My last post on August 10th. was all about an SS1600 that I completed as part of my preparation for a 50CC and a Centreline 36 hour rides.
This year was the 20th. Anniversary of the first Coast to Coast in under 50 hours done in Australia. As such 10 riders and 1 pillion put their hands up to re-enact that special ride. I was one of them. He is my report on these rides.
50CC. Melbourne to Darwin [3,715 kilometres]
Thursday 24th. of August I departed Bairnsdale [home town in East Gippsland of Victoria] in the morning bound for Melbourne and the motel where the riders were meeting and resting prior to the start at 2am. Friday 25th. from the United fuel outlet Port Melbourne on the Melbourne side of The Westgate Bridge.
At 1 am. one rider was out with a very strong flu, 9 riders, 1 pillion gathered at the United for the 2am. departure. We would be leaving together but with different schedules fuel wise we wouldn't be riding together. Fuel strategy was to be an interesting exercise. My longest distance between stops was 384 kilometres [kms.]. Others with auxiliary tanks would go further. On all IBA rides one must not travel 600 kms. between stops.
I had a friend who road with me to the South Australian border, I think to make sure I left the State. 292 kms. 3 hours after starting we refuelled at Horsham, all good, cold, but our Warm and Safe heated gear solved that problem. I was ahead of my schedule by 15 minutes.
Saying goodbye to Steve at the border I continued onto Tailem Bend, #2 fuel stop. 332 kms. 3.5 hours. Again was ahead of schedule and first on the road regards the other riders. No prizes for being first. It was into Adelaide [my chosen route] after peak hour traffic and onto Port Augusta at the northern end of Spencer Gulf 384 kms. 4.25 hours after leaving #2 fuel stop for my #3 fuel stop. It was also here that I removed my heated gear [socks, pants and jacket] it was really getting warm.
Now onto the Stuart Hwy. I was well aware of the chance of wandering stock and wildlife [kangaroos and emus] even though it was daylight. Not far north of the Gutta I stopped for a nature break and re-entering the highway Scott on his BMW GSA 1200 with an 11 litre second tank drew alongside. We rode together to our scheduled nightly rest stop.
Glendambo 289 kms. was #4 fuel stop, all good. Then Coober Pedy 254 kms #5 soon arrived. At this stop we were approximately 1 hour ahead of schedule allowing for the time zone change, 30 minutes behind Melbourne time. 5.45 pm. as opposed to 6.45 pm. All was good as we settled into as little of dark time riding we could do.
Marla, 234 kms., lights showed up on the horizon and a very welcome sight the were, no roos [kangaroos] sighted. Fueled #6 and receipted at 8 pm. we quickly got our rooms and unpacked bikes before going back into the dining area for a feed.
At about 8.40 pm. Martin Little [just home from doing the Iron Butt Rally in USA] walked in, too late for the kitchen, takeaway was on his menu. My schedule had me leaving at 5.15 am. Saturday 26th. morning but I ageed to be ready fo a 4 am. departure time with two more experienced riders. Back to the room, shower and sleep. As is always the case it took me what seemed like ages to finally drift off.
Saturday 2.15 am. wake-up alarm shocked me out of my slumber. Showered [to wake-up], packed, loaded I was alone, no appearance from my so called more experienced mates. So I did what anyone would do I left and headed for #7 fuel stop 254 kms north. I kept my speed down to 125 kph even though Northern Territory has a 130 kph limit. Yes of course of was concerned of nocturnal wandering wildlife.
Fueled at Erldunda 6.31am. [pumps are started at 6.30am]. Now 1.25 hours ahead of my schedule. Next stop Alice Springs #8, 200 kms. 2 hours North. With daylight my speed increased to 148 kph on the speedo [true speed 140]. I was into The Alice and fueled by 8.20 am. Another nature stop just north of town and I was joined by Martin on his BM GS. We looked at each other and decided we'd ride to Darwin together, all good.
Fuel stops #9 Ti-Tree 193 kms, #10, Tennant Creek 339 kms. #11 Elliott 229 kms. all completed without incident. At Tennant Creek I said to Martin I would a double stint in front [we'd been swapping the lead each stop] and he could lead the last leg into Darwin. Oh how plans change on the road.
South of Mataranka #12 310 kms. we rode into the roadside undergrowth on fire [set alight by the local firefighters to reduce the fuel load prior to the summer period]. We didn't have too much of a problem, but the rest of the riders behind us by 1.5 - 2 hours were going to have a very hard time]. Fueled up at Mataranka no issues.
