have to do a thing. Return your bike dirty and the team will clean, safety-check and prepare it for your next ride. Repairs, rego checks and servicing are available. Nothing is too much trouble.

Web: thebikebutler.net.au

Socials: thebikebutlersydney

Email: riding@thebikebutler.net.au

Team Rehab

Steyn

Danny crashed his motocrosser and spent time in hospital with a massive haematoma on his left side. With severe internal bleeding and bruising, recovery has been slow.

Danny did say running off the track into the catch fence had been a good option. Alligators sat in the Florida waterways on the other side waiting for someone to make it over the barrier.

Keck

Sam crashed his 1200GS in the Northern Rivers region of NSW in February of this year, breaking his leg in many, many places. His collarbone as well.

He was on the mend during this ride.

In early May author Chris ended up in hospital for a week with a severe kidney infection and acute nerve pain in the right arm. It’s soft compared to the other two, but just scraped him in as a qualifier for Team Rehab.

Bostelman

noggin.

10 things to think about When it’s cold and wet

Winter is well and truly here, and that can make for some uncomfortable riding for the unprepared. Here’s a few things to think about when having to deal with rain and low temperatures…

Wet out

The waterproof layer of a riding ensemble should be the outermost layer.

If the outer layer can absorb water, the air passing over that layer will cause evaporation, and that will have a cooling effect. Having a waterproof layer outermost means the outer layer doesn’t absorb moisture, therefore evaporation won’t be a problem.

Some owners of Gore-tex suits don’t like the Gore-tex layer outermost in case it’s damaged in a fall. That’s fair enough, but a wet outer layer will make the rider the mayor of Coldtown.

Feeling fit

Base layers or ‘thermals’ should be part of every rider’s cold-weather kit.

Damp patch

Keeping gear dry inside luggage is important. It’s a total bummer to arrive at the end of a hard day and find your sleeping bag, spare clothes and ‘nature’ magazines are damp or plain soaked. Finding luggage which is truly waterproof is tricky, but in general, roll tops or storm flaps on soft luggage are a good start. Naturally the fabric used in construction is important as well, and the heavier tarpaulins or nylons may be a little tougher to handle, but they’re far more likely to prevent the ingress of dreaded H2O.

Hard luggage is no guarantee of waterproofing. Ensure the sealing gaskets around the lids are in good shape, and any rivets or bolts are well gummed over.

There’s an important basic difference between synthetic-fibre and natural-fibre garments made to be worn as base layers. Naturalfibre garments – like Andy Strapz excellent Thermal Topz and pants – should be a little baggy or loose fitting. Synthetic-textile garments should fit like a second skin. Fitting the chosen base later in the correct way will give it the best chance of doing its job and can make an enormous difference to the effectiveness of cold-weather apparel. u

ADVENTURE TOURING

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Don’t expose yourself

Even small areas of bare skin can cause serious discom fort for a ride in extreme cold. Things like neck scarves and balaclavas can make a huge difference, and selecting a winter-specific glove, like Held’s Seric 1, which doesn’t allow air or water to pass through to the rider’s hands, will add considerably to comfort levels.

Layer up, Buttercup

ne of the most basic and effective concepts for riders coping with cold is to ensure riding apparel is made up of layers. Multiple thin layers are far more effective for holding body heat, and slowing cold making its way through fabric, than one thick layer.

Try and go for thin, light layers close to the skin, and run the heavier, least-breathable layers over the top.

Know your enemy

Research

‘hypothermia’ and learn your own personal symptoms of that condition.

If you try and battle on through the cold you’re very likely to find your judgment impaired and that can lead to serious problems, including possible injury. Getting off the bike before the situation is serious could be a lifesaver. Relieving a hypothermic condition will usually take more than a hot drink and a break. Best to prevent hypothermia rather than have to treat it.

Vision splendid

Maintaining good vision is a real challenge on cold and wet rides. Running a liner like Pinlock or UGAM will largely keep a visor clear and fog-free in low temperatures. There are also a few fluids available to apply to visors which will help prevent fogging. Rocky Creek Design’s Fogstop Optix Shammy and Optix Wipes work well.

On the outside of

ADVENTUROUS VERSATILITY

Motoz Tractionator DualVenture - Part desert race, part long distance adventure touring.

With a deeper tread than most adventure tyres and a distance proven compound specifically formulated to cater for a wide variety of conditions, it’s built to hammer out the miles. Available as tubed or tubeless front tyre only, the DualVenture is best paired with a Tractionator Adventure, Rallz or GPS rear.

Motoz has the perfect tyre for your next adventure.

• Unique reversible tread pattern improves tyre longevity

• Non-directional lugs allow tyre to be flipped for extended mileage

• World-class off-road performance

• Self-cleaning and sharpening tread pattern for predictable power delivery

• Available in sizes 90/90-21 (TT & TL), 110/80B19 and 120/70B19

10 Things To Think abouT

There’s Gore-tex, and there’s Gore-tex

To most riders, ‘Gore-tex’ on a jacket or duds means they’re waterproof. It’s as simple as that.

In general, that’s a fair thing to say. But there’s more to rider comfort than just keeping rain out of the crotch. Gore-tex is available in two-layer, 2.5 layer and three-layer construction, and while all three are waterproof, the more layers, roughly and for various reasons, the more comfort for the rider. When true Gore-tex is in use, a tag on the apparel should give the number of layers on a particular item, but if that’s hard to find, the price will give a very clear indication. The more layers, the more numbers before the decimal point.

Don’t wait

Overlap

Rain often accompanies cold, and it’s very difficult to keep a rider dry. A good basic place to start is ensure waterproof gear or layers overlap. Things like the trouser legs overlapping waterproof boots, and sleeves overlapping with waterproof gloves, will help prevent water getting in. We see a lot of riders complain about rainwater making its way in through jacket collars and cuffs, and that can be nearly impossible to stop. But we also see riders blaming collars, cuffs and waistbands when in fact the moisture inside the suit is caused by the body’s natural transpiration. With a non-breathable wet-weather liner there’s nowhere for the body’s sweat to go, so it soaks into the inner layers of fabric. It’s not always rain that causes the problem.

Waiting for the rain is a trap for young players.

Once a rider and his apparel are wet there’s not much can be done until the riding’s over at the end of the day. If the rider pulls on wet-weather gear over the top, the damp riding gear underneath won’t dry out. If the rider doesn’t pull on wet-weather gear, a soaking is on the way.

For those who’ll rely on liners, get ’em sorted before the rain hits.

Wilder.

Exploration. Enjoyment. Performance. And a keen desire to head out and set off towards the horizon. The identity of this bike leaves no doubt, a single glance will transport you into the world of the Dakar. Equipped with a 21” front wheel and an 18” rear, the new DesertX is designed to take on the most challenging off-road routes. The long-travel suspension and new frame designed for off-roading blend with Ducati road-going expertise for a bike that is responsive, easy to handle and perfect on any type of terrain. Whether desert or asphalt, all you need to do is to climb aboard, set out to achieve your dreams, and enjoy the adventure of a lifetime.

New Ducati DesertX Dream

CFMOTO

800MT Touring

KTM mechanicals in a highly specced comfort package makes for a great tourer with good off-road capability.

Action images: Wilkinson Photography

The 800MT coped with both commuting and a not-too-frantic thrashing really well.

CFMOTO – the company specifically requested we wrote it that way – is fairly new to the adventure market, and the 800MT is a pretty damn good first effort. The most eyebrowraising spec is a ‘KTM-sourced’ motor –that’s quoting from the manufacturer’s supplied briefing material – along with ride-by-wire, a TFT screen, slipper clutch, Bluetooth connectivity, cruise control, crash bars, spotlights, centrestand and an adjustable screen.

Our review bike had the standard Maxxis tyres replaced with Mitas E10s, and on top of the high level of the standard equipment, it meant the bike was ready for just about anything…which, as it turned out, was just as well.

Drive

The KTM-supplied motor is a 799cc parallel twin churning out a hefty 95hp and 77Nm of torque. A quickshifter works on both up and down gear changes on the six-speed box, and a slipper clutch helps keep things tidy when the pressure’s on.

Flying in the face of current market trends, the 800 MT has only two modes: Sport and Rain. That’s it. There’s no stepping through an intricate menu to get exactly the right angle on the footpegs or select the chosen colour of the exhaust headers when they’re hot. But aside from that, there’s a long list of tech features which deserve a nod of approval. Cruise control is a very welcome inclusion, and a large, 17.7cm (seven-inch) TFT

screen gives heaps of info on just about everything from fuel range through to the time of day, ambient temperature, trip meters, tyre-pressure monitoring, a stack of warnings about various things and heaps more. Bluetoothing to a phone allows the usual navigation, music, answering calls and so forth via the bike’s on-board set up.

It’s clearly a very well-appointed and high-tech outfit.

Ride

First impressions after climbing on the 800MT are that it’s big and wide in a comfortable way. The seat is firm, but broad enough to accommodate the pastry-and-coffee-fed backsides of motorcycle journos, and the 825mm seat height should have a high percentage of riders able to get one or two feet on the ground. The ’bars sweep back a little as we see on most touring bikes these days, and an adjustable screen looks like it’ll give good protection.

Ground clearance, measured at the brochure, is 190mm, which should be adequate for the type of riding this bike is intended to tackle, we figure.

It’s difficult to describe the sound of the motor. It doesn’t have a throaty roar or a grumble. It’s more a collection of sounds of moving metal parts. We only bring it up because we noticed it on the Ducati we

“ Things like pannier racks and a rear rack, crash bars, heated grips and seat, centrestand, a good bashplate…lots. All stock. Awesome. ”

rode for this issue as well. Standing behind the pipe gives the expected exhaust growl. Standing beside – or sitting over –the engine seems to leave the rider listening to the engine workings rather than the combustion sound. Maybe it’s something to do with new compliance levels.

Whatever.

As we snicked into gear and headed off, the roominess and comfort of the 800MT were the main things we noticed.

Well set up

There’s a string of great OEM accessories available for the 800MT.

There’s luggage of course, hard and soft panniers and top boxes, and things like radiator and headlight guards,

Left: Throttle response is sharpish in Sport mode.

Top right: We felt as though CFMOTO went a little overboard with the chain cover, but it’s certainly safe and effective.

Right: The biggest TFT screen in this class of bike. There’s lots of info available.

master-cylinder guards, big footpegs, ’bar risers, a higher seat and a fair bit more, but we were very surprised to see how much of what we thought was optional equipment fitted to our review bike turned out to be standard. Things like pannier racks and a rear rack, crash bars, heated grips and seat, centrestand, a good bashplate…lots. All stock. Awesome.

We did have a couple of bits and pieces from the accessories catalogue, like the master-cylinder guard and headlight protector, but the level of standard equipment on the Touring model is really frigging high. It’s ready to go riding, straight off the dealer floor.

Doin’ it

We hit the highway, set an appropriate speed on the cruise control, then settled back to take stock, and it was immediately obvious the 800MT was totally at home on the freeway. It rolled along at legal speeds without requiring any input from the rider bar a gentle movement of the wide ’bars to change lanes or flick through the menu screens, just to help pass the time.

When the roads became rougher and asked a little more of the rider a few of the bike’s characteristics came to the fore.

Throttle response was interesting.

In Sport mode the throttle is ‘touchy’. ‘Aggressive’ might be another way of saying it.

Very small inputs from the rider get an unexpectedly lively response from the motor. It took some getting used to in traffic, and we settled into it, but it was a little surprising.

In Rain mode everything gets very controlled. Power output

CF moTo 800mT TouRing

Recommended price: $14,990 ride-away.

Web: cfmoto.com.au

Engine type: Liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, DOHC four-stroke parallel twin

Capacity: 799cc

Bore and Stroke: 88mm x 65.7mm

Fuel system: Bosch EFI with ride-by-wire throttle

Maximum power: 95hp (70kW) at 9000rpm

Maximum torque: 77Nm at 7500rpm

Gearbox: Six-speed with slipper clutch

Final drive: Chain

Ride modes: Two: Sport or Rain

Frame: Tubular steel

Front suspension: 43mm KYB upside-down fork, fully adjustable, 160mm travel

Rear suspension: KYB monoshock, fully adjustable, 150mm travel

Rake: 28 degrees

Front brakes: Twin 320mm discs with J.Juan four-piston radial calipers

Rear brakes: 260mm disc with J.Juan twin-piston caliper

Corning ABS: Bosch

Wheels: Spoked, 19 x 2.5 front, 17 x 4.25 rear

Tyres: Maxxis tubeless: 110/80 front, 150/70-17 rear

Wheelbase: 1531mm

Length x width x height: 2234mm x 853mm x 1277mm

Seat height: 825mm

Ground clearance: 190mm

Fuel capacity: 19 litres

Claimed fuel consumption: 5.6 litres/100km

Wet weight: 231kg

Cruise control: Yes

Fog lights: Yes:

USB and 12-volt charging: Yes

Dashboard: Seven-inch TFT with Bluetooth connectivity and navigation

function; complementary app

LED lights: Yes

Tyre-pressure monitoring: Yes

UP/Down quickshifter: Yes

Handguards: Yes

Alloy bashplate: Yes

Steering damper: Yes

Heated grips: Yes

Heated rider seat: Yes

Centrestand: Yes

Warranty: Three years, unlimited kilometres

Service intervals: 10,000km

and throttle response are both reduced, almost to the point where we wondered if it might be too big a step. Riders looking for safe margins in the wet or slippery going will definitely find them in Rain mode on the 800MT, and for those wanting an easy introduction to the size and feel of a big adventure bike, it’s a good option.

The other characteristic associated with the response of the throttle was the bike’s tendency to push against the rider’s intentions on deceleration. In slow going it felt like the bike was constantly trying ‘forge on’, if you can grasp what we mean. We’d be idling along expecting zero throttle to allow the bike to sit in the very slow traffic, but it kept wanting to go a little faster than we felt it should and required constant, gentle application of the brake to keep it under control. The same when decelerating through roundabouts.

It didn’t present us with any problems, but it felt a little different to our expectation.

The KYB suspension also felt nice and firm on the road.

As we pushed the bike along, experimenting with some of the performance parameters, we felt the 800MT coped with both commuting and a gentle thrashing really well. A twist of the throttle had the thing darting about like a good’n, the slipper clutch worked well, the quickshifter wasn’t as good as some we’d used, but normal, sensible changes went off without a hitch, and braking – the rear was particularly strong – was really good.

Rash on the gravel

Once we hit the gravel and dirt roads it wasn’t difficult to find a few of the bike’s limits.

The motor, gearbox and braking all worked really well, but the stock KYB suspension wasn’t set for the kind of pace the other mechanicals could deliver in that situation.

As we’ve written often, finding a bike with stock suspension to suit an individual

Left: In its element. There’s a whole lot of enjoyable, comfortable, pleasurable adventure riding on offer from this bike.

Below left: There’s some nice gear in the accessories catalogue, but the standard bike is very well equipped.

Below right: Stepped seats aren’t our favourite, but this one was comfortable. Heated, too!

rider is an extremely long shot, and in the interests of reviewing the 800MT we asked a lot more of it than most buyers of a bike like this one would.

Both ends are fully adjustable, and for fanging along forestry dirt roads and shitty country backroads everything worked well. That’s what we think the bike was designed for. At 230-odd kilos it’s no lightweight though, and when we started pointing the bike at hard-edged ruts, logs and rocks we felt things became untidy. We only point it out because, otherwise, the bike seemed busting to go harder. Motor, brakes and handling won’t hold back good riders, that’s for sure, but both forks and shock could probably use the attention of a tuner if there’s rough terrain or a capable off-road rider on the agenda. There’s no traction control on the 800MT, and ABS can’t be turned off. The motor is really easy to use and power delivery extremely manageable, so we were very happy without traction control. The ABS allowed some very aggressive braking indeed, and we were generally content with that arrangement, but we didn’t tackle any serious loose downhills, and that needs to be kept in mind.

