There is nothing dead about the amazing ‘dead-end” ride to O’Reilly’s and back on the Lamington National Park Rd in South East Queensland.
Despite the Gold Coast hinterland being ravaged by bushfires in September 2019, the scenery along this road is as spectacular and pristine as ever. You wouldn’t even know a bushfire had been through the region!
Spectaqcular views
That is not the case with the nearby Binna Burra Lodge which was sadly decimated in the bushfires and has closed the dead-end Binna Burra Rd south of Timbarra Drive.
However, Lamington National Park Rd is still open and is as challenging, varied and spectacular as any of the Alpine roads in NSW and Victoria.
In fact, massive roadworks over the past couple of years have made it even better.
Roadworks and retaining walls make the road safer
However, the last few kilometres to O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat are fairly bumpy.
It’s a virtual paradise for riders, yet it is relatively unknown by riders outside SEQ and little used compared with some of the other “motorcycle routes” in the region.
Riding south out of town into the beautiful valley you will notice O’Reilly’s Canungra Valley Vineyard which is a great place to stop for lunch and wine tasting (pillions only!).
About 2km down the road, it crosses one of several metal cattle grids before ascending the mountain.
The cattle grids are often on blind corners and need to be taken at right angles to avoid slipping, especially in the wet.
They are among many other hazards such as narrow one-lane sections, blind corners, rock falls, dangling vines, foreign tourists in clapped-out vans, bumps, potholes, leaf litter, oblivious bushwalkers, occasional cyclists, and moss on the road edge and even in the centre!
Watch out for slippery hazards
Despite all those hazards, it is a great road for motorcyclists of all types, so long as you take it easy and/or do an exploratory run.
The speed limit is posted at 40km/h with some 10km/h advisory corner speeds.
Plenty of hairpins
We have yet to see police on the road, but being caught for speeding is not the only reason to take care.
Weekdays are a lot less busy than weekends.
The old alpaca farm with its jaw-dropping valley views has now moved to the O’Reilly’s vineyard.
Old alpaca farm is now closed
However, just down the road is a short detour to the postcard-perfect Kamarun Lookout. It’s well worth a photo stop!
Kamarun Lookout
Adventure riders
It’s not a complete dead end for adventure riders as they can turn right just before O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat and descend into the next valley via the very rough and challenging Duck Creek Rd.
However, that road has been closed for several years due to flooding and is still closed, awaiting funding from the Scenic Rim Council. Let’s hope it opens again soon.
Duck Creek Rd
O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat at the end of the road has a coffee shop, restaurant, clean toilets, paved parking, a bird feeding show and gift shop.
Feed the birds at O’Reilly’s Rainforest Retreat
Once you’ve rested up and refilled your tank (with food, not fuel), it’s time to head back down and enjoy the view from the other direction.
New Zealand offers some of the world’s best motorbike roads and a large number of postcard-worthy routes, begging you to explore on your motorbike.
While many people opt to explore these locations by car, we all know there is no better way to do it than on a motorbike. What more, many of these amazing motorbike routes take you to some of the most scenic campsite locations in New Zealand.
The country offers two main islands that feature a good number of zigzagging coastlines, tight twisters, high mountains, rolling farmlands and plenty of easy riding options, as you witness weather changes from subtropical to even snow in some regions. Let’s tell you about a few of these top motorbike routes worth exploring in New Zealand.
The Coromandel Loop
Undoubtedly the most popular motorcycle route in all of New Zealand, the Coromandel Loop is the favourite of riders everywhere as it offers some very challenging winding roads. These can be a little risky in certain regions, however are worthwhile if you wish to put your riding skills to test. It’s a stretch that is divided into two parts – Northern Loop which is 187.8km long and Southern Loop extending over 229.7km. Both offer easy access to the attractions and townships of Coromandel Peninsula.
Ride across Southern Alps
The photogenic highways and sublime landscapes of New Zealand’s South Island are what are rider’s dreams are made up of. You can explore these alpine gems in multiple ways, but if you wish to witness the best views of the contrasting vistas, you should go on a self-guided tour instead. There are certain organisations that offer GPS guided trips, enabling riders to explore the region on their own. The hand-picked route options involve various mountain passes, taking you through multiple local destinations like West Coast, Milford Sound and Queenstown.
Milford Sound
Auckland to Clevedon Loop
Ask any local rider in New Zealand and they’d have a lot to tell about the beauty of rural Auckland. This specific route is based out of South Auckland, and provides some of the best views of Waikato River (of North Island) too. This trip takes you southwards through State Highway 1, before making you turn left at Karaka, taking a bridge that leads to Waiuku town, and then towards State Highway 2, eventually entering the Hunua Ranges and thus looping into Clevedon.