Katherine #13 274 kms. fueled up at 11pm. Martin asked if was going to get something to eat. I suppose I should explain that I carry nutritional bars, energy gells and chocolate bars in my tankbag as well as a 2.5 litre water container strapped to my right pillion peg with the drink hose routed to my tankbag. Also attached to my left pillion peg is a pushbike bidon cage with a litre biden filled with electrolyte fluid. But I decide on a couple of bananas to give me a potassium shot to stave of the chance of cramps. This is what had kept Scott from our planned 4 am. start at Marla.
Anyway Martin bought a sandwich and shortly after starting eating he was coughing severely. Next thing he sneezes and his nose is pouring out blood. I was quickly back into the store for a jar of Vaseline to plug his nose. He looked pretty down at this point and then he asked me to lead the last leg into Darwin. Now at about this point what with the strain of looking for errant wildlife my eyes looked like a couple of piss holes in the snow. OK I say, lets go.
Just South of Adelaide River we see 1 roo on the left, 4 on the right and I large Brahma bull also on the right. Luckily all back from the road edge. I pulled into the servo at Adelaide River not for fuel but a can of Coke, I needed a sugar fix. It was here I told Martin that it was his turn up front. Of we headed Darwin was only 113 kms. up the road.
Rolling up onto the driveway of the Shell servo in Daly St., finish point we were both happy. Fuelled and finish docket with a time of 22.42 hours on the Saturday evening [50 hours cutoff was 4 am.] we rang our wives to give them the good news. There's no prizes for being first or early, 1 minute to cutoff would have been OK but I;d just finished my first 50CC over 3 hours ahead of the cut-off time.
Martin headed for his motel, he would leave at 5 am. to head back to Canberra for work on Wednesday morning. I rode out to the caravan park a shortish distance back down the highway for my Sunday rest day before I returned to the Daly St. Shell servo at 3 am. on Monday morning to start my Centreline 36 hours ride south to Port Augusta.
I must say this now, but all you that have done long distances on a Trophy, all those IBA rides or simply touring now how excellent these bikes are. My only problem was losing the right rear reflector.
Triumph definitely made a "HUGE MISTAKE" in not continuing the development of these fine spots/touring motorcycles.
At 75 years young I'm pleased to be the oldest rider in Australia to have completed a 50CC ride. My report on my return ride will follow in a week or two. In two days my main sponsor [ the very good wife] and I are hooking up our caravan to the Toyota 4WD drive and going away for a few days.
Thanks for reading these few lines. Cheers, HACKLE
Last Edit: Sep 13, 2023, 01.29 pm by HACKLE
This year was the 20th. Anniversary of the first Coast to Coast in under 50 hours done in Australia. As such 10 riders and 1 pillion put their hands up to re-enact that special ride. I was one of them. He is my report on these rides.
50CC. Melbourne to Darwin [3,715 kilometres]
Thursday 24th. of August I departed Bairnsdale [home town in East Gippsland of Victoria] in the morning bound for Melbourne and the motel where the riders were meeting and resting prior to the start at 2am. Friday 25th. from the United fuel outlet Port Melbourne on the Melbourne side of The Westgate Bridge.
At 1 am. one rider was out with a very strong flu, 9 riders, 1 pillion gathered at the United for the 2am. departure. We would be leaving together but with different schedules fuel wise we wouldn't be riding together. Fuel strategy was to be an interesting exercise. My longest distance between stops was 384 kilometres [kms.]. Others with auxiliary tanks would go further. On all IBA rides one must not travel 600 kms. between stops.
I had a friend who road with me to the South Australian border, I think to make sure I left the State. 292 kms. 3 hours after starting we refuelled at Horsham, all good, cold, but our Warm and Safe heated gear solved that problem. I was ahead of my schedule by 15 minutes.
Saying goodbye to Steve at the border I continued onto Tailem Bend, #2 fuel stop. 332 kms. 3.5 hours. Again was ahead of schedule and first on the road regards the other riders. No prizes for being first. It was into Adelaide [my chosen route] after peak hour traffic and onto Port Augusta at the northern end of Spencer Gulf 384 kms. 4.25 hours after leaving #2 fuel stop for my #3 fuel stop. It was also here that I removed my heated gear [socks, pants and jacket] it was really getting warm.
Now onto the Stuart Hwy. I was well aware of the chance of wandering stock and wildlife [kangaroos and emus] even though it was daylight. Not far north of the Gutta I stopped for a nature break and re-entering the highway Scott on his BMW GSA 1200 with an 11 litre second tank drew alongside. We rode together to our scheduled nightly rest stop.
Glendambo 289 kms. was #4 fuel stop, all good. Then Coober Pedy 254 kms #5 soon arrived. At this stop we were approximately 1 hour ahead of schedule allowing for the time zone change, 30 minutes behind Melbourne time. 5.45 pm. as opposed to 6.45 pm. All was good as we settled into as little of dark time riding we could do.