Our bad

In the spirit of full disclosure, we were going to whinge about the crash bars on this bike sticking out so far. They really bug out a long way, and, to make

things worse, the top and bottom bars meet at a bit of a sharp angle which looks ready to catch on things instead of slide along the deck.

But then we had a moment and decked the bike hard. It wasn’t at speed, but it was an ugly setting and the bike slammed down on its side and made its way to the bottom of a small rocky slope in that unfortunate, grinding posture.

When we picked up the bike the crash bar had done the job. We expected to find a seriously ugly result, but the only damage was the crash bar being scratched and moved out of position.

The bike was otherwise unharmed and we continued on our way with no penalty whatsoever.

Above: Creature comforts are high, performance is good, and the CFMOTO 800MT Touring – as opposed to the Sport – offers the kind of comfort and real-world ability which will make on-and offroad touring a pleasure.

Below left: That gear-selector tip is adjustable. There’s lots of nice detail touches around the bike.

Below right: The headlight protector still allows plenty of lumens to hit the road.

Value

give the

It’s impossible not to take the retail price of the 800MT Touring into consideration. At $14,490 ride away the thing is astonishing value. Creature comforts are high, performance is good, and the bike offers real-world ability which will make long-distance touring a pleasure. While it’s no 890 or 701 off-road, it’s not too shabby either, is available at near half the price, and there’s a whole lot of enjoyable, comfortable, pleasurable adventure riding on offer.

So we

crash bars 10 out of 10.

Ténéré 700 High Country Rally RideADV

Adventure Rider Magazine’s editor joined one of Australia’s premier tour operators for an awesome ride on the mag’s new Yamaha.

Words and images: TF u

Above: A group photo in the parking lot of the Dargo River Inn.

Above right: Greg ‘TB’ Yager. The main man at RideADV.com.au and a bloke who can put together a great ride and a first-class team.

Below: Blue Rag Range Track was a bit rough and whoopie in places, but the torquey twins of the Ténérés made it easy.

hy don’t you come for a ride?” offered Greg ‘TB’ Yager, main man at RideADV.com.au, closely watched by partner, ‘Crash’.

I wondered if Crash – real name Wayne Nelson – was a silent partner. He didn’t say much. He was actually a little intimidating if truth be told, standing there as solid as a rock and looking stern.

“We have a Ténéré 700 ride coming up, and now you have the Yamaha. You should join us. What do you reckon?” I reckoned, “Shit, yes!” and said so.

“Right,” said TB. “You’re in.”

Crash fixed me with a steely gaze. I’d made a goose of myself on a RideADV outing some years ago and received a fair bollocking from the sweep rider. The incident was still joked about, but I made a mental note to not repeat the folly with Crash on the team. I got the feeling any miscreant behaviour might be dealt with a little more severely than the few cross words I’d had previously.

Jindabyne is one of my favourite riding destinations, especially as a starting point

to head south through the Snowies, and RideADV had included me on some very memorable rides in previous years, both as a paying customer and as an invited guest. RideADV, Jindabyne/Victoria and the Ténéré 700…could it get any better?

Good enough

The parking lot of the Lake Jindabyne Hotel was a-bustle with 40 Ténéré riders who were clearly every bit as keen as I was. It was a happy and capable-looking group which rolled through scrutineering and accepted a goodie-bag of personalised stickers and some neat gifts from Yamaha and Link International, importers of Pirelli and Motul, and big supporters of both the ride and RideADV.

In the middle of an amazing run of wet weather, while the sun wasn’t shining on Jindabyne that afternoon, it wasn’t cold or raining, and that was considered by all to be good enough.

Smiles were broad and abundant as riders made their way to various accommodation addresses scattered throughout the town.

Old mates

With the group crowded into a designated dining room in the Jindabyne pub – me awaiting the lamb-shanks dinner included in the entry fee for the ride – a couple of familiar faces strolled through the door. It was none other than Carl Hooton and Richard Apps, who I’d met on the 1290 review ride in issue #51. Along with Carl and Appsie for the ride was Will ‘Wilma’ Mahoney, and we quickly formed a solid quartet to tackle the following four days.

The briefing got underway as I tried not to spray gravy and mint jelly over my newfound riding buddies while I systematically destroyed a very luxurious serving of greasy jumbuck, and before long the crew had dispersed to prepare for the following day’s blast.

Stick together

A sunny morning and a run along Barry Way made a great start to the next day.

Carl, I’d learned on our previous ride, was a very level-headed and wellorganised bloke, and, after agreeing to meet at ‘the lookout’ on Barry Way if we

were separated, led off at a sensible pace.

It would’ve been hard to ask for a better beginning. The temperature was a little low but not freezing cold, the sun continued to shine and the scenery leaving Jindabyne as the tarmac gently wound its way through undulating landscape was filled with the promise of the mountainous panoramas to follow.

It was so good I decided to grab a quick photo. Being last in our little quartet, no one noticed as I pulled over and unpacked the camera.

‘No problem,’ I thought. ‘I’ll catch up.’

But as I climbed back on the bike, about 30 frigging Ténérés, in close formation line astern, convoyed their way past, seemingly not in much of a hurry.

I might’ve passed a few in my effort not to keep the others waiting at the lookout, but I naturally observed the appropriate road rules and was courteous to my fellow riders at all times.

Eventually I screamed up to the lookout, shot a couple of hasty pics from the plinth, hurled myself back on the bike and struck out in search of my mates.

As I rode away I thought I heard a faint cry of, “Tooooooom…” but wrote it off as an acoustic anomaly brought on by the surrounding mountains and the incredible, genital-swelling grumble of the Akro as I opened the throttle hoping to catch up with the others, who must’ve been really hard on the main jet.

I was looking forward to them getting a talking to at the end of the day.

In your helmet, nobody can hear you scream

The next section of the ride is a little vague in my mind.

I was motoring along, being mindful of speed limits, indigenous animals and the hole in the ozone layer, staying left and only overtaking when it was safe to do so, when I found myself in the company of another rider who seemed

Top left: Heading from Harrietville into Bright, riders trying to not show any symptoms of fuel anxiety.

Left: On a sunny day there’s not many rides to match Dargo High Plains Road.

Above: Kaz Carter was probably the rider who won everyone’s hearts and respect the most. She scooped the RideADV Team Award – a full level-one suspension set up from Teknik Motorsport.

• 3 digit resettable combination

• Ultra-lightweight

• Water resistant

• Adjustable strap

• Zinc alloy housing

Size of strap (not including lock) 45cm x 1cm wide

DESIGNED IN AUSTRALIA

Easily lock your helmet, jacket and/or luggage to your bike with this convenient ZiPPYLOK . The strap is made from flat steel, housed in an anti-scratch sheath with the lock housing made of zinc alloy. This ultralight, ZiPPYLOK can be locked onto your bike when not in use.

to be moving along at a fair pace.

It also seemed as though, through some fluke of circumstance, we were the only two riders on the section of dirt road where we found ourselves.

I nudged the throttle a little and looked in the mirror to see the whiteand-red Ténéré still on my rear wheel and looking annoyingly comfortable with the situation.

I nudged the throttle open a little more. The bike behind stayed close. I thought I saw the rider yawn through his visor.

Naturally there was no way I was going to get involved in any irresponsible behaviour, but as this progression continued I found myself at a surprisingly high speed when confronted by a T-junction. I employed my emergency braking manoeuvre but with little effect.

As I careered in among the ghost gums and scattered rocks on the far side of the crossroad the other bike, apparently without any effort or alarm, calmly squirted around the corner with the rear wheel far out of line from the front.

Only because I was curious to ask the rider about his technique, I lit out after the bastard.

Some spirited riding ensued, until, with everyone’s safety in mind, I pulled over.

I could’ve overtaken the other bike at any time, of course, but I was there to work, and a nice photo opportunity had presented itself.

As I unpacked the camera and tried not to feel too inferior, the other bike returned and the rider pulled off his helmet to reveal Finke Desert Race winner Alan Roe, and there’d be few nicer blokes on a motorcycle anywhere in Australia.

I didn’t feel quite so bad.

There was another similar incident just

Top: Lake Buffalo made for a beautiful lateafternoon stop.

Below left: Yamaha Motor Australia’s Peter Payne. An international man of mystery and none too shabby a rider.

before lunch when I was motoring along safely and noticed a headlight in the dust behind me. As I looked in the mirrors it was approaching fast.

‘Right,’ I thought. ‘I’m not having this again.’

I cracked open the throttle and set off like a scalded cat.

The bike behind me continued to gain, and the thought flashed through my mind that this was ridiculous. No one rode at those speeds on dusty public dirt roads. It was insane. If the rider behind me had a death wish and insisted on risking everything for dubious glory, that was their choice. I wanted to no part of it.

Plus I didn’t want to be overtaken again. At that moment I flashed a look down and saw there was no pink line on the GPS. I chopped the throttle and swerved to the left out of harm’s way. The bike beside me came to a shattering halt and, embarrassed, I realised it was a sweep chasing me to let me know I’d left the course and to guide me back.

Below right: The river crossing on the third day’s Special section was tricky but doable. Richard Apps showed how it should be done. u

My embarrassment was complete

RECKLESS 80L REVOLVER

RIDE, CAMP, REPEAT.

The Reckless 80L is designed for off-road riding/camping, Backcountry Discovery Route exploration, and international fly-to-ride trips. The 100% waterproof dry bag system expandsand contracts for a variety of load sizes and riding conditions. It doesn’t require pannier racks and features adjustable leg angles allowing it to fit enduros and larger ADV bikes, making the v3.0 ‘Revolver’ our most versatile Reckless system yet.

Beavertail Stash Pocket

when I realised she’d caught me on a WR250R. It was Abbey. At 18 she’s not legally allowed to ride a 700 yet, but she can run hard on a 250R, as I’d just seen.

Reunited

My riding mates weren’t at the Benambra lunch stop, so I rejoined the route and carried on, loving the bike more and more, crossing the border and enjoying some truly fabulous forest roads and majestic scenery around Lake Omeo, Bogong, Mount Beauty and eventually, Harrietville.

TB had mentioned several times the weak-minded among us may suffer ‘fuel anxiety’, and I admit as I rode into the picturesque town of Bright I was desperate. The bike was screaming a low-fuel warning at me – well…the gauge was flashing – and it was 20km or so to the overnighter at Harrietville. Then we had to get back again in the morning.

I manfully pressed on, trusting in TB’s guidance, and not wanting to have to

admit to Crash I’d woosed out and bought fuel.

It’d been an absolutely superb day and I was rapt to be in that place on that bike with that crowd. The coffee and on-tap ginger beer flowed far into the night as Carl, Appsie, Wilma and I compared notes on the day, and all agreed it had been a cracker. I asked how fast they’d been riding, seeing as I hadn’t been able to make up ground on them. As it turned out, they’d called to me at the lookout on Barry Way, and, seeing as I’d ignored them and bolted, they’d stayed to enjoy the view a while.

Any wonder I hadn’t been able to catch them.

I faded off to sleep that night wondering how the next three days could possibly match the first.

Great company

Looping out from, and back to, Harrietville the next day meant luggage could be left at the accommodation, and that was a

bonus for me. There was a luggage truck laid on, but I’d packed light and decided to keep everything with me on the bike –what TB called ‘the full adventure experience’. Even so, it was good to empty the panniers and carry just essential tools. It’s worth pointing out ‘essential’ tools don’t amount to much for Ténéré 700s. There wasn’t a single breakdown for the entire duration of the event. Even the lone flat tyre and bike drowning didn’t amount to much. The RideADV crew is absolutely first class and looked after everyone incredibly well, even down to small details. My own bike had the brake light stuck on, due to my dropping the level of the brake pedal to accommodate the stepped pedal supplied by Motorrad Garage. Lincoln ‘Billy’ Brien – from Chris Watson Motorcycles but part of the regular RideADV team – dived underneath the bike, removed the bashplate, frame rails and pedal, adjusted the light actuation switch, reassembled the whole thing, picked up his beer and continued listening to the stories of the day without missing a beat.

Legend!

With the quartet reunited we set off to follow the day’s route, which included Craig’s Hut and The Staircase on Cobblers Track.

Being old, wise and experienced, I shared flowery and lustrous tales of the amazing views from Craig’s Hut, which

Top left: The 360-degree view from Blue Rag trig point is truly superb.

Above: Lincoln ‘Billy’ Brien made short work of adjusting the Shop Bike’s rear brake-light switch. Left: In the middle of an amazing run of wet weather, it wasn’t cold or raining in Jindabyne, and that was considered by all to be good enough.

I’d visited several times, and I could see the eager anticipation of my friends. As we risked life and limb to make our way through various out-of-control Ténéré 700s pinballing their way up The Staircase – which was a tad wet and slippery – the light fog became more and more dense. By the time we arrived at the muchanticipated Craig’s Hut, not only was there no view, we couldn’t even see the frigging hut! We had to fan out like a search party and work our way across the open area until one of us hit a fence. Then, like four blind mice, we felt our way along to find a gate, and finally, the hut itself.

My companions seemed ready to enjoy everything, views or no views, and were thrilled to be at the famous landmark. Picnic goodies were produced from backpacks, including the hot water and necessaries for coffee, and a blissful 30 minutes or so was spent soaking up the atmosphere and marvelling at being in such a wonderful place.

Good management

The descent from the hut included a few slips on the very wet clay roads, some amazing downhill running and, most of

all, the sensational riding for which the Victorian high country is justly famous.

It had been agreed at the last stop of the afternoon that the guys would head to the brewery in Bright on the way back. I elected to swerve that visit, and, as I rolled under the awning of the service station in Bright, a ferocious torrent of rain blasted the town.

Seriously, as I stood at the pump and pondered on the chance that had me under shelter at such a time, I thought I saw a small Korean car being washed away down a raging gutter.

As the fuel bowser clicked off to indicate a full tank on the Ténéré the rain stopped as though someone had flicked a switch. Incredible. Not only had I stayed dry,

nobody had seen me at the servo and I didn’t have to own up to buying fuel.

Yes!

Not to plan

The next morning kicked off in similar fashion to the one before, but on this day there was scheduled a ‘Special’ or harder section.

Those sticking to the regular route would punt along Dargo High Plains Road to Dargo, while those on the Special would head up Blue Rag Range Track to the Blue Rag trig point, then follow a more off-road route to meet Dargo High Plains Road not far from Dargo itself.

I was a bit torn.

For starters TB had talked up Blue Rag

Top left: Winding mountain roads? Yep. Got those.

Above: There were a few slips and trips, but no serious falls or damage. Most were due to missed footing on loose or slippery surfaces.

Left: View or no view, the riders enjoyed themselves. Below: A clear message from the Benambra locals.

RideadV TénéRé 700 high CounTRy Rally

Range Track to where I was quietly pooing my pants at the thought of how tough it would be (even though I’d ridden up there several times).

The other thing was, I love Dargo High Plains Road. On a sunny day there’s not many rides to match it. On this morning there was just a little fog hanging around, and I imagined blasting along that wide, open, fast dirt road with the Ghost Gums in silhouette through the mist and I really didn’t want to miss it.

Appsie and Wilma were both keen to tackle Blue Rag though, so I went along with them. Carl wanted to let loose his drone on Dargo High Plains Road, so we split up again.

Blue Rag Range Track was a bit rough and whoopie in places, especially on the final climb to the trig point, but the torquey twins of the Ténérés made it easy, and soon enough we’d joined a reasonable sized group at the summit.

