My fav photo from the Rally. Taken at Siding Springs Observatory in the Warrambungles.
Big Things Practice Rally 10th-12th May 2019
- Thread starter OX-34
- Start date
SimonB
Premier Member
OX, always willing to help out fellow riders, offered to run a rally to help the Aussies that are heading to the 2019 IBR prepare. When I saw OX’s post inviting other riders to attend also, I jumped at the opportunity.
Martin/Bec would attend in person and several other big dogs would do a virtual rally. I was in good company and planned to learn as much as I could.
OX did a lot of great work pulling everything together before the rally and even organised a photographer to follow us around in a dark coloured ute!
We had over 100 bonuses on offer, including an opportunity to explore the world’s largest solar system virtual drive based around Coonabarabran. Add to the mix checkpoints in Tamworth on Saturday and Sunday mornings with heavy penalties for being late and we were in for some fun.
It was great watching Martin and Bec work together. So impressive with their routing and execution. I take my hat off to anyone doing this as a two up team!
We could start anywhere by obtaining a printed receipt, but not before 18:30 on Friday afternoon. I left a cold, wet Canberra at about 17:30, bound for the Shell servo in Goulburn conveniently located right next to the Big Merino. How lucky was I? Start receipt and 1000 points just a stone’s throw from each other.
I continued down the Hume, through Sydney and onto the New England Highway picking up a few more bonuses on the way.
After a few hours’ sleep at Murrurundi I rode the short distance to Tamworth to have Leg 1 scored and commence routing for Leg 2.
The bonuses for the solar system drive looked complicated at first glance but after reading the rally book more carefully and starting to code locations and ‘combos’ into Basecamp, this option looked pretty attractive. Further, there were new roads to ride with the solar system option and that’s one of the many reasons I like rallying – seeing a few more of those out of the way places. With Leg 2 planned I headed west from Tamworth on the hunt for 22 locations.
Leg 2 finished on Sunday morning at 10:00am. Arriving late would cost me 1000 points per minute. I experienced this pain last rally, so I arrived early!
Leg 3 took me on a south westerly route through Yeoval, Grenfell and finally the Dog on the Tuckerbox in Gundagai. Quick photo and a finish receipt at the nearby servo then a chilly run up the Hume, onto the Barton Hwy back to Canberra.
A fantastic weekend. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do these rides. Such a privilege.
Big thank you to OX and Tiger Bill for planning and to OX for running the rally and doubling as the official photographer!
A few photos to add to the album..
Start receipt- check
Big Merino for a 1000 points and a combo - check
Rain soaking my score sheet printed on an inkjet printer so the printing smudges (poor decision) - check.
Quick scramble up an embankment and here's Ploddy the Dinosaur
We all know this one, a favourite and worth 750 points
The pick in Grenfell
Part of the solar system drive. Note my aux lights are ready for the night run, searching for drop bears.
Taken by the rally photographer.
Cresting a rise on the Walcha-Kentucky Road. I just had to stop and grab a photo.
Martin/Bec would attend in person and several other big dogs would do a virtual rally. I was in good company and planned to learn as much as I could.
OX did a lot of great work pulling everything together before the rally and even organised a photographer to follow us around in a dark coloured ute!
We had over 100 bonuses on offer, including an opportunity to explore the world’s largest solar system virtual drive based around Coonabarabran. Add to the mix checkpoints in Tamworth on Saturday and Sunday mornings with heavy penalties for being late and we were in for some fun.
It was great watching Martin and Bec work together. So impressive with their routing and execution. I take my hat off to anyone doing this as a two up team!
We could start anywhere by obtaining a printed receipt, but not before 18:30 on Friday afternoon. I left a cold, wet Canberra at about 17:30, bound for the Shell servo in Goulburn conveniently located right next to the Big Merino. How lucky was I? Start receipt and 1000 points just a stone’s throw from each other.
I continued down the Hume, through Sydney and onto the New England Highway picking up a few more bonuses on the way.
After a few hours’ sleep at Murrurundi I rode the short distance to Tamworth to have Leg 1 scored and commence routing for Leg 2.
The bonuses for the solar system drive looked complicated at first glance but after reading the rally book more carefully and starting to code locations and ‘combos’ into Basecamp, this option looked pretty attractive. Further, there were new roads to ride with the solar system option and that’s one of the many reasons I like rallying – seeing a few more of those out of the way places. With Leg 2 planned I headed west from Tamworth on the hunt for 22 locations.
Leg 2 finished on Sunday morning at 10:00am. Arriving late would cost me 1000 points per minute. I experienced this pain last rally, so I arrived early!
Leg 3 took me on a south westerly route through Yeoval, Grenfell and finally the Dog on the Tuckerbox in Gundagai. Quick photo and a finish receipt at the nearby servo then a chilly run up the Hume, onto the Barton Hwy back to Canberra.
A fantastic weekend. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to do these rides. Such a privilege.
Big thank you to OX and Tiger Bill for planning and to OX for running the rally and doubling as the official photographer!
A few photos to add to the album..
Start receipt- check
Big Merino for a 1000 points and a combo - check
Rain soaking my score sheet printed on an inkjet printer so the printing smudges (poor decision) - check.