Marla, 234 kms., lights showed up on the horizon and a very welcome sight the were, no roos [kangaroos] sighted. Fueled #6 and receipted at 8 pm. we quickly got our rooms and unpacked bikes before going back into the dining area for a feed.
At about 8.40 pm. Martin Little [just home from doing the Iron Butt Rally in USA] walked in, too late for the kitchen, takeaway was on his menu. My schedule had me leaving at 5.15 am. Saturday 26th. morning but I ageed to be ready fo a 4 am. departure time with two more experienced riders. Back to the room, shower and sleep. As is always the case it took me what seemed like ages to finally drift off.
Saturday 2.15 am. wake-up alarm shocked me out of my slumber. Showered [to wake-up], packed, loaded I was alone, no appearance from my so called more experienced mates. So I did what anyone would do I left and headed for #7 fuel stop 254 kms north. I kept my speed down to 125 kph even though Northern Territory has a 130 kph limit. Yes of course of was concerned of nocturnal wandering wildlife.
Fueled at Erldunda 6.31am. [pumps are started at 6.30am]. Now 1.25 hours ahead of my schedule. Next stop Alice Springs #8, 200 kms. 2 hours North. With daylight my speed increased to 148 kph on the speedo [true speed 140]. I was into The Alice and fueled by 8.20 am. Another nature stop just north of town and I was joined by Martin on his BM GS. We looked at each other and decided we'd ride to Darwin together, all good.
Fuel stops #9 Ti-Tree 193 kms, #10, Tennant Creek 339 kms. #11 Elliott 229 kms. all completed without incident. At Tennant Creek I said to Martin I would a double stint in front [we'd been swapping the lead each stop] and he could lead the last leg into Darwin. Oh how plans change on the road.
South of Mataranka #12 310 kms. we rode into the roadside undergrowth on fire [set alight by the local firefighters to reduce the fuel load prior to the summer period]. We didn't have too much of a problem, but the rest of the riders behind us by 1.5 - 2 hours were going to have a very hard time]. Fueled up at Mataranka no issues.
Katherine #13 274 kms. fueled up at 11pm. Martin asked if was going to get something to eat. I suppose I should explain that I carry nutritional bars, energy gells and chocolate bars in my tankbag as well as a 2.5 litre water container strapped to my right pillion peg with the drink hose routed to my tankbag. Also attached to my left pillion peg is a pushbike bidon cage with a litre biden filled with electrolyte fluid. But I decide on a couple of bananas to give me a potassium shot to stave of the chance of cramps. This is what had kept Scott from our planned 4 am. start at Marla.
Anyway Martin bought a sandwich and shortly after starting eating he was coughing severely. Next thing he sneezes and his nose is pouring out blood. I was quickly back into the store for a jar of Vaseline to plug his nose. He looked pretty down at this point and then he asked me to lead the last leg into Darwin. Now at about this point what with the strain of looking for errant wildlife my eyes looked like a couple of piss holes in the snow. OK I say, lets go.
Just South of Adelaide River we see 1 roo on the left, 4 on the right and I large Brahma bull also on the right. Luckily all back from the road edge. I pulled into the servo at Adelaide River not for fuel but a can of Coke, I needed a sugar fix. It was here I told Martin that it was his turn up front. Of we headed Darwin was only 113 kms. up the road.
Rolling up onto the driveway of the Shell servo in Daly St., finish point we were both happy. Fuelled and finish docket with a time of 22.42 hours on the Saturday evening [50 hours cutoff was 4 am.] we rang our wives to give them the good news. There's no prizes for being first or early, 1 minute to cutoff would have been OK but I;d just finished my first 50CC over 3 hours ahead of the cut-off time.
Martin headed for his motel, he would leave at 5 am. to head back to Canberra for work on Wednesday morning. I rode out to the caravan park a shortish distance back down the highway for my Sunday rest day before I returned to the Daly St. Shell servo at 3 am. on Monday morning to start my Centreline 36 hours ride south to Port Augusta.
I must say this now, but all you that have done long distances on a Trophy, all those IBA rides or simply touring now how excellent these bikes are. My only problem was losing the right rear reflector.
Triumph definitely made a "HUGE MISTAKE" in not continuing the development of these fine spots/touring motorcycles.
At 75 years young I'm pleased to be the oldest rider in Australia to have completed a 50CC ride. My report on my return ride will follow in a week or two. In two days my main sponsor [ the very good wife] and I are hooking up our caravan to the Toyota 4WD drive and going away for a few days.
Thanks for reading these few lines. Cheers, HACKLE
Last Edit: Sep 13, 2023, 01.29 pm by HACKLE