The 360-degree view was truly superb, and the blue sky and sunshine lifted the whole experience of being there to a sublime level.

We soaked up the glorious location and marvelled at being in such a place. Time seemed to stand still.

From the trig point it was a run back down through the mountains along a roughish trail to a river crossing which we’d been warned might be tricky. After a great deal of careful planning with my riding mates, which involved me walking it first to leave the camera bag on the other side and find the good line, I forgot everything and ploughed straight in, fortunately to emerge on the other side no worse off.

The riverbank caught more riders than the river itself. Several riders slipped on the wet clay trying to stop and found themselves laying on the deck being

RideADV.com.au

cheered by the considerable peanut gallery which had accumulated on the far bank.

No damage to anyone, so it was all good.

Prize night

That night, being the last official night of the ride, was the presentation of various prizes and awards, and some of them were very generous indeed. Kaz Carter was probably the rider who won everyone’s hearts and respect the most. With tinsel attached to the Yamaha she carved around the course, including a visit to the Blue Rag trig point, and while thought to be in the running for having the most bling, she scooped the RideADV Team Award – a full level-one suspension set up from Teknik Motorsport.

It was a very popular win.

Celebrations went a little way into the evening, but with still a day to go, things wound up early.

All done

After a group photo in the parking lot of the Dargo River Inn the morning briefing

Adventure Rider Magazine has been lucky enough to be included on quite a few RideADV.com.au rides over the years, and each one has been brilliantly organised and supported. From two-day blasts around Lithgow and the NSW mid-north coast to gargantuan undertakings like double crossings of the Simpson Desert, RideADV has proven itself a first-class, customer-focussed outfit that offers superb encouragement and support without holding riders’ hands. Find out more about Greg, the team and the rides at rideadv.com.au.

A muster on the road out of Dargo. It’s genuine Snowy River country alrighty.

delivered what the RideADV team considered bad news: due to a land slip, the proposed morning’s route had to be diverted and we were all to travel back to Jindabyne along Dargo High Plains Road.

I couldn’t believe my luck!

It’s not that I didn’t want to ride what I was sure were great tracks planned for that morning, but it meant I was able to ride Dargo Plains Road and Barry Way in one glorious, warm sunny day, and in company with Carl, Appsie and Wilma, things were about as good for me as they could possibly be.

We cruised along, the Ténérés making light work of the riding and leaving us free to enjoy the scenery, the terrain, and even a couple of stops to check out the old Suggan Buggan school and for Carl to fly his drone out for a few pics.

The roads came and went, and as we hit the tar of Barry Way not far from Jindabyne a warm contentment settled over me.

I get that feeling sometimes after a really good ride.

They don’t get much better than this one.

Ducati Multistrada V4 S

The performance of the Multistrada V4S is the stuff riding dreams are made of.

Action pics by Nick Fletcher

Adventure Rider Magazine has been a huge fan of Ducati’s dualsporter since we first rode the Multistrada 1200 Enduro in 2016. The glorious, scalpelexact handling, superbike performance and stunning, beautiful look of the bike won us over. The bike was big and heavy, but while it was in motion those dimensions seemed to disappear and the joy of controlling a truly exceptional motorcycle overruled all other considerations.

Now the Multistrada’s performance has been enhanced by a new V4 motor and, of course, advanced electronics. But for us the essential feeling hasn’t changed: being able to experience this kind of style and performance is something special.

Four play

The big news on the newest Multistrada is the V4 Granturismo motor, and it’s a stunna.

Weighing in at a scarcely believable 66.7kg, the 1158cc donk offers 170hp and a chunky 125Nm of torque. There are torque curves dedicated to each gear, which Ducati claims will make for smoother power delivery, and oil changes are slated for 15,000km and valve adjustment, if needed, every 60,000km.

They’d be fairly staggering figures in any bike, let alone one offering this kind of performance.

The motor also uses a counter-rotating crankshaft, which, by working against the inertia generated by the wheels, ‘enhances handling, reduces pitching, and consequently improves efficiency’ says Ducati.

We were lucky enough to get up close and personal with this motor on a stand at Ducati headquarters in Sydney last year and were hugely impressed with how compact it was. Now we’re even more impressed because we’ve experienced how punchy and easy-to-use it is as well.

Reality check

Electronics have always been a feature on the Multistrada, and of course the V4 range has taken another step forward. We’ll quote from the Ducati briefing material so we don’t get confused and cock things up. Hold on tight, now…

‘The inertial platform (IMU) manages the operation of ABS Cornering, Ducati Wheelie Control (DWC), Ducati Traction Control (DTC), in the “cornering” version and, on the Multistrada V4 S, the Cornering Lights (DCL). Another as-standard feature on the Multistrada V4 S is Vehicle Hold Control (VHC), which makes restarts easier, especially on a gradient. On the Multistrada V4 S, the inertial platform also communicates with the semi-active Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) system. The latter is not only capable of

u

Riding the V4 S is an exceptional experience.

analysing riding conditions and adjusting the hydraulics of the fork and shock absorber instantly, but - for the first time - it also integrates the Autoleveling function. This recognizes the load on the bike and then autonomously adjusts the setting and is offered in addition to the options already available: rider only, rider with luggage, rider with passenger or rider with passenger and luggage. The tyre pressure monitoring system is also available as an optional for the Multistrada V4.

To further improve the customer’s riding experience, Ducati technicians have completely revised both user interface and dashboard graphics (now multilingual), which on the Multistrada V4 S features an adjustable 6.5-inch TFT unit. Furthermore, on the S version a joystick has been added in the left switchgear, to ensure easy navigation through the new and intuitive menu. Other new features include the Ducati Connect system, which allows, via Bluetooth and wi-fi, the “mirroring” function of the mobile phone app on the dashboard

and control via the joystick. Phone and music management results intuitive, while using the Sygic navigation app the rider can visualize the navigation system map directly on the dashboard. Finally, in the upper section of the tank a compartment has been obtained, accessible via a small door, in which it is possible to store the smartphone and keep it charged via an USB port.

Thanks to the Multistrada V4 Ducati also

introduces an absolute gem in the world of motorcycles: the revolutionary Radar system, which allows the use of Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) and Blind Spot Detection (BSD). Radars are advanced aid systems that Ducati have developed in close collaboration with a top-level technology partner like Bosch, systems capable of supporting and making riding more comfortable thanks to the ability to

Above: Ducati’s Multistrada V4 S. Select ‘Enduro’, wind back the traction control and go!

Right: A beautifully clear and easy-to-read TFT screen.

reconstruct the reality surrounding the motorbike.’

Got that?

Good.

This one

Our review bike was the ‘S’ model, which meant:

Q Electronic semi-active Marzocchi Ducati Skyhook Suspension (DSS) Evolution suspension system with Autoleveling function. 170 mm travel front and 180mm rear

Q Spoked wheels

Q 330mm front brake discs with Brembo Stilema four-piston radial callipers

Q Full LED headlight with DRL system and Ducati Cornering Lights (DCL)

Q Hands-free ignition

Q Instrument panel with 6.5-inch, fullcolour TFT screen

Q Ducati Connect with smartphone, music, and navigator app

Q Ducati Quick Shift (DQS) up and down

Q Cruise Control, AND

Q Vehicle Hold Control (VHC).

We also had crash bars with a light on each which we think is listed in the briefing material as ‘Engine protector bar and supplementary LED light’.

“ Italians do style better than anyone, and the sheer, purring, pouting sexiness of the new Multistrada is impossible to ignore. ”

One thing it’s not easy to describe in words is just how gorgeous is the paintwork and finish. Italians do style better than anyone, and the sheer, purring, pouting sexiness of the new Multistrada is impossible to ignore. We didn’t feel we captured it in the photos, but across a crowded Macca’s parking lot or in a group of any bikes anywhere, the Mutlistrada clearly stands out and demands attention.

Like a catwalk model, the closer you get, the more the detail and luxury of the presentation becomes obvious.

Cut and thrust

Riding the V4 S is, as we’ve already indicated, an exceptional experience.

On any road the motor is responsive, the suspension works well, the quickshifter is as good as any we’ve used, and the handling is as any sensible person would expect from Ducati (exceptional).

We were a little sceptical about the Active Cruise Control, but once we hit the freeway we very quickly settled in to letting the bike do pretty much everything.

Above: An exceptional dualsporter.

Left: Backlit switching is brilliant, and the thumboperated joystick is a great feature.

u

duCaTi mulTisTRada V4 s

s Recommended price: From $42,200 ride-away.

Web: ducati.com

Engine type: V4 Granturismo, V4 - 90°, four valves per cylinder, counter-rotating crankshaft,

Twin Pulse firing order, liquid cooled

Displacement: 1158cc (71 cubic inch)

Bore x stroke: 83mm x 53.5mm

Compression ratio: 14.0:1

Power: 170hp (125 kW) @ 10,500rpm

Torque: 12.7kgm (125Nm, 92 lb ft) @ 8750rpm

Fuel injection: Electronic fuel-injection system, Øeq 46mm elliptical throttle bodies with rideby-wire system

Exhaust: Stainless-steel muffler, double catalytic converter and four lambda probes

Gearbox: Six-speed

Primary drive: Straight-cut gears, ratio 1.8:1

Ratio: 1=40/13, 2=36/16, 3=34/19, 4=31/21, 5=29/23, 6=27/25

Final drive: Chain, front sprocket z16, rear sprocket z42

Clutch: Multiplate wet clutch with hydraulic control, self-servo action on drive, slipper action on over-run

Frame: Aluminum monocoque frame

Front suspension: Ø50mm fully adjustable USD fork, electronic compression and rebound damping adjustment with Ducati Skyhook Suspension

Front wheel: Light alloy cast, 3” x 19”

Front tyre: Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 120/70 ZR 19

Rear suspension: Fully adjustable monoshock, electronic adjustment with Ducati Skyhook Suspension, aluminium double-sided swingarm

Rear wheel: Light alloy cast, 4.5” x 17”

Rear tyre: Pirelli Scorpion Trail II 170/60 ZR 17

Wheel travel front/rear: 170mm/180mm

Front brakes: Two Ø330mm semi-floating discs, radially mounted Brembo M50 Stylema monobloc four-piston two-pad callipers, radial master cylinder, Cornering ABS

Rear brake: Ø265mm disc, Brembo two-piston floating calliper, Cornering ABS

Instrumentation: 6.5” TFT colour display with Ducati Connect and full-map navigation system

Dry weight: 218kg

Kerb weight: 243kg

Seat height: Adjustable, 840mm – 860mm

Wheelbase 1567mm

Rake: 24.5°

Trail: 102.5mm

Fuel-tank capacity: 22 litres

Number of seats: Two

Safety equipment: Riding Modes, Power Modes, ABS Cornering, Ducati Traction Control, Ducati Wheelie Control, Daytime Running Light, Ducati Cornering Light, Ducati Brake Light, Vehicle Hold Control

Standard equipment: Ducati Skyhook Suspension, Ducati Quick Shift, Cruise control, Hands-free, Backlit handlebar switches, 6.5” TFT colour display with Ducati Connect and full-map navigation system, Full LED headlight Warranty: 24 months, unlimited mileage

Maintenance service intervals: 15,000km/24 months. Desmoservice: 60,000km

Above: A scarcely believable 66.7kg, the 1158cc donk offers 170hp at 10,500 rpm and a chunky 125Nm of torque.

Right: Liftoff! The V4 S is a missile.

As usual, we were a bit slow on the uptake. We set the speed we wanted – 110kph – slouched down into our long-distance, half-sleepy riding position and began to make a few mental notes about the screen, cockpit layout, TFT screen and so forth, and then noticed we were only doing 100kph. We fiddled with the cruise-control reset button, cancelled, reset, and pushed the setting up to warp speed but couldn’t get any more pace out of the thing.

Then we realised what was going on. The car in front was only travelling at 100kph and the bike was holding us at a safe distance. When we moved across a lane the frigging thing took off like fat through a goose!

Captain Kirk on a pogo stick! Wasn’t the bike happy to be set free!

Another thing which we didn’t think there’d be much use for was the blindspot indicator. But again, once we were in laned traffic the amber flashers on the inner edges of both mirrors were going off like disco lights. We’d have had no idea there were vehicles so close if we’d just glanced in the mirrors.

So we’re far more receptive to those new features than we thought we would’ve been.

Any kind of high-speed running or, best of all, twisting bitumen, disappears at insane speed under the Ducati. It’ll carve up everything from shitty, potholed backroads to smooth freeway with total confidence, and it’ll look good doing it. It’s safe, incredibly comfortable, and can be ridden seriously fast.

The Ducati loan agreement specifically forbid taking the bike to a race track, but we’d have been sorely tempted (it even

has a built-in lap timer). This bike has so much to offer there’s no way it can be used to its potential on a public road.

Down and dirty

Naturally, adventure riding implies coping with the unknown or unexpected, and usually that happens off road.

After a whole lot of rain we set off for our suspension test track. The few days before had been sunny and warm, so finding the forest totally saturated was unexpected. We were dumped off the bike on slippery clay within about the first kilometre and then found ourselves well and truly bogged a long way from help. As much as we rate the Pirelli STRs as first-class tyres, it was one time where a more aggressive tread would probably

have made a big difference.

That’s the other side of the V4 S. It’s big and heavy, and when deep sand, mud wallows or slippery surfaces present themselves, it needs a very good rider to

“ Once the rider loses control the sheer mass of the bike can make recovery very difficult. ”

remain master of the situation – probably someone with the riding ability of photo rider Nick Selleck, for example. For the rest of us, once the rider loses control the sheer mass of the bike can make recovery very difficult.

Still, sensibly, bikes of this size aren’t willingly taken into those situations, and in dualsport terrain like forestry dirt roads, and even more challenging technical terrain without the added drama of mud or deep sand, the Multistrada fair rips along. The mass which causes the difficulty in heavy going combines with stellar handling and drive to provide a wonderful stability, and of course, the electronics help guide a throttle-happy rider safely through any potentially red-mist errors of judgement.

Al a mode

The four modes on our test bike were Sport, Touring, Urban and Enduro. We found ourselves flicking between Enduro and Touring. Sport gave a fairly

u

sharp throttle response and was honestly a little disappointing to try and use at legal speeds. The bike coped just fine, but the promise of exceptional speed, acceleration and braking were strong, and we couldn’t trust ourselves not to try it out. Doing so would’ve put us in licence-cancelling territory in very short order.

Touring settled things nicely and felt as though comfort was the aim. The bike was still plenty lively, but it was less manic in the throttle response and the suspension was a tad softer. Our road riding was mostly about getting from one dirt road to another, so touring was ideal.

Urban was good, but we couldn’t find a use for it, really. Sport was where we wanted to be, and Touring worked fine in traffic, so we were happy.

Enduro, of course, was where we spent most of the time.

Nick Selleck had clued us up that perhaps Ducati had been a little over-

protective with its recommendations on traction control, and we agreed. One of the great things about the Ducati modes is they allow the rider to tune each mode. If traction control feels a little intrusive in Enduro, just go in there and wind it back a little. Or turn it off. The same goes for all the other parameters listed.

That makes personalising the bike easy, and we learnt from our time with earlier Multistradas that there are astonishing performance gains to be made from taking the time to learn the menu and do the tuning. The V4 S is no different. Get it right for your style of riding and you’ll be staggered at how good a rider you can actually be.

Above: Amazing performance on- and off-road. Below left: The windscreen is so easy to adjust. Just grab the large clip above the TFT display and move it up or down to suit. Below right: Heated seats. A nice touch.

Lowdown

A recent software update affected things like accessing heated grips, media volume control, Ducati Connect and navigation. One of the coolest things is the addition of a ‘minimum preload’ setting. Basically, the ride height, and subsequently the seat height, drop at low speeds by temporarily reducing spring preload to the minimum to make low speed manoeuvring easier.