Christchurch to Westport
This one’s an ideal route for riders interested in the ultimate TranzAlpine experience on a motorbike. As is the case with the well-known train ride, the journey from Christchurch to Westport takes you through the South Island’s eastern shores, into the West Coast’s rugged backdrops. The primary difference between the train ride and motorbike journey is that the train takes you to Greymouth, and being on two wheels will take you further upwards to the Westport town, through State Highway 7. Nelson Lakes National Park, Lake Sumner Forest Park and Hanmer Springs are some of the stopovers that are definitely worth considering along this route.
The free Fire Aid Ride this Sunday (23 February 2020) will be the first in a series of rides every two months for the rest of the year to draw visitors to towns that have been drastically affected by the recent bushfires.
There is no fee to join the ride but riders are asked to spend their money locally and to donate to the Fire Aid Ride GoFundMe page.
The first ride this Sunday takes off from Macquarie Park, Windsor, in Sydney’s northwest from 9am and heads along the Putty Rd to the popular motorcycle stop, Grey Gum Cafe.
Donations will go to the Putty Rural Fire Service and local businesses.
Among the riders will be TV and radio presenter Osher Gunsberg, radio presenter Brendan ‘Jonesy’ Jones and designer and TV presenter Barry Du Bois.
Yamaha Australia will provide a recovery vehicle and mechanic.
Local charities, farmers, vendors and makers will establish a mini-market at the cafe.
There will also be live music, ‘Buy a Firefighter a Beer Bar’, food from local vendors and riders can buy a special event patch.
A GoFundMe page was started in November to help the cafe cover costs. It raised more than $20,000 of a $5000 goal!
Fire Aid Ride series
No dates or locations have yet been organised for the other rides in the Fire Aid Ride series, but stay tuned for details.
The events are being organised by Sydney rider Jimmy Woodriff with the help of Mark Hawwa who established the now-famous The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride.
There are no administrative costs with the full amount of funds raised going toward local firefighter services and businesses.
The Fire Aid Ride series is not designed as a fundraiser, but to encourage tourism to fire-affected areas.
“There’s not a lot of people in Australia who haven’t been impacted by these fires,” says Jimmy.
“Now that the fire threat has eased there’s a real economic, social and psychological danger to people in affected areas, giving back should be our focus.
“Going to meet people, saying g’day, spending money with them or just rumbling through towns on a bunch of cool bikes and being present tells our regional communities that we care, that they’re not alone.
“We’re planning to visit and bring more cash, bikes and smiles to other areas of NSW every two months to help stimulate these shattered local economies.”
Organisers hope riders will spend their money with local businesses such as petrol stations, cafes, accommodation venues, and shops.
There are several bushfire charity rides in other states that you can attend. Check your liked Facebook pages.
Or simply go for a ride with your mates.
Fire Aid Ride
When: Sunday, 23 February 2020
Time: 9am until 3pm
Where: Meet at Macquarie Park, Windsor; End at The Grey Gum International Cafe, Putty.
Nimbin in northern NSW was the site of the famous Aquarius Festival 27 years ago and remains a unique tourist drawcard for its alternative hippie lifestyle.
It’s also a popular attraction for riders — and not because they can stock up on illegal weed!
In fact, riders are warned that police frequently patrol the area and sometimes conduct NSW/Queensland joint border operations to search vehicles.
On one “trip” to Nimbin our riding group was warned from as far as Uki that the “filth” were everywhere!
Indeed, there was a host of police road and off-road motorcycles, cars and even helicopters as we approached Nimbin.
Hippie culture
The town is a throwback to a time when hippie culture was popular. That’s perhaps one reason I and many of my age like it.
I started riding in the early ‘70s when hippies and motorcycles were both freedom lovers, law breakers and anti-establishment.
It’s kind of kitsch now with many tourist shops selling smoking paraphernalia, joss sticks, greenie-slogan t-shirts, hemp clothing, etc.
There are also a lot of great cafes and restaurants with a wide mix of healthy foods and refreshments for the weary rider.
But these are not the main reasons riders should visit Nimbin.
Nimbin roads
Typical of roads around Nimbin
The major rider attraction is the roads and the spectacular scenery.
In fact, it is so bad the locals sometimes paint rainbow colours around the most dangerous potholes to warn traffic.
Lismore City Council is almost negligent in its official warning signs of potential hazards and its backlog of roadworks, probably because of a lack of ratepayer funds from the local citizenry.
But if you take things cautiously, the roads can have wonderful sections of twisting tarmac through some spectacular forest and rock formations. There are also some great dirt roads in the area.