Quick scramble up an embankment and here's Ploddy the Dinosaur
We all know this one, a favourite and worth 750 points
The pick in Grenfell
Part of the solar system drive. Note my aux lights are ready for the night run, searching for drop bears.
Taken by the rally photographer.
Cresting a rise on the Walcha-Kentucky Road. I just had to stop and grab a photo.
Johng
Premier Member
I have now loaded all these pics into the Aussie IBA pic site https://www.smugmug.com/gallery/n-LNGns9/
Lynne "the Pillion"
Staff member
Well done to all who ventured out
A big thank you to Ox & Tiger Bill for organising the event.
A big thank you to Ox & Tiger Bill for organising the event.
Tele
Premier Member
Looks like a fun and challenging event. Congratulations to all those who "had a go". I could not even try the virtual rally due to the flood of relatives and guests we had here on the weekend for our daughters engagement bash. Big kudos to Ox and IBA Tiger for their energy and effort in putting this show together.
Thanks all who have posted such excellent photos.
Thanks all who have posted such excellent photos.
Pillion Piglet has been busy writing up her blog from the rally and you can read all about it here;
https://pillionpiglet.com/2019/05/19/big-things-leg-2/
https://pillionpiglet.com/2019/05/19/big-things-leg-3/
https://pillionpiglet.com/2019/05/19/big-things-leg-2/
https://pillionpiglet.com/2019/05/19/big-things-leg-3/
tabledrain
IBR Finisher
good practice run and I am glad to hear you are ready to go.
I have also lost a brand new, first ride out, in the first 100km lost an airhawk.. I tied the next one on with some elastic hooks.
I have also lost a brand new, first ride out, in the first 100km lost an airhawk.. I tied the next one on with some elastic hooks.
Philmor
Premier Member
I would have liked to have done the rally but due to business commitments, it was impossible for me to get “the planets to line up”, even to do the virtual rally. 
Thanks to Ox & Tiger Bill for putting it together.
Any chance of a re-run or making it available to be done when time permits for individual riders (and pillions)?
Simon’s rally report was a good read with great pics and Bec’s 3 leg blog was entertaining as usual.
Thanks to Ox & Tiger Bill for putting it together.
Any chance of a re-run or making it available to be done when time permits for individual riders (and pillions)?
Simon’s rally report was a good read with great pics and Bec’s 3 leg blog was entertaining as usual.
Lynne "the Pillion"
Staff member
Really enjoyed reading your blogs PP. Always interesting hearing from another Pillions perspective as there's not many of us
Wising you both all the best in the IBR
Wising you both all the best in the IBR
........Any chance of a re-run or making it available to be done when time permits for individual riders (and pillions)?
Yes. The rally can be run at another time easily. A rejig of the rallybook - at least the points allocation - is all that's needed for anyone who has a copy of the current book and .gpx files. Otherwise it could be run to new faces as is.
Phil I've gathered up a few waypoints lately. Before this one I 'ran' the 50 waypoint rally for Jeff the Chef within South Australia. I think I'll muck around and do a couple of extra states and next thing you know we could have at least a 72-96 hour rally up and running.
Funny you should say that...I’ve just spent the weekend buying a replacement Rally bike for the IBR...
Waiting to here more.
Ok, so our Rally ready 2005 R1200RT went in for its pre-rally service and some diagnostics on an annoying rattle from the clutch/transmission. (this was bad enough on Buttlite IX for Pillion Piglet to comment on it) The bush mechanic in me had convinced myself it was clutch related and would be relatively easily fixed ahead a few weeks out from our arrival.
Long story short it turns out to be a failed main bearing on the engine output shaft to the point where the crankshaft had noticeable movement in it. The fix involves a new short block (very expensive even by BMW standards) or a used short block, (very risky as to origins and still expensive once all the other parts added into the mix. The alternative was just to buy another bike and with the help of two Strangers (Team Strange in Minnesota) I was able to locate and buy a 2007 R1200RT (effectively the same model as my 2005) from another IBR vet who happened to have this 2007 model sitting in his garage as his second bike, all at much cheaper outcome
So we now own a 2007 R1200RT which will have all the Rally Farkles transferred across to it later this week, ready for our arrival next week. It feels like our rally has already started after a weekend like this.
Long story short it turns out to be a failed main bearing on the engine output shaft to the point where the crankshaft had noticeable movement in it. The fix involves a new short block (very expensive even by BMW standards) or a used short block, (very risky as to origins and still expensive once all the other parts added into the mix. The alternative was just to buy another bike and with the help of two Strangers (Team Strange in Minnesota) I was able to locate and buy a 2007 R1200RT (effectively the same model as my 2005) from another IBR vet who happened to have this 2007 model sitting in his garage as his second bike, all at much cheaper outcome
So we now own a 2007 R1200RT which will have all the Rally Farkles transferred across to it later this week, ready for our arrival next week. It feels like our rally has already started after a weekend like this.
tabledrain
IBR Finisher
I'm feeling for you guys....
I think that makes three aussies who each own two bmw's in the usa...sheesh..