We haven’t really gone close to telling you about this bike. There’s so much going on here we’d need half-a-dozen magazines to try and cover it all. Go to the Ducati website for a full rundown, or, better still, get in to a dealer and ask for a demo on the menu, learn to navigate your way around the beautifully clear and easy-to-read TFT screen, then ride and tune to chase your goals. We’re betting the V4 S will score those goals for you without much effort on the bike’s part at all.

On the

International travel comeback trail

Borders are opening. Scott Stoodley shares the experience of packing his helmet as his tour company, Bike Tours Asia, launched back into action.

and

Words

images: Scott Stoodley

In January 2022 the travel window was opened enough to make my long-awaited return to Thailand from where I’d scurried back to Australia almost two years ago. It was time to get back on the bike.

The international travel process isn’t what it was before COVID, but it can be done safely and securely, albeit with some patience and online preparation required.

Not so bad

At the time of writing, entry into Thailand is okay for Australian passport holders with a ‘Thailand Pass’. It’s not all that different to the state border passes we’ve been using within Australia for some time now, and basic requirements to apply online include flights booked, accommodation booked, travel insurance in place and a vaccine certificate. Most of these things would’ve been done for international travel under normal circumstances anyway, so they were really no big deal. It just means they’re all recognised under one banner.

There are upsides to the current travelling conditions. There’s less punters heading overseas for starters, and lesscrowded airports and flights make for more comfortable travel – we each had a few spare rows of seats on my Sydney-toPhuket flight, for instance. Major airlines are also offering flexibility on date

changes at no cost and accommodation deals are really friendly on the pocket.

Tough week

Arrival processing at Phuket airport was spot-on efficient, and even with all the various document checks and arrival PCR test I was in my hotel-transfer car within 20 minutes of stepping off the aircraft. Sweet!

I had to spend seven days on Phuket awaiting my test result, free to travel anywhere on the island, before being clear to then head off to any province of Thailand. In my case the next destination was Chiang Mai and the Bike Tour Asia service centre. We had two groups booked and primed for tours from late January through early February.

Let me assure you seven days ‘forced vacation time’ on Phuket with smallerthan-normal crowds is no great punishment. There’s plenty to do while test results are being processed.

My wheels of choice for the week were the Yamaha 155cc sport scooter. Mine even came in the traditional Yamaha yellow-and-black, and at around AUD$12 per day there’s no better way to tour the island at your own pace. Navigation is easy. There’s a main road running around the circumference of the island and a network of inland connecting roads which access and backtrack to any sights or attractions. The steep cliffs rise almost directly off the beaches and provide some great fun sections of up-and-down twists with plenty of viewing points to stop and take in the scenery. Dining venues are dotted along many of these viewing points, so there’s lots of choice to stop whenever the urge for more steamed fish or prawn fried rice comes along (and maybe the odd cold bottle of Singha). Beaches, elephant camps or inland walking tracks…there’s plenty of choice to keep busy or just sit back and relax at the beach.

Left: Lots of fun riding along the hilly coastline. Above: Standard issue for scooter rental. Probably not EU approved. Right: The wheels suited the situation.

on The ComebaCk TRail

This routine was continued on a daily basis, just in different directions, but when the COVID all-clear notice arrived it was time to head off to the Bike Tour Asia office and get to work.

Back to work

With a few short tours booked for late January and early February we took to the Bike Tour Asia service centre and support van with the cleaning brushes and gave the operation a well-deserved spruce up prior to guests arriving.

The cleanup was completed just in time for Robert from the USA, a solo, selfguided rider who picked up his 1250GS. Rob grabbed the GPS and took in the overview briefing for his days ahead, then rode off a happy chappy.

Next was a ride to trace the borders of Thailand/Myanmar and Thailand/Laos.

Five of us set off from Chiang Mai and spent the first day heading north towards Chiang Rai and around the Mae Suai Dam, into the higher-altitude tea plantation region of Doi Mae Salong.

The roads to reach our overnight digs featured some long sections of very steep switchbacks, and the overnight guesthouse was a new one for us to try. A tea plantation, souvenir shop and restaurant had decided to go all in and put up some bungalows along the ridgeline of their property. The views were spectacular and the rooms very comfy.

Ol’ mate

The next day had us following the ridgeline border between Thailand and Myanmar.

Unfortunately, with the political and military power struggle in Myanmar it’s off the tourist list for a while. Having said that, in that far corner of the country you would never know of any issues. The impressive mountainous landscape just goes on and on, and a border checkpoint had been set up as a bit of a tourist stop with a cafe and viewing platforms. It made a pleasant bikers’ rest stop.

Following the border eventually brought us to the Golden Triangle and Mekong River where Laos joins the threeway border. Instead of our usual stopover there we kept heading east along the riverbank to the smaller town of Chiang

Khong. We’d planned to catch up with a motorcycle-travelling ex-pat Aussie who’d lived in the region for more than 40 years.

For real

Dave Unkovich (aka ‘GTR’ – the Golden Triangle Rider) now resides in Chiang Khong after Chiang Mai became too busy for him! He’s been a long-time supporter and helping hand to Bike Tour Asia, and his experience and knowledge of all things to do with motorcycle travel in the region are quite unbelievable. Dave is responsible for surveying and mapping many roads throughout northern Thailand and Laos and speaks the native languages fluently. The Thai local government even erected a road sign on a stretch of curves he christened ‘Paradise Road’ in his maps. GTR also knows how to get value for

Above: How many whiskey bottles of unleaded today? Right: There’s dining along the esplanade at sunset.

money out of his bikes, having racked up some incredible kilometres. A Honda Africa Twin was retired after 320,000km, and a Kawasaki Versys copped over 120,000km in under three years. He’s now on his second V-Strom 650 which has a mere 60,000km on it. In Dave’s world that’s like brand new.

After a night of visiting local dining and drinking establishments, Dave was kind enough to lead the group the following day and shared some secret backroads all the way to the next overnight stop at Phayo.

Cheers, Dave. You’re a true adventure motorcyclist!

All set

A guest house on the lake at Phayo provided a much-needed quieter night, but after waking to a low-oil light on the GS we went in search of a service garage. Close by we found a gem of a shop owned and run by Tom, a young Thai guy with a real passion for all things on two wheels. His workshop was immaculate to say the least, so it was another great contact made for future tour support.

We were soon on the road again, heading southwards back to the lower country and Chiang Mai, checking in on some hot springs and elephant camps on the way. It was great to see the businesses running again and everyone looking forward to more BTA group visits.

Finally, there was one last refuel before parking the bikes again. It was nice to have full driveway service at the local servos – I’m old enough to remember when we had that in Australia. The recon tour was a good one and all looks positive for the full restart and guiding tourists again.

now available for Kawasaki KLR650E 2nd Generation, 2008 to 2020 and Suzuki DR650SE 1996 to 2021.

Aprilride

Greg ‘Mr Bones’ Dunn increased his circle of riding mates with crazy nicknames on a wet ride through NSW and Victoria.

Words and images: Greg Dunn

Pat stood there, looking down at his bike laying in the flowing water. As I pulled up, kicked my stand down and ran, he yelled, “Stop! Wait!”

My boots slid on the slimy bottom and I almost went over. Pat laughed and said, “It’s bloody slippery, mate.”

He was right. It was treacherous.

Beer o’clock

We righted the 790 and got it to the far bank, Pat pointing out the saddlebags had held the pipe and airbox up out of the water, before I very carefully slithered my Triumph 900 Rally Pro across. We decided to walk the bikes through the rest of the crossings together, just to be sure we didn’t drown one on the first day. Having turned off the highway at

Singleton and headed for Lake St Clair and Glenbawn Dam, the decent 100-metre water crossing was our last challenge for the day, leaving us with wet boots and socks, but otherwise dry as we pulled into The KTM Kid’s mansion near Gundy in the Hunter Valley. We grabbed a cold beer from the fridge and settled in for a few before a fantastic dinner and a top night’s sleep.

Miffed

Friday we were up, packed and ready to roll early.

Rush Rush had already been on the phone. He had to work in the morning then would head straight to Rylstone. Pat, The KTM Kid and I had the day to find some dirt that was u

Main: Low-lying cloud at Lake Cobbler. Above: It was decided to walk through the crossings together to avoid drowning a bike on the first day.

still passable after all the rain.

We rolled out of Gundy and looped around through Timor into Blandford and found the water was up and flowing fast on Chilcotts Creek Road. Walking the crossings before taking the bikes across was the go after Pat had been caught out again by a slimy causeway, proving just how bloody slippery and difficult they were.

We crisscrossed our way west through Blackville and roosted up and over Pandora Pass, stopping for a quick photo at the top. Everyone was just starting to get comfortable again after so long away from riding as we dropped down into Coolah for a cold beer and lunch.

Outside the pub a local commented on The KTM Kid’s 890. The Kid loves it when people comment on his bike.

A reasonably uneventful afternoon

consisted of trying to find some dirt through Leadville before heading to Mudgee and Rylstone. The KTM Kid asked about stopping in for a beer at the Lue Hotel and I pointed out we were only 15 minutes or so from Rylstone and should push on.

I know The Kid loves his beers, but didn’t he let me know how unhappy he was about it!

The Rylstone Hotel is a great, friendly pub with lock-up sheds for the bikes, and it was there we met with Rush Rush and his trusty 800GSA for a great night, a few beers and a top feed.

New faces

After an early breakfast Saturday the familiar pulse of a big twin heralded the arrival of Hodgey on his Africa Twin with Toddells and Nell on their matching

Left: “It’s bloody slippery, mate.”

Below: Fantastic dirt roads to Lake Wyangala.

790s in tow. These three had organised the ride and we were just tagging along, happy to be out riding. After introductions were made, we geared up and covered some beautiful tar to Bathurst and fuel, then headed south towards Trunkey, Newbridge and lunch at the Gladstone Hotel.

It was a top morning riding new roads with new people, and that’s what adventure riding is all about in my eyes.

Kickin’ Yass

Hodgey had planned some fantastic dirt roads down to Lake Wyangala, and after lunch tracked for Neville and onto dirt through Pennsylvania State Forest. The country was fantastic: Taylors Flat, Boorowa, Glenrowan and Bango, the scenery of southern NSW was fully green after all the rain.

Great flowing roads eventually brought us to Yass, a town that was interesting on a Saturday night to say the least. We had a few beers and a feed, but the real entertainment was some of the traveling workforce who, it’s fair to say, were in full flight.

Name game

Sunday took us through Good Hope to Lake Burrinjuck.

A loop from Wee Jasper Road along Mountain Creek Road, Sawes Gully Road and back on to Wee Jasper Road at Narrangullen soon had us rolling down through the forest and soaking up as

much of the scenery as we could. The road turned to tar again near Tumut, and it really was beautiful riding down through Batlow and on to Tumbarumba, Ournie and the start of River Road.

What a great bit of gravel!

It was slightly misty, which meant no dust and plenty of grip, and we all had a bit of fun following the Murray River. I stopped several times to try and get a photo of riders with the water in the background, but photos never do it justice.

Jingellic pub made a good stop for a beer and lunch on the water’s edge. It was beautiful. Gloves and jackets were warmed by the fire and everyone was in high spirits after River Road being so grippy and great fun to ride.

With bellies full and some warmed-up gear we scooted nicely along on River Road, the kilometres passing with ease. Hodgey looked at home on his Africa Twin and was grinning every time we regrouped. Talmalmo had forest on one side and the river on the other and it really was a fantastic day to be riding.

We pulled up just as the last car disembarked the Wymah Ferry and rolled straight on to cross Lake Hume and then the very cool Bellbridge Bridge and Heywood Bridge before the short roll into Wodonga and our overnighter. It was a lovely little motel situated alongside a pub, and that suited us down to the ground. We met for a few cold ones and dinner with the new additions to the group: SO-TO, Hairy and The Milkman. A great night was had by all and everyone was excited at the thought of hitting the tracks as a group the next day.

Ass scent

Monday we were led out by SO-TO on his spotless Tiger 800. Hodgey had found some great roads to get us to Wodonga, but you can’t beat local knowledge, and SO-TO was on home ground.

We weren’t far into the day when a short dirt run through Allans Flat and tar to Myrtleford looped around Lake Buffalo and followed the Rose River. The Milkman was moving along well on his kitted-out yellow 1200 Super Ténéré and I enjoyed watching him work the big bike along.

Everyone was smiling when we turned on to Upper Rose River Road and I followed Hairy on his KLR motoring along beautifully. Everyone was loving the riding, and the Victorian high country did not disappoint.

SO-TO pulled up at an intersection to let everyone regroup. It was warming up as the riding demanded more of us, but we were all grinning as we had a few jelly snakes and enjoyed the moment. SO-TO said, “From here you follow this road and it takes you to Lake Cobbler. Easy. You can’t miss it.”

That wasn’t entirely true. We still hadn’t seen the lake through the fog, and I did manage to make the run up the hill not as easy as it should’ve been.

Edge grip

I always stress to people looking to get into bikes that good gear is important. So is rider training. At least I had good gear on me and on my Tiger.

We took off at a reasonable pace with Rush Rush and Pat clearing off in front of me. I was happy to run my own pace and was running some music in my helmet. But, as happens from time to time, the pace crept up as we started to enjoy the riding. This is no doubt what brought me undone…this and a slight case of target fixation. u

I made it 18km up Cobbler Lake Road, winding through the forest and into the low-lying cloud and decreasing visibility. I came out of a right-hand bend into a left-hander carrying some momentum, as one does, and thought, ‘I’m going too quick’. I braked, locked up the rear, and then saw the drop off.

It was a silly mistake. I could probably have pitched it in and made the corner if I’d looked where I wanted to go, but there I was, down on my left side just before going over the edge.

Thump!

There’s a reason I’m called ‘Mr Bones’, but that’s another story involving many trips to the ER. I started the wiggle check most of us have been through. There was no pain, so I stood up.

Still no pain. Fantastic.

I took one look at my bike and realised there was no chance of getting it out

without a struggle, so I clambered back up the hill, stripped off my helmet and jacket and waited.

The KTM Kid rolled around the corner and stopped. There’s a reason I love riding with these folks.

Question 1: “Are you okay?”

“Yes,” I replied.

Question 2: “Are you sure?”

Again: “Yes.”

Question 3: “What have you done, Bonesy!”

Up she rises

As he parked his bike and dragged out his phone, more bikes pulled up and I sent Hodgey forward to let those in front know the score. I turned to find The Kid filming the skid marks and where I went over the edge, laughing and saying, “Well, we appear to have a little problem.” There were several other utterances which were

definitely not printworthy.

It took the eight of us a few choice words and a load of effort to get the Tiger back up onto Cobbler Lake Road. I owe a big, ‘Thanks!’ to all the riders because it was an almost vertical push back up.

With only 30 minutes or so lost we were back rumbling along with only scratches to the 900’s crash bars and zero damage to myself or my kit. Considering I’d pitched it off the edge, dropped around 2.5 metres, and the bike was in fourth gear when I picked it up, it was a bloody miracle.

I’d landed in a pile of soft undergrowth. I was lucky and I knew it.

Hump day

At Lake Cobbler we were greeted by low-hanging cloud that limited our vision to about 10 metres and made for an eerie outlook. A stop at the top for photos, a

snack and some banter at the expense of yours truly was all in good fun.

The great riding began again straight away, down what the local boys called ‘The Staircase’. I was happy to cruise along at the back for a while and let my heartrate come back to normal. I was following Nell, watching her wrangle the 790 up a slippery hill, when I saw Hodgey up ahead come to a stop on an erosion hump. The Milkman took evasive action, swerved to the right and, just past the hump, dropped the rear wheel of his 1200 into a rut and stopped dead. Nell went left of Hodgey and I went to the right between the two stopped bikes. As I passed Hodgey I could see the issue: there was puddle right in front of him that would clearly swallow his AT.