Most riders whiz past the Nimbin signs on the Kyogle Rd, but they shouldn’t.
Take the Nimbin Rd, Stony Chute Rd, Blue Knob Rd or Turntable Falls Rd and enjoy.
The best way to celebrate Australia Day this year is to get out and ride in regional areas that have been hit by the bushfire crisis and spend your tourist dollar.
Some Asian and Mid-East cities ban all motorcycles or impose a curfew.
Some countries also ban women from riding for “modesty” reasons!
In London, motorcycle theft has halved in the past two years, yet almost 10,000 were stolen last year.
In Malaysia, 26 unmarried couples have been arrested for riding together on a motorcycle.
AUSSIE BIKE HISTORY
More great reasons to celebrate motorcycling on Australia Day is our rich motorcycling history.
With its vast distances and rugged terrain, motorcycles were popular at the start of the last century. We even had a thriving motorcycle manufacturing industry, particularly during World War I when supplies of British motorcycles dried up.
While we have not had a motorcycle manufacturing industry for some time, Australia once built many motorcycles such as Lewis, Pasco, Blue Bird, Bullock, De Luxe, Peerless, Invincible JAP, Whiting, Mostyn, Rudge, FN and Norton.
Lewis motorcycles
Robert Saward wrote A-Z of Australian-made Motorcycles which details 396 brands of motorcycles, most of which were assembled here from imported engines and frames.
In 1928, the Auto Cycle Council of Australia was formed to represent the interests of motorcycle clubs and state associations at a national level. It is now called Motorcycling Australia which represents motorcycle racing.
RACING HERITAGE
Racing successes are more great reasons to celebrate.
Australians were among the first in the world to start racing motorcycles. Many believe the first speedway meetings were held in Australia and our speedway riders travelled to the UK to pioneer the sport.
Over the years, Australia has had many motorcycle champions. MA notes our first world champion as speedway rider Lionel Van Praag in 1936.
Here is MA’s list of champion Aussie riders and teams and more reasons to celebrate on our national day:
RIDERS
Lionel Van Praag
1936 Lionel Van Praag, Speedway
1938 Bluey Wilkinson, Speedway
1951/52 Jack Young, Speedway
1957 Keith Campbell, Road racing (350cc)
1961 Tom Phillis, Road racing (125cc)
1969 Kel Carruthers, Road racing (250cc)
1979/81 Barry Smith, Road racing (Formula TT)
1983 Steve Baker, Speedway (under 21)
1987 Wayne Gardner, Road racing (500cc)
1992 Leigh Adams, Speedway (under 21)
1994-98 Michael Doohan, Road racing (500cc)
Mick Doohan enters Hall of Fame
1995/2004/06/09 Jason Crump, Speedway (under 21)
1996/2005 Troy Corser, Superbikes
1997 Shane Watts, Enduro (125cc)
1997 Peter Goddard, Endurance Road Racing
2000/01/03/04 Stefan Merriman, Enduro
2000/02 Warwick Nowland, Endurance Road Racing
2001/06/08 Troy Bayliss, Superbikes
Troy Bayliss
2001/08 Andrew Pitt, Supersport
2001 Heinz Platacis, Endurance Road Racing
2003/08 Chad Reed, Supercross
2003 Chris Vermeulen, Supersport
2004 Karl Muggeridge, Supersport
2007/11 Casey Stoner, MotoGP
2009 Jay Wilson, Junior Motocross
2009/10 Darcy Ward, Speedway (under 21)
2009 Steve Martin, Endurance Road Racing
2010 Mick Headland, Jesse Headland, Track Racing Sidecar (1000cc)
2011 Darrin Treloar, Jesse Headland, Track Racing Sidecar (1000cc)
2012 Caleb Grothes, Junior MX (65cc)
2012 Chris Holder, World FIM Speedway GP
2013/14 Matthew Phillips, Enduro (Junior/E3)
2014 Jett Lawrence, Junior MX (65cc)
2015 Matthew Gilmore, Youth Speedway World Cup (250cc)
2016 Matt Phillips, Junior Enduro GP
2016 Toby Price, Dakar Rally
Toby Price
2017 Jason Doyle, World FIM Speedway GP
2018 Toby Price, FIM World Cross Country Champion
2018 Josh hook, World Endurance
2018 Braden Plath, World Junior Motocross
2018 Tayla Jones, ISDE (Enduro EW)
2018 Daniel Milner, ISDE Enduro E3 and overall
2019 Toby Price, Dakar Rally
2019 Daniel Milner, ISDE Enduro E3 and overall
Teams
1974 Pairs Speedway, 2nd
1976 Team Speedway (Phil Crump, Billy Sanders, Phil Hearne, John Boulger), 1st
1998 ISDE World Trophy, 3rd; ISDE Junior Trophy, 3rd
1999 Team Speedway (Jason Crump, Leigh Adams, Ryan Sullivan Jason Lyons, Todd Wiltshire), 1st; ISDE World Trophy, 3rd
2001 Team Speedway (Jason Crump, Leigh Adams, Ryan Sullivan, Todd Wiltshire, Craig Boyce, Jason Lyons), 1st
2002 Team Speedway (Ryan Sullivan, Todd Wiltshire, Leigh Adams, Jason Crump, Jason Lyons), 1st
Jason Crump and Troy Bayliss
2003 Team Speedway, 2nd
2006 Oceania Motocross (Nathan Brochtrup, Lee Ellis, Josh Strang, Kirk Gibbs, Chris Hollis, Cody Mackie, Ryan Marmont, Joel Passlow, Harley Quinlan, Tye Simmonds, Todd Waters), 1st
2006 ISDE Junior Team (Christopher Hollis, Joshua Strang, Blake Hore, Darren Lloyd), 3rd
2007 Team Speedway (Ryan Sullivan, Rory Schlein, Leigh Adams, Jason Crump, Chris Holder, Dave Watt), 3rd; Oceanic Motocross (Craig Anderson, Troy Carroll, Lee Ellis, Jay Marmont, Jake Moss, Cameron Tatlor, Danny Anderson, Lewis Stewart, Kristy Gillespie, Ashlea Bates, Adelia Barton, Tye Simmonds, Ross Beaton, Luke Arbon), 1st
2008 ISDE Junior Team (Jarrod Bewley, Geoff Braico, Blake Hore, Andrew Lloyd), 2nd
2009 Junior Motocross (Tye Simmonds, Jay Wilson), 1st; Track Racing Sidecar (Mick Headland, Paul Waters), 1st; Team Speedway (Leigh Adams, Jason Crump, Chris Holder, Davey Watt, Troy Batchelor), 2nd; Women’s Team (Jacqui Jones, Alison Parker, Jemma Wilson), 3rd
2010 Junior MX (Wilson Todd, Mitchell Evans, Joel Dinsdale, Scott Mann, Matt Phillips, Errol Willis), 3rd
2011 ISDE Womens Team (Allison Parker, Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson), 3rd; ISDE Mens Team – E2 Class (Toby Price, Matthew Phillips), 1st; MXoN (Chad Reed, Brett Metcalf, Matt Moss), 3rd; Speedway World Cup (Jason Crump, Darcy Ward, Chris Holder, Davey Watt, Troy Batchelor), 2nd
2012 ISDE Womens Trophy Team (Jess Gardiner, Tanya Hearn, Tayla Jones), 3rd; Speedway World Cup (Chris Holder, Davey Watt, Jason Crump, Darcy Ward, Troy Batchelor), 2nd; Speedway World Cup U21 (Darcy Ward, Sam Masters, Dakota North, Alex Davies, Nick Morris), 2nd
2013 ISDE Womens Trophy Team (Jess Gardiner, Tayla Jones, Jemma Wilson), 1st; Speedway World Cup (Darcy Ward, Cameon Woodward, Jason Doyle, Troy Batchelor) 3rd
2014 ISDE Womens Trophy Team (Jess Gardiner, Tayla Jones, Jemma Wilson), 1st; ISDE Junior Trophy Team (Daniel Sanders, Tom McCormack, Lachlan Stanford, Scott Keegan), 3rd; Speedway World Cup (Chris Holder, Darcy Ward, Jason Doyle, Troy Batchelor), 3rd
2015 FIM World Junior Motocross Championships (Hunter Lawrence, Cooper Pozniak, Rhys Budd, Bailey Malkiewicz, John Bova, Regan Duffy), 3rd; Trial des Nations International Trophy Competition (Chris Bayles, Tim Coleman, Kyle Middleton and Colin Zarczynki), 3rd; ISDE Junior Trophy Team (Daniel Sanders, Broc Grabham, Tom Mason, Tye Simmons), 1st; ISDE Women’s Trophy Team (Tayla Jones, Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson), 1st; ISDE Senior Trophy Team (Daniel Milner, Matthew Phillips, Lachlan Stanford, Glenn Kearney, Beau Ralston, Josh Green), 2nd (Provisional); FIM Team Speedway Under 21 2015 World Championship (Max Fricke, Brady Kurtz, Nick Morris, Jack Holder), 3rd
2016 and 2017 ISDE Women’s Trophy Team (Tayla Jones, Jess Gardiner, Jemma Wilson)
2018 World Junior Motocross (125cc) Bailey Malkiewicz, Brad West & Braden Plath
NSW Premier has declared a State of Emergency with dangerous fire conditions tomorrow (Tuesday 12 November 2019).