I rode to the next level piece of ground and stopped. These lads had helped me pull my bike up an embankment not 40 minutes ago. It would’ve been poor form to just push on and leave them.

I slipped my way back down on foot and, with Hodgey’s help, got the big 1200 and The Milkman moving again. Hodgey only had to swing his AT around to miss the puddle and he was off and flying.

I followed the big bikes down to Kings Hut where everyone was milling around eating sandwiches and generally taking it easy enjoying the day.

Picture perfect

Photos were taken and laughs had before we once again moved on down Speculation Road and followed alongside Kings River. We turned onto Circuit Road and wound our way up to Craigs Hut, one of, if not the, most famous hut in the high country.

The low-hanging cloud robbed us of scenic views, but it was great to see it in real life. I have a large, framed picture of the hut on my bedroom wall, so it was quite cool to finally be there in person.

Circuit Road wound its way through the Mount Stirling Reserve and turned into

Stirling Road, all the while throwing up amazing vistas and fantastic riding. It was a great way to end a day of ups and downs.

Bright outlook

Tuesday kicked off with The KTM Kid adjusting his chain and we all muttered about doing some maintenance to our bikes.

When we set off it was almost straight on to the dirt of Old Tolmie Road. More great tar followed through Myrrhee State Forest to Whitfield and then down to Lake Buffalo on some wide-open forest roads –but not before a wrong turn or two saw us loop out and back to where we’d turned off. No one cared. It was all about the riding and the weather was playing ball.

We were ticking off the distance as

Top far left: The author realised there was no chance of getting the Tiger out without a struggle. Top left: It took the eight riders and a load of effort to get the Tiger back up onto Cobbler Lake Road.

Left: Just the four riders at Mitta Mitta for a cold beer and a cabin at the caravan park.

Above: Craigs Hut, one of, if not the, most famous huts in the high country.

Right: SO-TO picked up a flat on his Tiger 800.

we headed down to Lake Buffalo and Goldie Spur through Mount Buffalo National Park. What stunning views! But you don’t want to run wide on those tracks as they leave no room for error. I started to feel my rear brake getting spongy coming down and was quite cautious.

I found SO-TO with his Tiger 800 parked up along with The KTM Kid, Toddells and Nell, all standing around looking at the Tiger’s front wheel with that familiar expression of concern. Out came the tools and we told the next bike along, Hodgey, to let everyone at the bottom of the hill know why we were delayed.

Not to point out anyone here, but SO-TO and his tool kit were found wanting. It was lucky my Tiger 900 had the same front-wheel tool or he might still be parked up there. It’s always a good idea, folks, to go over your bike with the tools you plan to carry and make sure you can carry out whatever repairs might be necessary.

In any event, we had a great view while changing the tube. We all pitched in, and it wasn’t long before we were rolling down the hill to a pub at Porepunkah where the boys had planned lunch, but it was closed. As everyone discussed where to get a feed, I noticed my rear-brake pedal wasn’t coming back up. Upon further inspection it was full of grime from a week of riding wet roads. I removed the cover, took off the pedal, cleaned it, then

Right: A quick photo at the top of Pandora Pass.

hit it with some all-purpose lube – thanks, Pat – and we were good to go again. Bright Brewery was our lunch spot and what a cracking little place it was, although, like most similar places, we paid for the privilege.

Scrubbed up

After lunch Pat, Rush Rush, The KTM Kid and myself bid farewell to our ride companions of the previous few days. We’d seen and discovered some great new riding and met some fantastic new folks to ride with, but we pushed on to get some more dirt in before we got wet gloves.

With full tanks and tummies we took on Tawonga Gap Road, another spectacular tar blast through the forest.

Adventure bikes are great for it all, really. They can push on through the tar twisties and have fun, then carve up on a fast forest road where front and back wheels are rarely in line. They can smash hills with erosion humps and river crossings that feel like you’re taking on the world, ticking off one road at a time.

From Tawonga we scooted off down Maintain Creek Road and, just as we started to get switched over from road to dirt, we hit Trappers Gap Road.

As we’d learned to expect in those

TRAVEL PERKS

Adventure riding now has a new and exciting dimension thanks to CFMOTO, with a KTM-sourced engine wrapped in a razor-sharp package brimming with technical flair and impressive styling.

800MT STANDARD FEATURES

7-inch TFT screen Ride by-wire throttle

Multiple riding modes Cruise control

Adjustable screen Fog lights Crash bars

USB charging LED lights and turn signals.

Tyre pressure monitoring Wire-spoked wheels

Centrestand Quickshifter Handguards

Alloy bashplate Steering damper

parts, it was fantastic riding with a side serve of great scenery, and, with just the four of us, the pace picked up a little. This fun-but-technical road took us all the way to Mitta Mitta for a cold beer and a cabin at the caravan park where we got stuck into some overdue bike maintenance. Chains were adjusted, prefilters changed and I checked out my rear brake. Struth. We even threw in a load of washing. It always amazes me how I can pack so light and still bring home clothes I haven’t worn. One day I’ll find the perfect balance.

With clothes washed and in the dryer, bikes in better shape, and having cleaned even ourselves, we headed to the pub for a feed.

Not again

Wednesday was another beautiful, crisp morning and we were on the bikes at around 7.20am heading to Tallangatta for breakfast. Callaghan Creek Road was up first, and I don’t like to repeat myself, but it was more fantastic riding. A quickfire 100km so before breakfast definitely worked up an appetite.

From Tallangatta it was north to Lake Hume and back over the Wymah Ferry and onto River Road again. This time there was dust, so we spread out and settled into a nice, fast pace. Every now and then one of us would stop to photo or video the others going past. It was great riding. The kilometres passed easily to Tumbarumba, Batlow and finally Tumut for lunch.

It started to rain as we saddled up to head for more dirt and on to Yass for the night, and The KTM Kid and Rush Rush had moved off down the road when I heard someone yell out. I looked back to

see Pat pointing at his front wheel.

Another flat.

We pulled into the servo and I texted the two boys who were off down the road. Then we started to rectify the problem. It turned out the tyre had some wire hanging from it near the bead. It was quite a strange thing as the tyre wasn’t that old. We searched nearby for a shop with a tyre, but to no avail, and decided Yass was probably our best bet. We couldn’t trust it through the forest, so Pat and I set off along the Hume Highway. It was a terrible section.

There were no suitable tyres available in Yass, but Pat’s front tyre looked and felt alright, so he decided to stock up on tubes and run it home.

We met up with The KTM Kid and Rush Rush at our digs for the night. Once again food and beer was plentiful, as was the rain. We heard it all night and it was still there in the morning.

Each way

Thursday arrived with the sound of proper rain.

We rugged up and decided to try and get ahead of the wet by darting to Bathurst on the tar. It seemed a good decision as the last 30 minutes into town were dry.

Once at Bathurst we discussed our options. We were going to get wet if we pushed on, and we were fairly certain of a drenching the next day as well. It was decided to split up and head to our final destinations. The Upper Hunter boys took Bylong Valley and Pat and I the southern Bilpin route.

Hands were shaken, thanks were given, and we set off.

Done, but not dusted

Pat and I followed the highway to Lithgow for a beer, then motored on to Bilpin and Mountain Lagoon Road. The Great Western was wildly slippery and the 900 spun up several times as it hit slick tar-repair spots while cruising at 80kph. Pat reported his 790 doing the same.

The effects of the flooding weeks before were still evident through Upper Colo and on to The Putty. Roads were still under repair and debris on fences showed how high the water had been. We weren’t pushing on too much due to the rain having caught up to us, and Wheelbarrow Ridge Trail was in slightly better condition than the road, so we picked up the pace as we edged a little closer to home and a warm shower.

The road along the Macdonald River to St Albans showed signs of flooding from weeks before as well, and the road to Bucketty needed respect as 4WDs took up all available space.

We cruised along enjoying ourselves, but it wasn’t without its challenges. The final three kilometres had been recently repaired and was a nasty sandpit which really kept us on our toes.

Then, just like that, we were sitting at Wollombi enjoying a cold beer, talking about the week’s riding, the new roads and the new friends we’d made. I’ll give adventure riding a 10-out-of-10 for that. There are always new places to go and always new people to go with. Mid-beer we got a message from The KTM Kid saying he’d arrived home safe and almost dry. Rush Rush texted shortly after to say he was home safe…but wringing wet.

Trappers Gap Road was fantastic riding with a side serve of great scenery.

Something Different!

Graeme Sedgwick headed off to re-acquaint himself with the crossover border country immediately north of the Murray River.

Words and images: Graeme Sedgwick

As I was lounging out of the rain on the forecourt of a petrol station – which, frankly, I wasn’t at all that excited about leaving – a bloke approached and struck up a conversation. He asked where I’d come from and where I was headed.

It was a good question. My response: “Victoria’s west coast,” had him reply, “Mate! You wanna head to the river country. The pubs are great!” To which I queried, “Where, precisely?”

“Errr…north-westish of Echuca,” offered my new-found advisor. “Me and me mates are fencing contractors. We take our fourbees, bikes and swags. It beats the crap out of this weather.”

At the time I couldn’t argue. The dark sky above wasn’t the least inviting, and although coping with bad weather goes with adventure riding, it doesn’t mean we have to enjoy it.

I actually knew the area he was suggesting. We bumped fists and parted.

Different good

The bloke’s idea shared on that miserable day resurfaced recently, so I headed off to an area generally within the triangle between Barmah and Gunbower in Victoria and Pretty Pine in NSW. It’s a place where one can at once be among countless River Red Gums and within easy

reach of an assortment of lesshectic country pubs and unbeatable serenity.

Not known for gnarly, deep sand and water crossings, it’s a destination loaded with surprises. Echuca/Moama didn’t require having to ride a gazillion kilometres so made a good jump-off point for me, and would be a particularly good rendezvous if riders were making their way from different locations. For an area offering uncomplicated spaces and an assortment of riding with close proximity to some great watering holes, one could do a lot worse.

Speaking of which, there’s three pubs in the triangle worth noting. There’s the unassuming Gunbower Family Hotel, owned and operated by farmer, butcher and publican, Richard McGillivray.

When it opened in the 1940s the ‘Gunny’ boasted it was a paradise for sportsmen, offering hare, rabbit and duck hunting (when in season), and cod and perch fishing, within three minutes of its front door. The Gunny services the town of Wee Wee Rup, a curious rural village spotted along both sides of the Murray Valley Highway 40kms northwest of Echuca. It’s also immediately south of the meandering Murray River and Perricoota bush country,195 square kilometres of state forest loaded with tracks.

Left: Contemplating the Murray. Below: A destination loaded with surprises.

The Gunny’s history is noteworthy. The Gunbower pastoral station was first occupied in 1845 around Gunbower and Mount Hope Creeks, an agriculturally significant wheat and barley growing area in country heavily timbered with Swamp Gum, Box, Dogwood and acacia varieties. The forest on Gunbower Island, bordered by the Murray River and Gunbower Creek, was in its time an envied source of Red Gum timber, and the area’s sandy loams were ideal for citrus and tobacco growing. In later years the district benefited from the construction of the Kow Swamp reservoir, the Waranga scheme and the Torrumbarry weir on the Murray River for irrigation purposes. However, that redirection of water lessened the flood frequency into the forest and Red Gum growth has fallen off. A challenge in 2014 brought about the forest being artificially flooded to mimic natural floods in a move to keep the Red Gums alive.

In short, the sprawling forestry spaces known as Gunbower Island, Perricoota and Koondrook State Forests along the NSW side of the Murray River immediately north of Gunny and further westward through to Barham and Murrabit –excluding the smaller Campbell’s Island and Guttrum State Forests – offer plenty to discover. But be aware, road and track standards within Gunbower Island vary greatly, with a majority of tracks only accessible during dry conditions via major access roads together with River, Koondrook, Iron Punt and Nursery Tracks.

27.2km (17 miles), meaning Pretty Pine was one of those change points on the 125km run from Echuca.

clay base.

Pretty special

Further north, but not far, a scratchy Caldwell Line over the Wakool River and Werai South Road can easily and quickly give a run up into a smaller Barratta Creek State Forest which jumps around either side of the Edwards River.

The reward for this much smaller forestry squirt is its proximity to the locality of Pretty Pine and the hotel with the same wonderful name.

A complete contrast to the Gunny, the Pretty Pine Hotel at Deniliquin is a perfect place to stop, chill and ponder less-hectic bygone times – times when Pretty Pine was one of the last changing stations for the famous Cobb & Co coaches on the Hay, today named the Cobb Highwayto-Deniliquin run. Thankfully, the Pretty Pine Hotel remains as a powerful sentinel of those pioneering years and continues to serve refreshments and meals to passing travellers.

It’s interesting to note there were no set distances between Cobb & Co horse-changing stations. The stops during those days depended largely on the availability of water. The DeniliquinMoama run had four change stations: Hill Plain, Mathoura, Moira and the Yellow Waterhole between Moama and Moira. Typically horses were changed at intervals varying between 19.2km (12 miles) and

It’s a whole lot different to distances our mechanical thoroughbreds are capable of knocking over today.

Pretty Pine is a special example of what was and remains of a bygone time when the country was an unpredictable frontier. Historical evidence records an itinerant hawker, George Mayson, was bashed to death and robbed while he slept, just across the road from the Pretty Pine Hotel. His alleged killer was arrested several days later in Mathoura and hanged.

It was a very different, some might say more effective, deterrent compared to today.

More options

Away from The Pine, it’s a quick run south on secondary roads into what’s broadly referred to as the Barmah-Millewa Forest, comprised of Gulpa Islands, Mora and Barmah State Forestry areas. If you seek a map, Hayman’s Maps’ Barmah Millewa and Gunbower – which includes Barratta Creek Forest – are good references if more detail is required. There are numerous options throughout the river-and-forest landscape, mixed with plenty of fun sandy undulations, to upskill, if that’s important.

It’s all conveniently east of a comfy-sized Mathoura township that boasts a couple of very chilled pubs, an RSL, and the welcoming Red Gum Motel. Mathoura’s a smart choice for a base to access all, or any, of the triangle’s river-forest localities

Some of those tracks can quickly become muddy and slippery after relatively light rain because of the

Left: Running a rail-line track between rivers.

Above: Good Vibrations Motorcycle Museum at Mathoura. Call before a visit.

Right: There are numerous options throughout the river-and-forest landscape between

which also boast some great camp spots.

Call first

Mathoura and its neighbouring river forests have a fascinating story.

Almost 60 years after the first white settlement, Moira Station had established near Gulpa Creek. Around 100,000 acres carried some 3000 cattle and 4000 sheep. One of its owners, Henry Sayer Lewes, was the inventor of the wool press.

Mathoura, on the Carter Track, grew from where some scattered enterprises and an inn named Redbank catered for locals, overlanders and thousands of chattering cockatiels and Yellow and Eastern Rosellas. Deriving its name from the aboriginal word for windy, Mathoura grew as a timber town, milling eucalypt species that could tolerate flood and drought. The timber was ideal for fence strainers and posts, as well as construction timber for houses, bridges, wharves and railway sleepers. Offcut Red Gum became fuel for sawmills and to fire the boilers that powered riverboats and locomotives when the railway line opened between Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin in 1876.