A Total Fire Ban is in place for the whole of the state and motorists are advised to delay all “non-essential travel”.
The official advice is:
Many roads remain closed due to bush fires. Be prepared for conditions to change quickly and roads to close suddenly.
If you need to travel, also make sure you’ve got water, food, supplies and a full tank of fuel. Make sure your mobile phone is fully charged before you set out.
If you’re already travelling when a bush fire starts, follow the directions of emergency services personnel.
Image: NSW Rural Fire Service
Most bushfires in the region are to the east of Walcha, although the situation could change later this week with higher temperatures and strong winds predicted.
Image: NSW Rural Fire Service
While bushfires are not considered a direct threat to the replacement event at the moment, riders are urged to check their route for any dangers.
Among the highlights at the Walcha Motorcycle Weekend’ will be the chance for riders to hear Harley-Davidson’s LiveWire electric motorcycle and even go for a “demo ride” on their Jumpstart Experience.
Harley offers non-licensed people a demo ride with their JumpStart
Harley-Davidson Australia spokesman Keith Waddell says they have been “working closely with Walcha Council to support their plans to host riders with music and food options over the weekend”.
The company will set up at the Walcha Showground and will run demo rides over the weekend.
There is a host of other entertainment across the three days, including stunt shows, a rodeo, guided rides, Harley demo rides, a Steampunk motorcycle gallery, markets, music, food stalls, a billy cart derby show and shine and more.
Of course, one of the main attractions is simply getting there by riding Thunderbolts Way and/or the magnificent Oxley Highway.
However, at the moment the Oxley is closed after bushfires and awaiting inspection by Roads and Maritime Services to see if it is safe.
All accommodation in town is fully booked so Council has organised for camping at the Oxley Sportsground.
Local not-for-profit groups will provide basic catering onsite and clean-up services.
Walcha Royal Cafe owner Toni Keable says they will continue with the entertainment they had previously planned before the events were axed.
Toni and Brad Keable of the Royal Cafe, Walcha
“We had one rider who cancelled because he was concerned about bushfires, but they are a long way from us,” she says.
“People can be assured that this weekend will definitely go ahead.
“Everyone is positive and we’re not going to let this opportunity to showcase the town slip through our fingers.”
Be alert
Bushfires can spread rapidly and even outrun a vulnerable rider, so stay alert.
Riders are also in danger from smoke inhalation and low visibility and eye irritation from smoke.
But rural fire services also say fires can be sparked by motorcycles and cars, especially the ultra-hot catalytic convertor, so don’t park on dry grass!
They say about 40% of all bushfires are accidentally started by humans dropping cigarette butts, campfires, discarding bottles, sparks from machinery, vehicles and motorcycles.
Most riders who accidentally spark these blazes are off-road and adventure bikes riding in the bush and on forestry tracks.
Tips to avoid dehydration in a heatwave:
Don’t drink too much alcohol the night before a ride. It has a diuretic effect which means it causes you to urinate more water than you take in which means you are losing fluid. And you can’t counteract that by drinking lots of water because most of it will go out in your urine. Obviously, don’t drink alcohol while you are riding!
Start drinking water as soon as you wake and keep sipping water right up until you get on your bike. It takes about half an hour for water to reach your muscles. Guzzling water just before a ride is not good as it can make your stomach to cramp. The Royal Flying Doctor Service which has attended dehydrated riders in the Outback, recommends carrying 10 litres of water per day! Read their Outback riding tips here.
Wear ventilated motorcycle clothing. Leathers may protect you better in a crash, but they create a “microclimate” which impairs your ability to lose heat. As a result you will produce more sweat to decrease your core temp. Instead, wear a flow-through jacket. There are heaps of options on the market. Make sure they have vents in the back so the air flows through. Also, loosen the sleeves so you get plenty of air on your wrists which have a lot of blood vessels close to the skin to effectively cool you down. However, be aware that a flow-through jacket cools you down because it is drying the sweat off your skin which can lead to dehydration. A set of Ventz up your sleeve will also keep you cool as air flows up your arms.However, don’t be fooled by your level of coolness as ventilation can also cause you to loose more water through evaporation. So you still need to keep drinking plenty of water.
Don’t be tempted to remove your jacket in the heat! Exposed skin may feel cooler, but that’s because the sweat is evaporating quicker, but that is just making you more dehydrated. And while your skin feels cool, you’ll be tricked into staying in the sun longer which leads to sunburn. That also leads to dehydration because your body needs water to repair and renew damaged skin.
Get a Camelbak or other brand of water-dispensing unit so you can continue to take small sips of water while you are riding. I’ve seen riders on GoldWings and other big tourers with cup holders so they can take slurps from a water bottle. That’s obviously not as safe as the hands-free Camelback option, but anything is better than nothing. Some people don’t like Camelbaks because the water gets hot, but the temperature of the water doesn’t affect dehydration.
Stop more often than usual and hang out in the shade or in an air-conditioned cafe. Since you are drinking lots of fluids, you will probably need to stop anyway!
While you’re stopped, have a coffee, but take it easy. No need to swear off your favourite caramel latte, but avoid excess coffee. That also goes for caffeinated drinks such as Red Bull. High levels of caffeine have a diuretic effect just like alcohol.
While having a coffee break, avoid having too many sweet cakes, donuts and muffins. Sugar can dehydrate you if it gets to very high levels in your blood. This can happen if you are a diabetic, take certain medications or have an infection or some organ diseases. Sugar causes your kidneys to produce more urine to eliminate the sugar, leading to dehydration. Likewise, don’t drink too many sugary drinks. Best to stick to plain water, real fruit juices with no added sugar or drinks such as Gatorade that replace salts and minerals lost in sweat.
We’ve talked a lot about urine and it’s important that you monitor the colour. It should be a straw colour. If it’s too dark, you are dehydrated.
Sweat also depletes your body of sodium and if it becomes too low, it can cause many of the same symptoms as dehydration. The average diet probably has enough sodium, but it’s good to have a little bit of salt on your meals or drink sports drinks that have a sodium supplement. However, beware of sports drinks with caffeine and sugar.
Elspeth Beard is much-admired among many adventurers. At a time when few women travelled or rode motorbikes, Elspeth achieved an impressive feat- when she was just 23 years old she embarked on a solo motorbike journey around the world and became the first ever British woman to do so.
Let’s have a look at this formidable traveller and her two-year journey that took her from New York City back to the United Kingdom, with 35,000 miles (56,000km) in between!
The Beginnings of A Life-Long Love
The first time Elspeth rode a bike was when she was sixteen, a short journey on the back of her friend’s Husqvarna. This was enough to catch the motorcycling bug. Her first bike was a Yamaha YB100, a run-around just to help her to get from A to B around London. Around a year later, she upgraded to a 250cc Honda and then a second-hand 600cc BMW R60/6 …
Elspeth talks about the immense sense of freedom she felt with her BMW and began to travel further and further afield as her confidence grew. She started with trips to Scotland and Ireland, and then went onto bigger adventures like a two-month trip around Europe and a road trip from LA to Detroit. Elspeth had an incredible appetite for exploration.
Around the World in 915 Days (Roughly!)
Sure enough, as soon as she finished her degree in architecture in 1982, Elspeth began preparing to embark on her historic two-year solo journey around the world.
Starting in New York, she travelled across the USA to Canada. Her next stops were New Zealand and Australia, where she encountered a road block – she’d ran out of money. After working in Sydney for seven months, she shipped her bike to Singapore and rode through Malaysia and Thailand. She had to turn back to Malaysia after failing to gain entry in what is now Myanmar, and instead she caught a boat to India. From Chennai she travelled to Nepal, then around India to Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia, Europe and back to London.
That’s an incredible 23 countries and 35,000 miles over the course of two-and-a-half years!
However, her achievements went unnoticed – very few women travelled at that time and rather bafflingly, it was almost seen as a blip in her life rather than an achievement.
Immortalising the Elspeth story
Thankfully, we’ve come a long way since then and Elspeth’s remarkable achievements are now celebrated. She enjoys the accolade of the first British woman to ride solo around the world on a motorbike, not to mention the fact she’s an award-winning architect!
It’s no wonder her story has now been immortalised in her memoirs, Lone Rider: The First British Woman to Motorcycle Around the World, and she has joined the ranks of the likes of Che Guevara and Steve McQueen to become an ambassador for iconic British brands like Belstaff, who are famed for their motorcycle jackets.
We’re sure this isn’t the last time we’ll hear about this incredibly inspirational woman and we look forward to hearing about the feats that Elspeth will no doubt continue to amaze us with!
Founder David Rollins says those events have not been completely shelved, but they have given birth to this new event.
“We developed a good relationship with the people of Walcha in that time, we’ve earned their trust and now we want to repay it,” he says.