Mathoura’s Pastoral Hotel, originally constructed of weatherboard in Livingstone Street, was rebuilt in 1915 with locally made bricks before a disastrous fire burned shops and houses and damaged the pub. Originally known as the ‘middle-pub’ until the Charleston Hotel (the ‘top pub’) burnt down in the mid-1980s, today’s Pastoral Hotel deserves

patronage. It’s an ephemera-packed affair with a giant stuffed Murray Cod, a great menu and friendly staff. Along with the RSL, it’s a must-go place after a day in the saddle. Riders should add Mathoura’s Good Vibrations Café and Motorcycle Museum into the mix, but be sure to ring on 0429 950 594 before you front, because COVID has upset the museum’s operating hours.

Backtrack

The river landscape east of Mathoura has plenty to offer, including any number of big, fast and seemingly resting ’roo and emu targets for those not on their game. Even so, a return run from Mathoura to Barmah can also be turned into a surprisingly undulating excursion if one’s open to some exploring. South to Echuca, via Barmah, offers a homeward-exit charge.

Barmah’s history is also significant, partly because of its Murray River Punt which, up until 1966, transported stock and vehicles from one side of the river to the other. The Maloney-owned Punt was believed to be able to carry 40 tons. Its operation was simple, running along a guide cable on the upstream side and a drive cable on the downstream side, each anchored to the Murray River banks.

The Barmah Forest’s area covers 660 square kilometres, making it the largest River Red Gum forest in the world! Not too shabby a dimension for a something-different destination that’s close to other river-island and forest areas with crazy names like Baratta, Gunny, Gulpa, Moira, Perricoota and Werai.

And they’re topped up with a cluster of more-than-half-amenable hotels offering good food and camaraderie with mates and fellow adventurers.

Far left: Barmah’s border crossing is marked by the old punt.

Barmah and Mathoura.

Two year

12 issues choc-full of the world’s most isolated destinations and the country’s bucket-list routes written and photographed by the people who were there.

For a two-year subscription we’ll include a unique, specially designed Adventure Rider Magazine tee* worth $29.95. That’s a whopping $149.35 value for just $98!

Australia Day jaunt

Taking two days leave turned Australia

Day into a five-day gate pass for Hopper. Heading west in January would likely be too hot. Victoria looked ideal.

Words: Hopper. Images: Hopper and Scott

Atwo-and-a-half-hour highway slog on the 890 had me at the meeting place: Pheasant’s Nest service centre, just south of Sydney. Scott was on his faithful 1090 and Bruce on his tricked-up 690, and I set the cruise control for the first hour of highway to Marulan.

Backroads took us to Bungonia and we finally struck dirt at Sandy Creek Road to find the normally sedate causeways deep and flowing fast due to the rain. Rather than risking the long crossing of the Shoalhaven River we stayed on Mayfield Road and the Kings Highway to Braidwood bakery for smoko.

Then we hit the dirt proper: Tudor Valley Road to Reidsdale.

I’d been through there several weeks prior, so I knew Mountain Pass Road, a rough, rutted trail from Araluen to Majors Creek, was closed due to a large rock fall. Monga Lane, Wallaces Gap Road and Cooma Road took us through Snowball and Countegany on our way to Nimmitabel bakery. From there we breezed up past Boco

u

Main: Harrisons Cut, where the river had been diverted in the goldrush days. Above: 2265km in five days.

ausTRalia day jaunT

Rock Wind Farm – around 60 huge wind turbines set along the ridgelines – before more backroads to Bombala and Delegate pub for the night.

All downhill

I gave the guys the option of taking on The Deddick Track, an iconic 4WD run through the Snowy River National Park, which they relished, before hitting Bendoc and picking up the well-maintained Yalmy Road for 30 clicks. There was a huge drop in track conditions as we turned onto The Deddick and progress slowed a little. The first unexpected ‘obstacle’ was Rodger River, which was deep and flowing fast. We managed to get across, but it was sketchy and we all ended up with wet feet.

Onwards we pressed, stopping at a signpost proclaiming ‘Mt Joan Staircase STEEP AND SLIPPERY’. I explained it used to be a quite challenging 4WD section, and was the section which was causing me some concern. I’d checked with locals at the pub the previous night and been informed the large rocks had been removed from The Staircase and we would be ‘fine’.

Scott wasn’t fazed and launched his 1090 for a full-frontal assault. Bruce and I proceeded somewhat more tentatively. On our big adventure bikes we were certainly out of our comfort zones, and all had issues making it to the bottom. The track being so steep and loose, brake

fade and boiling brake fluid were all part of it.

Big day out

We pressed on and found plenty more good riding until the crossing of Mountain Creek. It was flowing fast and around 400mm deep, and we were all thankful when we got a glimpse of McKillops Bridge through the trees. The route had certainly taken a lot longer than expected – five hours – and we grabbed the

Left: Author, Hopper, used a couple of days annual leave to stretch his Australia Day weekend. Below: Scott made it look easy.

Right: A very popular adventurer’s landmark. Bottom right: Blue Rag trig point had very limited views.

mandatory photo at the iconic bridge over the Snowy River.

From there it was a very scenic, winding climb to the main Jindabyne/Buchan road, and, seeing as we were all quite famished, we headed for Gelantipy expecting food.

We found nothing.

Thankfully the small Karoonda Park Holiday Camp took pity on us and knocked up some great sandwiches.

The very rocky Wombargo Track took us to Limestone Road, which we followed to Benambra and Omeo, then over Mount Birregum to our overnight stop, and our base for the next three nights, Dargo pub. It had been a big day.

Roger that

After a well-earned lay in, Dargo General Store set us up with coffees and egg-andbacon rolls and we geared up and headed off at 9.15am.

A blast up Dargo High Plains Road for 60km found the Blue Rag Range Track turn off encased in thick fog with near zero visibility. There were a couple of BMW riders already there, Tim on a 1200GS and Enda on an 850GS, contemplating taking

on the challenging ride to the summit. Enda, though new to adventure riding, was keen and was invited to join us. We offloaded his large fuel bladders for Tim to guard and off we set. The plan was to stop just before the steep, rocky descent and climb about two kilometres in to see how Enda was coping.

The heavy fog actually worked for us

as we couldn’t see the monster hills and were at the gate before we’d realised. It was about 3.5km along the ridge line to the summit and we had some issues on the second-last hill. It was steep and scattered with large, loose rocks, but we scrambled to the top and grabbed some photos of the very limited views with our new mate before heading back to the

gate. Thankfully Enda had a CB, so we were able to watch him tackle the climb out then confirm he had met up with Tim. That saved Scott or Bruce escorting him out and coming back, as we’d planned continuing on Basalt North Track.

Shafted

I stopped, intending to show the other two the ruins of the old railway carriage known as Basalt Knob Hut, burnt out in the January 2020 fires, but all sign of it had been removed.

We roared onto Brewery Creek Road and the descent to Crooked River, enjoying great views at the junction of Sarah Spur over Humffray River State Forest, before joining Crooked River Track for several kilometres. A drinks break at the crossing – which was deeper than usual but we all made it safely across – set us up for a long, steep climb up Collingwood Spur, which Scott and Bruce made look easy. I got struck in the same spot that always seemed to bring me undone.

We appreciated the views from the helipad then burst on to McMillan’s Road and into the old gold-mining town of Grant, set up in the Crooked River goldrush days (when the editor was a boy). I offered the boys a short walk

to look at the historic mines and a well-preserved chimney, but received an abrupt refusal.

“We’re here to ride, not walk,” was the retort from the two hardened adventure riders.

Pour things

Dargo High Plains Road then Upper Dargo Road took us past the many camping spots along the river and into Collins Flat. At Christmas it’d been bustling with activity, but on the January long weekend we had the place to ourselves.

The plan had been to cross the Dargo River and tackle the steep Stock Route Track up to Mount Birregun Road, but the river was much higher than normal and it was decided it wasn’t worth the risk, so we squirted onto Harrisons Cut where the river had been diverted back in the goldrush days. There was a great waterfall and a top place for a dip, but there were no takers among the boys.

I still had one more challenge for them: Downey Road, a steep, loose, rocky climb back to Dargo High Plains Road.

Scott and Bruce made easy work of it while I had a few moments, but the climb was conquered and we were back to base at 4.15pm, having covered 197km for the day. After fuel and food at the store, and a change of pre-filters and a squirt of chain lube, we settled in for another great

evening at the pub.

It started to rain at 6.30pm and was pouring hard when we rolled back to our rooms at 9.45pm.

Ups and downs

It rained all night and was still raining at 7.30am.

A briefing from tech-savvy Scott assured us it would rain until 10.00am, then clear. We filled the time with coffee and egg-and-bacon rolls, and by 10.30am the wet weather was just a memory.

The boys wanted to do ‘something’, so at 11.00am we headed south along Short Cut Road to pick up Crooked River Road and followed the Wonnangatta River and crossed Kingswell Bridge. The dirt road had held up well after the 45mm of overnight rain, and we pulled up at the bottom of the famous Billy Goat Bluff Track. With pressure from my hardcore companions I figured we’d have a look at least as far as the helipad, and we were soon climbing steeply. It was loose and rocky with wet clay, and about 500m in, just before the switchbacks, I lost momentum and couldn’t get going.

Scott cruised on by and stopped on a slightly flatter section to assist. Bruce sailed past.

I was clearly out of my league. This was much harder than Deddick, Collingwood and Downey Tracks. Not steeper, but much looser. Maybe in the dry I’d have gone further.

Bruce returned. He’d managed to get around the two switchbacks but was baulked at the rocky ascent beyond.

A U-turn had us heading back down – which was also a challenge.

Love all

Back to the main road we slithered and then continued south.

Freestone Creek Road then Insolvent Track took us to Briagolong, and while there was plenty of water on side of the road, the track was okay.

After a late lunch at the café and a splash of fuel, we headed back to Dargo for an awesome feed of ribs at the pub and watched Ash Barty win the Aussie Open on the big screen.

Premium

Thankfully the rain had abated when it was time for our journey home.

We left Dargo at 8.00am and found Mount Birregun encased in cloud. The left hand was basically a goggle wiper and progress was slow in zero visibility. The surface was also quite slippery after all the rain.

We fuelled and visited the bakery at Omeo, then, on Limestone Road, the rain ramped up again and we all donned wet-weather gear. Thankfully it was a good all-weather dirt road.

Barry Way was quite slippery and the Snowy River was a raging torrent compared to normal. There was zero view from Wallace Craigie Lookout, and we descended to Jindabyne and kept on to Berridale for lunch. Cooma and Bredbo came and went and then we were back on the dirt through Captain Flat to Braidwood. We didn’t bother looking at the Shoalhaven River crossing and retraced our steps to Bungonia and Marulan servo for fuel and to say our goodbyes.

The rain threatened, but thankfully held off, as I set the cruise control for the long haul back to Newcastle, arriving at 9.00pm with right on 900 clicks covered that day.

The trip total was 2265km, and even with the rain I still had a great ride.

Top:

Above:

Top left: Blue Rag Range Track was a challenge, as always.

Left: There was a huge drop in track conditions on The Deddick and progress slowed a little.

Two legendary adventure riders from Sydney: Scott (left) with his faithful 1090 and Bruce with his tricked-up 690.

Yalmy Road was well-maintained and good riding for 30km.

When border restrictions were finally eased I met up with a mate, Smut, in Dubbo (him from Lightning Ridge, me from Tamworth). Both 790R owners, we arrived within five minutes of each other, purchased some stuff from BCF, refilled fuel tanks, then, after all the COVID interruptions, set out on a third-time-lucky wish-list trip. Forbes greeted us at around 4.00pm and we decided to stay, do some fishing, rest and camp overnight. We tried a fishing shop and two servos for bait, and the last one directed us to a sign in the street saying ‘Bait’ with a mobile number. A phone call arranged a meeting, and Smut went out the back of a house with the bloke for the worms. They returned talking about ‘The Ridge’, and of the people he knew there who we also knew. Due to the heat of the day and because I was still wearing

all my riding gear, I was sweating profusely. Bob the worm man said, “Hang on a tick,” and offered a couple bottles of iced cold water and a fold-up six-pack cooler.

He also told us of a camping spot about five kilometres out of town where fish were biting. We volunteered that if we got too many we’d drop some off.

Cheers, Bob!

The brown water was roughly 1.5 metres below the riverbank when we got there and flowing at a fair pace. There was a lot of rubbish and a few logs, one of which looked like a bloody big crocodile.

We threw the lines in, had a couple of bites near the banks and under branches, but ended up with no fish for the pan.

With a couple of lines set we reheated meat pies in foil on the fire, then woofed a couple of fruit cups and beers. Next morning the

set lines were under water and the river level had risen to just near the top of the bank. It was time to go.

Near miss

Normally Forbes to West Wyalong is just over an hour’s ride, but only 40km out we were diverted eastward to Grenfell, Young, Temora and back to West Wyalong. We still had to ride through a couple of flooded water crossings, with the deepest coming up to the front fender and another pushing the bike sideways, (a sphincterpuckering moment, that one).

After a decent burger it was onward and westward to Hillston, which was nearly fatal. With the stinking-hot day, glare from riding into the sun, a long straight road, a big lunch plus lack of sleep –apparently caused by my snoring the night before – Smut had a micro-sleep moment. He managed

The people you meet

Two riders headed to one of their dream destinations and met a kaleidoscope of great and interesting people on the way.

to dodge a signpost, tree and wheat silo, but hit a guidepost. Thankfully it was one of those flexible ones, so a little paint chipped off the Barkbuster was the only damage. It could’ve been a totally different story.

I rode up beside him straight after and yelled, “You awake now?”

After a rest break, toilet, smoke and water at Rankins Springs, we rode onto Hillston and decided to stay a couple of days.

Lever age

Rain greeted us in Griffith and we pushed on to Leeton, stopped for fuel, went to take off and found one of the bolts holding the gear-selector linkage arm on my bike was missing and the arm was bent. Off came my kit to get to the toolkit and spare bolts. I was trying to straighten the arm when a young bloke asked if we were

okay. I told him the story and he said, “I’ve just bought two wrecked 890s. They should have the right part.”

We followed him to his place – me in first gear all the way – and what could’ve been a couple hours delay ended up being a five-minute fix. It took longer to ride to his place than to fix the bike. The

young feller refused any sort of payment, even a six pack of beer. He didn’t give his name and said he was just happy to help. A huge thanks to that unknown Samaritan.

From Leeton through Narrandera Smut led, supposedly heading for Mildura. He didn’t realise until about 20km out he’d

Words and images: Graham ‘Fingers’ Henry

Above: A third attempt at a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Right: The author. “G’day!”

The people you meeT

mistaken the route, and a quick U-turn, some backtracking and gravel roads took us to Lockhart and Albury where Smut’s neighbour, Mack*, called home.

Mack used to run a brothel in Albury back in the day and knew all the good fishing and tourist spots. He was a funny bloke who could spin a yarn or two. While we were there the weather forecast wasn’t promising, but there was a break in the fronts coming over so we decided to head off after two days.

Thanks, Mack.

Listen here

We left Albury at about 7.00am and headed across the border to Warrnambool and the first big item on our wish list: The Great Ocean Road.

After an all-day ride along Wangaratta backroads to Ballarat, Smut ran out of fuel about five kilometres from Mortlake. I kept going as arranged, and must’ve been running on fumes when I arrived. I think the bike has a 20-litre tank and I put in 20.5 litres. The service-station girl was very friendly but not overly helpful.

I couldn’t borrow a spare jerry because she didn’t have one, so I had to buy one.

Smut and I finally got into Warrnambool late in the afternoon, had a look around, then luckily found a hotel with secure undercover parking for the bikes. All we needed to unpack was some clean clothes.

Dinner was looking a bit iffy when we were refused entry to a couple of pubs –I was wearing thongs – and we started talking to the bouncer outside a pub/TAB/ poker-machine place that was due to close in half an hour. He talked about the local young ones and how they carry on, get pissed, fight, COVID restrictions, bikes, volunteering with the SES, how he was going to be a copper and so forth. We listened patiently and joined in where we could and he let us in before closing. We had time for three quick beers then it was back to the hotel.

Meet’n’eat

The next morning we hit The Great Ocean Road, stopping at the lookouts, and met a fellow KTM rider who talked for half an hour then showed us a couple of tracks along the headlands. It was great riding! We continued along the coast road and stopped at yet another tourist spot. A mother and daughter pulled up beside us and we said “G’day,” as they got out of the car. After showing her some pictures of opal they went to look at the sights, then asked where we were heading. We explained we intended to take the ferry across the bay to Sorrento, bypass Melbourne and camp somewhere before continuing on to Eden. Helen was the lady’s name, and out of the blue she offered us two spare tickets she had to see Jimmy Barnes, Diesel and The Bull Sisters in Mornington. Hell, yeah!

While sitting there talking to Helen another bike pulled in. Again we said, “G’day!” and started talking to Mia, a girl from Greece. She was here on a working visa and was easy-going, funny, gorgeous and looked great in leathers. A support worker here, but a tourist guide in Greece, she was travelling around doing the same as us but in the other direction. She took a couple of pictures of us all and the scenery, and like a couple of dolts we didn’t exchange numbers or get her to text the photos to us.

D’oh!

We were meant to be in Eden around the same time so we hoped we’d catch up with her there.

Travelling on, we ended up stopping for a beer at Lavers Hill Mountain Lodge. One beer turned into five, it started raining again, and we thought, ‘Bugger it. Best to stay and have a good steak dinner instead’.

Close call

Next morning we crossed the road to breakfast on pancakes for the first time in 15 years and met a few blokes riding old café-racer-type road bikes: a Triumph, Ducati and a KTM Duke. They passed us 10 minutes later like we were standing still.

We had a good, slow ride, stopping at most of the sights before cruising into Apollo Bay for a smoke and a bite to eat. There were heaps of cars and bikes on the road and my neck and head were sore from all the nodding to other riders. We’d ticked off half a wish-list entry: ride The Great Ocean Road end-to-end.

We continued to Geelong, turning right to Queenscliff to catch the ferry across the bay to Sorrento (only $39.00!), then kept riding. It was raining again when we arrived at a place called Drouin and

Above: Two 790 owners, Fingers (left, with the finger) and Smut, both 790R owners. Right: Stopping at the lookouts on The Great Ocean Road.

decided to call it a day. A bloke cut me off going through a roundabout then pulled in at the pub where we’d decided to stop for the night. He apologised, but kept talking about the bikes…where had we been? Where we were going? How long? And so forth. Then he shouted us a beer for the near miss on the roundabout.

Cheers, Fred!

Surfer girl

Misty rain kicked off the next morning, so we packed the bikes and decided to do some distance before breakfast.

The M1 took us to Traralgon where we left the freeway for a bakery meat pie, coffee and water. Smut started talking to a bloke about bikes, the ride, his cars and, of cause, opal. I was talking with an elderly lady named Fay who said she’d been a rider herself in her heyday. She admired and asked about our loadedup bikes, and we talked until my coffee got cold.

On the road again – now the A1 – we checked out Bells Beach late in the afternoon. Our first stop was a house not far from the police station as the young copper there, Vic, used to be stationed at Goodooga out near The Ridge. His missus used to work with my son at the pub in Goodooga.

We booked into the motel, which was

a big mistake: $250.00 for the night and we didn’t get to bed until 4.00am. When we decided to stay another day (being still hung over), we got two rooms at a newly opened motel down the road for $90.00 a night. Vic told us of some bush tracks to ride out to the headland where we could do a bit of fishing, but we found great tracks, jumps, sand, rocks, mud and a whole range of riding terrain. It was a fun day, but no fishing was done.

Riding down one of the tracks we came out into a clearing that led down to the beach and propped to watch half-adozen surfers. The next thing we knew a car pulled up and out jumped a young, blonde-haired, blue-eyed surfer girl who was checking out the waves. We said, “G’day!” and she sat and talked with us for ages.

That night we had a couple of beers (not as many as the night before) and a great Chinese meal, then wandered off to bed.

Fair cop

Our original plan on leaving Eden was to ride up into the snowfields, do some camping and fishing, ride some forestry tracks for three or four days, and then sprint along the ranges to Windsor and down to The Entrance. We had to reassess due to rain. We also missed catching up with Mia: wrong day, wet weather, bad timing, left early…whatever. I thought I’d seen a bike and rider with leathers like hers, but I didn’t want to stop and turn around.

What’s the Greek words for ‘sorry’, ‘bugger’ and ‘damn it’?

Having left Eden at about 10.00am we struck out north to The Entrance. Riding the freeway is good for saving distance and time, but doing 90kph-120kph in the rain is not much fun, especially coming up behind some of those big semis. The buffeting spray and wind turbulence can make a rider feel like a

Above: A camping spot about five kilometres out of town where fish were biting.

Right: A cold beer, food for a barbeque and a warm jacuzzi. What a way to end a long, wet day!

rag doll. Another possible hassle is finding petrol stations. We both ended up with only 20km left in the tank when we finally found one.

Arrival at The Entrance marked our longest day in the saddle: 645km. We stayed with Phil, a mate of Smut’s who’d worked with him in northern Queensland. When we walked in the door he had a cold beer, food for a barbeque and a warm jacuzzi waiting for us. What a way to end a long, wet day! All kinks and sore spots were relieved and revived.

Cheers for the liquor shots as well, Phil!

We only stayed one night with Phil as he had to work, so we went to see old Ned, another mate, and spent half the day playing double-team lawn bowls with him and roughly 30 other blokes. Dinner was at the local pub, and thankfully, after a few beers, we had an early night.

Fun fact: We saw more police between Eden and The Entrance, some hiding behind bushes, than the rest of the ride put together.

Bottle-o

Next morning Ned cooked us a huge plate of bacon, sausages, scrambled eggs, toast and coffee to start off the day of riding. Thanks, Ned!

We were scheduled to meet with another mate from Casino who was playing a real lawn-bowls tournament in Kempsey. It only took us about four hours to get there and we were grateful for a pleasant, sunny, uneventful ride.

We heard our mate, ‘Hydie’, before seeing him.

“G’day mate,” he trumpeted. “It’s your shout.”

Hydie was with his friends Bob and Barb at the Kempsey Heights Bowling Club. It turned out one of Barb’s jobs was a cleaner at a local motel and she managed to get us two mates-rates rooms for the night at $60 each. Sweet!

We met up with them for dinner and got talking about home-brew beer and spirits. Bob said he had a good range and to pick what we wanted. He didn’t want any cash and was just happy to share and said he’d give them to us on our way out the next day. Mine only lasted two days.

Thanks Bob and Barb!

Finally

The next part of the original plan was to take in Wollomombi, the Old Armidale-Kempsey Road, Ebor, Grafton, Casino and run into Lismore to see some old friends. From there we planned to see my son, then cruise back down the Old Glen Innes to Grafton Road, out to Bingara, camping and fishing the whole way, then head for home. But due to Smut’s work commitments, and my family commitments, it ended up being a blast to Wollomombi for a quick drink at the shop, a look at the falls, then on to Smut’s old hometown of Uralla for the night. My hometown was Walcha, the next town down the line, but we never knew each other as kids. Instead, it was me to Tamworth, Smut to The Ridge and the next day the holiday was over and we were back to reality.

To all the great people we met on our third attempted –bloody COVID – much-altered trip, a big thanks for your generosity and assistance, but also for the willingness to just say, “G’day,” back to a couple of total strangers on bikes.

* Names of people mentioned are not real so as to protect the innocent and not-so-innocent, but this is a true account.

Jewel

sport

Andy goes round the bend.

Words: Andy ‘Strapz’ White

Miles’ column recently renounced the practice of trailering bikes to adventure riding places, encouraging us to enjoy our road riding, especially the corners.

As most adventure-riding places these people trailer their wheels to scare the titanium plates out of me, I’m hearing you loud and clear, mate.

In the past when I’ve been waxing lyrically about the olden days, I’ve mentioned the word ‘dualsport’. That’s what this gig used to be called. I reckon it’s

taken a bum wrap as the more sexy word ‘adventure’ was conjured up in a marketing department somewhere.

The modern adventure motorcycle is the sort of jigger Aussies should have been riding from the outset. Let’s face it, most of the rural roads these days are bumpier and more cut up than most dirt roads. Long-travel suspension and a riding position that flows with the bumps rather than shaggin’ intervertebral discs is so much more real world. Some potholes would get Jules Verne’s

imagination going 15 to the dozen. Nineteen-inch or 21-inch front wheels tend not to journey into the Earth and try to throw us down the road.

A well ridden dualsport bike will have flouro-leather-clad, high-speed fishing lures sobbing in their lattes.

Corners are what makes a motorcycle ride! A set of corners linked together, ridden smooth and fast, dirt or sealed, is where the Zen is, right? That’s the place motorcycle riders go to find –most elite sports-person-blokes

Left: Corners are what makes a motorcycle ride!

Below: A set of corners linked together, ridden smooth and fast, dirt or sealed, is where the Zen is.

andy sTRapz

describe it as ‘the zone’. It takes us out of the day-to-day dramas we slog against at the coalface of our lives. I guess our happy place is more likely to be where we feel most comfortable. I’d rather scrape a footpeg on the bitumen than the edges of a rut. Bottoming out my bashplate is a bit like visiting yer granny. It’s nice and all…glad yer did it…but there are better games to be played.

One of my joys (or oddnesses) is admiring my bike covered in dirt and grot with its tyres clean, black, balling up and scuffed right out to the edges.

I watch riders like Miles whisper a bike on the dirt with the skill of an alchemist, grimly acknowledging my aged frame and addled grey matter are never gonna be there. But get me out on the blacktop and I can finesse and tie together a set of corners as pretty as most. The majority of chookies of old would wobble and wallow through a set of twisties, tyres protesting, ‘This is above my pay grade’, often more white knuckle and bravado than joy. The current crop will outhandle most bikes. And tyres? Wow. Haven’t they come a long way! Now we have chunky tread AND amazing grip!

Like Brother Tontine says: “Wanna ride a trailbike? Go buy one!” If you’ve got an adventure bike, get some corners in ya.

Long live dualsport!

Ramsay

Aim high

Karen changes what she can’t accept and accepts what she can’t change.

I’ve come to the conclusion, finally, that there are many things that I will never get to do in my lifetime. There’s simply too much to do and see, and not enough time for it all. There are things I have tried to achieve and haven’t succeeded at, or things I’ve left too late, or things I don’t have the money, skills or knees to achieve. It’s easy to become melancholy, but I think it’s more productive to accept it and get on with making the most of whatever I do. In the spirit of this, I’ll share a few of the bike-related ones, just so you can either sit there and feel smug that you’ve

achieved one or more of these, or lament with me.

Too many places and not enough time

This one applies to many of us.

Have you ever looked at a map and come to the realisation you’d need multiple lifetimes to ride to all the places on it? It doesn’t matter how extensively you’ve been riding, you’ll never get everywhere.

Each time I think about all the tens of thousands of miles of riding I’ve done around NSW and QLD, I remind myself I’ve barely touched the surface of those states. For every place I’ve ridden around the

top third of NSW, there’s thousands more across Australia I haven’t explored. Then, if you start thinking about the whole world, you realise just how much you’re never going to experience.

Hats off to the people out there ticking off bucket lists, or travelling the world, or getting out there and enjoying any chance they can to get out and just go riding. It might be time I started making a wish list of riding destinations and tracks.

The four o’clock rule

Yeah, right. This one still gets me. You could put it down to a lot of things: poor planning (not

Words: Karen Ramsay.

Images: Wilkinson Photography, Ramdog and Karen

Far left: A huge smile and enthusiastic wave, perhaps even toot the horn and stick the feet out, but no wheelies from Karen.

Left: A bit past four o’clock again.

Below: Rod popped a wheelie and rode down the road like that for maybe a kilometre or so.

usually); wanting to make the most of daylight riding time; rider-instigated delays (sightseeing, offs, looking to see where this road will take us); bike-instigated delays (flats, bike not starting after an off)...you get the drift.

I’m sorry to say, this happens all too often. Usually, we’ll arrive at a campsite before dark at least, so it’s not too bad. We obviously have a hard time learning from our mistakes though. We did this just recently when we thought we’d head out for a leisurely ride, throwing in a clean pair of jocks and a toothbrush in case we decided to stay overnight. We were having such a great time that, before we knew it, it was nearly 5.00pm (I can see what you’re thinking here – ‘it’s past four, they’ve already failed’). ‘No worries,’ we thought. ‘Let’s grab a room for the night’.

Did you happen to pass two people sitting in a park staring forlornly at their phones one Saturday night? Did I happen to mention it was also a long weekend? It was a long, miserable, drizzly, two-and-ahalf hours home.

Maybe, just maybe, we won’t get caught like that again.

Wheelies

Finally, something I find super impressive but will forever remain out of reach. Have

kaRen Ramsay

you ever been riding past a group of kids and they make the universal sign for ‘do a wheelie’?

Their laughs and cheers when a rider pops up on the back wheel is a joy to watch.

But me?

Sorry, kids. It’s never gonna happen. And let me tell you, if it does, it will not be on purpose, and it will not end well. Some wheelies are very obviously to show off (if you’ve got it, flaunt it, I guess), where others are an expression of how they feel when they’re at one with their bike and all is right and good in the world

This one time I was sweeping on a group ride. We were doing the cornerperson system where the person behind the lead rider waits at the corner to direct all the other riders then slips out in front of the sweep. As I rounded the corner, cornerman Rod popped a wheelie and rode down the road like that for maybe a kilometre or so (to all those about to jump out of their armchairs at the irresponsibility of doing a wheelie on

a public road etc etc, let’s just say it was all done on a closed road and under supervision, shall we?). He wasn’t doing this to impress anyone. Everyone else was up ahead and around the bend. It was a display of pure, unadulterated joy and freedom. I might sing or grin like a loon when I’m riding, or maybe bounce around on the ’pegs doing a happy dance or arm flapping, but, in that moment, that was the best display of how it feels to head out on a ride with a group of mates without a care in the world.

I’ve come close to doing a wheelie on two occasions. One was very much unplanned, unexpected, and was classified as a giant stuff up rather than anything like a wheelie.

I was following my son Darcy along a lovely little track with the odd causeway. I saw one coming up with a good amount of water and thought it’d be funny if I rode past him just as he was crossing.

We’ve all done it, or been the recipient.

Well, just as I drew level with him and gave an extra twist of the throttle, I saw the handlebars rearing over my head as I went backwards off the bike.

Needless to say, the only way he got wet was coming to fish his mother out of the water.

The other time was at a trials-bike training day. The theory was there; bouncing and compressing and doing the whole clutch-and-throttle thing. I may have managed to get the front wheel a centimetre off the ground, but that’s probably being very delusional or generous. Even the poor bloke doing the training admitted defeat and focussed his attention on the people who were actually making progress. That was when I realised I was just going to have to admire the skills I knew I’d never have.

So, kids, I’ll give you a huge smile and enthusiastic wave, perhaps even toot the

horn and stick my feet out. But, you’re wasting your time if you’re hoping for any intentional air beneath my tyres.

Bright side

With all that it could sound as though there’s no hope. On the contrary, this makes it all the more important to make the most of every adventure and opportunity that comes your way. Have a go at mastering new skills. If you don’t get there, you know you’ve given it a red-hot crack, and if you do, then do it proudly with a smile that makes your cheeks ache. Get out and find places you haven’t been before.

You might not get to every place in your state or country or in the world you want to, but you’ll get to even less if you’re not out giving it a go. Remember: even if your tank is half empty, you’ve still got half a tank of riding to go.