“The town is providing us with first-class facilities so that we can stage an event to remember.”
Among the attractions for the weekend will be a “Hell Climb” hillclimb, custom show, flat-track exhibition racing, stalls, music, outdoor cinema, trade show, globe of death, donuts and burnouts in a closed-off arena.
HOG will have guided rides and HOG members will lead off the Thunder Rally.
Punters will be invited to have a go at the flat track like Brisbane’s Dust Hustle event on a purpose-built track on vacant land next to the town’s racecourse.
“The Freak Show of Motorcycles will be like the Summernats for motorcycles,” David says.
“We’re expecting about 5000 attendees a day for the three days of the event.”
HOGs and more
Thunder Run at the last National HOG Rally in Tamworth
HOG members should be glad to see the return of their national rally.
It was last held in 2015 at Tamworth and followed by open Harley Days rallies at Wollongong in 2016 and 2017.
HOG members were unhappy with the open format so there was no 2018 national rally.
Now the national HOG rally will return at Walcha to run alongside the Freak Show which is described as a festival of motorcycles of all types.
Harley-Davidson Australia customer experience manager Gaz Luxmore says the partnership between the Freak Show Festival of Motorcycles and Harley-Davidson is “a perfect way of bringing together different riding communities and incorporating the national HOG Rally”.
“The lovely, motorcycle friendly town of Walcha and the fantastic roads of central NSW will create a magnificent backdrop for a truly unique and spectacular event,” he says.
Walcha crossroads
Walcha was chosen for the event because it sits at the crossroads of some of the best motorcycling routes in NSW taking in the Oxley Highway, New England Highway, Waterfall Way and Thunderbolts Way.
Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson says Walcha is “known for being popular with motorcycle tourists”.
The rally will be held in the Walcha racecourse and sale yards with various levels of camping right up to five-star “glamping”.
“All accommodation has been booked out in Walcha already, but there is still heaps in Armidale and Tamworth. Plus we will have on-site camping options from standard tents to Lawrence of Arabia style,” David says.
Shuttle buses to and from events, accommodation and the town centre will be provided.
Harley Owners Group spokesman Andrew Kidd says Walcha is a “reasonable size town with good facilities”.
“Much like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the surrounding towns will be more than able to handle the volume of riders coming to the event,” he says.
“The local roads are renowned as some of the best riding roads in the country so come along and enjoy a great event and some fantastic roads.”
Riders in Walcha at the Royal Cafe
David says the one ticket will gain access to all areas and sites that Freak Show Festival of Motorcycles has to offer.
Tickets go on sale at the end of March and David says they will be “competitively priced”.
David says they have major sponsorship support from Harley-Davidson Australia and the NSW Government’s major events agency, Destination NSW.
Minister for Tourism and Major Events and Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall says the motorcycle event will deliver more than $1.7 million in visitor expenditure to the region.
Each year, tens of millions of tourists visit New York City to take in the sights, experience the city’s melting pot culture, catch a Broadway show, visit one of the world’s leading museums, shop on Fifth Avenue, walk through Central Park, and so much more. In fact, there’s so much to do in New York City at all times that even if you lived there your entire life, you’d never be able to see or do it all. Still, that’s no reason not to try to do as much as possible! With so much to do in one city, you’d be missing out on a lot by sticking to just one or two areas. And that’s where traveling by motorbike comes in to help you see and do more.
Perks of Touring New York by Motorcycle
Over the years, motorcycles haven’t really been the transportation method of choice for New York visitors or residents, even though there are many benefits to choosing motorcycles over other options. In a congested city like New York, traveling by motorbike will inspire you to check out all of the five boroughs — instead of just Times Square, which is where tourists usually stick to — and unlock a world of excitement. You’ll be able to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge or Highline, visit the Natural History Museum, and catch a Yankees game, all in one trip. It’s also cheaper than taking cabs everywhere, and more scenic than traveling around by subway.
Looking for more sights to check out? Here are a few other places you should visit when touring New York City by motorcycle:
Coney Island
Traveling by motorcycle might take you about the same time as traveling by subway, but it’ll be a far more pleasant experience — and more scenic! You’ll get a nice shot of the Manhattan skyline as you head into Brooklyn, and you’ll get to see how the neighbourhoods change. Once in Coney Island, you should set some time aside to lounge on the beach, hit up the amusement park (including the Cyclone, one of the oldest wooden roller coasters in the US), and stop by Nathan’s for one of their world-famous hot dogs.