Above: It’s important to make the most of every adventure and opportunity that comes your way.

Left: The four o’clock rule makes for comfortable stops.

What i’ve learned

R Accepting you will never achieve everything can be liberating

R Log jumps don’t count as wheelies

R You won’t get anywhere if you’re not going

R Always pack a tent

R Singing isn’t a bad substitute for wheelies

of Tassie adventure-riding pleasure 4500km

Two weeks on Safari.

Images: BMW Motorrad/Dean Walters and Miles Davis

There’s something pretty cool about being involved with people’s motorcycle riding dreams and memories. I’m sitting back reflecting on two amazing weeks of working on this year’s Tassie GS Safaris. Yes, ‘Safaris’. There were two. Because the first one sold out in less than an hour and the waiting list was so long, it was decided to simply offer a second one.

I’ve lost count of how many GS Safari events I’ve helped on, but it must be close to 35 since 2005, I reckon. The recipe works. In fact, in the past 28 years it’s worked so well it’s pretty much been copied. And why not? As the saying goes, ‘Imitation is the highest form of flattery.’

My role was as one of the on-bike marshals, helping the event run smoothly and assisting with all sorts of things along the way. I also spent a few days as one of the lead riders, going out early and marking the course with arrows, the main form of navigation.

Riders

You probably couldn’t get a more diverse bunch together if you tried.

Main: Two GS Safaris back-to-back in Tasmania. How good is that! Below right: The good ol’ Fatman barge. It’s a marker of a coffee break nearby.

Among the 350 riders in the two groups there was a massive age spread, many family groups, almost 10 women, some ex-racing champions and some who only received their licence a month earlier. Many were on their first Safari while others had taken part in Safaris over 20 years prior. And it’s not uncommon to have overseas riders attending. With so many Youtube videos with hundreds of thousands of views, they’ve definitely become a must-do event. For 2022 we had Canadians, Chilleans and a Zimbabwean. It’s always great to meet

people from all over the globe who know about the Aussie GS Safari.

At the beginning there are many strangers, but it doesn’t take long for friendships to blossom, and for new riding mates to start sharing laughs over drinks. At times there were challenges, sometimes minor, other times more serious, but it’s sometimes the challenges and support riders give each other that galvanises the memories and friendships. Many of the first timers who showed up alone already have plans to do their next Safari with friends met in Tassie. It’s such a powerful

dynamic and it’s very rewarding to be a part of it and watch it unfold.

Taming the weather

As the saying goes, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad riding gear,” and that can be expanded to the bike you ride and the tyres you have fitted.

I’ve ridden in Tassie many times and mostly the weather has been good, but I knew Tasmania in May could be cold, wet or both. Personally, I love riding in wet conditions, road or dirt. I knew the offroad route was very wet-weather friendly

with lots of great gravel or sandy dirt roads, and I also know my 1250 Rallye X is great in the wet. My riding gear is awesome in all conditions.

But knowing I’d be riding in Tassie for two weeks did step things up a bit, so I added some heated riding gear to make sure I had a grin no matter how cold it got. I rode in temperatures down to minustwo, and there were times I had all my heated-clothing items running. I never felt uncomfortably cold, which was what I was looking for. I adjusted my heated undershirt the most, cranking it to medium in

the mornings when it was cold, then turning it to low, or off as required, during the day. I generally put the socks on low in the morning and just left them. I’m not sure how long the batteries lasted, but my feet never felt cold so I was happy with that.

I really only used the heated gloves four or five times over the two weeks, usually when it was six degrees or colder. Apart from that the BMW Enduroguard gloves and heated grips were adequate. And when it warmed up more, I was happy to go to the lighter GS gloves.

Here’s a rundown:

Q BMW Rallye suit Triple Black

Q Gore-tex boots first week, GS boots second week

Q GS Evo helmet with pinlock (clear and tinted visor options)

Q Enduroguard gloves, GS gloves or Komine heated gloves depending on conditions

Q Merino thermals

Q Lightly insulated vest

Q Buff neck warmer

Q Nomad heated undershirt (rechargeable battery); AND

Q Zarkie heated socks (rechargeable batteries with remote control).

The bike was my R1250GS Rallye X (Rain or Road mode on wet bitumen, Dynamic Pro on dry twisties and Enduro Pro mode for off road), fitted with Metzler Karoo 3 tyres, a larger screen from a regular GS, a rear-brake-lever extension, a taller enduro seat, ’bar risers (supplied in the parts kit with the Rallye X model), a RAM phone mount, tank bag, headlight protector

and power-outlet options fitted to run compressors and so forth.

Learning

With so many new riders, or riders new to adventure riding, there were plenty hungry to learn. Many of these riders took advantage of the pre-Safari training course to give themselves the best chance of a successful event. On top of that, a big part of each day is the daily rider briefing that usually takes place at around 6.00pm. The briefings recap the day and any issues which arose, as well as highlighting any specific challenges for the following day’s route.

And there’s always some muchappreciated knowledge transfer from Safari staff and more experienced riders on the trails, over coffee breaks or at the end of the day during dinner or over drinks.

I coach lots of riders attending BMW official training courses or Adventure Rider Magazine courses, and it’s great to see individual journeys. I meet some riders who have never ridden off road who go on to complete their first GS Safari, and for them the feeling of accomplishment can be massive. It’s almost like they’ve finished a Dakar! At the farewell function it’s not uncommon to get high fives, hugs and selfies, which is a very satisfying part of the job.

Safari skid skool

The first week kicked off with an optional off-road training course for riders who wanted to skill up before the Safari.

Left: Not one ambulance was called during either event. Above: Tassie, eh? One of the world’s great adventure-riding destinations.

Right: Day-by-day the stories, friendships and good times developed.

Far top left: Shane Booth and Miles did a five-day recce in late February.

Top left: Baskerville Raceway Complex was perfect for adventure-bike training. Below left: Riders created memories to last a lifetime.

Above: 200+ riders sat down at Wrest Point Hotel Casino for the welcome dinner and riders’ briefing.

Myself, along with another five instructors, ran the two-day course for 40 riders at the Baskerville Raceway Complex. Better known as a road-race circuit, the complex has a large amount of off-road terrain, 4x4 obstacles, hills and grass tracks which were perfect for adventure-bike training. Riders even got a great session on the road-race circuit as a bit of a bonus. Many of the riders at the course were first-time GS Safari participants, so it was great to see them progress through the week and make it to the end of the event.

Route planning

Shane Booth – who’s company runs the BMW Safari and BMW Off Road Training courses – and I did a five-day recce in late February. We had a pretty good idea of the route but needed to check trails and figure out a few ways to link sections together. Some options weren’t suitable, so we tweaked and adjusted as required.

We didn’t get rained on much, but conditions were wet during the recce so we knew the route was a great all-weather option. Shane took the info and GPS tracklogs from the recce and created daily GPX track files provided to customers prior to the event.

GS Safari #1

There was a lot of hype at the official welcome function at Wrest Point Hotel Casino, with the riders’ briefing taking place in a huge tiered cinema environment. As soon as the 200+ riders sat down a powerful Safari promo video instantly got everyone’s attention and energy levels were sky high.

These riders had secured a position in the GS Safari that had sold out the quickest and they were pumped.

The weather gods threw a few curve balls in during the week. It wasn’t terrible weather, but at times it provided challenges, especially on the last day. That was the only really heavy rain we encountered and included snow on the higher peaks.

GS Safari #2

The other group was given a second chance and grabbed it with both hands.

After missing out on the initial positions they were

pleasantly surprised when a second event was announced. As it turned out, the second week’s Safari was the pick of the two.

The weather gods were in favour of the underdogs. It was probably colder than the first week, but it wasn’t as wet, especially on the final day. The first week wasn’t as bad as some people might be thinking. There was more rain, but much of it was very light, and on these bikes, in good apparel, it wasn’t too bad.

But riding in sunny, cool conditions was a bit nicer.

Apart from the weather, the group was smaller, and with possibly more first-timers who were quite timid to start. But as always, day-by-day the stories, friendships and good times developed.

And it didn’t take long for them to realise they were happy to be the underdogs on the second Safari.

A wrap

All in all, you couldn’t really expect two events like these to run more smoothly. Conditions were challenging at times, but they could easily have been much worse. There was the odd mishap, but not one ambulance was called for the entire two weeks. That’s always the goal, but when you’re putting so many riders through this kind of route it’s an exceptional result. There were a few injuries, bumps and bruises, but nothing that couldn’t be handled by the in-house GS Safari team.

More importantly, there are riders who have created memories they will not forget.

For some it’s just another great adventure, but for others it can be life changing doing this sort of thing. It sounds dramatic, but I know it’s true because many have told me.

Until the next one!

Numbers

Week 1

Q 227 participants

Q 25 staff

Week 2

Q 77 customers

Q 16 staff

Q Hobart to Strahan

Q Strahan loop day

Q Strahan to Hobart

Q Hobart to St Helens

Q St Helens to Launceston

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R Removable stiffener allows bag to hold its shape when empty

R Easily mounts to most motorcycles with racks

RRP: $369.95

Available from: All leading motorcycle dealerships Web: nelsonrigg.com.au

atlas visioN pReMiuM Neck collaR

The anti-compression collar for those who find it hard to wear a full-frame brace.

R 50% greater reduction of impact forces

R 66% more range of motion

R 45% lower weight

R Adjustable height

R 7075 Aluminium Easy Open

R 2nd Gen Hybrid Strap

RRP: $249.99

Available from: Leading motorcycle stores Website: monzaimports.com.au

DaiNese D-exploReR 2 aDveNtuRe geaR

Waterproof, breathable and ventilated Gore-tex pants and jacket.

R Jacket and pants include EN 1621.1 shoulder, elbow, back and knee protection

R Pocket for chest protection

R Massive ventilation from sleeves on arms, chest and back

R QuickDry material in the pants with D-TEC engineered material on highimpact areas

R Available in ebony/ black, grey/black and grey/red/black

foRcefielD boDy aRMouR ex-k haRNess aDveNtuRe ff20132

Protection under lightweight adventure or enduro jackets.

R A complete CE Level 2 upper-body protection system

R Modular design: add or remove sections

R Reinforced with Kevlar thread

R Open design system

R Multiple adjustment points

R Easy-to use-central front zip and neckbrace location point

R Forcefield’s Dri-M material

Available from: Adventure Moto Web: adventuremoto.com.au

gaRMiN iNReach Mi

The current hotshot in satellite tracking and communication.

R Two-way messaging

R Interactive SOS alerts

R Location sharing

R Flexible satellite airtime plans

R Up to 14 days of battery life in 10-minute tracking mode

R Add up to a 1000 waypoints/ favourites/locations

R TracBack routing

R Compatible with the Garmin Explore app

RRP: $599

RRP: Jacket $1449. Pants $879

Available from:

Leading motorcycle retailers Web: mcleodaccessories.com.au

Available from: Leading motorcycle stores Web: whitesmoto.com.au

ballaRD’s Rock holD Wheel chock

Once in the chock the bike holds itself upright while it’s secured for transport.

R Galvanised for corrosion resistance and durability

R Attaches easily to secure floor surfaces

R Comes with mounting hardware

R Adjusts from 12-inch to 21-inch and from 90mm wide to 140mm with tyres

RRP: $119.95

Available from: MXStore Web: mxstore.com.au

veNtuRe heat bluetooth heateD MotoRcycle Jacket li

An electric blanket for your riding.

R 10 settings from the Venture Heat app or three from the built-in controller

R Heating panels on the back, front, sleeves and collar

R Removes the bulk and layers by controlling climate with a push of the button

R Available in pants and gloves for winter riding

R Soft carbon-fibre heating elements which never break

R Reduces the amount of clothing carried

RRP: $299.00

Available from: Zarkie Web: zarkie.com.au

bRiDgestoNe battlax at-41 tyRes

giaNt loop tillaMook DRy bag aND pRoNghoRN stRaps

R Roll-top dry bag

R Expedition sized

R Integrated strap system

R 48 litres of waterproof storage

R Seamlessly pairs with Giant Loop’s Coyote and Great Basin saddlebags, as well as its full line of panniers

R Openings at both ends gives quick access without having to unstrap

R Air purge valve allows for compression of gear

R Two straps included to convert Tillamook into a backpack for easy transport

RRP: Tillamook dry bag $329.90.

Pronghorn straps from $37.90

Available from: Leading motorcycle stores Web: whitesmoto.com.au

New off-road/road pattern provides good all-weather performance.

R New block shape avoids partial shoulder wear

R Improved wet performance and wet/dry contact feel over previous A41 tyre

R Impressive in the wet due to optimised grooves increasing water drainage efficiency

R The latest Bridgestone technologies ensure enhanced stability and mileage

Available from: Your local motorcycle dealer Web: mcleodaccessories.com.au

Rocky cReek DesigNs MotostRaps

Versatile, sturdy and reliable for lashing things to things

R Strap is made from a UV-resistant polyurethane with a little stretch in it

R Aluminium buckle is moulded to the end

R Two sizes: 56cm or 81.3cm (22” or 32” in the old scale)

R To fasten, loop it back on itself through the buckle, cinch down and secure by hooking one of the slots onto the curved prong of the buckle

R To open, pull down, unhook and release

R Daisy-chain straps together for more length

R Tacky texture finish prevents slipping

RRP: 56cm $14.95. 81.3cm $16.95. Both plus postage and handling

Available from: Rocky Creek Designs Web: rockycreekdesigns.com.au

RaD guaRD yaMaha t700/xt 700 2019 – 2022 RaDiatoR guaRD

An essential aftermarket part.

R For the hardcore adventure rider

R Easy to fit

R Fitting instructions available

R Lightweight and doesn’t restrict airflow

R Made from 6060

T1–T5 aluminium

R Available in black or polished aluminium

R Three-year worldwide warranty

R Australian made

RRP: $225.

touRatech ibaRRa sMaRt haNDlebaR bag

A practical storage space with a waterproof smartphone holder.

R Always within reach

R Fully sealed foil offers an optimum view of a smartphone screen

R Phone can connect to charging cable

R Large, weatherproof main compartment (approx. 2.4 litres) under lid

R Further, smaller compartment allows quick access to important documents and other small items

R Yellow lining helps find the contents of the bag more easily

R Doesn’t restrict the rider’s movements or effect control of the bike

RRP: $242

Available from: Touratech Australia Web: shop.touratech.com.au

obR aDv geaR eNDuRo gRip Mitt

Genuine made-in-the-USA mitt.

On special for $179

Available from: Rad Guard

Phone: (02) 6658 0060

Web: radguard.com.au

alpiNestaRs halo DRystaR Jacket

A premium multi-season jacket designed to take on any conditions.

R Fully foldable mesh front and back ventilation panels

R Packable, waterproof and breathable Drystar rain jacket

R Nucleon Flex Pro armour

R TechAir ready

R Removeable sleeves

R AA Class CE certified

RRP: $699.99

Available from: Leading motorcycle stores Website: monzaimports.com.au

High-strength and water-resistant 1680D ballistic-nylon construction

Universal easy on/off velcro snap-strap attachment system

Reflective front strip

Three-quarter open design provides full coverage of the hand while not impeding controls

Works with OEM and full-shield (Cycra/Trackside) hand guards (hand-guard system required for attachment)

RRP: $129.95 plus postage

Available from: Adventure Bike Australia Web: adventurebikeaustralia.com.au

Motorrad Garage Ducati Multistrada V4

TraX Adventure hard case luggage and accessories are the choice of experienced world travellers. Water and dust proof, tough and secure, no matter what the continent or how extreme the conditions, there’s no place on earth these things wont go.

If you’re travelling near or far, make TraX Adventure luggage part of your adventure.