Getting to Flushing by taxi or subway can be nearly impossible sometimes — many taxis won’t leave Manhattan, and there are frequently long train delays or other issues. Luckily, you can avoid all of this when traveling by motorbike. Flushing is home to some of the best Chinese food you’ll find in New York. You’ll also find plenty of other great food in the area (and nearby) such as Mexican, Greek, Thai, Japanese, and so much more.
If you’re looking for more food options, head to the Queens Night Market nearby where you’ll find food from more than 80 countries. There’s also live music and plenty of art to check out. When you’re done, head to the Queens Museum for visual arts exhibits or Flushing Meadows Corona Park for a stroll.
The Met Cloisters
Located in Washington Heights’ Fort Tryon Park along the Hudson River, this is a must-visit museum for medieval history lovers. The museum features art and architecture from medieval Europe, in additional to beautiful gardens. The Met Cloisters also features rotating art exhibits and numerous events, including concerts.
Once you arrive here, you’ll forget you’re in New York City. This zoo is one of the largest zoos in the the US at 265 acres. Millions of people from all over the world visit the zoo every year to see the zoo’s extremely diverse collection of wildlife. It’s so big in fact that you’ll have a difficult time seeing the whole place, so it’s best to pick a few areas that you want to focus on and stick to those. If you’re able to, try scheduling a trip to the Bronx Zoo on the same day as a ball game in Yankee Stadium since they’re in the same borough.
There are just a few of the sights you should check out with touring New York by motorcycle. If you really want to make the most of your trip, be sure to plan out your visit and routes ahead of time so you don’t miss anything!
What better way to see the scenic Adriatic country of Croatia but with a local couple who have more than 20 years of motorcycle experience!
Robert and Andrea Vrabec of Moto Tours Croatia have planned a 2400km ride through their home country which, as the map shows, is dominated by a rugged coastline, multitudes of islands and craggy mountain ranges.
Unforgettable Croatia
“The nature, the sea and the cities we will go through, with their history and culture, will make this trip unforgettable,” Robert says.
“Some parts of the routes we ride are truly spectacular and majestic“.
“The cities we will visit like Rovinj, Zadar, Dubrovnik count among the most beautiful tourist destinations, while islands like Cres, Mali Lošinj, Hvar will leave you breathless.”
They promise that their customers will truly “feel Croatia”.
Their tours range in price from €2990 for a rider and €2290 for a passenger for the eight-day Feel Croatia Small tour to €4290 and €2790 for the 14-day Croatian Island tour.
Price also depends on the type of motorcycle hired. Robert says they only use high-high-performance KTM and BMW motorcycles.
Tours run from May to October, but not the hottest months of July and August.
Riding passion
“It is difficult to explain even to ourselves, from where we draw such will and passion to go along the same road, same curve, to sit in that same coffee bar,” he says.
“There are no special words to describe it; just that sense of freedom, contact with nature; that smile on our faces when we meet those wonderful people who share the same and true passion for motorbikes, nature, travel, adventure.”
Robert and Andrea have worked in real estate, so they know the best places to stay and eat in no less than four-star comfort.
“After an exhausting ride, dinner will be served,” says Robert.
“For this we will also choose the places whose food and wine offer follows the customs of their geographic location.”
Moto Tours Croatia plan only small groups so they can devote their attention to each guest.
“Whenever we travel, we always find a new curve and pass the old ones with a smile,” Robert says.
“We plan our trips with a lot of attention to details and we also know that mileage is not the only purpose of travel. Therefore, the journeys we plan for you will always have additional content, depending on whether we are on the sea side where we will sail to a hidden cave, or we are on a hill where we will try zip-lining, or we will simply enjoy a glass of Croatian wine and watch the sunset.”
“These tours are ideal for romantics who love the sea, scenic coastal roads and impressive sunsets, as well as for gastronomes and fine wine devotees,” he says.
Moto Tours Croatia also organise tours through the mountains in neighbouring countries such as Slovenia, Italy and Austria. They can even arrange a unique, customised tour to your requirements.
Guided tours include:
Late-model BMW and KTM motorcycles with lockable hard luggage and tank bags plus a third party liability insurance and comprehensive vehicle insurance;
Experienced motorcycle guide;
Support van for luggage and 1 or 2 passengers;
All accommodation in mostly four-star hotels and apartments;
All buffet breakfasts;
All dinners, mostly in traditional local restaurants (except on rest days);
All ferry rides and tolls (according to tour program);
All fuel during the tour;
All entrance fees for national parks and museums (according to tour program);
Airport transfers on arrival day or one day before and on departure day;
All maps with marked routes for the region being toured;
Extensive tour booklet; and
GPS with all the routes uploaded.
Not included in the price: Airfares, dinners on rest days, most lunches, drinks, personal spending and tips.
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